Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Se-young's Day (1)
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⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ ['Blessing of the Lewd Tree' activates, partially absorbing the abilities of the 'World Tree of Healing'.] [Your natural recovery rate has dramatically increased. You can now use the authority of the World Tree of Healing, 'Healing'.] As the saying goes, good things come to those who endure hardship. It seemed the Blessing of the Lewd Tree had a hidden ability to steal a tree's powers.
Seeing that eased my anger a little. Being jumped by a tree— it was still absurd just thinking about it now.
"H-Honestly, I still can't wrap my head around that tree doing that to you... Si-heon. To Se-young—"
"Keep it a secret, right?"
I let out a sigh. Byul's face turned ashen with anxiety.
I had no intention of blabbing about being raped, but I pretended to be pissed anyway.
"So stick around a bit."
"R-Really sorry. Should I do a full dogeza?"
Byul suddenly bowed her head, hands planted on the ground. She looked ready to lift her legs up for a proper apology.
I softened my expression and flashed a grin.
"Nah, no need. This is enough."
I said that while waving the elixir in my hand.
An elixir, healing ability... For just getting groped once, I'd gotten a lot out of it, so I decided to let this slide cleanly.
"Phew, glad you're not mad anymore~?"
"How could I stay mad at you, Byul? The tree's the bad one."
"Thank youuu!"
Byul beamed a bright smile and threw her arms around me in a hug.
Her huge breasts squished against my body. My filthy self seemed to melt away clean.
How many seconds passed like that?
A cold voice came from behind.
"What the hell are you two doing?"
"Eek!"
Byul shuddered at the voice, stiffly turning her head to look.
"...Se-young?"
"Don't 'Se-young' me. What are you doing to my kid?"
"Just hugging my cute comrade after fighting together— Ow! It hurts! Stop pinching my cheek, you crazy bitch!"
"Crazy bitch? You crazy bitch! And you, Lee Si-heon. If you're awake, shouldn't you at least text?"
Se-young, who had been yanking Byul's hair, glared at me. Byul wriggled in her arms, letting out pitiful groans.
After a brief scuffle, Se-young sighed and asked Byul.
"Hey, crazy star. You always been the type to cling to guys like that?"
"He's hot, so I hugged him. What's the big deal?"
"Hot?"
Se-young glanced at my mask for a second.
"Him?"
"Yeah."
Byul nodded, rubbing her flushed, swollen cheeks with both hands.
Se-young stuck out her tongue in genuine disbelief.
"Your taste is seriously unique. What about him is hot?"
"Huh? He is. Our Si-heon is hot."
"Our Si-heon? You wanna die? And honestly, he's a total bomb."
Se-young naturally mixed in some sex talk, tapping her pretty face as if to show me.
"Hot and pretty is this face."
"Cut the crap, teach."
"Shut up and agree."
"...Yeah, sure."
I'd thought during the rape that I should treat her nice for real, but seeing her face made me want to curse again.
And when the hell did Byul see my face? Probably while I was passed out with the mask off.
"Anyway, get in the car quick. I drove five hours for you, you punk."
"Yes, ma'am."
She'd come all the way to pick me up, so I didn't argue further.
"Bye~! We'll talk rewards and commendations over the phone later!"
"Got it."
Byul waved us off from the car window until she was out of sight, while Se-young eyed her like a cat and started the engine.
The luxury foreign car smoothly pulled out of the parking lot and hit the road.
-Bump, bump.
"Hey."
"Yeah?"
"You okay?"
I answered her curt, ticking question casually.
"Better than ever. Watched TV, used the laptop. Part of me wants to check in again."
"Hm, really? How about your mana circuits? Here, give me some water."
"Fit as a fiddle. Here."
I unscrewed the bottled water and handed it over. Se-young checked the road and took a sip. A droplet trailed from her lip and beaded on her collarbone.
She looked down at the drop, then shot me a sultry glance.
Is she asking me to wipe it? I stashed the bottle and reached for a tissue.
"Suck it."
An unexpected command popped out.
"...Cut the crap. You're driving."
"Heehee. Sleep if you're hurting. Teacher drives like a pro."
It was good news for my post-trauma stress, but sleeping while she drove felt rude. No such plans.
I leaned back comfortably and pulled three tickets from the bag Byul gave me.
▶ Hope to Get Closer (B) [Type: Consumable] -A coupon for the gift the target currently wants most. Tears instantly to use. The clear reward from this trial.
Thinking about all the chaos to save a friend, I wasn't sure if this was good or bad.
The gift they want most?
I glanced sideways at Lee Se-young. She'd been a huge help, so perfect for a gift.
Convinced, I tore the coupon with my hand.
-Rip, flash!
A pure white light poured from the bag, and soon something hefty filled my palm.
🎁 ITEM ACQUIRED 🎁 [Tree Lady 033 Ultra-Thin Condoms, 30-Pack] What the hell is this?
"...You animal."
I flinched.
Snapping my head around, Se-young spotted the pink box in my hand, her face paling as she glared daggers.
Pure contempt.
"Even now, that's what you're thinking?"
"...I-I want to explain."
