Chapter 52 – Shiba, Finally Human (1)
It is an immutable truth that she’s fun, cool, and sexy.
Her power is akin to a proposition that needs no proof.
At least, that’s what Shiba herself believed.
“Squeak!”
In a dark room, Shiba waits endlessly for her father.
She hugs a handful of soil, gently shaking a budding sprout. Shiba is in high spirits.
“Peep~ Squeak~”
What will today’s water taste like?
Six drops, no, she’ll have seven drops today!
As she waits with pleasant imaginings, Shiba suddenly notices that her body has grown a bit.
“Squeak?”
A slightly raised torso.
Overflowing magical energy.
Aware of her own growth, Shiba comprehends a technique to alter her form in just a brief moment.
Focusing on the tip of her own sprout, Shiba soon gathers her magic there.
Suddenly!
“Beep?!”
Bam, bam, bam, bam!
Shiba formed a hand!
Leaving behind the celebratory sounds that naturally echoed in her mind, she focused her strength on her roots this time.
“Peep?!”
Shiba created two legs!
-Clatter.
The flower pot, unable to bear her growing body, tumbled down from the table. Shiba, who emerged from the pot, had a small body about 30 centimeters in size. The appearance of tree bark wrapped around her skin unmistakably made her a first-generation wooden being.
The sprouts that grew above her head swayed in sync with the movements of her head.
“Peep, peep!”
Shiba, bewildered by the sudden change, struggled to adapt and sought her father for help.
Growing up is frightening.
Her body aches due to growth.
Shiba wiped the tears from her eyes with her newfound arms, stood up, and toddled towards the door.
Then, oops.
Losing her balance, Shiba fell to the floor. A bright red mark appeared on her forehead.
“…Beep?”
Feeling her forehead, Shiba soon shed tears due to the stinging pain.
“Piiee… Ah! Ah!”
Desperately seeking her guardian, Shiba crawled towards the door, but her body was small.
Holding her forehead with both hands and sobbing, Shiba sat down on the spot, unable to contain her lament.
“Beep, sob, squeak.”
After crying for a while, her tears slowly subsided.
She was in so much pain, but her father didn’t come. She was hurting so much! Where could he be and what could he be doing that he couldn’t come right away? What if she disappeared like this?
Suddenly resenting her father, Shiba wiped her tears on the spot and puffed out her cheeks.
He would realize how important she was once she disappeared, right?
-Startled.
Shiba stood up.
Think!
Last time she had been left like this, hadn’t it taken days for help to arrive? Shiba must have been like a lost tree found under a bridge. As this thought crossed her mind, tears welled up in her eyes.
“Beep.”
Sobbing, Shiba made an internal resolution.
She would run away from this wretched corner of the house and teach her foolish father how precious she truly was.
With a determined spirit, Shiba gazed at the doorknob.
“…Beep.”
However, Shiba encountered a massive obstacle from the very beginning: the door that had to be opened in order to leave the house. She realized, with a sinking heart, that her hand could not reach the doorknob.
This couldn’t be happening.
Despair washed over Shiba as she realized that this slanted world was designed for humans, not her.
Now that it had come to this, she had no choice but to find another way to escape. Shiba, who had been scanning her surroundings, turned her attention to the refrigerator, which seemed to have just enough space underneath.
“Peep.”
Shiba said,
“Doesn’t matter as long as it’s not visible, right?”
Shiba’s goal was to exact revenge on her father for leaving her alone.
With a wicked thought in mind, Shiba scurried to the refrigerator and squeezed herself beneath it, grunting as she went.
Crouching in the cramped space, Shiba tightly covered her eyes with her trembling hands. She hoped this would keep her hidden.
The preparations were complete… now all she had to do was wait.
With her eyes closed and her body curled up, Shiba stayed still for a long time. She giggled, imagining her father’s flustered face, but soon felt sad when she remembered he still hadn’t come looking for her.
“Beep. Beep.”
Tears trickled down Shiba’s cheeks as she eventually fell asleep, resting her head on a pillow of dust.
*Thud.*
Awoken by the sound of the refrigerator door opening, Shiba rubbed her sleep-filled eyes and got up. She saw feet beneath the refrigerator and her face lit up.
After verifying Si-heon’s presence, Shiba whined as she crawled out from beneath the refrigerator.
Now she must realize that she’s not alone, right?
However, Si-heon laid down on the bed with a distant expression, seemingly uninterested in his daughter.
Witnessing this scene from under the bed, Shiba was appalled.
“…Beep.”
Dad, you’re bad.
Feeling resentful, Shiba spread her hands wide, grabbed the middle of the bed, and climbed onto it. She placed her feet on her father’s chest and with furrowed brows, gazed at him lost in dreamland.
“Beep.”
For some reason, she no longer cared. Shiba suddenly recalled the face of Si-heon, who had been with her since her birth.
She had tried to live well, so wouldn’t it be okay to give her forgiveness just this once? Time heals all wounds, and after a sigh and some rest, her anger dissipated.
“…Uhhhaha.”
At the sensation of weight, Si-heon furrowed his brow.
Shiba was taken aback and almost stepped back. She brought her finger to her lips, deep in thought, before dropping to her knees and embracing him.
Her heart melted in his warm arms.
– Tightly.
Shiba spread her arms wide and hugged him. Her short arms and hands couldn’t reach his back, but feeling her father’s embrace throughout her entire body made Shiba’s lips curve into a smile.
If only she could stay like this for the rest of her life. What kept pushing her to venture outside?
“Papa.”
Shiba called out to her father and closed her eyes.
Infused with the energy of the Forest of Illusions, her gradually growing body now experienced growth pains that were merely bearable.
* * * * *
What is this?
