Episode 3 - Growth

Grace SIDE

As morning approached, I quickly got up and went downstairs.

In the living room, my father was reading today's newspaper while drinking coffee and toast.

My father had long, flowing blue hair that rested on his shoulders, and he had ivory-colored horns on his head, just like mine.

At first glance, his face looked like a woman's. He was about 155cm tall. On top of that, his body was so delicate that I sometimes wondered how he could get such great strength out of his body.

He must have finished preparing to go to work at the healing center, because he was wearing a uniform.

My father put down the newspaper when he saw me approaching, smiled worriedly, and said,

"Are you okay?"

"Yes... I'm okay."

"Don't be so discouraged. When you're young, you're always causing trouble, hahaha."

My father, who was laughing at my discouraged appearance, patted my head and said with a wink.

"But... don't make Mom worry too much, okay?"

At that moment, my mother came out of the kitchen with food in both hands.

My mother looked at me and sighed as if she heard my father's words.

"Ugh... If you really say that, it seems like I'm the only one who's getting worked up."

My mother put down the food, came over to me, hugged me tightly, and said.

"Grace... My daughter, I think I spoke too harshly yesterday... I'm sorry."

"It's okay. It was my fault, but I'll try not to do that in the future."

"Yeah. My pretty daughter is doing great, hahaha."

My mother's hands gently stroking my head reminded me of my mother in my past life. My mother in my previous life... When I was very young, she would sometimes gently pat me, and those warm hands would calm my mind.

But... At some point, my mother started to use cold hands instead of warm hands, and instead of warm words, she would say cold words. My mother in my current life would just smile warmly, pat me warmly, and speak warmly.

I felt love like the warm smell of sunlight from that kindness, and when I rubbed my face against her chest, I felt like I was being enveloped in a warm feeling.

After eating breakfast, I said to my father.

"Father, I... I want to become stronger."

When I, who usually showed no interest in anything, said for the first time that I wanted to do something, my father looked at me with a slightly surprised expression. Then he smiled kindly and said that he understood.

My father trained me mercilessly, like pounding steel. From morning to evening, when he went to work, I gritted my teeth and carried out the training he gave me. And when my father came back, I ate dinner with a trembling body and started learning about the magic that my father had taught me.

The seven days passed by in an instant. Today, I closed the house door to go around the village again and went out through the small garden to the street. I saw Ian rubbing his feet on the floor and waiting for someone.

When Ian found me and approached me with a cute smile and hugged me, I blushed because I felt like a pervert, even though I could have avoided it. Instead, I smelled the scent coming from his body and got excited.

'Haa haa haa hold it in, hold it in, Grace, you're not a shotacon.'

Without realizing it, I barely stopped my hand from going to my butt and hugged his waist, playing with his soft skin. Ian grinned and rubbed his face against mine.

"Hehehe, were you stuffy for seven days? Where should we go to play?"

"Sorry, I have to train today, so I don't think I can play with you."

"Training?"

I blushed and patted her head because she tilted her head as if asking a question, which was so cute. I told Ian, who was enjoying my touch, while giggling.

"Yeah, training to get stronger. I'm going to go out and travel."

"Ah! You're not thinking of going alone, are you?!"

"Hehe, why do you want to go with me?"

"Of course! Grace can't do without me! Hehehe."

"Kekeke, I guess I can't do without you."

"Um... If it's okay, can I train with you?"

".... Why?"

When I asked with a faint smile, Ian thought for a moment. He nodded and spoke to me.

"I want to be of help to Grace too. We couldn't do anything in the forest back then, hehe... I... I don't want to be a bother to Grace, do you?"

Ian's deadly appearance, blushing as if he was embarrassed while scratching his head, and spitting out thoughtful words with a smile, excited me so much that I felt like I was getting a nosebleed.

Ian hugged him tightly and let out a heavy breath while touching his waist.

"Hoohoohoo... hoohoohoo, don't worry, Ian, come with me. Even your father won't reject you if you want to be trained. Hohoohoo."

"Ah! Go... It tickles, Grace!"

"Ugh, sorry... Just a little haa haa, just a little more touch..."

"Ugh, jo... It's a little weird, Grace! Stop touching me!"

Ian, who had puffed out his cheeks and fell to me, turned his head as if he was upset. I held his relaxed face as much as I could because that was so cute.

I smiled again and reached out my hand and said.

"Shall we go?"

Ian, who had a slightly blushing face, grabbed my hand and said.

"Yeah..."

........

