Chapter 8 – Dormitory Guseul (1)

For the first time, I brought a woman into my room.

“Here’s the list you asked for. Is this enough? If you come here now and say you’re gutted because there’s no tree ring, you should know I’ll be really upset.”

She’s the kind of person who would seriously consider killing me.

“Teacher, please soften your gaze. Even if I want to give it to you, seeing that look in your eyes makes my willingness disappear.”
“Is that a suitable attitude towards a rapist?”
“It’s annoying that you keep saying that.”

We glared at each other with the modest desk between us.
The faint scent of cheap floral tea tickled my nose.

“Ah…”

Lee Se-Young, who stared at me with her disapproving face, let out a deep, resigned sigh.

“Fine. Let’s not bring up past stories from now on, either. After this deal is over, let’s pretend we’re meeting for the first time. Okay?”
“I don’t like that.”
“What?”
“We have a lot more things to do together in the future. We’ve been intimate, after all.”
“You’re insane.”

As she furrowed her brow, I rolled three wooden rings across the desk. Simultaneously, a smile blossomed on Se-Young’s face. Disliking her expression, I blurted out my inner thoughts.

“Materialistic bitch.”
“What’s up with you?”

Despite her cursing, she quickly stashed the three wooden rings inside her designer handbag.

“So, what exactly are you thinking?”
“Why do you ask?”
“Suddenly, you have me pulling out lists and doing odd tasks. Plus, what happened between us last time?”
“What do you mean? We had sex.”
“Don’t play dumb. I still remember what you did to me last time. Do you have any unique abilities?”

Abilities?
I do possess some, but I’m not sure why she’s curious about them.

“Yes, I have some.”
“I thought so. Something like magic nullification?”
“Why are you suddenly prying?”

I don’t have that kind of power. Come to think of it, she couldn’t cast any offensive spells against me during our first encounter.

Could it have something to do with the protection of the colored trees?

Se-Young’s spirited smile, which seemed to know everything there was to deny, caught my eye.

“I know everything, so just admit it. Then, I’ll forgive you for everything.”
“There is.”
“Really?”

As soon as she finished speaking, Se-Young handed over a business card from inside her suit.

“Then take this. Come to our company after you graduate from the academy.”
“Really?”
“Why are you making that face?”
“It’s strange for a rapist to act like this. Did you actually enjoy it back then? Well, you must have, there’s no one quite like me.”
“…Shut up.”

Indeed, the Orc family’s influence had recently been declining day by day.

Rumor had it that there was a corruption scandal.
That’s why they needed talented individuals to boost their reputation.

But isn’t it an unusual offer to extend to someone who had targeted you sexually?

“Yes, I’ll take it. I’ll consider it positively, but let me ask one thing in return.”
“What is it?”
“What do you really want?”

“Don’t act so young. I’m not giving you my business card because I want something. It’s just a formality.”

Suddenly, she made sense in an unfamiliar way. I couldn’t understand this woman’s thought process.

Se-Young and I shared a twisted fate. She attempted to take what was mine and, in the end, took my virginity, leaving us with a bizarre bond.

“Now that I’ve got what I need, I’ll go. And in the future, don’t pretend you know me.”
“Ah, yes.”
“And what’s that behind your back?”

Just before leaving, Se-Young’s curiosity was piqued, and she pointed to the flowerpot behind me, asking about it.

“Oh, this? A friend of mine left it to me. They wanted me to raise the plant.”
“Do you really need that many bags of fertilizer for one potted plant?”
“Is there a problem?”
“…Idiot. I’m leaving.”

Her words were harsh.
I hugged the flowerpot without seeing her off as she walked out the door. Thanks to the mineral water and fertilizer I’d used, tiny sprouts were already blooming in the pot.

The seeds had germinated.

Shiva, for short. From today on, this one’s birth name is Shiva-color.

“Shiva, you mustn’t grow up like your mother. There’s no need to heed the words of parents who entrust their children to you.”

Swish, swish.
As if having heard my words through the tender sprout-like ears, the two cotyledons swayed from side to side.
Is this… prenatal education?
A fluttering feeling in my heart brought a slight sense of healing.

* * * * *

An educational city where the talents of the future reside.
An academy boasting such a slogan is situated on an island near the Pacific Ocean.

Upon first seeing the academy’s grounds, my impression was that it resembled a blend of high school and university.

The differences lie in the co-ed dormitory and the notably spacious rooms.

“We’ve arrived. Tomorrow is the entrance ceremony, so have a good night.”

I took the morning flight and arrived in the evening.
The first impression of the dormitory was that it was more blue than I had imagined. As if the people here were obsessed with the World Tree, the walls were adorned with green wallpaper.

I unpacked my belongings, taking out a moderately sized potted plant and placing it on the bedside table.

The room itself was a two-room space. If there was a roommate, it wouldn’t be of World Tree class.

From now on, I would have to take care of my meals and accommodations here. For late-night snacks, there was a kitchen where I could buy ingredients from a nearby mart and prepare them myself. For breakfast and dinner, a salad bar was available on the first floor, operating at all times.

It was incredibly convenient that there was a Korean-only zone in the Education City, eliminating the need to struggle with foreign languages.

“Is this the right school?” I mused.

The name of the university I had been attending paled in comparison.

“And now I have an abundance of money.”

