Chapter 97

Chapter 96. 6th Floor, The Forest of Elves

[You have entered the 6th floor.]

As the darkened field of vision brightened, a lush forest spread out before him.

'Indeed, this place, one of the top retreats in the Tower of Trials, lives up to its reputation.'

The cool air and warm sunlight.

Most of all, the magnificent natural scenery was breathtaking.

"Come over here under this tree! Yeah, I've set up everything for the barbecue and beer."

"The 'Cloud Cotton Candy' on the 6th floor is supposed to be really delicious. Let's try it once, shall we?"

"Ugh. There are quite a few interesting artifacts for sale at the village store. When else would you use your coins if not now?"

The players who had arrived on the 6th floor earlier were chatting in small groups.

What can I say?

It felt like a small break from the relentless battles and climbing of the tower.

I could understand why players tended to become lazy when they came to the 6th floor.

However.

'Playing and enjoying can be done later.'

The Forest of Elves is not a place to indulge in leisure and play.

It is a place of opportunity where one can acquire rare encounters that can only be found here.

'Only a few would have noticed this.'

In the first place, if someone truly wanted to become stronger, they wouldn't be here.

They would be wandering the forest in search of elves.

'So, should I go now?'

Jinhyuk passed by the players and began to venture deeper into the forest.

***

After about three hours from the starting point, the forest became significantly more complex.

This was a kind of warning.

It was fine to come this far, but beyond this point, it was the elves' territory, and further entry was not allowed.

However, no matter how intricately the trees were arranged, it was useless. Even if the trees moved periodically to form new terrain, it was still useless.

Jinhyuk had already learned the method the elves used to find their way.

"Whew."

As he took a deep breath, various scents stimulated his sense of smell.

The fresh scent of grass and the sweet aroma of fruit were conveyed directly.

Of course, the important thing here was the earthy smell.

Jinhyuk distinguished the faint, slightly bitter scent of earth.

'To the left.'

A subtle difference in scent was present to the left.

Jinhyuk immediately changed direction.

The position of the mushrooms, the shape of the grass, and the growth rings of the trees.

Even when more forks in the path appeared, Jinhyuk fearlessly identified the elves' markings and ventured deeper into the forest.

And.

A little further away, on a tree, a presence was watching everything.

A race with short, spiky hair and pointed ears.

It was the elves, the masters of the forest.

'How does a human know this method?'

Sylvia, a ranger of the elf village, couldn't understand the current situation at all.

The various defensive measures they had carefully set up to prevent humans from entering.

All of them were being easily bypassed, weren't they?

'Distinguishing the earthy smell is impossible unless you've lived in the forest for a long time.'

The position of the mushrooms and the shape of the grass were also the kind of things only an insider would know.

Ordinary humans wouldn't even pay attention to such minor details.

'Could a half-elf have been born without me knowing?'

If it weren't for the appearance, he could have been mistaken for an elf.

The way he found the path was astonishingly similar to that of an elf.

Right then.

The human man reached the boundary.

'Enough! No matter how great a human, this is the end.'

What lay ahead was the elves' exclusive boundary.

Entering the 'Illusion Boundary' written in High Elvish would make escape impossible.

Spinning in place for about a week in the countless illusions would eventually lead to exhaustion.

Once the human lost consciousness, Sylvia's task would be to carry him outside the boundary.

However.

"Hmm. This High Elvish is incorrect. 'Ethe Tamalos' is in the passive voice, but it's written in the active voice. Tsk. Whoever this elf is, they must have slept through their grammar lessons. This way, the boundary's original power can only be about 50% effective."

The human man, who had been looking at the High Elvish carved on the tree, clicked his tongue.

At the same time, he corrected the errors using a stone on the ground.

Sizzling.

Sylvia's face turned red with embarrassment.

As a novice ranger, High Elvish was inevitably difficult for her.

'W-What is this human?'

***

'Thanks to a rookie elf following me.'

Jinhyuk smiled.

He had noticed the presence of the elf who had been following him through the branches since he reached the forest's boundary.

Even though the forest dwellers were quite skilled at hiding, their clumsy confidence and skills made it easier to pinpoint their location.

'I've laid enough bait... '

This should have given a clear first impression to the other party.

Now, it was time to draw out the one hiding.

Jinhyuk opened his subspace inventory.

He carefully took out the prepared ingredients and cooking utensils.

[Lv1 'Interdimensional Restaurant' activated.]

A skill obtained by traveling through Michelin-starred restaurants, and a higher-level version of the skill created by combining various skills.

As a result, Jinhyuk's clumsy movements completely changed.

His knife skills in trimming vegetables and fruits were almost at an artistic level.

'So... beautiful.'

Sylvia, on the tree, watched the scene in a daze.

But it was only for a moment.

"Could it be...?"

She had been so engrossed in watching that she had forgotten the smell and the unique shape of the dish.

No doubt about it.

