Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Nothing Happened
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Nothing had happened.
At the end of the dark hallway, I flung open the door leaking light, and there was a tree I'd seen somewhere before, relocated.
"It's a tree unknown to the world. We don't know the concept it governs or its authority."
"What do you know?"
"Nothin'?"
Star shrugged, raising both hands above her shoulders, and pointed to the tree emanating a bluish glow.
"That's why you gotta talk to it and find out. My wavelength doesn't match trees, so I can only sense emotions."
"I thought about it on the way here, but how am I supposed to talk to a tree? Don't blame me if it fails."
"Who knows?"
Star gazed at the tree.
The smooth trunk without a single rough patch of bark shook its branches lightly, as if it had emotions of its own.
"This one's thrilled to see you, don't you think?"
I could see that too.
Star slapped my shoulder with her palm, then waved energetically as she headed out the door.
"Good luck! I'm off to watch some drama."
"You're leaving?"
-Thud.
Star left without even answering.
I stood there stunned for a moment before sighing and approaching the tree cautiously, resting my head against its trunk.
It seemed like it wanted me to talk, but unless it was the World Tree of Purity, how was I supposed to chat with some random tree?
-Rustle rustle!
I looked up, and the branches were swaying. They were so flexible, like a puppy's tail.
What should I say?
I rubbed my chin in thought, and suddenly remembered the place where I'd fought Lee Seonghan before.
Cult crazies. I started with a question about that.
"What are you, keeping followers like that?"
I spoke in an exasperated tone, and in response, the tree swung its branches side to side.
It seemed like it was trying to say something, but we weren't communicating.
"Can't talk?"
-Rustle.
I tilted my head, and a branch extended toward me.
Was it telling me to grab it?
I reached out and grasped the branch, and a mature woman's voice echoed in my mind.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Can you hear me?] "...We can talk."
Never thought I'd live to chat with a crazy tree.
"Who are you? Some World Tree?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [I don't know. I've been there since I was born.] "That place... the basement? What the hell were you doing there?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Nothing. I was trapped in a pure white room, just breathing. Occasionally, people in robes would pluck my leaves, but that was it. Nothing happened.] "So you don't know anything?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Yes. But what's a World Tree?] "There are crazy bastards who threaten your life if you refuse them."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [They sound bad. But what's your name? You're the first person I can talk to.]
So normally, communication doesn't work?
After encountering so many absurd things, this barely fazed me anymore.
The surprising part was how surprisingly normal she seemed.
I'd assumed the god worshipped by a cult would be some psycho World Tree with mental issues.
I gave her my name with a slight smile.
"Lee Siheon."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Pretty name!]
Her branches rustled happily at meeting someone she could talk to.
It was kinda cute.
Might as well chat and pry some info out of her.
I clasped my hands behind my head and spoke in my most friendly tone.
"So, you were just used without knowing anything?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Used. Yeah, you could see it that way. Did you kill those guys?] "Yeah. They were scum. Why, you hate them?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Doesn't matter... Honestly, you're more on my mind right now.]
-Flinch.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [I sense a good aura from you. Warm, reliable...] Uh, was that my imagination?
A sticky emotion I couldn't place seeped from the woman's voice, making my face stiffen slightly.
Chills ran down my spine.
The tree's branches slowly reached for me. It didn't take long for them to bind my wrists.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Hey. Siheon.] "...What are you doing?"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [No. I just want to stay like this. And you look really hurt.]
-Hummm.
When I noticed, pure white mana enveloped my body.
A ticklish sense of fulfillment welled up. Closing my eyes and focusing, I felt my shattered mana circuits slowly mending.
This wasn't the weird simulation I'd imagined.
"...Sorry for misunderstanding."
I entrusted my body to the World Tree just like that.
Soon after, the tree spoke.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Siheon.] "Yeah."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [What happens to me?] "Dunno. That's not up to me."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [I see.]
The recovery speed of my mana circuits was impressively fast. At this rate, I could be discharged in three days.
Seemed like it had healing-related authority. That should be enough info for Star.
As I closed my eyes and basked in the warmth, the tree spoke again.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Siheon. But... what did you mean by misunderstanding?] "You don't need to know."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [I think I need to.] "Why?"
The World Tree hesitated before murmuring softly into my ear.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Because it doesn't seem like a misunderstanding-]
...Huh?
-Squeeze.
The branch gripping my wrist tightened. Roots I didn't know came from shot up from the soil below, climbing my body.
A finger-thick root slipped into my pants. It skillfully stroked my thigh.
