Chapter 10: A Branch Toward Tomorrow

Trees stood tall around us, their branches swaying in a cold, lazy breeze.
Silver moonlight filtered through gaps in the canopy, dancing across the forest floor.
I cradled the child in my arms, moving slowly through the woods in search of a clearing.

After a few steps, I found it: a small glade bathed in moonlight.

I paused and listened.

'The wind doesn't sense anyone nearby'

I settled against a sturdy tree, its bark warm from the day's sun. The breeze wrapped around us, warding off the chill.

'This warmth should be enough' I thought, gently weaving the wind's warmth into a protective shroud.

My body barely felt the effort anymore—late nights studying for exams, marathon gaming sessions, and endless anime binges had honed my endurance.

'I should sleep after checking a few things' ,I decided.

'Sebas, show me the class cards I've collected' ,I commanded.

Rows of cards appeared before me, each etched with artwork and a class name. Sixteen bore the title Warrior, and one read Champion (Warrior).

'Most depict axe-wielding orcs and few long sword… hmmm. Can I only use them on orcs?' I wondered.

[ The art is merely a reminder of where you obtained the card, Master. ]
[ Example: The Warrior class can be bestowed upon anyone—they'll gain the original owner's skills too. ]

'Alright, just some extra flair—no problem' I thought. Then I glanced down at the child.

'I was planning dinner, but she looks exhausted' ,I realized.

[ I don't think the child will wake soon. You should rest as well, Master. ]

'You're right, Sebas' ,I yawned.

'Keep watch over our surroundings. Wake me if she stirs' I instructed, and let my eyes drift shut beneath the moonlit branches.

—

Hours later, soft sunlight filtered through the leaves.
I opened my eyes to find the child still asleep in my arms.

'How long was I out? Sebas' ,I asked.

[ Around twelve hours, Master. ]

'Did anything happen overnight?'

[ Nothing approached, Master. All is peaceful. ]

'Good. I should wake her so she can eat.'

'Sebas, buy me all the other elemental affinities.' ,I ordered.

[ Earth Affinity (Low) acquired ]
[ Water Affinity (Low) acquired ]
[ Fire Affinity (Low) acquired ]
[ Your understanding of these elements is exceptional. Adjusting affinities… ]
[ Earth, Water, and Fire affinities are now Maxed Out. ]
[ All Elemental Spirits favor you. ]
[ Title Unlocked: One with Nature ]

'Let's wash my face first' ,I thought.

Water condensed from thin air, swirling around my cheeks before a warm breeze dried me instantly.

The child shifted in my arms, small limbs stretching.

I looked down: her eyes—dark pools of curiosity—blinked open.

'Hmmm?' I thought.

'Is it the water?' I guessed, as droplets formed into a floating bubble before her.

The bubble drifted toward her face, tickling her cheek and cleaning away grime. She reached out, and it popped softly on her skin.

I smiled at her delight.

'No brush handy—guess gurgle will have to do' ,I mused.

I gurgled, and a bit of water formed in the air, which I spat aside—whereupon it evaporated.

'Can't just spit here…' I thought.

Gently, I sat the child up on my lap and summoned a fresh bottle of water.

"Here—you can drink this" ,I said softly.

She grasped the bottle—too heavy—so I lightened its weight with a breath of wind. She tilted it and drank, slowly but steadily, until only a quarter remained. Then, with her tiny hands, she offered it back.

'She's such a sweet child' ,I thought as a new bottle materialized in my hand.

"Don't worry. There's plenty more." ,I assured her.

A soft rumble echoed from her belly.

I closed my eyes and smiled.

"Let's eat first" ,I said.

I crossed my legs and placed her gently on my lap. With a swirl of wind, a loaf of bread floated before us.

'Should I tear it into tiny pieces…?' I pondered.

A sudden gust sliced the bread in half, then shredded one half into perfect, bite-sized pieces.

[ That size is ideal for the child, Master. Considering her age and condition. ]

'Great work, Sebas.' ,I praised.

[ Please leave trivial tasks to me, Master. ]

'Alright, I trust you.' I replied, reaching for the first piece.

I grabbed the half-loaf, and wisps of wind shaped a plate of floating bread pieces before the child.
'It's served better than in any fancy restaurant—Sebas is a proper butler, I guess' ,I thought with a grin.

The child stared at the pieces of bread, her eyes widening as her stomach growled.

'I have a lot more, so eat until you're full' ,I said softly.

She glanced at me, then dove in—one piece after another, her pace speeding up until—

Suddenly she choked.

'Slow down!' I exclaimed, snatching her water bottle.

I tipped it, and droplets danced through the air before she coughed and spluttered.

I patted her back gently, heart pounding.

Her little face fell, sadness flickering in her eyes.

I stroked her hair.

"Don't worry—while I'm here, you'll never go hungry or thirsty" ,I promised.

She looked up, confusion and innocence mingling in her gaze.

I surveyed the empty plate. Only few pieces of bread remained.

