Chapter 652 – Shiba’s Dream (2)

A dreamscape adorned in a blanket of cerulean grass.

Shiba’s eyes, buried within the verdant blades, slowly flutter open. She straightens her disheveled hair and surveys her surroundings.

“Pip?”

Not upon her bed, and her father is absent. Initial confusion ensues. Shiba’s pupils oscillate gently.

“Pip, Pip?!”

It’s peculiar. Shiba, embroiled in her thoughts, makes a laborious attempt to rise from the grassy bed.

Her father is missing. Surely, she should be within the confines of her home. A bolt from the blue.

Flustered, Shiba oscillates her short arms and legs, but soon stumbles and collapses. The space is dense, the magical energy palpable. The locale seems overwhelming for Shiba’s petite frame, rendering even walking a strenuous task.

‘…….’

Could this be a dream?

“Pip, Shiba. I’m preoccupied….”

She has an abundance of tasks awaiting her upon awakening.

Firstly, she must greet her father in the morning, bask in some affection, and then engage in some stretching exercises. After breakfast, she must partake in physical training to mitigate muscle atrophy as much as possible.

Yesterday, it was her branches. Today, it was time to stimulate her lower body… essentially, it was the roots’ turn.

“Pip!”

Sleeping in is not an option! When the routine crumbles, laziness creeps in.

Balanced growth is the source of strength and wealth. Daily nurturing of oneself is the only way to achieve an impressive framework. Laziness is not an option.

‘To meet Papa, Shiba must grow stronger.’

She must be healthy to find her missing father. She has to become an exceptional daughter, someone her father can be proud of.

In the midst of these subconscious thoughts, Shiba realizes a contradiction.

“…Pip?”

Is something amiss?

“Isn’t Papa by Shiba’s side…?”

Why is she contemplating retrieval? Shiba, who has been rigorously exercising each day, suddenly introspects her motivations.

No matter how ardently she tries, she can’t seem to remember. She doesn’t know. She doesn’t recall. But, for now, she must awaken from this dream.

-Thump.

“Pip?!”

An unfamiliar sound of footfall reaches her. It isn’t the robust stride of an adult, but rather the light-footed sound of a child.

-Clip-clop, clip-clop.

Who inhabits this dreamlike garden?

As Shiba’s gaze shifts following the footfall, a figure clad in a white-winged garment ripples on the horizon.

“Pip.”

A shadow. The skin appears gray, rendering it indiscernible. It gives off the sensation of watching a television tuned to an unfamiliar channel.

The odd disturbance dons a white angelic garment, and upon spotting Shiba, it shuffles its feet. For some inexplicable reason, Shiba sees a reflection of herself within the disturbance.

-Flutter, flutter~!

A figure approaches, hopping and bounding, then proceeds to pat Shiba’s head.

In response to this slightly overwhelming gesture, Shiba steps back, shaking her branches in slight discomfort.

【 ?? 】

A shadow tilting its head, seemingly lost in deep thought. Looking at Shiba, he appeared restless. Suddenly, he retrieved something from his embrace.

“Beep?”

A petite photograph, captured not with a phone but a traditional camera. Upon viewing the image it held, Shiba’s eyes couldn’t help but glisten.

“Papa?! Papa is so tiny!”

Incredibly, it was a snapshot of her father during his kindergarten years!

Excited, Shiba approached the shadow, her breath quick with anticipation.

【 ๑•‿•๑ 】

A lure was cast, and she took the bait. The shadow gently cradled the crawling Shiba.

“Give it to Shiba! Please!”

– It’s merely for viewing.

A playful voice echoed in her mind. It was like tasting the sweetness of honey intertwined with delicately unwound threads, savored at the tip of the tongue.

The sound was as soft as cotton candy, causing Shiba’s entire body to relax, and the sweetness was so overwhelming she could have collapsed on the spot.

“Beep, beep!”

Just for viewing? No way.

As Shiba’s tiny hand extended towards the photograph, the shadow jolted, cautioning her against it.

With a soft ‘thwack’-

The photograph found itself in Shiba’s grasp.

【 Beep!!! 】

─ No!!!!

A clear, ringing cry echoed in the child’s ears. Responding to that, Shiba’s hand froze.

‘?’

The voice was not her own; it originated from the shadow. The resonance in the words felt familiar, and yet elusive.

“Who is it?”

【 ……. 】

For a moment, words eluded the shadow, and he broke out in a cold sweat. Awkwardly, he scratched his cheek.

【 …♡ 】

Without uttering a word, he embraced Shiba, a gesture full of fondness. His hand gently patted Shiba’s back, a movement that seemed to hold remnants of longing.

