Purple-Haired Sister

Xu Xin recalled when he first opened his eyes in this world. He remembered the High Elves who had gathered in anticipation of his birth.

'A sign...'

Having felt nothing regarding the sign, Xu Xin awkwardly nodded.

Eve raised the wind to lift Xu Xin's body, and she too flew up. They crossed the blue sky toward the Divine Tree in the middle of the forest.

After navigating for quite some time across the vast forest like a sea of green, the form of the Divine Tree began to appear beyond the horizon.

The enormous Divine Tree, which could only be described as transcendental. The Divine Tree, more massive than mountains, soared as if piercing the sky. Golden leaves hung down like clouds.

It was truly an awesome and majestic sight.

Eve and Xu Xin had to fly for quite a while even after the Divine Tree came into view.

The form of the Divine Tree had entered their sight because of its vastness that distorted perspective, but in reality, it was still at a considerable distance.

Soon after, as they approached the Divine Tree, other High Elves who had arrived earlier waved their hands. Eve approached them with Xu Xin.

"Eve. It's been a while."

"How have you been?"

After briefly exchanging greetings with Eve, the High Elves eventually greeted Xu Xin as well.

They curiously looked at Xu Xin's muscles, which couldn't be concealed even by clothes. Some even poked him with their fingers.

"Is it because you have no magical force? You've grown with a strangely-shaped body."

"Did you perhaps live by chewing stones instead of fruits? No? Then why is your body like stone...?"

Just as the High Elves were examining Xu Xin like a curious creature, a silver-haired beauty, as if moonlight had been melted down, appeared.

She was Stia, the second among the brothers and sisters. With her ever-smiling face and gentle eyes, she greeted Xu Xin in a warm voice full of maternal love.

"Hello? Do you remember me?"

"Yes, Lady Stia."

"Lady Stia? There's no need for such formality among brothers and sisters. Just call me Stia."

Xu Xin was reminded of Shi Gu, who had taken good care of him in his past life, by Stia's warm voice and gentle tone. Perhaps because of this, he couldn't bring himself to disobey her words.

"I understand. ...Stia."

Stia, smiling like a spring breeze while patting Xu Xin's head, asked.

"Eve must have given you a name while taking care of you? Would you share your name with your brothers and sisters?"

At this, Eve beside him made an "oops" expression.

It was customary for a High Elf caring for a newly born High Elf to give them a name, but she had carelessly forgotten about it.

"I am Xu Xin."

Xu Xin didn't know about the custom regarding High Elf names, but he could roughly guess from Eve's expression. So, to prevent Eve from being embarrassed, he declared his self-chosen name.

"Xu Xin? That's a unique name."

He smiled gently. As the Taoist name "Xu Xin" had a special meaning to him, he was satisfied to continue using that name in his new life.

After all High Elf brothers and sisters had arrived, the eldest, Lahan, said.

"Let's spread out and search for the fruit."

The High Elves each raised wind and flew into the golden leaves of the Divine Tree. They were searching for a fruit hidden between clouds and leaves. For High Elves were born from the fruits of the Divine Tree.

Xu Xin, who couldn't fly, naturally stayed with Eve.

According to Eve's explanation, the fruit of the Divine Tree was like a luminous glass jewel, and its shape was like that of a fetus.

'She said it's about the size of a rock... but finding a single fruit the size of a rock in a Divine Tree more massive than mountains wouldn't be an easy task.'

This was even more so due to the golden leaves emitting light and the thick clouds.

The High Elves searched for the Divine Tree's fruit, flying day and night for days. Finally, on the eighth day, they were able to discover the fruit.

When they gathered before the fruit, the new High Elf had already emerged from it.

Xu Xin looked at the newly born High Elf with curiosity.

The new High Elf was female. Her appearance was like that of a five or six-year-old girl, and her hair was purple, simultaneously giving off both dark and bright light.

"This must be the sister bestowed by the Divine Tree after eighty years."

The High Elves smiled as they spoke.

The purple-haired girl glanced at the High Elves with languid eyes, as if everything was troublesome or as if she were sleepy.

"Who are you all?"

To the purple-haired girl's question, Lahan answered.

"We are the direct children of Mother Divine Tree. We are High Elves granted infinite lifespans. And you are our sister."

The purple-haired girl tilted her head once, then looked at the distant mountains as if uninterested.

Soon, the High Elves sat in a circle around the purple-haired girl. It was to celebrate her birth with song, just as they had done when Xu Xin was born.

Xu Xin was a bit worried as he didn't know the lyrics or the melody. But as soon as he heard the song the other High Elves were singing, he found himself able to sing along naturally.

As their song resounded, the Divine Tree emitted light. That light enveloped the purple-haired girl.

The High Elves' song ended only after a considerable amount of time had passed.

Afterward, Lahan conveyed the mission of the High Elves to the purple-haired girl and demonstrated magic. Then, in a slightly hardened tone, he asked.

"New sister. Can you use the magic I just showed you?"

The purple-haired girl nodded with languid eyes. Wind arose around her, and earth and water moved.

"She has magical force intact."

"That's a relief. It seems there's no problem with Mother Divine Tree. Xu Xin was just unusual."

The High Elves breathed sighs of relief as the purple-haired girl naturally used magic.

Lahan said.

"Having celebrated the birth of our new sister, return now to your respective places."

One High Elf asked.

"Lahan. Xu Xin, who was born before our new sister, has no magical force. He lacks the ability to care for our new sister according to custom."

"Since Eve is caring for Xu Xin, she can care for our new sister as well."

Eve agreed to this without much complaint. Unlike Xu Xin, the purple-haired girl would become independent after just a few decades.