Debut
A modest plain, peach blossom petals drifting on the air.
At its heart stood a single peach tree, radiating a luminous glow.
The landscape unfolding beyond the subspace was so dreamlike, so breathtakingly beautiful, that a gasp of wonder rose unbidden.
"…The Heavenly Peach Tree."
"You have named it correctly. That is this humble one's True Name."
Recalling the many tales woven around such a tree, Jun quietly spoke its name — and Sprout slowly nodded, revealing her true identity.
"Jun, do you know what kind of tree Sprout is?"
"I know a few legends about trees that share the same name. Whether that tree and this one are the same species, though… I'm not sure."
The Heavenly Peach.
Some said that eating its fruit granted an extraordinarily long life. One monkey, the stories claimed, had eaten it and attained immortality itself.
There were countless other legends besides, and the vast majority of them concerned longevity and recovery.
"But didn't they say the Earth God couldn't find a Divine Tree, so he became the root of the world himself? Why are there legends about Divine Trees at all, then?"
"Hmm… Probably other gods from other worlds visited Earth and spread those stories just to mess with him. Father said the Earth God is always at the forefront of every trend, so plenty of gods go there to hang out — and plenty more are jealous of him."
The Korean Wave… or rather, the Earth Wave?
Whether some scrap of his identity as an Earthling still remained, Jun found himself oddly pleased.
"Anyway, so Sprout is a Divine Tree specialized in edible abilities."
"Do Divine Trees have different powers depending on their type?"
"Yep! The basic abilities are similar, but each one has something it's especially good at. The World Tree Father planted when he made this world excels at something called Filth Synthesis — converting unclean things into clean ones."
Fortuna said this with sparkling eyes fixed on Sprout, casually rubbing her belly with both hands. She was clearly angling for a peach.
This kid can literally live on mana alone. Why does she have such a bottomless appetite?
While Jun stared at Fortuna with an expression of pure disbelief, Sprout dipped her head in a gesture of apology.
"This humble one begs your pardon. Having invested every nutrient drawn from the 'fertilizer' that Elder Sister and Master so generously provided entirely into growth, this one has yet to bear fruit."
Fertilizer meaning Cerberus's corpse, right?
The bisected remains of Cerberus. The reason they hadn't sold both halves to the guild was that Sprout had requested one — and Fortuna had urged him to give it to her as fertilizer.
So that's why she grew fast enough to create an avatar this quickly. Fortuna was right that it would help her enormously.
Fortuna had explained it: demonic energy was mana laced with the divine power of another world. For a being like Sprout, who lived on divine power and mana as nutrients, Cerberus's corpse made superb fertilizer.
Whether it was because the creature had been directly summoned, or simply because Cerberus itself was a high-ranking boss monster guarding the deep levels of the Demon King's castle — the quantity and quality of demonic energy held within that corpse had been staggering. It must have been excellent fertilizer indeed.
"Please grant this humble one a little more time. She shall endeavor to bear fruit at the earliest possible opportunity."
"Ah — no, don't apologize, Sprout. I was just thinking I wanted dessert, and the conversation went that way, so I was only teasing."
"Yeah, don't worry about it, Sprout. More importantly — are you and the Heavenly Peach from Earth's legends the same species?"
"Yes, it would seem so. This humble one's fruit holds the power to grow the mind, energy, and body of whoever consumes it. Growth of the mind, energy, and body naturally brings extended lifespan, agelessness, and recovery. It is reasonable to conclude we are the same species."
"I see. Well, either way, I'm looking forward to the day you bear fruit, Sprout. Even if the effect is the same as the Potion of Growth, the difference in potency should be huge coming from a Divine Tree like you."
At Jun's words, Sprout puffed out her chest with pride and answered.
"Of course. In the Moorim world, no small number of people have become Immortals after eating the fruit produced by this humble one's sisters. Once this one begins to bear fruit, Master will no longer need to drink that filthy sludge."
No longer needing to drink the potions — that was welcome news indeed.
But Jun's attention snagged on something else entirely.
"Sprout. When you say they became Immortals… does that mean they became gods?"
