Chapter 50

It had been about an hour since I’d caused a major accident and was punished by Rod.

Honestly, I wanted to play dirty and throw a tantrum, but Rod was like a hawk, stopping me in my tracks.

He may not have cared about others, but of all people, it had to be Rod. The one who had grasped the laws of the heavens to wield Blue Magic.

Even though the Destruction King, Hector, was a tier below him, there’s still a mind-boggling gap between them.

I’ve said it a hundred times, but no matter how much I rage, if Rod just swipes his sword—game over.

My head would fly off, floating up to the sky while I’d turn into a cold corpse without even putting up a real fight.

This guy slices through ‘space’ itself like it’s tofu. There’s a high chance my supposedly tough body would be utterly useless.

“Yeah, yeah. You had it rough, didn’t you? Let’s not do it again next time.”

Thankfully, the punishment didn’t last long. Maybe Rod felt a bit sorry and only gave me about an hour.

As soon as my punishment ended, I walked over to Eli, who had been watching and worrying beside me, and hugged her.

As soon as my face sunk into her fluffy chest, she began to pat my back. It felt like all my worries were being wiped away.

‘I want to keep being like this.’

Eli had said before that if I wanted, she’d let me touch her breasts legally anytime.

But since I do have some sort of “conscience,” I thought I’d only do it in situations like this.

But does my conscience bother me? Not at all. It’s thrilling and new every single time.

How could I give up this sensation? For now, my wilderness instinct kept its mouth shut.

No, maybe it was actually my wilderness instinct speaking, urging me to bury myself in this chest for a sense of calm.

“However, you should know that Sivar is also to blame. We agreed not to break things recklessly, didn’t we?”

Eli admonished me as she held me close. I slyly raised my head to look at her face.

She was smiling gently, with golden eyes shimmering like they could swallow me whole. The compassion radiating from her was akin to that of a saint.

However, aside from the compassion, this incident feels a bit unjust. The death beam firing off was something I never expected.

“Unfair.”

“Unfair? What’s unfair about it?”

“On purpose. Not on purpose.”

“Even if it wasn’t on purpose, you still caused an accident. No matter how much of a mistake it was, if you break someone else’s stuff, you have to apologize.”

As she gently patted my head, Eli scolded me lightly. As she said, not every mistake can be forgiven.

Rod always said didn’t he? That if you make a mistake and then apologize and reflect, he would let it slide to some degree.

Yet, whether I gained some romantic sentiment or was just getting used to breaking things, it’s hard to realize.

The weirder thing is that the larger the scale of destruction, the more numb I become. Breaking something small feels more alerting.

‘Is it because it was a common occurrence to break trees in the forest?’

When living in the forest, breaking trees or rocks happened all the time. Because the prey was often larger than life.

Plus, when I fought with Porori, it wasn’t uncommon for things to get demolished around us. Once the berserk state hit, it turned into a mess.

Usually, large-scale destruction means a big fight took place, so that might be why I didn’t notice it.

“Got it? Next time, if you break something, you apologize.”

“Okay.”

“Good boy, our Sivar. Is there anything you want to eat?”

As Eli rubbed her cheek against my face, it made me push deeper into her chest.

For a moment, I was flustered by her affectionate gesture and soft touch, but then I vocalized what I wanted. My face being buried made my speech a bit slurred.

“Sweet-tang.”

“Absolutely not.”

I’m pretty sure I asked Eli, but why is Rod the one answering? He’s being not only strict but also decisive.

Eli looked like she’d have a hard time with that too, so it seemed like having candy might be tough.

“And Eli, dear student. Aren’t you being a bit too lenient with Sivar? If you coddle him too much, he might pick up bad habits.”

“I know that too. That’s why the Principal punished him, isn’t it? But once the punishment is over, you have to comfort him like this.”

I don’t know the reason, but it sounds like a mom and dad fighting. In truth, they bicker frequently over my “upbringing.”

Rod had lived as a wild man for his entire life, so he had no experience with raising children. I’m not just an ordinary kid; I’m an adult—albeit a fully grown one.

My mental age isn’t lacking; I’m just a bit (a lot) low on sociability. That’s why it feels like I’m a kid.

‘Humans are social animals for a reason.’

Lacking sociability also implies that one hasn’t fully matured. I fit that description pretty well.

