Seo Yul loved being held.
He would always stretch out his arms toward me, his eyes shining with a silent plea, asking me to pick him up.
I could understand.
I, too, felt immense comfort whenever someone held me.
If I had to describe it... it was like being wrapped tightly in a thick, warm blanket—a cozy and secure feeling.
After all, don’t most babies love being held by their caretakers?
By being close to their parents, they form a sense of psychological connection and attachment.
It brings them peace, knowing they’re being protected, and there’s a soothing warmth in hearing a heartbeat from up close.
Seo Yul must have felt the same.
Though I wasn’t much, and I couldn’t confidently call myself a proper guardian, I tried my best to fulfill a similar role and usually made a point to hold him when he asked.
“Dad, I love it! Hold me!”
And now was no different.
The sun poured warmly through the window.
It was the time of day when the contented fullness of a meal brought on drowsiness.
Seo Yul stretched out his arms with a wide grin. Even the wings on his back stretched fully, as if they were also basking in the warmth.
That pure, radiant smile that seemed to light up the room—brighter even than the sunlight—brought a soft smile to my own lips.
‘How could he be so adorable?’
The word "fairy" suited him perfectly.
Although the fairies depicted in the original illustrations were certainly beautiful, Seo Yul surpassed them.
Just like before, I put on the most natural smile I could manage and opened my arms to him.
In the past, with only one arm, I couldn’t properly hold him, but now I had both arms.
I could hold him without relying on the Sky Wings.
“You’re the best, Dad!”
Seo Yul leapt into my arms.
I carefully embraced him, recalling past experiences─
—Thud.
He didn’t just fill my arms—his small body, which was now roughly the same size as mine, completely bowled me over.
The impact was stronger than expected.
Thrown off balance, my body tipped backward from the force I couldn’t fully absorb.
‘Oh no!’
Fearing Seo Yul might get hurt, I held him tightly as we tumbled backward.
With our bodies intertwined, we landed on the soft mat in the living room.
There was no real impact; the entire floor was covered with soft mats I had installed throughout the dormitory to ensure Seo Yul wouldn’t get injured.
It felt strange to be the one benefitting from it, though.
“Hehe!”
Seo Yul burst into laughter, the sound clear and melodic like a xylophone being struck.
“Haha, someone’s having fun, aren’t they, Seo Yul?”
Elia, who had been in the kitchen, chuckled softly. She was wearing an apron I had set aside for her as she organized the dishes.
It was such a warm and peaceful scene.
Seo Yul snuggled against me like a baby animal, rubbing his head against me.
The gesture was so sweet and endearing that I couldn’t help but smile.
‘But...’
The problem was that he was squirming on top of me while pinning me down.
If it were before, I wouldn’t have minded, but now that our bodies were roughly the same size, the pressure was... significant.
“I love you, Dad!”
[I... I love you too, Seo Yul...]
“Dad’s cheeks are so soft!”
[Ack...]
[Please don’t bite...]
As he rubbed his cheek against mine, he suddenly opened his mouth and bit my cheek.
[Gyaaah...]
Despite squirming to escape the bizarre sensation on my cheek, I couldn’t shake him off because he had the higher position.
─Sniffle... Sob... Dad...
Moreover, I was weighed down by a mountain of guilt.
I couldn’t even resist such playful antics, ashamed to call myself his guardian.
Resigning myself to the situation, I let my body go limp.
Seo Yul continued to gleefully smother me, flapping his wings enthusiastically as if it made him even happier.
—Click.
‘?’
A sharp sound rang loudly in my ear, making me flinch.
What was that sound?
I knew immediately—it was the camera shutter sound from a smartwatch.
Taming my trembling lips, I asked,
[Elia?]
—Click-click.
“Yes, I hear you... Oh, just a little more to the left! I can’t get a clear shot of Seo Yul’s face... Perfect, hold still!”
—Click-click.
Elia responded casually as if nothing were wrong, snapping photos incessantly.
At some point, the kitchen was spotless. She had finished tidying up without me noticing.
With each unashamed shutter click, I felt a piece of my dignity erode away.
[Stop taking pictures...]
