Eat The World Tree

─Lee Shiheon passed the second trial.

(A meme of Maronnie eating food caught on camera.)

Competing with the World Tree, he might actually win for real?

[Comments 15]

ㅇㅇ: I don’t know, f*ck.

ㅁ: All the experts are staying quiet. They say they have no idea what's going to happen lol.

└Observer of Dongho Station: From hunter SNS to the guilds, everything's a mess. They're already trying to align themselves with him, saying it’s been a while since Korea produced such a talented individual.

└ㅇㅇ(15.233): They say he’s connected to Spring Peach Blossom, so that says it all. He’s just naturally talented. I don’t know about Maehwa, but it looks like he’ll make it to the final trial with Kim Soo-yeon.

ㅇㅇ(263.12): Where are the guys who used to call Lee Shiheon a nobody just a little while ago?

└ㅁㄴㅇㄹ: A nobody, my *ss lol. There’s been steady news about him since the beginning of the year. The fact that he’s a cadet at El Academy says it all. People who don't care about the hunter scene are just showing up late and asking dumb questions.

└ㅇㅇ(13.52): Why is the guy above so twisted? He’s a national representative, it’s only natural to start caring about him now.

ㅇㅇ(14.55): Who’s the girl in the meme? The one with strawberry jam on her lips is so cute.

---

Rumors really did spread fast.

The fact that I was Baekdo’s disciple was a well-kept secret only a few people knew. But once the fame started, my information spread rapidly.

People who were deeply interested in the academy or hunters—those who’d barely talked about me before—now could see my name pop up on any site.

‘Soon, Flower will start paying attention too.’

The successor to the Tree Spirit King had probably been pegged as someone with skills comparable to the World Tree.

I lay down on my bed and swiped my phone screen down with my hand.

Enjoying the soft, luxurious mattress and blankets, I began to relax.

-Tatatat!

At that moment, I heard footsteps coming from the kitchen. She was coming again. I sighed internally as I put down my phone, and the door burst open.

“Nyaaah!”

With a strange cry, she dove onto my bed. I flinched at her sharp trajectory, and Merri landed right on top of my stomach.

Fwoosh~

Soaring through the air like a flying squirrel, Merri landed so hard it made a loud thud.

“Oof!”

She curled up on my stomach, wrapping her hands around my chest. She rubbed her cheeks against my solar plexus, but since the blanket wasn’t satisfying, she tugged it off and curled up on top of me again.

A sharp branch poked at my cheek and collarbone. After being pricked so many times, it now just stung like a mosquito bite.

“Did you brush your teeth?”

“I did… But do I have to every time?”

“You’re eating fertilizer by the sackful; of course, you need to brush your teeth.”

It wasn’t organic fertilizer from plants and animals, but magical compost. Still, the word “fertilizer” was enough to bother me.

“Did you shower?”

“Help me with that.”

“…Fine. In 30 minutes.”

After spending a few days like this, I had started to understand Merri’s personality.

Maybe it was because she didn’t get much attention, but she was very mischievous and affectionate.

Sometimes, she was even worse than Shiba. Even though she was older than Shiba, she acted more like a child.

“Then I’ll just keep holding you. Pet my head.”

“Merri, this brother needs to rest too.”

“Do it!”

Merri poked my chin with the branch growing out of her head. At this point, I had no choice. I gently petted her, avoiding the branches. Then Merri snuggled her cheek against me.

“Hehe. Thanks.”

There were a few things I had asked of her after we started living together.

Respect boundaries.

If you did something wrong, apologize immediately.

When someone helped you or gave you what you wanted, thank them without hesitation.

These were the rules I set so that others could see the change in Merri.

Whenever she broke a rule, I scolded her strictly, but now she followed them well enough that I didn’t need to raise my voice anymore.

Sometimes, I felt like I was acting like her older brother, so I’d often say things like that. But it seemed Merri didn’t particularly mind the titles either.

“…Massage my back too.”

“Sure.”

Resigned, I tucked my phone under my pillow and started tending to Merri.

Starting from the back of her neck and down to just above her hips,

I rubbed my hands along the area above her butt and then back up to her neck.

I gently tapped the area next to her shoulder blades and poked her soft sides.

Since she liked the sensation, Merri’s body reacted like a puppy’s whenever I did something.

Squeak.

The roots sprouting from Merri’s waist and hips.

When I bathed her, I noticed that roots had been growing wildly from her tailbone, thighs, and waist.

Whenever I touched her, Merri’s roots would move depending on her mood.

She wrapped my waist and legs tightly with her roots so I couldn’t escape.

The branches growing out of her head wiggled constantly up and down.

Shiba sometimes did the same thing, but the difference was that Merri’s movements were more intense.

It was like one of those cheap spring toys on top of a pencil, bouncing when you pull it.

‘What kind of structure does she have?’

I stopped petting her and grabbed the wiggling branch stem.

It was softer than rubber, yet surprisingly dense. There was something like a hard bone deep inside, just like a dog’s tail.

As I rubbed that part gently, Merri suddenly shuddered.

“…Eep.”

“What?”

“N-Nothing.”

Merri pulled her hips back and hugged me even tighter.

I stopped messing with the branch and focused on petting her again.

“You know this is the last time, right? I have a lot of work to do starting tomorrow.”

“Yeah, I know. You don’t have to come see me. I’ll work really hard. Even if it hurts, I’ll do it.”

“It hurts?”

“Growing pains. When I extend my branches and spread my roots, it hurts. Once I’m done growing, it hurts even more. It really hurts, a lot.”

I see. Now I understood why she paused midway through her growth.

And I also began to understand what the World Tree of Healing meant when she said that healing came with pain—she probably meant that beauty came from enduring that pain.

