Chapter 1086 – #258_귀로(3) – DeepL
#1080
1.
The way the lotus repaired the body was surprisingly similar to the way Kether had healed the semi-crippled Xiu.
“It’s because the source of life returns to when it was purest. The vessel of the soul is transformed and changed over time, which means it needs to return to its original form and rebalance.”
Gretel explains, but Xiu doesn’t quite understand.
Even though she’s a transcendent, her fields of knowledge are so different.
“This sounds like the occult.”
“It is occult.”
That was the side effect of the lotus flower….
Dorothy reverted to a one-year-old.
She hasn’t been conscious since, but she has grown about a year older with each passing day.
Curled up like a fetus on a graceful lotus flower on a throne, Dorothy (Nguyen Ae) was spinning around like a character in the character selector.
Some time had passed, and she now looked about 12 years old.
Somehow, the process had been reversed,
Xiu looked at Dorothy with tender eyes and asked.
“When do you think he’ll regain consciousness?”
“I’d say he’s stabilized, so he should open his eyes in about three or four days.”
“I’ll have to surprise you, I’ve got an apartment for you.”
“…You seem like a nice guy.”
When Gretel, who was ministering to Happy Pig, realizes Xiu’s “event” and shakes her head.
-Gretel
Albireo entered the healing room.
“Mr. Xiu, are you here?”
The trial semester had been on hiatus since Xiu had passed away.
Deneb and Albireo had been in charge of it.
Now that Xiu was back, the trial semester would be back on track, and he had some catching up to do.
Despite his busy schedule, Albireo understands Xiu’s grief over the loss of his lover.
But when he receives the news of her victory, he is stunned.
Even Albireo, who had a high opinion of Xiu, hadn’t expected his horny son-in-law to make it this far.
What kind of heroism is that, to bring back the woman he loves?
It was salty, it was admirable, and it was comforting to know that he would have acted the same way if a similar catastrophe had befallen the twins.
“Ah, Mr. Albireo.”
He had traveled all the way to the Tifferet manor to deliver the news. ….
“…….”
What Albireo saw was Dorothy in the body of a young girl, barely 12 years old.
“…….”
“…….”
There was a long, meaningful silence.
Xiu didn’t know what to make of it at first, but as he followed his elderly mother-in-law’s gaze, he realized what was happening and cringed.
“…So you’re not just an apprentice witch anymore?”
“I was expecting you to say that, but you’re mistaken.”
Xiu calmly responded to Albireo’s high-pitched tone that made her shiver.
Xiu has broken through the 23rd level barrier with his last realization.
She was no longer confident of losing to a mere 22nd ranked witch.
However, Xin Xiu is still afraid of the big tiger mother-in-law of the Zemenai family.
But before Xiu could explain, Albireo dropped to his knees in front of her.
“Oh, my poor twin, what can I do, oh, my poor twin, oh, my poor things…. You’re sending them off to a man like that…! I’m sorry mommy is so helpless… blackblack….”
In the face of absolute despair, man loses his anger and falls into realization.
Albireo sobbed helplessly, unable to even attempt to kick his son-in-law in the shin.
“Mr. Gretel, please explain.”
“Phew, okay, okay.”
But a misunderstanding is a misunderstanding.
My poor image management was to blame for this debacle, but with Gretel’s intervention, I’m sure my mother-in-law will be satisfied.
“Count Albireo.”
“Black…?”
Albireo tilts his head as Gretel tries to explain.
“I was merely following the client’s detailed request.”
“Oh…! Oh…! Odile, Odette….”
Alvireo starts crying again.
“No! When did I ask for that!”
“You said you wanted something fresh and a little undercooked.”
“Off you go!”
Gretel was having a lot of fun.
Siu was not so funny.
2.
Cut back to three days later.
Dorothy had finished eating in the family kitchen, a surprise prepared by Xiu, who had gotten a glimpse of Dorothy’s romance, and Dorothy was a little sulky.
“Darlings can be so stuffy.”
A day after death separated them, and a miraculous, almost heroic, reunion.
They’d shared a passionate kiss and were planning to make a show of affection.
But when Dorothy tried to pull his shirt off while they were still kissing, Xiu freaked out and pushed her away.
“What’s the big deal? You’re only physically young, but mentally mature enough. Isn’t that legal?”
“No, but I still have a guilty conscience….”
“What about the cute twins? They were apprentice witches.”
“Yeah, but they’re both adults.”
Although apprentice witches are considered immature in witch society and need to be protected and monitored, they are technically adults in terms of physical age.
They may be slim and petite, but they’ve only just completed their second coming.
“Dorothy, on the other hand, is still growing.”
“Hmmm, so you’re not satisfied with a full I-cup, but a C-cup?”
“Not that….”
