NOVEL NEXT Chapter 372
Side Story: The Last Tale – 6
Time flowed unnoticed as always.
It had already been a year since Eclipse started living with me in my studio apartment. So much had happened during that time, and there wasn’t a moment that felt boring; it was bustling.
If I had to pick one significant event from many, it would be that the development of Brightest Darkness 5 got delayed.
Since Eclipse moved in, the development of Brightest Darkness 5 had been temporarily put on hold. I allowed it, after all.
I wanted to see Brightest Darkness 5 early, but right now, spending time together was more important. After all, we could turn back time on Earth as many times as we wanted.
Just like when I caught the Creature that Devours the World and returned to Earth.
“You…”
Eclipse looked at me with tears welling up, grateful for my consideration. Seeing that made me feel a bit guilty. I wondered if I had rushed her a bit too much.
However, aside from the watery eyes, Eclipse didn’t rest for long. Apparently, seeing my thoughtfulness fueled her motivation even more. Of course, she didn’t forget to spend time with us as well.
She said it would roughly take about three years of Earth time for completion. I could wait that long, so I nodded happily.
After waiting a whole ten years with no promise, could I really not wait another three?
When I mentioned that, Eclipse smiled ambiguously. As always, she had a goddess-like demeanor, yet it was also distinctly Eclipse’s smile.
Time continued to flow once more. In the meantime, I finished my long break and returned to university.
Thanks to Eclipse, who had made a new identity in advance, I could easily attend school with my girlfriends. Since I only had one girlfriend on paper, we had to switch roles daily.
And campus life didn’t unfold either. We were just constantly sticking to each other. I tried as much as possible to keep my distance from the girls, while my girlfriends built a fortress against the guys.
Some friends even stuck their tongues out at how they wouldn’t take a single breath in the same classroom when I wasn’t around.
“Son, when’s the wedding— ugh!”
“You old man! You’re saying this to kids who haven’t even graduated! Son, ignore this foolish uncle and do it whenever you want. Just don’t make your girlfriend wait too long.”
As graduation approached, talk of marriage began to surface at home. My dad seemed to want us to get married right after graduation, while my mom was okay as long as it wasn’t too late.
Honestly, I was a bit surprised. It felt like their roles had swapped.
By the way, I dealt with military service thanks to Eclipse’s powers. So, I became a 23-year-old university senior who had also completed active military service, yet no one raised an eyebrow.
“Now it’s possible to change common sense or values on a global scale. As long as it’s not about completely tearing the Earth down.”
“Didn’t you say it’s impossible to stop the merging?”
“I still can’t stop it 100%. It just slows it down endlessly.”
Eclipse found a way to prevent her world from merging with Earth.
Although she couldn’t completely stop it, as long as I didn’t excessively use my powers, it wouldn’t be a problem until I completely finished my life on Earth.
Yeah, until I completely finished my life on Earth.
Someday, I would have to leave this world and settle completely into Eclipse’s dimension. That fact weighed heavily on me. I had secretly fallen into despair a few times.
Unlike my parents, who probably wouldn’t live more than 100 more years, my girlfriends and I would eventually embrace divinity, effectively becoming immortal.
“What if you live forever? Odd question, son. Don’t ask it. Just don’t.”
“What good would it do for us to live that long? Stop talking nonsense.”
Even with that, when I couldn’t bear my anxiety and cautiously asked under the influence of alcohol, my parents cut me off, explaining exactly why immortality is meaningless.
It was a speech that directly denied the path my girlfriends and I would walk, but after listening, I felt a bit lighter.
“… Aren’t you going to ask me, Oppa?”
“You can die or not.”
“Wow, that’s harsh.”
“The harsh part is your conscience.”
Yujin Baek finally got the size of the chest she desired. Unlike before, where she acted all dramatic inside and out, at least now she treated me like an oppa on the outside.
Her inner thoughts were unchanged, but I had no intention of fixing that.
After all, she had me by the chest as leverage; she wouldn’t dare mess with me, and whatever drama unfolded in her mind didn’t need to be revealed.
“If you want, I could offer immortality to your parents—”
“No, thanks.”
I steeled myself as well. During the speech, my parents emphasized the importance of “friends.” Even if our family gained immortality, it would be meaningless without relationships with outsiders.
Of course, if we wanted, we could grant immortality to all of my parents’ friends. But that would cause an uncontrollable chain reaction with their friends and so on.
To manage that continuously expanding network, the answer was to not give a reason from the start.
“It’s fine. Even if such a time comes, we will always be by your side.”
Eclipse revealed my inner thoughts to the girls, and before I knew it, I found myself surrounded by thirteen of them storming into my room, dragging me to bed for comfort.
