“This is really annoying.”
“Why now.”
“Raha is too pretty.”
At my words, Havi tilted their head.
“Isn’t that good then?”
“This is a scam. To think they’d end up looking prettier than our Miros!”
“…Please come to your senses. That one wasn’t pretty to that extent. They were just pretty decent.”
Wait, shouldn’t you be playing along with me if you came to my nest to mooch food? What a heartless thing. It’s my fault for saying it.
“That’s going too far. Miros was pretty.”
“Anyway, the new individual is prettier now, right?”
“…It’s only that they’re exceptional in terms of proportional aesthetics. I don’t want to admit it.”
Strictly speaking, it’s an excuse. I think it’s because I gave them too much of my power.
At first, I thought enough that they were small and cute, but they didn’t seem this pretty. Well, what would be pretty about someone else’s hatchling that requires a lot of attention and only cries? They’re not even my offspring.
Maybe because they’ve come to hold too much of my energy, I find myself treating them favorably without realizing it. This is truly unavoidable, but it’s also troublesome in many ways.
Though Havi, who was actually listening to me, couldn’t empathize at all.
“Just admit it. Stop being bothersome.”
Havi said indifferently while crunching on fruit.
***
I don’t want to admit it.
But I have no choice but to admit it. It’s so annoying it’s beyond frustrating, but since they’ve completely transcended the limits of what I can accept, I can’t deny it even with a lie.
Raha is really pretty. Pretty to the point I don’t want to admit it.
Before, at least there was an excuse to nitpick since the kid was gaunt and haggard and had no legs, but after recovering somewhat and having legs attached, they’re dazzlingly pretty. Even thinking back to the time before I had consciousness, I’ve never seen anything prettier than that. Except me.
It’s true. Among both the mortal and immortal, there’s never been anything that pretty. Except me.
Well, there might have been something before. But I don’t know about it anyway. Among what I’ve seen, that one is the prettiest. I don’t know how I ended up receiving such a thing. They’re even pretty despite not having received a Star or being a fairy hybrid like Ella.
To think such a thing came out from pure human lineage. This is a scam. It doesn’t make sense.
Hair so white it even holds light, fair and lovely skin, a supple and graceful body with large light purple eyes. They’re even prettier when dressed in the colorful clothes the humans gave when I brought them. Recently they smile well too, so they’ve become incredibly pretty.
“Why are you pretty?”
“Because Levia-nim cherishes me.”
“…Mm. I don’t think that makes you pretty though.”
When they say this, I have nothing to say. I did cherish them, but I don’t think I put in that much effort. Honestly, they were incredibly bothersome all this time, and I was really annoyed. It’s not like I kissed them day and night and sang songs like with Miros or anything.
“Could there be another reason besides that?”
“I don’t know. I really don’t understand, so I’m asking you directly.”
Or is it because I passed too much energy to them?
At first, Raha was too weak. They were constantly on the verge of death at the slightest thing, so I pushed energy into them whenever I had a chance. Originally, you need to ask permission to receive energy, but this one didn’t even need that. Perhaps because of survival instinct, they clung to me instinctively.
How should I put it. There was no verbal permission, but should I say their instinct screamed on its own? It was nice that there was no bothersome process of making eye contact and coaxing them for permission, but looking back, I think that’s why.
I passed too much energy. An amount that’s truly less than morning dew to myself, but I gave them a level that far transcends human inherent energy. On top of that, I directly tore off my fragment and made legs for them, so it’s even more.
I only grafted a small piece to make just one arm for our Miros. Thinking about it, I cherished Miros to my heart’s content even when they refused. Bathing them every day, feeding them. I arbitrarily dragged them out saying I’d show them the color of the sky that I liked.
At some point Miros came to like me too, but I remember it took considerable time to get there.
Raha is acting just like I cherished Miros. Why is that? What’s different? Why do I end up following Raha’s whims? Then a certain thought suddenly crossed my mind.
Can this be called human? It’s a completely different presence from Miros. Since when was it? Well, Raha was weak. So weak they couldn’t even breathe on their own. I kept passing my energy to Raha.
It’s belated but a sudden realization.
Oh my. I’ve come to recognize this one as the same as me. The more they hold my energy, the more I can’t help but love this one. Because that’s my reason for existence. All things that are rooted deserve to receive my love.
Raha is a living being that doesn’t root anywhere and moves freely. Yet I accept this one as my child. Because they hold my energy and love me. What came first doesn’t matter anymore.
