Chapter 275 – Mary (3)

Lee Si-heon passed his second ordeal.

(A meme of eating rice with horse chestnuts, captured on camera.)
It’s the equivalent of a national title, isn’t it a sure win?

[Comment 15]
ㅇㅇ : I don’t know, seriously.
ㅁ : All the experts have gone silent. No one knows what will happen, lol.
└Dongho Station bystander: From hunters’ social media to the guilds, everything is in chaos right now. It’s been a long time since a promising talent emerged from Korea, and people are already lining up in excitement.
└ㅇㅇ (15.233): I heard he has connections with Do-won. It seems he’s got everything figured out. He’s like a genius. Not sure about Plum, but it seems he’ll make it to the last trial with Kim Soo-yeon.
ㅇㅇ (263.12): Where did those who were calling Lee Si-heon a nobody just a while ago go?
└ㅁㄴㅇㄹ : What do you mean a nobody? Articles have been coming out steadily since the beginning of this year. The fact that he’s a student at the L Academy should have been a giveaway. Those who aren’t interested in the Hunter scene are just late and asking questions now.

Certainly, rumors can be terrifying.

The fact that I was White Peach’s disciple was a closely guarded secret, known only to a select few. However, once my fame began to rise, my information spread rapidly.

A person with an intense interest in the Academy and hunters. My name, which had previously only surfaced occasionally in such superficial places, could now be found on any website.

‘Soon, even the Flower will grow vigilant.’

After all, being a descendant of King Mokryeong, I was bound to be perceived as someone with skills comparable to Gukmok.

I lay down on the bed and scroll down the screen of my phone.
Luxurious soft mats and duvets. I indulge in their comfort and let go of my fatigue.

-Tadadadak!

At that moment, the sound of footsteps approached from the kitchen. It was happening again. As I lowered my cellphone and sighed inwardly, the door suddenly burst open.

“Nyaaaagh!”

With an incomprehensible shriek, a figure dove onto the bed. Startled by the sharp trajectory, I flinched as Mary landed on my stomach.

*Booung~*

Mary soared into the air like a flying squirrel, then fell back down with a force that produced a resounding thud.

“Ugh!”

She crouched on my belly and grasped my chest with both hands. Rubbing her cheeks on my stomach, she seemed unsatisfied with the surface of the blanket. Eventually, she peeled it off and curled up on top of me.

The pointed branches prodded my cheeks and collarbone, stinging as if I had been bitten by a mosquito.

“Did you brush your teeth?” I asked.

“I did… but do I really have to?” Mary replied.

“You’re scooping fertilizer with a sack. How can you use it without brushing your teeth?”

Although the fertilizer wasn’t derived from plants or animals, but rather magical compost, the mere mention of it still irked me.

“What about the shower?”
“Let me do it.”
“…Fine, in 30 minutes.”

As the days went by like this, I came to understand Mary’s personality more and more.

Perhaps due to a lack of attention, she was quite mischievous and affectionate. At times, she seemed even more so than Shiba. Although she was older than Shiba, she acted like a little girl.

“Then, will you keep holding me? Stroke my hair.”
“Mary, I want to rest a bit too.”
“Do it!”

Tap-tap, Mary poked my chin with a twig that had grown from her head. At this point, there was no choice but to comply. I carefully stroked her hair, avoiding the spaces between the branches. Then, Mary rubbed her cheek against me.

“Hehe, thank you.”

After accepting my proposal, there were a few things I asked her to do while we lived together:

1. Maintain boundaries.
2. Apologize immediately if she did something wrong.
3. Express gratitude without hesitation when someone listened to her or offered help.

Upon seeing Mary, others would notice a change. It was a rule established to ensure that this transformation could be felt.

Each time this rule was broken, stern reprimands followed. Now, however, there was no need to raise one’s voice, as the rule was well observed. Often, it felt like acting as an older sibling, but Mary didn’t seem to think much about the specific terms used.

