Chapter 96: 6th Floor, Elf Forest
[You have entered the 6th floor.]
As my vision cleared from the dark, a lush forest spread out before me.
‘Indeed, worthy of being one of the Tower of Trials’ top vacation spots.’
The cool air and the warm sunlight.
Above all, the breathtaking landscape born from the beautiful natural scenery naturally elicited admiration.
“Come under this tree! Yeah. The barbecue and beer are all set up.”
“I’ve heard that the ‘Cloud Cotton Candy’ on the 6th floor is incredibly tasty. Shall we give it a try?”
“Haah. The village shops are selling quite a few interesting artifacts. When else to spend coins if not now?”
Players who had arrived on the 6th floor earlier were forming pairs and chatting away.
How should I describe it?
It was like putting a small pause in the routine of climbing the tower in relentless battle.
I could somewhat understand why players become lazy upon reaching the 6th floor.
However.
‘There’s plenty of time to play and enjoy later on.’
The Elf Forest isn’t just a place to indulge in nature and frolic like nymphs.
It’s a place of opportunity to acquire unique fortunes that can only be found here.
‘Only a precious few will have realized that.’
If you’re truly a veteran player who wishes to become stronger, you wouldn’t even be here.
Instead, you’d be wandering deep in the forest looking for elves.
‘Well then, I should also make a move.’
Jinhyuk passed by the players and started heading deep into the forest.
***
After about three hours from the starting point, the forest became significantly denser.
It’s a sort of warning.
It’s okay to come this far, but beyond this point is the elves’ territory, warning that one should not proceed any further.
However, no matter how intricately placed the trees were, or even if they moved periodically to form new terrain, it was useless.
Jinhyuk had already mastered the method to find the elves’ path.
“Sss.”
Taking a deep breath, I was filled with a variety of fragrances.
The fresh aroma of grass and sweet scent of fruits were conveyed directly.
Of course, the important scent was that of the earth.
Jinhyuk distinguished the slightly bitter smell of the soil.
‘To the left.’
There is a faintly different scent on the left.
He immediately changed his direction.
The positioning of mushrooms, the shape of the grass, and the rings of the trees.
The road diverged many times, but Jinhyuk unhesitatingly identified the marks left by the elves and continued deeper into the forest.
And.
Someone watching all this from a distance up in a tree.
A being with short hair and pointed ears – a noteworthy feature of the race.
The true masters of the forest, the elves.
‘How does a human know that method?’
Sylvia, a Ranger of the elf village, simply couldn’t comprehend the current situation.
Various protective measures were taken to prevent humans from entering.
All those measures seemed effortlessly seen through, didn’t they?
‘Differentiating the smell of dirt is impossible unless you’ve lived in the forest for a long time.’
The positioning of mushrooms and the shape of grass were things that only insiders should know.
Ordinary humans wouldn’t even pay attention to such minor details.
‘Could there be a half-elf born amongst them, unbeknownst to me?’
If not for the appearance, one wouldn’t feel out of place mistaking this human for an elf.
That’s how similar the method of finding the path was to that of an elf.
At that moment.
The human male reached the boundary of the barrier.
‘That’s it! No matter how impressive a human is, this is the end.’
Beyond lies an exclusive barrier belonging to elves.
Entering the “Illusion Barrier” written in High Elvish meant escape was impossible.
You would wander in the countless illusions for about a week, eventually exhaust yourself, and pass out.
Once the unconscious human was taken outside the barrier, Sylvia’s mission would be complete.
However.
“Hmm. It’s not written like this in High Elvish. ‘Ethe Tamaros’ should be passive, but it’s written as active. Tsk tsk. Whichever elf wrote this must have been quite sleepy during grammar lessons. With this, it will only unleash about 50% of the original barrier’s capabilities.”
The man, inspecting the High Elvish inscribed on a tree, clicked his tongue.
He even corrected the errors using a pebble he found on the ground.
Flushing hotly.
Sylvia’s face turned a bright red.
It was still difficult for her as an apprentice Ranger to grasp High Elvish.
‘What… What in the world is that human!’
***
‘How convenient that a rookie elf has been assigned to me,’ Jinhyuk smirked.
He had been aware of the elf following him from branch to branch ever since he reached the forest’s boundary.
Despite their race being naturally skilled in stealth,
The elf’s own naive confidence and skill allowed him to easily pinpoint her location.
‘The bait has been laid out sufficiently…’
This should have made quite an impression on her.
Now it’s time to lure out the one who’s hiding.
Jinhyuk opened his spatial inventory.
And he began to take out the ingredients and cooking utensils he had prepared.
[Lv1 ‘Otherworldly Restaurant’ skill is activated.]
A skill acquired by rotating through Michelin-starred kitchens, its fusion with other skills produced an advanced version that was now triggered.
Following that, Jinhyuk’s awkward hand movements transformed completely.
The knife skills he used to prepare the vegetables and fruits were practically artful.
‘So… beautiful.’
Sylvia, witnessing this scene from above, gazed on in a daze.
However, only for a moment.
“Could it be…?”
She had been too busy watching to realize; this fragrance and the unique shape of the dishes.
Without doubt.
That was ‘meat.’
Sylvia leaped down from the tree in a flash.
“How dare you, to cook meat in the sacred Elf Forest. What have you done!”