Since I’m somewhat numb to breaking things, it inevitably leads to them quarreling.

“It’s fine to comfort him… but…”

Just then, I heard a voice that wasn’t Rod or Eli’s. I turned my head toward its source.

For some reason, Kara was making a disgruntled expression, hands on her hips as if to indicate her dissatisfaction.

“Aren’t you cuddling a bit too much? If someone saw, they’d think you’re really his fiancée.”

It seemed she had her eyes on me nestled against Eli’s chest. Well, I was being pretty obvious about it.

“What’s wrong with that? I like it, and Sivar likes it, so who cares?”

Eli countered Kara’s thoughts with a surprising answer. She even subtly pressed my head down.

Eli’s character, which doesn’t care about others’ opinions at all, shone through. Kara’s expression became complicated.

“…Principal. Call him out for this.”

“Uh-uh.”

Unable to hold back, Kara pleaded with Rod, but he just coughed and stared off into the distance.

“…Sivar’s grown up without parents. But it doesn’t make sense that he has lived in the forest since infancy. So, it’s possible he might be developing this affection while searching for past memories. It’s merely my hypothesis.”

“…”

Kara looked dumbfounded at Rod’s explanation, which surprisingly made sense and yet didn’t make sense at the same time.

I do have parents, and I haven’t lived in the forest since I was a kid. To be honest, it’s just ‘instinct.’

It’s a wilderness instinct and a nature engraved in men—a near unavoidable drive.

“…I don’t get it. I just hope he doesn’t jump on someone.”

Eventually, Kara raised her hands and feet in surrender. It looked like she gave up thinking deeply.

Yet perhaps her worry wasn’t entirely gone, as she shot a glance at me, who was leaning against Eli.

She then faced Eli, voice tinged with concern as she said, “Can you handle it later? For now, he might not realize it, but he could become aware of these desires.”

“I can handle it. I brought Sivar, so it’s only natural I take responsibility.”

“If that’s the case, then it’s fine… but…”

Kara scratched her cheek. Eli had brought up the subject of responsibility before.

No matter how detailed you ask, it would lead to an embarrassing conversation. For now, it’s best to let it slide.

“Alright. Then I’ll help a little.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I was the one who taught him how to use his power. So, in principle, I also share some responsibility, right? I’ll help from the side.”

“Thanks, sister.”

Outwardly, it seemed to exude a warm atmosphere. I would now be able to cuddle with Eli without complaint in the future.

However, it wasn’t entirely without its concerns.

‘Come to think of it, was Kara there back then?’

That’s when I fainted after the battle with Hector. It was Eli who boldly stated I could always touch if I wanted.

At that time, I felt her strong sense of responsibility, but only Luna really heard it.

So, there’s a high chance Kara could be building up misunderstandings. This is why you should listen to conversations till the end.

“Kara, you have a big chest too, so it should be a great help. Got it, Sivar?”

“…?”

Eli gently patted my head while seeking agreement, and at the same time, Kara tilted her head in confusion.

That was the moment I could tell for sure. Kara was thinking of a very different kind of responsibility than Eli.

‘What’s the point in telling her now…’

Misunderstandings can be resolved slowly. I just have to keep my mouth shut for now.

As I said before, my conscience wasn’t pricking me at all. If I can sell that conscience to be happy, I’m all for it.

But I have to be careful with Kara. Luna will eventually let me know detailed circumstances.

‘What would Kara feel like?’

But the curiosity couldn’t be helped. I stared at Kara’s chest, which was certainly larger, though not as ample as Eli’s.

“Ah. You’re back?”

“Yes.”

“What did they say?”

“Fortunately, they said they’d continue training. But if another incident like this occurs, it would be inconvenient for them as well, so they asked you to restrain yourself.”

“Thank goodness for that.”

Just then, Luna returned at just the right time and didn’t notice where my gaze had wandered. I thought it was about time to turn my face away.

The gloomy mood I felt while being scolded by Rod had completely healed. Now it was time to return to normal.

“Now that everyone is here, we can talk. Sivar is using Red Magic, right?”

Now that Luna was also present, Rod brought up the day’s earlier events. None other than my Red Magic.

“As I mentioned last time, the first thing that appeared when the gods created the world was the rainbow. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet. Since these were the first colors to appear in the world, they hold immense significance.”

