Chapter 352 – Changing Times (2)

“Are you okay?”

Their delicate skin flushed. They lay entwined on the dusty mat for quite some time.

It had been a while, and she was so petite that it must have hurt. I hadn’t intended for our interaction to progress to this level, but she had exerted all her strength to accommodate me.

Her face turned a bright red, feigning a cheerful response as she spread her thighs. Once I was inside her, her hips moved awkwardly, and she was completely under my control.

“Haah… Huh, hoo…”

Her fist-sized breasts heaved in time with her breaths. The mat beneath us was so vigorously disturbed that dust mingled with the scent of their skin. I removed the pillow that had been propping up my lower back and embraced Blanche.

“Did it not hurt?”

It was very different from before. I didn’t lose myself to lust, so my arousal was less intense, and she wasn’t as wet. We also didn’t use any sex toys, as we had during our first encounter.

It may have been unbearable pain for little Blanche.

“…It was so good back then. Now it hurts a lot.”

She honestly shared what she felt.

Blanche wrapped her legs around me while embracing my neck with both hands.

Her soft, supple thighs had an addictive quality, like a drug, that made me inwardly admire them as I touched them. I caressed the inner part near her crotch as if kneading dough. The tender flesh pressed between my fingers, so pliant that I couldn’t feel the underlying muscles. Blanche let out a short moan.

“Ah. You fool. I’m talking.”

Despite her words, she smiled and adjusted her thighs to make it easier for me to touch her.

The sensation lingered in my mind, reigniting the desire below.

“…Pervert.”

Even her contemptuous words couldn’t hide the affection, and it aroused me.

-Thump.

Blanche pressed her forehead against mine, and her nose touched my face before she pulled away.

-Page.

Her endearing, delicate lips left a mark on my cheek, and this time our cheeks gently brushed against each other. I conveyed and reveled in the affection that words alone could not express.

With her head slightly pulled away, Blanche held both my cheeks in her hands and grinned.

“…When I was brainwashed, no matter what happened, it made me feel good. So, I thought it would be the same this time. But it’s very different from back then.”
“Was it not good?”
“No, that’s not it.”

It was different from then. The degree of pleasure surely must have been so.

The power of subjugation in and of itself was like that. Having also used the color sphere, the pleasure back then must have reached dangerous levels.

“It’s not that it wasn’t good… It was more painful… and difficult.”

Blanche leaned in and kissed me once more.

A tender kiss without the intertwining of tongues. Her reddened eyes, yet to calm, were etched in my mind.

“I’m much happier now.”

The sincere confession carried the tenderness of a first love, rendering it so captivating that I could not tear my eyes away.

“…Siheon.”

This was the nature of a timid love. Displayed without concealment, it made my heart flutter, despite my many past encounters.

“Merci.”

An exotic voice resonated in my ears.

“…Je t’aime.”

Words understandable even without knowing French.

“Kyaa~”

Blanche, who tilted the corners of her mouth without opening it, covered her reddening face with her hands as if she had committed some misdeed.

I lay beside Blanche, casting a simple cleansing spell on her body. The petite figure nestled within the fabric of her pristine white dress never ceased to delight me when held close.

“…”

As the moon began its ascent into the night sky, I picked up a single fallen horse chestnut and held it before her eyes. In full view of Blanche, I swallowed it.

“…”

It was incredibly bitter. The taste was astringent enough to make one spit it out immediately if they had a weak stomach. However, for some reason, it was more palatable compared to the horse chestnut eaten previously. There was even a hint of sweetness. Could it be that the fruits produced vary depending on the condition of the tree person?

Blanche’s face flushed a deep red as she blinked repeatedly.

“…Uh, ah, ugh.”

She appeared embarrassed for having eaten her own fruit. Consuming the fruits released by women around the world is considered a proposal. Among lovers, it is sometimes interpreted as a request for marriage.

– Thump.

Blanche’s small fist tapped my chest.

“…I like it too.”

It seems there’s been a significant misunderstanding.

