Report
Chapter 200: The Sky Garden
After breakfast, we set off for Abel’s garden.
As we agreed during the tea party, today would be a day spent with my teacher. I did promise that, but—
“Nii-ta! Nii-ta! Love you! Love you sooo much! Phe loves Nii-ta!”
Phe was especially clingy today, wrapping herself around me as tightly as she could. Phe always loves me, but ever so often, she demands more affection than usual. It doesn’t seem to follow any specific pattern.
(Hmm. Of all days, it had to be today…)
Normally, I’d indulge her as much as she wanted.
“…”
I glanced over at Abel, who stood beside me. She seemed unbothered on the surface, though I felt she was standing a bit closer than usual today, perhaps due to the tea party.
“Today is going to be a wonderful day, I’m sure!” my mother declared cheerfully as she cluelessly pulled the three of us into a big hug.
Mia saw us off, and we left the wing, using a “Gate” to teleport.
Though the teleportation gate is an incredible thing, I’ve already grown so used to it that it doesn’t even surprise me anymore. It’s good that I’ve adapted, but I should remind myself not to take it for granted…
“Nii-ta, Nii-ta.”
“Hm? What’s up, Phe?”
“Well… hehehe! Phe loves Nii-ta!”
With a grin, she gave me a quick kiss on the cheek.
Phe was certainly in a good mood today.
As Abel quietly watched us, my mother cheerfully chimed in.
“So, when we leave this building, will we be riding another vehicle? I’d love to ride on a big animal at least once!”
“We won’t. The moment we step outside, we’ll already be in my garden.”
Abel told me that she didn’t put a portal down in the sacred land because it was not hers. But here, in her own land, it’s only natural that she would.
My dear sister had latched onto my right arm, so Abel took my left hand.
“This is my Sky Garden.”
She opened the door.
And what lay before us was a breathtaking, otherworldly sight.
“Wowww!”
Mom and I couldn’t help but exclaim in unison.
Right before us was a field of flowers, with vibrant trees stretching out in the distance, a green carpet covering the entire landscape.
But what was most striking was the clear, blue sky.
Everywhere you looked, there was nothing but blue. No horizon, no mountains—just an endless sky. #TLN: I don’t get how there can be no horizon xD#
(So this is the Sky Garden…!)
Usually, a “Sky Garden” would refer to a garden built on high ground, simply located at a great height.
But Abel’s garden was different.
It was literally “in the sky.”
Like an illustration out of a fantasy novel, this place was actually floating in the air—a true Sky Garden.
“Abel, Abel! This place is really floating in the sky, isn’t it?!”
“Yes. A magic levitation stone serves as its core.”
Just as the Garden of Ice and Snow was formed with a magic ice stone at its core, Abel’s garden floats in the sky due to the influence of a magic levitation stone. As expected from a fantasy world—floating islands are probably a dream come true for many.
“Nii-ta, Nii-ta! It’s so high up!”
“Well, we’re apparently in the sky after all.”
“The sky?! Are we actually in the sky?! Phe always wanted to come up here!”
Phe was practically bouncing with excitement.
Please don’t go wandering over to the edges—it’s dangerous!
“Abel-sama!”
A few elves came running toward us.
Among them was the woman named Gisela, who had accidentally broken the bottle and spilled water from the Sacred Lake.
“Welcome back, Abel-sama!”
“…Mm.”
“I’m so sorry for all the trouble I caused!”
Gisela seemed like she was either very responsible or just prone to tears.
One of the elves turned to us with a questioning look.
“Abel-sama, who might these people be?”
“They’re my guests. I’ll be guiding them, so you all can return to your tasks.”
It must be rare for people to visit this garden. They were all staring at us curiously.
I think some of them are fond of children, as they looked at me and Phe and said, “Oh my, how adorable.” It didn’t give me the same creepy feeling as Mia’s gaze, so they shouldn’t have the same impure thoughts as her.
The elves were all dressed in work clothes, but they looked stylish rather than scruffy. It may just be that beautiful people look good in anything, even in quite lame clothes.
Also, every elf I’ve seen in this second life has yet to wear anything green.
Elves=Green.
That was the common stereotype set in my past life…
“Hey, Abel, you’re the one who hired all these people, right?”
“…Yes. I personally invited them.”
The elves nodded in agreement with their high ancestor’s words.
“Yes, we are all here thanks to a personal invitation from Abel-sama—a very lucky few!”
Not “chosen,” but “lucky”—interesting choice of words.
Another elf, looking pleased, explained further.
“See, the High Ancestor doesn’t accept general applications. If she did, elves would be fighting each other for a spot. Even those without experience in caring for rare plants or using plant magic would crowd in.”
Now that I think about it, the president of the association Shorsina did complain about that too.
“…Some fragile plants need to be tended to throughout the night or given doses of medication every few hours, yet everyone here does it without a single complaint.”
Wow, that sounds exhausting.
I know all too well what it’s like to work without proper sleep, from my previous life.
I doubt Abel would impose a harsh work environment, but long hours and irregular schedules are tough, no matter how you slice it. It’s impressive that they manage it.
“Abel-sama is a revered progenitor, a living legend among the elves. Being able to work for her is a source of pride. And—”
The elves exchanged glances and nodded.
“There are some remarkable benefits that other elves don’t get.”
Hmm?
So it’s not just spiritual satisfaction—there are tangible perks, too?
“Abel-sama grants us access to her precious medicinal herbs. If anything happens, we are allowed first pick of them!”
“M-My father’s life was saved because of that…”
Oh, that’s a massive perk—priceless, even.
“We also get to enjoy vegetables that have long been extinct on the surface!”
“But she doesn’t share any sweets with us.”
Ah, so the Arch Elf keeps those treats all to herself…
I glanced over at Abel, and she averted her gaze without a word.
“Get back to work, everyone.”
With that quiet comment, the elves gave us a polite bow and walked away with smiles. Compared to other elves, it felt like these workers shared a closer bond with Abel. They seemed to have a good relationship.
“This way.”
Without looking back, Abel beckoned us to follow.
Phe, who had climbed up onto my shoulders during the conversation with the elves, leaned close and whispered to me.
“Nii-ta, Nii-ta. There’s a huge lump of mana nearby. Bigger than Phe’s!”
I wonder what that is…
Could she be sensing the floating magic stone?
