Chapter 1036: Side Story – Grooming (1)

-cheolsseok.

“……”

After the meal, she and I strolled along the beach as Han Min-ah wanted, listening to the sound of the waves. As I recalled my childhood when I lost my parents to monsters, trying to guess what Han Min-ah might be thinking, her voice quietly reached me.

“I think I’ll keep my father’s and mother’s ashes here just for a while.”

“…Really?”

“Yeah. I heard the cost of keeping them in the columbarium seems like Busan City keeps covering it… For now, until I tell Jin-ah and Seon-ah, I plan to keep them here for a bit.”

“Do as you think best. I won’t oppose whatever you decide.”

“…You seem really cool today. Unlike your usual self.”

I wonder what Han Min-ah’s image of me is usually like that she says something like that. Really.

“It’s just that since I have experience losing family, I’m the senior here. From experience, I know meddling unnecessarily is more of a hassle, so that’s why.”

“Ah. Come to think of it, you went through that too….”

“So, when you need help, actively ask for it. When I was young, thanks to the help from Hye-eun and Eunyoung Noo… Hye-eun’s mother, I was able to endure it. If it gets too hard to bear, you can ask for help anytime.”

“…Well, thank you. Because you’re Sung Taekyung, you’re definitely reliable in times like these.”

While having such a conversation, Han Min-ah and I drew two sets of footprints on the sandy beach. Before the conversation ran out of things to say and the atmosphere became awkward, I also subtly mentioned my dreams to her. That losing my parents to a monster wave in my childhood was the reason I decided to become a Hunter, and that I wanted to create a world where at least the people within my reach wouldn’t die by the hands of monsters. Also, that I created the guild so that the Hunters within the guild could use my awakened abilities to go on safe expeditions, creating that environment, was included. I had told Han Min-ah the earlier part of the story before, but the reason for creating the guild was probably something she was hearing for the first time now.

“…So that’s why you made the guild? It really suits you.”

“Actually, I’m still far from my goal. Right now, to call it a guild, the number of guild members is insufficient, and there are still a few more people I need to bring in.”

“…Wait a second, does that mean all the Hunters currently in the guild are in that kind of relationship with you? Including No-eul Unnie?”

“Well, yeah.”

“You’re truly amazing in many ways. Then again, considering your libido, it might not be that difficult for you.”

Compared to what I expected, Han Min-ah surprisingly accepted my plan calmly. Perhaps it’s because she already knew that I was involved with multiple women, including herself. Even though I stated so boldly that I would continue to increase the number of women, I almost felt a little disappointed, wondering if she didn’t think much of it, but her words that followed immediately swept that disappointment away.

“That you’ll keep increasing them in the future… means I can’t afford to be complacent anymore.”

“Huh?”

“Hey, Sung Taekyung. I’m asking just in case….”

“What is it?”

“Is there anyone else right now besides Hye-eun and Yuri Unnie who is pregnant with your child?”

“……Yeah.”

“…How many? Can you tell me who?”

…It shouldn’t matter if I tell her this much. After all, if it’s Min-ah, who lives under the same roof as Eunbyul, she’ll find out soon enough.

“One is Eunbyul, and the other is Sihee-ssi. She’s a Foundation Hunter, an acquaintance of Eunbyul’s…”

“…I think I know who you mean. You’re talking about the blonde young lady from Dokyung Group, right? I’ve seen her a few times when I went on business trips to the Foundation.”

“Yeah. Anyway, so far, it’s those four. There’s no one else, at least.”

“Four people… It’s a lot, but considering this guy’s history with women, it might actually be on the lower side….”

“…After asking me questions, why are you muttering to yourself again, Han Min-ah.”

With a troubled expression, head bowed, Han Min-ah, who had been muttering diligently, opened her mouth again and asked me cautiously.

“…Hey, Sung Taekyung.”

“Yeah.”

“That thing I mentioned last time… is it still valid?”

“If you just say ‘that thing’, how would I know?”

“…Look, you know that thing about a long-term vacation or whatever. The thing where you said you’d make up a suitable excuse for a vacation….”

Actually, I understood from the moment she said ‘that thing’. It would be strange not to understand, considering we were just talking about pregnancy right before. I’m just pretending not to know because I want to see Han Min-ah’s embarrassed face. And naturally, I had no intention of refusing when my woman said she wanted to get pregnant.

“If you want to rest, you don’t really need an excuse to rest, do you?”

“…Are you really going to keep pretending you don’t know?”

