Chương 201: Chapter 4: “Forest of Green Needle Trees 3”

The Green Needle Trees were glowing faintly under the moonlight. Thanks to these trees, visibility was never blocked even at night. Although it was a moving scene for Yu at first, she naturally got used to it after a few days. For Esta, who had lived in this forest from the beginning, it was a familiar sight. Using magic, Yu created two chairs, sleeping bags, and a table.

Creating actual objects with magic, rather than so-called attribute magic, is extremely difficult, but for her, who possesses Perfect Memory, she can perfectly image and construct them. Esta is surprised as Yu takes out strange things one after another.

"What's that!?"

"Chairs, a table, and things to use when sleeping. I can make most things in a jiffy."

"You're amazing, Yu." To Esta whose eyes were sparkling, Yu smiled slightly proudly, fufu. A world where magic can be used normally is convenient after all. After creating an additional frying pan and tableware, Yu sat down and urged Esta.

"Sit there. Let's have dinner."

"Okaay." Esta, who sat at the table properly as told, looked around at Yu opposite him again restlessly. Wearing clothes he had never seen. Taking out many things he had never seen. He couldn't feel anything other than'I don't understand well, but amazing.' By the way, although she said let's have dinner, she didn't seem to be holding anything in her hands. So he said, putting his hand on the cloth sack he was carrying on his back.

"I'll share my nuts with you."

"Ah, it's fine. It's okay." Yu gently stopped Esta and held her hand over the frying pan. Then, from out of nowhere, red animal meat appeared suddenly and landed on the iron plate. It was what Yu had hunted and drained of blood in the morning. Esta was surprised with his eyes wide open. She just smiled niko-niko without explaining anything in particular. The current Yu had come to store things directly in"World of Heart." The trigger was losing the waist pouch given by"His" master Inear during the battle in Elntia.

After peace returned to Elntia, together with Lilna, Yu faced his own extremely troublesome ability and groped for ways to master it somehow. Although it almost went out of control at times, while having Lilna help suppress it, Yu was able to develop several new ways to use the ability over several months. World phenomena experienced by Yu are accumulated in World of Heart as they are, and the accumulated phenomena can be used arbitrarily. This property had traditionally been used passively.

However, utilizing this actively, Yu and Lilna came up with the idea of making World of Heart a storage with unlimited capacity. As long as real objects are also a type of phenomenon, they can be taken into World of Heart, and what is taken in can be taken out as is. For example, for an object in front of him, if Yu chooses to "store" it, its affiliation moves from the real world to World of Heart, and if he chooses to "take out," its affiliation moves from World of Heart to the real world.

If simply putting things in and out like this, there was almost no effect on World of Heart. Thus, Yu became able to store things from one world and carry them over to another world. Starting with the Magic Gun 《Hartrail》 inherited from his mother, most equipment likely to be useful in Elntia is put in World of Heart. Furthermore, just in case, water and food were also stockpiled in large quantities. Since they are stored as they are in World of Heart, they will never rot until taken out.

Based on the same principle, he devised another powerful usage method: 《Assimilate》 and 《Discharge》. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. 《Assimilate》 is a technique to nullify the opponent's attack by absorbing it into World of Heart the moment it hits. Although direct attacks by martial arts cannot be prevented, it works without problems against bullets, beams, and most magic, for example.

Furthermore, the absorbed attack can be stored and 《Discharged》 (released) at any timing. In this usage, World of Heart becomes activated according to the nature and power of the technique that should have originally been received, creating a constant risk of going out of control. Therefore, it cannot be used recklessly, but it was a trump card useful in emergencies. Using World of Heart involved great danger, but by actively trying to overcome it knowing that, Yu was dramatically improving his ability.

Above all, what Lilna's existence brought to Yu is immeasurable. The connection with her became Yu's emotional support, giving him great power from the shadows.

"Whoa. Yu, you can even bring out food. Can you do anything?"

"That's not true. I just took out what I hunted and stored in the morning." As expected, creating biological meat with magic is impossible.

"Wait a little. I'll make it right away." Yu sliced the meat into suitable sizes with Wind Magic. Sprinkling an appropriate amount of spices, she stir-fries it using Fire Magic. This was where she showed off her skills. Yu has top-notch survival skills and cooking skills cultivated through past training. She was confident that she could survive satisfactorily now no matter what harsh environment she was thrown into. A forest of this level is a piece of cake for her now.