[At least focus on Seo Yul...]
“I can’t do that.”
Her blunt response, delivered with an air of unyielding finality, immediately crushed my pleading tone.
Elia shook her head firmly, adopting a strangely strict demeanor.
“Both babies in the photo make it even cuter.”
[I’m not a baby...]
“Hm, can your Observation Power recognize photos too?”
[Yes, it can.]
“Fascinating. Normally, sensory powers can only detect shapes and positions, but...”
Tilting her head, Elia projected one of the photos as a hologram.
It was a freshly captured image: me sprawled limply on the mat, with Seo Yul grinning brightly on top of me.
“To strangers, you two would look like a pair of adorable siblings.”
[Based on size, maybe, but...]
[Wait a minute.]
[Siblings?]
“Yes?”
Elia blinked, as if she didn’t understand the problem.
[No matter how you look at it, why would I be the younger one?]
“Seo Yul is bigger than you.”
[That’s not true.]
My pride screamed in protest.
Even if I had regressed, it wasn’t that bad.
My Observation Power confirmed...
This chapter is updat𝓮d by freēwebnovel.com.
It confirmed...
Con...
[...I’m taller.]
“Yes, yes, I understand~ Oh, a little to the right now.”
[Don’t ignore me...]
“Dad, are you smaller than me?”
[Huff...]
A metaphorical dagger struck my chest. My breath hitched.
—Click.
The shutter clicked again.
Seo Yul munched on his lips.
“Nom, nom...”
[Gyaaah...]
And yet another piece of my dignity crumbled away...
.
.
.
"Haahm..."
A small yawn escaped from Seo Yul's wide-open mouth, adorable and soft.
His eyelids began to droop, his movements sluggish—he was clearly overwhelmed by drowsiness.
It was natural.
Babies sleep a lot.
After filling his stomach and playing so energetically, any normal baby would have fallen asleep long ago.
Seo Yul had managed to stay awake for a while, but it seemed he had reached his limit and was now shifting into sleep mode.
"Oh dear, is our baby already sleepy?"
Elia, who had been watching nearby, approached and gently grabbed Seo Yul's arm as he rubbed his eyes. She lifted him into her embrace.
The weight pressing down on me was suddenly lifted, and I felt a wave of relief.
"I... I can still play..."
"Your eyes are already closing! Let's get some sleep now, and then you can play with Dad again when you wake up, okay?"
"Ungh..."
Elia expertly calmed the whining Seo Yul in her arms. At first, he shook his head as if resisting, but soon, lulled by the drowsiness, his eyes slowly began to close.
Shortly after, soft, peaceful breathing filled the room.
"He falls asleep so easily, doesn't he?"
[Yes.]
[You’re amazing.]
"He wasn’t like this at first. He whined nonstop because you weren’t around. Honestly, he was as fussy as a little princess back then."
Despite her words about how challenging it had been, Elia’s hands were gentle. She tidied his hair and occasionally patted his back and bottom with practiced care.
[It must have been difficult.]
[Thank you for taking care of Seo Yul.]
[I’ll make sure to repay you tenfold.]
I offered her an awkward smile as she spoke about her struggles.
Then, as if remembering something, Elia chuckled softly.
"But it’s funny how quickly he calms down when held and patted like this. He was fussy at first, but he’s so affectionate that he quickly lowered his guard."
The phrase "takes after someone" accompanied by Elia's deliberate glance at me left me feeling unfairly accused.
How could she make such an assumption about a child whose parentage we didn’t even know? It felt entirely unfounded.
...But I had no grounds to refute her, so I chose silence.
"Up we go..."
Holding the now-sleeping Seo Yul securely, Elia carried him into the bedroom.
I pushed myself up with trembling legs and followed her.
Elia placed Seo Yul on a bed designed for babies.
Although a cradle was in the room, it seemed unused since Seo Yul had grown too quickly for it.
"We used the cradle at first, but he was so active. He kept trying to climb out, so I ended up holding him most of the time," she said, answering a question I hadn’t asked as if she already knew what I was thinking.
I pressed my lips together.
