Chapter 343 – First Time as a Dad

“Dallae, you’ve grown a lot.”
“Will our teacher be skilled enough?”

A tense battle of wits unfolded between the two women, each wearing a smile that wasn’t quite a smile, and cold sweat trickled down their spines.

The notion of sharing a loved one was incomprehensible to me. Engaging in flirtations with someone other than oneself—if one didn’t feel jealousy, wouldn’t that cast doubt on the love they possess?

Lee Se-Young and Azalea both recognized this undeserved love, and yet, they allowed their relationship to continue.

“…So, who is this child?”

Se-Young pointed at Shiba, who was nestled snugly in my embrace, and asked the question. Her worried expression, as beads of sweat formed on her brow, was undeniably endearing.

“Right, who is this kid?”

Even Byul, who had been disheartened earlier, eagerly raised her hand to inquire about the child.

“Beep?”

Shiba clutched my chest tightly and gazed at me intently, under the scrutiny of the two women.

It seemed as if he were asking, “What should we do, Dad?” so I lifted him up and affectionately rubbed my cheek against his.

“Hehehe”

A smile instantly blossomed on his tender cheeks, immediately dissipating the tension.

“My daughter.”
“…Daughter?”
“Uh, huh? Si, Siheon was the father!? I didn’t hear that!”

Se-young’s face turned bewildered, and the star struck the desk in surprise.

-Bang!

Azalea’s smile while watching all this was an added delight.

Dallae snatched Shiva from my arms and gently caressed Shiva’s head. Shiva, who quickly responded to Dallae’s actions, tilted her head and accepted the cake Dallae offered with relish.

“Mom?”

-Smile.

Azalea grinned at the two of them, completely aware of their thoughts.

While it’s understandable that one might show deeper affection and stronger jealousy than others, it was time to put an end to it. I hastily explained to Lee Se-young’s cold, hardened face.

“Se-young would know. Remember the flowerpot I used to care for?”

“…Ah, so that’s a child? No, wait a moment… if that sprout is the child, when on earth did you have a child?”
“The story is a bit long.”

Everyone knows that I am a candidate for the husband of the World Tree.
I calmly explained, ignoring Azalea, who was slightly disappointed.
The peculiar tree that I interacted with had given me its seed.
As I nurtured it, the seed grew into a child. Azalea took great care of Shiba, and the child even came to recognize Azalea as their mother.

“Legally, they’re my child. And we’re living together.”
“What about this?”

Se-Young glared at me. She’s quite the extrovert.

“This part is true.”
“…Sigh.”

She let out a deep sigh. Irritated by Azalea’s triumphant expression, I slapped her on the forehead with my hand.

– Smack!

“Heh heh heh.”

Just look at her smile. She has a face that says, ‘You’re going to be so frustrated, aren’t you?’ As if to prove our family’s relationship, Azalea lovingly stroked Shiba’s head with her hand.

Lee Se-Young, who had been observing the scene, coldly muttered,

“Hey, Azalea.”

The atmosphere grew chilly and subdued. The ice floating atop the coffee melted, collapsing with a clatter.

Startled, Byul tapped Se-Young’s shoulder with both hands. I was taken aback as well, not expecting Lee Se-Young to react in such a way.

“Se, Se-Young… No matter what, fighting with a 20-year-old is…”

Byul timidly attempted to dissuade Se-Young. She sweated nervously, alternating her gaze between me, Azalea, and Lee Se-Young. On the verge of screaming inwardly, Se-Young looked at Shiba.

With a serious expression, Se-Young opened her mouth.

“Did you give the kid an anthrax vaccine?”

“…What?”

Azalea, who had even revealed the kiss mark on the back of her neck in preparation for a verbal fight, blinked in embarrassment.

“Did you get it or not?”

“Uh, not yet…”

“What? Lee Si-heon, why didn’t you do anything?”

I didn’t know much about the carpenter’s ecology.

Lee Se-Young alternated between observing my reaction and that of Azalea, then clicked her tongue and rested her chin on her hand.

“I’m sorry.”

Realizing her mistake, Azalea promptly bowed her head. Se-Young, who had been quiet, continued to glare at me with an air of dissatisfaction.

