I definitely felt pressure on my cheek? Why was there no one around?

“…Is it a dream?”

But the feeling on my cheek was too vivid to be a dream.

‘And, where am I?’

I was confused because I was in a cave with walls all around me, and just as I was looking around, the memories of before I fainted suddenly rushed into me.

“Exórdîum!”

I covered both cheeks with my hands and shouted,

“I didn’t wake up from a dream?!”

It was reality. When thinking of it as a dream, the explosive power felt at the moment of awakening came to mind very vividly.

Even the memory of the brilliant white light that enveloped me.

I was frustrated because I couldn’t even summon a little chick. I was a model student forever at level 5! …But really, am I an Awakened?

This was really, really… 

“It’s so cool!”

I rubbed my nose and laughed.

“…It’s a bit of a burden, though.”

This was because when I retired from the original work, I would like to go to the countryside and open a small bakery to make a living.

‘Can a bakery owner turn monsters into powder?’

In its own way, it seemed like a unique bakery owner.

‘Maybe it’ll be fine. ‘

As I pondered and nodded my head, a message written on the wall of the cave caught my eye.

Heinrich’s message, in pretty writing, was clearly written with great care on the uneven wall.

「I’ll go get something delicious outside. While Sister is sleeping comfortably.

    I love you, Sister. You know that, right?

    From, Sister’s kind and cute Heinri!」

“Cute…”

As I read the text with a happy smile, a message written in a bizarre font like a writhing earthworm next to the clear text caught my eye.

「I went with the young beast. 」

“…Hmm.”

Both must have been written by Heinrich, but the difference in mood was huge.

So, when I collapsed after I awakened, the children must have brought me to this cave.

On one side of the cave, a carefully made bed could be seen.

‘We will be going back to the Forest soon anyway. But they made all those things.’

I could easily call Julius with the ring once Sislin and Heinrich returned.

‘The latest (?) wizard wagon will come to pick us up.’

I smiled contentedly.

‘Wizard slaves are useful in many ways.’

It was then that a familiar voice was heard in my ear.

[…The cave is safe, so stay for a while. It’s dangerous to go back like this, sweetheart.]

“…What?”

Surprised, I looked around, but there was no one there. I guessed it wasn’t a dream that someone whispered ‘glutinous rice’ in my ear earlier!

I asked urgently.

“Who are you? You’re the one who helped me to awaken earlier, right?”

But unfortunately, the other party left only its voice and disappeared.

“Ah, come back…!”

It was during the time when I was troubled over how to catch the voice I heard in my head.

“Sister!”

From the entrance of the cave, Heinrich ran and hugged me, dropping the firewood he was carrying onto the ground.

Behind him, I saw Sislin carrying loads of food and water.

“Annette.”

“Heinrich, Sislin!”

I was so happy that I stomped my feet.

“Sister, are you okay?”

Heinrich asked. Sislin came to my side and gave me a very worried look.

‘Heuk-heuk, my babies were worried about me.’

I smiled broadly and nodded vigorously.

“Yes!”

Of course, I heard a suspicious voice a while ago, but somehow, I didn’t want to say it.

It seemed like it would only cause them worry, and above all else, the story about awakening was still vague, so I wanted to exercise caution and share it only when it became clear.

Clenching my fists and raising my hands high up to give the boys peace of mind, I declared,

“I have a lot of energy!”

It was then.

Rumbling—

Thunder was heard from below.

“Oh…”

As I blushed and grabbed my belly, the two boys burst out laughing at the same time.

After a while–

We made a small fire in the cave and had dinner.

“Oh, it’s really delicious. It’s so delicious!”

Ah, I didn’t even season the meat, but why is it so delicious?

It wasn’t a special feast. 

Next to Sislin, who was silently grilling meat, Heinrich smirked.

“Sister, eat a lot. You’ll feel hungry after awakening. Okay?”

“Yes!”

Then he instructed Sislin.

“Grill it a little more.”

Sislin involuntarily grilled the meat and struck back.

“You eat well in many ways. Eat meat well, and shamelessly order well.’

Ignoring him, Heinrich said,

“It’s like camping, and it’s fun, right? I’ve always wanted to go on a picnic with Sister.”

His purple eyes gently curved, as if he was excited.

I also felt good in the romantic atmosphere.

“Yes, I like it.”

“Annette. Can you call Julius after eating?”

I thought deeply about Sislin’s question and said,

“Hmm~ Well. Shall we stay here for one more day? It’s like camping!”

