Eat The World Tree

Baobab.

A tree born under the passionate sun, boasting a majestic size.

However, behind the strong body born from the blood of the World Tree, there lay barren lands where not even a handful of grass could grow, and the scorching sands baked in the heat.

If one didn’t become strong, they would be eliminated, and their life could be lost at any moment. If they let their guard down for even a second, their food and their throat would be taken away.

In Africa, money, reason, and food were all but the privileges of the strong. The tribes wandering the desolate lands, which were practically in a state of anarchy, had to always be wary of the spear aimed at their back.

It was not uncommon for one’s lover to be taken away.

In that blood-stained dark continent, the only beings who would share even a bit of affection and maintain that bond were family. The only people who would stay by one’s side even if someone

stabbed them in the side were a few blood relatives. When her trusted brother abandoned her, she couldn’t help but feel a great sense of loss.

When one of her family members disappeared like that, Bao did not take the usual route.

Baobabs were strong and had an elegant appearance. If they found a mate they desired, it was natural for them to take them at will, and bringing reliable husbands at their own discretion was normal.

Sharing affection in that manner and filling the empty space was considered normal, but Bao wasn’t particularly interested in that aspect.

Partly because her brother was the greatest warrior among the baobabs, there wasn’t a man who could catch her eye, and by the time her development had just begun, she had already been chosen as the National Tree.

If there was a man she liked, she should forcibly conquer him and establish a relationship. That was the natural world, but as the National Tree, she couldn’t do that. She always had to act as a warrior, and getting pregnant could lead to serious problems. She liked fighting, so it didn’t particularly bother her.

And, men seemed too easy.

They were all weaker than her. A single tap could break their bones. Even the bigger ones crumbled with a single push; how could she be interested?

She was always on top of someone.

Not noble, but possessing a sharp beauty. With bare feet roaming the jungle or desert, she had the strength to trample over others’ heads without any problem. It might be called savage, but the cradle that nurtured her, who struggled just to survive, was more than enough to turn her character toward a more aggressive direction.

Seeing people screaming from behind was amusing. If they didn’t like it, they should step up and fight. They acted as if they were some big shots, shooting magic like it was some kind of privilege.

Those who fought ahead of their position were all pathetic. If they didn’t have strength, they should know their place. The ones who defied her didn’t sit well with her either.

The strong one was king.

Who would be the first to climb the thorn-covered Ent’s back with bare feet? The one who drank the blood of the opponent, who gushed like a fountain after a spear was thrust into their terrible head, was the victor.

In that sense, she was no different from a queen.

Thud.

It should have been that way.

She had been there.

Thud.

Her lower abdomen throbbed desperately.

---

Bao, lying face down, buried her face in the bed and repeated those words in a cracked voice.

“I didn’t lose.”

I took out my phone from my pocket and checked the time. It seemed that the first day was over.

Panting heavily, Bao’s appearance was in a pitiful state. From the start, he had intended to use her as an outlet for his lust, so the intensity and manner were extremely rough.

It was practically forced pleasure.

Referring to the commentary on that date with Byeol, who had immediately engaged in relations after being hit by a sexual technique, she had said that her brain almost melted when she had relations after being hit multiple times.

“Sigh.”

There was not a single fruit produced.

Had her body not developed enough to produce fruit like Jin Dallae? Or was it that she had no fruit at all?

But if she had a body that could bear fruit and still couldn’t produce any…

‘Does that mean I lost?’

It could be because Bao kept denying the pleasure. It was hard to make that judgment since Bao’s current state was far from normal.

‘It was strange to think it would be possible from the first day.’

I casted a spell on Bao’s half-unconscious body and covered her with a blanket. Bao, who lay on her side with her private parts exposed, started to breathe softly as I gently pulled the blanket down. I sprayed some deodorant to help her sleep well and increased the bed’s temperature. After clearing the room, which had become messy from magic, I left the room and stretched.

Ping!

Then, my phone vibrated. It was a message from Taeyang.

<Minion A has invited ‘Lee Shiheon’.>

• Minion A: Hyungnim. Are you done?

The nickname was strange. I tilted my head for a moment and replied.

-Me: What’s with the name?

-Minion A: It just happened that way.

-Minion B: That’s how it turned out, My Lord.

It wasn’t a personal message but a group chat. Looking at the profile pictures, Taeyang had a photo of himself stylishly dressed with a café in the background, while Aori had a suggestive tree picture that invoked lewd thoughts.

Before long, a call came in from Taeyang.

Since it was just the next room, I didn’t answer the call but came out and knocked on the door. Before long, the door opened.

Aori, sitting on the sofa tearing into bread, and Taeyang, standing at the entrance. There was a container of food indicating they had been eating a late-night snack until just moments ago.

“You’re still eating?”

“Unlike some people, my fuel efficiency isn’t great. Want some?”

He naturally sat down on the sofa and reached out for the late-night snack.