Besides that, she takes out grass and mushrooms picked around the area from World of Heart and grills them. For these, she had firmly sorted out non-poisonous ones using component analysis magic in advance. To the truly magic-like skill, Esta was just overwhelmed. He stares at Yu proceeding with cooking, his heart stolen. A delicious smell drifted, and his drool didn't stop. His stomach also growls guu-guu. As he waited impatiently, eventually, the dishes were neatly arranged on a pure white plate.

Finally, pouring water into a cup with Water Magic, she places it next to the plate.

"Here. It's done." Releasing the magic on the frying pan, Yu also sat in the seat opposite Esta. Resting her chin on her hand, she faces him. Wild grasses and mushrooms add moderate color to the sliced animal meat. Steaming thickly. If one inhales the steam through the nose, the mellow scent of meat, the fragrance of wild grass, and the unique smell emitted by mushrooms mix together, stimulating the appetite.

"Wow! Can I really eat this!?" To the boy drooling with his mouth open sloppily, Yu nodded while resting her chin on her hand.

"Of course. Bon appétit." It seems he has neither the habit of saying Itadakimasu nor the habit of using tableware. Esta disregarded the piping hot food and dug in with his hands. Yu's hand slipped from her chin. She was troubled, but thinking well, whatever, she watched him. Moving his mouth mogu-mogu, swallowing gokun. Electricity shot through the boy. The harmony created by cooking. An impact he had never tasted before. Having lost his voice, he was just moved beyond comprehension.

Slightly delayed, the emotion overflowed from the back of his throat as words.

"Delicious! It's super delicious!"

"Fufu. I'm glad." Saying only that, he digs in absorbedly. Each bite seemed to permeate his body troubled by hunger, his emaciated flesh and blood. In the blink of an eye, he polished off even Yu's portion, and he was very satisfied.

"Something like this, it's my first time!"

"If you are so happy, it was worth making." His hands and mouth are sticky and dirty. Unable to watch, Yu went around to Esta and wiped them clean for him.

"Let's learn how to eat without getting hands dirty next time, okay?"

"Yeah." For Esta, the taste of the meal served by Yu for the first time became unforgettable. When getting close, Yu became very concerned about his dirt and body odor, which probably hadn't been washed for a long time.

"Even so. Your body is also terribly dirty."

"Is it?" He, who had absolutely no awareness of being dirty, tilted his head blankly. Even when he lived in the settlement originally, he was indifferent to such things, only bathing in a nearby stream on a whim occasionally. So, Yu proposes.

"Alright. Let's take a bath."

"Bath?" To the word he had never heard again, Esta tilted his head. Yu created a bathtub with magic and filled it with rather hot water boiled so it wouldn't cool down immediately.

"Is it different from bathing in water?"

"Fufu. It's warm and feels good." Esta was to receive the shock of his life for the first time again. While letting him bathe, Yu made new clothes for Esta with magic. She thought the original tattered clothes were pitiful. Esta comes up. Yu wiped his wet body carefully with a towel, and after dressing him, dried his hair with hot wind magic. The two got into their respective sleeping bags and talked thoroughly. To prevent it from getting too cold, Yu kept a sustained fire magic floating in the air.

Esta listened to the story of Yu's journey with great interest. He also talked a lot about his own life spent with his uncle. Although the spoken words of the boy, who had never received a proper education, were somewhat clumsy, his tone was bright and clear, and above all, honest. So Yu was able to enjoy listening to his story. Eventually, perhaps tired of talking, Esta yawned. When Yu suggested it was time to sleep, he suddenly started fidgeting obviously.

He wants to say something but is too embarrassed to say it. That was his appearance. Guessing his thoughts, Yu widened the sleeping bag a little with magic to make an opening. And smiling sweetly, she opened an arm.

"Come here. It gets cold at night." Esta's face lit up with a smile, and he happily crawled into Yu's sleeping bag. Huddling close, warming each other's bodies. Esta said happily.

"It's warm."

"Yeah." Esta has a relieved, peaceful look on his face. Yu also felt a similar mood inwardly. They were huddling together to fill each other's loneliness. Perhaps the instinct seeking motherhood made him do so. Esta naturally clung to her. She didn't push him away, understanding that the child had no ulterior motive. Instead, she hugged his body tightly as if cherishing him. Doing so, Esta felt at peace, feeling as if he were being filled.

"Yu, you're soft and smell nice."

"Yeah." Holding him like that for a while, Esta began to breathe softly in his sleep. Even if he acted fine, he must have been very lonely after all, she thought. Sleeping Esta was clinging to Yu as if spoiled completely.

"Good night. Esta." Gently stroking his clean hair. Just in case, after setting up a magical defense around them, she also fell asleep.