Now it’s hard to see this one as human. Rather, they’ve become closer to the other grasses and trees that have me as their source. Though it’s not to the extent of completely shedding the human framework, if you just consider the power they possess, they’ve become an existence closer to ‘this side’ than human.
“What’s wrong?”
“You’re pretty so I’m annoyed, but you’re too pretty so I feel good and it’s strange.”
“Please cherish me more. Hug me and pet me. Kiss me too.”
This cheeky thing has reached the point of smiling brightly and boldly making demands of me. They don’t even pretend to watch my mood like before. Maybe because they’ve received too much of my energy, though at a very insignificant level, Resonance with me has become possible.
Though it would be at a truly thread-like level, it means they share my mood and such.
Now this one doesn’t fear me. Rather, perhaps because they know I find them pretty, they act more shamelessly. Look at this right now. They’ve openly laid me down and are nestled beside me. I sighed while stroking Raha’s hair.
“This is terrible. Humans shouldn’t have this kind of thing.”
“What kind of thing?”
“I gave you too much energy because I thought you’d die.”
“But I’m pretty, right?”
“So it seems okay.”
Raha nestled obediently while receiving my stroking. And smiled bashfully.
“You can take it all. Everything. My legs too.”
“…Why? It’s good to have legs.”
“Because Levia-nim will take care of me.”
“No. I’ll have the Dryads do it.”
“But if I’m scared, you’ll do it yourself, right?”
“Why would I?”
“Because I’m pretty.”
This one knows too well that they’re pretty. I didn’t even say it much, but is it because they’re in Resonance with me? They figured it out too quickly. This is really terrible. What do I really do with this? As I’m pouting, Raha feeds me grapes.
“Please, do this feeding activity yourself. It’s meaningless even if I eat, you know?”
“You won’t eat? When I want this so much? I want Levia-nim to eat.”
Ugh, to look at me with those eyes. Looking up at me with sparkling eyes as if about to cry, I can’t resist. Really, if they were just a little, just a little less pretty, I wouldn’t waver like this. Though I’m full of complaints, I couldn’t spit them out. I just chewed the grapes like stones.
I don’t like it, but I can’t help it. I can’t even cast this one out.
Because I know this one has received too much of my energy and can’t help but be favorable toward me. Raha is innocent. It’s my fault for thoughtlessly pushing energy in as if they’d die. I also gave it generously because they’re pretty. As expected, I was wrong.
Raha is just expressing favor in the way they can. The human way is somehow very troublesome and bothersome, but there’s no other way to explain it. Because the ways of showing favor that I knew didn’t include things like this.
“Usually this kind of thing is a courtship method though.”
“What is?”
“The act of supplying food to a mate more than necessary and staying by their side. Depending on the need, they also dance or adorn themselves to show off their appearance.”
At my words, Raha laughs brightly. I don’t know what’s funny. Anyway, I can tell they’re happy. I don’t know why, but they seem to be in a good mood.
“Can’t you just act like at first?”
“Isn’t now prettier?”
“…That’s why it’s troublesome.”
Can’t I just cherish them? Honestly, I feel good. Because they’re too pretty. Plus they’ve received a lot of my energy, so their lifespan will be long too. How could I dislike it when this insignificant thing is trying so hard and fussing like this to express favor toward me?
But for some reason, that’s why I dislike it. I don’t know the reason.
“If I really acted like at first, you’d be sad, wouldn’t you?”
“That’s also true. It hurts my heart when the kid only keeps crying and such. It’s annoying too.”
Raha reached out and touched my face. Though it’s an arm as fragile as blown mistletoe, it’s as soft as dandelion fluff. Raha crawled up and kissed my cheek.
“What should I do to make Levia-nim happy?”
“Just existing makes me happy. Separate from me being annoyed.”
“Because I’m pretty?”
“Yeah.”
“Still, I want to do something more.”
I don’t know what they keep trying to do. Aren’t there humans who just play? Even ants don’t all work. The ones who play just keep playing. Or is this one a particularly diligent individual? Humans are truly incomprehensible. It’s too hard even when I want to understand.
“Someone said before that sometimes you get angry when you see something too pretty.”
Raha clung to me tightly and whispered that. It’s foolish talk. It doesn’t make sense. But somehow it seems plausible. First of all, that’s exactly how I feel right now. I’m happy that Raha is too pretty, but I’m feeling a meaningless annoyance.
“Is that why?”
“Maybe.”
“Even so, I have no intention of harming you.”
“I know that too.”
It’s a strange feeling. I wonder if this is right.
I understand being favorable because of receiving my energy, but it seems a bit excessive. But I can’t explain why. Though it’s good because they’re pretty.
Why?
