Chapter 173 – Kirin Class Ishiba (5)

Warmth radiates from the woman’s body as she embraces me.

– Shuaaaa.

Water pours from the showerhead mounted on the wall, and Azalea clings tightly to my body, maintaining a persistent smile.

Her breasts, as white and soft as marshmallows, press against my back, the sensation tantalizing.

“Isn’t your head itchy?”
“Mm.”

She takes a generous amount of shampoo in her hands and lathers my hair. Accustomed to bathing others while living with Shiba instead of me, her skillful hand movements rival a professional hairdresser’s as she works up a frothy lather in my hair.

Gently, as if handling delicate porcelain, she ensures no suds trickle into my eyes. As she washes my hair, she occasionally presses her cheek against my back and exhales a warm breath.

“It feels so good.”
“…Do you enjoy washing my hair?”
“That too, but being together makes me happy. Don’t you understand?”

Azalea stretched out her arms, her chest touching mine, and took the showerhead before me, sprinkling warm water over my head.

-Shuaaaa!

As the foam washed away, her delicate hand combed through my hair.

“Si-heon has many women. You wouldn’t know.”

Suddenly, she half-respectfully buried her face in the back of my neck, sniffing as if trying to catch the scent of the body wash.

“What don’t I know?”

“Well, how lonely it is to have a crush on just one person. And what it feels like to always see women fawning over him… An unexpected woman surpassed me, and as if she were simply toying with him, she handed over the person I love for a moment. You don’t know that, do you?”

“…Really?”

“Hmm… Honestly, I don’t know either. It’s just, um, sometimes when I think about it… It feels as though I fell for you so naturally. That’s how it feels, a bit.”

Inside the misty bathroom, filled with steam.

The mirror was foggy, so I couldn’t clearly see Azalea standing behind me, but her voice was so tender and heartfelt that it was a pleasure to listen to.

“At first, I truly hated it… but little by little, so very gradually, even during the difficult times, you giving me a drink without a word meant the world to me.”

“Isn’t that something anyone could do?”

“If it weren’t for you… I might have died. So, anyway—no, I mean—”

Her voice, like jade stones rolling, sank down and then slowly rose back to the surface.

“Thank you for accepting me.”

*Shuaaaa.*

Her gentle confession wasn’t drowned out by the sound of the shower but instead filled the bathroom, riding on the saturated steam.

“…Seeing you say these things, it doesn’t seem like we’re an ordinary couple. We should be truly enjoying ourselves… and continuing to enjoy the moments. Dating isn’t about becoming an emotional dumpster for each other; it’s about having fun with someone while sharing our lives, right? Meeting up outside, eating delicious food, and enjoying each other’s company.”

“Yes.”
“I’m sorry for always seeming to rely on you. Oops. Time to go pick up Shiba now, right?”

Azalea, who had tightly embraced me once, stood up and looked at me with a wide smile.
There were faint tear marks around her eyes.

“Get dressed… Shiba will be waiting at the kindergarten. Hehe.”

Azalea emphasized, covering her eyes with her hands.

“Ugh… Stop looking, it’s embarrassing.”
“Did you cry?”
“Don’t pretend you don’t know. You’ve been staring at my eyes all this time…”
“Ha, let’s go.”

Embarrassed from the serious conversation, Azalea took the lead.
Before I got out of range, I stretched out both arms and wrapped them around Azalea’s neck, hugging her.

“Hey.”
“…Y-yes?”
“Are you still taking your medicine?”

– Nod.

Azalea, stiffened in the back hug, looked up at me from in front of her, her cheeks flushed.

“Don’t worry so much from now on. You’ve already worried and suffered a lot, so why try to fall ill again?”
“……”
“Because I cherish you. Don’t be anxious. Do you think I started dating you because I wanted to hear that you almost died?”

With a touch of healing power, I gently rubbed her cheek.
The red scar gradually faded away.

Azalea offered an awkward yet somehow touched, bashful smile.

“Is it cringeworthy?”
“Yes… hehe.”
“I felt the same way. Let’s go.”

