Ch.352Side Story. Decision

Early morning.

When I came out after spending time with Stella, there was no one in the living room.

I thought Findenai would be sleeping somewhere nearby on a makeshift bed, but where could she have gone?

I did think she couldn’t sleep outside, but I wasn’t worried.

Could the current Findenai even catch something as minor as a cold?

Findenai, who had absorbed the Mountain Spirit, could already be considered beyond the realm of humanity.

‘Where did she really go?’

Even the Dark Spiritmaster was nowhere to be seen. I thought she might be hiding somewhere, grumbling to herself, but that wasn’t the case either.

[What’s wrong?]

Stella came out covering herself with a blanket. She wasn’t wearing separate clothes, just covering parts of her naked body, which was striking.

That was a kind of protest directed at me.

“Stella, no matter what, clothes…”

[Isn’t that rich coming from the person who undressed me?]

“That’s… but.”

When she puts it that way, I have nothing to say.

The reason Stella was acting this way was because she wasn’t satisfied earlier.

[You got me all worked up and then didn’t take responsibility.]

“The prosthetic body almost broke.”

Yes, we had to stop in the middle of our conversation last night.

Because the prosthetic body I had received just a day ago almost broke.

The exchange of emotions rather than research was truly stimulating for me, who was essentially a virgin.

I barely managed to stop before the prosthetic body broke, like what almost happened with the Dark Spiritmaster last time.

I thought we were able to stop because I was a Spiritmaster and Stella was a Saintess.

But Stella couldn’t help feeling somewhat dissatisfied, which is why she was sulking at me like this.

It seemed like the simple woman named Stella who had completely set aside her position as a Saintess, making her pouting both cute and something to feel sorry about.

Even though it was because of the prosthetic body, stopping midway was quite a blow to my pride as a man.

[Huh? What did you say?]

Stella, who had been following me while holding onto the hem of my clothes, suddenly started talking to herself.

It wasn’t particularly surprising.

‘It must be Vellica.’

Though rare, there were times when Vellica would speak to her once or twice.

That must be what’s happening now.

[Ah, yes.]

Stella, looking somewhat upset at Vellica’s words, puffed her cheeks and slowly let go of my clothes.

Wondering what was happening, I asked, and she scratched her cheek.

[Should I tell you the censored version or the exact words?]

“Censored?”

[She says not to stimulate you. It’s difficult for you.]

Now that I asked, I became a bit curious.

“And the exact words?”

[She said if I wag my tail at a man in heat, I’ll die…]

Pretending I didn’t hear that, I turned my body slightly to look around again. The day was already bright with birds chirping, but clearly no one was around.

[Hmm.]

Stella, who had now manifested her clothes, slowly headed toward the dining table.

Seeing an apple that had been left out yesterday, she made a strange expression, reached out, and…

Crunch.

She took a bite.

[…!]

Stella was startled but continued eating the apple she had put in her mouth.

I too watched her with surprised eyes as she swallowed and opened her mouth wide.

[I-It’s delicious?!]

“How is this…”

I knew that a mental body could form a physical body, but I never expected it could actually consume food.

I carefully approached her and reached out my hand, and Stella didn’t resist, closing her eyes.

I gently touched her neck.

Her thin neck was slender and smooth, and she was clearly swallowing the apple.

Just then.

Clank.

The door connecting to Erika’s room and the general store opened, and three women entered.

Findenai, the Dark Spiritmaster, and Erika.

I wondered where they were, and it seems they spent the day in Erika’s room.

All three looked tired, which made me feel a bit sorry for them.

As I happened to be caressing Stella’s neck at that moment, I ended up greeting the three people in a somewhat awkward position.

“Look at that, the floodgates have opened. Now they’re trying to do it on the dining table.”

[Wow, they say the quiet cat climbs onto the stove first! Stella, I didn’t see you that way!]

“So what you two said was true.”

I hesitated momentarily at the simultaneous comments from the three, but this wasn’t a situation to be misunderstood.

When I explained that Stella could now eat apples and maintain her mental body, all three were surprised.

“So I was just checking her throat to see if the food was actually going down properly.”

Honestly, since she could taste too, I was planning to check her tongue as well if the three hadn’t arrived, but that’s a secret.

If I mentioned that, they would make a fuss again.

“The research on mental bodies was the main focus. Don’t think strange thoughts.”

After saying this much, the gazes directed at me, which had been treating me like a beast, softened somewhat.

[That’s right, don’t be too harsh on him.]

Stella subtly supported me while grabbing my collar again. She was just one step closer than usual, but it created a strangely different atmosphere.

