Chapter 4
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: Become My Husband
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"The World Tree is just a big tree..."
"So, Choi Si-hoon."
Her almond-colored eyes wavered oddly.
Soon enough, her mouth opened.
"Become my 'husband'."
"...Pardon?"
I doubted my ears.
Husband?
Did I hear that wrong?
I checked her expression.
...She's dead serious?
"Didn't hear me?"
She gripped the hem of my shirt tighter.
"I said become my husband."
"Um... Professor."
"Don't interrupt."
"No, that's not it. Does 'husband' mean what I think it does, like 'spouse'? Or is it something else? Like a slave or... no, or maybe like a grad student!"
A perfectly reasonable suspicion.
Professors don't usually tell students to become their husband.
"Become my grad student" would be the more realistic nightmare.
Elma shook her head.
"You think a slave or some grad student could dare lay eyes on Elma Bronzebeer's shame?"
"No, of course not."
"Right. That defenseless, pathetic, humiliating, embarrassing..."
She ground her teeth in frustration as she trailed off.
She was still fuming about it.
What a grudge-holder.
"...The only man who saw my wretched self."
Her voice grew moist.
Even her eyes were getting misty.
"Should be my lifelong partner. My husband, and no one else."
Her way of resolving cognitive dissonance was way too extreme.
"So, you're asking me to marry you?"
"That's right."
Elma crawled up onto my lap.
Her knees pressed into the insides of my thighs.
"P-Professor...?"
"Convinced now?"
A small hand pressed against my chest.
Petite build, but her presence was intense.
Especially.
The weight of her firm breasts squishing against my solar plexus.
"If you refuse."
[Whooshing flame sound]
A chilling sound.
A crimson blaze erupted from Elma's fingertips.
"I'll have to force your mouth shut right here."
"......"
"Dead men tell no tales. Got it?"
I'm dead.
Actually dead.
I nodded frantically.
"O-Okay! Husband! No, my husband! Whatever, I'll do it!"
"Good."
Elma withdrew the flames with satisfaction.
She pulled a sheet of parchment from her bosom.
Where'd that come from? Magic pouch?
...I later learned it was her cleavage.
She kept all sorts of stuff stuffed in there.
'Contract.'
Before I could even skim it, a pen was shoved into my hand.
"Sign it. Human."
"Th-The World Tree is just a big tree..."
"Not that, idiot. You've been online too much."
"Still, I should at least read it..."
"You'll change your mind if you do."
"Pardon?"
"Just sign already. I'm getting dizzy."
Elma wiggled her hips impatiently.
Her plump rear rubbed against my thigh.
She casually floated a fireball above my hand.
[Whooshing flame sound]
To survive, I grabbed the pen.
[Autopsy Results]
Cause of Death: Well Done.
I don't want that.
Scribble scribble.
Signature done.
[Whoosh!]
The parchment burst into flames and vanished.
My left ring finger grew hot.
Looking down, a faint tattoo-like mark encircled it.
Like a ring.
"What's this?"
"Proof of the marriage oath."
Elma held up her own left hand.
The same tattoo encircled her tiny ring finger.
"A dwarf's marriage oath is etched into the soul. This makes you and me bound by fate. If I die, you die. If you die... well, I won't."
"What? That's unfair...!"
"Quiet, husband."
Elma snorted and rested her head on my chest.
Then she took a deep breath.
"Haa..."
Her tension easing, perhaps.
Strength drained from her body.
Her small frame snuggled right into my arms.
"Now I can finally relax."
Elma murmured.
A sweet, roasted nut scent wafted from the top of her head.
"Now we're married. So it's fine to share secrets."
Self-hypnosis.
Or reality denial.
But her expression looked much more at ease.
Her shame sealed away under the excuse of "shown to my husband."
I'd suddenly become a married man.
This tiny creature on my lap.
The school's worst personality case and genius professor.
And now, a dwarf claiming to be my "wife."
"So, shall we sort out how you'll address me first?"
Elma looked up at me.
Her chin nearly touched my solar plexus.
"Obviously, call me 'Professor' outside. I don't want those dumb undergrads looking down on me."
"Got it."
I nodded.
Dumb undergrads, huh.
I'm an undergrad too, you know?
Harsh words.
...Couldn't say it.
"And when we're alone."
Elma cleared her throat.
Her gaze turned oddly sticky.
"......"
"Call me Elma."
Calling the professor by her first name just like that?
I swallowed dryly.
"E-Elma... nim?"
"No."
"Elma... ssi?"
"What's with the ssi? Makes it feel distant. Obviously just 'Elma'. Plain name."
She furrowed her brow.
She patted my chest in exasperation.
"And use casual speech, husband. We're married now."
"Pardon? Ah, that's a bit..."
"Why? Because I'm older?"
"That's part of it, but no, you're the professor. I'm just a student..."
Husband this, husband that.
Casual speech to the professor? The department head at that?
That felt wrong.
I'm Korean, after all.
Strict about this stuff.
"Hmph."
Elma pouted.
She looked disappointed.
"Fine, if you insist."
"Thank you."
"But."
She grabbed my collar and yanked down... but her own body just bounced up instead.
Her freckled face drew close.
She really was cute.
"You'll have to work on it? Get used to casual speech gradually?"
"Yes. I'll... try."