“Now that you’re adults, you should be able to properly take on the responsibilities of a mother and father… You have to maintain the basics. What are you doing? Especially you, Si-heon, always leaving whenever you get a chance, right?”
“…”
“Kindergarten.”
“One tutor.”
“Well, that’s a relief.”

Although Lee Se-Young is also quite young, she has significantly more social experience than Azalea, who has just turned 20. Moreover, Lee Se-Young has been through numerous hardships since her elementary school days. Perhaps she knows what’s important and what needs to be prioritized.

Azalea sighed as she brushed her hand over her chest.

“Did you do something well to deserve a sigh?”
“I didn’t know.”
“Never raise a child… If you ever have a baby, it seems like you’ll just play games at home all day.”

“No? I could totally be a refined person, you know? And besides, not all kids our age know how to act like a mother! Carrying around all sorts of things like an older woman.”
“What?”
“…Eek!”

Startled, Star moved her chair and clung to my side.
When I gently stroked her hair, her face quickly relaxed.

“Lee Si-heon, you didn’t do well either.”
“Yes.”
“Looking at its size, you must have used a tree-growing elixir, right? It’s clearly an excessive growth. Periodically, you should plant it in a pot, and alternate giving it water and fertilizer. That’s the basic care.”

Basic indeed.

“By any chance… have you ever worked in something related to that?”

Azalea, who had been listening quietly, finally let her guard down and asked Lee Se-young.
Once her mistake was pointed out, she showed a determination to correct it.

“I did a lot. Managing the World Tree nomads and young saplings…”

I was reminded of Lee Se-young when we first met.

-You have something valuable, don’t you?

Suddenly, she approached me and requested a tree ring.
She had a keen insight into that particular market.

“Back then, searching for the tree ring…”
“Yes, that’s right.”

Se-Young answered curtly before reaching out for Shiba this time.
Azalea, unable to say anything, handed Shiba over.

In this moment, the deity of childcare was Lee Se-Young.

“Shiba, do you remember me?”
“Beep? I remember!”

Shiba, who recalled Lee Se-Young taking care of her often during her sapling days, widely opened her hands.
Lee Se-Young scrutinized every part of Shiba with her eyes.

A faint surge of magic emerged from her body.

“Let’s see. There are no major issues. However, you’re growing too quickly. We should be cautious of growth-related ailments.”
“What kind, exactly?”
“Many children die from fever if they overuse tree rings, as their bodies can’t withstand the accelerated growth.”
“They could die?”
“Shiba isn’t that severe. But just in case, it’s better to be safe. You should get vaccinated.”

Shiba tilted her head.

“A shot?”

“Yes, a shot. It stings a little. If you endure, good things will happen.”

“A shot!”

Azalea, who was listening to the story, was seriously writing down Lee Se-Young’s words. She even took out her notebook and toyed with her pen.

Lee Se-Young, who was watching this, smiled and stroked Shiba’s head.

“Si-Heon came here because he was worried about this one. What’s this, really? Hey, is this all women have?”

“Everything?”

“Is this all there is to the people you’re dating?”

“…There is one more.”

It’s still like that. Lee Se-Young stared at my face and sighed.

“So how many have you had sex with?”

“…”

“Answer.”

“Well, it seems like a lot more.”

“Come here; I’ll give you bread.”

“Death bread? That old-fashioned joke…?”

“You know it well.”

“Ah!”

I received a solid blow. At this, Shiba, who was sitting on Se-Young’s thigh, was shocked and screamed.

“Beep!? Don’t hit Dad!”
“I just got hit because Dad deserved it. Hey, Mom, what do you think?”
“You deserved it, Shiba.”
“Beep? Beep???”

Shiba, unsure of what to do, leaped down and came towards me. She climbed onto my lap, whimpering, and grabbed my forehead, puffing gentle breaths at me.

“Papa…”
“Really… it’s just you.”

If there’s an angel in this world, it must be Shiba.

Who in the world named our child Shiba? She’s so lovely, she could have been called Angel.