“Hmm? Didn’t you want to rest? Or is there some other meaning to ‘vacation’ that I don’t know about?”

“Th-this is….”

The proposal I made back then, she seemed too embarrassed to say it herself, blushing, but not giving up, Han Min-ah finally spoke her mind.

“…Your child. I want one too, you punk.”

“Yeah. Actually, I understood from the very beginning.”

“…Shut up. I knew you knew, I just said it anyway….”

…Cute.

The child that will be born between Min-ah and me will probably be even cuter than her.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

After dinner, we immediately headed to a nearby hotel. It was rare for Han Min-ah to take the initiative like this, telling me she wanted a child first, so I felt the need to fulfill her wish. We got a suite room at a reasonable price, and after entering, a warp gate leading directly to Belle’s dungeon was set up, and I stepped inside.

“We’re going into a personal dungeon anyway, so was there really a need to get a suite room…?”

“Well, it’s about the mood. Besides, you too, rather than doing it in a hotel, isn’t it a bit more comfortable doing it here?”

“That’s why the reason for specifically getting a suite room is….”

I casually ignored Han Min-ah’s words, who was ingrained with frugality. I didn’t want to make her think about money even on a day like this.

The scene of a small room created inside Belle’s dungeon. It was the same as my room where Min-ah and I slept embracing each other just last night, so ultimately, it seems she doesn’t object to having relations in a space modeled after my room, no matter how you look at it. It was a place often used when relieving Han Min-ah’s heat cycle, so it was also a good place to conceive our first child.

“But can you get pregnant just by doing it today? Don’t you still have a while until your heat cycle?”

“…That doesn’t matter.”

“Huh?”

“In the beast race, if the heat cycle is brought forward, accordingly, the ovulation day is also brought forward… So even if we do it now, it doesn’t really matter….”

“……”

It was practically a confession that she was currently in heat, and as soon as I heard her words, I felt my lower half harden. And from the words that her heat cycle was brought forward, I felt like I somehow knew the reason too, and my heart pounded along with it.

“…Anyway, take responsibility. Because it’s your fault my heat cycle was brought forward.”

“Even if it wasn’t brought forward, I’m always taking responsibility.”

“……”

“Lie down over there. You made me hard too, so get ready to take responsibility today.”

“…What are you talking about, seriously.”

Even while speaking in an incredulous tone, she obediently followed my words and lay down on the bed, Han Min-ah. Unlike usual, dressed in a demure conquest outfit, lying on the bed, I felt a different charm from her.

“…Hoo, when I first met you, I really didn’t know it would turn out like this.”

“I feel the same way.”

“Of course you would. When you first met me, you thought I was a guy.”

“…You’re still holding onto that?”

…Really. You hold grudges quite stubbornly. Well, just for today, even if Han Min-ah whined or grumbled like this, I intended to accept it all. Besides, she seemed to want to rely on me like this today.

I grabbed Han Min-ah’s left hand, lying on the bed, with my right hand and tied it up as if interlocking our fingers.

“…What are you doing.”

“To prevent you from running away.”

“…Run away? What are you talking about? Why would I run away?”

“You never know. You might suddenly get embarrassed mid-way and tell me to stop.”

“…That won’t happen, so stop saying weird things.”

“Then, should I let go?”

“…Do whatever you want.”

The finger-locked grip itself means she’s okay with it. Today’s Han Min-ah felt a bit more lenient towards physical affection than usual, so it would be better to engage in a relationship filled with a bit more love. I then took Min-ah’s other hand with my left hand, securing it so she couldn’t move, then slowly brought my head towards her face, lying on the bed, and first, I lightly kissed her forehead.

-ppok.

“Hii…?”

Perhaps she was flustered by my sudden forehead kiss. Han Min-ah’s eyes, which had been quietly closed, fluttered open slightly. Her reaction seemed like she was expecting a kiss, but seeing her flustered by an unexpected form of physical contact was quite amusing.

“…Wh-what are you doing? Why are you suddenly kissing my forehead?”

“Just because.”

“…Not ‘just because’, there must be a reason….”

“I just wanted to do that.”

“…Sigh, fine. Do whatever you want.”

Han Min-ah, flustered by my unfamiliar way of showing affection, answered as if she understood for now. Feeling a subtle pleasure from her reaction, this time I lightly licked Han Min-ah’s nose bridge with my tongue. As clear evidence that she belongs to me, and evidence that I will never leave her, I intended to mark Han Min-ah’s body with it all day long.