Elf Kingdom: Game of the World Tree

Each believer became a cog in the task system, maintaining the operation of the "game."

After listening to the words, Nightingale smiled and shook her head,

"It's nothing."

Her gaze drifted out of the window.

In the yard, colorful flowers bloomed under the shade of lush trees.

As she looked at the trees swaying in the breeze, Nightingale's vision became slightly blurred, and the corners of her mouth gently lifted,

"These trees have grown so fast...last year, they weren't this tall."

Lunchbox's gaze also turned outside, gradually softening.

The trees there were planted by the five players, along with Nightingale and her younger siblings.

"Without realizing it, we've known each other for a year now...time really flies."

Nightingale sighed gently.

"Yeah."

Lunchbox nodded slightly.

Nightingale seemed to remember something and fell into deep reminiscence,

"It feels like this year went by so fast, like everything happened just yesterday..."

"Hehe, I still remember when we first met, it was in that cargo box...back then, I thought you were a fool, but I didn't expect you to be so skilled..."

"And when we were in Rivendell, I thought we were done for, but you managed to handle the enemy so easily..."

"Oh, remember that bonfire night? It was my first time attending, and Hu Lu and the others dared me to eat meat, they were so bad! But...it was a lot of fun."

"And that time we went drinking at Amway Tavern, Happy-Go-Lucky couldn't handle it, he was even worse than me, got drunk after just three drinks, haha..."

Nightingale said with a laugh.

As she reminisced, her gaze became increasingly tender.

"It's so nice...I never thought I could be this happy..."

"I've lived so long, and I feel like I've used up all my luck in a lifetime. Compared to those wandering years, it feels like I'm dreaming now..."

"Sometimes, *I'm really afraid I'll wake up from this dream, still hiding in the human world with my younger siblings...*

It seemed she thought of something, and Nightingale's gaze became slightly blurred, her expression tinged with a trace of sorrow.

But in the next second, she felt a pain on her forehead and couldn't help but yelp, "Ow."

When she looked up, she saw Lunchbox withdrawing his hand.

Nightingale puffed her cheeks in dissatisfaction,

"Why did you flick my head?"

Lunchbox shook his head,

"Just to stop you from thinking too much."

"This isn't a dream, the future is long, and everything will get better."

He said.

"Will it really get better..."

Nightingale murmured.

She smiled softly and said,

"Thank you..."

"Thank you all..."

"Thank me for what? We're comrades, after all."

Lunchbox replied.

But Nightingale shook her head,

"No...I really must thank you all."

"Without you, the Elf Forest wouldn't be like this."

"You are the envoys of the Mother Goddess, the heroes who saved the Elf Clan."

"And, of course, I must thank you. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't know where the humans would have sold me by now..."

Lunchbox chose not to reply further.

Yet his gaze became even warmer.

The two fell back into silence.

The atmosphere grew a little subtle once more.

After some hesitation, Nightingale suddenly spoke,

"Lunchbox!"

Lunchbox glanced at her.

Nightingale suddenly seemed a bit flustered,

"Well...actually, I..."

She spoke nervously.

But before she could finish, Lunchbox suddenly stood up,

"It's getting late, it's my turn to make dinner today, what would you like to eat tonight?"

"Uh..."

Nightingale was taken aback.

"Dumplings, I guess..."

She answered instinctively.

"Alright."

Lunchbox nodded, then pulled up the chat interface, sending a message to a player from the Chosen City who ran a restaurant.

"Just wait a bit, they'll be delivered soon."

He said.

"So convenient."

Nightingale muttered softly.

After "ordering," Lunchbox looked at Nightingale again,

"What were you planning to say just now?"

"Uh...nothing, nothing anymore."

Nightingale shook her head.

Yet her cheeks flushed slightly.

"I'll go make some soup in the kitchen."

She stammered and then stood up, hurrying to the kitchen.

After Nightingale left, the door to the living room suddenly banged open, and four eavesdroppers stumbled in.

"No way! Boss Lunchbox! We listened for so long, and this is it?"

Happy-Go-Lucky exclaimed.

"Geez, Captain, why'd you interrupt? So cowardly!"

Hu Lu commented disdainfully.

"What a pity, I thought there would be something interesting to see."

Chopin, still wrapped in a towel, sighed regretfully.

"I say, Boss, are you pretending to be clueless?"

I Am Invincible rolled his eyes.

Lunchbox: ...

Watching the unexpected entry of his teammates, his mouth twitched.

"Stop interfering."

He said.

"No way...you mean to tell me you can't see Miss Nighthawk's feelings after all this time?"

"Yeah, such a nice elf girl, why aren't you taking your chance?"

"Exactly, I heard some Second Test Players have already hooked up with NPCs, Boss Lunchbox, why are you hesitating?"

The players clamored.

Lunchbox's face turned darker.

"You guys do know she's an NPC."

He glared at them.

"No way, are you seriously seeing Miss Nighthawk as just an NPC? I've long considered them flesh-and-blood friends."

"Exactly, comparing them to other game NPCs, poor Miss Nighthawk, right?"

"Even if she's an NPC, having her as an in-game wife shouldn't matter, right? Or do you have a girlfriend in real life, Captain?"

"Girlfriend, my foot! I probed him before, and he's single as a dog!"

The players continued to stir things up.

Lunchbox: ...

"Leveled up yet? Bought skills? Changed equips? Stop messing around! Get ready for the task in two days!"

He threw out a skill, kicking each out of the living room, shouting his longest sentence of the day.

The merry bunch, kicked out, didn't get angry but laughed heartily, each going back to their own business.

In the living room, only Lunchbox was left.

He sat in the chair and sighed softly,

"It wasn't that easy."