18.5 The Taming of the Shrew
Finally, the rain had stopped, and we stepped outside after so long. The air was damp yet refreshingly cool, thick with the earthy scent of freshly fallen rain. I hated the rain itself, but oddly enough, this smell didn't bother me at all.
The air grew humid, and laundry took forever to dry. Of course, I'd bought a magic tool to remove moisture just for times like this... but those things weren't cheap. The dehumidifier was pricier than most because it was so versatile. Buying one might've gotten me an earful from Cheong-ah. Still, as the saying goes, it's easier to ask forgiveness than permission. After she saw it in action, she let me get one for each place without complaint. Watching laundry dry in an instant was a whole new world.
"Glad the rain stopped. I wasn't a fan."
"Oh? Dost thou dislike rainy days, Yeonja?"
"Yeah, a bit. Makes my body feel all clammy."
"Hmm, I see. Noted."
"Good, remember that. I hate rainy days."
We kept chatting with light smiles. This city was new to me, so I had no clue what was what... but places where people lived were all pretty similar, right? No big differences.
Behena had heard late that Dina and I were heading out for a stroll and offered a guide, but we turned it down on purpose. Didn't want to bother anyone just for a casual outing... and new places had their own charm when you explored blind. Sure, there might be dangers I didn't know about, but with Dina by my side, what was there to worry? Okay, she did let me get kidnapped once... but that was an unavoidable freak accident, even for her. I didn't hold it against her at all.
As we walked the damp streets, dodging puddles, Dina called out to me in a rare, hesitant fidget—her fingers twitching awkwardly.
"Y-Yeonja."
"Yeah? What's up, Dina?"
"Um... m-may I hold thy hand? N-Nothing else, just..."
Her eyes flicked to my hand. I chuckled at her mumbling question.
"What, scared I'll get kidnapped again?"
"Y-Yes... s-sort of. If thou wert taken again, this body would...!"
That incident had left more trauma than I thought. So unlike her usual bold, confident self, hesitating like that.
"Really? Don't trust me that much?"
I feigned disappointment, slumping a bit, and she panicked.
"N-No, not that! Forgive me, Yeonja. This body misspoke..."
"Kidding. C'mere, Dina. Let's hold hands."
"'Tis truly fine?"
"Of course. Why would I hate holding your hand?"
"Understood!"
I extended my hand slightly, and hers overlapped it with a joyful grin. Her cheeks flushed pink. Her head dipped shyly, eyes downcast, lips curving into a smile.
"Heehee..."
A tiny giggle escaped—barely a whisper, like she was trying to stifle it. But it rang clear in my ears. That's when it hit me.
...Ah, I'd misread her. She wasn't worried about me; she just wanted to hold my hand. I stifled a laugh at her cuteness and played dumb, keeping on walking. No need to call her out.
Hand in hand, we reached an area bustling with street vendors who'd come out now that the rain had cleared. Dina's gluttonous eyes sparkled at the sight—especially the food stalls.
She tugged my hand, pointing excitedly.
"Whoa... Yeonja, look! Over there!"
"Huh? Skewers, huh."
They all looked the same to me... but not to her, apparently. True to her love of grilled skewers, she sensed something special.
"Not just any skewers! The smell's different!"
"Yeah?"
I had no idea what made it special, but I followed her lead to the stall.
"Oh, Yeonja! Look! Such tasty-looking meat!"
"Whoa, Dina, slow down. You'll trip."
A plump, kindly auntie flipped skewers over the fire. She greeted us with a warm, friendly smile.
"Out for a lovely father-daughter stroll?"
I froze for a second. Fair enough—Dina looked like a kid, and at pushing thirty, by this world's standards, I could've been married with kids. Easy mistake. Explaining felt like a hassle, so I just smiled and nodded.
"Father-daughter... yeah, something like that."
"Your little girl's adorable. She'll break hearts when she grows up."
"Haha... thanks."
I pictured adult Dina and chuckled. She was a stunning beauty—not quite Cheong-ah or Bella's style, but she held her own.
"So, how many skewers?"
"Uh, Dina, what do you...?"
One skewer wouldn't satisfy her, so I glanced over to ask how many—but her face was twisted in a scowl. What happened?
"...Suddenly not hungry."
"Huh? Out of nowhere?"
"Aye. No skewers for this body. Let us go, Yeonja."
"...Uh, yeah. S-Sorry about that."
She looked genuinely pissed, yanking me away with a pout. I apologized meekly to the auntie and let her drag me off. She'd been thrilled about skewers moments ago—what gives? Bad meat? Nah, Dina devoured anything skewered, even scorpions that'd gag a modern Korean like me. She'd called them "novel" and delicious.
Not the meat, then. Why the sudden mood swing from her sparkling-eyed excitement?
We walked a bit before she mumbled, downcast.
"Yeonja... dost thou see this body as a child?"
"Huh? Where'd that come from?"
"Calling us father and daughter... too much."
Ah, that vendor's comment had gotten to her. But what could we do? Her eternal youth curse from the goddess's blessing left her looking like a kid forever. A grown man and a little girl holding hands? Most folks would assume parent-child or big age-gap siblings.
"That bug you that much?"
"Aye. This body wishes to be thy... l-lo..."
"Lo...?"
She stammered, then steeled herself, looking straight up at me.
"Lover. Like the shrew or the beast."
"Mm..."
"Dost thou... dislike this body...?"
"Never. Not at all."
I cut her off without hesitation. How could I dislike Dina? She'd made her feelings clear—hell, adult-form her had even kissed me first. And it wasn't guilt over adding another woman; Cheong-ah and Bella already knew, and I'd gone all the way with Regina too. No point playing the fool now. Better to make them happy as much as possible—show it with my whole body in bed.
So yeah, no qualms about accepting Dina. Just one issue.
"First off, Dina."
"Yes? What is it?"
"Let's buy you some clothes."
"...Huh?"
Dating her kid form felt off to me. I'm no pedo or lolicon.
"Yeonja, what manner of answer is that?"
"I mean... hold on."
"Hm?"
Hand in hers, I focused. Sought the blessing in her body and slowly drew it into mine.
Blessing Absorption
A pure energy flowed into me, filling my body with vigor. My height shrank a bit, and the hard-earned muscle softened. Felt like I was de-aging. Clothes got baggy—annoying.
Meanwhile, Dina started growing to match. Her knee-length dress hugged tighter with each inch, outlining her adult slim, curvaceous figure perfectly. Her breasts weren't huge like Cheong-ah's or Bella's, but plenty voluptuous; the skirt, once calf-length, now barely covered half her thighs.
Damn, her legs were gorgeous. I'd kill to see her in leggings or stockings. Blood rushed south at the thought. Classic me, thinking with my dick. But not now.
I grinned at her stunned gaze.
"There. Now, clothes shopping."