“How much does it hurt?”

“It feels like new bones are forming inside, pushing against my flesh, tearing through it, and bursting out.”

“Thanks for the vivid description. Stay strong.”

“Yeah, I will. So keep petting me. Quickly.”

I moved my hands vigorously. More intensely. Stronger.

Whirrr~!

The branches spun violently like a windmill. I slightly tilted my head back to avoid being scratched by the sharp tips of the branches.

Merri held me tightly, breathing heavily.

“Haaa…”

She wriggled a bit closer.

Without any sign of stopping, she advanced further, resting her chin on my shoulder and rubbing her cheek against mine.

“You smell nice.”

“Of course I do.”

Whenever I was with Merri, it was like I emitted walking pheromones.

“But it’s a bit overwhelming. Can’t you move a little lower?”

“…You don’t like it?”

“It’s not that I don’t like it…”

Feeling defiant at my words, she pulled me closer, like a contrarian.

Merri wrapped her arms around the back of my head, bringing her cheek even closer to mine.

She even bit my cheek, showing off her extreme affection-deprived state.

Sigh.

It was like Dallae and Shiba joined forces and fused into one.

“You’re a human, so you have to listen to me.”

“I thought you were treating me like a tree.”

“You fool. That’s only for the outside. You’re my human! You’re mine.”

“Hey, what? Ah… fine, just take everything. Take it all.”

I lightly patted my clingy younger sister’s butt as she crawled closer to my solar plexus.

Having a younger sibling this affectionate wasn’t so bad.

I didn’t have any sisters growing up, and I vaguely recalled once envying this sort of relationship.

Though, she was clinging a bit too much.

But since this would only last for today, I decided to accept it.

Bite.

This time, she bit my earlobe. I could feel the warm moisture from her tree-like saliva.

She had asked me to bathe her, but now it felt like I’d be forced into taking a shower myself.

“Jeez.”

I smiled bitterly and continued to move my hands, persistently tending to her all day long.

---

“Miss Merri… there weren’t any major issues this time, but if things had gone differently… whew.”

This was the room where Merri was being returned, in her human form.

As we entered the room where she had been planted, the tree caretaker who followed us sighed and spoke.

“You mustn’t do that again.”

“What?”

Merri’s strong reaction caused the caretaker’s face to freeze over.

He looked exhausted, bracing himself for more insults.

I gave a small nod in Merri’s direction. She glanced at me, giving a sly fox-like smile before turning her fierce tiger-like gaze back to the caretaker.

“You.”

“Yes, Miss Merri?”

The caretaker bowed his head.

“…What was your name again?”

“Nick.”

“Nick, right, Nick.”

Merri repeated his name a few times, lowering her head slightly.

“…Sorry.”

Nick’s eyes widened.

“Pardon? Miss Merri, what did you just—”

“I’m sorry for being so stubborn this time…”

He blinked repeatedly, as if questioning his hearing, then turned to look at me.

I shrugged with a small smirk.

“I was really upset about losing my cadet in the second trial.”

“Ah, I see. But why the formal tone…”

“When I apologize, I have to speak politely… That’s what he said.”

She looked at me again. That part wasn’t really necessary to mention.

I turned my head, pretending not to notice.

Merri, still awkward about apologizing to someone other than me, fidgeted with her hands on her stomach.

“And I’m sorry for cursing so much too.”

“…Ah.”

“I know it’s tough, but I’ll try to fix it.”

Nick, standing stiff with an awkward expression, finally broke into a hesitant smile.

“Haha, thank you for your honesty, Miss Merri.”

There may still be some bitterness, but someone who had risen to the rank of tree caretaker likely didn’t harbor enough resentment to hate a tree completely.

Even if they had grievances or complaints, they had committed their life to working alongside trees.

There was probably at least some affection, even if it was begrudging.

I crossed my arms, watching the scene closely.

Before transforming back into a tree, Merri approached me and spread her arms wide.

“…Hug me. I worked hard.”

“You did well.”

I bent down and hugged her. Merri smiled.

Leaving Nick’s bewildered face behind, she entered the large hole in the center of the room.

Before long, a small tree sprouted from the spot.

A 1.5-meter tall tree—significantly smaller than the other trees.

A fragrant grassy scent wafted from its gently swaying branches.

[Well, he’s no longer under my responsibility, but…]

Merri spoke again.

[He passed the second trial.]

“Phew, thank you.”

The voice that had reached me through my ears now echoed inside my head.

There was nothing more to say. We both had a lot to do, so we parted ways.

“Mr. Lee Shiheon.”

“Yes?”

“Do you have a moment?”

Nick, who had turned his back, called out to me and asked for my opinion on various matters.

I spoke honestly about what I’d observed—how her cursing and behavior stemmed from her pride and the way she’d acted up until now.

I also asked him to watch over her from a distance, as it seemed she was genuinely reflecting on her actions.

After listening to me, Nick, both surprised and thankful, spoke up.

“This is the first time I’ve seen something like this. If Miss Merri becomes a World Tree later on, maybe they’ll make a documentary about her.”

We chuckled at the joke.

Then, after a brief conversation, I received a few special gifts, including restaurant vouchers.

And with that, the second trial came to an end.

---

Ring ring ring.

I stood in the hallway, answering a phone call. There was no one around.

I briefly removed my translator device and powered it off, responding to her voice.

“Yes, hello?”

[Hey, Shiheon.]

“How did it go?”

[Jumping straight to business, huh? Sure. So, about Guseul?]

Not long after, Byeol’s stern voice came through the phone.

[99%. She’s definitely part of Flower.]

Her certainty brought a smile to my face.