I Became the Youngest Summoner in the Strongest Guild

15. Arcana Online

As I got up from the bed and stretched, Yong-yong acted cute and demanded breakfast with an adorable voice.

"Kyuung."

I took out a magic stone and gave it to Yong-yong, and as I watched it eat, I suddenly realized it had grown.

Before, it could fit in the palm of one hand, but now it had grown to the size of a small doll.

Thanks to that, it's become convenient to carry in my arms.

When it gets bigger later, should I wrap it around my neck?

This isn't the time for that.

I need to move quickly if I want to get to the quest location I received yesterday.

I brought up the blue window and checked once more.

[A quest has arrived.]
Check if something has happened to the Forest Clan.

Reward: Experience, large amount of magic stones.

It's a simple quest where I just need to check on the presence of the clan living in the forest where the 'World Tree' is located, which is half a day's walk away.

There's no need to fight, just investigate. A simple quest.

But the reward is sweet.

Just as I was about to leave the City of Stars with Yong-yong in my arms.

"I finally found you!"

I looked in the direction of the loud shout and saw an older sister with brown hair and wolf ears approaching me.

Who is she?

"Do you know how long I've been looking for you!?"
"Who are you?"
"Me? Your viewer!"
"What!?"

The older sister who revealed herself as my viewer.

But I only have one viewer?

Stalker.

Then this older sister is...?

"S-stalker!?"
"Who are you calling a stalker!"

She yelled angrily and raised her hand?

C-could she be trying to hit me!?

The moment I squeezed my eyes shut.

I felt a soft touch on my head.

When I opened my eyes and looked, I saw the older sister smiling.

"Do you know how much I missed you!?"
"Why?"
"To recruit you!"

Ah, that thing I refused last time.

"I'm sorry. I don't have any intention of belonging somewhere."
"Then there's nothing we can do. But, I won't give up!"

With those words, she waved goodbye saying she'd see me again, tore a scroll from her inventory, and disappeared.

I stared blankly at that scene for a while, then grew curious.

Did she come all this way just to say that?

*
*
*

Sasha, who returned to the Frey Guild early in the morning.

"You already met her?"
"I was lucky! I met her on the street this morning!"

She talked about how the girl was even cuter than in the video, smiling brightly, but that's not the story I wanted.

"What about what I ordered you to do?"
"What order?"
"......"

As I stared at her with a dumbfounded face, she seemed to finally remember and her face turned pale.

"I didn't ask."
"Go back again."

After telling her not to return to the guild until she found out, I kicked Sasha out.

I watched her pitiful figure standing outside through the window, then lowered the blinds.

*
*
*

While walking on the road, I had a slight expectation, but the bear didn't come.

Is it busy...?

With no choice, I moved on foot, and the romance of adventure was crumbling.

After walking for several hours.

"My legs hurt."

Why did they make this damn game so realistic!?

There's even stamina, so you have to rest after moving for a certain time.

I was leaning against a nearby tree, giving Yong-yong a magic stone and resting, when I was about to move again.

"Peep!"

I looked in the direction of the sound and saw a tiny chick looking at me and crying.

It was looking at the magic stone Yong-yong was eating and even drooling, does it want to eat this?

"Do you want to eat too?"
"Peep!"

I took out a magic stone from my inventory and gave it to the chick, which ate it deliciously, but one wasn't enough and it looked at me asking for more.

Aren't you demanding too boldly?

I chuckled at that sight and gave it one more, which it took in its mouth and disappeared somewhere.

My stamina seemed to have recovered somewhat, so I started walking along the path again and saw a forest in the distance.

A lush forest was formed around a giant tree, is that tree the World Tree?

I arrived at the entrance of the forest and took out the compass I received from Erica unni.

«Find Compass»
Guides you in the direction of the specified person. (One-time use)

As I walked in the direction the compass pointed, I heard a rustling sound along with a voice.

"What brings a young human here?"

I looked in the direction of the voice and saw a member of the Forest Clan, no, an elf, pointing an arrow at me.