As always, it wasn’t sexual comfort but true comfort in every sense of the word. They held me close, whispered warm words, and patted my back.
I was patted for a long time.
“I never imagined I would live this life. Not during my time as a dragon or the beginning of my human polymorph.”
Parnari, whom I met after a long time, had perfectly adapted to the human world. Her slightly awkward speech quirks had been corrected, and she no longer didn’t know anything about the outside world.
Though it seemed she still struggled to adapt to the atmosphere of the Mage Tower, obsessed with studying.
“What life are you talking about?”
“The life of a human?”
“Don’t you remember I first met you in your human form?”
“I was human, but I lived alone. I couldn’t mingle with other humans like now.”
That was true. The place where I met Parnari was deep in the forest.
“Oh, right. I never thought I would forget how to turn back into a dragon.”
“That’s quite an unimaginable thing.”
“… Don’t tease me.”
Parnari made a pouty face.
I couldn’t help but chuckle. What dragon in the world would forget how to polymorph back into their true form and end up living as a human? Parnari was probably the only one.
In fact, without going that far, she was the only dragon that remained in this world.
“If you want, I can look into how to return to being a dragon.”
I offered that suggestion, but Parnari shook her head.
“No thanks. I’m comfortable in my human body. Even if I return to my original form, it would just be inconveniently big. Plus, if I become a dragon, I can’t eat this.”
Parnari pointed to the empty chicken box sitting on the desk. The dragon in front of me had become one of the ‘people’ who acquired a taste for Earth food.
Eclipse had been seriously considering whether to spread the recipes of Earth food in her world. Since it was a world where she could take whatever she liked, I told her to do as she pleased.
By the time there was air conditioning blasting in the Imperial Palace, it was already too late for hesitation.
“If you were in your original form, you wouldn’t even be able to pleasure yourself. Your hands wouldn’t reach.”
“Cough! cough, cough!”
After receiving those kinds of books from Minerva, Parnari had become free to speak like that around Minerva and me. Minerva had made a grave error in bringing that water in.
I averted my gaze from something variously sized littered around the room. They just coincidentally resembled female sexual devices, surely meant for different uses.
“It’s all thanks to Minerva.”
“That’s a good thing, isn’t it, Child?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Knowing the joys of being a woman.”
Having almost stopped visiting the Mage Tower lately, Minerva burst into laughter upon hearing about Parnari’s newfound understanding and pulled me along to find her.
The two exchanged various conversations until Minerva suddenly embraced me, displaying possessiveness, bringing their dialogue to a close.
“This child is not for loan.”
“Not that I like her anyway. She’s too skinny.”
Parnari also declared she didn’t like me for being too thin. Her preference was for much larger and sturdier men, reportedly resembling beasts.
I ended up having to work hard to stop Minerva, who was about to say something about being a beast in bed.
“Stand against the wall with your hands up.”
“Child…?”
Returning home, I ended up receiving a scolding.
Lana could easily be considered among the top people whose lives improved by associating with me, aside from my girlfriends.
From being on edge about when the garbage claiming to be Aurora’s father would die or face hardships, she had not only become the Empress’s maid but also held onto a truth no one else knew.
“When are you having children with Lady Aurora? Then I can take on the role of a wet nurse.”
Moreover, she was now boldly requesting the role of a wet nurse, fully aware of her position.
“A wet nurse? You, Lana?”
“Believe it or not, I raised Lady Aurora. If I can care for Lady Aurora’s child too, it would be an unparalleled honor for me, maid Lana.”
“Certainly, you will be of a mother’s age.”
“……”
Lana trembled, unable to argue back.
I had always sensed it, but even though age couldn’t be distinguished by looks, the women in this world seemed quite sensitive about age. The reason remained a mystery. Must be some instinct of being a woman.
“So, what’s your true intention?”
“I’m bored just resting. I want to work.”
“You can do that in the Imperial Palace.”
“Not under that strict maid. I want something more relaxed.”
She even began to sulk at me. If the head maid of the Imperial Palace or the people of the Holy Kingdom heard that, they would foam at the mouth and leap about.
But Lana had every right to make such demands. She had protected Aurora before meeting me. Plus, she might even receive divinity alongside Aurora, provided they both wished for it.
“I heard about a mansion underwater?”
After some thought, I entrusted the management of Minerva’s future sanctum to her. While there wouldn’t be anyone else in the Holy Realm, Minerva’s mansion would be different.
When I asked if she’d like to manage a mansion and underwater garden, Lana’s eyes sparkled with excitement. Despite my mocking, she remained undeterred.