"This is just…"
Kurose Akira stared at the scene before him, a faint sense of awe rising in his chest.
Millions of elves knelt with their knees pressed together, arms extended forward with their palms flat against the ground, bodies leaning down until their foreheads touched the earth.
And most importantly—
They were clad in nothing but thin undergarments.
From where he stood, it was an endless sea of pale, flawless skin.
Like a living painting…
One left entirely at the viewer's mercy.
"Do… we need to do the same?"
Alice and the others stood nearby, hesitating, unsure whether they should follow suit.
"Come on~ The World Tree will bless us!"
Flea and Flora had already knelt devoutly, smiling as they beckoned the others to join.
"Alright then~"
"Just like Mr. Akira said—we should respect local customs~"
Ivsha, Alice, and the rest followed, kneeling like the surrounding elves and offering their devotion to the World Tree.
At that very moment, the elemental magic filling the air began to gather around them, clinging to their bodies as it shimmered in vibrant, multicolored light.
The sight immediately drew Akira's attention.
His gaze locked onto Ivsha, Alice, and the others.
Just like the millions of elves present, they were receiving the World Tree's blessing—enhancing their power.
And naturally, that meant—
A flood of system notifications burst into Akira's vision.
[Your Adventurer Ivsha has received the blessing of elemental magic! Stored EXP +100!]
[Your Adventurer Alice has received…]
In just a few moments, they had already accumulated thousands of experience points.
And judging by the pace, this was only the beginning.
By the end of the event, the total could very well reach hundreds of thousands!
More importantly—
This experience wasn't distributed directly to individuals. Instead, it was funneled into the guild's shared experience pool under the Guild Master's control.
Which meant…
Akira slowly lifted his gaze toward the towering World Tree ahead.
This so-called event wasn't just a ritual.
It was a massive, large-scale leveling mechanism for the elves.
And for him?
An absolute goldmine of EXP.
"Hmm?"
Akira's attention suddenly drifted—caught by the details of Ivsha's undergarments. Pale violet lace trim…
"Oh?"
His gaze shifted again, landing on the elf sisters. One wore red, the other blue—both adorned with cute little bear patterns, lively and playful.
Alice's design was simpler—blue and white stripes, fresh and charming.
As for Viola…
Green leaf-shaped undergarments, brimming with natural vitality.
Wait—
Suddenly, Akira's eyes paused on Beatrice. His brows lifted slightly, confusion flickering across his face.
Do elves… also wear thongs?
Ahem.
He quickly averted his gaze and turned toward Lucia—only to find her staring at him with a cool expression… tinged faintly with jealousy.
"Hmph."
Lucia let out a soft snort and looked away.
As the Pope of the Holy Church, she would never kneel before another race's deity. So unlike the others, she remained standing.
Akira didn't kneel either.
For no particular reason—
He just didn't feel like it.
As time passed, the elves gradually shifted from full prostration to kneeling upright, hands clasped together like devout nuns offering prayers to the World Tree.
This, naturally, played to Ivsha's strengths.
Her devotion earned her several times the blessing of others.
Her EXP skyrocketed.
Yet despite everything, the atmosphere remained serene. No one broke the silence.
Which only made Akira and Lucia—still standing—stand out even more among the crowd.
Both of them, almost simultaneously, had the same thought.
Maybe… they should leave for a bit.
"Should we… go somewhere else?" Akira whispered.
"…Mm."
Lucia nodded. She clearly didn't enjoy standing out like this among millions.
"Let's go."
Without hesitation, Akira took her slender hand and led her away—almost like the two of them were eloping.
…
"This place should be out of sight."
Akira brought Lucia into a hollow within the World Tree.
The elf dragon wasn't in her nest at the moment—no idea where she had gone—which left this space as a temporary refuge for the two of them.
"What is this place?" Lucia asked, glancing around curiously.
"This is the elf dragon's lair," Akira explained softly, his attention already drawn to the piles of treasures inside.
Hundreds of rare artifacts were stacked together, each radiating a unique, captivating glow.
When he had come here before, there had been something that caught his eye…
"I found it."
After rummaging for a moment, Akira picked out a pale pink flower.
Bringing it to his nose, a rich fragrance immediately bloomed in his senses.
"What is that?"
Lucia's eyes flickered with curiosity.
"Here, smell it."
Akira smiled, holding it out to her.
Lucia leaned in cautiously.
A soft, elegant scent filled her nose—light and soothing, almost like lavender.
But then—
"This flower…?" Her expression suddenly changed.
She stepped back in alarm, as if trying to distance herself.
At the same time, a flush spread across her cheeks. Her heartbeat quickened. Her breathing grew heavier.
Clearly—
The flower was affecting her.
"Feeling something?" Akira asked with a teasing smile.
The flower in his hand was known as the "Lust Elf Blossom."
Its scent greatly amplified desire in elves.
And if consumed…
The effect would multiply several times over.
"Put it back!"
Lucia glared at him, her tone laced with frustration.
She hadn't expected him to pull out something like this—was everything in his head always so indecent?
"Alright, alright."
