When I opened my eyes in Flower Golden Resort, the very first thing I saw was the enormous potion-making machine.
The one I had stored inside my inventory was filling up almost the entire storage room.
Trying not to touch the music box beside it, I opened the golden door of the crowded storage room.
Behind me, I “felt” the storage room ripple and turn back into formless volume….
And then.
“Good day, Mascot-nim.”
I saw the manager standing in front of the door, dressed in a neat suit and monocle.
The Mountain Lodge Keeper.
The being whose employment contract I had inherited at Horizon Lodge was now working at this resort in my stead rather than as a lodge keeper.
Still carrying the same arrogant air he had had when I first met him at the lodge, he addressed me politely.
“Shall I report on the current profit and operational status of Flower Golden Resort?”
“That’s all right.”
As I walked down the corridor and out of the resort, my form gradually began to change.
By the time I turned the corner and stepped out into the lobby of the resort, I had already transformed into the form of a yellow feline mascot with flowered deer antlers on my head.
I
w i l l
b e
b a c k
“So you are heading to the Blue Dream district adjoining your territory. I will see you off.”
I t ’ s
o k a y
After warmly waving both hands at the standard-issue mascots who waved at me, and at the non-human guests who happened to come out on their way to the newly opened theme park and greeted me as well, I quickly moved on.
‘Don’t let it seep into me.’
The moment I arrived at the resort, a comfortable sense of omnipotence settled into my mind.
The feeling that this was my territory.
…Becoming something non-human like this was the first time since I had regained a human form at the Scales Tribunal.
But to properly speak with the blue mascot, this was the right form.
‘Be careful.’
I waddled forward in my softly fur-covered body.
And beyond the resort gate.
As if it had…