Chapter 87 – Three Days of Happiness (7)

“Frostbite… The kids are sleeping right now.”

The sound of the voice wakes me up, and I toss and turn.

– Squelch.

The soft, peach-like texture can be felt through the thin fabric blanket. As I lift my eyelids, I see Zodiac laid across my stomach.

“Hmm?”

The unique rough yet pleasant texture of tights brushes against both of my cheeks. Ten slender fingers lightly grasp the back of my neck.

Is the pleasure from that day still lingering? Zodiac rubs her buttocks against my belly and whispers seductively into my ear, as if she could never escape from herself.

“Let’s do it.”
“The baby is sleeping. Shiba is here too. You must be tired as well, so let’s just sleep. I’m really tired, too… We even went to the zoo.”
“Ugh… I feel like I’m going crazy from the itchiness.”
“Where exactly are you itching?”
“The place where babies are born.”

A shockingly explicit remark that’s embarrassing to hear.

I pressed my fingers to my forehead.

“Don’t you want to eat a peach?”

Ah.

‘I’ve created a monster…’

It hasn’t even been a day, and it’s already come to this. Can I handle this beastly woman who has gone mad with lust in the future?

I grasped Zodiac’s shoulders with my hands. Her eyes, filled with anticipation, shimmered like waves.

“You don’t have anything to do today anyway.”

“Creating tasks is also part of the job. I have to meet my teacher as well…”

“Teacher… that person? You do have quite a few women around you, don’t you?”

A sentence that could give goosebumps to some listeners. Although not heavy, a subtle pressure is added to my body.

“Do you like having many women around you?”

– Press, press.

Zodiac, bearing her weight while seated, pressed her buttocks over my half-exposed skin.

“I only have one man, and that’s you.”

A subtle jab hidden beneath a sly expression.

The furrowed brows somehow appeared slightly angered. Zodiac quickly brought her hand to her mouth, placing her index and middle fingers inside.

“…A sinful statue.”

No matter when seen, her enticing tongue licked the tips of her nails before retreating back into her mouth. Transparent saliva stretched from her lower lip like a spider’s web, connecting to her withdrawn fingers. Zodiac then brought those damp fingers directly towards my lips.

Suddenly, her fingers halted right before my nose.

The drooping saliva fell onto my throat, flowing down to my collarbone. The tension between the man and woman stretched taut. Zodiac’s actions had long chased away any drowsiness.

“By the way, sister.”
“Why?”

Awakening, I shook my head vigorously.

“Even so, wasn’t it you who made the first move?”
“……”

Zodiac tightly closed her mouth in response to the logical rebuttal, her face showing she didn’t expect to hear such words. Honestly, I admit that my actions thus far have not been pleasant to others.

But that’s beside the point, and the fact that Zodiac attacked is a separate matter. Where is she trying to subtly sneak into my transgressions?

“Sister.”
“……”
“Are you being sneaky?”

I grasped Zodiac’s shoulders and flipped her over.
Zodiac, who was sitting on my stomach, was suddenly pinned down by me, gasping for air with her legs spread wide in a helpless position.

“Ah♡”
“Do you have anything to say to me?”
“How can I do what I want to…”

I let out a heavy sigh at her pleading voice.

“Sigh. Seriously.”

To be honest, grown men and women mixing their bodies is not an issue in my opinion.
It’s not like it’s an old-fashioned era. It’s quite unusual for things to go all the way after mixing bodies just once.

It’s merely the satisfaction of a single night’s pleasure.

Thinking about it that way, it feels somehow comforting.
From the start, one of the ways for me to become stronger was collecting encyclopedias.

“But I can’t today because Shiba is here.”
“……There’s magic, though.”

“What spell are you planning to use on them? I almost cursed at what you did last time.”
“Heh. Want to go to a motel?”
“No.”

Zodiac tightened her grip around my waist with both legs. My lust surged, but I managed to withstand it.

“…Then at least give me a kiss.”

If that’s all…

“Hmmph-“

Before I could make a decision, Zodiac pressed her lips against mine first.
An exchange of saliva that hadn’t happened previously. Her soft, widely parted lips enveloped mine. The small bumps on her tongue lightly licked my upper lip, and her two supple breasts pressed against my neck, as if suffocating me. Her arms had already tightly embraced the back of my head for some time.

