Chapter 187 – First Confrontation (2)

Two days.

Far too short a time to prepare for a momentous event.

“Phew…”

The relatively deserted early morning hours.
Casually dressed in a short-sleeved shirt, not out of place at all.

Tuberose strolled along the streets of Seoul, her white-based hair with a faint yellowish hue flowing gracefully.

Pockets filled with various medicines.
The method for injecting this small amount of medicine was simple.

“…Mm-hmm. Huh? Ah, whatever. I’ll buy it quickly.”

A boy walking ahead, his face weary as though he had been studying late into the night.
As Tuberose passed by the walking boy, she swiftly inserted a needle into the young man’s neck.

– Thud!

Quickly administering the drug.
The injection was finished before the recipient could even feel any pain.

“Ah, I’m sorry.”
“…Yes.”

The boy, whose shoulder had been bumped, offered Tuberose an awkward smile and apologized.

With this, the clinical trial comes to an end. In two days, the unsuspecting boy would suffer a sudden death. His lifeless body would then transform into an Ent, roaming the nearby city.

‘…This is terrorism. It’s not simply immaturity.’

Tuberose watched as the boy walked away, oblivious to his fate. With an emotionless expression, she returned the syringe to her pants pocket.

Administered in minuscule doses, the eternal elixir would manifest its effects slowly and painlessly.

Of course, the fatality rate of the drug was 100%. Outside of the Cornus family members, there hadn’t been a single exception.

In other words, a deadly poison with a single strike. A horrifying magical weapon capable of infecting opponents and forcing them to attack their own allies.

It had already been a long time since Tuberose had released the members of the Flower organization and administered the drug to numerous individuals.

‘If this goes well, it will be complete.’

If the elixir was perfected, it might just signal the beginning of a war.

Sisyphus’ hidden desire was finally about to be fulfilled.

“Now… if you can stop this, go ahead and try, you little monkey.”

He turned his head to take in the breathtaking view of the city.

Hahaha. It was like a painting depicting a harmonious everyday life. Though it was completely different from his own existence, he didn’t feel particularly envious.

These people, like insects that crawled out of the depths of a life called Flower, had rushed into the realm of morality.

It was their abandonment of humanity that made them unyielding. Why else would they obey their superiors’ commands without question and not hesitate to take their own lives? Scholars had reached various conclusions, but his thoughts differed.

The individuals within Flower had each experienced despair at least once, as judged by the standards of the World Tree.

People who had lost family members or lovers due to the World Tree’s judgment. Those whose assets were seized, status stripped away, and who had ultimately given up, unable to find work. They were the ones who had faced injustice and couldn’t even distinguish right from wrong. In essence, they were Flower.

‘…The World Tree is a false deity.’

King Mokryeong and the Heavenly Demon.
There was a reason they opposed the World Tree.

Did they always harbor animosity toward the World Tree?
Initially, their relationship was quite amicable. Yet as time passed, both realized the error of their ways.

People were discriminated against, deemed dangerous, and the World Tree’s judgments altered their perceptions.
In Flower, there was a woman who, due to the World Tree’s decree, lost both her loved ones and her place in the world.
Barely able to maintain her sanity, she relied on medication daily.

Was their approach misguided?
Such thoughts were purely idealistic.

Even a cursory glance at the shadowy corners of the Hunter Association revealed the commonality of human trafficking.
A nobleman’s daughter was sold into slavery for the purpose of providing sexual favors.

Was this an isolated occurrence?

A ludicrous notion. The World Tree, too, selected innocent individuals as prospective spouses, using them as sustenance.

Tuberose stood at the city’s edge.
One by one, individuals clad in robes appeared behind him.

“…Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

Tuberose muttered, his eyes filled with vengeance wide open.

“All for the sake of Lord Sistus and the Holy Maiden.”

They know they are scum who cannot beg for mercy.
Death holds no fear for them.
There is no intention of groveling for their lives.

Unlike those, they do not seek to cloak their deeds in the guise of justice.

“…”

Why bother with the same wretched lot? They all know the truth about each other, don’t they?

The Hunter Association. The World Tree Foundation. Religion.
And numerous corporations and illustrious families.

As Tuberose thought of them, a smile crossed his face.

* * * * * * *

A dead Flower is a good Flower.