I infused some power and playfully patted her buttocks.

Azalea, who had arched her back dramatically, looked at the vanished scar and her eyes widened in surprise.

“Thank you.”

Those words, laden with various meanings, were unfortunately drowned out by the sound of the door opening.

* * * * * *

As soon as Azalea’s room was tidied up, we headed to the kindergarten.

As I entered my room, I teleported to the familiar back alley behind the kindergarten.

Upon witnessing the spatial magic firsthand, Azalea gazed at my face with wide-eyed astonishment.

“…Where did you learn this?”
“From a master I know. Let’s go.”

Teleportation – amongst all the abilities I’ve acquired thus far, none have proven more useful than this. Naturally, the learning process was incredibly strenuous. I had to memorize every theory and thesis related to it while enduring Zodiac’s relentless chastising… Misusing this magic could result in severe accidents, such as bodily dismemberment or explosion, so caution and precision were imperative. Yet, the rewards reaped from mastering it were undeniably sweet.

‘If only it didn’t require memorizing two A4 pages’ worth of formulas just to remember the coordinates for a single location.’

A most advantageous spell, indeed.

The only downside being its ineffectiveness in combat situations, as it could be easily dispelled. Nonetheless, it could be considered the pinnacle of utilitarian magic.

Of course, others must resort to using expensive artifacts.

Initially, space magic itself was a reclusive type of magic, so many ordinary people weren’t even aware that a single wizard could utilize it. If you were to research the internet now, you would find numerous individuals who believe that space magic is a type of spell used collectively by dozens of people.

“…What exactly is your specialty? In magic and swords. Didn’t you use martial arts during the tournament?”
“I did not.”

As we walked towards the kindergarten, Azalea inquired curiously. Azalea’s face, now free from intense desire after experiencing a relationship, no longer displayed the same level of obsession as before.

“There it is, Shiba’s kindergarten.”

Not long after turning into the alley, a kindergarten sign came into view.

As I pointed it out, Azalea tightened her grip on her arms and hastened our pace towards the kindergarten.

“Goodbye, teacher~!”

The faint chirping sounds of kindergarteners drifted from the distance.

“The kids are so cute… Weren’t we like that once too?”

Azalea quivered. I chuckled and nodded in agreement.
It was a time of innocence, devoid of worries and filled with joy.

We stepped aside slightly to make way for a young kindergartener, who was walking hand-in-hand with their parents along the path.

As it happened, at the entrance of the kindergarten, Shiba, clad in a yellow uniform, emerged with a grip on the teacher’s stockings.

“Shiba, what’s wrong?”
“Peev.”
“Did your friends tease you? Or did something bad happen?”
“Peev!”
“That’s strange… Bibimbap wasn’t served today.”

Did she manage to upset the teacher today?

Shin Hye-young’s face looked quite perplexed.
Shiba, with a sullen expression, held the stockings as if about to tear them apart. However, upon seeing me approach, she hardened her face and let go of the stockings.

“…Pa!”

A finger pointed at Dad!

Azalea’s face tensed up, as did mine, and Shin Hye-young’s previously restless face turned cold and stern.

“Shiba, you can’t do that to your dad. No! Thump!”

Hye-young urgently scolded Shiba in baby talk, but Shiba seemed even more stubborn as she puffed up her cheeks and turned her gaze to Azalea.

“Beep?”

Is it that person? She seemed to ask.

Why is she suddenly acting like this? Azalea unfolded her arms and sat down in front of Shiba, reaching out her hand.

“Shiba, what’s wrong?”

Gently stroking.

Shiba’s face appeared to soften under the woman’s touch, but she abruptly suppressed the corners of her mouth and shook her head.

“Mom…! I don’t like it!”

Shocking declaration.

“Uh… Mom?”
“Huh?”

Azalea, taken aback, covered her mouth with her hand. Shin Hye-young, who was beside her, widened her eyes and looked at me.

Why is she so surprised?

“Ah, ah… so this person is your mother.”

The quiet muttering to herself must be because she thinks Zodiac is Shiba’s mother.

