Little Red held in his annoyance and explained, voice tight with patience.
"This place may not look like much, but it has everything you could possibly need."
With a casual snap of his fingers, the scenery around them shifted.
Ines's jaw dropped.
Little Red watched smugly as her expression transformed from confusion to wide-eyed wonder.
Gone was the bleak emptiness—replaced by a vast field of emerald grass that swayed gently in the breeze. The scent of herbs filled the air, fresh and earthy. Not far off, a lush garden thrived with vibrant patches of medicinal herbs, blooming flowers, and clusters of vegetables that looked so perfect they could've been hand-painted.
Towering trees with thick canopies bore ripe, glistening fruit—each one seemingly grown to perfection. A crystal-clear river meandered through the middle, its gentle stream nourishing the paradise around them.
It was serene. Abundant. Beautiful.
And Ines? Still staring, slack-jawed.
Little Red folded his arms, lips twitching upward.
"Told you so."
Ines's brow furrowed.
"I don't get it. How can something like this be inside a ring?"
Little Red gave her a look like she'd just asked if the sky was blue.
"Because it's not just any ring," he said slowly, like he was explaining the obvious to a particularly dense child. "It's the only one of its kind."
Ines blinked. "Only one?"
He nodded, smug.
"There's nothing else like it. This isn't a storage space or some cheap knockoff realm—it's a real world, sealed inside the ring. Complete. Stable. Alive."
She opened her mouth to ask something else, but he cut her off.
"Don't overthink it. Just know you're standing in the only self-contained world ever made—and it's now yours."
"Sure, there are realms and hidden worlds out there," he continued calmly. "But you won't find another object that can hold a world like this."
He glanced at her, then added with a hint of pride,
"My master created it. Strongest person to ever live."
A pause. His tone turned cool. Final.
"No one else could ever make something like this—and they never will."
Ines glanced at the young boy. He was clearly protective of his original master—almost to a fault. For someone who looked so young, he carried himself like someone who'd been left behind one too many times.
How long had this little guy been stuck here, all alone?
She tilted her head.
"Hmm. Big words for someone so small."
"Hmph. It's the truth," he shot back, instantly on the defensive.
Ines smirked.
"Alright, alright. If you say so, then it must be."
She reached out and placed a hand lightly on his head.
She didn't know why, but… the thought of him waiting here, guarding this place by himself, made something in her chest ache a little.
The boy's face turned red again as he mumbled under his breath, "Weirdo."
Ines stretched her arms behind her head.
"Yeah, yeah. So? You gonna finish the tour or just stand there pouting?"
"Everything in here you can use as you see fit," he muttered, clearly flustered. "All you have to do is conjure up a thought, and it will appear."
Ines's eyes lit up. Without hesitation, she tried it out.
A second later, rain came crashing down from the sky, soaking them both in an instant.
She turned to see Little Red standing stiffly, hair plastered to his face like a soggy cat. His expression was pure murder.
Ines cleared her throat.
"…My bad."
She focused again, and a strong gust of wind whipped around them, drying their clothes—sort of.
When the wind settled, their hair stuck out in every direction like they'd been struck by lightning.
Ines coughed, hiding a smile as she glanced at his now ridiculous appearance.
Little Red slowly turned his head, gave her a deadpan stare, and snapped his fingers.
In an instant, everything returned to perfect order—clothes crisp, hair smooth, not a drop of water in sight.
"Showoff," Ines muttered.
"Amateur," he replied.
He continued the tour, leading her down a narrow path lined with small houses.
"These," he said, gesturing proudly, "are the storage huts. Everything you need to cultivate is right here."
Ines's face turned dark.
Little Red blinked. "What's with that look?"
"Don't talk to me about cultivation," she muttered. "Let's skip this part."
He squinted at her, confused.
"You don't even want to peek? There are treasures in here that cultivators would trade half their lifespan for!"
Her stomach twisted. The more he talked, the worse she felt.
"I can't cultivate, alright?! What would I do with any of this?"
Little Red froze. His jaw dropped.
"You're… you're a trash? The ring contracted a trash?!"
Smack.
Ines slapped the back of his head without hesitation.
"Say it a third time. I dare you."