“…Why do I feel disgusted?”

[Me too.]

“I feel like everyone’s becoming an adult except me.”

Though their words differed, their reactions were similar. I too felt that Stella seemed somewhat closer than before, and I didn’t feel particularly uncomfortable with her holding onto me like this.

It was clear that the night we spent together had made our relationship even stronger.

“Ahem, let’s not say strange things. Keep a close eye on Stella today, especially you, Dark Spiritmaster.”

“Is he subtly protecting her?”

[I was his first woman!]

Stella approached Findenai and the Dark Spiritmaster, who were grumbling, with a smile full of composure.

[Don’t be like that. It’s for all of us.]

“Wow.”

[Annoying.]

[Hehe, why are you all so angry?]

Stella covered her mouth and laughed. It was ambiguous just a moment ago, but now it was clear.

She wanted to subtly brag about spending time with me.

It wasn’t about feeling superior or anything like that. A woman like Stella wouldn’t fall into such self-satisfaction.

That was just purely.

She purely wanted to brag about the time she spent with me.

And naturally, that made the others jealous.

“You were crying like you were going to die yesterday, and now you’re enjoying life?”

[Y-Yes! You were crying and apologizing, and now look at you!]

[Ugh…]

Stella started to falter under the joint attack from Findenai and the Dark Spiritmaster. Her face turned red as she remembered last night, and she glanced at me repeatedly.

I was about to step in to help her, but…

“Just try it.”

[I’ll really get angry!]

Sharp gazes pierced into me, so I had to back down this time.

[Shinwoo Kiiiim.]

Stella called my name in a drawn-out way, but she was already being dragged away by the two. The fact that her mental body was still maintained even in that state made me wonder if it had now settled.

‘I’ll still need to observe a bit more.’

Whatever the case, there’s been some success in the research on mental bodies.

Just as souls with excessive emotions don’t rest and turn into evil spirits…

Conversely, I thought that good emotions and lingering attachments to life might naturally maintain the body through mana.

Of course, it’s not certain and just a hypothesis. It’s still too early to make a judgment.

[Shinwoo Kiiiim!]

[Be quiet!]

As I was continuing my thoughts about mental bodies while blankly watching Stella being dragged away, a finger poked my side.

Erika, with her hair slightly messy from just waking up and wearing yellow pajamas, was puffing her cheeks to express her dissatisfaction.

“Don’t you have to go to work?”

“I’m fine today because I have lectures from the afternoon. I’ve minimized my lectures because of the Grand Mage preparation.”

I tried to change the subject, but Erika wasn’t so easily swayed.

She looked up at me with her cheeks still puffed up, even though the air had escaped from her mouth as she spoke.

“Weren’t you the cold professor image to your students?”

I pressed both her cheeks with my fingers to deflate them, and Erika, seemingly pleased with even such brief contact, answered shyly.

“C-Can’t I be comfortable at home?”

Home.

There was something emotionally strange about Erika calling this place home. It wasn’t bad.

I thought I should tell Erika about what I discussed with the three yesterday, but she spoke first.

“I heard from Findenai and the Dark Spiritmaster yesterday. You’ve decided not to choose anyone.”

“That’s right…”

Erika waited for a moment at my answer. She wanted to hear the story directly from me.

The reason Findenai and the Dark Spiritmaster forcibly took Stella away was probably to give me and Erika time to finish our conversation.

“Honestly, I’m still not sure. I’ll probably reconsider this choice many times.”

But I won’t reverse it.

In the end, it was their victory for breaking my conviction.

“I intend to be passive when it comes to ending relationships. If someone leaves, I won’t hold them back.”

Content I’ve mentioned many times.

I suddenly remembered talking about this to Erika before.

If someone gets tired of me or bored and leaves, I won’t hold them back. I’ll just wave and wish them well.

“But while they’re by my side.”

A courtesy to the victors who defeated me.

Who shattered the conviction I thought was steadfast.

“I will love them completely and eternally.”

It might sound ridiculous.

The word “eternal” might seem like empty boasting.

But this was my sincere feeling at the moment.

Seeing Erika’s eyes getting slightly moist from the morning, I reached out to wipe her tears.

“Tell me.”

Erika gently took my hand and placed it against her cheek.

“Confess your feelings.”

Come to think of it.

It seems like the first time I’m putting it into words.

I will say the same words to several women. It felt awkward, but that didn’t diminish the weight of it.

With sincerity.

“I love you, Erika Bright.”

I confessed to her.

“Yes, me too.”

With her answer, Erika gently kissed me.

It was a subtle lemon scent that awakened the morning.