Atra Had a Lot to Say.
Hadn’t Hayul promised to stay safe and sound during the break? Hadn’t he assured her not to worry, saying he would return unscathed? Then why had he gone to China? And why had trouble followed him there? Just like in Sifnaha, was he deliberately seeking danger?
And what about the Guhwa family’s involvement? Why were they treating him as their “beloved” en masse?
And now, what was that metal limb attached to his left arm?
Scolding, worrying, nagging...
Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, and she struggled to decide where to begin.
“Ah...”
Nothing came out.
All she could muster was a faint, dizzy exhale as her lips parted.
Atra barely held onto her composure. If she wasn’t careful, her instincts might overtake her reason, leading her to act impulsively.
Barely managing to suppress her impulses, she tightly hugged Hayul.
She had done so before, but now, his even smaller body fit perfectly in her arms.
An indescribable sense of fulfillment filled her chest.
It was as if a missing piece of herself had clicked into place, making her body tremble.
And then, that familiar scent tickled her nose.
When her tightly shut eyes fluttered open, she saw something she had never encountered before—pure white hair.
Its color was purer than the celestial snowflowers that were said to bloom perhaps once every few decades atop the highest peaks of the demon realm.
And from this hair came a sweet, honey-like scent, dense and warm, like blankets left to dry in the morning sun.
It was Hayul’s distinct scent.
Atra’s eyes quivered.
His scent, which had always been captivating and stirring, was now even more intense.
It was hard to resist.
She buried her nose in his hair.
Snnf... Haa...
As she inhaled deeply, her lungs filled with his scent.
Atra’s body shivered as she pressed her face against his hair, taking in his fragrance.
“Uhh... W-wait. That’s a bit... strange, isn’t it?” Liana, standing beside her, awkwardly interjected, unable to keep watching.
Startled, Atra flinched and glanced around nervously, trying to gauge her surroundings.
To Liana, the scene before her looked highly concerning.
Atra’s appearance was far from her usual composed self.
Her once bright golden eyes were now dull and trembling, blood vessels visible in her whites. Her previously lustrous hair was dry and frayed, and dark circles hung heavily beneath her eyes.
She looked like a wreck, almost like a drunkard or chain-smoker one might find at the end of their rope.
In truth, Atra had considered seeking solace in alcohol or cigarettes several times. She used to rely on cigarettes to cope with stress.
But she had resisted the urge.
The memory of a shocking incident involving Hayul had stopped her.
If she had indulged, Hayul would undoubtedly have been furious, flailing in protest.
And that might have shattered Atra’s already fragile mental state, leaving her a true wreck.
So, for someone in her condition, clutching the shrunken Hayul tightly while burying her face in his hair made her look... very dangerous.
Even as Liana gave her a hesitant nudge, Atra didn’t hold back.
She didn’t have the luxury to care about such trivial matters.
She simply hugged Hayul tightly and indulged in his scent without pause.
Haaaa...
Who knew how much time passed.
Atra finally managed to rein in her impulses, her reason slowly returning.
The overwhelming anxiety and pain she had felt over the past days seemed to ebb away, replaced by a faint light in her once-dull eyes.
With a heavy sigh, she raised her head slightly.
The pristine white hair moved away.
“...Huh?”
And then she saw Hayul’s face, eyes brimming with unshed tears, looking utterly pitiful.
His gentle gaze was droopy, his expression filled with sorrow.
Thud! Atra’s heart sank, dropping into a pit of despair as if she had stepped off a cliff.
“M-my apologies, child. Did I hug you too tightly? Are you hurt, or perhaps upset with me?”
Had she been too carried away by her impulses?
A small part of her regained reason now sent alarm bells ringing.
On reflection, she worried that she might have made Hayul uncomfortable with her actions.
Previously, she had only dared to indulge when his attention was elsewhere or when he was asleep, but now she had been too blatant.
Flustered, Atra adjusted her hold on Hayul and repeatedly apologized.
Hayul’s gaze trembled.
Then, as if searching for comfort, he tightly shut his lips and buried his face in her chest.
[I'm sorry...]
“Huh...?”
Hayul’s necklace, now coiled several times around his smaller neck, clicked faintly.
[Truly... I’m sorry...]
Even as he apologized, soft sniffles escaped from within her embrace.
Atra and Liana rushed to comfort the sobbing child.
Before Going to China.
To be honest, Hayul had never expected it to be entirely safe.
China was a region known for its abundance of dungeons and monsters.
Entering such a place to handle the local branch of the Death God Cult and subjugate monsters alongside it was optimistic at best.
Thus, he had prepared an emergency escape plan.
Using his spatial power, he had memorized coordinates for a long-distance leap, intending to flee in case of true danger.