“Uhm- Churup…”

I yielded to Zodiac’s fervent advances, allowing her access to my mouth. Her tongue, which had slipped past my lips, slithered like a snake, wrapping around my own. A refreshing yet sweet, dizzying scent of peaches filled the air. Zodiac’s tongue was soft and velvety.

“Slurp… Mmm… Hah, gulp. Smack…”

Moans of pleasure intermingled with each wet sound as their tongues tangled. Their heads turned and twisted repeatedly.

I never expected a simple kiss could be this intense,
and my mind grew dizzy, my thoughts interrupted midway.

A man and woman, intoxicated by each other’s scent.

But we were not beasts.
We didn’t crudely intertwine our bodies; we merely craved each other’s saliva.

We became captivated by each other’s allure as our tongues swept across the roofs of our mouths.
With each rough breath, our nasal passages filled with the other’s fragrance.

“Inhale… Exhale… Smack. Slurp.”

There was no thought of stopping.
We simply exchanged saliva, oblivious to the vulgar nature of our actions, lost in a trance.

Even our first kiss wasn’t like this.

Perhaps it’s because the scent of peach is so sweet. Or maybe, it’s simply too pleasurable to describe.
Isn’t that how physical relationships are meant to be?

“Statue…”

“……”
“Even if… but.”

Zodiac, with her mouth wide open and her tongue exposed defenselessly, spoke cautiously.

“Sister… don’t you want it?”

She couldn’t stand it.

“Motel… shall we go?”
“…♡”

Shortly after, in a nearby motel room, Zodiac’s moans echoed throughout the dawn.

* * * * *

Chirp, chirp, chirp!

The sound of birds chirping in the morning.

With a weary face, I left the room and sat in the kitchen, looking at White Peach, who had a slight frown between her brows.

“What are you doing there?”
“My back hurts.”

White Peach sat awkwardly at the kitchen table. Seeing her back hurt, the fact that she had engaged in such activities with Zodiac struck my mind again.

‘I really need to be careful.’

I remember last night’s Zodiac.

Yesterday morning… it felt as though I was nurturing a sex-crazed succubus, who clung to me insatiably all day long.

To be honest, I never intended to go that far. Yet there she was, her slender waist wrapped in tights, leaving her alluring body exposed by the clinging outfit. Just looking at her incited anger; how could one possibly resist with such an obscene demon?

As I wiped my face and heaved a deep sigh, White Peach let out an irritated voice.

“Why are you sighing and ruining the mood from the morning?”

My heart eased slightly, thanks to the routine but one-sided cursing.

Ah, this is White Peach, after all.

“…I feel a bit better after being scolded in the morning.”
“Ugh, I don’t even want to hear about that preference. The more I learn, the more disgusting aspects appear.”

Certainly, seeing White Peach in pain alleviated some of my guilt. Nevertheless, when I observed her choice of subtly irritating words, it was clear that White Peach remained my nemesis.

“It’s irony. Was there ever a moment when the so-called master didn’t consider me repulsive?”
“None. And what? Fake master?”
“Ever since the dungeon, I’ve come to regard Master Cheondo as my only true teacher.”
“Didn’t we risk our lives together?”
“You said you wanted to enjoy the honey water all by yourself.”
“Isn’t that just a figure of speech? Can’t you tell I said that to lighten the mood?!”

Upon hearing my rebuke, Baekdo pursed her lips.
Her pristine white ponytail drooped in an unusual manner, making her look genuinely upset and somewhat endearing.

“There’s no reward in looking after a disciple, is there?”
“Are you sulking?”
“Unlike you, I have a magnanimous nature.”
“Heh, what do you want to eat?”
“…Budae-jjigae.”
“I’ll prepare it for you right away.”

The breakfast in our daily routine, which I hadn’t experienced in a long while, was quite enjoyable.

* * * * * *

After eating breakfast early in the morning, I laid the drowsy-looking Shiba back on the bed and headed outside. It had been a long time since I aimlessly wandered, and I found the experience quite enjoyable and atmospheric.

I intended to organize my thoughts and revisit my conversation with Heaven, in hopes of refining my plans once more.

*Thud.*

At the mouth of the alley, I collided with a student who had suddenly appeared. Bowing my head, I apologized.

“I’m sorry.”
“Oh, no… It’s okay!”