“…Touch my back as well.”
“Alright.”

Reluctantly, the phone was placed beside the pillow, and the focus shifted to caring for Mary.

Starting from the nape of her neck, down to just above her pelvis.
Beginning slightly above her buttocks, hands would stroke back up to her neck.
Tapping the side of her shoulder blade was attempted, as well as gently poking her soft sides.

Perhaps it was the enjoyment of the touch itself, but Mary’s body reacted like a puppy whenever any action was taken.

– Gently pressing.

Roots descended from Mary’s waist and hips.
Upon washing her, it was discovered that roots had grown haphazardly from her tailbone, thighs, and waist.

When I touched her, Mary would move her roots according to her mood. She wrapped them tightly around my waist and legs, ensuring that I could never fall.

The branches sprouting from her head also continuously twitched up and down. This was something I occasionally observed in Shiba as well. The difference was that they shook more violently than Shiba’s.

It reminded me of a spring toy attached to a cheap pencil; when pulled, it would rattle with a similar sensation.

‘What kind of structure is this made of?’

I ceased caressing and grabbed the swaying branch’s trunk. It was softer than rubber and incredibly dense. Like a dog’s tail, there was something hard, akin to a bone, deep within it.

As I gently stroked that area, Mary suddenly shivered.

“…Huh.”
“Why?”
“Uh, it’s nothing.”

As she backed up her hips, Mary embraced me more affectionately. I stopped touching the branch and focused on caressing her once more.

“You know today is the last day, right? I have a lot to do from tomorrow.”
“Yes, I know. You don’t have to come see me. I’m going to try so hard. I’ll do it even if it hurts.”
“Does it hurt?”
“Growing pains. It hurts when I stretch out the branches and take root. And when the growth period is over, it hurts even more. It hurts a lot.”

I see.
I can understand why the child stopped in the middle and stagnated.
And naturally, I understood what the World Tree of Healing said. It seems she wanted to say that she tried to be beautiful even when she was in pain.

“How much?”
“It feels like new bones are growing from the inside, pushing the flesh apart and the bones tearing through the flesh and protruding outward.”
“Thank you for the vivid expression. Keep going.”
“Yes, I’ll keep going. So stroke more. Quickly.”

I moved my hand vigorously. More intensely. Strongly.

-Whirr-whirr!

The branches spin furiously like pinwheels. I slightly tilted my head back, trying not to brush against the sharp tip of the branch.

Mary tightly embraced me, her breath heavy.

“Ahhh…”

She drew closer, inch by inch, moving forward without stopping. Resting her chin on my shoulder, she rubbed her cheek against mine.

“Nice scent.”
“Yeah, I suppose.”

Being with Mary activated walking pheromones.

“But it feels a bit overwhelming. Can’t you move down a little?”
“…Don’t you like it?”
“It’s not that I don’t…”

Seemingly upset by my words, she instead hugged my head like a tree frog. Mary lifted the back of my head with both her arms and brought her cheek close to mine. She even bit my cheek, as if to demonstrate the ultimate expression of affection deprivation.

*Sigh.*

Did Dalrae and Shiba hold hands and perform a fusion?

“You’re human, so you have to listen to me.”
“But you said you’d treat me like a tree.”
“Idiot. That’s only on the outside. You’re my human! You’re mine.”

“Ugh, what? No… Sigh. Fine… Damn it. Just take it all. All of it.”

Before I knew it, I patted the rear of my annoying younger sibling who had approached my side. There’s no harm in thinking I’ve gained a rather affectionate sibling. I don’t have any sisters, so I remember once envying such a relationship.

However, they’re much too clingy. Since we’re only sharing this day together, I decided to accept it.

– Bite.

This time, they bite my earlobe. I felt the warmth of their saliva. They asked me to clean them, and in turn, forced me to take a shower as well.

“Tsk.”

I bitterly smiled and kept moving my burdened hand. All day long.

