"Unnie! Unnie! Do the whoosh! Whoosh!"
"Okay, I'll do it..."
The child's ear-splitting high-pitched voice mercilessly assaulted my eardrums.
It was Ha-yoon, Noona So-jin's daughter.
I'd been reluctantly summoned after receiving word that she'd thrown a crying fit, demanding to see me.
Currently, I was faithfully performing my duties as a human amusement ride in the middle of Noona's living room.
"If you made a promise, you should keep it, brat."
So-jin Noona, sprawled on the sofa, giggled while sipping her coffee.
"Noona... I don't get a pass for being older."
"Listen to this guy. Ha-yoon, attack Unnie!"
"Yah! Yah!"
Ha-yoon swung her cotton-soft fists at my silver hair.
I lightly tilted my head to dodge, then gathered mana into a round ball at my fingertip.
Ha-yoon's body lost its gravity and floated up into the air.
"Kyaaaah! This is fun!"
The child's giggling laughter filled the living room.
With a soulless expression, I wiggled my finger, rolling Ha-yoon around in midair.
After being tormented for a while, just as my energy was starting to drain.
My pocket vibrated loudly.
The caller was Old Man.
"What happened?"
I answered curtly as soon as I picked up.
—Yeah, the Elven Queen says she wants to see you for a bit.
"The Queen? Why all of a sudden? Did we do something wrong?"
Had some diplomatic issue erupted while I was quietly minding my own business?
—It's not that. She says she has something to propose to you.
"What kind of proposal?"
—She said she'll explain the details when you meet. I don't know either.
"In person? Ah, what the..."
It was exactly like being called to the teacher's office during school days without knowing why.
That clammy feeling of cold sweat running down your spine even though you definitely hadn't done anything wrong.
"Does Unnie have to go...?"
As my voice hardened, large tears welled up in Ha-yoon's eyes, which had been so cheerful moments ago.
"Uh... wait a second. Hey, don't cry, just wait, Ha-yoon. You're a good girl, right? Stop!"
—It's not urgent, so play with the kid and come over when you're ready.
"Ah, you could've said that sooner. The kid's already crying."
—Suffer a bit, you punk.
Old Man tossed out what he had to say and mercilessly hung up.
In the end, I had to hold Ha-yoon, who was on the verge of bursting into tears, and dramatically soothe her.
I increased my mana output a bit more and executed a high-altitude whoosh ride that nearly reached the living room ceiling.
Only then did a bright smile bloom on the child's face again.
* * * * *
After having my energy completely drained, I grudgingly ate dinner at Noona's house.
Only after making a pinky promise I couldn't keep—that I'd come play again next time—was I finally released from that hellish playroom.
Walking sluggishly through the cool night air to digest my meal, I soon arrived at our familiar house.
I unlocked the door and stepped through the entrance, and the stuffy living room air hit me.
My family was gathered cozily on the living room sofa watching a variety show.
"Oppa, did you go fight someone again?"
Ha-eun, who spotted me, flapped her annoying mouth.
"Ah, stop it already."
"Which station was it today? Gangnam Station? Hongik University Station?"
My sister giggled, dragging up my dark history.
This orangutan.
The thread of patience I'd been pressing down finally snapped.
Without a word, I gathered mana into a small, solid ball at my fingertip.
My target was my sister's broad forehead, grinning annoyingly.
—Thwack!
"OW!!!!!!"
With a crisp impact sound, Ha-eun screamed and clutched her forehead.
"Serves you right."
"Crazy! Mom! Oppa's shooting mana!"
Ha-eun hastily grabbed a cushion to cover her face.
But it would be a mistake to underestimate my mana control.
—Thwack! Thwack-thwack!
The tiny mana bullets curved in an arc, bypassing the cushion to strike Ha-eun's forehead precisely.
Ha-eun, who'd been rolling around on the sofa trying to dodge, finally tumbled to the floor.
"I surrender!! I surrender!! I was wrong!"
"Try flapping that mouth one more time."
"King God General Emperor Majesty Kang Tae-ho! I've lost!"
Only after receiving my sister's humiliating unconditional surrender did I disperse the mana at my fingertips.
Ignoring the fuming Ha-eun, I burrowed into the middle of the sofa.
The narrow gap between my parents sitting on either side.
"Did our puppy have a good time?"
Mother asked affectionately while stroking my silver hair.
"Yeah. Though it was a bit tiring."
I honestly complained without needing to save face in front of my parents.
Not only had I been tormented by Ha-yoon all day, but I'd fought a second round with my sister too, so my whole body ached as if I'd been beaten.
I closed my eyes, lying on the sofa in a daze, recharging my depleted stamina.