It has already been two days since that realization came while dealing death.
Their thoughts are unknown, but letting down their guard is not an option.

“Regardless of when or where they enter, they will meet their end.”

*Swoosh.*

I dress Shiba in her clothes and place her kindergarten hat atop her head.

“Beep!”

Shiba’s hat is relatively larger than the other children’s due to the tree branches growing from her head. It makes her even cuter.

“Shiba, can you do well today?”
“Yes!”

Shiba smiles brightly, nods once, and spreads her small arms wide. I embrace her.

“Dad… are you coming?”
“Of course! I’ll be going too.”
“Beep hee hee!”

My daughter’s hearty laughter is incredibly endearing. Shiba’s long green eyelashes and hair tickle my cheeks.

We press our cheeks together and giggle as we gaze into each other’s eyes.

‘…Leaving the academy early again.’

Lately, I have been missing the academy so often that the institution has sent recommendations. Twenty messages from the instructor in charge urge me to attend school, reminding me of my duties.

…However, inevitably, the academy is closed once again this time.

Well, it’s my daughter’s performance. She plays the drums with her small hands and sings as well. I have to understand this. Instructors and teachers would empathize with my feelings if they were a parent themselves. I couldn’t help it this time. Just this time.

– Squeak.

After ensuring that there was no one around, I opened the door and stepped out of the dormitory room. I stood in front of Azalea’s door, still holding Shiba in my arms.

“Shiba, it’s time to greet Mom.”
“Da-rae?”
“Yes, Da-rae.”

Shiba glanced at me once and, as if she understood, knocked on Azalea’s door.

– Knock, knock.

– Come in.

A voice came from the other side of the door. I entered the password for Azalea’s room that I had memorized earlier.

“I’m here… you? Come in.”

Azalea, fully adorned. Standing by the door, she looked even more beautiful today.

The see-through outfit she had worn when drinking a long time ago.

Looking at the clothes with slightly exposed underwear straps, Azalea hesitated before asking,

“…Aren’t these the kind of clothes you wear to kindergarten?”
“They’re pretty, but yeah, they are.”

Considering there were children around, the outfit was too provocative. Azalea nodded, deciding to change into something else, and went back into her room.

I sat in the kitchen with Shiba, waiting for her. Shiba played with her hands, smiling brightly.

“Ta-da!”
“Huh?”
“Puppy!”

Shiba folded her fingers, moving them up and down while pointing to the shadow they cast. I pretended to be very surprised and stroked Shiba’s head.

“Heehee.”
“It’s ready.”

Before long, Azalea reappeared. This time, she wore a cute outfit that seemed perfect for a spring outing.

“Will this do?”
“Yeah, it’s fine. It’s pretty.”
“Hehe.”

Her face brightened with a happy smile upon hearing the word ‘pretty.’ Azalea approached and hugged both Shiba and me at the same time.

A fleeting embrace from the family. Azalea snatched Shiba away from me and held her close.

“How have you been, Shiba?”
“Beep~”
“Hehe.”

Azalea’s enigmatic smile was hard to decipher. She nestled Shiba’s face against her chest and extended her duck-like snout towards me.

It was a desperate plea for a kiss.

“…Quickly.”

She urged for physical contact from a spot where Shiba couldn’t see. I gently pressed my lips against her tinted ones. Her tongue slipped inside my mouth and tapped the roof of it.

-Slurp.

Her tongue swiftly withdrew after the ticklish sensation. Azalea licked the corner of her mouth and flashed a sly, fox-like smile.

“…Sweet, isn’t it?”

As I responded to her question, a faint, sugary taste lingered on my lower lip. It didn’t appear to be just cosmetics.

“I’m sweet too.”

A provocative statement.

“I still can’t believe you like me.”

“…It’s a story from the past.”
“Thinking about it, it wasn’t that long ago. Three months? Four months?”

Anyway, it was just a few months ago.
After experiencing various hardships and accepting the confession, everything quickly progressed to this point.

“…So, you don’t like it?”

Azalea puffed up her face and glared at me reproachfully.

I don’t dislike it. In fact, I like it.
But… isn’t it fascinating?

After becoming intimate, she gazes at me with much deeper eyes.
Perhaps love affects one’s appearance too, as her skin has become fairer and her body slimmer than when I first saw her.
Her slightly broader hips seem even more alluring now.

