Chapter 264
Chapter 264
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 264
Chapter Title: Seduce the Tree (5)
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My chest ached.
-...Pervert.
To think she'd suddenly say something like that.
I'd gone in to ask about the trial, but what came out of Cornus's mouth was shocking.
Was I treating her too much like a kid?
I've already seen everything there is to see, so isn't this being too sensitive? That thought crossed my mind.
Getting hit with the facts left me feeling a bit miffed.
I'd forgotten Cornus was a full-grown adult woman.
Good thing we have the milking machine. She seemed embarrassed, but now I didn't have to do it by hand anymore.
-Creak.
I opened the door and entered my room.
In the living room, Bao—who I'd carelessly tossed onto the bed yesterday—was sitting on the sofa, brushing her teeth with a dazed look on her face.
Of course, she was completely naked.
Bao didn't seem to care at all if I saw her body.
"Hey, isn't that my toothbrush?"
She's brushing her teeth in my room.
And using my toothbrush, scrubbing every nook and cranny like she was determined not to get a single cavity.
At my irritated question, Bao finally pulled the toothbrush out of her mouth.
I watched quietly to see what she'd say. Instead, she smirked at me and shoved it back in.
"...Whatever, it's not a big deal, right?"
"What do you mean, not a big deal?"
"You can wipe your semen off with your own toothbrush. If it bugs you that much, let's throw down."
"......"
I had nothing to say to that.
Ever since what happened yesterday afternoon, we'd gotten strangely close.
Did she know or not that losing one more time would make her my slave?
I tore open a new toothbrush pack while glaring at Bao. The smile in her eyes as she looked at me was the grin of a victor.
"I finally figured it out yesterday."
Bao said as she started brushing.
"Figured what out?"
She snickered at my question.
As for what happened yesterday? Nothing but pounding away at her for hours.
Bao had lasted longer than usual, which caught my eye, but it wasn't worth dwelling on.
No matter how much her stamina improved, with my lewd arts, there was nothing to fear.
But Bao was confident.
"That I won't lose next time."
In fights or in sex.
I seriously wanted to learn where that confidence came from.
"Yeah, sure."
I replied indifferently. By then, Bao had sidled up next to me and spat foam into the sink.
We locked eyes in the mirror, and her reflected face was glaring at me.
Her eyes burned like she wanted to devour me.
"In the end, I'll be the one who wins."
"Bring it."
I didn't know her game, but we only had one match left.
Still, responding to provocation with provocation suited my temperament.
"If I lose, I'll be your slave."
I threw her own words back at her.
"Ha."
-Splash.
The foam washed down the drain.
*****
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Hmph, you're here?] Mary's voice was much friendlier than before. I smiled inwardly.
The effects were kicking in faster than expected.
Did the fertilizer and water suit her taste? Or did Lim Jong-hyun sour her mood? Whatever it was, it all aligned to bump her opinion of me up a notch.
But I couldn't get complacent.
I bowed humbly and put on my most friendly face.
"Did you sleep well last night?"
I'd ditched the mask long ago, hoping even a sliver of charm would work.
I came equipped with walking pheromones, water, and fertilizer.
Seeing the fertilizer, Mary's leaves started wagging like a puppy's tail.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Hey. Hmph. Hey. What do you care if I slept well or not?] "...I overstepped. Sorry."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [...Hmph. Do better from now on. Got it?] "Yes."
There are different ways to scold someone.
I got cussed out for a simple greeting, but her mood wasn't bad overall.
You can't let the other's insults get to you.
You have to peer into the depths of that tree's roots to see the truth.
Some trees curse while welcoming you. Tree supremacists love it when inferiors grovel like this, no matter what.
That curse was definitely a positive one.
"I brought fertilizer today too."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Spread it.] "Yes."
I circled her trunk, sprinkling the fertilizer around it.
As always, Mary absorbed it while emitting a pale green glow. Her leaves rustled like she'd sprouted pinwheels all over.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Mmm~] I sprinkled water now and then to make it easier to eat, and she went wild.
She let out nasal hums as her body quivered intensely. It shook so hard I worried she'd uproot herself.
This seemed like a good time to broach it.
I carefully opened my mouth.
"Um, Miss Tree."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [What?] "How about a massage?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [...What?] During the recent barrage of pulls, I'd snagged a pretty decent item beyond the milking machine, fertilizer, and water.
▶ Tree Massage Oil (C) [Type: Consumable] -Smooth liquid circulation! Firmer bark! -Want to become a beauty? Entrust a massage to your lover. ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [What's this nonsense about sesame seeds all of a sudden?] "Heh heh. I thought it might help you, Miss Tree, so I learned from an expert."
I let out a dopey laugh and scratched the back of my head. Then I subtly pulled out the oil made for trees.