In his embrace, Shiba experienced a peculiar sense of nostalgia.

It was slightly different from her mother’s… A sensation as if linked to something else.

There was no desire in her to break free.

─ Father.

“Papa? Why Papa?”

【 !! 】

─ Love.

What could it be? A message to be delivered?

As Shiba tilted her head in confusion, unable to comprehend his words, the shadow, seemingly frustrated, thumped his chest. To Shiba, the shadow seemed to overlap significantly with her own image.

─ And….

He mumbled something more. Shiba tightly gripped the shadow’s hand. The shadow startled, nearly crumbling into joy, but he held back, sending her a gentle whisper.

─ There are many dangers.

“Who? Me?”

He nodded.

The shadow, who had nodded briskly, caressed Shiba’s branches.

A subtle gesture of affection that made Shiba quiver like a puppy.

‘Shiba is protected by Papa?’

She blurted out what she thought was obvious. Upon hearing this, the shadow froze.

─…….

The shadow gently shook his head, and laid Shiba down.

Lee Si-heon’s childhood photographs were meticulously preserved within a first-class case, as if they were delicate relics not to be tarnished by touch.

─No.

‘?’

A consciousness receding into the distance.

─Please, do not harbor too much resentment.

Toward whom? Could it be his father once more?
Shiba extended her hand, eager to understand the answer. Her silhouette appeared to be riddled with lingering regrets, but as if it were time to depart, it concealed itself.

Could it be that they could only interact for brief moments?

Just a fleeting glimpse. As the noise faded, the visage of a girl momentarily emerged.

“Beep…!”

With her vibrant verdant tresses, she was the spitting image of Shiba.

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

Shiba’s dream was revealed to them.

At this juncture, the fact that Chastity attempted to make contact implies underlying intentions.

“Beep, beep!”

Shiba, burrowing into my embrace and radiating affection, presented her plump belly, and playfully wriggled against me.

“……”

She’s endearing.

Her cuteness was so overwhelming it caught me off guard.

“If you expose your belly like this, you’ll catch a cold~ And a girl who is so unrestrained is of no use.”
“Beep?”

As Shiba lay against my lower body, showering me with her charms, she froze in response to my words.

Seeing her apparent confusion, I immediately leaned over and blew a gust of wind onto Shiba’s stomach.

-Whooosshhh!!

“Beep! Ahh! Heeheehee!!! Stop it! Enough!”

Her laughter, unbounded and genuine, filled the room with an air of joy.

Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes as she giggled uncontrollably. Shiba, finally catching her breath, adjusted her clothing.

“So, what did the Shiba lookalike say?”

Alba remained silent, observing us intently.
I pulled Shiba into a tight hug and reclined on the bed.

Shiba clambered upon my torso, her arms tightly clasping my neck, her soft cheek affectionately rubbing against my chin.

“Bbaa, it’s scratchy!”

My beard had indeed grown a bit lately.
Having received some fatherly affection, Shiba finally revealed the remaining fragments of her dream.

“Uh… So, it was about love? One.”
“For Shiba?”
“I’m not sure.”

That shadow is your biological mother.
I couldn’t bring myself to utter those words.

‘Maybe it’s not Chastity.’

There are countless trees with light green foliage in this world.
However, considering the mention of love, the possibility of it being Chastity seemed high.

‘Should I avoid mentioning her mother?’

Regardless of what anyone says, Shiba’s mother is Dallae. Both Dallae and Shiba felt a familial bond with one another.

Sorry, Chastity…. No, why should I apologize?

“She doesn’t have the right to be called a mother, she’s even more of a wench than me.”

`The World Tree of Purity protests vehemently. If she were connected to me, she might have seen this text.`

And you, don’t you also lack the qualifications to be a father? If asked such a question, I would be left speechless… What am I to do?

“Father?”

Shiba regards me as her father. If Purity were to see this, her robes would burst. I shouldn’t have recklessly sent my seed.

“And, did you hear anything else?”
“Uh-huh… beep. That is… Ah!”

Suddenly, Shiba rises and plants a kiss on my cheek.

-Pop!

The charming, moist imprint of her lips left on my cheek was an unexpected bonus.

“Hee hee. Father, you shouldn’t hate me too much! Shiba loves Father~ forever and ever~!”
“……”

Please, don’t hate her. I stiffen my lips in a subtle enough manner that Shiba wouldn’t notice.

Shiba was laughing serenely, as if such a thing could never occur in this world, but my reaction was entirely different. If Purity were actually to see this, it wouldn’t be something easily brushed aside.

‘…Will I end up distancing myself from Shiba?’