– Swoosh.

While continuously stroking Shiba’s head, Azalea didn’t stop caressing my cheek.
Perhaps it’s soothing to touch? She playfully poked her finger into my cheek, giggling with delight.

“Am I some kind of doll?”
“It’s just nice to touch.”

Today, Azalea isn’t going to the academy either.

At least he was mindful of the minimum attendance days, so he reasoned that it wouldn’t hurt to disregard his duty just this once. Instead, the two of them would attend Shiba’s talent show.

“Shall we go?”

A man and a woman had arranged to watch her daughter’s performance. Besides, Shiba recognized Azalea as my mother, so they might as well be considered a couple.

Azalea seemed to share the same thoughts, as she tightly clutched my hand.

“Let’s hurry.”

* * * * * * * *

The kindergarten was already packed with the children’s parents.

Parents who were already acquainted with each other proudly boasted about their children. The inside of the kindergarten was adorned with vibrant colors, from the entrance made of balloons to the helium balloons floating on the ceiling.

Azalea and I sat at a table and gazed at the still-empty stage.

“So, they’ll be performing over there?”
“That’s right.”

“…It feels so good. Will our child experience something like this someday?”

If we were to have one, they probably would. There’s much to do before that, but that’s a story for another time.

I glanced at Azalea with a light smile.

“Ah… of course, I don’t mean to say that Shiba isn’t my daughter.”
“I know what you’re thinking.”

Shiba is indeed my daughter, but Azalea yearns to have a biological child of her own.

“Do you want one?”
“… …”

She nods her head, her face flushing red.

“Many people these days choose not to have children.”
“I don’t like that idea.”

Recalling a conversation from my past life, I mentioned the topic, and Azalea vehemently disagreed. If I were to suggest not having a child, she would be so determined that we’d have a heartfelt argument.

“Let’s drop it and eat some fruit. Ah, here you go.”
“… …”

Azalea picks up pieces of fruit with a toothpick, seeming uninterested in discussing the matter further.

Fruits, including apples, swiftly filled our mouths. As we were enjoying the soft, juicy bites, a familiar face approached us.

“Hello, Shiba’s parents~”

It was Shin Hye-young. Azalea’s face instantly brightened upon seeing her.

“Ah, teacher! Hello.”

“Hello~ You two seem to have a great relationship.”

She clapped her hands, a habit likely developed from working with young children, drawing attention as she greeted us. Shin Hye-young, wearing a yellow apron, beamed a radiant smile.

“Do you know how diligently our Shiba has been preparing?”

“Really?”

“Absolutely~ Oh, by the way, after filming, it will be uploaded to the kindergarten website. Don’t you think it will look truly beautiful?”

As if in agreement with her words, Azalea pulled out a camera from the bag she had brought along.

“…When did you bring that?”

“Obviously, I had to bring it for an occasion like this.”

Azalea grinned as she expertly set up the camera, her hands deftly adjusting the settings.

“It would make a wonderful memory to record the children growing up and watch them together at home later.”
“Yes, yes. I know.”

The two always seemed perfectly in sync.
Shin Hye-young was slightly older, but both of us were of a similar age.

It appeared as if she had taken the lead in creating balloons. Fragments of burst balloons clung to her apron.

“Oh, it’s about to start soon, so I’ll be on my way.”
“Good luck.”

As Shin Hye-young departed, watching her retreating figure clad in a charming kindergarten teacher’s attire, Azalea playfully jabbed me in the side.

“…Do you like clothes like that?”
“No, it’s not that. It’s just the balloons attached.”
“Don’t you think she really likes Shiba?”

Our Shiba was indeed quite captivating.

I leaned against the backrest of the chair, gazing at the still-empty stage.
And soon, the moment the kindergarten teacher ascended the stage with a microphone in hand.

– Woo-woo-woo-woo!

The sound of cell phones ringing reverberated throughout the room.
The vibration in the pocket was more intense than usual.

– Beep beep beep beep.

As the sound that accompanies an incoming disaster text message echoed, everyone simultaneously lifted their phones.

—
[Emergency Disaster Text] – A terrorist incident has erupted. Close the door and go outside immediately-
—

Why, of all times… of all possible moments?

‘These bastards.’

So inconsiderate.

My face hardened instantly after checking the text.