At the End of the Hidden Greenery - Chapter 159
If she were to receive a gift like this again, she’d be able to return something to her husbands.
‘I don’t have the power of a female manifestation, so I’ll have to work harder.’
For her, it felt like enough, and that thought reassured her.
Overall, it was a good situation.
“…I see.”
“Yes.”
Once everything had been said, the silence felt awkward.
Feeling embarrassed after having held his clothes the whole time, Jiwoo withdrew her hand.
Callan, however, watched her hand pull away with an almost regretful expression.
“So, you’re not saying you hated it?”
“No, of course not… I don’t care what you look like, Callan.”
It was true that Jiwoo had been drawn in by their allure.
But no matter how dazzling their looks or sweet their words had been, it wasn’t the first time she’d been lured in that way. She’d been deceived by something similar in the past, and she wouldn’t fall for the same type of trick again.
The feelings that led her to this place weren’t driven by love, but more by a sense of liberation, and rather than pleasure, it was stability.
Love had come later, like a miracle that she hadn’t expected.
But now, the thing that had influenced her decision the most was the fact that Callan seemed to be obsessed with outward appearance. It was a bit sad.
But it seemed like Callan was focusing on something else now.
“It’s not just about appearance…”
“Hmm?”
“I changed my appearance to have you, thinking you might dislike me.”
“You don’t have to worry about that. I won’t dislike you because of something like that. You’re…”
Callan looked at her as though he needed to explain himself further.
“You were the one who first asked me to marry you. You were the first to say you loved me…”
“The beginning is important, but the end is more important. I will be your last.”
It sounded like he was determined to make sure of it, but there was no need for such dramatic words.
“There’s no need for that. It’s already been done. We have a plan for this situation.”
“…I see.”
Another silence.
Why did this feel so… uncomfortable?
Jiwoo decided to ask something more important.
“Will that appearance… never return?”
“That appearance? Ah, you mean that very common one.”
“Common?”
It was true.
Blond hair was rare on the continent of Caranazion, but in El Ragneil, it was the most common. Even if it wasn’t blonde, most people had lighter hair colors. Pure white hair, like Enci’s, was rare.
But Jiwoo actually preferred that common look.
“Well, since it’s like this, I think I’ll keep this one. It’s rarer, after all.”
Because it was rare. That was the reason.
She had heard the phrase ‘rarity becomes value.’ Value. That was all. Callan wanted to be something Jiwoo wouldn’t want to let go of.
If Callan had told her he changed because he liked the new appearance, Jiwoo wouldn’t have thought much of it. It was a little unfamiliar, but if it made him happy, she would respect it. But if the reason was because of her, then that was a different matter.
Jiwoo, having thought this through, finally understood what had been bothering her.
It didn’t make sense for Callan to change because of her. To be honest, Jiwoo preferred the way he had looked before.
“No, change it back. You’re mine, and you can’t just change without consulting me.”
“……”
Callan didn’t respond, seemingly aware of his mistake. But there was a reaction from somewhere else.
Though Jiwoo had clearly shown her dissatisfaction, Callan’s ears fluttered, moving as though reacting to something.
‘What did he react to?’
Just as a human cannot control their heartbeat that fluctuates with emotions, these people often struggled to control their ears, which reacted to emotions. With enough training or focus, it wasn’t impossible to control, but they often showed such reactions.
Jiwoo continued, not letting it go.
“If I’m Callan’s, then you’re mine. Of course…?”
Callan’s ears twitched again.
Curious, Jiwoo repeated part of what she had just said.
“You’re mine, so…”
Perk. The ears twitched again.
“Mine.”
Saying it again, they moved once more.
“Callan. Mine.”
“Stop it.”
…Well, that was cute.
Even through his dark skin, Jiwoo could see that his face was flushed.
“Is it irreversible?”
Callan cleared his throat before answering.
“This appearance… is a result of taking in more of the tree’s toxicity. If this state is maintained for a long time, it will become permanent.”
“What if it’s not maintained?”
“As long as the poison is purified, it can be reversed…”
“Good. So it’s still possible?”
Purifying toxins was a specialty of the Akarna.
However, when Jiwoo moved closer, Callan recoiled in fear.
“Seo Jiwoo, it’s poison, I told you.”
“Yes, but I’m Akarna, aren’t I?”
Poisons didn’t affect Akarna. In fact, when in a good state, they even alleviated pain.
Living in El Ragneil, Jiwoo had never been happier, so her Akarna power was at its peak.
But Callan shook his head and stepped back. It seemed like he had been avoiding physical contact with Jiwoo all this time for that reason.
“No matter what, I wouldn’t purposely poison you.”
“Then, should I do it?”
“What?”
Callan flinched at Jiwoo’s bold statement. When she pulled him onto the bed, he seemed even more flustered.
“What, what are you trying to do?”
“You’re not giving it to me. I’m going to take it.”
Normally, Callan would have no hesitation making such a statement first, but seeing Jiwoo act in this way, his pupils flickered.
“I’ll detoxify it.”
“Don’t say nonsense. Detoxifying it… that’s…”
Jiwoo laughed aloud.
“I’m telling you for the second time, Callan. I’m happy, so it’s fine.”
“……”
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