Just like the demon who had all its colors stolen, in the Soul World, ‘color’ holds a very important position.

Having lost ‘color’ is akin to losing one’s life. That’s the reason demons are so desperate to regain their colors.

“Most of us like us have Blue Magic. But it wasn’t blue from the start. There are cases of it de-evolving to green, and conversely, cases of evolving to indigo as well.”

“I heard that Lady Gloria said the Principal has Indigo Magic…”

Luna carefully spoke up, trailing off her words, but it was essentially a request.

Rod seemed to have read her intention and quietly raised his hand to show us.

Whooosh—

Soon enough, magic began to ripple in his hand. A darker shade of indigo magic than blue.

Only those who’ve grasped the laws of Heaven and can manipulate freely possess this color.

People, including Luna, looked at that in fascination. It was my first time seeing indigo magic, so I stared wide-eyed at it.

“There are very few people in the world whose magic has evolved to indigo— at best about three, including myself. All of them are related to ‘stars.'”

“So, is there someone who has reached violet?”

“There is. Someone who has moved beyond manipulating the sky and has placed the sky itself under their feet.”

I know who that person is. It’s a monster residing in the Eastern Empire.

It’s unlikely I’ll meet them early on, but they’ll show up unannounced before the protagonist in the mid-story.

For now, it’s not something to worry about, but they have quite a troublesome and vile personality, so caution is advised.

“Only gods and beings of equivalent standing can wield violet magic. We could call them the primordial beings.”

“Primordial beings… So, can demons use it too?”

“If they have violet magic, they can. The demon with blue magic used blue magic.”

Rod continued explaining and glanced at me. Red Magic, which lies completely on the opposite spectrum of violet.

If violet symbolizes the primordial beings, then red symbolizes something inferior.

Demons having red magic aren’t worth mentioning. They are just common beasts.

Moreover, they have little to no ‘intelligence’ and unless it’s a desperate attack, they can’t even utilize magic properly.

“However, about red… while theoretically it is the lowest color, it doesn’t necessarily mean it is subpar. It was probably the first color that an entity who could be deemed ‘human’ wielded.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Are you familiar with the hypothesis that humanity evolved from apes? It’s a topic still hotly debated among scientists and theologians.”

“…No?”

At Rod’s question, Luna reacted as if she didn’t understand. Meanwhile, the others looked like they already knew.

Kara, being a follower of Gulrak, likely read related literature, and Eli was always diligent about reading.

That doesn’t mean Luna is ignorant. It’s just the state-sanctioned education is appallingly inadequate.

From my perspective, it’s the most common sense in the world, but for Luna, it’s probably something she’s hearing for the first time.

‘Those who have no interest just have no interest at all.’

As I was thinking that, Rod went on to explain, showing consideration for Luna.

“The theory suggests that humanity evolved gradually from apes, and as a result, the color of the magic changed. On the other hand, theologians argue that humans were originally like this, and the color of magic evolved as civilization developed.”

“Both sound correct in a way?”

“That’s why the debate never ends. However, the fact that Sivar is more human than ape…”

Rod glanced at me, trailing off the rest. In the context of unending debate, I turn out to be a being that aligns with creationism.

“Sivar looks just like us. Moreover, he is charming too.”

“…I don’t know about charming, but he’s definitely just like us.”

Rod chuckled at Eli’s reply. He didn’t say cute or handsome; he called me charming, which makes me a bit shy.

“Anyway, theoretically, Sivar seems to belong to the school of thought that theologians propose… but to be honest, I’m not sure. The gods probably know the truth.”

“So, we need to talk to the gods? That means…”

“It means we’ll have to head to the Divine Kingdom of Byzantium. Even if it’s hard for now, we’ll send you if an opportunity arises.”

The Divine Kingdom of Byzantium. A nation where religion is essentially the foundation of everything.

Unlike countries that have different state religions, it’s a kingdom that believes in all three gods.

Instead of worshiping a specific god, it was established to honor them, so it must be the place to visit at least once.

“That’s about the conclusion for now, Sivar.”

“Yes.”

“I’d prefer it if you could refrain from using magic. Body strengthening is fine, but anything visible shouldn’t be done.”

“Huh?”

That makes me a bit reluctant. I get where they’re coming from, but asking me to give up on the romantic aspect isn’t easy.

