Chapter 646 – Freedom and Rest (3)

A few weeks had passed since Si-heon and Heaven started living together, sharing moments of bliss.

The transformation in their relationship was so profound and intimate that it needed no words to describe.

Their bond had deepened and solidified, and the shadows of melancholy and loneliness that once lingered on Heaven’s face had disappeared.

[Kuhuk, Termites!!!!]

They were watching a classic superhero cartoon on TV. As they munched on popcorn, Heaven, deeply engrossed in the show, spoke up.

“That character, he resembles you. The boss of the Termites.”
“What?”

Heaven was referring to a character known as the top villain in the series. She chuckled and ruffled Si-heon’s hair.

The character was a large, mysterious man wearing a termite mask. No hero who had crossed paths with him had managed to remain uncorrupted.

[Hahaha! Tree Red!! Can you withstand this?!]
[Kuh, Kuhuk!!]

At that very moment, he was corrupting the main character, Tree Red. It was a sequence that seemed destined to spawn numerous risqué fan creations.

“Uh, Si-heon, what’s happening? Red is changing.”

-Taktak!

Heaven playfully tapped Si-heon’s shoulder. They couldn’t assume it would be a happy ending. These days, even children’s cartoons occasionally concluded with a tragic ending.

“By the way, doesn’t that character remind you of yourself?”
“Who are you referring to?”
“Well, the magical girl who is being corrupted.”
“Um… I don’t see the resemblance.”

The character had red hair and a somewhat strong demeanor. However, if you looked beyond the surface, she was a being with a more pitiful and gentle spirit than anyone else. The boss of the Termites also used this kind-hearted nature to intimidate and dominate Red. Initially resistant, Red was slowly falling into corruption…

‘Is this really a children’s cartoon?’

Deciding to leave the show behind, Si-heon turned away from the TV and buried his face in Heaven’s bosom.

As if this was a familiar act, Heaven embraced Si-heon’s head without a word, pressing her cheek against his forehead.

-Slurp.

“Ah…”

Si-heon lightly sucked on a love bite on Heaven’s chest, causing her body to twitch.

“Didn’t I say… We should reserve these activities for the night.”
“Isn’t it night yet? Honestly, it feels like night time. If we’ve had dinner, then it’s night.”
“Enough. No more sweet talk.”

Heaven playfully poked Si-heon’s nose.

The time was 7 pm. They had mutually agreed to reserve intimate moments for after 9 pm, so there were still two hours left.

They had decided to set this rule to ensure that their constant passionate rendezvous didn’t disrupt their daily routine.

“Right now, you’re my student, so listen to me.”
“And after 9 o’clock, we’re lovers?”
“…”

Heaven was always hesitant to affirm that they were lovers.

The acts I already commit are no different, but acknowledging them verbally might be another matter entirely. Yet, the fact remains that we are enfolded in one another’s fervent embrace.

– Engulfed.

In the comforting cradle of my mentor’s arms, I nuzzle. Her softness, warmth, and the faint hint of peach create a swirling sense of tranquility.

“Indeed…”

With an air of resignation, she clicks her tongue and conceals a small smile. She brushes through my hair with her fingers, then tenderly presses her lips to my forehead.

– A soft kiss.

“…Acting like a pup.”
“Is that displeasing to you?”
“Who said it was? If I found it distasteful, we wouldn’t be in this intimate embrace watching such endearing scenes.”

It makes sense.
Still, I ask, for the validation is gratifying.

The mentor, who until recently was eager to push me away, now willingly extends her affection. The accomplishment… is beyond words.

“Heh.”

These days, I find myself genuinely smiling. Not a forced grin, but a radiant, spontaneous smile.

Curiously, in her presence, I still feel like my old self from the academy days.

“You’re distracting me from my reading. You insufferable thing.”

Her once-lonely voice now playfully chides me. There’s no hesitation in her caressing hand. She too, has considerably brightened.

Though we’ve spent more time apart, we’ve found immense solace in each other. In a mere few weeks, laughter has returned to our lives.

