Eve Nirvana Yggdrasil blankly stared in the direction the pink-haired boy had disappeared.
Jonah.
He was an unusual boy in many ways.
Lemon and Apple, who had been neglected since childhood because they were the children of criminals, naturally lacked the education and knowledge expected for their age, not to mention they were devoid of any wealth or power.
That’s why Eve took them in, feeding them whatever she could find while teaching them various things…
But anyway, Jonah from about a year ago couldn’t even muster the courage to resist those two sisters.
However, yesterday, he completely dismantled a raider with a prowess far surpassing Lemon and Apple.
No matter how fast a human grows, given their short lifespan, the speed he demonstrated felt undeniably extraordinary.
And then there was the mere 8 copper coins… which at that time, Jonah had said was a life-or-death amount.
With Lemon and Apple’s aimless actions almost leading to his starvation, it appeared he burned with a sense of revenge against them, yet when the twins faced their near-death experience, he came to their rescue.
Emotions don’t just disappear neatly because there’s a price to pay. Yet the moment Jonah received a lucky strike, he truly forgot all his grievances.
That alone was remarkable, but what astonished Eve even more was his attitude towards her.
“I’ve never lied, you know.”
Eve herself was well aware of this. She had the perfect appearance and habits to invite misunderstandings.
In the past, she had actively used this to her advantage, but since retiring, it started to feel cumbersome.
Because of such circumstances, Eve had grown accustomed to those who were wary of her.
Sometimes, there were those who acted friendly and warm, but… to her eyes that called out for truth, such facades were all too obvious.
Of course, she didn’t think that lies were always a bad thing. After all, considering Eve’s age, why would she agonize over such matters now?
Basic etiquette, consideration not to hurt others, simply ingrained habits, etc.
Eve knew all too well that lies didn’t always stem from malice.
However, it was precisely because she knew this that she was even more taken aback by Jonah’s sincere kindness.
Jonah wasn’t like Lemon or Apple; he wasn’t oblivious, nor did he lack the cunning required to lie. He could easily conceal his expressions and emotions if he wished.
But he didn’t.
To Eve’s discerning eyes, Jonah was always genuine.
“…I can’t believe such a person exists.”
In truth, Jonah was aware of Eve’s powers, so he was carefully cautious not to utter a falsehood by mistake.
It was because he, a writer with a shattered sense of interpersonal relations and societal skills, had nonetheless come to love his own worldview and character.
The power of truth was, after all, merely a tool for exposing intentional lies. It didn’t read specific thoughts, nor could it discern genuine deception from acting.
No matter how much Eve wished, how could she understand that Jonah was a writer who had been trying to write a story set in the same world as the Pan Continent, with her being a prospective character in it?
She simply thought Jonah was a transparent individual.
To her, who had lived a thousand-year-long life… no, it was precisely because of her longevity that this boy felt all the more special.
But that was merely a personal impression, a momentary intrigue.
…Until just recently.
“Hehe. To think you’d defeat the Guardian of the First Floor and seek the powers of the World Tree. Now that’s a story I’ve heard before.”
It goes without saying, but this was an endeavor elves had attempted for centuries.
Though it had become manageable, the spiritual emptiness of the elves was a far bigger issue than anyone thought. The so-called long-lived elves had seen many take their own lives, unable to live even a century.
Naturally, they struggled to recover even a trace of the World Tree and appointed young Eve, the Queen and the World Tree’s adopted daughter, to the throne.
Even though the elves back then, knowing the truth behind their shadowy, deceptive nature, couldn’t think of doing anything but leave the first floor, did they expect the World Tree to just sit idly on the floor of the labyrinth?
They surged in hoping to reclaim a life from the past. Some elves had even made the first floor their home.
Of course, all those attempts ended in failure. The World Tree died to save no one but the elves, a truth unalterable by any means.
But when the first adventurers entered the second floor and encountered the guardians, defeating them and inheriting a portion of the murdered god’s powers, the elves, who had half given up, suddenly regained hope. Even without the World Tree, finding even a trace of it would be enough.
The old elves would draw strength from memories of the past while the young elves would learn of their roots and grow even stronger.
And if the one who inherited that power happened to be a man… then he would marry the Queen, the World Tree’s adopted daughter.
