Chapter 569

【 THIS IS JUST TOO ADORABLE!? 】

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“That laughter just now… It must be the Flower Fairy! No doubt about it!”

Li Mu, riding atop his bronze dragon, was visibly excited.

Natsume couldn’t help but want to tease him, since how could he be so sure it was the Flower Fairy just from a burst of laughter?

But to be honest, he had a similar hunch.

Although the glowing orbs had flown away too quickly for him to get a clear look, given the timing and the silhouette from the official announcement, it was almost certainly them.

Patting the red dragon beneath him, he also quickly gave chase.

Each orb moved extremely swiftly.

Even with speed-enhancing magic, Natsume and the others still couldn’t catch up, barely managing to keep them in sight from a distance.

And none of them dared to use any crowd-control spells for obvious reasons.

With the exception of Demacia—a defense-oriented tank whose repertoire was limited to fundamental spells such as Appraisal and Light—both Natsume and Li Mu specialized in control magic and possessed numerous restraining abilities. Under normal circumstances at this proximity, they would have been capable of deploying spells to impede or potentially even apprehend their target.

However, they deliberately refrained from doing so.

In fact, Natsume distinctly recalled receiving an urgent admonition from his guildmaster:

“Don’t use any CC skills, absolutely don’t!”

“Okay, I get it, first impressions matter!”

Natsume nodded repeatedly.

In the Elven Kingdom, first impressions with NPCs mattered greatly as they determined how much favorability players could foster later on. A good start meant better quests and rewards whereas a bad one led to permanent disadvantages.

And it wasn’t just the NPCs either since even magical beasts with high-intellect in the game required goodwill to befriend.

Thus, the smarter they were, the more this held true.

If one tried brute force, some would even stubbornly die before yielding.

So only the dim-witted, brawny beasts could be subdued through sheer force, And given that these Flower Fairies had been heavily teased in the official announcement as “smart, mischievous creatures,” it was obvious to both of them that these new NPCs followed the favorability system.

Therefore, if they forced things, chances were it’d backfire upon them instead.

Naturally, if the targets in question were a faction-affiliated NPC, any attempt by players to use force would be futile, as their avatars would be immobilized immediately upon initiating such an action.

However, neither Li Mu nor Natsume had any intention of resorting to brute force in the first place.

Both were experienced practitioners of the so-called “Dog-licking playstyle.”

Simp hard like a licking dog and reap the rewards.

Their prior experiences had consistently reinforced the effectiveness of this approach.

Fortunately, despite the orbs being incredibly fast, there was something almost whimsical about them. They didn’t simply dart through the air in straight, purposeful lines.

Instead, they zigzagged, looped, and spun around one another, as if engaged in some kind of aerial dance. Their movements were erratic but oddly joyful, giving the impression that they were frolicking about.

Thanks to that, even though their group was unable to narrow the distance despite their persistent efforts, they were at least able to maintain visual contact with their targets.

Each orb dispersed in multiple directions; however, the majority—approximately two-thirds—moved toward the south while the remaining third dispersed elsewhere, flying lower and lower until some broke away entirely, vanishing into the forest below.

“Follow the largest group!” Li Mu called.

Natsume nodded and steered his red dragon accordingly.

But just then, another peal of laughter rang out, clear and melodious, like that of a mischievous young girl.

Li Mu and Demacia didn’t react, but for some reason, Natsume felt an odd sense of familiarity with the voice.

In his daze, he gradually realized that the laughter closely resembled what he had heard during his earlier visit to the canopy of the World Tree.

It sounded almost identical, as if it were the very same voice.

Driven by an inexplicable impulse, he turned in the direction from which the sound had come.

This path wasn’t the path most orbs had taken. In fact, it was among the less frequented routes.

There, suspended in mid-air, a faint light-blue orb rotated gently, swaying as though it were waiting for something…

Huh?

That orb…

Natsume’s heart skipped a beat.

He immediately recognized it. This was the same orb that Leylia had swallowed and the one he had helped clean with his own mana.

Come to think of it, it had also drained him dry…

Natsume: “…”

Is it… waiting for me?

A strange, hopeful thought crossed his mind.

The blue orb twirled in the air a moment longer before darting away again, accompanied by that same faint mischievous laughter.

After a brief hesitation, Natsume finally made his decision.

“Brother Mu, Demacia, you guys go that way… I’m heading in that direction!”

With that, he veered off, chasing after the light-blue orb.

“Huh? You’re not coming with us? Wait—why are you going that way? Hey Natsume, there aren’t many Flower Fairies over there!”

Demacia turned back, shouting a reminder.