"It does. Though they ascended without any proper achievements to their name, and thus hold the lowest rank among gods, they are gods nonetheless. Should Master consume this one's fruit steadily, he too shall be able to ascend to the Divine Throne. And unlike them, Master already possesses both this humble one and an entire world of his own — so even upon ascending, his rank would stand incomparably higher than theirs."
"I don't care whether the rank is high or low. For me, becoming a god itself is what matters most."
The reason Jun sought the Divine Throne was singular: so that he could impregnate Fortuna with his own seed.
And so, in this moment, he was overjoyed beyond measure.
The path to the Divine Throne — which had seemed so hopelessly distant — had just come into clear view.
"Sprout. Thank you. Truly, truly thank you… for coming to us."
Fortuna's eyes welled with tears as she threw her arms around Sprout.
She was not the only one glad to have found a clear path forward. No — she was far happier, far more grateful, than even he was.
She had tried not to dwell on it, but in a corner of her heart she had always condemned herself for failing in her duty as a wife, always silently apologizing to Jun.
And now, thanks to Sprout, she would be able to fulfill that duty. How could she not be joyful? How could she not be grateful?
"Sprout! Jun said he'd take you as a concubine! From now on, let's all live happily together — you, Jun, and big sister!"
I feel like that was supposed to be my line… Ah, whatever. I'll find a separate moment to tell her properly later.
Watching Fortuna beam with happiness, he found he didn't mind at all.
Jun chuckled and spread his arms wide, gathering both of his wives — still squealing and clinging to each other — into his embrace.
A sweet scent of milk and peaches seeped deep into his nose.
"Ah — rather than remaining here, would it not be better for us to enter Master's — no, my lord husband's — world together?"
"Huh? We can go in now too?"
"Indeed. Come, please step inside."
Sprout said this and waved her arm. The entrance to the subspace, which had been no larger than a person's torso, swelled to the size of a great gate.
Arm in arm with both women, Jun stepped through and asked,
"Sprout, how are you manipulating my subspace?"
"Perhaps because our souls are linked, this humble one can also control the space to a certain degree. Knowing it may be of great help to my lord husband fills this one with joy."
Sprout hung from his arm with a soft smile. Fortuna cried, "Ah! Me too!" and latched onto the other.
The warm, soft sensation flowing from both arms made Jun profoundly happy.
So this is why people go on about harems…
Come to think of it…
"For, do we even need to take more concubines now?"
Fortuna had urged him to take concubines because there was a high chance she herself could never become pregnant. But now that possibility had risen dramatically — there was no real need to keep pressing the point.
"The odds got better, sure, but it's not a guarantee. So let's just take a few more."
"This humble one agrees that would be wise. Consuming a single fruit of this one's will not immediately elevate one to the Divine Throne, and bearing fruit requires no small amount of time and power. Therefore…"
"Therefore?"
When Jun prompted her, Sprout — who had been trailing off in thoughtful silence — delivered a clear answer.
"Take no more than five concubines. Enough to complete a labyrinth party, if it please you. The byproducts obtained from the labyrinths will serve as excellent nutrients for this humble one to bear fruit. Explore the labyrinths with them, gather those byproducts, and once this one has borne fruit from them — my lord husband need only partake."
"…Somehow that makes me sound like a no-good freeloading husband who just swoops in at the end to snatch the fruit his wives worked so hard for."
"Don't feel so burdened about it∼. Every woman who shares her life with you — including me and Sprout — is going to live a happy life. That's for certain."
"You really think so? I'll count us lucky if we don't end up with catfights."
Being happy while sharing the man you love with others — was that really as easy as it sounded?
Fortuna and Sprout had to be special cases.
"If you get even more handsome than you are now, smell even better, and have even more stamina, I guarantee it'll work out. So from now on, when we do modifications, we do them my way. Got it?"
"My lord husband, this humble one also believes it would be best to follow Elder Sister's will. Please do as she says."
Jun was fairly certain that was a terrible idea, but under Fortuna's relentless persuasion and Sprout's enthusiastic agreement, he eventually nodded.
Why do I feel like I've just been bewitched by a pair of foxes? Is that just my imagination?
Even as Jun stewed in that uneasy feeling, the three of them kept walking.