* * * * * * * * * *

“Yum~~!”

Shiba adores pork cutlet.

Shiba’s face melted as she placed a large pork cutlet in her mouth using a charming yellow fork. She said she’d be a little late, but she had prepared the meal and waited. They all agreed that eating together as a family was best, and in the end, the three of them gathered for a jovial meal.

-Munching.

“Is it delicious, our daughter?”
“Ppang, ppang!”

The more one listens to the “ppang ppang” sound with every bite, the more addictive and endearing it becomes.

It’s like a cat trying a churu treat for the first time. Overwhelmed by the taste after eating cheap, flavorless food, the cat sheds tears while eating the churu. Our Shiba also gets excited when eating something tasty, even her nose flaring up.

“Do you want to try this too?”
“Pi, I want to eat it!”

I scooped a spoonful of bibimbap from my bowl and offered it to Shiba.

“…Pi?”

Shiba, who had just swallowed the tonkatsu and was about to naturally open her mouth, visibly tensed upon seeing the bibimbap.

Her pupils dilated.
Should she open her mouth or not, her entire body trembled.

“Ah~”

“…Beep, beep.”

As I pushed the spoon forward, Shiba began alternating her gaze between the bibimbap and me, dozens of times. My dad would never do this. The sense of betrayal in her eyes is substantial. As the bibimbap gets closer, her teeth tremble.

Bean sprouts jutting out from between the rice grains flash past Shiba’s eyes. Bracken, sprouts, red pepper paste, sesame oil. Her pebble-sized fists quiver, perhaps feeling particularly terrified of the sprouts.

“Ahh~”

I continue to push the spoon towards her. Shiba, who had been keeping her mouth tightly shut, briefly glances at my face, squeezes her eyes shut, and opens her mouth ever so slightly.

I seize the opportunity and insert the bibimbap.

“Beep!?”

Shiba chews the bibimbap with a startled expression.

“…Beep, beep.”

What could this mean?

“Hehehe.”

As Shiba reluctantly chews the bibimbap, her face takes on an expression I’ve never seen before.

With a wrinkled and sullen expression, a saddened face dirtied by a mouth that had indulged in pork cutlet. To the eyes of an unattractive father, even that was adorable. Shiba gazes at me with an even more disgruntled face.

“You must really hate it, huh?”

“Shiba is such a picky eater. Especially with bibimbap… It’s the first time I’ve seen her eat it.”

Azalea, sitting before me, shook her head. Judging by her expression, she seemed rather surprised that Shiba had eaten the sprout bibimbap. I gently stroked Shiba’s head, as if consoling her for the loss of her homeland.

“…Peep.”

“So, who did you meet this time?”

She rested her chin on her hand and gestured with her chin toward me. Where she pointed, a dark lip mark still remained.

No, there were actually quite a few marks. There were so many that even Azalea, who had become more lenient since the past day, felt compelled to point them out. If it had been just one or two, we would have simply let it go, but it wasn’t.

‘Blanche, it’s you.’

I hadn’t realized it during our relationship.

The female cat seemed to have been quite determined, leaving marks all over. They covered the neck, forehead, collarbone, and arms, with no spot overlooked.

What I need to do here is…

“Shall I attend to you, my lady? Is there anything troubling you?”

The household’s survival principle: if you’ve done something wrong, apologize. Azalea looked at me with sharp, dagger-like eyes and chuckled, seemingly astonished by my servile attitude.

“Hehehe. Then take responsibility for our Shiba bibimbap, feed it all, and help me wash up. It’s better than going somewhere and getting hurt… Yes, that’s preferable.”

Lately, Azalea seems to have been growing more tired. Perhaps she has more to do recently. With the changing circumstances, there are likely many tasks and decisions to be made at the company. As she begins to manage the company in earnest during her vacation, even a Hunter’s body will inevitably lack the necessary stamina. Azalea isn’t as physically capable as I am.

I should accommodate her needs.

“Shiba, did you hear?”