Goosebumps erupted all over me.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ 【 'World Tree of Purity' is horrified! 】
"No, fuck. Fuck? Fuck! Hey!"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Hnnngh, haa. I've been curious since I first saw you, how our wavelengths match so well... This must be fate. You're my destined husband, right?] "Husband? You crazy bitch, let go!"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Your soft belly is cute too. Hehe.]
Fuck!!!!!
As I tried to scream in shock, a massive tree root shoved into my mouth.
"Mmph, mmf!"
I was wrong. Every World Tree in this world is pure evil except my daughter.
I missed Shiba, our girl. I hadn't even watered her yet. Visions of smiling Shiba danced before my eyes. Tears welled up, and I looked away.
The tree bitch binding me slowly shifted her main body and climbed on top of me.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Come on, mate with me. My lord.] "Who's your lord, you psycho bitch!!"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [You like cursing during sex, huh? Hehe. I'll take it all...]
This bitch won't listen no matter what I say.
Sticky sap oozed from a tight crevice in the middle of the trunk.
This was hell. Was this how Lee Seyoung felt?
I was sorry. If I'd known it felt like this, I should've let myself die instead of raping her. I could've apologized a thousand times.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Come on, get it up. My lord.]
In a last desperate struggle, I screamed.
"I-I'm married!"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Possible!] "You son of a bitch!!!!!"
Thread-like roots dove into my pants, cradling my junk.
A slender root stroked it up and down.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Is this handjob? How's it feel?]
No way getting a handjob from a tree felt good.
I glared at the tree with a venomous look, like something out of a thin porn comic.
-Hiss.
Uh.
-Throb!
Wh-what?!
---
⚔ STATUS ⚔ ⚡Trait :: Lust Demon (F) You become unable to hold back your sexual desire, and your virility surges dramatically. You feel interest and pleasure toward abnormal fetishes.
This is insane.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [You're feeling it too♡]
In panic, I desperately sang the national anthem in my head. All four verses. But the ingrained 'possible' energy deep within burst out through my body.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Now, putting it in.] "Don't put it in."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Hehe, getting it all big like this. You too. Wanna do pure love mating with me, squelch squelch?] "You weren't like this... ughhh!"
It widened the rigid crevice. The tree's insides were bizarrely soft, making me forget it was even a tree.
A sensation like my soul was being sucked out hit me, and I blacked out for a moment.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ 【 'World Tree of Purity' is sniffling! 】
-Flash!
I snapped my eyes open at the system's alarmed voice.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Ah, you took my first time. Sniff. It's my first time with something like this. Hnnngh, kkhup, uhnng♡]
And I thought to myself.
Ah. I fucked up. I've gone down the path of interspecies depravity.
A wave of self-loathing surged from deep within, and I closed my eyes with a sigh.
So this... is what it feels like to get raped?
The sinner receives evil in return. The tree that assaulted me moaned in ecstasy.
Heavy. The bark was soft enough not to chafe, but it creeped me out.
But at some point, the tree stopped moving.
[...!...?!...♥]
The tree convulsed silently, still holding me inside.
It thrashed in speechless pleasure.
Shiba. Daddy's sorry.
Even amid this, thoughts of my daughter tugged at my heart.
With the sole desire to escape, I bucked my hips.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Hic aa♡]
Whether passed out or not, the tree clung to me, moaning nonstop.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Hic, uh. Mmph. Ungh]
The more I thrust, the weaker her grip grew.
Twenty times? Thirty? The knot inside convulsed about that many.
Even then, my dick was going crazy at being buried in a hole.
I was furious. I missed Lee Seyoung and Cornelian Cherry.
Squelch. Squelch. Squelch. Squelch.
Forcing the pace higher, the tree whispered as her roots and trunk strained to hold me.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [When you cum... inside the knot.] "Fucking hell."
Muttering curses under my breath, I unleashed a creampie into the knot.
-Splurt splurt!
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Hnnngggguuuh!!!]
Slipping free, the tree's hold released. The tight knot gaped open.
I pulled back and leaned against the wall, covering my face with my hand.
"...Ah."
I'm losing it.
"Feels like my sanity's slipping."
Me, Lee Siheon, age 20.
I sold my body for ten million won.
-Creak.
"Hey! Siheon, you were getting along great with the sapling..."
Star entered, waving cheerfully, her bright smile slowly crumbling.
"...ni?"
The tree heaved roughly, spewing white fluid.
Clothes disheveled, face tear-streaked and buried in my arm, I said nothing.
The reality crash left me too numb for even a pitiful whine.
"Si-Sihun?"
"Yeah."
"What happened?"
"Nothing... happened."
Star silently approached and patted my shoulder.
Overwhelmed, I leaned my face into her embrace.
After discharge, on the way back, she stuffed my hands with several expensive elixirs.