“……”

In the profound silence, Heaven, held within my arms, slowly lowers her head.

“Even if only at night, is it okay? Is a kiss between mentor and student permissible?”

She maneuvers her face slowly, ready to nibble on my soft lips.

“…If I initiate, it’s acceptable.”

From below, I look up; from above, Heaven looks down. As her long eyelashes flutter close, we find ourselves locked in a passionate kiss….

– Thump!!

“You?”
“!!!!”

Just as we were about to…

The landlord, who’s been absent for quite some time, returns with a slightly disgruntled expression.

Alba.

“For a moment… I meant to discuss something about Shiba and Wiki.”

Alba glances around the room casually, suppresses an impending sigh, and casts a spell to dissipate the lingering scent. Condoms overflowing in the trash can. Vivid evidence of our colorful encounters, easily outnumbering ten digits, meet her gaze one after another.

Kiss marks adorn Heaven’s neck, cheeks, hands, thighs, and feet.
I am no different.

As I scramble to rise, my mentor’s hand restrains me.

“Ah, wait. Master? Ah….”

– Smack!

Our lips collide mercilessly. Her tongue invades, sucking the interior of my mouth. As a disciple, I’m melting. With my strength seeping away at my mentor’s oral ministrations, Heaven swallows audibly, then finally releases me.

“Hoo….”

The translucent fluid bridging their lips, Heaven, extending her tongue, held her disciple in a firm embrace.

“Now, proceed.”

She was in a daze.
A faint flicker of excitement could be glimpsed on the face of her mentor, who had briefly ignited a spark with Alba.

“Indeed… Follow me, you.”

Ah.

Alba’s voice was low and intimidating.
I, feeling akin to a pig led to the slaughterhouse, straightened my clothes and trailed behind Alba.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

“I requested your care, but I did not ask for a love that transcends our roles.”
“…….”
“Well, it was somewhat intentional. But I didn’t anticipate such a rapid advance.”

Bowled over by Alba’s chastisement, I simply lowered my head.

“Somewhat intentional…?”

What was the intent?
Could it be that, as a special measure to heal me mentally, they bound Heaven and me in one room?

It wouldn’t have been strange if Alba had set such a plan in motion.

“That… Sister?”
“If you ever have a day. I hope you don’t cast me aside. If I face rejection… I am unsure of the outcome.”

This is terrible.

“…Uh.”
“Moreover, you used all the condoms I prepared? There were at least hundreds… Well, you are a person who can control it anyway.”

This is unsettling.
It’s a routine measure in preparation for sex.

Because Heaven still doesn’t know that I can control the act of impregnating her. She always said there’s a sequence to having a child, and she never permitted me to release inside her.

“Does this mean you relished it in your own way? You.”
“…….”
“Still, there’s a hint of brightness in you now, I find that somewhat pleasing.”
“Thanks to you.”
“What do you mean by ‘thanks to you’?”

You mentioned it was somewhat intentional.

Anyway, I returned to my old room.
Somehow, cohabiting with my mentor had become the norm. Originally, this was supposed to be my place of convalescence.

– Thump.

Upon illuminating the room I hadn’t visited in quite a while, what a surprise.

“Daddy! We’ve been waiting.”
“Dad!”

Wiki and Shiba rushed towards me in their pajamas, clinging to my legs.

My adorable daughters, who wouldn’t pain me even if I held them in my eyes.
Bending my knees and cradling one each in my arms against my chest, they giggled joyfully.

“Are you back?”

Azalea, seated on the sofa with the children, merely peeked out and asked.

“It’s Azalea.”
“…Yes, it’s a bit awkward since it’s been a while. Hehe.”

Azalea, scratching her cheek while smiling, would soon be accustomed to it all.

Two daughters, two mothers.
As I embraced the children and naturally settled on the sofa, Alba, seated next to Azalea and in front of me, instantaneously arranged refreshments with a wave of her hand.

“Gasp… Haribo jelly.”
“Do you want some?”
“Yes, Daddy…”

Handing over a jelly, Wiki bounds about, joyfully munching on her sweet treat.

