"So... are you from the future or the past?"
"Looking at how different you are from everyone else, I’d say the future."
Kalula’s sudden question and conclusion immediately caught Elena, Dorn, and Bong’s attention.
The three of them kept looking back and forth between Kalula and Van amid the bustle of every race still enjoying the meals cooked by Van’s ice clones beneath the increasingly hot sunlight.
Van scratched his nose. A little sweat formed on his back beneath his black kimono decorated with the image of Mount Fuji.
"I’m not from the future or the past... I’m truly from the present."
Kalula clicked her tongue while repeatedly touching the book with the silver-haired woman and three dragons on its cover with her fingers.
"Where are you from? Who are you? Why are you collecting Artiums? You’re not collecting them because they’re pretty, are you?"
Elena narrowed her eyes at Van, waiting for his answer, while Kalula wrinkled her nose.
"We’ve already told you everything... now it’s your turn."
Van let out a sigh. His gray eyes sparkled as he smiled, both hands supporting his weight as he leaned back slightly.
He stayed silent for a while before finally nodding several times.
He even chuckled like a madman while pointing at himself.
"Ahh, that’s right... I’m from the future, two million years into the future... I’m Van, an ordinary person chosen to carry out a crazy mission by a crazy old man who never explained much..."
Kalula and the others fell silent after hearing Van’s answer. They tried to process every word that came out of his mouth while Van continued speaking.
He stroked his chin.
"Yeah... collecting Artiums is one of those missions. It’s for two million years in the future, when the Sea Gates open... Ah, those Sea Gates are the same as the gates that release monsters in your world, polluting the sea and marine animals... Oh, right. I was also told to guard the gates and prepare for the same catastrophe that your world will eventually face..."
Van sighed in relief and raised one eyebrow.
"So? Does that sound reasonable? It doesn’t, right? I’m not the only one who thinks it’s ridiculous, am I?"
Elena frowned. She covered her mouth, yet still spoke.
"So... basically, are you cursed or something?"
Van snapped his fingers and nodded enthusiastically.
"I think you’re actually right! And do you know why I’m cursed?"
Van let out a tired sigh and pointed at the four of them, who were waiting for his answer.
"Because you people took everything without leaving anything behind, damn it..."
Van rubbed his face with a hint of frustration.
"I mean, at least leave a few behind... Even thieves don’t steal the homeowner’s underwear. But you people took everything. Isn’t that a little greedy—"
Van kept complaining until Kalula interrupted him, while Elena and Dorn chuckled after hearing his complaints.
"What do you mean? We haven’t even finished mining a single Artium. And guess what? You’re the one who took the Artium from the sea nearby, aren’t you?"
Bong stared at Van seriously, while Van carefully thought about his answer, worried he might suddenly get sent flying again.
"So what if I did? This is my world... everything belongs to humanity. You were the one who said it yourself... the Artiums chose to fall into the human world."
Kalula sighed and scratched her eyebrow as the increasingly hot sunlight illuminated her face.
"So... you want all of the Artiums?"
Van brushed back his golden hair, shining beneath the morning sun, and shrugged.
"I’m not that shameless... so let’s discuss an agreement calmly. You all came a long way to get here... you’re guests in this world, and as the host, I can’t possibly let you return empty-handed."
Kalula and the others fell silent for a while. Van also remained quiet until Kalula signaled for him to continue.
Van cleared his throat while looking at Kalula.
"How many Artiums do you think fell into this world?"
Kalula turned toward Dorn to answer Van’s question.
Dorn stroked his beard and looked at Van with uncertain eyes.
"To be honest, we don’t know yet because we haven’t traveled around this world... but I think there are at least dozens, maybe tens of them... considering each Artium is as large as a hill..."
Van nodded several times. He took out the phone the old man had given him from inside his kimono and showed the screen to the others. The display was filled with dots.
Kalula, Elena, Bong, and Dorn looked at the small screen curiously.
Dorn pointed at Van’s phone.
"What is this? Is it a map...? Why is it so small, yet it can show the entire world?"