The child born from those with the World Tree’s power would truly become a leader and restore the elves completely!
Elves with their happiness circuits running at full capacity began to invest everything they had investigating the first floor for their race’s fate.
…Thus, 800 years passed.
Elves managed to overcome their depression and awoke to the value of gold.
In the meantime, Eve remained unwed in these historical times.
“…”
Thinking of those times still made Eve feel angry as the blood vessels in her temple throbbed. She took a deep breath, intending to forget the bad things and recall the good.
For instance… the promise made by Jonah at the end.
“I didn’t expect to hear such words from you.”
Despite risking personal survival and the future of their race, no one had truly believed in the first-floor exploration plan. That included simply wishing for it.
But Jonah was different.
That small boy asserted with utmost confidence that just like the sun rises in the morning and the moon at night, he would bring back the power of the World Tree and use it for Eve.
Jonah probably didn’t understand what that meant. How could a young boy born in this era know anything about events from hundreds of years ago?
Yet Eve was different. As one of the parties involved in a proposal that resembled a blank check and who had maintained her purity for 800 years, she was wholly aware.
And there was that last smile of his.
Always adorably age-appropriate, mixed with an odd charm due to his pink hair, Jonah had always sported a mischievous expression.
But in that brief moment they shook hands, he was different.
An arrogant and fierce smile that seemed like it could swallow the entire world.
Wait, could that even be called a smile? If anything, it resembled the growl of a beast.
He looked like someone who would stop at nothing to get what he wanted and would mercilessly chew up anyone who obstructed him—a primal violence was etched in that smile.
Eve was overwhelmed by this manifestation of ‘maleness’ as defined by earthly standards.
A scent of ‘male’ that she had never encountered in her thousand years of existence.
“Ah…”
With Lemon and Apple having taken off with Jonah, Eden, the junk shop with no one in sight, felt even more isolated.
“Hohoho. Just a moment should be fine. It’s not an urgent matter.”
Eve rose from her seat, locked the shop’s door, and drew the thick curtains over the windows.
Then, estimating the size of the horn on her desk, she removed a similarly-sized adult toy from the display.
This was a junk shop. Naturally, it also sold items to relieve the loneliness of solo adventurers.
Although she had considered clearing it out soon since it wasn’t selling well…
“Even when cleaning up, I should check what the problem is.”
Having rationalized it, Eve bit onto the large model.
After being here for so long, she was a bit scared at the base… above all, she recalled that Jonah liked maidens.
Swoosh—
She could hear the sound of fabric falling.
It was only after she had successfully plucked out Jonah’s rough smile along with the horn that she was able to start her work.
*
While it felt like I had dished out too many blank checks, I nonetheless succeeded in entrusting the unicorn horn to Eve for free.
Now all that remained was to wait leisurely, but… nothing could change the fact that I was currently broke.
If I shook down my pockets, I might find a few copper coins, but that was far too little to soothe my heart, which had already tasted the flavor of silver.
“So, I’m going to start making money now.”
Lemon and Apple, somewhat kidnapped, exchanged glances. And at the same time, they tilted their heads.
“Are you going to the labyrinth again today, Jonah?”
“Then I’ll just gather my equipment and be right back.”
“No, I’m planning to earn money in Labyrinth City, not the labyrinth. For efficient farming, I need you two.”
“What does farming mean?”
“Oh, your speech has reverted back. Is that okay, Jonah?”
“Of course, since it’s just the two of us here. And as for farming… well, you’ll understand once you try it.”
The difficulty changes drastically between having collaborators and going solo.
I squinted and looked around. The neighborhood was adequately busy but not particularly upscale.
There were adventurers roaming about, but they were all at a level similar to Lemon or Apple.
In other words, it was just the right amount of unsafe in terms of security.
In such places, there’s always one or two to be found…
I repeatedly searched the alleyways with focus. Not long after, I spotted them.
The wild thugs!
“Go get them, Lemon! Apple! Start a ruckus!”
“Jonah, you’re really showing your true colors!”
“We’ll take this place from now on!”
I don’t know the circumstances, but excitedly charging in, the twin elves took off. I loosened my fingers, watching the shocked local thugs.
Crack—
That cool, heavy sensation.
“It’s been a while.”
It was time to return as a pickpocket instead of an adventurer.
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