'Sebas…' I called.

[ I was about to refill it, Master. ]

The wind-layered plate reappeared, fully stocked with fresh bread.

The child's eyes grew large, delight replacing worry. She looked at me, wordlessly asking how.

"It was done by… uh… your guardian angel." I improvised.

She tilted her head. Then, for the first time, she spoke:

'A-angwl?'

Her voice—soft, sweet—washed over me like warmth.

'H-Her voice is so cute…' I thought, feeling my chest tighten.

I shook off the sudden rush of affection.

"Do you know what an angel is?" I asked.

She nodded.

"He's not a real angel, but a… good person who helps." I said, striving for clarity.

She frowned in puzzlement, then her stomach rumbled again.

"Come on—let's eat first," I suggested, steering away from the topic.

I glanced at my screen:

[ Shop: 1150 points ]

'Plain bread is fine, but she needs more.' ,I worried.
'These points won't last long…'

I looked towards another blue screen. A shop menu labeled Daily Essentials listed basics—bread, water, jam, sauce and more.

'I asked Kai for my world's ingredients… but all I got was raw stuff and no cooking tools. And I can only buy with monster-kill points.' I sighed.

[ That special ability would unbalance the world, Master. ]
[ It wasn't possible. ]

'I know—firearms would create chaos too.' ,I nodded.

I scanned the essentials:

--------------------Daily Essentials--------------------

Todays discounted items: [ 50% OFF ]

Bread x 10 : 10 points

Water x 10 : 10 points

_______________________________________________________

Flavours:

Apple jam (500g) : 50 points

Tomato sauce (200g) : 50 points

[Show More ]

________________________________________________________

Fruits: [ Locked ]

[Please buy stuff worth 200 points to unlock more]

-----------------------------------------------------------

'At least it's organized.' I thought, finding silver linings.

I purchased bread, water, jam, and sauce.

[ Shop: 1030 points ]

Back to the child—the plate was bare again. She looked up, forlorn and still hungry.

I motioned in front of her, and fresh bread slices appeared once more—now topped with glistening jam.

She stared, delighted, at the coated pieces.

I savored a slice myself. Sweet, tangy jam exploded on my tongue.

She watched, then mimicked me—her tiny mouth shaping around the bread, tasting the jam.

Her cheeks flushed, her eyes sparkled. Happiness radiated from her expression—and it lit something inside me.

'It's been ages since I felt this… pure joy' ,I thought.

I turned to Sebas.

"Change of plans." I said softly. "First, we find a human settlement—get her properly healed. If we find undead on the way, easy. If not, we find them later."

[ Understood, Master. ]

'I know human kingdoms can be annoying and churches corrupt… but I have to get her healed properly' ,I resolved.

[ What should we do with any troublemakers—thugs or corrupt priests? ]

"Annoying thugs? Do you have data on my anime and manga, too, Sebas?" I asked.

[ Yes, Master. ]

"Perfect. Then I say—kill them. If they're a pain in the a**, I can always take down one priest and claim his healing skill." I said calmly.

[ Understood, Master. ]

'But this will give them the reason to make me public enemy easily.', I thought in realization.

'This is gonna be annoying… ugh.' ,I thought in distress.

[ Master, humans are not the only race capable of wielding healing magic. ]

'I don't want to go to demons, Sebas.' ,I replied.

[ I was not referring to demons, Master. I speak of the elves. ]

'Huh? But you said only those who worship divinity through the Church for a long time can unlock healing skills or holy powers.' I asked, confused.

[ That is correct, Master. However, the elves, too, worship divinity. ]

'I guess it's not that surprising... since a lot of races worship gods, I guess.', I thought.

[ Elves do not worship a God, Master ]

I gave a surprised and confused look.

'But you said divinity.', I questioned.

[ Indeed. However, the divinity they venerate does not reside in the realm of gods, and thus it is not classified as one. ]

[ It's a divinity that has existed among mortals from the very beginning. ]

[ One of the oldest divinities. ]

[ The World Tree ]

'Oh... how did I forget about the World Tree? But I didn't think it would be comparable to gods.', I thought.

[ The World Tree is the divinity of nature. It grants Elves their deep affinity with nature, with spirits... and with healing powers, Master. ]

'But Elves can be so annoying sometimes.', I thought.

[ Have you forgotten already, Master? You just received a title... One that grants you affinity with spirits. ]

[ That alone is more than sufficient for the elves to trust you ]

'If you say so, Sebas... Alright, next destination decided. Elves!', I thought with a sigh, but a small smile crept onto my face.

— to be continued…

Author's Note:

So… my novel got rejected from the Webnovel contract.
But that’s okay. I’ve decided to keep writing anyway.
If you’ve been enjoying the story, it would really mean a lot if you could bookmark it and leave a comment — even just a short one. Thanks to the one dude who always leave a comment. That kind of support helps more than you know and keeps me motivated to continue this journey with Zero.
Let’s see how far we can go together.