On the day of the Forester Selection Competition,
Early in the morning, I returned, washed up thoroughly, and dressed neatly in the academy uniform that I rarely wore.
Jin Dallae, who was sitting at the dining table, helped me tie my necktie.
Seeing Jin Dallae raise her hand high because of our height difference made me burst into laughter.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Just because.”
“What? Really?”
Was she annoyed because I was giggling?
Jin Dallae puffed her cheeks and lifted her flower-like hand to pucker her lips.
-Smooch.A sudden kiss.
“Make sure to wear the mask.”
She handed me the old mask I hadn’t worn in a while.
“Do I really need to wear this when I haven’t been using it recently?”
“… What if more girls gather around you?”
Not quite possessiveness, just a sense of exclusivity.
Living together, all the venom in Jin Dallae seemed to have dissipated, and she had become a gentle person.
“Shiba wouldn’t like having more moms around either, right, Shiba?”
“Mom?”
“Yes, mom.”
“Good!”
“…”
Jin Dallae’s face hardened at Shiba’s oblivious comment.
“Look, even she says she likes having more moms.”
“Enough, just wear the mask.”
“Alright.”
Though it lost its artifact function with the gem removed, the mask was enough to hide my appearance.
Fully dressed, I stood in front of the mirror.
The design of the blue clothes.
The color symbolizing the leaves of the blue tree looked tacky to me.
“It looks good on you.”
“No matter how much I think about it, wearing different clothes seems better.”
“They’ll give out uniforms once the competition starts, right? Just endure it for now.”
Jin Dallae patted my butt to console me.
As I complained, I felt like a son whining about not wanting to go to high school.
Wasn’t that a bad feeling?
Since Jin Dallae took care of all the household chores, life had been comfortable lately.
But I would have to leave this place for a while.
Instead of the new mask, I wore the one from my academy days when I met Jin Dallae.
I also wore a bracelet made from mistletoe, generously given by Cheondo, on my wrist.
Among my packed belongings was the suspicious robe that had passed through Seri’s hands.
-Click.
As I twisted the doorknob, Jin Dallae came out holding Shiba to see me off.
“Shiba, Dad’s going now.”
I brought my face close and spoke. Shiba wriggled out from Jin Dallae’s arms and bumped her face against my cheek.
-Smooch.
A cheek kiss with a different meaning made me smile.
“Say ‘Come back safely’?”
“Come back safewy.”
As I left the house, I felt the weight of the luggage on my back.
Looking back from the stairs, I saw Jin Dallae and Shiba smiling and waving at me.
When I waved back, both of them waved enthusiastically.
‘We’ve really become a family.’
Wasn’t this how a breadwinner felt every morning?
I worried less about Shiba.
Even when I wasn’t around, Jin Dallae and Shin Hye-young were there.
Shiba seemed to get along well with them even without me.
-Buzz!
A notification from my pocket.
When I checked my phone, there was a message from Byeol.
-Byeol: (Photo)
The photo Byeol sent showed her and Lee Seyeong sitting opposite each other in front of the TV, snacks on the table, and both looking at the camera.
Byeol was beaming, while Lee Seyeong looked surprised at the camera lens.
The noticeable thing was that Lee Seyeong was topless.
75F chest’s overwhelming presence.
Different from Jin Dallae, her skin was soft and healthy white.
-Byeol: Watching live!
-Me: Don’t you have work?
-Byeol: Haha, can’t miss my boyfriend on TV haha.
-Me: What’s with Seyeong?
-Byeol: Dunno, maybe showing off her big breasts.
-Byeol: (Sticking out tongue emoji)
I chuckled softly and sent a message to Lee Seyeong too.
-Me: (Photo)
-Me: ???
-Lee Seyeong: I didn’t tell her to take it, that woman took it herself.
-Me: Hahaha.
-Lee Seyeong: Good luck.
-Me: Yep.
-Lee Seyeong: And keep in touch.
After the last message with them, I put my phone back in my pocket.
Alright, there’s a lot to do.
I hurried towards the academy.
“Hey.”
“Yeah.”
“Isn’t it impressive?”
Aori tilted her head to look at the phone screen Taeyang was viewing.
“The participant list for this Forester Selection Competition.”
A few hours before the competition began.
7 AM.
Pictures of the students taken in real-time at the academy were posted on the competition’s website.
Taeyang and Aori from Seoul Academy were also on the participant list.
As the list refreshed, more participants’ faces appeared.
Among them were members of the world’s most prestigious academies.
“Wow~”
They were all beauties.
When it came to Tree People, it was always handsome men and beautiful women.
Taeyang began to passionately describe the women’s faces to Aori while zooming in on some photos.
In such matters, his investigation was thorough.
“They’re stunning. Let me explain in order.”
“I want to see the guys.”
“Shut up and listen. First, the national Tree People.”
The national Tree People representing each country.
These Tree People received the best education outside the academies.
Even the top students from elite academies couldn’t easily compare to the national Tree People.
Even the famous Jung Siwoo had records of losing to a national Tree Person.
“Baseline is A-grade hunter. Many are S-grade too.”
National Tree People symbolized their country’s pride.
Born with overwhelming talent, nurtured with the country’s funds to become the nation’s ultimate power, they receive all kinds of support.
They also inherited the World Tree’s blood strongly and could naturally use their powers.
Their growth aimed to reach the ultimate state.
They underwent continuous training to protect the World Tree and defend the country from the Flower.
The first stage where these national Tree People debuted was this Forester Selection Competition.
“Ultimate state… Doesn’t the World Tree dislike Tree People who reach the ultimate state?”