Li Mu was equally surprised.

He studied Natsume’s flight path for a moment before his eyes lit up with realization.

“Ah, I see… Looks like he’s targeting a slower-moving orb to chase after.”

Li Mu then swiftly scanned the group of orbs ahead, attempting to identify a similarly slow-moving target for himself.

But no matter how hard he looked, none of the orbs seemed any slower with each one darting through the air in blinding speed.

Despite this, Li Mu was not discouraged. Emulating Natsume’s approach, he fixed his gaze on the nearest orb and began his pursuit.

Demacia followed suit as well.

However, his large avian mount was no match for the dragons ridden by the other two.

Although he had taken off first, his speed was the slowest among them, and he gradually fell behind—left trailing in the dust of the other two.

Now, Demacia could only struggle to keep up with Li Mu.

And so, Demacia and Li Mu continued their relentless pursuit southward.

Meanwhile, Natsume changed course entirely heading north.

The wind howled in his ears as the forest blurred beneath him.

The further Natsume chased, the fewer orbs remained ahead.

Yet, he ignored those that descended into the forest below, keeping his focus solely on that blue orb in front of him.

Eventually, after several minutes of relentless pursuit, dodging branches and weaving through narrow gaps in the canopy, he began to realize that the orb was not merely drifting aimlessly. It was actually, in some subtle and deliberate way, waiting for him.

Perhaps not consciously or with clear intent or maybe it was just toying with him all along but at the very least, it was aware of his presence.

This wasn’t verbal communication, but an unspoken understanding formed in their chase.

The discovery made his heart race with nervousness, but also anticipation.

And then, a sudden thought struck him:

Could this be… because of the mana it absorbed from me that day?

Did that blue orb perhaps remember me?

That fleeting encounter was the only connection he had with this particular orb.

But the more he considered it, the more excited he became, quickening his pace.

As time progressed, the other orbs ahead gradually disappeared from view, one by one until eventually, only the blue orb remained.

Then, as though fatigued from the chase or perhaps ready for confrontation, it gradually reduced its speed and began to drift downward, slipping beneath the thick canopy of the forest.

Natsume swiftly followed.

He realized just now that he had been chasing after that blue orb through the forest for half a day already.

He did not understand what had compelled him to continue the chase with such determination for so long.

However, considering the possibility that the figure might truly be a flower fairy and might hold some interest in him… there was a chance he could successfully make a connection with it.

A mischievous, clever, and adorable flower fairy as a companion…

Just the thought filled him with anticipation.

This prospect was even more appealing than the attraction of high-level magical beasts to players.

With this in mind, Natsume felt renewed motivation.

The red dragon was fast, even as a young dragon.

Not to mention, Natsume also continuously cast acceleration spells to further increase their speed.

After half a day’s pursuit, Natsume had covered more than four hundred kilometers and arrived at a region within the Elven Forest known for the presence of mid-level magical beasts.

During summer, the Elven Forest was more lush and vibrant than in any other season.

Upon entering the forest, the light quickly dimmed.

The dense canopy allowed only narrow beams of sunlight to filter through the leaves, casting silky shafts of light across the woodland floor. The sunlight scattered through the characteristic mist of the ancient forest, rendering the scenery like a fairy tale paradise.

Adding to the atmosphere were occasional clear bird calls and distant howls of unknown magical beasts, enhancing the feeling of a secluded, otherworldly sanctuary.

Natsume greatly admired the beauty of the Elven Forest.

As he moved deeper inside, quietly tracking the scent he had recorded earlier using his druid skills, he finally caught sight of the flower fairy he had dreamed of seeing.

She was a young girl radiating a gentle, soft glow. Her body was extremely small, likely not exceeding thirty centimeters in height.

She wore a charming dress adorned with floral patterns, her skin fair and delicate with a faint ethereal quality. Sprouting from her back were a pair of beautiful wings resembling those of butterflies.

Her facial features were no less exquisite than those of an elf, and even surpassed the typical elf NPCs commonly seen by players in refinement. According to the player avatar customization system’s scoring, Natsume estimated her appearance to be at least 90 points.

Moreover, she embodied the ‘kawaii’ style that Natsume favored the most.

Her large, sparkling eyes, petite nose, and slightly chubby cheeks gave her a baby-faced appearance that naturally elicited a protective instinct within him.

In fact, Natsume believed she was many times cuter than the elven loli and shota NPCs.

For a moment, his breath caught as he quickly took a screenshot!

Of course, he did not forget to cast [Appraisal] as well.

Although spirit NPCs generally dislike being appraised, this Flower Fairy had just been born, and Natsume assumed she wouldn’t yet share the typical NPCs aversion to [Appraisal].