It felt like crossing a line this time, but it was fine. I just needed to show her I had these skills.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [No way.] Her response came soon enough.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Are you insane? You think an inferior like you can touch me? Dream on.] It was just as I'd expected. If she'd allowed it easily, I'd have been disappointed.
That's what made her a true tree supremacist.
Your thoughts are transparent.
"The others all loved it."
I mumbled dejectedly. Mary's branch tips quivered like she was a bit flustered.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [......Anyway, no! Why do you keep talking back? Wanna get wrecked?] "Ah, sorry! I-I'll be going now, heh heh. Enjoy your meal."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Hey, I didn't say you could—] -Bang!
I put on my best hurt act.
I closed the door and leaned against it. Now Mary couldn't see me.
But our connection lingered a bit longer, so I could still hear her.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [...Damn it, for real.] Her tone sounded somewhat aggrieved.
I stepped away with a much lighter expression.
Repeating this a few more times would gradually build her fondness for me.
Then she'd either give me the trial or demand something from me.
Granting that would essentially complete the second trial.
Luckily, Mary was arrogant but not the sharpest tool in the shed.
...No, not lucky at all.
How great would it be to meet a fair and just tree from the start?
I brushed the dirt off my legs as I walked down the hall.
Not much longer now.
*****
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [This massage thing... Does it feel good?] Day 4.
After days of carefully testing the waters, Mary finally asked cautiously.
It was cause for quiet celebration.
For a tree to allow physical contact from an inferior like me was a huge step forward.
"I studied hard for you, Miss Tree. Even if my skills are lacking... I won't ruin your mood."
Confidence hidden within appropriate servility. No matter how much she looked down on me, I couldn't stay completely subservient.
In moments like this, I had to instill trust to make her think, 'Hmm? Maybe just once?'
Mary pondered while absorbing fertilizer.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Hmm, uuuummm....] She shook her branches like a human stroking their chin in thought.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Just once... maybe?] The moment that hesitant reply slipped out, I didn't hesitate.
I quickly slathered oil from my pocket onto my hands and moved behind her.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Hey, hey! I haven't said yes yet.] "Just try it once."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Y-You... insolent inferior.] Massaging isn't hard.
I swept my hand up her bark, feeling the smooth outer layer.
Trees raised under the World Tree Foundation all had soft bark like this.
No risk of scraping human skin against it.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [You really learned this?] "Yep."
I had learned from experts.
I'd eyeballed techniques from YouTubers who'd been massaging trees for decades.
My potential wasn't just in swordsmanship; it shone here too. No way I'd massage her just to get verbally abused.
"Here we go."
I gently stroked a split branch with my oiled hand.
The soft twig glistened with oil.
A light pressure. Not too hard.
I extended my fingers to rub the leaf edges delicately.
The moment my hand touched the leaves, Mary shuddered like she'd been startled.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Y-Your hands keep wandering to naughty spots?] "What? Naughty how?"
Come to think of it, there was a leaf fondling technique.
I recalled learning it while cramming knowledge from the Sun.
To me, she was just a tree.
A slightly dynamic one, at that.
Without much thought, I pressed the leaf veins.
"It's a massage."
I parted the leaves slightly and applied pressure to the veins.
It was straight from the experts—no lewd intent whatsoever.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Ugh. No funny business, got it? Touch anything weird and you're dead.] On a human body, it was like stimulating the lymph nodes above the sideboob.
Sweeping from the inner arm to the lymph nodes with oiled hands.
Her "naughty" reaction wasn't off-base.
'Eyeballed it, but...'
This works great.
I asked Mary, who was gritting her teeth—er, bark—in response.
"Miss Tree."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Ugh, what.] "How is it?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [I don't know, you punk!] "Relax your body a bit more."
-Smack.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Eep!] I smacked the top of a branch with some force in my palm, and it sounded just like slapping human flesh.
The more she relaxed, the more human-like the texture felt.
Is this really a tree?
She could even move her branches like her own limbs. Her structure must be fundamentally different from normal trees.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Hey.] Soon, Mary called to me.
"Yes?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Why don't you call me by my name? Am I a joke to you?] She'd completely forgotten barking at me not to use her name when we first met.
I smiled awkwardly and replied.
"You told me not to last time."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Call me by name when it feels right. Do I have to spell that out? That's why you're inferiors!] "Ah, then... Mary?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Yeah. But your hands keep going to weird places?] What's weird now?
I checked my position. My fingernail was brushing the edge of her underwear.
Never mind the insane ideology of dressing knots in pink panties—these tree perverts. Since it wasn't a person, I had no real sense for these spots.
Good thing the taut fabric hid the knot inside.
"Sorry."
I apologized and moved my hand elsewhere.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Well... you're not terrible at it.] Overall satisfaction, it seemed. She leisurely shook her leaves.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Add this to the schedule from now on.] "Yes, ma'am."
Full servant treatment now.
I smirked inwardly, but it was all according to plan.
I had to teach this naive girl that no favors come free.