Upon waking up in the morning and feeling a weight upon him, he looked down to see a little girl covering his body.
She was about 1 meter tall, with a sprout emerging from her head.
The skin, still not fully matured, was translucent, and a dark brown shell covered the entire upper body as if to protect it.
Light green short hair. Plump cheeks.
And a sprout emerging from the head.
Anyone could see it was Shiba.
Unintentionally, my outstretched hand brushed through Shiba’s hair.
“…Beep.”
She exhaled a contented breath. A reddish blush caught my eye.
‘Why did she suddenly become like this?’
I rummaged through my pocket, took out my phone, and looked at the screen. A headache from the hangover made me furrow my brow.
– The growth process of Woodfolk.
I searched on the internet. When I clicked on the top article, a lengthy post adorned with emojis immediately came to mind.
—-
Hello~ It’s Fruits. Today’s topic is Woodfolk! They are sacred beings believed to have been born between the World Tree and humans, right? Today, we’re going to explore the growth process of the Woodfolk.
(Emoji of a pale human smirking)
Woodling: A unique race born between the World Tree and humans.
(Emoji of a pale-skinned human placing a hand on their cheek, looking surprised).
Yet, did you know that the growth process of Woodlings is not much different from our own as humans?
(Emoji of a pale-skinned human giggling)
For Woodlings, their origin is said to be divided into two categories. One type grows from saplings! And the other? Drumroll, please…
(Emoji of a pale-skinned human playing a fanfare)
That’s right! They are Woodlings who are born in human form from the very beginning.
The reason for the two different categories is simple! It depends on whether the parent is human or a mature tree!
If the parent is human, they give birth in human form, and if the parent is a mature tree, they produce offspring in the form of seeds. It is said that Woodlings can originate as either a human-shaped baby or a seed-shaped baby.
(Emoji of a pale-skinned human smiling)
Ah, so do all the seeds produced by the adult trees become babies? That’s not the case. Female trees that aren’t treefolk can create offspring even without the seeds of male treefolk. Everyone knows this, right? The fact that only treefolk and humans need a relationship between male and female! Of course, it’s said that trees enjoy relationships too… Hmm.
Anyway, how does the born baby grow? Surprisingly, both seeds and babies share a unique trait in their growth process: they develop into human forms!
.
.
.
.
—-
Feeling dizzy.
As I laboriously read through the text, I could understand that the transformation of a seed-like being into a human form was an entirely ordinary occurrence.
‘Trees can create offspring without needing a specific relationship?’
No wonder.
I had been curious as to why a baby would be born, but I hadn’t suspected such a hidden truth. It seemed that pregnancy couldn’t be avoided simply because it didn’t involve sex.
‘Hold on. So, is this child really mine?’
“Pip.”
I tore my gaze from my phone and looked at Shiba.
Having just woken up, Shiba rubbed her eyes and glanced at my chest before meeting my eyes.
Her eyes, filled with an indiscernible emotion, trembled.
“…Daddy?”
Shiba clung to my chest and nuzzled her cheek against me. My heart ached.
I genuinely believed she was my daughter. Even if she weren’t, she would still be my daughter to me.
“Beep, beep! Beep!”
Shiba still made beeping noises as if she couldn’t speak yet.
Her appearance had changed considerably, but her undeniable cuteness remained constant.
I lifted myself from the bed, supporting Shiba’s attached body with my arms. Clinging tightly to me, Shiba resembled a banana hanging from a tree.
“…The problem is figuring out how to raise her.”
Scratching my disheveled hair, I gazed at Shiba. She adorably tilted her head.
I’d need to buy clothes for her first. Can she eat regular food?
“Beep?”
Upon examining her open mouth, I noticed that her teeth had grown in properly.
It seemed she could eat. I would have to find out later if it was acceptable for her to eat human food, but it didn’t appear to be a significant issue. After all, Azalea and Cornus, who were once trees themselves, now consumed the same food as humans.
“Why has my daughter grown so much?”
“Beep?”
As I tenderly stroked her head, Shiba closed her eyes, relishing the sensation of my palm. Her endearing expression naturally brought a smile to my face, and I couldn’t help but wonder,
‘What should I do now?’
Up until this point, she had been a simple tree, and I had managed to care for her. However, if she took on a human form, things would change. Caring for a child while pursuing an education would be the most challenging task for a parent.
“Um… Shiba.”
“Beep?”
“Can you transform back into a tree?”
Shiba wore a puzzled expression. I picked up the fallen pot from the floor and pointed at it with my finger. Recognizing my meaning, Shiba smiled and placed her hand on the pot.
“Sip.”
As the markings etched into Shiba’s skin gradually grew larger, they transformed into a small sapling. It was now too large to be considered a mere sprout, so I replanted it carefully in its pot.
Fortunately, there would be no sudden scandal involving a daughter.
Now, all that was left was… Azalea.
“Dad, I’ll be back in a bit.”
-Huh? Squeak!
I gently stroked Shiba once, washed up moderately, and changed my clothes.
The mistake I had made last night, fueled by alcohol, might require a significant apology. Thus, I dressed up respectfully and stepped out towards the front door.
“Squeak!”
Just before leaving…
Shiba came running from the room and embraced my leg tightly.
“Papa. Uh, ugh.”
Shiba cried out with a sound different from the usual squeak. The saying that there’s a bond between parent and child that transcends words must be true, as her emotions were conveyed clearly.
“Shiba, Daddy has to go out, okay?”
Gently patting her shoulder, he carefully released Shiba’s restraints. As he stepped back, a startled Shiba clung to his legs once again.
“Ugh!”
…He needed to leave.
He pressed his hand to his forehead. Shiba was endearing, but undeniably a handful.