Chapter 7: Let’s Go To The World Tree

Having filled my stomach, I first went to register for the Local Ability Self-Defense Corps.

The procedure was simpler than expected.

After confirming my criminal record status and Ability User registration card, I signed a few pledges and contracts.

And provided an account number to receive performance bonuses.

It felt like it ended almost too simply.

Of course, there was some controversy regarding my criminal record, but here, I’m a clean elf with no record.

Park Jeonghun did look at me a bit strangely, but what could I do?

The Local Ability Self-Defense Corps, I’ll just call them Heroes from now on.

Why is the name so long?

Anyway, Heroes have a base salary, and additional performance bonuses are paid based on achievements.

If there’s no activity for over three months, the base salary is cut off.

I installed a dedicated Hero app.

It’s a convenient app that sends immediate notifications when incidents occur nearby and allows reporting, including photo uploads, all at once.

Ah, I also got my driver’s license.

To be precise, it’s more accurate to say I renewed the license I obtained here before.

Honestly, the thought of having to get a driver’s license from scratch was a bit of a headache.

That’s a relief.

I’ve finished all preparations for adapting to my homeland.

I have a house, a driver’s license, and a means to make a living.

Isn’t that everything?

Now, I’m going to see the World Tree.

The burned World Tree was a huge shock to me too.

Having lived as an elf for so long.

The World Tree is like a mother to all elves. An object of faith as well.

“I’ll drive now. You’ve worked hard enough today, haven’t you?”

“Um… you haven’t driven in over 300 years…”

“What are you talking about? I drove with no problem over there too.”

“In that case, I’ll ride with peace of mind.”

Going to see the World Tree was Fride’s personal agenda.

So why was Officer Park Jeonghun accompanying her?

It lies in the nature of Returnees.

As mentioned before, many Returnees are warped somewhere inside.

Meaning they might cause trouble.

Therefore, for Returnees, especially those who returned recently, an officer always accompanies their schedule.

Well, you could see it as surveillance.

But in reality, they get paid a salary just for tagging along.

You could call it a sweet gig.

Assuming, of course, the Returnee doesn’t cause trouble. If they do, it’ll be quite a headache.

“Ms. Fride!! Please drive gently!!”

“My, are you making a fuss over something like this, young man? Hah…”

Fride’s driving habits were tailored more to wartime situations and roads than to those of modern people.

In short, reckless driving on par with Busan taxis.

Park Jeonghun, complaining of motion sickness and nausea, snatched the steering wheel back.

“I’m never getting in a car driven by you again, Ms. Fride…”

“You’re overreacting.”

The elf, sulking because the wheel was taken away, sniped back at Park Jeonghun.

This is the Seoul – Pyongyang Expressway IC.

And a little ahead, a toll gate is visible. Several military vehicles and soldiers holding guns are stationed there.

-“Next!”

-“Stop!”

The soldiers hand out a small paper slip.

Name, phone number, first few digits of the resident registration number.

A few other items to fill out.

After quickly filling it out and handing it back, they let us pass.

“Didn’t you say Pyongyang is controlled by the government?”

“That’s true, but most of North Korean territory is still unreclaimed or areas where administrative power doesn’t reach effectively.”

“And Pyongyang itself is actually controlled by the Pyongyang Reconstruction Government.”

Quite a few Gates opened in North Korea.

Gates opened more frequently further from the equator, meaning more at higher latitudes than lower ones.

Which means more opened in North Korean territory than in South Korean land.

Unable to handle such Gates, the North Korean regime, combined with its inherent irrationality, eventually collapsed.

And South Korea succeeded in advancing into Pyongyang.

However, Pyongyang was like a useless piece of land.

Most Pyongyang citizens were brainwashed by the Juche ideology, and tens of thousands of former People’s Army soldiers existed.

Providing the same welfare and security services as in South Korea in such a place?

Pyongyang would clearly become a hippo swallowing the budget.

Isn’t there something South Korea does best?

Yes, outsourcing and passing the buck.

The government absorbed the remaining working-level bureaucrats in Pyongyang and established the so-called ‘Pyongyang Reconstruction Government’.

And they worked hard to shift the residents’ loyalty to the Pyongyang Reconstruction Government.

Of course, the high-ranking officials of the Workers’ Party were all tried and punished according to due process. And the former People’s Army.

Disarming and kicking out the People’s Army stationed in Pyongyang would simply create tens of thousands of unemployed people. Military-trained ones at that.

Since it was obvious what would happen, the People’s Army stationed in Pyongyang simply had their name changed to the Pyongyang Defense Force and remained stationed.

Apparently, when provided meals comparable to those eaten by the South Korean army, they were all moved and pledged their loyalty… or so the story goes.

Anyway, the South Korean government succeeded in passing the buck for managing the North Korean region with minimal budget.