As if to prove our Shiba’s cuteness, Byul, who was sitting next to me, was also staring at Shiba, her fingers twitching as if itching to touch her.

“Hey, Lee Si-heon.”

Se-Young said.

“Go out with the kiddo and eat something like eel for a bit. Prepare to be up all night tonight. Byul and I have taken our birth control pills on time.”
“Huh? Yes? No, seriously?”
“We have something to discuss with Dallae.”

“Leave for a moment, you.”

With such an oppressive demeanor, I had no choice but to rise from my seat. Truthfully, I also yearned to momentarily escape this stifling atmosphere. There were still so many people I needed to call.

I embraced Shiba and reluctantly stood up.

I fear my fate. What will happen after getting married?

“Oh, by the way.”

Having something to say, I left a word for Se-Young, Dallae, and Byul before departing.

“Don’t fight, you hear?”

Up to now, their relationships had remained solely personal and romantic. It was inevitable that one day, these connections would intertwine as they gathered around me.

Upon being asked seriously, Se-Young, the only one who understood the true meaning of the words, grinned.

“Yes.”

* * * * * * * *

Sizzling. Sizzling.

“Why on earth is there an eel restaurant in the academy?”

As Lee Se-Young recommended, I reluctantly entered the eel restaurant. Lee Se-Young had sternly warned against eating foods that sap one’s energy, such as adlay.

She didn’t approach me because of my body, but the memory of her alarmed expression, shouting that she didn’t know what would happen to my cock the moment her affection for me waned, sends shivers down my spine.

“Women are really scary, Shiba…”
“Beep?”

After taking a bite of her doenjang-guk with a spoon, Shiba tilted her head.

“My daughter, you should grow up to be a kind and angelic woman.”
“Shiba is a good child! She even won an award.”
“Oh, really? Shall we take a look when we get home later?”

And so, it was just the two of us. Having not played with Shiba for a while, I suspected that I would spend most of my upcoming days off with her.

Simply watching Shiba eat makes time fly by.

‘I finished work. I was planning to eat with Sansuyu.’

No answer on the phone.
The messages don’t show as read at all. It’s worrisome that they suddenly became quiet after the incident in the cradle.

I asked Sung Ji-ho what happened, just in case, but there’s no reply yet.

‘Maybe I should do some personal investigation.’

If Sansuyu is involved, it’s a serious matter.

‘Never mind. It’s a problem to think about work while the child is eating.’

I felt something from Se-Young.
Children are more delicate and sensitive than we thought, and as parents, we must constantly teach and protect them for them to grow up properly.

In my case, I spend less time with Shiba.
I stroked Shiba’s head as she sat beside me.

“Shiba.”
“Beep?”
“You know Daddy loves you, right?”
“……”

She puts down the spoon and looks at me.

Cat-like bright green eyes. Hair shimmering softly in the light, and adorable animal-shaped short sleeves suited for the summer.

In the future, the distance between Shiba and me could grow further apart at any time. When we are apart, I begin to doubt the affection I once knew. This often leads me to feel melancholic all by myself.

It’s not because love has grown cold. That’s just the way people’s minds work.

Distant emotions store only good memories, turning them into beautiful recollections. Sometimes, memories that hold only good experiences stand out more than recent ones tinged with bitterness.

I used to think I was happy. Why do I feel this way now? I wonder if something has changed. It’s easy to be mistaken.

“Shiba loves you too!”

Shiba, smiling radiantly, is still brimming with affection. From her earliest days, that single emotion has remained unchanged.

It’s regrettable that I can’t give her the attention she deserves.

Taking action is more helpful than dwelling on regrets and worries.

-Chuckle.

“Alright, Shiba. What’s the name of this fish?”

It’s my first time as a father, so I’m not sure what my daughter will like. I’m young and still don’t know much about the world, and my own father wasn’t the best role model.

“Eel!”

“Oh, our daughter is quite smart, isn’t she?”

“Hehehe. Shiba is smart.”

I don’t know if I’ll be a good father, but I want to be one who tries his best. I beamed with pride as I selected a perfectly cooked eel without any scorch marks and placed it on the plate in front of Shiba.

My daughter is truly amazing.