Truthfully, a lot of things are gnawing at me. Even if we put Mary aside, there’s Camellia… To be frank, I didn’t treat her well. Camellia might be able to convince her directly, but the mere fact that her friend didn’t have a normal relationship with her father could shock Shiba.

‘Even if it’s not just about that.’

With the World Tree’s intervention, Shiba could be subjected to psychological interference at any time.

Alba is monitoring the situation for now, but those women are not without their own thoughts. I trust Alba’s abilities, but they’re not omnipotent.

Especially the system… The fundamental components of the world, including the status window I used, are beyond even Alba’s control.

If it’s a matter of justice manipulating part of it, it’s not impossible.

‘Should I prepare a countermeasure?’

Don’t hate her too much. Why did she specifically use the word ‘too’?

In any case, it seems inevitable that Shiba will end up hating me.

‘…What if I make it so there’s no reason for her to hate me?’

It’s not impossible. But I should interpret her intentions correctly. Purity doesn’t seem to have spent a lot of time with Shiba.

Her conveyed messages would have been limited, and depending on how they’re received, her intentions could be easily misconstrued.

‘Don’t hate her too much.’

No matter what, she’s going to end up hating me. For now, it seems like Purity is telling me that this is the best course of action.

Is my interpretation correct?

I glance over, and my eyes meet Alba’s. Perhaps she read a bit of my thoughts, Alba silently nods. Her expression, whether a trick of the light or not, seemed to hold a hint of sympathy.

“….Father? Are you feeling down?”
“Huh? Oh, no~”

Nevertheless, I should at least refrain from pulling a face.
After all, isn’t this in front of my daughter?

I held Shiba close, showering her with kisses.

– Smack, smack, smack!!

“Giggles! Hee-hee.”

Shiba, who was laughing delightfully, reciprocated my affectionate kisses twofold.

* * * * * * * * * * *

In a dimly lit laboratory.

Sephira, her head inclined at a right angle, sat at a table, peering meticulously into a flask.

“King of Trees!”

Her eyes, bright and shimmering. They were the eyes of Sephira, and they saw her world, yet there were places they could not reach.

“I can’t see the King of Trees.”

Despite having lived for countless eons, this was the first time that Sephira had felt such excitement. She had never before encountered anything that had piqued her interest to such an extent.

“Even the Earth! It’s not there.”

Transcendent beings that had once taken her breath away now vanished from Sephira’s sight in an instant.

A girl who simultaneously harnessed the power of an ancient elf, the transcendent World Tree, and the explosive potential of a king.

How could this possibly be?

“I wish to capture them both and dissect them. Sephi… it’s so thrilling!”

There is a wealth of knowledge to be gained in this world.

Sephira’s mind races. Whenever she employs her knowledge to obtain something, every intelligent life form in the universe should be on high alert.

A petite girl who had reached an awe-inspiring level of wisdom. Sephira.

With her knowledge, she could achieve anything.

The realization of a perfect state of law? An ideal dictatorship? Nothing. Modern theories and philosophies seemed archaic in the face of Sephira’s understanding.

A society controlled by corporations in the future, or an empire of faith ruled entirely by the World Tree.

– Sparkle.

No. Even beyond that, realization is possible. Sephira had the ability to resolve any dispute in the world and deliver flawless punishment.

She could resolve the side effects that arise from societal formation. The current system, corroding and on the brink of collapse, could be fully restored to its ideal state under her.

The embodiment of human justice? Nothing was beyond her reach.

Her consciousness had long since surpassed the point any life form could attain.

“Hee, hee-hee. Hee-hee!”

Yet, the reason she does not control this world is simple: It’s intriguing. The fascination of watching the imperfect, irrational, and creaky world, akin to rusty machinery, function in its own way.

– Thump.

She had long since accumulated the magical power of the King of Trees and comprehended its essence.

It was intricate and time-consuming.

It would have been beneficial to know the location of the king while she was drawing conclusions.

With a twinge of regret, Sephirot inflated her cheeks.

“Hmph. Tree King, then it’s of no use.”

Scouring through her pouch, Sephirot retrieved a tiny piece of fabric.

Illuminated by the artificial sun, a cerulean kitten was reflected, bearing faint streaks of moisture.

It was marked slightly with the detritus of trees. That very thing.

Not a moment too soon, the laboratory door swung open.

“Sephiiiirot!!!!!! You stole my underwear again!!”
“Heeek! Brancy… don’t pinch!”
“Eeeeek!”

– Squeeeze.

Like a mochi being stretched, a toddler’s chubby cheeks elongated.

Even the World Tree of Knowledge could not tolerate the theft of her undergarments.