Ch. 82.2

After finishing the meal, Edna went out to the balcony of the spacecraft alone, partly to aid digestion.

"Phew, this feels good."

After releasing a hefty burp, her stomach felt refreshed.

While patting her slightly protruding belly, she let out a yawn when someone suddenly approached from the side.

"Hey, I have a favor to ask."

It was Baek Yu-Seol. He casually sat on the floor and started rummaging through his expanding backpack.

Edna frowned as if annoyed. "What's up, Mister?"

"Just grow one flower for me."

"Am I some kind of flower vending machine?"

He took out a small potted plant from his backpack.

Edna looked at it with a puzzled expression. "Here?"

"A request for a Hanbaram flower."

"Huh?" Edna's expression became noticeably more perplexed. "That's a bit difficult for my level..."

No matter how much she handled the plant magic of the elves, it was difficult to summon high-grade flowers.

The Hanbaram flower was famous as a flower that only looked in one direction wherever it was located, thanks to its characteristic [Absolute Sense of Direction].

It was handy for finding directions in dungeons or ruins, but... because of this characteristic, the rating of the plant was strangely high.

"I'll buy you a meal later."

"Yeah, I got it. For now..."

Baek Yu-Seol placed the flowerpot on the floor, and Edna squatted down, holding out her hands.

She closed her eyes and focused on her breathing.

"Inhale!"

After a while, the magic should have been activated, but nothing happened.

Baek Yu-Seol waited.

"Hoo! Huhuhuhuh!"

"....."

"Huhuhu!!"

.... Her face turned bright red, and she exerted some force in a noisy manner, but the flower did not grow.

"Did you poop?"

"Ah, damn it. Just shut up, please."

"What are you doing?"

"I have to give it some force, but I don't know where to channel the force..."

It was a disadvantage for humans to possess foreign magic.

Compared to elves, angels, or dwarves who could naturally manipulate that magic, Edna had to learn that sense acquired later in life.

It felt like trying to move wings or a tail.

Moving non-existent organs was undoubtedly a laborious task.

However, the hardship was only temporary.

"Oh, it sprouted."

"Hoo, huh... damn it, it's so exhausting."

Edna, who finally managed to make the flower bloom, wiped the sweat off her forehead. She thought it would be difficult, but the results were quite satisfying.

"But, what is this used for?"

She threw the question and imagined the place where the next episode would take place.

"..... Sir, you're not thinking of taking me to the 'Fourth Layer,' are you?"

"Of course." Baek Yu-Seol chuckled.

"Let's go. Otherwise, why did I bother giving you this?"

He had a lot of things to handle during this episode.

First, he planned to obtain the Divine Heart for Spirit Leafbane, and second, he wanted to meet one of the Twelve Gods in earnest, who slumbered deep in the root of Heavenly Spirit Tree.

Of course, entering into a contract with a god immediately was not possible. He didn't intend to bite off more than he could chew.

However, there was hope.

It was the ordinary flower necklace he received as a proof of friendship from Spirit Leafbane.

Since the setting was that Edna had a very close relationship with the spirits, he thought there was a possibility of them showing some affection towards him, who had even become friends with a spirit.

Of course, even if they didn't necessarily show affection, he planned to slowly build rapport while attempting to have conversations.

"Hm, the Fourth Layer, huh? What are you going to do down there... Ugh!"

Suddenly, Edna grabbed her stomach and Baek Yu-Seol, who had been smiling satisfactorily while looking at the flowerpot, was taken aback.

"What's wrong? Did something happen?"

Did she forcibly try to cast a high-level magic and experience side effects?

However, Edna turned pale and said, "No... I ate too much earlier... I gave too much strength to my stomach... the signal..."

"Oh, is that so..."

"I'll go... to the restroom."

"Enjoy yourself."

Leaving behind Baek Yu-Seol, who looked dumbfounded, Edna hurriedly left the spot.

'Restroom, restroom!'

The signal had reached its limit in her stomach. She was confident that if there was anyone blocking her way, she would simply push past them.

However, just as she turned the corner, she unfortunately encountered Haewonryang at the wrong time. He was standing against the wall as if waiting for someone, but when he saw Edna, he relaxed his stern expression and spoke to her.

"Edna, I have something to discuss briefly."

"Sorry! I'm in a damn hurry right now!"

"Wait..."

"Hey, you bastard! You're acting weird!"

Unfortunately, Edna had already reached her limit and hid her exhausted appearance behind the cabin.

Haewonryang lowered the hand he had reached out to Edna and slowly turned around.

In the distance, Baek Yu-Seol and Edna were sitting together, playfully teasing each other in that cozy spot.

What were they whispering to each other in that secluded place, even leaning their heads together?

What kind of conversation could have made Edna wear such a bright expression?

He was curious, but he forced himself to suppress his naughty curiosity.

The pain that pierced his heart kept trying to devour his thoughts, but he held onto his beliefs that he had always upheld and resisted the "erosion" while repeating them in his mind.

'This... isn't my own emotion.'

However... His beliefs gradually began to waver.