Before long, they arrived before the peach tree standing at the center of the plain.
Running his hand over the tree — now a young sapling some five meters tall — Jun asked,
"Sprout, this tree is your true body, right?"
"It is. As a spirit, this humble one is merely an avatar. The true body is, and always shall be, this tree."
"Then… which one do I do the, uh, intimate stuff with? Don't tell me…"
Jun's voice trailed off as his gaze fell on a small knothole in the trunk.
If — and this was a very big if — he was supposed to put it in there… Jun honestly wasn't sure he could go through with it.
"Heh heh. Set your mind at ease. The marital act may be performed with this humble one — the avatar."
"Whew∼"
A sigh of pure relief escaped him of its own accord — the most heartfelt sigh he had ever breathed.
With that particular worry resolved, Jun turned his gaze from the peach tree and slowly surveyed the interior of the subspace.
Seen from the inside, the plain was not so small after all. Roughly the size of a soccer field, perhaps?
Beyond it, a black barrier sealed everything off, giving the distinct impression of standing inside a gigantic capsule.
He looked up. Naturally, the sky too was sealed by that same black membrane.
And yet the surroundings were as bright and warm as if a sun hung in the heavens — thanks to the peach blossom petals spinning in a gentle ring above the tree, casting their warm light.
"Jun! Jun! Look over there — a lake! There's a lake!"
Fortuna pointed to a small lake near the peach tree. Together they went over and peered in. The water was so clear and pure it looked drinkable as it was.
"During the last battle, a little of the lake water set aside against the fire demon remained, so this humble one used it to create a lake. Does it please you?"
"Yeah. A lot."
Fifteen years of training while gazing at a lake had left their mark — simply looking at the water filled him with a deep sense of calm and ease.
He'd been wondering where to train from now on. This would do perfectly.
"Ah, Sprout — the things I stored in the subspace?"
"They are over there."
Following her gesture, he saw all the items he had previously kept in the subspace arranged in a corner. They were neatly placed, but simply sitting on the bare ground made the whole arrangement look rather shabby.
"We'll need to get some storage cabinets."
"It would also be wise to procure furnishings identical to those in the studio apartment and place them here, so that one may lodge here without want of anything."
"Good thinking."
When exploring a labyrinth, lodging and meals were every bit as critical as combat — and the most dangerous time of all was during rest. If they could handle both inside this subspace, it would be an enormous advantage for labyrinth conquest.
"While we're at it, should we set up a vegetable garden and raise some animals too? Stock the lake with a few fish as well."
It felt like playing a real-life cultivation sim, and his heart started pounding.
Sprout and Fortuna both had faintly flushed cheeks — clearly their hearts were racing too.
"A splendid idea."
"I love it! But how are we going to get all that stuff?"
"We'll just ask Carol. She said to tell her if we needed anything. The only real question is how much money it'll cost…"
On second thought, even that wasn't much of a worry.
The guild had purchased half of Cerberus's corpse at such a generous price that their funds were, with only slight exaggeration, overflowing. In a labyrinth city with its notoriously high cost of living, they could probably still buy two or three fairly large mansions.
"Well then, since the subject came up — let's go see Carol right away."
"My lord husband, before that… would you not bestow names upon this humble one and upon your newly born world?"
Sprout looked up at him with an earnest expression.
The sight was so endearing that Jun grinned and gently stroked her hair.
"Ah, right, right. Look at me — I completely forgot to tell you."
"Huh? Jun, you already picked names? When? When did you decide?"
"The moment I first set foot in the subspace — no, in this world."
It had come to him in a flash then: the names he would give this place, and her.
"This place, filled with the scent of peaches — the ideal world I always pictured when I imagined a happy life. Its name is Dowonhyang."
"And the mother of this world, my second wife, pure and lovely as a peach blossom — her name is Dohwa."
"Well? Do you like them? Too little sense of style?"
"No. This humble one likes them… far, far too much."
Sprout — no, Dohwa — smiled with a pure, delicate grace that perfectly suited her new name.
Those beautiful peach-blossom lips curved in that smile were so lovely that Jun, almost without thinking, pressed his own to them.
A rich peach fragrance filled his mouth.