"The 'blood' of the Elf Mother Tree…?"
As the strange sensation continued to intensify, Kurose Akira slowly opened his eyes.
At some point, the Elf Queen had already vanished without a trace. Meanwhile, the pool in which he and Bearella were immersed had transformed completely—now glowing a vivid emerald green, overflowing with vigorous life force.
"…It feels like the pain is gone?"
Akira murmured softly, surprised to find that the intense pain from earlier had disappeared entirely, replaced by a warm, soothing sensation that spread throughout his body.
That comfort caused his holy light to gradually begin flickering…
"Is this because of the Elf Mother Tree's 'blood'?"
He lifted his hands from the water. Threads of emerald liquid slid down his fingers like silk. Staring at his palms, he could clearly feel the pool water purifying his body—as if countless tiny spirits were dancing through his cells, carefully washing away every impurity within him.
At the same time, Akira noticed something else.
His ears were slowly growing longer… sharper… increasingly similar to those of an elf.
A faint sense of unease rose in his heart.
Is my body… gradually transforming into an elven form?
Lost in thought, Akira's gaze drifted instinctively toward Bearella and her children.
With the pool's transformation, the pain that had once been etched across their faces had vanished as well, replaced by gentle, relaxed smiles.
Seeing this, Akira finally breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
It seemed that the Elf Mother Tree's baptism had now turned into something closer to a blissful, body-soothing immersion.
Just as Akira was about to close his eyes again and continue enjoying the experience—
Bearella slowly opened her eyes.
"…Mr. Akira?"
Her soft voice called out, causing Akira's heart to jolt violently. He snapped his head toward her, eyes widening in shock and disbelief.
Can she see me?!
His heartbeat quickened as he stared at Bearella, tense and unmoving.
"…Am I imagining things because I've missed him too much?"
Bearella murmured to herself, her voice drifting gently through the air.
Akira immediately relaxed.
So she couldn't see him after all. He'd just overthought it.
Regaining his composure, Akira prepared to close his eyes once more.
But at that moment—
Bearella suddenly stood up from the pool.
Her snow-white skin appeared even more flawless against the emerald glow of the water. The movement was elegant and unhurried, like a living painting unfolding before Akira's eyes, leaving him momentarily dazzled.
Then, she began walking—slowly, gracefully—toward the spot where Akira was.
Akira felt a trace of confusion.
Why was she coming this way?Had she sensed something?
In the blink of an eye, Bearella was standing right in front of him.
She leaned forward slightly, her gaze fixed on what appeared to be empty water, as though she were searching for something unseen.
From Akira's perspective, Bearella and his holy light were separated by only a few centimeters.
He could even feel her warm breath brushing gently against his holy light.
Hiss—
In that instant, Akira's holy light flared violently, growing scorching hot—so intense that faint arcs of lightning condensed within it.
Yet Akira was deeply puzzled.
He was certain Bearella couldn't see him.
But he was just as certain that she could sense his presence—at the very least, she could vaguely perceive the existence of his holy light.
"…This is strange. What's going on?"
At the same time, Bearella herself was filled with confusion.
She was sure she had caught a trace of Akira's presence—yet there was nothing there, no figure to be seen.
She gently touched her cheek with her fingertips and murmured softly,
"I can clearly feel it's right here… so why can't I see him?"
"…Could it really be that I miss Mr. Akira too much?"
As she spoke, Bearella cupped her slightly flushed cheeks with both hands. Her snow-white body shifted subtly, her posture taking on a hazy, yearning allure.
Akira watched her quiet monologue in stunned silence.
He hadn't expected Bearella's longing for him to run so deep.
Looks like once their baptism is over… I really need to make a trip to the Elven Kingdom.
I should properly spoil this elf mother…
Just then—
Bearella took a small step forward.
Her fingertip brushed accidentally against the holy light.
—
In that instant, Akira's nerves snapped taut, his holy light surging to its absolute peak.
Bearella, too, felt the unmistakable call of the holy light—as if something had pierced through dimensions themselves.
Her beautiful eyes trembled.
She stepped back abruptly, staring in disbelief at the seemingly empty surface of the water.
Bearella was absolutely certain—she had touched something.
Yet there was nothing visible before her eyes, leaving her utterly bewildered.
That burning warmth felt almost like—
And because of that contact, the desire surging within Akira became impossible to suppress.
The Elf Mother Tree's "blood" began to converge within his holy light.
The originally golden radiance was slowly stained with a vivid green hue, emitting a unique and mysterious aura.
As Bearella struggled to understand what she was sensing, a streak of emerald-tinted holy light suddenly manifested out of thin air above the water, outlining a familiar shape.
It captured all of her attention instantly.
Her eyes widened, disbelief flooding her expression.
"Th-This is…?"
Her voice trembled.
Her pupils shook violently.
Akira was just as stunned.
He realized that although Bearella still couldn't see him, she could clearly see his holy light.
"…A-Akira… Mr. Akira?!"
Her voice was filled with shock, joy, and lingering disbelief.
But that holy light—That unmistakable presence—
Only Akira possessed it.
"…Mm."
Since Bearella couldn't hear his voice, Akira could only respond by nodding slightly.
"How can this be…?"
Bearella's thoughts churned like stormy waves.
She instinctively covered her mouth, her eyes wide as bells, utterly unable to believe that Akira had truly appeared here.
Am I dreaming?
This was the sacred, mysterious interior of the Elf Mother Tree—A place only the Elf Queen and elves undergoing baptism were allowed to enter.
How could Mr. Akira possibly—
Then, as she recalled the subtle, unspoken understanding that seemed to exist between Akira and the Elf Queen…
Realization struck her.
A radiant smile bloomed across her lips.
No wonder I've always faintly felt his presence…So he's been here the whole time.
Mr. Akira… you're really too naughty~
But—
Her gaze flicked toward Furi and Flora, who were still immersed in the baptism, eyes tightly shut.
"We can't wake them."
After whispering to herself, Bearella extended her fingertips. A dim green light flowed out, quietly enveloping the two girls, forming a sensory barrier around them.
"That should do it."
Then, Bearella leaned forward once more.
Her fingers gently traced across the holy light, savoring its sacred, familiar warmth.
"Mr. Akira… why are you here?"
She asked softly, her voice filled with curiosity and surprise.
As her words faded, Bearella gently pressed her lips against the holy light.
Akira, of course, couldn't respond.
He could only let his holy light tremble faintly, as though silently answering her.
After the lingering kiss, Bearella slowly lifted her snow-white fullness, enclosing the holy light between them…
"Still~ since you're already here~"
"I can't possibly let you off so easily~"