* * * * * * * *

“Mary… We didn’t have any issues this time, but we almost did… Whew.”

The room I entered to send Mary off.

Upon entering the room where Mary had been replanted in her human form, the arborist who trailed behind me sighed and spoke.

“You mustn’t do that again.”
“What?”

The caretaker’s face hardened once more in response to Mary’s feisty reaction. What other obscenities was she expecting to hear? Her expression screamed of utter boredom.

I gestured to Mary. She met my gaze, a sly fox-like smile gracing her features before turning her tiger-like visage back to the caretaker.

“You.”
“Yes, Mary.”

The caretaker bowed her head.

“…What was your name?”
“Nick.”
“Nick, right, Nick.”

Mary repeated the caretaker’s name several times before gently lowering her head.

“…I’m sorry.”

His eyes widened in surprise.

“Excuse me? Mary, what did you just say-“
“I forced you this time… I’m sorry…”

Doubting his own ears, he blinked rapidly, fixing his gaze on me.

Mary smirked and shrugged at Nick.

“I just hated having my assigned student taken away during the second trial.”
“Ah, I see. But why the formal speech…?”
“When you’re sorry, you should speak respectfully… That’s what he said.”

She looked at me again. I didn’t need to mention that part. I turned my head and feigned ignorance. Mary, still finding it awkward to apologize to someone other than me, hesitantly placed her hands on her lower abdomen and fidgeted.

“And, I’m sorry for all the swearing.”
“…Ah.”
“It’s difficult, but I’ll try to change.”

Nick, who had been standing there awkwardly with a stiff expression, soon spoke with an uncomfortable smile.

“Ha, haha. Thank you for your honesty, Mary.”

It’s not as if there aren’t people already harboring resentment.
Those who have risen to the position of treekeepers wouldn’t be so narrow-minded as to hold a grudge against a tree to that extent.

Even if one voices dissatisfaction or discontent, he remains an executive bound to a tree for life. There must be some kind of affection, however begrudging.

With his arms crossed, Si-heon watched the scene intently. Before turning into a tree, Mary approached him and spread her arms wide.

“…Hug me. I worked hard.”

“Good job.”

As he bent his legs to embrace her, Mary laughed. With Nick, still stupefied, behind her, Mary stepped into the large hole at the center. Shortly after, a small tree sprouted in that very spot.

Standing at one meter and fifty centimeters, it was considerably smaller than other ash trees. A fragrant scent of grass wafted through the air from the swaying branches.

[…Well, it’s not my responsibility anymore.]

Mary spoke again.

[You’ve passed the second trial.]

“Hehehe. Thank you.”

The voice transitioned from being heard through his ears to echoing in his head. There was nothing more to say. They parted ways, as they both had much to do.

“Lee Si-heon.”

“Yes?”
“Do you have a moment?”

Nick stopped me as I was turning away and asked various questions about the situation. I honestly told him what I had felt: the kid was prone to cursing and such, and there seemed to be a reason behind his actions that stemmed from his arrogance.

It appeared that he was remorseful for his wrongdoings, so I didn’t forget to ask Nick to keep an eye on him from a distance. Nick, surprised to hear my entire story, expressed his gratitude.

“This is a first. In the second trial… If Mary becomes a World Tree later, maybe we could make a documentary about this?”

In the end, we chuckled at this joke. Nick then gifted me a few tickets to a special bar and restaurant.

And so, the second trial concluded.

_Ring ring._

I stood in the hallway, answering a call on my cell phone. There was no one around.

I momentarily removed the translator, switched it off, and responded to her voice.

“Yes, hello.”
[Oh, Si-heon.]
“How did it go?”
[Jumping straight to business? Alright. You mean Gu-seul?]

It wasn’t long before a stern and rigid voice emerged from the cell phone.

[99%. She’s definitely a Flower.]

Upon her confirmation, I couldn’t help but smile.