"Good. Then shall we start our first married couple activity?"
Married couple activity?
The nuance was highly suspicious.
First night? Right here?
I glanced at my smartwatch.
Still broad daylight.
"I-I'm not mentally prepared yet..."
"Sit properly."
"Pardon?"
"Sit up straight."
"Ah, yes."
I leaned back deep into the sofa in a daze.
Then the little one—no, the professor—turned around on my lap.
"Hop."
Cute little sound effect.
Elma wiggled her hips to settle in.
Her heavy, firm flesh ground against my thigh.
Small.
Too small.
Her sitting height didn't even reach my solar plexus.
Her legs dangled from below my knees.
But surprisingly voluminous.
Dwarf-specific dense muscle mass, plus fat.
Her hips so lush "easy birthing hips" didn't do justice.
"P-Professor... no, Elma."
"What."
"You're... heavier than you look."
"What did you say?!"
Elma whipped her head around and glared.
"Talking about a lady's weight? Wanna die?"
"No, I mean, that's not it... I like it. The pressing feeling..."
"Hmph! Of course! You said it yourself earlier! Dense is good!"
"Y-Yeah?"
She reminded me of my own words just as I was forgetting the bit.
Thanks.
"Dwarves are the children of the earth. Rock-hard and hefty is our virtue! Totally different roots from those bony elf bitches!"
She ranted but seemed weirdly proud.
And leaned even more weight onto me.
"Here, hold this."
Elma gestured in the air, and the tablet PC on the table flew over.
She handed it to me.
"Why this...?"
"Hold it."
".......?"
"Be my stand."
Suddenly, human tablet stand.
Elma leaned her back fully against my chest.
Her head bobbed as she got comfy.
A savory scent tickled my nose.
"Raise your arm higher. Can't see right."
"Y-Yes."
I lifted the tablet to her eye level.
A video platform was on screen.
Her eyes scanned the list seriously.
"Couldn't you just hold it yourself?"
"Can't you see my arms?"
Elma waved her short arms in front of her face.
"Holding something this heavy hurts. What good's a husband if not for using your strength?"
"......"
Her tiny index finger pointed into the air.
"Down."
"Yes."
I swiped the screen as ordered.
My purpose expanded.
Remote control.
"Pause. Back up."
"......"
"Right. No, the one next to it."
Each time my finger touched the screen, her body trapped against my arm brushed me.
Soft.
Firm.
"Ah, wait. Tap that."
Elma smacked my forearm.
The thumbnail: 'Newlyweds Bedroom Interior BEST 10'
"...Why are you watching this?"
"Trousseau prep."
"Pardon?"
"My bed's too small and hard. Gotta swap for a bigger, softer one to share with my husband."
Already planning to sleep together.
"..."
Elma beamed like a giddy bride.
Her eyes sparkled at the king-size beds on screen.
"Rolling around together in one of those would feel amazing, right?"
She tilted her head back to look up at me.
Her upside-down eyes smiled in crescent moons.
"......"
I couldn't bring myself to say no.
The problem was elsewhere.
Elma, engrossed in shopping, kept wiggling her hips.
And unfortunately.
Her butt crack was right up against mine.
The dull pressure grinding down.
Her breasts squished against my arm holding the tablet.
The sweet bodily scent drifting to my nose.
Weird if there was no reaction.
"...Hm?"
Did she notice?
Elma's movements stopped abruptly.
She slyly shifted her hips back.
Squish.
The weight pressing deliberately there.
Heavy.
"Hmmm..."
Elma let out a strange hum.
I thought she'd be annoyed.
But her downcast face bore a deepening smile.
"Not bad, huh? My husband."
"......Let's stop."
"Why? We're married. What's wrong? Proof your husband's healthy. I haven't tried it myself, but dwarf husbands are mostly drunks who can't get it up."
Like a kid bragging about a new toy.
Cocky, arrogant attitude.
But her ears were beet red.
Tough talk.
Her body was burning hot.
"Wanna touch more?"
Elma snatched the tablet and tossed it aside.
She grabbed my hand and placed it on her belly.
"Stroke it."
"Pardon?"
"You still feel bad about earlier, right? Time to pay up."
"My... belly?"
"Don't be grossed out. I'm a bride now. Can't have a cold belly."
Her small hands wrapped around mine, guiding it around.
The soft negligee over her lower belly.
Below her cinched waist, a plush pooch of belly fat.
Soft, warm sensation filled my palm.
"So warm~."
Don't most women hate belly touching?
But Elma closed her eyes, looking comfy.
Her belly rose and fell, gently cradling my palm.
A bizarre sense of peace.
Psycho professor and 90cm dwarf kid.
And my wife.
Confusing.
But not bad.
That was when.
'Grrrrumble.'
A mighty rumble.
The vibration slammed my palm.
Source: Elma's belly.
"......"
"......"
Elma's eyes snapped open.
Her face flushed crimson.
"Th-This is...! Right! The mana amplifier I set up makes that noise! Not my stomach...!"
"Lunchtime passed a while ago."
"I said it's not!!"
She shrieked and clutched her belly.
But the body doesn't lie.
Grrrumble, grrrumble.
"Uwooo..."
Elma slumped her head.
That creature dying of embarrassment.
Seems like my "wife."
The type that gets touched a lot.