Book Eater

It was the happily chirping insects that woke him up in the middle of the night. Theo opened his eyes and gazed up at the moon shining down through the glass ceiling. Theo exhaled lazily as he calculated the time.

Not yet midnight.

He looked at the desk clock to confirm that there were still a few more hours until the sky brightened. He tried to close his eyes again, but his drowsiness had fled. Should he drink a glass of water? Theo was about to rise but quickly realized he was weighed down.

“Um...”

“... Ung...”

Veronica and Sylvia’s hair shone even in the darkness. Their skin that wasn’t covered by the quilt was white and smooth. Theo couldn’t help looking at his sleeping wives, particularly at the dark marks near their necks that he had left.

As his gaze heated up, Veronica opened her eyes and laughed quietly, “―At any rate, you are very sneaky.”

Sylvia hadn’t yet woken up, so Theo replied in a low voice, “Becky, you aren’t sleeping?”

“Huh? Of course not. How could I sleep when you’re looking at me with such beastly eyes?”

“A beast...” Theo tried to refute her.

However, Veronica nonchalantly let her blanket slip lower. The only light came from the moon and stars, so it was invisible to normal people. However, Theo was far from ordinary, and the sight of Veronica’s curves rendered him speechless.

Veronica giggled. “Look, this is a beast.”

He couldn’t win. Theo smiled bitterly and raised his eyebrows. Veronica kissed his collarbone and abs as if to celebrate her victory. Although Theo wasn’t ticklish, he couldn’t help laughing. He endured the prank for a while before holding her hands and kissing her on the forehead.

“Stop.”

“Theo is stopping me before I’m satisfied. How stingy.”

“What if the bed almost completely bends?”

It sounded like a joke, but it really wasn’t. This bed, which had never seen use before they had arrived, had bent slightly over the course of two months. Despite being a bed made of solid iron and wood, its durability was like a cheap timber bunk.

Veronica flushed red. “Oh, no. I didn’t do it all alone, but it’s my fault?”

Theo teased, “The number of times... Becky is very violent.”

“Theo!”

Theo smirked as he took the initiative back. But he wasn’t lying. Despite being a 7th Circle magician, Sylvia was still a human. It was difficult to compete with Veronica in everyday life, not just combat. Above all, Veronica had inherited a red dragon’s blood and was famous for being faithful to her desires. In the environment of their honeymoon house, her desires burned more intensely every night.

After teasing each other some more, they looked up at the same sky and were silent.

“... Is it time to go back?”

Theo didn’t immediately answer her. However, his silence was a reply in and of itself. It would be a tremendous loss if three Tower Masters were away for more than two months. Kurt had told him to take three months, but Theo knew that the kingdom would need him back sooner.

“They were the most enjoyable two months of my life.”

Theo was feeling burdened when Veronica leaned against his shoulder and said brightly, “We could go anywhere and eat anything. It lasted two months, and Theo is the best part.”

“Am I the beast or is it someone else?”

“Omo. You don’t know? I am a dragon.” Veronica playfully bit his earlobe. It was a charm that was closer to that of a cat than a dragon. Theo tickled her chin and laughed.

Veronica stroked her belly and whispered, “Will it happen? Our baby.”

“I’m not sure.”

It was hard for Veronica to become pregnant due to her dragon blood. However, the story was different when her partner was Theo, a transcendent who wasn’t bound by cause and effect. At that point, it was a matter of pure luck.

A baby…

Theo became a bit nervous at the unexpected thought of siring a child who would inherit his blood and surname. He knew it intellectually, but it was hard thinking about it becoming real.

Me… A father.

He wondered what color the hair would be. Black? Red? Silver? It would be nice to have a child with their lovely coloring. A child with small limbs who would call him ‘Father’… His mouth twitched just thinking about it.

However, his musings were interrupted by Veronica, “Theo. Do you plan to see that kid?”

He sighed. “... Yes.”

He didn’t need to clarify who it was. Ellenoca couldn’t leave the Northern Great Forest while acting as Mitra’s Saintess, so he had to find her. With only two months left until the fall of Wrath, Theo planned to spend half that time with Ellenoa.

Veronica pinched him as she heard the answer she expected.

“Ouch.”

“A person with two people needs a third? You are really a bad guy.”

“I love you, Becky.”

“It’s fine, you bastard. If you are sorry, hold me a bit harder. I don’t want to forget your arms...” She murmured in a lovable manner. 𝚋𝚎ｄｎｏｖ𝚎𝚕．𝚌ｏｍ

Theo drew her closer as their arms and legs tangled. He could feel the heat burning under her skin. It was a temptation he wouldn’t have resisted if they were alone. However, Theo’s other partner stirred.

“... Sylvia?”