She screamed as she strained her bowstring.
The face filled with anger was unmistakable in its refusal to forgive.
Hmm.
“It’s not meat, though?”
Jinhyuk shrugged.
“What?”
“It’s not meat, this food here.”
“But I saw it with my own eyes. You expect me to believe that?”
“If you don’t trust me, come closer and check for yourself.”
“That can’t be…”
Sylvia approached Jinhyuk cautiously, albeit skeptical.
But then.
“Huh?”
Her pupils shook as though hit by an earthquake.
It looked and smelled just like meat, but upon closer examination, it wasn’t meat.
It was a dish made solely from white beans, nuts, and fresh vegetables.
“It’s called meat analogue, a popular alternative food in my world lately.”
Alternative food.
Growing as a field for various reasons such as wellness, environmental concerns, animal rights, personal beliefs, and more.
Companies like ‘Beyond Meat’ listed on the NASDAQ were soaring sky-high at that time.
‘Naturally, even the elves who disdain meat would find this to be an exotic charm.’
That’s why I prepared it.
A special dish concocted with the best cooking skills to satisfy even the discerning tastes of difficult elves.
“Try it. Not to toot my own horn, but it’s a signature dish I’m quite proud of.”
“Is it really not meat?”
“I don’t play with food. Why force meat on elves if they don’t like it? It’s not like we are enemies.”
Swayed by Jinhyuk’s words, Sylvia slowly lowered her bow.
She then hesitantly took a piece of the meat analogue and placed it in her mouth.
Chewing thoughtfully.
Her small mouth moved continuously.
At that moment.
“This taste… it’s unbelievable.”
Sylvia sighed in amazement.
It was to be expected.
She had never tasted such a thing in her life.
‘It’s too delicious.’
The soft consistency of the beans, combined with various vegetables, emanated a deep flavor.
The addition of olive oil enhanced the smoothness, and it was finished off with a specially crafted sauce.
Even the frugal elves couldn’t help but get their appetite whetted.
[The affinity of ‘Ranger Sylvia,’ 3rd rank Ranger, has increased.]
[‘Sylvia’ feels apologetic for aiming her bow at you.]
Affinity increased, and so did the remorse for rashly judging him.
All was going as Jinhyuk had planned.
After all, elves took their debts of gratitude seriously.
Consequently.
“I am sorry. I didn’t know and I…” Sylvia bowed her head deeply.
Her remorse for her actions was unbearable.
If I accept her apology here, that would be amateurish.
Instead.
“It’s a relief we cleared up the misunderstanding. To start with, I shouldn’t have entered the elves’ territory unwelcomed.”
Jinhyuk deliberately added weight to Sylvia’s guilt. Yes, that’s how a real pro does it.
“No, this was my fault.”
Sylvia stubbornly shook her head.
“As a sign of my apology, I am willing to do anything for you. Whatever I can provide.”
Naturally, she should’ve responded like that.
That’s exactly why I’ve donned this innocent façade and acted all this time.
“If that’s the case… Can I see the elf village?”
“The village?”
“In fact, I’m a sociology student writing a thesis by experiencing and understanding the lives of different species. It would be a valuable memory, being allowed into areas hardly accessible to humans.”
Participant observation.
One of the methods sociologists commonly use to understand cultures and customs that are different from their own.
[Lv4 ‘Empathy’ is activated.]
Jinhyuk subtly employed his empathy ability.
A growth-type skill that increased in level with repeated use; it had become potent enough to make others see him as a close friend.
The effect was immediate.
Although Sylvia seemed to find the idea of a village visit slightly troubling, she suddenly nodded in agreement.
“Oh! In a week’s time, there will be a festival in our village. If we could treat them to such delicious meat analogue, the elders and the village elves would be very pleased.”
A week from now?
The timing couldn’t be better.
“I understand. Then, I will return here in a week.”
“Yes, okay.”
As she bid Jinhyuk farewell, Sylvia seemed to remember something and called out in a hurry.
“Wait, what… what’s your name?”
“Just call me Kang Jinhyuk.”
Don’t mix it up, make sure to remember it.
Not Colonel Timor, but Kang Jinhyuk.
“My name is Sylvia. I am a Ranger stationed at the 3rd rank within the elves.”
Sylvia also formally introduced herself.
A 3rd rank elf would belong to the lower ranks, I suppose.
“Sylvia. Noted. Next time, I’ll bring plenty of even tastier items.”
“Yes! I’ll be looking forward to it!”
After a brief parting, Jinhyuk began to retrace his steps back the way he came.
However, just then.
Vvvv!
A notification appeared before him.
[Player Kim Ki-tae is inviting you to a video call.]
It was Kim Ki-tae.
‘Looks like he has finished preparing.’
Gathering the materials to reopen the labyrinth must not have been simple, but he managed to do it quite swiftly.
It indicates his desperation.
As I accept, Kim Ki-tae’s face appeared.
“Hello, Player Kang Jinhyuk. I have something to discuss with you, do you have a moment?”
“Just tell me the time and place. There’s no need for a lengthy explanation.”
“Understood. In one hour on the 3rd floor, ‘Melting Hill’. Please provide your current coordinates, and I will send a magic-class player capable of spatial movement to retrieve you.”
The chance for primary job change and hidden rewards all at once.
The time has finally come to head to the Grey Temple.