Taeyang laughed at Aori’s words.
“How long ago was that?”
Tree Spirit King. Nemesis of Cheonma.
With Flower wreaking havoc, the very foundation of the World Tree was on the verge of collapse.
To confront the numerous bigshots that would appear in the future, the World Tree also needed to recruit powerful allies.
So from the start, they granted various blessings and powers to help someone grow.
“That’s what the World Tree’s husband candidates, National Trees… the ones we have to face, are.”
Taeyang said nonchalantly.
“Damn, I got off track. But that’s not the important part.”
“Then what is it?”
“They’re beautiful.”
Japan’s cherry blossom.
China’s plum, ginkgo.
Canada’s sugar maple.
India’s banyan.
Russia’s birch.
America’s dogwood, and so on.
All of them had looks that made you instinctively go “wow.”
Each had its unique charm and beauty.
However, it’s clear that they were all incredibly attractive and impressive.
It had already been proven that families with thicker World Tree blood had better looks.
It’s safe to say that the beauty of National Trees, with the world’s thickest World Tree blood, could easily outshine dozens of idols.
No wonder humans were treated as trashy love interests.
“With such thick World Tree blood, how beautiful must the elves who lived for thousands of years have been.”
Aori stuck out her tongue in disgust at Taeyang, who was lost in his imagination.
“…Gross.”
“What did you say?”
“Ah, ah! Don’t pinch me!”
As Taeyang stretched Aori’s cheek like taffy, she let go of her expressionless face and shouted.
“Quiet down.”
“Yes.”
Taeyang and Aori immediately shut their mouths at the instructor’s scolding.
One thing was clear.
“Anyway, National Trees… are gods.”
Gods among men.
Remember why men worldwide watch the seemingly endless Forester Selection Competition for months with enthusiasm?
There’s a reason why the captivating scenes of National Trees struggling in dungeons spread as gifs.
Even if your parents asked, “What are you watching?” there’s no need to worry.
Just say you’re watching the wholesome and documentary-like Forester Selection Competition.
They’ll then happily slice you an apple, saying, “Oh, our son is watching something interesting.”
“…This is really disgusting. Ah. Ow. Ow. Stop pulling.”
“It’s an unattainable star anyway.”
If you messed with National Trees carelessly, you could die in an instant.
At least until they meet the future Tree Spirit King, they couldn’t approach them.
‘After meeting the Tree Spirit King and delivering all the messages… maybe I could risk my life just once.’
Willingly giving up his life.
Letting them bear my child.
Isn’t that what a real man would do?
After examining all the pictures of National Trees, Taeyang turned to the next page.
Photos of the students taken at El Academy were uploaded there.
Though rated lower than National Trees, El Academy is still a top-tier academy. Every student here is skilled.
‘Being skilled means they have enough talent.’
Having talent means they’ve inherited a lot of World Tree blood.
Therefore, El Academy students are all beautiful and handsome.
There might be a few exceptions, but overall, they are all impressive.
While flipping through the photos, savoring each one, a man caught his eye.
A person with black hair and wearing a mask. His name was Lee Shiheon.
“A mask? Why is he wearing a mask?”
Although it’s possible to identify someone without showing their face.
Why go through the trouble of wearing a mask?
Aori, who was clinging to Taeyang’s arm, saw the photo and her eyes sparkled.
“Is it because of his appearance?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“This person is handsome.”
Aori asserted firmly.
The shining star in her eyes didn’t fade.
“Someone just said earlier that looking for pretty girls was disgusting.”
“Top-notch. Maybe comparable to National Trees.”
“What? This person?”
“Yes. Looking at him makes my heart flutter.”
“Does it, to the point where you’d say something like that?”
Taeyang frowned and carefully examined the face faintly visible behind the mask.
His eyes were sharp, his jawline was defined, and indeed, he was quite handsome.
“Am I not better looking?”
At Taeyang’s comment, Aori spat.
“Ptui.”
Saliva dripped from her cheek.
Taeyang’s stony face twitched.
“Enough nonsense.”
“…This girl.”
Their journey to find the Tree Spirit King seemed like it would take a bit longer.
The Forester Selection Competition evaluated various aspects, including individual and team competitions.
Since the broadcast period lasted for several months, the evaluation criteria weren’t very strict.
I had grown too, so I shouldn’t get caught in anything too severe.
[…During the Forester Selection Competition, Miss Sansuyu will be safe. There’s a possibility of assassination, but the World Tree won’t want to ruin the festival.]
The success rate of Sansuyu’s experiment was extremely low.
If this festival failed, the financial loss was in the trillions, making it difficult for the World Tree to make a hasty decision.
The Cornus family must have concluded the same.
Sansuyu’s secretary, Seong Jiho, said to me,
[At least during the Forester Selection Competition, it might be good to create pleasant memories with Miss Sansuyu.]
Don’t spoil the atmosphere.
That’s the plan.
The confrontation between the World Tree and the Cornus family seemed to be postponed until the Forester Selection Competition ended.
‘But that’s not the only thing I need to worry about.’
I looked at Sansuyu sitting next to me.
Sansuyu, dipping bread in balsamic vinegar and chewing it.
“Sour.”
“Are you here for a gourmet tour?”
“?”
With the power accumulated yesterday and this morning, I infused it into Sansuyu, making her much healthier.
As long as I continued to manage her, there wouldn’t be any major issues.
The main problem was this.
‘…The Flower’s terror attack.’
I looked at Guseul, sitting next to Lim Jonghyun and pretending to be an ordinary person, from my line of sight.
“Huh? Good morning, Shiheon.”
That wretched girl seemed suspicious.
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