“Beep, beep…”

Shiba, her face turning pale, looks at me. Is she considering an escape? She squirms and attempts to get out of her chair.

“Shiba, I’m full. Thank you for the meal.”
“No, you can’t go, my daughter.”
“Beep! Beep!”

I grasp her underarms, and she struggles in vain. I sit her on my lap and secure her in place by holding her stomach with one hand.

“It’s a meal your mother prepared, Shiba. Gratefully chew and savor it.”

I scoop up a hearty mouthful of bibimbap and press it against our child’s lips. She clenches her lips tightly, as if refusing to open them, and glares at me. To no avail.

When I lean in and plant a kiss on her cheek, her stunned expression gives way, and her mouth opens slightly.

– Smack.

“Beep.”

The bibimbap slips through the small gap between her slightly parted lips.

“Ugh!”
“That’s right, eat well.”

The sprout monster slides into Shiba’s mouth and tumbles down.

“Beep!”

A heartfelt scream from within filled the kitchen.

* * * * * * * * *

Around 2 a.m., when everyone had fallen asleep, I gently pressed my lips to Azalea’s as she lay soundly beside me. Then, I rose from my place.

With a small surge of magic, I examined the damaged magic circuit inside.

“Damn Cistus.”

The circuits were torn to shreds, to the point where curses seemed fitting. It was only natural that I couldn’t use my full strength due to the aftereffects.

Nevertheless, as a result of using healing powers for an extended period, I had regained enough ability to perform martial arts moderately.

My core energy was also gradually returning to its proper place, but it wasn’t enough. My growth had been so rapid that it had reached an almost unbearable level.

“Perhaps it’s time to slow down the progress.”

An impulsive thought struck me: if my magical power were to increase by even 2, or no, 10,000, my Danjeon would be shattered and my body might melt away. My body was sending me a signal.

Had I reached my limit?

‘No, it must be natural.’

To speak of limits seemed premature; my potential remained untapped, and merely half a year had passed since I arrived in this world. Considering the day my growth truly ignited, it could be seen as an achievement of only three months.

Nonetheless, I had no intention of holding back.

I rose from my seat and straightened my body. As I attempted to get out of bed, someone grabbed my wrist from right beside me.

“Where are you going again?”

“I have something to do. You sleep, I’ll be right back.”

“…Will you get hurt?”

“Of course not.”

Her reaction was still drowsy. I gently stroked her head, embraced the slumbering Shiba, and she once more drifted into a contented sleep. I went outside and took a deep breath of fresh air.

*Gulp*.

As soon as I opened the door, I headed straight for the Cornus family’s mansion within El Academy. The house was built solely for Sansuyu’s residence, but due to her prominent name, there was a constant flow of people coming and going.

Even just passing by, one could see guards and hunters worthy of appearing on TV entering and leaving the premises. It said it all.

Once a prominent mansion within El Academy, it now seemed utterly deserted.

I lightly jumped over the fence and entered the garden. It hadn’t been abandoned for long, so it wasn’t in complete disarray, but it wasn’t exactly pleasing to the eye either.

It was a blatant trespass, but what other choice did I have?

I had to take matters into my own hands.

– Ugh!

I gathered my mana and took a deep breath. Thanks to learning magic from a sage and building a solid foundation, there were things I could do.

Traces of mana.

Each magical energy that passes through a human’s circuit possesses its own unique attributes. To discern these differences, one must be a being that has reached the pinnacle of magical power classification; otherwise, it is impossible to recognize them.

Would there be an awakening regarding him, or would he possess some power? Fortunately, my sensitivity is exceptional, making the task of uncovering traces far from challenging.

However, the issue lies in time. Considering that experts who seek traces of magical energy and gather evidence or circumstances tend to take several months, it becomes too late.

Hence, a certain degree of expediency was necessary.

– Ugh!

A magical life form that surpasses even trees in the manipulation of mana!

Above the magical circle on the floor, two birds spread their wings wide and chirped joyfully.

“Chirp~! Master!”

Eleanor, Lucy.
The time has come for our female birds.