Nominally, North Korean land is South Korean territory, but actual management was outsourced to the Pyongyang Reconstruction Government.

[Pyongyang City 20km]

A green sign indicates we are near Pyongyang.

Fortunately, no unfortunate incidents occurred on the way to Pyongyang.

Military police regularly patrolled the expressway area, and most troublemakers were either killed or fled north of Pyongyang.

Finally entering Pyongyang city proper, it was filled with gray concrete buildings.

“Wow… It’s bleak.”

“It just feels like home, nice and familiar.”

Everyone thinks elves live in wooden houses built in forests.

That’s all prejudice.

Albheim’s main architectural style was reinforced concrete.

Of course, there were quite a few trees, and a giant World Tree stood in the middle of the capital.

Overall, it looked similar to here, Pyongyang.

Honestly, I even consider settling down in Pyongyang.

Gates open frequently, and the security is unstable, so wouldn’t there be a lot of work?

[Pyongyang Reconstruction Government Building -> 5km]

[World Tree -> 5.5km]

The World Tree! Let’s go see the World Tree!

Jeonghun got swindled out of lunch money by her starting from noon.

He was slightly flustered by her utterly shameless request to buy her food, but since he had an expense account anyway, he readily agreed.

Of course, the expense account wasn’t overflowing, so he was slightly worried the shameless elf might ask for expensive food, but thankfully, she chose a famous hamburger franchise.

‘Aren’t pure-blooded elves supposed to be nobility or something? Her tastes are surprisingly common.’

She was just an elf who wanted a hamburger.

More importantly, her attire stood out too much.

Why? Was it revealing clothing? Of course not.

It was because she was wearing the exact same black military uniform she wore when she came through the Gate.

Knowing her stubbornness anyway, he didn’t even suggest changing into casual clothes.

‘She definitely won’t listen.’

He was correct.

Ignoring the dull ache starting in his temples, he accompanies her.

They roughly finished the Self-Defense Corps registration and driver’s license renewal.

Fortunately, her past life’s criminal record wasn’t a major issue.

‘It is fortunate, right…?’

And he deeply regretted the moment he handed her the steering wheel.

That elf drove surprisingly well.

Except it was insanely reckless driving.

It felt like watching the ‘bullet taxis’ popular in the past, or the city buses of a certain city in Chungcheong province.

No, it was worse than that.

If the police had caught her, she would definitely have been booked for reckless driving.

After barely managing to get the steering wheel back, the elf in the passenger seat was extremely sulky. Though she herself claimed otherwise.

‘Is this… déjà vu?’

Well, whatever the case, they are on their way to Pyongyang because she wanted to see the World Tree.

Honestly, he had never set foot in North Korean territory, let alone Pyongyang, so he was curious to visit at least once.

Seeing the word ‘Pyongyang’ on the sign makes it feel real.

The World Tree is said to be growing where the Pyongyang Arch of Triumph used to be. The Arch was completely destroyed by ROK military shelling.

A sign indicates they are getting closer to the World Tree.

“Officer, the World Tree! It’s the World Tree!”

Fride exclaims, beaming.

She, who always had a blank or frowning expression, smiles for the first time as she speaks.

It even seems like her long ears are fluttering.

“I think this is the first time I’ve seen such a big tree.”

“Tree? You call it a tree? That’s the World Tree. It’s on a different dimension from ordinary trees.”

“And they said it was still young. It certainly is small.”

The World Tree stands where the Pyongyang Arch of Triumph used to be. The sight of the World Tree standing majestically in the middle of a traffic island where roads pass was magnificent.

Of course, it’s a bit small.

It looks roughly 50-60 meters tall.

“You call that small?”

“Yes, the World Tree where I came from was over 300 meters tall.”

Jeonghun’s jaw drops as he looks up at the World Tree.

Just then, someone comes running from afar.

Green hair, green eyes, and long ears.

An elf.

A sky-blue uniform and a red-striped armband.

Very familiar.

She dashes towards me and snaps a salute.

“Extermination!!! Reporting to General Yakovlena!”

“Uh, Extermination. Are you perhaps affiliated with the Albheim military?”

“Yes! That is correct! Albheim Special Forces 811th Regiment, Sergeant Ion Adellain!”

‘I didn’t expect to see someone from my homeland here.’

“More importantly, General, why are you here…?”

Ion Adellain.

She was born and raised in Albheim, a pure elf.

Meaning she wasn’t reincarnated from here like me.

In short, an otherworlder.

“Why are you here?”

Ion Adellain is from the post-war generation. Meaning she was born after the war broke out. And she was conscripted as soon as she came of age.

Then she went on to become a career non-commissioned officer!

She must be insane.

And how did she get here…?

“I was hit by a military truck at the garrison and died…”

The cliché of isekai transition.

She died by getting hit by a truck.