How am I supposed to stop death beams from spilling out from my hand? Even if it’s Rod, that’s just not happening.

“If you make a fuss unnecessarily, both you and I will end up suffering. Nod when I say this.”

“Yes.”

But in the face of power, everyone gets equal treatment. I’d gladly abandon romance.

I could do it in the forest every time I felt bored. There’s no choice but for me to discover a means to unwind like that.

Knock knock—

Just as things were wrapping up, I heard a sound tapping at the window, not the door.

Turning my head to see, Porori was standing outside the window, with an acorn tucked in his side.

Creak—

Politely knocking (?), he opened the window, then hopped toward us.

“What were you talking about? Let me in on it too.”

He naturally settled onto Eli’s lap, tossing the acorn into his mouth and resting his head against her chest.

Eli gently patted his head and tail, speaking in her uniquely soft voice.

“We were just talking about Sivar. By the way, Ratatosk, do you know that Sivar’s magic is red?”

“Huh? You didn’t know all this time? I just assumed you knew.”

Crunch— crack—

Porori answered as he chewed on the acorn. I have no idea where he gets acorns that big to fit under his arm.

“Do you know what red magic means, Ratatosk?”

“I know it has incredibly powerful strength. That beam coming out of his mouth especially.”

“…Out of his mouth?”

Eli blinked in disbelief at the mention of beams coming from my mouth. The others looked just as bewildered as I did.

I found out yesterday that I could shoot death beams from my hands. But hearing that I could shoot beams from my mouth was a surprise.

“I didn’t know that… Ah, I guess that makes sense. It’s something that shoots out when that guy’s eyes turn red. Every time he’s on the verge of passing out, he shoots it out from his mouth.”

“…What are you saying? It’s not like it’s a dragon spewing fire from its mouth?”

“Come on, even dragons have breath. It’s not a beam. Is he really a human?”

Kara looked incredulous while Luna sincerely pondered it. Meanwhile, Rod fell into thought.

“That’s amazing. Can you do that too, Ratatosk?”

“I can’t. Only that guy can.”

And our oblivious Eli didn’t even think much of it. She simply nodded without a thought.

Meanwhile, I was a bit thrilled about the idea of shooting lasers from my mouth. A death beam is already pretty romantic.

But shooting lasers from my mouth? How can I keep my cool about that?

“Hey.”

“Huh? What?”

“Really?”

I asked again to confirm. Is it true that I can shoot lasers from my mouth?

Porori seemed unbothered, crunching on the acorn as he answered breezily.

“It’s true, I’m telling you. Why don’t you trust me? You should try it sometime.”

“Okay…!”

“But don’t do it here. If you do, everything around you will turn to ashes.”

From my mouth! A laser! Is! Coming out! How could I possibly keep this in check?

I was sparkling with excitement at the revelation that Porori just shared. Since I’ve learned sculpting, it might just be possible.

“What if…”

“…?”

Just then, Rod, who had been lost in thought, opened his mouth.

His tone was the same as always, but the atmosphere was completely different.

How should I put it? It felt like he was suppressing his force to intimidate me, and my instincts were screaming.

“In the forest. If you hear. Sounds…”

“…”

Rod spoke each word slowly to me. I could feel an indescribable pressure.

It was a terrifying pressure I hadn’t felt even from Hector. It’s a presence only someone who can wield Blue Magic could exhibit.

Rod then stared at me, who was tightly tensed, and delivered his final word.

“I’ll punish you again if it happens again. Do you understand?”

“…”

“Answer me.”

“Yes…”

It seems I’ll have to give up on romance for a while.

“…That old man is genuinely terrifying.”

I couldn’t agree more. I hung my head with a gloomy feeling.

‘…Wait a minute.’

At that moment, a brilliant idea flashed through my mind.

If I cause an accident, Rod will scold me, and then I could be comforted by Eli, right?

Eli would hug me tighter after Rod’s punishment, and I would just have to cuddle her, claiming it’s for my mental stability.

As that thought crossed my mind, I looked at Eli, who was hugging Porori. Her gentle, motherly smile was radiant.

Right now, Porori was enjoying that fullness, but it wouldn’t be long before I got to have my turn.

‘…Good.’

I had just gotten an opportunity to catch two hares at once.

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