‘That voice in my head is unfamiliar, but…’

It was the voice that awakened me, I didn’t think it would give me advice that would harm me.

So I thought it would be better to spend at least tonight in this cave.

Heinrich raised his hand.

“I agree! This cave is comfortable and somehow, I like it.”

Sislin, who was doing all the chores by himself, shrugged, transferring only the most ripe blueberries to my plate.

It meant agreement.

***

All of a sudden in the middle of the night.

The inside of the cave was filled with only the sounds of children sleeping soundly.

At this moment, there was a voice whispering in Annette’s ear, waking her, who was having a good night’s sleep.

“Annette.”

Whisper, whisper.

“…Yes?”

Annette woke up from her sleep to see a boy she had never seen before.

Gray eyes and hair shining white enough to feel sacred.

His eyes shone like stars in the night sky.

‘Are you an angel?’

While I was blankly thinking that, the boy whispered softly.

“Hi.”

“…Hi?”

“I am the guide, ‘X’. I’m here to tell you something about your ‘ability’.”

The boy smiled and held out his hand to me.

“Would you like to come with me?”

The whispering voice was sweet like cotton candy.

I glanced at the boy’s outstretched hand.

‘You’re going to teach me about my powers?’

The boy who appeared at dawn, which was darkly colored by the moonlight, was so mysterious that somehow the whole situation felt like a dream.

The boy answered with a strangely inanimate face.

“Yes. You’ll learn a lot.”

‘Ah, did you just answer? The words in my head…?”

“Because I can read your mind.”

The boy who introduced himself as ‘X’ smiled faintly.

“……!”

I blinked in surprise.

Could I follow him?

But the voice who helped me awaken told me to stay in the cave.

Then there was a voice running through my mind. It was the voice that warned me.

[The child is our guide.]

It meant it was safe.

Gulp–

I swallowed my saliva, suppressed the rising apprehension, and slowly took the guide boy’s hand.

His hands were neither warm nor cold.

“I must return soon. If Heinrich and Sislin wake up and I’m not around, they’ll be worried.”

Gently, the boy smiled silently and walked ahead.

I quickly followed the boy out of the cave. And as soon as I took a step out, I was amazed.

‘Wow. Was it this pretty here?’

The scenery outside was so beautiful that I truly admired it.

In the dawn, dense groups of little spirits were flying in the landscape that I thought was bleak. It was romantic like fireflies embroidered in the night sky.

Pfft– Seeing the spirits flying towards the back of my nose, I smiled slightly.

“Hi?”

As I said hello, the spirits flew into the sky in groups like storm water forming a tornado. Here, both the sky and the earth twinkled at night.

The boy walked faster than me, but he stopped occasionally and waited for me to catch up.

We walked and walked on a beautiful forest path and finally arrived at the lake shore.

“What is that?”

I couldn’t hide my curiosity and asked the boy.

In the middle of the lake, a large flower was scattering the soft light.

“It’s really pretty.”

‘I think it’s the first time I’ve seen a flower that’s almost as tall as myself?’

It’s leaves were also as big as a child.

As I ran forward and tapped the flower bud— the boy said from behind.

“That’s the entrance.”

“The entrance to…?”

At the same time as I asked, the flower flapped its leaves and swallowed me in a snap.

“…What?”

What, give me back my life?!

***

Gulp–

When I went down what I assumed to be a ‘flower stalk,’ a completely different place was revealed.

But there was something even more surprising than teleporting into a flower.

‘It’s an incredible beauty.’

Two very handsome men were standing in front of me.

“Baby, we’ve been waiting for you.”

It was said by the man standing on the right, with a pure, lily-looking face.

His thick eyelashes fanned out, and his long, light blue hair shone as if sprinkled with stardust. His white face and gray eyes were admiringly mysterious.

‘He’s so beautiful that it’s haunting.’

“Ah, hello…?”

I blushed and greeted.

Then, standing on the left, the man with short red hair and golden eyes smiled happily.

He was a handsome man with a wild atmosphere like a red wolf.

“You look smaller in person. Like the size of a fist. Cute.”

‘Oh, it’s this person. The person who pressed my cheeks. His voice is similar.’

I blinked a little, trying to hide my shyness, then asked cautiously.

“B-By the way, who are you two?”

“Ah, we should start by introducing ourselves.”

The muscular, wild handsome man crossed his thick arms and said.

“We are your parents. Mom and Dad.”

…What?

What kind of outrageous statement was that?