Wuka the Wood Spirit

While he was wondering how to get down, Xia Duo had already lightly hopped onto another branch and pushed aside a cluster of dark-colored leaves. A staircase magically woven from vines appeared before their eyes.

This staircase, winding down along the trunk, seemed to possess a life of its own as it guided the four of them slowly downward. Finally, it brought them to a small house nestled tenderly within a blanket of countless flowers and branches.

“Open up~ We’re back.”

Following Moen’s soft words, the wooden door of the house responded as if it were alive, immediately swinging open a crack. At the same time, the lights inside flickered on.

“Huh? Is this some kind of magic? How did you do that?”

Starlight looked at Moen in surprise. He hadn't sensed any trace of magic being used. Moen simply pushed the door open further and made a welcoming gesture.

“Ah! Masters, you’re finally back! These past few days have felt like an eternity! ...Wait!?? Why are there short-lived ones here? Where are my masters!? What did you do to them!”

Just as Starlight and Po Kong stepped through the door, a palm-sized black shadow screamed and flew toward them with lightning speed, slamming hard into Po Kong’s face.

“Ow! Dammit, that hurts! What is this thing!? Stop moving! Let go!!”

Po Kong grabbed the black shadow off his face and rubbed his reddened nose with his other hand.

Only then did Starlight see clearly that Po Kong was holding a strange little figure that looked as if it were pieced together from wood scraps.

The little person, barely larger than a palm, was clearly startled as well. It struggled frantically in his hand, letting out a series of strange cries.

“Ugh... Wuka, shut up already! You’re way too loud! We’re right behind them! Moen, you let them go in first on purpose, didn't you?”

At that moment, Xia Duo slipped through the door and snatched the little figure from Po Kong’s hand while complaining.

Once the little person saw Xia Duo, it immediately shut its mouth obediently. It stood up quietly in her palm, eyeing the two unfamiliar humans with suspicion.

“My thoughts can never escape your eyes, Sister,” Moen said with a playful smile as she stepped inside and closed the door behind her. She seemed to have expected this. “But I didn’t want to be ‘warmly welcomed’ by Wuka like that, so I had to let Po Kong take the hit~”

“Fine, but what the hell is this thing? It almost broke my nose!” Po Kong grumbled, glaring at the wooden figure in Xia Duo’s hand.

Just as Xia Duo was about to explain, Noah, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly floated up and spoke before she could:

“Oh? This little fellow... could it be a Wood Spirit? This is the first time I’ve seen a creature formed from natural elements. Tsk, tsk... it actually has such a strong sense of self? Interesting, very interesting.”

Seeing that the floating, strange book had identified its identity at a glance, the wooden figure puffed out its chest and introduced itself in a shrill voice.

“That’s right! You’ve got sharp eyes! I am the great Lord Wuka the Wood Spirit! By the way, what kind of creature are you? A book spirit? Or... a paper spirit?”

“Pfft...” Starlight almost burst out laughing at Wuka’s question. At the same time, he recalled descriptions he had seen in books before.

Under certain coincidences, the elements of the world could indeed give birth to unique life forms. These wondrous creatures were generally known as elemental beings.

Normally, these beings condensed from elements were not particularly intelligent, usually possessing only basic instincts similar to wild beasts.

However, Wuka the Wood Spirit was clearly an exception. Although it seemed a bit eccentric, it truly possessed its own way of thinking. No wonder even the well-traveled Noah found it remarkable.

“So... what’s so special about a Wood Spirit anyway? Aside from being noisy, I don’t see how it’s useful at all...”

“You ignorant short-lived one! What would that empty head of yours know? I am—aaaaah!!”

Seeing that Po Kong and Wuka were about to start a shouting match, Xia Duo grabbed Wuka, tossed it onto a nearby table, and gave Po Kong a warning look.

“Both of you! Be quiet! I didn't come back just to listen to you argue!”

“Yes! Master Xia Duo.”

“Ah... fine. Since you put it that way, Little Shadow...”

Seeing the man and the spirit both deflate instantly, Moen giggled and explained to Starlight and the others.

“Actually, Wuka is quite useful. For instance, while we were away, it kept the house spotless. It also helped me cultivate a new variety of flowers. See? It’s not a bad housekeeper, is it?”

Starlight followed Moen’s hand and looked around the interior. The front hall, which wasn't very large, lacked flashy decorations but was filled with various plants and potted flowers.

The most prominent among them were blue flower buds about the size of an adult’s palm. They were shaped somewhat like common orchids. Though they hadn't fully bloomed yet, they already emitted an intoxicating fragrance.

He also noticed with surprise that all the furniture in the house was made of plants.

For example, there were solid wood tables and chairs with no signs of carving, curtains and tablecloths made from single massive leaves, and bookshelves woven from vines that seemed to grow directly out of the walls.

The entire interior decoration was seamless, filled with an atmosphere of natural harmony that was completely different from any style he had seen before.

“Ah~ finally home! I need to get a good night’s sleep!”

Xia Duo stretched lazily and was the first to head inside, immediately collapsing onto a sofa made of some unknown creature’s fur.

The colorful cushion seemed to possess a magical power, bringing a satisfied smile to her face—a face that usually looked full of energy. It was as if all her fatigue was released in that single moment.

However, before Xia Duo could fully savor the texture of the sofa, Moen’s words dragged her back to reality.

“Sister, you can’t sleep yet. Did you forget we still have to report back to the Council of Elders?”

“Huh? Does it have to be today? Can’t we just go tomorrow instead...”

Xia Duo lifted her head slightly and spoke to her sister in a wheedling tone that Starlight and Po Kong had never heard before. She seemed completely unwilling to move even an inch.

“No! We have to deal with this first. Don’t be stubborn, Sister~”

Seeing her sister’s lazy state, Moen could only sigh. She walked over helplessly and helped her up from the sofa.

“Sister, if you keep acting like this, I’m going to take this cushion away!”

At Moen’s warning, Xia Duo finally stood up from the sofa with great reluctance. The moment she left the cushion, her lazy demeanor vanished without a trace.

“Fine... I knew there’d be more work to do. But you’re not allowed to throw this cushion away! I went through so much trouble to get it!”

“I know, I know~ Starlight, Po Kong, please wait here for a moment. We’ll be right back after we report our mission! Also, Wuka, please tidy up the rooms on the second floor for them. The third floor is enough for my sister and me,” Moen instructed.

“Understood, Master Moen. I’ll get right on it.” Wuka gave a respectful bow in mid-air and then flew nimbly up the stairs.

After briefly handling the household arrangements, Moen dragged Xia Duo out of the house in a hurry, leaving the two men and Wuka staring at each other.