“Anyway, isn’t the reason why sexuality with children is taboo is because we assume they don’t have the right to self-determination? I’m still Dorothy on the inside.”
“You can’t even refute that logically.”
But Dorothy is a real middle school girl now.
Even though a witch’s age can be determined by her aura, her body is still growing.
It’s not like she’s a witch or anything, so I don’t want to mess with her.
“Well, a darling is a darling.”
I’d say he’s got a high-minded side.
The frustration was like my usual Xiu, and that was fine.
In fact, it’s understandable to feel that way because I’ve grown so young that I’m surprised when I look at myself in the mirror.
“Yeah, I was a little slow to develop. My breasts didn’t really start growing until much later.”
-BeepBeepBeepBeep
Just then, I heard the doorbell ring and someone came running up the stairs.
No word on who it was.
“Dorothy yay!!!”
It was Deep Leroy, who had been away for Xiu and Dorothy’s touching reunion, returning an hour later.
“Queen Niiiim!!!!”
Dorothy’s slightly pouty face brightened, and she hugged Leroux and twirled around the living room.
A dramatic niece and aunt reunion.
“Isn’t she too cute to look at, criminal cuteness!”
“My, my – the queen is much cuter!”
“What puffy cheeks, Dorothy, if thou hadst been younger, Jim’s cause of death would surely have been a heart attack!”
The dramatic return of Dorothy, who was a perfect match for Jim, and the fact that she was a petite Dorothy, sent Leroux’s nerves soaring to the heavens.
“Small, small, small! A Dorothy who’s smaller than Jim!”
“Well, yes~”
Even Dorothy, who was used to dealing with Leroux’s high-concentration energizer bullshit, was getting a little tired.
“Come on, sit down. I’m about to tell you about the epic adventures of Jim and Xiu and the green-haired one.”
“Yes~”
Leroux patted the couch in glee as he spun around Dorothy.
“You’ll be amazed when you hear what Xinxiu has done, and how active Jim has been.”
Leroux continued to explain to Dorothy, who hadn’t heard the details beyond the lotus.
Leroux’s rescue of Dorothy, complete with his trademark long-windedness.
Dorothy, who had been chiming in with “Oh, really, that’s wonderful,” began to quiet down.
Dorothy was beginning to get quieter and quieter, because something was coming out of Leroux’s mouth that didn’t make sense.
For Dorothy’s sake, Xiu turned both the Lehar group and Solidus Top as enemies at the same time.
Dorothy, after all, had been in public life for a long time.
She also has ties to Herya, the Witch of War, and Lydia, the Witch of Gold.
She knows how terrifying it is to have an enemy that is more than just a single god.
Shiura would not be without fear.
But he did not hesitate to execute his plan, sometimes thoroughly, sometimes narrowly.
He slaughtered the remnants of the Lehar Group, including their leaders, Herya and Lydia.
He’d risked his life for Dorothy.
“Dorothy?”
Leroux froze at the sight of Dorothy’s half-frozen form.
“Xinxiu, come here.”
“What? Suddenly? Ha, what a surprise. Would you understand if I suddenly looked cool….”
Dorothy, who had come over to hug him, quickly unbuttoned Xiu’s shirt.
Strangely, Leroux only talked about his performance.
Xiu, who cringed excessively at Dorothy’s touch on his shirt button.
Those were the two clues that Dorothy felt uncomfortable.
“…You, idiot…you idiot.”
There were all sorts of marks under the loosened apron.
A line of blood, clearly misshapen, rising from his normally toned torso.
Wounds too numerous to count.
Some of them are graffiti-like scars that wouldn’t look out of place on a dead man.
How many times he’s lost a limb.
It’s a testament to how close he came to death.
People love stories of heroism.
Spectacular battles and elaborate schemes.
The extraordinary deeds of extraordinary beings.
It’s all mesmerizing to the eye and ear.
The shadow behind the splendor is the scar.
And to Dorothy, the scar stood out more poignantly than any of his heroics.
“What did Jim say,” said Dorothy, “it is not worth Jim’s while to be noticed by Dorothy; it would have been better to tell the truth.”
Leroux, who had been diligently catching the wind at Xiu’s request, shrugged.
“It’s okay, they say it’s just a bit unsightly, but not life-threatening.”
“Idiot, I, what…. What if you’re wrong….”
“It’s all right now, you’re back, and that’s all I need.”
Xiu lowered his head and gently pulled the tearful Dorothy into his arms.
He kissed her on the forehead and the bridge of her nose.
It was a heartwarming sight.
“Now,” he said, “I will leave you two to enjoy your coitus in peace.”
Lerouet, who had been watching the scene with reddened eyes, wiped his nose and feigned a thumbs-up.
“I don’t do that.”
“Hmm? Why?”
Xiu freaked out again, and Dorothy went from crying to laughing.