First-time students receive 100% tuition support, along with a monthly living allowance of 3 million won. If asked where this money came from… The only answer would be the World Tree Foundation, where money seemed to rot suspiciously. Had the World Tree of Justice insisted on sparing no expense for talent development?

No one dares to defy the word of a god.

“Shall I eat first, and then try my luck at spinning a wheel?”

I lay in bed and meditated absent-mindedly.
Thanks to exercising until just before the entrance ceremony, I am now on the verge of normalcy.
Now I’m on the brink of transforming from charm zero to one.

“Status window.”

============================
【 Name 】
Lee Si-heon (Candidate for Husband of the World Tree)

【 Age/height/weight 】
20 years old / 174 cm / 76.18 kg

【 Ability values 】
– Strength 4.8
– Endurance 3.2
– Agility 2.9
– Stamina 3.5
– Magic power 0.0

– Charm 0
– Intelligence 5
– Potential 20
– Luck 10

□ Unique characteristics (2)
[Arbor Lore (S)] [Combat-type Body (S)]
□ Owned Skills (0)
□ Traits (8)
[Latent Talent (EX)] [Divine Protection of Colors (S)] [Swordsman Aptitude (E)] [Magic Aptitude (D)] [Obesity (E)] [Lewd Demon (F)] [Dissuasive Leader (F)] [Repulsive Appearance (F)]
============================

Initially, my ability values, which had grown rapidly, began to approach the superhuman realm, and the growth started to slow down.

Still, compared to other cadets, it was an impressive growth.

Now, what’s crucial are charm and magic.

These two abilities are the hardest to raise.

I thought that if I did well in the drawing, I might acquire a trait related to magical power, but no matter how lucky I was, there was no guarantee that I would always get what I wanted. The combat-oriented physique I barely obtained was an ability I gained after attempting the draw around 60 times.

– *Growl*.

Worrying about the future made me suddenly hungry. I quickly got up, opened the plastic bottle on the table, watered the potted plant, and headed to the living room.

Should I go to the salad bar? I put on indoor slippers, donned a mask, and made my way to the first floor.

As I entered the hallway, the attention of the cadets was focused on me.

– What’s up with him?
– Not sure.

Their gaze was like they were staring at an attention-seeker.

However, the treatment and reactions I received while wearing a mask were far better than when I didn’t wear one. Since there’s an opening for my mouth, allowing me to eat, I plan to always wear a mask on days not requiring self-verification for exams. It’s not about being mysterious; if I take off the mask, I’ll be ridiculed doubly.

“Insert your student ID here, and remove it after use.”
“Understood.”

The salad bar offered a diverse range of dishes, from Western-style spaghetti to Korean cuisine.
Having finished eating alone, there was nothing left to do.

I retrieved the card I had inserted at the entrance and trudged toward my room, where I noticed a figure standing by the door.

“Is anyone there…?”

A petite woman, tilting her head as she clutched something in her arms.
Her red hoodie and shorts clung to her figure, recognizable even from afar.

“What brings you to my room?”
“Oh!”

As I approached and spoke to her, the woman greeted me with a bright smile and a nod.

“Hello! I’m the student next door. In celebration of moving into the dormitory, I brought some flower tea as a small gift.”

The woman, now closer, handed me a beautifully wrapped package. Her sparkling eyes, filled with anticipation, seemed to be seeking gratitude.

“Ah… thank you. I’d like to offer something in return, but I don’t have anything.”
“It’s alright. I gave it to you because I wanted to. Please, be my friend in return. What’s your name?”
“Oh, yes. Let’s be friends. My name is Lee Si-heon.”
“Your name is lovely. Hehehe, my name is Gu-seul.”

Gu-seul? That’s a unique name.
As I thought that, a figure appeared behind her.

The sensation was similar to when I first met Se-young.

The form of a tree stretching out long. The black shadow, which gradually emerged, extended the trunk and formed branches and leaves. Soon, the shape revealed itself.
The name of the tree automatically came to my mind.

【 Dogwood Tree 】

… What kind of tree is that?

As I momentarily lost my words, Gu-seul tilted her head.

“Ah, I’m sorry. I have a lot of random thoughts. What’s your surname?”
“I don’t know my surname. I’m just Gu-seul. Since we’re friends, we can speak informally now, right? Isn’t that so?”

Seeing his radiant smile, I could comprehend why he was called the puppy tree. His face resembled that of an innocent puppy, and above all, it was adorable and lovely. As I gazed at his face contentedly, Gu-seul closed the distance and inquired.

“But do you always wear a mask?”
“Yes.”
“Really? I’d like to see your face. Show me.”

I gently grasped Gu-seul’s outstretched hand and lowered it. In no time, she grew glum and pursed her lips.

“There are circumstances.”
“That’s a shame. Oh! Right. We need to feed Jjong.”
“Jjong?”
“Our companion plant. See you later then!”

The conversation concluded quite naturally. As I waved at Gu-seul who was entering the adjacent room, I waved back sheepishly.

I’ve thought about this for some time; arriving in this otherworldly realm, I’ve encountered a diverse array of human figures. Azalea and Gu-seul were alike in this aspect, and while I pondered if all woodcutters were like this, Se-Young proved otherwise.

By the way, what conditions must be met for the form of that tree to be visible?

Standing in the corridor, I briefly considered my options, but ultimately abandoned any attempt to reach a conclusion. I entered my room and prepared to retire for the night.

The day before the matriculation ceremony,
The first time I lay down on the bed, it was incomparably comfortable.