Kalula smiled at Van while pointing at the phone.
"You don’t mind showing us this? What if we simply take it by force?"
Van looked at Kalula in disbelief. He immediately tossed the phone to her. Kalula caught it, wearing a confused and strange expression as she touched an object with a texture completely unfamiliar to her.
"Go ahead, take it... Keep it and don’t ever return it." Van burst into loud laughter. "You people don’t even know what a book is... how are you supposed to use a smartphone?"
Kalula frowned as she began fiddling with Van’s smartphone. Elena, curious, started tapping everything on the screen. Even Dorn and Bong joined in until they looked like babies fighting over a new toy.
Van chuckled. He covered his mouth, unable to believe that these fantasy races were fighting over a smartphone they didn’t even understand.
Van eventually took his phone back.
"There are locations for twenty-six Artiums scattered across this world..."
Van moistened his lips.
"Yeah... there are seven of you, and I’ll give you seven Artiums."
The four of them looked at one another. Dorn was the first to speak.
"Wouldn’t half of them be better? Our world is already at war and preparing for a catastrophe—"
Van cut Dorn off before he could finish.
"My world is the same... sure, it’s still two million years away, but that’s my responsibility. And honestly, I could have simply walked away from this conversation... but I’m still giving you seven, aren’t I? Isn’t that already more than generous?"
Dorn lowered his head while Kalula looked at Van.
"Eight..." Van was about to speak, but Kalula smiled. "One more to represent our army..."
Van fell silent for a few moments, thinking seriously about it. He was about to open his mouth when Kalula spoke again.
"And... you have an easy way to transport Artiums, right? Please bring them all the way to our portal... and support our logistics as well..."
Everyone looked at Kalula, just as Van looked at her. Their faces froze after hearing her request.
Van even burst into loud laughter. Tears streamed down his face before he realized it.
Elena even whispered to Kalula.
"We’re on the same side... but somehow I’m embarrassed."
Kalula laughed after hearing Elena’s words, while Van sighed and calmed himself down.
"Isn’t that asking a bit too much from your host?"
Kalula smiled until her eyes disappeared.
"Come on... you just fed thousands of people with a smile."
Her reptilian eyes became visible again as her smile faded.
"You must have insane supplies, right?" Kalula stood on her knees and patted Bong’s shoulder, which was much taller than she was. "Don’t you feel sorry for this elephant? I mean... if he gets skinny, we’ll all be in trouble... and you owe him one too."
One of Van’s eyebrows rose.
"Huh?"
Dorn chuckled as he patted Van’s thigh.
"You left that Kraken behind, didn’t you? It went on a rampage after you took its Artium... and Bong was the one who had to deal with it."
Van looked at Bong. His large ears swayed gently while both of his shoulders relaxed after Kalula whispered something to him.
Van sighed and scratched his head.
"Ahh, fine, fine... but tell me everything about the Sea Gates. I want to stop them if possible..."
Van’s ears twitched when he heard the cheerful laughter of children, a sound that never failed to reach him.
"And... help me build a settlement for the survivors... yeah, you know the saying, right? Little by little, it becomes a hill—" Van shook his head. "I mean, the more people there are... the faster it’ll be finished."
Elena, Dorn, and Bong looked at Kalula after hearing Van’s request. They remained silent while Kalula laughed loudly, leaving Van confused.
Kalula eventually told them about her dream of building something together with a golden-haired man. Everyone became much more relaxed after their agreement was reached surprisingly easily.
Van even showed them a photo of himself fishing for the Kraken.
The lively atmosphere of the shared breakfast became even livelier after Kalula announced that their negotiations had ended successfully.
The humans, who couldn’t understand Kalula’s language, were eventually informed by Van, though they still didn’t fully understand.
The only thing they understood was that they would be building a settlement together with the other races who had previously driven them out of their city after it was destroyed by the falling Artium.
Eventually, they began interacting naturally despite not understanding one another’s language.
Van walked around with a camera in his hand, translating conversations while preserving every moment that brought a smile to his face.