After moving his body vigorously, his stomach felt like it was sticking to his back.

“Beer?”

“Sure.”

Luxury dishes paired with canned beer. It wasn’t that we didn’t have wine, but given our situation, this was more fitting. The food brought from the restaurant tasted much better than what we usually ate, even with just a light reheating.

“So, why did you call me?”

After cutting a piece of meat, I dipped it with a mushroom and put it in my mouth, then sipped the beer. The juicy flavor of the beef lingered on my tongue behind the sparkling carbonation.

There’s no greater indulgence for a hungry stomach.

“I wanted to ask how it went.”

“Mm-hmm.”

Aori nodded vigorously at Taeyang’s words.

“So, why are you two so curious about my relationships?”

I asked, exasperated, as I put another piece of meat in my mouth. Aori swallowed the food she was chewing, took a sip of wine to moisten her throat, and then spoke.

“In the old medieval times, the servants would watch the king during his sexual relations. It was to see if the king was good at his nightly duties~ “

“So, you two think you’re entitled to watch too?”

“Yes.”

“Is that even a logical argument?”

Nothing was too strange back in those days. It was even said that a sister might show her brother how it’s done on her wedding night if he was hesitant about sex.

And there was also the choyagwon.

In the world I came from, it was nothing more than an exaggerated rumor, but here, it really existed. Reading the history books, you could see just how corrupt the oppressive trees had become.

“Let’s live in our own time, please.”

“Well, I kind of figured you’d say that. Anyway, there’s another matter.”

Taeyang shrugged, conceding the point, and shifted the subject. I continued eating. I was so hungry that I kept putting food in my mouth.

“Hyungnim.”

“Yeah?”

“What do you think of Lee Hyang?”

Lee Hyang. Was there really a need to bring her up suddenly?

Aside from that chance meeting where I helped her, and the brief time we spent together, there’s no real connection. We might run into each other on the street or have a meal together if she asks, but I wouldn’t say we’re close. In fact, that’s how I prefer it.

“Why do you ask?”

“Why else? I’m telling you to seduce her.”

My hand, which was raising the beer glass, stopped. The liquid inside the glass swayed. What did he just say? Was he serious or not?

“Do you think Cherry Blossoms are common? Because they’re rare, we need to secure them.”

Cough,

“Hey. Aren’t you guys friends?”

“We are. But a one-night stand won’t kill her. As long as there’s consent, what’s the problem?”

“Consent for what?”

“Get her a little drunk and—”

Smack!

I slapped Taeyang on the forehead. He immediately fell backward, clutching his forehead and pretending to cry.

“What kind of consent is that?”

“My Lord.”

“What now?”

“There’s nothing wrong with a man seducing a woman with alcohol.”

What kind of twisted logic was this? I gestured for her to continue, and Aori spoke seriously.

“Women already know what’s happening and follow along.”

“How would I know that?”

“They’ll keep drinking slowly, even if they start thinking, ‘This might not end well.’ If they decide he’s the one, they’ll drink until the end, anticipating it.”

“That’s a crime.”

“It’s not a crime if he’s handsome. Women are people too. Haven’t you been to many drinking parties, My Lord?”

Well…

I didn’t have a comeback for that. It’s true that I didn’t really understand women’s minds. I didn’t get it with Byeol, Se-yeong, Jin Dallae, or even Sansuyu. They weren’t ordinary women. Maybe I could handle women who were a little off, but I couldn’t read the thoughts of a normal country girl like Lee Hyang.

“And if a woman doesn’t have feelings for a man from the start, she won’t go out for a one-on-one drinking session. Women always know what’s going on. They can tell if a man’s trying to make a move on them.”

“….”

At some point, I found myself agreeing. Aori and Taeyang looked at me with smiles, as if they found my reaction endearing. It felt like I was a newcomer at a host bar, being gently teased by the senior staff.

“To put it simply, if your ideal type of woman shows obvious signs of interest and tries to get you drunk, wouldn’t you like it?”

I covered my philtrum with my hand.

If Sansuyu approached me like that…. No, that’s not possible. She’s too pure for that kind of thing; I couldn’t even imagine it.

Maybe Byeol would do something like that. The thought of it was cute.

“I’d like it, right?”

“Well, men and women think differently, but not that differently.”

I knew.

“But isn’t Lee Hyang more on the innocent side rather than ordinary?”

At my question, Taeyang and Aori clicked their tongues as if they’d been caught off guard.

Look at these guys.

Taeyang subtly changed the subject.

“Anyway… it’s something you’ll have to do eventually, Hyungnim. Even if you can’t bed every woman you see, you’ll need to form relationships.”

“I know.”

Desperately. It was something I had to do. Because you never knew when something might go wrong.

It was true that my heart was leaning more and more toward it. I shook the beer can for a while, and then finally made up my mind.

“I’ll do it.”

Blaming the alcohol that didn’t even get me tipsy, I said so.

It was the day before the second trial.