Our Child Has Changed
"Nang...?"
No, this dumb spider hasn't even clearly said if it likes it or not, and the mood's just so-so, so why the hell did it pop out like that...?
I'd made a point of emphasizing that Daphne had no aversion to spiders, insects, bugs, or the like. But my kid isn't like me, its dad, or an elf like its mom—it's a spider. You still need to set a bit of atmosphere and smooth things over. As it suddenly leaped out without warning, right as it was about to reunite with its mother, I swallowed hard.
Whew... let's just roll with it for now. Family education can come later...
Ever since it was born, it'd gotten smacked around by its foster mom Park Jisu and occasionally scolded by me, so I'd rationalized that its head was a bit messed up from that. With Nangkangi suddenly appearing above my head and drawing Daphne's gaze, I opened my mouth.
"Uh... this little guy's, y'know, the one born from that spirit stone you laid..."
"Nang!"
No sooner had I finished than Nangkangi, true to its jumping spider form, hopped down from my head and skittered across the table toward Daphne.
Something like a long-lost parent-child reunion flashed in my mind, making the bridge of my nose tingle, but at the same time, seeing a spider-shaped critter crawling on the dining table made me seriously worry about the house's hygiene.
Honestly, even if Nangkangi had spatial abilities and insane growth potential, its appearance was just... like that. I'd sighed so many times in secret.
Fuck, every pet in subculture protag stories is either cute as hell or super sexy... If it weren't a jumping spider but a tarantula, I wouldn't have stood for it. Sigh...
Nangkangi's past crimes—like yanking my hair—and its tone-deaf timing had built up my frustrations, and they bubbled over in a grumble. But its little leg-wiggling, twitching as it ignored me, was kinda cute, so I turned to Daphne, who was tilting her head in confusion, and spoke.
"You know how elves supposedly can't get pregnant, right? But for some reason—maybe fallout from that, I dunno—one day it just hatched like this... You got any idea what it might be?"
Daphne, her lips pursed at my earnest eyes and sincere tone, cautiously reached out toward Nangkangi.
"Wh-what's... its name...?"
"Oh! Since it was born when I was alone, I named it... Nangkangi."
"Nangkangi?"
"Yeah, named it after this super tangy fruit from back home."
"Nang!!!"
Normally, this coward wouldn't dream of defying anyone but me, but now with its actual mom Daphne here, it was pushing the limits of arrogance. It spider-webbed around like it was showing off, chirping that I wasn't talking nonsense. My gaze toward it sharpened.
"Nangkangi... It sounds kinda simple, but it doesn't feel like a lie."
"Right? There really is a fruit called nangkangi. Sweet and sour—delicious. Heh."
Since I wasn't the type to name my kid after its chirps if I didn't trust it, Daphne nodded at my honest words and continued.
"Hmm... I don't dislike Nangkangi or anything, but... it's just so unfamiliar. A sp... spirit? I'm kinda puzzled..."
As she spoke, she lifted Nangkangi onto her hand and gently stroked it. From her tone and demeanor, it wasn't aversion-fueled doubt—it felt more like honest worry mixing everything from its origins, species, and habits, all unknown. The classic mom fretting if her child had any flaws.
Maternal instinct swelling in those breasts wasn't for nothing, huh.
"Calling it a spirit piques my curiosity. Do space-type spirits even exist?"
"Pardon...?"
"Nangkangi, show off a bit for your mom."
Back in the elf village, Daphne had answered all my questions about this world through one-on-one lessons from the elders she mentioned, so with some expectation, I commanded Nangkangi. More excited to show off to its mom than following orders, it raised its front legs to open a gate—front paw to back paw, its latest trick.
Shrrk.
And so began the sudden talent show. Each time Nangkangi on Daphne's hand flicked its front legs, warping space with its footwork, her neat brows furrowed slightly.
"Th-this is a space-type ability... isn't it, Berg?"
Having summoned and reverse-summoned Undine across dimensions countless times, Daphne seemed more knowledgeable about space than most. She instantly grasped Nangkangi's power and shot me a questioning look.
"Yeah, that ability, and you saw it pop out earlier too? It can hide in another space like a spirit normally..."
"Hmm... I've never heard of a spirit like Nangkangi... Maybe one from ancient times? I'm not really sure..."
Daphne looked dejected as she spoke. Not having witnessed the hatching from the spirit stone herself, and unclear on her child's birth, she seemed to be losing motherly confidence. Her slumped shoulders—and the drooping milk dispensers—were heartbreaking.
My dick's drooping too...
For a moment, I chuckled inwardly at the shared slump of this couple. But seeing Daphne downcast, and Nangkangi fidgeting, mistaking it for its fault, I scratched my head.
"... Uh... How about summoning Undine?"
"Pardon?"
Daphne cutely tilted her head, eyes wide like what's that out of nowhere? I almost burst out laughing but held it in given the situation and pressed on.
"Y'know... Nangkangi's birth was a bit... weird, right? There was a wand and stuff, but Undine played the biggest role in the end."
"Ah!"
"Plus, even if you're an elf, wouldn't a real spirit like Undine know more about spirits?"
Recalling that moment, her porcelain skin flushed red as she bashfully squirmed. I'd skirted around the NSFW details in front of the kid, but glancing at Nangkangi, she pondered, then nodded firmly.
"Got it. Spirits know spirits best, like you said, Berg."
"Yeah. For Nangkangi's sake, we gotta try everything."
"Yes!"
The picture-perfect sweet couple smiled warmly, but Nangkangi—knowing my con-artist nature—furrowed its jumping spider face and glared at me. How it communicated bug-to-human emotions so well was beyond me.
But... maybe the mana link? No aversion there... Sigh...
Shaking my head alone at the inexplicable, Daphne gathered the glasses on the table, filled them with water, and began channeling mana. Ever since that semen-spirit Undine incident, she'd developed this habit—left a bitter taste.
"Undine."
As the summoning words left her lips amid my stray thoughts, clear mana like azure mist rose from Daphne, infusing the glasses. The water droplets converged, forming the genuine water fairy—now child-sized upper body.
Unlike her tiny past self, as Daphne grew, her contracted spirit Undine had too. Its size incomparable, features sharply human-like, clothes properly formed—it was stunning.
Whoa... been a while. Pointy ears 'cause Daphne's an elf, so it mimics her...?
When it was a speck, I'd thought it'd make a cute house fairy or figurine display, perfect for doll play. But now, distinctly alive-sized, my greed for spirits grew stronger.
And it looks just like Daphne—hot as hell... Water spirit, no cleaning needed, perfect portable onahole.
Undine shuddered violently, tilting its head at my drooling gaze.