This was 'meat.'

Sylvia leaped down from the tree in one swift motion.

"Having the audacity to cook meat in the sacred forest of the elves! What are you doing?!"

She shouted with her bow drawn.

Her face, filled with anger, clearly showed her determination not to forgive.

Hmm.

"This isn't meat."

Jinhyuk shrugged.

"Excuse me?"

"It's not meat, I said."

"Are you telling me to believe my eyes?"

"If you don't believe me, come closer and check."

"There's no way..."

Sylvia, half-disbelieving, cautiously approached Jinhyuk.

However,

"Huh?"

Sylvia's pupils dilated.

The smell and shape were so similar to meat.

But upon closer inspection, it wasn't meat.

It was a dish made only from white beans, nuts, and fresh vegetables.

"It's called 'tofu meat.' It's quite popular as a next-generation alternative food in our world."

Alternative food.

A rapidly growing field due to concerns about well-being, environmental pollution, animal rights, or personal beliefs.

In fact, a company called 'Beyond Meat,' listed on the Nasdaq, had seen its stock prices soar.

'Of course, it would appeal to the meat-averse elves.'

So, he had prepared it.

A special dish to satisfy even the picky elves, using the best cooking skills.

"Try it. I'm quite confident in this dish."

"Is it really... not meat?"

"I don't play tricks with food. I'm not enemies with the elves. Why would I force you to eat something you dislike?"

Sylvia slowly lowered her bow at Jinhyuk's words.

With curiosity in her eyes, she put a piece of tofu meat in her mouth.

Munch, munch.

Her small mouth moved continuously.

At that moment.

"Such a taste... in this world..."

An exclamation of amazement escaped Sylvia's lips.

It was understandable.

She had never tasted such a dish before.

'Too delicious.'

The soft tofu and various vegetables blended to create a deep flavor.

The olive oil added a smooth and savory taste.

With a specially made sauce to finish it off, even the most frugal elf would be tempted.

[3rd Rank Ranger 'Sylvia's' affection has increased.]

['Sylvia' feels regret for pointing her bow at you.]

The increase in affection and the transmitted feeling of regret were all part of Jinhyuk's plan.

Elves were very particular about relationships of favor and debt.

And as expected,

"I'm sorry. I didn't know..."

Sylvia bowed deeply.

She deeply regretted her actions.

Accepting an apology here would be a mistake.

Instead,

"It's fortunate that the misunderstanding has been cleared. It was also my fault for entering the elves' territory."

Jinhyuk deliberately emphasized Sylvia's guilt. Yes, this is what a master does.

"No, it's my fault."

Sylvia shook her head stubbornly.

"Whatever I can do to make amends, I will do it."

Of course, she should say that.

He had been acting so innocently for this very reason.

"Then... can I visit the elf village?"

"Huh? Our village?"

"Actually, I'm a sociology student. I'm writing a thesis on understanding the lives of other races. If you give me the opportunity to enter a forbidden area that humans can't easily access, it would be a precious memory for me."

Participant observation.

A method often used by sociologists to understand different cultures and customs.

[Lv4 'Empathy' activated.]

Jinhyuk subtly used his empathy ability.

After using it multiple times and leveling it up, this growth skill had become powerful enough to make others feel like close friends.

The effect was immediate.

Sylvia, who had initially shown a slightly awkward expression at the mention of the village, suddenly nodded.

"Ah! By the way, there's a festival in our village in a week. If I can serve such delicious tofu meat, the elders and the village elves will surely love it."

In a week...

It's a perfect timing.

"Alright. I'll come back here in a week."

"Okay, I understand."

As Sylvia was about to see Jinhyuk off, she suddenly called out.

"Right. By the way, what's your name?"

"My name is Jinhyuk."

Don't get confused and remember it well.

It's Jinhyuk, not Timo.

"I'm Sylvia. I'm a 3rd Rank Ranger in the elf village."

Sylvia also formally introduced herself.

3rd Rank means she belongs to the lower elves.

"Sylvia. I remember. When I come next time, I'll bring more delicious things."

"Okay! I'll look forward to it!"

With a light farewell, Jinhyuk started to head back the way he came.

But right then,

Buzz!

A status window appeared before his eyes.

[You have received a video call from player Kim Gitaek.]

It was Kim Gitaek.

'He must have finished the preparations.'

Gathering the materials to reopen the maze couldn't have been easy, but he seemed to have completed it quickly.

It also meant he was in a hurry.

Accepting the call, Kim Gitaek's face immediately appeared.

"Hello, player Jinhyuk. I have something to tell you. Do you have a moment?"

"There's no need for a long explanation. Just tell me the time and place."

"Understood. In one hour, at the 3rd floor 'Melta Hill.' If you give me the coordinates of your current location, I'll send a player with spatial movement magic to pick you up."

An opportunity to gain both the first job change and hidden rewards.

It was finally time to head to the Gray Temple.