“Paa, Shiba too!”

“What would Shiba like… perhaps a cookie?”

“Cookie! Beep beep~!”

Handing over a square cookie, Shiba indulges, scattering crumbs with every delighted nibble.

Setting down the two snack-devouring children, my gaze slides towards the two women looking on with amused smiles. Alba clears her throat.

“There must be a distinctive reason for assembling the five of us like this?”

“Yes, indeed, I wanted to discuss something regarding Wiki and Shiba. Furthermore… there’s a need for us, mothers, to spend some time together.”

Among mothers. I hope Azalea overlooks any harsh words that Alba might utter.

Azalea is so fundamentally kind-hearted, it’s problematic.

‘Considering the performance of running a business… isn’t all as it seems.’

“What’s the matter?”

“Firstly, it’s about Shiba.”

At Alba’s words, Azalea and I simultaneously incline our ears. Azalea seems not to have been informed of the detailed circumstances.

“Typically, at this point, physical changes would be noticeable… but something seems off.”

“Is she unwell…? Alba?”

“No, no, it’s not that.”

Suddenly, the dynamic seems to have shifted to that of sisters. They appear to have had numerous meetings without my knowledge.

“The flow of magical energy in Shiba’s body… looking only at her condition, she is perfectly normal.”

“Then?”

“Which is to say, it wouldn’t be unusual for her to revert to her previous state.”

This year, Shiba turns five. In this world, where each tree grows at a different pace, it’s the minimum age to be considered an adult. Conversely, Wiki, at four years old, remains a minor, no matter how much she grows. Despite what’s said, Shiba’s youthful appearance makes it a stretch to treat her as an adult.

“Beep… Yum yum.”

I stroke Shiba’s head as she munches on her cookie, her cheeks puffing with each bite.

“Baa?”

My daughter is truly the most adorable.

“Dad, what about me? Can I get a headpat too?”

“Sure, Wiki.”

As I stroke the envious Wiki’s head, I find my hands are full. If one more joins us, it will indeed become chaotic.

Alba, giving Wiki a slight glance, clears her throat again.

“Anyway, in such cases… there are typically two possibilities. It’s a phenomenon sometimes observed when a tree that has exerted much energy reverts to a younger state.”

“Two possibilities?”

“One is… if Shiba is being influenced by some power or another World Tree.”

World Tree. At the mention of that name, both Azalea’s and my expressions harden. Alba speaks in a dismissive tone as if it were nothing.

“Of course, I’ve checked this.”

“That’s a relief… What’s the other possibility?”

Azalea exhales as if relieved, and Alba continues.

“I believe I mentioned something similar previously. It’s a phenomenon that occurs when Shiba herself does not wish to return.”

“If she doesn’t wish to return.”

“Being with dad in this youthful guise… it’s contentment enough, even if I live bereft of memory.”

This was Shiba’s unspoken declaration, her choice not to age her form. How deep must have been the anguish of those three years spent apart from her father. On Shiba’s face, as she nibbled cookies with eyes shimmering like pebbles in sunlight, there seemed not a care in the world.

‘Indeed, youth is often the happiest epoch.’

Yet, not everyone yearns to remain forever in the tender years of youth.

“So, you intend to stay this age forever?”
“Well, I’ll age naturally again. However… in that scenario, the memories amassed over those three years will be relegated to oblivion.”

She must have had memories shared with other lovers.
There must have been a multitude of friends.
Even if those times were fraught with pain… it wouldn’t necessarily be just to linger in this state.

A fleeting image of a grown-up Shiba crosses my vision.
She had matured beautifully.
She was more radiant and captivating than anyone I had ever encountered. Her armlessness was an unfortunate inevitability.

“And the method to retrieve her memory?”

In response to my query, Alba replied as if she had been biding her time.

“…It’s about instilling the perception that it’s okay to let her body return. The method, father, is your prerogative.”

A brief respite of a few days loomed.
During those fleeting days, it felt as though I had to inhabit the role of her father.