D?ampness - Minor
D?ampness - Minor
Ellia slept with Lee Ha-yul wrapped tightly in her arms.
The others were the same way, even on ordinary nights.
Mostly, it was just because holding him made her happy. But there was another reason—stopping him from slipping away in the middle of the night.
'If I don't hold him like this, he doesn't sleep...'
Before they started living together, she'd found out about Lee Ha-yul's daily routine and had been utterly horrified.
Training, studying, barely any food, training, studying, barely any food...
Sure, it was early in his awakening period and he was still building his foundation, but it went past hardship into the realm of self-abuse.
A forced march made possible only because his overwhelming talent had meshed with the Blessing of Growth.
Sleep was almost nonexistent in his schedule.
He didn't want to sleep, said it was a waste of time, and even the brief, unavoidable sleep he did take was consumed by nightmares.
But if you held him in your arms and put him to sleep, he slept soundly.
A child who couldn't manage even one hour of sleep in four days would, once held, fall asleep and stay asleep for over twelve hours straight.
And since it also stopped him from sneaking away at night, there were plenty of reasons to hold him while he slept.
- Sqquueeeze...
"Mm..."
And you could tell right away when he started fussing from hunger.
"Baby, just a moment..."
A tiny hand clutched firmly at her chest. Breathing a little sigh, Ellia soothed Lee Ha-yul and parted the front of her clothes.
- Slip, slip...
It was sleepwear, but the front opened easily, thanks to a structure similar to nursing clothes.
The cool outside air slipped into the warm valley of her chest, and the rich scent of skin, trapped inside, spread softly outward.
"Here..."
Then she picked up the bottle lying beside her and pressed it to Lee Ha-yul's lips.
Lee Ha-yul's nose twitched in his sleep.
"Snff, snff..."
[Sweetish]
[Milk Smell]
[Num-Nums]
He sniffed, checking what it was in his own way.
Just as she was silently laughing, watching that adorable sight, Lee Ha-yul finished his identification and latched onto the bottle.
He took the bottle deep into his mouth.
As Ellia smiled tenderly and let out a soft breath, Lee Ha-yul began to suck.
"Ssuuup..."
The sight of him earnestly sucking on the bottle tickled her heart. Ellia cradled Lee Ha-yul's head preciously in her arms.
"Ssup, ssup, ssuup..."
There was so much milk that it filled his mouth in an instant. Only after swallowing two or three times did he suck on the bottle again.
Both of his arms wrapped tightly around Ellia's waist. Even his Winged Garment, which had been lying still, gently curled itself here and there around Ellia's body.
It looked like he was restraining her, as if she couldn't escape, but Ellia only drew Lee Ha-yul's head deeper into her embrace.
Ellia stroked Lee Ha-yul's hair as he never stopped sucking on the bottle.
"You shouldn't get an upset stomach... there's plenty, so drink slowly..."
[Okay]
[I Like It]
[Happy]
"Yes, you liked having your num-nums...? Good boy..."
With a quiet giggle, Ellia looked down at Lee Ha-yul. Deep affection and maternal love dripped thickly from her bright-yellow eyes.
"Our baby... is your num-nums that delicious...?"
[Yeah]
[Tasty]
[Sweet and Savory]
[Soft]
Normally, you can't communicate with a sleeping person, but with Lee Ha-yul, it was possible.
It was thanks to the Confession Necklace Ellia had put on him.
The conversation wasn't as colorful as when he was awake, but simple questions and answers were possible, like reflexive replies.
"...I'm glad it's tasty."
Ellia's eyes dimmed slightly as she heard the necklace's voice. The maternal love and affection were still there, but a subtle pity was mixed in.
Lee Ha-yul didn't take good care of himself when it came to meals.
When others ate, he'd pour his heart into serving them. But for himself, he'd just cram food down as if it were only about meeting his nutritional supply.
If others were watching, he'd be mindful and pretend to eat normally, but if you spent time with him, you could see he didn't enjoy his meals.
But he drank milk especially well.
He'd even say it was delicious, putting his whole soul into it.
It seemed Lee Ha-yul could only see the people he had kissed.
He could only speak to the people he had kissed.
And...
"...Yes, eat a lot."
Breathing out deeply, Ellia pressed a kiss to the top of Lee Ha-yul's head.
At the ticklish sensation—smooch—Lee Ha-yul wriggled his body.
[Good]
[Like]
"I love you too."
[Yeah]
[Love You]
Unlike when he was awake, his affection poured out without a filter. With a small laugh, Ellia adjusted her position.
She turned onto her side, rested Lee Ha-yul's head on her arm, and kept the bottle in his mouth.
When it was nearly finished, she removed the bottle and gave him another one.
At that, he sucked on the bottle quietly, as if he'd never once thought of being fussy.
She'd fed him plenty before he fell asleep too, but watching him drink again even while sleeping was rather amazing.