Climbing out of the cradle? Could it be that he didn’t like it?
Everything made for Seo Yul was of the highest quality. I had used the best materials and meticulously engraved magic runes myself.
The cost had brought my previously stable bank account down significantly...
‘Hmm...?’
While sulking, I felt a curious sensation, like something poking the top of my head.
It was as if something—or someone—was watching me and sighing in exasperation.
Even after activating my Observation Power, I couldn’t sense anything unusual.
It was an odd, uneasy feeling.
"Alright, one down. Now for the next..."
Elia tucked Seo Yul in snugly and clapped her hands before turning her gaze toward me.
I froze.
Her gaze, her drawn-out tone, and the mention of "one down" formed a clear and ominous picture.
I instinctively stepped back, but her swift hands slipped under my arms.
"Eep?"
Before I could resist, my feet left the floor, and a weightless sensation enveloped me.
"Now, let’s put little Hayul to bed too~."
Elia’s movements mirrored how she’d handled Seo Yul earlier.
One hand supported my lower back, the other cradled my neck and shoulders.
My face ended up buried in something soft.
[Wait...]
[Wait, hold on...]
—Thump, thump...
Just as I struggled to free myself, I heard the steady rhythm of her heartbeat.
Even through the soft cushion of her embrace, I could feel its pulse, and the rapid beating of my own heart gradually slowed to match hers.
A warmth and sense of security began to creep over me, quelling the resistance in my mind.
My flailing limbs went limp as my strength faded away.
Above me, I heard Elia’s soft chuckling, which only added to my embarrassment.
Her gentle pats on my back and bottom, however, sent me into a deeper, almost hazy state of relaxation.
My thoughts became fuzzy.
It felt as though my logic was melting into a warm, honey-like sweetness.
It was baffling.
No matter how I thought about it, this reaction was anything but normal.
I puffed out my lips in defiance.
[...This feels wrong.]
"What feels wrong?"
Elia’s tone was soothing, as if she were humoring a pouting child. It made me feel even more awkward, but I continued.
[I feel like...]
[My mind is too childish.]
I was aware of it.
I wasn’t much of an adult.
Even though my body had somewhat grown, my mind still seemed stuck in the state of a child.
I had realized it again just a few days ago.
Though the memory was foggy, I seemed to recall clinging to Professor Liana like a child. And now, I was doing the same thing with Elia.
Normal adults don’t melt into a daze just because they’re being hugged and patted.
"That’s just a matter of personal preference. Is it really something to worry about?"
Elia responded thoughtfully.
She wasn’t wrong.
As long as I wasn’t harming anyone, there wasn’t anything inherently shameful about it.
‘......’
Even so, the awareness of my peculiar tendencies didn’t erase my embarrassment.
"And besides, isn’t it unavoidable right now?"
[?]
Unavoidable? What did she mean?
"Mind and body are one, as the saying goes. Healing magic often references this concept. When the body is injured, the mind suffers, and when the mind is wounded, the body weakens as well."
I tilted my head as Elia’s kind smile softened her words.
"In short, your regressed body could be affecting your mental state. It’s only natural."
Oh... was that it?
"In fact, it’s better not to suppress those feelings too much. Over time, your body will return to normal, won’t it?"
My body returning to normal... That felt correct, but still...
As if reading my lingering doubt, Elia reached out and gently patted my head.
"So, if you feel like you can’t hold it in, don’t. It’s not improper at all. I’m here, and I’ll accept whatever you need."
Her kindness was as overwhelming as it was reassuring.
Despite my fuzzy thoughts, her earlier explanation seemed reasonable.
Suppressing emotions and letting them explode in unintended ways often led to trouble.
It felt like a small wall within me had crumbled.
‘......’
After a moment of hesitation, I timidly pressed my face against her shoulder.
"There you go. Good boy~," Elia said, her smile radiating warmth.
____________
[Player Adjustment System: Affection Level]
Lee Hayul → Elia Sreid
●●●●●●●●○○ (78 ▶ 80 / 100)
Tags: Affection, Gratitude, Chick, Guilt, Remorse
...
[The Master of the Tower of Growth sighs deeply.]