"Save it! You sleazy bastard. Bet you'll drag me somewhere dark, stuff my mouth, and pound me like a dog."
That's what YOU wanted!
The words rose to my throat, but I swallowed them back down instead of spilling the truth.
I could picture her flustered face if she knew, but what could I do? She might blush beet red and slug me. Si-heon turns into Si-1-heon.
Sometimes a white lie is kinder.
I guiltily propped my chin and stared out the window in silence. Se-young, thrilled, kept prodding.
"Seriously. How would you survive without me?"
"I do fine without girls. Lived twenty years without."
"Suits you."
"..."
I sighed shortly.
Nothing to say. Reminded me of my old life or me a few weeks back.
"Hey. Why so down again? You got hurt and turned all meek. Used to snap back curses."
"Want me to curse?"
"...Nah? This is fine too."
She drawled, scratching her cheek with a finger.
Then, like she'd pondered it forever, she finally asked.
"So, what's your deal with Azalea?"
I made a properly surprised face.
"Why bring her up suddenly?"
"No biggie, but she was searching hard for you. Kept talking about you during visits. Asking when you'd come."
"Uh... No idea."
Had I done anything to win Azalea over?
Thinking it over, my actions were half-crazy.
Chocolate terrorism like a stalker, nerdy friend declaration. If I were Azalea, I'd have slapped that guy and lost all interest.
'Only scoring points was revenge on Lee Seong-han.'
Gratitude visit maybe?
Either way, Azalea saw me as a friend, or I'd be dead.
Better grab some fancy chocolates packed with feeling on the way.
"Not some special relation, right?"
"Friends is all I can say. But why pry so much? Jealous?"
"No, just... Don't mess with academy cadets. Do to them what you did to me, and dying wouldn't be weird."
I'd etched that in my mind long ago.
This wasn't my original personality. But that trait, Anger Management Disorder and Lewd Demon kicked in, making me snap at openings and eye women's bodies.
Like on the subway, impulse to grope the ass next to me.
Resisting that urge was torture. Just enduring honed my mental strength.
'Gotta fix this somehow.'
Late Bloomer's perks were great, but I'd ditch these traits someday.
-Bump.
The speed bump shook the car. Snapping from thought, I peered out the window.
Colorful neon signs. Se-young parked in an alley of karaoke bars, pubs, and shops.
"Need to buy something?"
"Who knows?"
"What do you mean, who knows."
Se-young pulled a black can from the trunk and leered at me.
Something felt off. After the tree, I was hyper-sensitive to women's gazes.
She flaunted the can's front.
Beer.
"Beer? Why suddenly."
-Pssht.
"...Why open it?"
-Gulp, gulp.
Clunk! Se-young set down the can with a bold grin.
"Can't drive anymore."
I thought she'd lost her mind.
She tugged her blouse to bare her bra strap, killed the engine, and sidled up with suggestive eyes.
Her hand brushed my thigh, reminding me of that tree.
But it felt good.
"Called me an animal earlier."
"I'm an animal too."
No retort. Se-young pressed her lips to mine.
Soft, flawless pale pink lips tangled with mine, teasing them open. Tongues met sloppily, swapping saliva.
"Slurp, smack... Mm."
I hugged her tight once and pulled back.
"Haah? Heh, ah."
Se-young's eyes glazed with craving as she wrapped my neck, lips to my throat.
Come to think, after losing that spar, we'd agreed on a night together.
We'd also promised a movie.
Time on my hands—might as well.
I unwrapped her firmly, unbuckled, and opened the door.
-Click.
"Do more."
Se-young pouted greedily and followed out.
Late-night movie. Perfect.
"Hey, let's go quick."
I let her tug my arm toward the motel but headed for the shops instead.
"...Where?"
"Hungry. Eat, watch a movie. Sound good?"
Guessing my intent, she glanced between motel and shops, then trotted over.
"Well... Got time."
Yeah, time aplenty.
But who knows when another World Tree whim sends me on a world-shocking stunt.
Want to savor this. Se-young had no flaws looks-wise anyway.
Holding her hand, I entered the theater, smiling at the counter clerk.
Movie: something decent-looking. No clue what's good without my old world's films.
"Couple seats."
"..."
Two-seater, obviously. Popcorn and cola too.
As she wanted, hand-in-hand to seats. She muttered beside me.
"Jerk. Said it last time too. Wanted a movie date that bad?"
"Yeah."
"..."
Saying it to play along.
No reply.
Turning, Se-young's face was apple-red.
"Y-You, you psycho."
"How long with that?"
"Ugh, seriously... On a date, at least ditch the mask?"
She reached venomously for my mask, trying offense.
"Guess so."
"Huh? For real? You... hate taking it off."
"Not really hate it. Circumstances demand it."
Used to hide ugly looks, now for mana efficiency bonus.
Huge gap masked vs unmasked. Had to for growth.
But date? Not necessary. I reached for the mask.
"T-Taking it off? Really?"
"Real deal. Not fake."
I removed it, bare-faced.
-Click.
Theater lights dimmed; ads started.
Her staring eyes were bigger, rounder than any I'd seen.
"...Gasp."
Se-young's breath caught.
The movie began.