Despite the blonde hair and clear eyes, the elf was looking at me with a cold expression and pointing an arrow, so I raised both hands and said.

"I came because I received a request. I was told to check if something had happened to the Forest Clan."
"Where's the request form?"

I took out a parchment from my inventory and showed it, and the elf gestured for me to throw it.

I threw the parchment, and after checking the contents, the elf lowered their guard.

"I apologize. The atmosphere has been ominous lately."
"Can you tell me more about it?"
"Let's move to a different place first."

I followed the older sister who introduced herself as Mellin of the Forest Clan towards the village.

There were many elves in the village, but they all had gloomy expressions. The dark circles under their eyes were no joke.
That's exactly what people who haven't slept properly look like.

Mellin unni guided me through the gloomy atmosphere.

"This is the house where the elder of the Forest Clan lives. Wait here for a moment."

A few minutes passed.

A voice from inside told us to come in.

As I entered the house, I saw a simple house with only the necessities.

Mellin unni cleared her throat as I was looking around.

I finally came to my senses and looked at the person sitting in the chair.

There was a man with an idol-like appearance that looked like a gisaeng's younger brother.

He had the kind of looks my older sister would like.

"This is Elder Milene of the Forest Clan."
"Nice to meet you, traveler."
"Hello, Elder Milene."

I bowed my head in greeting, and Elder Milene smiled and told me to sit down.

As I sat down, Mellin unni served warm tea.

"I've heard the story. You said you came because you received a request, right?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"Then I'll start from the beginning."

Listening to the story, I learned that strange sounds have been coming from the World Tree recently.

The sounds are getting worse day by day, but they can't figure out the cause, so they're very anxious.
Above all, it's so noisy that they can't sleep at night, which is causing them great distress.

At that moment, a message popped up.

[A quest has arrived.]
Uncover the identity of the unknown noise occurring in the World Tree.

Reward: Increase in goodwill with the Forest Clan.

Judging by the rather underwhelming reward, is this an easy quest?

"Just trust me."
"Thank you, traveler. Mellin will guide you to the World Tree."

After leaving the house, I was walking along the forest path following Mellin unni when I heard a strange sound.

It sounded like a scream or a groan of pain, but I couldn't tell exactly what it was.

After walking for a while, we arrived at the giant World Tree.

"I'll wait here."
"Okay, I understand."

As I approached the World Tree to check, I couldn't see anything unusual.

"Yong-yong, can you see anything?"
"Kyuung."
"Right? There's nothing here."

I investigated for a while but found nothing.

Feeling dejected, I sat down with my back against the World Tree when I heard a sound from somewhere.

"Peep! Peep!"
"Peeep!"
"Huh? What's that?"

I looked in the direction of the sound and saw the chick that had eaten the magic stone from me earlier.
How did it come all the way here?

And there's not just one, but two?

"Peep! Peep!"
"Peeep!"
"Huh? You'll help? How?"

The two chicks confidently walked ahead, telling me to follow them.

Are they magpies coming to repay a favor...?
No, they're chicks.

Following the chicks to a corner of the World Tree, I found a very small hole.

It was hidden so well that it was difficult to see with the naked eye.

The chicks went right in, and for the first time since I changed into this body, I had a chance to use it effectively.

If I were just a bit bigger, I wouldn't have been able to enter.

I crawled into the hole awkwardly and after crawling for a while, I saw light in the distance.

"Peep! Peep!"
"Peeep!"
"J-just wait a moment! I'm coming!"

These guys. They walked comfortably while I had to crawl, and now they're urging me to hurry up.

I'm really putting up with it because I'm grateful.

After crawling for a long time, I finally reached the place where bright light was seeping through and saw a wide open space.

There was someone there with the chicks.

It was a being whose face was partially covered with black scales, but one thing was certain: it wasn't human.

Its pupils were like those of a snake, who could it be?

It looked at me and smiled brightly.

It wasn't an ordinary smile, its mouth was split up to its ears.

It was like a scene straight out of a horror movie.