More than that, it was astonishing when Shiba suddenly addressed Azalea as her mother.

【 The World Tree of Purity is astounded! 】

‘So, if you’re the mother, why is Azalea receiving the motherly treatment?’

True, aside from me, Azalea had been around for the longest time. When I was kidnapped due to unavoidable circumstances, wasn’t it Azalea who first burst into my room, thinking of Shiba?

It’s inevitable for the children to view her as a mother figure. Purity, couldn’t you have at least shown your face in front of the kids?

Upon receiving this inward rebuke, Purity conveyed her emotions by attaching a sad emoticon.

【 The World Tree of Purity wails. 】

In the words of a mother who lost her daughter…

That aside, Azalea seems profoundly moved by the current situation.

“…Am I a mother?”
“Mom, no way!”
“Kyaaak! When did you say that, Shiba?”

Despite Shiba’s adorable defiance, Azalea lifted her up in her arms, rubbing their cheeks together and gently stroking Shiba’s twig-like limbs.

“Beep, beep…!”

Seemingly flustered, Shiba pressed her hand against Azalea’s cheek. It was reminiscent of the times when, attempting to kiss a cat, one would find their mouth pressed firmly by the pads of the feline’s paws.

But was Shiba also just a child at heart?

Cradled in Azalea’s warm embrace, and with the added gentle touch of consideration for the child within, Shiba’s initial resistance gradually melted away.

“Beep! I don’t like… Beep. Hehe, heehee.”

Shiba had surrendered. It was surprising to witness her, always so vocal and demanding, yielding her will for the first time.

Had the time they spent together greatly contributed to this moment?

Azalea tenderly stroked Shiba’s head, and in response to Azalea’s delicate hand movements, Shiba even began to emit contented purring sounds.

It was the sound of Shiba’s motorcycle, a noise I hadn’t heard in quite some time.

“Isn’t Shiba absolutely adorable? She’s my daughter. My daughter… and I’m her mother.”
“Uh… um, yes.”

Shin Hye-young was also bringing her hands together as if in prayer, seemingly astonished by Shiba’s relaxed expression.

“Ah, so you’re her mother… It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Hello. Shiba… hehe. I’m Shiba’s mother.”

She mentioned her title as Shiba’s mother once more, evidently taking great pride in it. Shiba, who had been angry until now, was covertly shooting me resentful glances, as if it were unfair that she had been forcibly calmed down.

“…beep.”

Just this once, Dad. Now, if I can’t interpret it, I’m actually more anxious.

I looked at Shiba, her chin resting on Azalea’s shoulder, and playfully sneered at our daughter. Then I turned my head back towards Shin Hye-young and Azalea.

The Shiba Talk, which had started just once, continued without end, each topic trailing into the next.

“Shiba is a picky eater… But somehow, if I hang up a picture of Shiba’s father, she will manage to eat.”
“Really? She eats everything else… It’s just strange that when bibimbap is served, she refuses to eat. Hehe.”
“Bibimbap… Ah, I’m not sure about that either. She usually enjoys kimchi and namul.”
“Tomorrow’s menu is bibimbap… Should we try hanging up the picture?”
“Would you like to? Hold on a moment. I have some pictures on my phone… If you give me your phone number, I can send it to you via chat.”
“Ah, please do….”

They each took out their cell phones and exchanged photos and phone numbers.
The teacher, Shin Hye-yeong, genuinely loves children. Whenever she starts talking about kindergarteners, her stories come pouring out like a fountain.

One day, she met a child in an alley who greeted her with a belly button hello, and it was so endearing that she fell in love with kids. That’s why she graduated from the Department of Early Childhood Education, filled with the adorable aspirations of a newcomer to society.

That’s also why, when I first brought Shiba to kindergarten, I left her in Shin Hye-yeong’s care.

‘…Anyway.’

“Beep, beep.”

Shiba.

You’re in for quite a struggle.
As if understanding the conversation taking place behind her, Shiba’s face began to turn pale upon hearing the word bibimbap.