This confidence had allowed him to stand firm even when confronted by the cult’s leader.
But instead of the leader, the Two-Headed Venom Dragon had appeared.
Having contributed to the chaos, he couldn’t justify running away.
And with lives at risk within reach, he couldn’t turn a blind eye. So he threw himself into the fray.
And narrowly survived death more than once.
Had his body not mysteriously regressed, leaving behind its poisoned state, even his corpse would have dissolved.
It had been excruciating.
The sensation of a poisoned body shutting down was terrifying.
The pain of his body burning, freezing, and crumbling into dust simultaneously was horrifying.
Dying alone in a place unknown, writhing like an insect—it was terrifying.
[I'm sorry...]
But this—this hurt far more.
Hayul quietly used his observational power, focusing narrowly on the figure of his mentor.
A mess.
Her once-shining eyes were dim, and the tips of her hair were dry and frayed.
Though Professor Liana had said the rescue and journey back had taken less than a week, his mentor appeared utterly drained.
Because of him.
[Regret]
[Guilt]
[Sorrow]
[I’m truly sorry...]
His heart ached.
His mentor had suffered because of her unworthy student.
Tears welled up in his eyes despite the guilt of causing her pain.
Both his mentor and Professor Liana comforted him as he wept, only adding to his tears.
“...Hayul, do you really feel remorse for what you’ve done?”
[Yes... I’m sorry...]
“...Truly? Because if you do, punishment is in order, you know?”
[Yes...]
Hayul nodded firmly again.
He was fully aware of the gravity of his mistake.
His mentor’s gaze turned strange.
It was a mix of hesitation, doubt, and something else.
Still holding Hayul, she sat down on a chair behind her desk.
Her hand, which had been gently stroking his back, slid down to his bottom.
Gulp.
He swallowed nervously, unsure of what punishment awaited.
Though fear loomed, he steeled himself, ready to accept the consequences of his actions.
Then, her hand left his bottom and lightly swung down.
Smack!
Hic!
For a moment, stars danced in his vision.
...
The sensation of the light smack spread from his bottom up his spine. His back straightened reflexively.
It was a peculiar sensation, one he had felt not too long ago. This time it was gentler but just as baffling.
[M-m-mistress...?]
As he trembled, he asked hesitantly. His mentor didn’t respond, merely raising her hand again.
Smack!
His body jolted.
It didn’t hurt—just a ticklish, warm sensation.
Then, he realized what this was.
A spanking.
A childish punishment, reserved for young children.
Heat rose to his face. Though the spanking wasn’t painful, the fact that he, no longer a child, was receiving one filled him with shame and embarrassment.
Unable to lift his head, he buried his face back into her chest, causing her to pause.
“Does it hurt a lot?”
Her voice was filled with concern as she gently patted his back and bottom.
“If it’s unbearable, we’ll stop here.”
She sounded genuinely worried, despite her earlier insistence on scolding him.
After gauging her expression, Hayul replied.
[It doesn’t hurt much...]
While his bottom felt warm and tingled slightly, it wasn’t truly painful.
Even though his body had changed and regressed, it wasn’t as fragile as a real child’s.
Such a mild punishment wouldn’t leave any lasting marks.
“Then let’s continue a bit longer.”
[Okay...]
Despite agreeing, he couldn’t shake his embarrassment and kept his head buried.
Her hand resumed its light smacks.
Smack! Smack! Smack!
‘Ugh...’
It didn’t hurt.
It was just warm and tingly, paired with the lingering shame.
If embarrassment was part of the punishment’s intent, it was certainly effective.
He resolved not to repeat his actions if only to avoid feeling this way again.
Smack!
‘...Huh?’
A strange feeling washed over him.
Smack!
Her hand lingered, patting his bottom before moving away, only to repeat the process.
Her touch conveyed affection and care.
It didn’t feel like a punishment but more like a comforting pat.
His brow furrowed slightly.
The feelings became clearer.
In the back of his mind, an image of a parent patting their baby’s bottom surfaced.
This image intertwined with memories of other people.
The necklace clicked.
[Comfort]
This chapt𝙚r is updated by freeωebnovēl.c૦m.
A dull voice echoed in the room.
“...What did you say?”
Her hand stopped. She looked confused.
‘Ah.’
He froze.
In his moment of distraction, the necklace had betrayed his thoughts.
[Stability]
[Touch]
[Affection]
[Bottom pats feel nice]
Click, click...
The room fell silent, save for the calm voice of the necklace.
His already flushed face turned as red as a ripe apple.
[Player Assistance System: Affinity]
Lee Hayul → Atra Clyde
●●●●●●●●○○ (84 → 86 / 100)
“Mentor” “Trust” “Stability” “Craving Affection”