My father politely thanked me for being the benefactor who found Ian when he was isolated in the forest, and he smiled kindly at Ian's promise and said he would help me train.

After Ian and Ian finished their physical training, it was already getting dark outside with the ground spiders.

"My daughter? Go take a bath with your friend. Oh, and eat dinner too. I already told you at home. Hehe."

My mother looked at us two covered in sweat and dust and said.

"Uh... I... I... I can just go..."

"Hehehe, don't worry about it. Friends take baths and stuff."

Ian blushed and tried to mumble something, embarrassed that he was taking a bath with me.

"No... It's... okay..."

"Come on! Come on! Let's go in quickly, Ian!"

I also dragged the guy who was hesitating with a slightly blushing face into the bathroom.

As soon as we arrived at the bathroom, I took off my clothes and turned around, feeling the nipples on my chest, which were superior to those of other women my age, standing slightly in excitement.

The little girl was taking off her clothes with her ears turning red.

With a blushing face, I hugged the guy from behind and said.

"Let's go in quickly and wash up, you must have had a hard time too, right?"

I saw Ian stiffen as my soft chest and skin touched his body.

I giggled at that sight and went into the bathroom.

The bathroom was already steaming with warm water.

"I'll wash you first."

"No! It's okay! I'll wash myself!!"

Ian stood there covering his genitals with his face flushed red as if it was going to burst at any moment.

I snickered and said.

"This is a reward for saving my life. If you hadn't woken me up that day, I would have been a meal for the goblin. I have to repay this favor for the rest of my life. Don't make me a person who doesn't know gratitude."

Ian hesitated when he saw my serious face and carefully sat down on the chair I told him to sit on.

"Okay~ Make yourself comfortable."

I first lightly wiped my body with hot water and poured warm water on his head.

"Uh-huh-huh-huh."

I laughed without realizing it because he looked so embarrassed when warm water suddenly poured on his head.

The way he pouts at me was also cute.

I poured warm water into a basin again and sprinkled it on my body and lathered the towel.

Then I started to seriously wipe Ian's body.

Ian blushed again as I gently wiped him from his upper body to his lower body, and soon I saw Ian's penis.

As expected of an immature penis, his penis was slightly erect, smaller than the little finger of a scrotum, and cute.

I smiled slightly and rubbed Ian's penis with a towel, then started wiping his legs.

When I saw Ian's face, I giggled inwardly at the slightly regretful expression, and wiped all of his body and poured hot water again to wash off the bubbles.

Then I sat on the chair and looked at Ian.

"Hehe, Ian, can I do it too?"

Ian started wiping my body with a towel with trembling hands.

As Ian's hands explored my body here and there, I blushed in embarrassment and took a slightly nervous breath, even though I had asked first.

Ian must have had the same thought, as he wiped my body with slightly hot breaths, finished with hot water, and quickly went into the bathroom, and with his face red, he looked at me with only his eyes open.

He smiled because he thought it was cute, and then Ian went behind him and hugged him tightly. Ian, who was flustered, tried to get away from me, but since his strength was stronger than Ian's, he failed.

"Our cute Ian, hoo hoo."

He must have noticed my sinister tone, so he turned his gaze back and glared at me before diving back into the water.

Only then was I satisfied and hugged Ian tightly again.

Knock.. Knock..

I opened my mouth to speak amidst the sound of water drops falling.

"Ian."

"..... Why?"

"Do you like me?"

"...."

At my question, the guy blushed and said nothing.

"Wouldn't someone you like better come along later?"

"... I don't think that will happen."

"Why?"

"... My parents passed away, and I was living each day without any meaning, but you were the first to reach out to me. That's why I don't want to give up. Even if you start to hate me, I... want to live for you."

"...."

Ian's firm will, as he casually blurted out those embarrassing words, was shining brightly in his eyes.

I was captivated by those eyes that looked only at me, loving only me, and caring only for me, which I had never received in my entire life.

At that moment, I felt like digging those eyes out.

They were that beautiful.

Eyes like jewels that sparkle and shine with conviction.... I hugged my precious Ian tightly.

"Don't worry, there's no way I don't love you. Rather.... I'm worried that you might not love me?"

I smiled gently and made up my mind.

The seat called companion will forever be Ian's.

Even if the light disappears from his beautiful eyes, he will always be mine.

I thought that even if he wanted to get away from me, I would never let him.

Forever

Even as the cold air that announced the coming of winter blew in from outside the mansion, the two felt warmth from each other and hugged each other.