Akira chuckled and returned the flower to its place.
"The elf dragon sure collects some interesting things…"
His gaze wandered across the treasure pile again.
Of course, he had no intention of stealing anything.
At most—
He just wanted to admire them… and maybe test something if it seemed useful.
Meanwhile, as Akira busied himself browsing the dragon's hoard, Lucia stood quietly behind him.
But…
The flower's lingering effect continued to spread through her body.
Her skin gradually flushed deeper, like a blooming rose.
"What… is happening to me?"
She whispered to herself.
She had assumed her magic could suppress the effect.
But when she tried—
It only intensified.
Like a rebellious flame, it burned even stronger within her, spreading like a virus through every inch of her body, drawing out the deepest desires hidden in her heart.
When her gaze lifted to Akira's back—
Her legs unconsciously pressed together.
Her heartbeat quickened again.
Memories surfaced… of moments shared with him, of that intoxicating sensation when holy light blossomed within her soul.
"I…"
Driven by that rising desire, Lucia took a soft step forward.
Her hands moved silently, reaching toward the mist concealing the holy radiance.
Her fingertips brushed against it gently… teasing, coaxing it awake.
"?"
Akira stopped, surprised.
Why had Lucia suddenly become so… proactive?
Was it really just the flower?
She was a level 50 Saintess of the Holy Church—how could a mere scent have this much effect?
But before he could think further—
Lucia had already parted the mist.
Brilliant holy radiance burst forth, illuminating the dragon's lair like daylight.
"I…"
Lucia bit her lip.
Her longing for that light had never felt stronger.
And her sudden boldness left Akira unable to turn around—he could only stand there, feeling her cool, delicate fingers glide gently across the radiance.
Each touch was subtle, precise—like a breeze rippling across water.
The light flickered intermittently, each pulse growing brighter.
And to make matters worse—
Akira himself had also been exposed to the flower earlier.
Its lingering effects stirred within him as well.
Even knowing there were millions of elves just outside—
He found it difficult to suppress his desires.
The holy radiance reached its peak.
And with Lucia's help—
It finally burst forth like starlight.
The shimmering glow scattered across the treasures, coating Lucia's slender hands in its brilliance.
"I… what am I doing…?"
Lucia stumbled back, covering her face in panic.
But in doing so, she only smeared that radiant glow onto her cheeks.
The rich, sacred aura deepened her daze.
Behind her white veil, her golden-red eyes shimmered—almost as if heart-shaped reflections were forming within them.
At that moment—
Akira turned around.
The radiant light still burned brightly, as if eager to offer its purest "blessing" to the Saintess before him.
"Lucia… this is your doing."
He reached out, gripping her slender waist.
"W-Wait… here? The elves outside will hear…" Lucia didn't refuse, but her voice trembled with worry.
Akira smiled faintly.
"Then keep your voice down."
And as he spoke—
He buried his face into that soft, pale warmth.
"???"
…
Meanwhile, the Elf Queen sat within her chambers, calmly handling the affairs of the kingdom.
When the World Tree's light began to shine, her attention was naturally drawn to it. A gentle smile touched her lips.
"Oh? It's begun…"
She set aside her work and rose gracefully, walking to the window.
"Perhaps I should take a look."
With a flick of her fingers, emerald magic lifted her into the air, carrying her toward the World Tree.
But upon arriving—
Her attention wasn't drawn to the millions of elves below.
Instead—
"…Hmm?"
Her brows furrowed slightly.
As a demigod, her perception was extraordinarily sharp.
She immediately sensed something unusual within one of the World Tree's hollows.
"This is…"
Her expression grew serious as she moved closer.
Rather than barging in, she concealed her presence with magic and quietly approached the entrance.
Before she could even look inside—
A soft, breathy voice drifted out.
"Akira… wait… here…"
"Shh~ quieter, Lucia. We're doing something naughty."
"Whose fault do you think that is?!"
"Mine, mine. Lower your waist a bit…"
"..."
???
The Elf Queen covered her lips, her pupils trembling in shock.
As a queen who had lived for thousands of years, she should not have reacted like this—even if she remained a maiden.
But right now—
Too many factors were affecting her.
First—
Akira and Lucia were committing such acts within the most sacred place of the elves—the World Tree itself.
Second—
Those strange dreams she had been having lately had already made her unusually sensitive to anything involving him.
And now—
It was happening right in front of her.
And with…
The Pope of the Holy Church.
Yes.
The moment she first saw Lucia, she had recognized her identity.
Though they had never met, the divine power of the Holy Pope was unmistakable.
And yet now—
That same figure, her equal in status…
Was beneath Akira.
Was this real?
Even if she struggled to believe it—
She couldn't deny what she was hearing.
That young girl who had just ascended to the position of Holy Pope…
Had already fallen, just like herself, into—
No!
The Elf Queen shook her head, rejecting her own choice of words.
Then, unable to resist, she stepped closer to the edge of the hollow and carefully peeked inside.
And the moment she saw what lay within—
Her azure eyes trembled violently, filled with disbelief.
This—
Was far more shocking than any dream.