The female student had wide eyes and waved her hands from side to side. Beside her, her friend’s face was a sight to behold. As I tilted my head, I suddenly realized I hadn’t worn a mask when I left.

‘Does it matter?’

Although wearing one had become more comfortable lately, I figured that it wouldn’t be an issue for just one day.

-Was there someone like that at our academy?
-I don’t know…

I ignored the voices behind me and continued to ponder.

The first matter concerned my return.

At first, my sole purpose was to return.
The incessant demands of the World Tree had left me exasperated.
Frankly, it would have been right to go back if I could. Heaven did not deny this either.
In any case, should I return, there would be no threat to my life. Heaven must have considered this.

Of course, that was not my true intention.
Over the course of a few months, this world had become somewhat bearable.
Naturally, the assistance of numerous individuals played a significant role in leading me to this realization.
The relationships with all the people who now crossed my mind were not ones I could easily cast aside.

‘In the first place, I don’t even know if it’s possible to return to my original world.’

The most plausible assumption was that if I collected all of the Arbor Books, which encompassed my abilities, I could return. However, I was uncertain if it was a feasible endeavor.
Considering that the World Tree was mentioned in the books, would I need to subdue a deity?
This ability grew more frightening by the day.

In any case, my return was put on hold. Truthfully, I had abandoned such thoughts.

The second issue involved the organizations targeting me.

The most troublesome ones were undoubtedly the World Tree of Resentment and Flower. Ever since I was no longer able to manipulate quests, it became practically essential to strengthen my powers, considering I never knew when they might come to kill me. Consequently, I could no longer afford to be selective about the means and methods.

‘If I must kill, then I will do so.’

I needed to obtain crucial information. My safety was of the utmost importance.

‘Currently, I stand no chance against the World Tree or Flower.’

Surviving the academy was the priority.

First, I followed Heaven’s advice and entered the Forest Keeper Selection tournament. I sought to draw attention from as many people as possible, amassing a network of contacts and allies.

I had to expand my influence to have a fighting chance against them. Judging by the fact that they had not targeted me yet, they seemed to be biding their time. Timing was critical.

Right now… this was the moment.

My jaw clenched.

Darkness enveloped my vision.

“Who goes there?”

Simultaneously, a familiar voice reached me from behind. It had a peculiar, yet pleasant quality to it.

The tension dissolved, and a smirk emerged on my face.

Lowering the hand that had been covering my face, I spoke.

“When did you get here?”

“You really think I wouldn’t know you were coming?”

Se-Young grinned, glancing at my face, and then began to playfully touch my cheeks as if she couldn’t believe her eyes.

“You changed your face again, you con artist. What kind of trick did you pull this time?”

“Well, about that…”

“But this one looks the most natural. It’s so bizarre. Hey, come over here.”

Se-Young, gripping the fabric of my clothes firmly, dragged me into a nearby alley and spread her arms wide.

“There’s no CCTV here.”

I embraced Se-Young, sensing that she wanted a hug. Perhaps due to her increased height, Se-Young, who used to be tall like a model, now felt slightly smaller.

“But why did you come all of a sudden? Aren’t you incredibly busy?”

“Why do you think I came to the area where Korean cadets hang out on weekends? Not too long ago, you were an ugly pig. I came to see if you’ve been well-trained and grown up.”
“…Let’s not talk about those days.”
“Why not? It’s cute and endearing.”

Se-Young giggled and brought her mouth close to my ear.

“Hey, you know what? There’s a cadet behind you right now.”
“What?”
“Stay still. If they find out you’re a cadet, I’ll be the only one in trouble. Let’s pretend we’re instructors dating. No one will notice with your good-looking body anyway.”

After observing the area behind me for a while, Se-Young soon whispered to me with the corners of her mouth forming a V-shape, as if she had confirmed that the cadet had passed by.

“Do you want to go on a picnic today?”
“Suddenly?”

Although I didn’t have anything to do and it sounded good, I couldn’t hide my surprise because the suggestion seemed so well-timed to my situation.

“Why so sudden? I heard from Heaven and came because I thought today was the day.”
“Does the master tell you that?”

“I only heard briefly that you arrived yesterday after training. But who will look after you, having gone through so much?”

Se-Young chuckled and patted my chest.

“Hey, let’s go. You did well in training, and I’ll take responsibility for your well-being!”

Se-Young took the lead.
Somehow, it seemed as if a light was radiating from that broad back.