* * * * *
The next morning, I took an early flight to Osaka, Japan.
The stamina I'd barely recharged at home felt like it hit rock bottom the moment I stood at the Gate entrance.
The nauseating physical examination procedure greeted me without fail.
Only after finishing the formal and tiresome procedure could I step inside the massive Gate.
A lush forest and clear air spread refreshingly before my eyes.
As soon as I entered, I saw the captain elf who'd been waiting in advance.
—Swoosh.
A sharp sound cutting through the wind.
Something shot toward my face at a terrifying speed.
I lightly tilted my head to evade.
[You dodging! I'm disappointed seeing you after so long!]
It was the spirit that had passed by me, slicing through empty air.
After flailing in the air a few times, it flew back toward my face with a flutter.
[Hehe... this is it. This sweet mana.]
Sticking to my shoulder and rubbing against my cheek—it was the very picture of a pervert.
I roughly peeled off the clingy spirit and followed the captain elf.
After passing through the dense forest path for quite a while, I entered the splendid elven capital.
The massive nature-friendly buildings—I'd seen them to the point of boredom last time, so they didn't evoke any particular emotion now.
I was immediately guided to a lavishly decorated VIP room.
I sat in a plush chair, took a sip of the provided tea, and waited for my counterpart.
But even though the appointed time had long passed, the person who'd summoned me was nowhere to be seen.
Just as my patience was gradually running out.
Finally, with heavy footsteps, the Elven Queen revealed herself.
"Didn't you come too early?"
"Ha..."
A hollow laugh escaped me in disbelief.
Right, these keeb bastards.
They were a race whose sense of time was completely shattered.
The Queen settled into the sofa across from me and opened her mouth indifferently.
"First, what I need to convey to you..."
The moment the Queen's lips moved, my brow furrowed at the intense sense of wrongness, as if I'd been struck hard on the crown of my head.
Wait a minute.
Normally, incomprehensible alien language should be flowing from that Elven Queen's mouth.
But wasn't her speech piercing directly into my brain like my native language?
I hastily raised my hand to interrupt the Queen.
"Wait, stop."
"What is it now?"
The Queen, whose words had been cut off, glared at me with sharp eyes as if displeased.
"I'm really sorry, but how am I understanding everything you're saying?"
I spread both hands, making an expression of bewilderment.
"I definitely didn't bring an interpreter."
At my question, the Queen set down her teacup and began pondering for a long while, chin in hand.
A stupid expression, as if she'd just realized for the first time why she was speaking human language.
After staring into space while twitching her long ears, she finally clapped her hands and provided an answer.
"Ah, the sigil engraved on your right hand also serves as a translator."
Hearing the Queen's words, I looked down at the back of my right hand indifferently.
The spot where the World Tree's tattoo had been, now vanished without a trace.
To the naked eye, it was just smooth skin, but I could feel invisible mana waves subtly circulating.
"If your question is resolved, may I continue the story?"
The Queen took a sip of her completely cold tea and gestured at me with her chin to hurry up.
"Ah, yes. Please go ahead."
I nodded perfunctorily while burying my body deep into the plush sofa.
"I called you to convey that you should attend the Allied Forces meeting that will be held soon."
At the grandiose words that popped from the Queen's mouth, my drowsy eyes snapped wide open.
"Allied Forces meeting?"
A hollow laugh escaped at the scale of words I was hearing for the first time in my life.
"Yes. You also have the qualifications to participate as a representative of a world."
The Queen shrugged lightly as if it were perfectly natural.
"Aren't we allied nations?"
Allied nations.
"Ah, right. Allied nations."
I answered in a soulless voice while scratching the back of my head.
"But what's the standard for that 'soon'?"
Since they were a race that had just personally demonstrated their shattered sense of time by telling me I'd "come too early."
The Queen tapped the table with her long, pointed fingers, entering into complex calculations.
"Hmm... calculating by human time standards..."
I could only hope it wouldn't be something like "pack your bags and come tomorrow."
"Exactly three months from now."
"...Ah, three months."
I was so dumbfounded that air leaked out.
To call something three months away "soon" and summon someone all the way to Osaka.
Making someone come for a conversation that could've ended with a single phone call or message.
"Yes, I'll see you very soon then."
The Queen, completely oblivious to my pointed sarcasm, stood up as if the business was concluded.
"Then I'll see you at the meeting."
Without even a word of thanks for my trouble, she swept out of the VIP room, trailing her flowing dress.
Last time too, she'd left me speechless and swept away, and this time was the same.
She'd been self-centered coming in, and self-centered going out.
"Unbelievable."
I let out a deep sigh while looking at the teacup left forlornly on the table.
It seemed I'd never be able to get along with those keebs with no sense of time.
