Mom, Something's Wrong Down There....
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"Ah, Adlen?"
"Long time no see, So-young~."
It was the appearance of Adlen, the active SS-grade hero of the Glazer Empire.
"What brings you here so suddenly...."
"Kyahaha. Just~. Thought of you after a while, so I dropped by."
"......"
"Heh heh, so this is the famous boy, huh?"
Her mischievous, curved eyes scanned Siu's body.
Adlen looked like a girl in her mid-to-late teens. Her stature was barely half of Siu's, a tiny frame, but she was a full adult. And most importantly, she possessed power befitting her SS-grade status.
"You into this kind of kid? He looks totally lame, like worthless cockbait."
"Adlen. I'd appreciate it if you watched your mouth...."
Han So-young bared a fierce killing intent toward the twin-tailed white-haired brat.
Only then did Adlen realize she was serious, flinching back.
So-young was older than her and had looked after her carefully since her A-grade hero days—a benefactor. Adlen's cheeky personality usually got a pass with So-young's indulgent forgiveness. Seeing her snap like this so quickly was rare.
'Even with her husband, she let it slide three times....'
It was intriguing.
"Sorry. But he's nothing like your ex-husband? Your tastes changed that fast?"
"He's not my husband."
"Huh?"
"He's my son."
"S-son?"
"Yeah. As of today... no, yesterday, we made it official with adoption."
"Wha-what?"
Adlen was baffled.
She'd come after hearing her longtime friend and senior had a new man. Of course, she hadn't confirmed it properly. Sticking around to the end would've gotten her caught by the butlers and maids before she could escape.
'Was I too hasty?'
Sure enough, the way So-young looked at the young hero candidate was brimming with maternal love.
"...Sorry. Guess I got it wrong."
Even Adlen, who ran wild even against the Empire and the imperial family, apologized meekly to So-young.
With her normal views on romance and sexual values, Adlen couldn't grasp So-young and Siu's relationship. Few people could pick up on it that quickly anyway. Their bond was that unusual.
"Yeah, it happens. Shows how much I love my son."
So-young graciously accepted the apology with a nod.
Watching from his seat beside her, Siu was impressed.
Whoa, she's shameless.
Was this the face of a married woman?
Just hours ago, those lips had been sucking his cock so deliciously while calling him "son," and now she was lying straight-faced to her friend. Impressive.
"So, what's the real reason you're here? That's it?"
"Huh? Well.... Just wanted to see your face after so long...."
"We saw each other last month."
"......"
Adlen was at a loss for words.
It was true. She'd come solely because of that one tip from her informant.
'Damn bitch.... I'll deal with her later.'
Oblivious that So-young had played her, Adlen cursed her innocent informant.
"W-well.... I don't come here every day, you know?"
"True. You visit every two or three months."
"Yeah, yeah. Exactly. Just felt like seeing your face a bit sooner this time."
"Yeah, thanks. Appreciate you thinking of me."
"...Hehe."
Adlen giggled cutely at So-young's thanks.
Siu found the sight novel and refreshing. Who knew Adlen could make that face? No wonder she went berserk like a madwoman after So-young's assassination in the first timeline.
Even before that, Adlen had tormented plenty of people—no, entire nations.
A height just over 140cm, pale white hair in twin tails tied at the back.
Her arrogant expression and playful eyes were her trademarks.
True to her looks, she was condescending and rude to most people. Despite a decent figure—voluminous breasts and a slim waist—her short stature and attitude got her treated like a kid often.
Meeting half of the four SS-grades before even graduating.... Life's full of twists.
As Siu pondered Adlen, she whipped her head around to stare at him.
"......?"
"Son.... adoptive son...."
Her eyes held the curiosity of someone eyeing an exotic creature.
Adlen had already looked into Siu on her way here. With two days' notice, there was little an SS-grade hero couldn't uncover.
If it hadn't been a scheduled thing, she'd have come sooner—or canceled some plans to rush over.
"Well, thanks to you, So-young seems a lot happier. Guess I owe you."
"Oh? Hehe. That happy, huh?"
"......?"
Adlen tilted her head at So-young's overly pleased demeanor.
Looking closer, not just her expression but her skin glowed too. Like she'd been on premium supplements. At So-young's level, her condition stayed steady, but last month it hadn't been this good.
"You eat something good or what?"
"Yeah. Hehe. Ate plenty♡ Top and bottom, stuffed full."
"Top and bottom?"
Unable to parse it, Adlen floated question marks before giving up.
"So-young. Then, maybe...."
"Yeah. Go on."
"You gonna... come back?"
Adlen asked cautiously, uncharacteristically.
She knew Siu had taken a mission here, but it was a sensitive topic. Separate from shaking off her grief and improving. With her poor feelings toward the Empire, it was hard to say.
"Yeah. Thinking about it."
"Huh? For real?! Whoa!"
"Yeah. Not right away... maybe in a month or two?"
She glanced slyly at Siu as she spoke.