Sylvia looked at him with blurred eyes and punched his shoulder. Unlike her usual gentleness, her eyes were filled with lust and a desire to monopolize him.

Veronica read her expression and laughed as she threw back the blanket. “Okay, my younger sister wants to go first?”

“What?”

“This is the last night of our honeymoon. Look at my strength!”

Theo realized what she meant by this time, but it was already too late. The two beautiful women, Veronica and Sylvia, took the lead and knocked him down. Just before his resistance was broken, Theo realized that Armand’s words were right. Other people shouldn’t hear these sounds.

***

Breakfast at the Miller villa was late the next day. The three of them only emerged from the room after the sun was already in the middle of the sky. Unlike the haggard looking Theo, the two brides were glowing. Only Armand made a complicated expression when he saw the aftermath. He approached Theo, who just finished breakfast, and discreetly handed him a small bottle.

“Master, have some of this.”

“... This?”

“It is a popular remedy for fatigue in my industry. The effect isn’t large, but it is good for rapid physical exhaustion and malnutrition.”

“Sigh, I won’t refuse.”

It was different from consuming stamina or magic power. Armand’s tonic seemed to refresh his mind. Still, it felt like something was empty when he drank the glass bottle that Armand gave him.

Theo thanked him. “Thank you, Armand.”

“It is nothing. It is my duty as your butler.”

There was no fault in Armand’s behavior as a butler. Kurt hadn’t appointed him to this villa for no reason.

Theo wondered about Armand’s career before speaking, “There will be no one in this villa for a while. In the meantime, run this villa as you wish. I completely trust you.”

Armand bowed. “Huhu, this old man doesn’t deserve this.”

“Are you sure? I haven’t met a better employee than you, Armand. I’m not sure even the king’s chamberlain would be able to reach your level.”

Armand smiled gratefully as Theo continued, “Please make a villa that I will visit one day with my parents. Please.”

“... I will do as Master commands.” Armand Gustain, the former chief servant of the palace, bowed with a faint smile. The situation seemed to be pretty interesting for an old man.

“Then I’m going.” Theo turned to the two waiting for him and hugged them. Veronica and Sylvia; he had liked them a lot before but they were now an indispensable part of his life. A ring shone on the ring finger of his left hand, and their heartbeats made him happy.

Veronica whispered, “Be well for me. Of course, don’t be any better than me, okay?”

Sylvia took her turn next. “I’ll be angry if you don’t come back soon. For around half a year.”

Veronica and Sylvia were returning to Meltor. He regretted the warmth that disappeared from his chest and reached out a hand.

“I’m too scared to do that. Then… 「 Transition. 」”

Flash!

While the two brides returned to Manavil’s central tower, Theo cast again.

「 Transition, Northern Great Forest. 」

As always, the flash of light blinded the caster. Theo passed through space where nothing could be seen, moving thousands of kilometers. If he wanted, he could move to another place inside here or he could stop the transition and go back. However, Theo didn’t interfere.

“Hmmm.”

As soon as he arrived, the smell of a dark forest tickled his nose. The smell of life, the scent of the soil and vegetation mixed together, was so rich that it was difficult to separate it into its components. Theo slowly opened his eyes. Some trees were the height of ordinary buildings while others were big enough to be half the height of the magic towers. This was proof that the vitality of the world tree had gone beyond its limit.

“... Eh?” Theo’s eyes widened.

There was something that shouldn’t exist. He had set his arrival point to be the outskirts of the forest to avoid startling the elves. As such, he wasn’t surprised by the forest that had been rejuvenated after several years. But why...?

“Mitra?”

Mitra was the embodiment of the world tree.

[Hoing? Deo?]

She didn’t even reach his knees, and the bud on her head was like before she had grown up. Why had she degenerated instead of evolved?

Mitra ran toward him in delight.

[Deoo! Deo came!]

Mitra was still Mitra. Theo was about to hug her when…

[Eh? Deo?]

[Hooing? Really Deooo!]]

[Deo! Deo!]

[No! Give to me!]

One, two, three... Soon, the Mitras seemed to pour out of the forest. They were cute kids, but there were now more than a hundred of them around him. It was so terrifying that Theo was stunned. His magical knowledge was useless as he tried to figure out why Mitra had multiplied. Mitra grabbed his leg, another Mitra climbed onto his shoulder, and yet another Mitra climbed onto his head before anyone else... Theo was confused by the unfathomable sight.

[Theo! You finally came!]

His savior arrived. No, his savior was still Mitra. However, unlike the other Mitras, this Mitra was a teenage girl riding on something.

Theo recognized the three wagging tails and exclaimed, “Tres? This is ridiculous!”

The number of tails was the same but the body was bigger...? The series of incomprehensible situations left Theo feeling flabbergasted.