As he had guessed, the little creature showed no reaction to his appraisal.

The spell smoothly returned information about the “Flower Fairy,” and a data window appeared in Natsume’s vision:

【Race: Elemental Fairy】

【Level: Low Silver-rank (Level 45)】

【Faith: Evé Yggdrasill 】

【Attribute: Wind】

【Abilities: ???】

So, this new NPCs wasn’t called a Flower Fairy but an Elemental Fairy!

Natsume was surprised to find that her level was classified as Silver-rank, as her aura appeared significantly weaker than that of a typical Silver-rank beings. However, taking into account the fairy’s remarkable speed, he was able to understand the designation.

Perhaps it’s an agility-based type?

A follower of the goddess? Then it was undoubtedly an NPC.

Because only NPCs could become believers!

As for the abilities, the string of question marks was expected. After all, it was usually difficult to fully discern the skills of a being of the same rank. Still, judging by her name and the earlier incident where she had drained his mana, he speculated that this fairy’s abilities were likely magic-related and probably quite powerful as well.

In just a short time, Natsume had formed a basic understanding of the Elemental Fairy.

While he observed it, the creature paid him no attention. Instead, the adorable fairy stood beside a plant, a shrub about human height, bearing nuts with gray shells.

Natsume recognized it as a rare magical plant in the Elven Forest, prized for its fruit. These nuts contained an abundance of mana, which could be directly absorbed by mage players as a potion to restore magic, with no side effects. Unsurprisingly, they were highly sought after and came with a steep price in Chosen City’s markets.

The little fairy’s target was precisely these nuts. She struggled to pluck one from the shrub’s branches, her tiny limbs utterly endearing.

Natsume couldn’t help but chuckle.

Despite being at Silver-rank, she’s so weak that she can’t even pull off a nut?

Such stat imbalance was so ridiculous.

But…

She’s just too cute!

The way she huffed and puffed, her puffed-up cheeks, her determined little expressions…

Absolutely adorable!

The developers really nailed it!

Designing such an incredibly kawaii creature!

I could watch her pick nuts all day…

At that moment, Natsume felt his heart melting into pure fondness.

After a moment’s thought, he decided to step forward and help, hoping to earn some favorability for himself.

However, just as he emerged from the thicket, the fairy successfully retrieved the nut.

Noticing his approach, the Elemental fairy immediately grew wary. Clutching the nut, which was as large as her head, like a treasure, she stared at him with suspicion.

Quickly raising his hands in a non-threatening gesture, Natsume reassured her, “Don’t worry, I won’t take it or touch you.”

He was afraid of scaring her off.

But his concern was unnecessary.

The Elemental fairy merely glanced at him before shifting her attention back to the nut in her arms.

She sat down beside the shrub, turning the nut over in her hands, examining it before mustering all her strength in an attempt to crack it open.

Unfortunately, these mana-rich nuts were notoriously difficult to open even for Silver-rank players, let alone a tiny fairy.

Her face flushed with effort, but the nut remained stubbornly intact.

Frowning, she pouted, her cheeks puffing up in frustration.

It only made her even more endearing.

Natsume couldn’t help but chuckle.

Clearing his throat, he spoke in his gentlest tone:

“Um… need some help? These nuts are tough to open, but I happen to know how. I can do it for you.”

“Don’t worry—I won’t take yours.”

At his words, the fairy frowned again.

She looked at the nut in her hands, then at Natsume’s amiable expression, hesitating for a moment before hugging her prize tighter and pointing at another nut still on the shrub.

Natsume: “……”

He was equal parts amused and exasperated.

Still, he understood her meaning well enough.

Whilst shaking his head, he stepped forward and plucked a fresh nut from the bush.

As he did, he kept a subtle eye on the little fairy.

Noticing that she showed no signs of wariness or fleeing despite his proximity, his spirits soared as if floating on clouds.

The last time he’d felt this way was when the girl he’d been pursuing hadn’t rejected his advances…

His movements were swift.

Activating the skill [Power of the Ox], he effortlessly split the nut’s shell in two under the fairy’s astonished gaze, revealing the creamy kernel inside.

Then, he offered it to her:

“Here you go.”

Along with a radiant smile.

After a brief hesitation, the Elemental fairy snatched it at lightning speed, clutching it to her chest.

Adorable!

That single word dominated Natsume’s thoughts.

However, just as he expected her to nibble on the kernel like a squirrel, he watched in stunned silence as she raised it to her mouth and began licking it instead.

Licking…

She’s actually… licking it.

Natsume: “…”

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