Her smile held a seductive allure. A month or two, pregnancy wouldn't show yet. No worries about stability for her—she could protect her womb with mana.
"That's great! Yeah! So happy!"
"Hehe, thanks for being glad."
"Of course I'm thrilled!"
After that, Adlen chatted away with So-young about this and that.
So-young was night-and-day different from last month, making the talk way more fun for Adlen. Usually, she'd ramble while So-young half-listened and let it go in one ear and out the other. Not today.
"......"
As the two SS-grade heroes dove into their own world, Siu awkwardly looked away.
Ah.
Their eyes met.
With Adlen's companion, standing diagonally behind her.
"......"
"......"
No words, just staring after eye contact—the awkwardness was indescribable.
This is painfully awkward....
But intriguing too. He found himself scanning the man bit by bit.
Reading Siu's curiosity, the man smiled and greeted him.
"Pleased to meet you, Candidate Siu."
"Uh... yeah. Nice to meet you too. Um...."
"I'm Otan."
"Ah, Mr. Otan. ...Hello. ...Sorry for staring."
"No need, Candidate. I understand. First time seeing a half-orc like me."
"Th-thanks. Haha...."
Siu laughed awkwardly.
Otan, Adlen's companion and party member, was a half-orc.
He was a rare case. One of the few male party members worldwide, and one of the even fewer orcs not aligned with the Demon God. Despite their god becoming the Demon God, siding with the Goddess was odd.
But Siu's surprise stemmed from elsewhere.
Otan being Adlen's half-orc party member was the same in the first timeline. But something fundamental differed: orc traits, personality, combat style—all of it.
Orcs as monks.
Fitting the reversed world, some races had wholly different traits from the first timeline.
Orcs were prime examples. He'd been shocked hearing it at the academy.
Orcs, icons of lust, desire, and aggression, were here paragons of chastity, restraint, and monasticism. Predictable, perhaps—priests of the Goddess couldn't be lewd, so why not flip orcs too?
Amused and baffled, Siu had researched in the library.
Good grief. Their god got raped by the Goddess....
The Creation God summoned gods from other dimensions and raped them.
Orc god was no exception. Nor was the deification.
Raped by the Goddess he should've raped, then her becoming a goddess too—the orc god half-lost it. Pride couldn't accept it.
The great chieftain, highest orc pulled with him, heard from the grand sorcerer and wailed in grief for days before castrating himself to honor their god, becoming the first monk.
Legends said other orcs followed, cutting off their dicks to rebirth as new orcs.
What the hell is that....
More traditions tied to it, but to Siu, it was absurd.
Orcs turning eunuchs en masse for their god.
Ridiculous, but secretly relieving. No competing with orc cocks here. If orcs still oozed lust and masculinity, the Goddess side might've lost already. Plausible.
"Hm.... Your eyes brim with worldly desires, Candidate."
"...Pardon?"
"Care to join us on the path of asceticism...."
Siu cut him off in horror.
"Absolutely not."
"A pity. Heh heh."
Otan smacked his lips regretfully.
Before Siu could snap, seated So-young glared murderously.
Looking ready to cause trouble, Siu grabbed his surrogate mom's hand. Her expression melted like ice in spring. Relieved, Siu relaxed; Adlen twitched an eyebrow watching.
"Gonna hit the bathroom real quick."
"Okay, be careful, son♡"
"...Yeah, Mom."
"Kyaa~. Hear that? He called me Mom~!"
"Haha. Uh, yeah.... I heard...."
Embarrassed by So-young's gushing like a doting parent, Siu hurried off.
The tense vibe had made him need to go anyway.
Finishing up and stepping out, surprisingly, Adlen waited.
"Lady Adlen?"
Leaning against the wall, eyeing him, she spoke.
"Hey."
"Yes?"
"Do anything weird to So-young, and I'll come kill you fast."
"......Pardon?"
Her out-of-nowhere threat left Siu dumbfounded.
What the?
"Don't get cocky just 'cause So-young's nice enough to adopt you. Keep strict boundaries. Got it?"
"......"
Siu's eyebrow twitched.
What if she knew they'd already done 24-hour impregnation sex? Tempting to whisper it in her ear, but only his ego would gain from the fallout.
Adlen was SS-grade. Backer So-young was too, but Adlen had propped up the Glazer Empire during her retirement. If she seriously interfered, it'd be a headache.
Hold back for now.... Bide time for later. ...Fucking horny little brat.
"No answer?"
"...What're you yapping about, you tiny bitch."
But his mouth ran off on its own.
"Wha-what?!"
"Shut it before I grab your hair and make you handle-pump my dick?"
"......"
Stunned by the vulgar barrage, Adlen gaped.
"Y-you, you crazy fuck...!"
Finally spitting a curse, she moved to invoke her blessing.
But Siu was faster.
"Mama!!"
Calling for Han So-young, he bolted full speed.
"Ma-Mama?!"
A panicked shriek from the brat echoed behind.