Doesn't he ever get sick of it? Even sticking to just one thing should make him tired of it...
'Ah, he does drink other milk too.'
In the end, it was all the same milk, but Lee Ha-yul had once bashfully mentioned that the taste was a little different.
"Heh, I'd better not end up fighting anyone later."
Her thoughts reaching that point, Ellia suddenly let out a laugh.
She'd never once put Lee Ha-yul to Lee Seo-yul's breast—Lee Seo-yul, who was trying so hard to act as his mother—yet he was latched onto his father. The sheer absurdity was funny.
Besides, hadn't Lee Seo-yul already passed Lee Ha-yul in height?
Looking at them from the side, "older sister and younger brother" came to mind before "father and daughter."
With the thought of children, her imagination suddenly reached into the future.
The children she would bear with Lee Ha-yul.
'I suppose I'll only know as time passes, but I'd like at least three...'
If that wish came true, she would be so happy.
But then, without realizing it, she pictured Lee Ha-yul fighting with their child over her chest.
It was a silly image, but surprisingly, it wasn't an impossible scenario.
"*Kik*... hup."
After chuckling silently to herself, Ellia hugged Lee Ha-yul, turned over, and lay flat on her back.
Lee Ha-yul was sprawled on top of her as if pinning her down. Though, with his petite build, saying he'd burrowed into her embrace was more accurate.
"Here..."
After briefly savoring the smallness filling her arms, Ellia soon removed the emptied bottle and pressed a fresh one to Lee Ha-yul's lips.
Lee Ha-yul hesitated for a moment, then took the new bottle into his mouth.
- Ssuup...
"Aang..."
A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. Ellia clasped Lee Ha-yul's hand tightly.
"There we go... drinking well..."
Giving a bottle to the sleeping Lee Ha-yul wasn't a one-time thing.
Looking at him like this, he just seemed like the most well-behaved baby in the world.
But that wasn't the whole picture.
'Professor Atra...'
Atra had kept her mouth firmly shut about that incident, but when Ellia subtly asked, she'd opened up, if only a little.
- I-in the world... d-don't make me say it back to you with words! Don't make me spit it out loud...!
- I'm jealous...
- ...Ehem!
The story she'd told, with her normally strict face turning tomato-red, had been rather shocking.
His relationship with Ellia was different.
That day, held in Ellia's embrace, Lee Ha-yul had been with her as if he were acting spoiled.
'Is there some kind of difference...?'
They had certainly been together in a way that was happier and more satisfying than anything else, but there did seem to be a difference.
Tilting her head, Ellia hugged Lee Ha-yul closer.
.
.
.
When morning came and I lifted my eyelids, I blinked.
I was full.
So full that even shifting a little made my stomach slosh.
"Ssup..."
I worked my mouth. I could feel the lingering sweetness even at the root of my tongue. I couldn't tell if I was swallowing saliva or milk.
I didn't feel flustered. I didn't even need to check last night's memories using the Authority of Knowledge.
"Baby, did you sleep well?"
"Yes..."
When I lifted my head from her chest, I sensed Ellia's bright smile. It felt warmer and more radiant than any morning sun.
The snowstorm was still raging outside, and there was no morning sunlight, but Ellia's smile was lovelier and brighter than the sun itself.
"Did you sleep well too, Ellia?"
"With Ha-yul in my arms, I slept wonderfully."
With a clear laugh, Ellia tucked my hair behind my ear. Receiving her touch, I focused on her face.
She seemed like she really had slept well. Her energy felt smooth and clear, and her presence shone with vivid brightness.
"Ha-yul, you remember the banquet tomorrow evening, right? You can't push yourself too hard training by yourself, okay?"
"Yep, I remember."
I had to do as Ellia said, even if she hadn't reminded me.
Because if an incident broke out, I'd have to respond immediately.
'It's a little tight, but Aerus's modification is almost done too...'
It was thanks to drawing up the estimate in advance and revising it every time I had a spare moment.
Thankfully, it seemed like I'd be able to finish the shield before the incident erupted.
"Yaaawn..."
Of course, I'd only be able to finish it if I worked hard today too.
Yawning with my mouth stretched wide, I wriggled out of Ellia's embrace.
At that, Ellia tilted her head and asked.
"Ha-yul."
"Yes...?"
"Aren't you hungry?"
I was full. That was only natural, since I'd drunk my fill before falling asleep and even while asleep.
Still lying on her side, Ellia subtly spread her arms. The front of her clothing had parted, and my awareness fell upon her exposed, ample chest.
And the sweet, savory body scent wafting softly from it...
...
- Grrrowl...
[Hunger]
[I'm Hungry]
My stomach growled on its own, sinking hollowly.
"Really not hungry?"
"...Now I'm hungry."
"Then shall we have a little something before we go out?"
"Yes..."
Ellia smiled gently and spread her arms wider. I crept slowly forward and buried my reddening face against her ample chest.