The Seed Thief

Ervandas pointed to a corner of the living room, where Lulu kept things she had picked up while wandering through the forest. At first, Lulu freaked him out when she brought even the cicada’s shed skin and put them there.

“Don’t bring trash here,” Ervandas said. When he was about to throw it away, Lulu cried out, “Those are magic ingredients…” Only then did he realize his mistake and apologize. He set up a box in one corner of the living room for Lulu to store things she brought from the forest.

Thanks to that, the house remained tidy except for that dusty corner.

“It’s just going to collect a bit more dust…Alright, I’ll tidy it!”

Noticing his soft gaze sharpen slightly, Lulu hurriedly extended her hand and rushed toward the wooden box. Though Ervandas had become affectionate with her every moment, he remained strict regarding cleaning.

While organizing the ores, plant roots, and insect carcasses inside the box, Lulu noticed something she had momentarily forgotten.

“Ah, right. There it is.”

She raised a dirty, stained piece of cloth. It was a crude gift from an old man she had met in the forest. Though it was shabby, to Lulu, it was a new and interesting item. Holding it in her hand, she wondered how to use it, then she gathered a lock of her long hair in one hand and tied it up while murmuring.

Long ago, when the forest witch was still alive, she often tied Lulu’s hair with a similar cloth string. The unruly hair would be tamed, and the cool breeze brushing against the nape of her neck felt pleasant. Whenever Lulu clung to the witch’s clothes and giggled, the witch would always compliment her, saying how beautiful she looked.

Recalling an old memory, Lulu’s fingers continued their motion. Once she finished tying, she hurried towards Ervandas, who was sweeping the corridor.

“Er, how do I look? Am I pretty?”

Anyone with ears and a brain could understand the implied plea for immediate compliments. Lulu lifted her head triumphantly and shrugged shoulders, eagerly awaiting the forthcoming praise.

Ervandas struggled to suppress his laughter at the sight of Lulu approaching. Tying her hair was not something she did often. Naturally, she lacked expertise in the matter. Like right now.

Without looking in the mirror, she haphazardly tied her hair, and a few stray hairs sticking out in different directions.

Well, the point was that she still looked beautiful.

He planned to give all the compliments she desired and re-tie her hair. Of course, in the process, he would also caress her white nape.

Approaching Lulu with that thought, Ervandas realized that the white ribbon tying her hair was something he had never seen before.

“That ribbon, was it inside? It’s stained and looks like it needs to be washed.”

“This must be something the village man lost. When I came back to where he was, he was already gone.”

“The village man?”

“Yes, the man who taught me what a human seed is.”

“…I see. How did he teach you?”

Ervandas’ voice grew cold, but Lulu, unaware of his change in tone, answered.

“I met him while passing through the forest. He was all alone, with his pants down, gripping his penis and vigorously shaking it. Then, he made weird noises and filled his hand with seeds.”

“You got a good look?”

Ervandas’ voice grew slightly colder.

“Yes. I wondered what he was doing. So, I asked if he happened to know about the human seed. Instead of screaming or running away, he called me over and said he would tell me. He seemed like a kind person.”

Hearing Lulu’s answer, Ervandas envisioned himself grabbing the unidentified man’s neck.

“So, how did he tell you?”

“He grabbed it again, shook it vigorously, and then it sprayed a bunch of seeds.”

“Did he ask you for help, or did he touch you?”

“No, he didn’t.”

Ervandas’s eyes softened a little at Lulu’s answer. Unaware that her answer had spared the man’s life, Lulu continued.

“But he said that if I extract it with my mouth, the seeds would come out faster.”

“…He said something like that, I see…”

The man’s throat was immediately cut in Ervandas’ mind. Gritting his teeth, he decided to look for that guy later.

“Lulu, if you ever come across him again, do not go near him.”

“Why?”

“Why? How dare he ask you something like that? The kind of person who says such things.”

“Is that a bad thing? I do it with Er every day.”

At that moment, Ervandas’s breath caught in his throat. Lulu could only stare at him, tilting her head in confusion.

He had thought he had gotten used to Lulu, but once again, he realized how different their worlds were. There was still no taboo for Lulu. He loved her carefree nature, yet he was also afraid. He wanted to be with Lulu. To be precise, he wanted her to be exclusively for himself.

However, if Lulu wanted, she could sit next to anyone else at any time and find solace in their arms.

“Can you… do with that man what you’ve done with me?”

Ervandas’ voice trembled slightly as he asked. He imagined the opposite scenario. Could he intertwine his body with another woman instead of Lulu?

Could he embrace another person and kiss them, sleeping in the same bed?

The mere idea filled him with repulsed. It was as if the disgust he had felt during his life of abstinence before meeting Lulu had come back to consume him. It was impossible. His body now desired and accepted only Lulu.

At Ervandas’s question, Lulu thought for a moment before answering.

“No. I don’t want to.”

Rather than saying “can’t,” she said “don’t,” but even with that refusal alone, Ervandas breathed a sigh of relief.

“Why not?”

“It’s smelly and ugly. Its color is strange, and it’s squishy.”

Lulu recalled the village man who called out to her. He had been kind to her, unlike others who would have screamed, run away, or thrown stones at her.

But that was just it. Doing the things she did with Ervandas with that man? She tried hard to imagine it, but that image just wouldn’t come to mind.

‘Er is prettier.’

 It wasn’t just his face. He was bigger and prettier down there too.

Was that all? He also cooked meals and, although he could be naggy at times, he kept the house clean and fixed anything that was broken. And above all, Ervandas always slept with her at night.

Even in the summer heat, he never pushed her away from snuggling into his arms. It was always a warm embrace, holding and stroking her until she fell asleep. The warm, tingling feeling in her heart as she closed her eyes.

Lulu pondered for a long time, unsure of what to call the emotions she felt in those moments, but she couldn’t find an answer.

* * *

That night, Ervandas couldn’t fall asleep as he watched Lulu’s face, nestled in his arms.

Her voice kept echoing in his ears, asking him if that was a bad thing.

There were social relationships and obligations that normal people naturally learn and acquire as they grow up.

Ervandas imagined the moment when Lulu would grasp the rules and common sense of humans. If she remained as she was, Lulu would continue to live happily and joyfully without any concerns. But what if he were to reveal everything to her?

Lulu would gain new knowledge, but she would also learn shame. Perhaps she would feel embarrassed about the intimate moments they had shared. Was that really a good thing for Lulu?

As the night wore on, Ervandas couldn’t fall asleep as these thoughts persisted.

Then, Lulu tossed and turned, eventually opening her eyes. Blinking sleepily, she looked at Ervandas and murmured,

“Er, your face… it’s ugly.”

At those words, Ervandas realized that he had been frowning deeply. Quickly relaxing his expression, the persistent crease between his brows felt cold.

Lulu likes pretty things. That’s why he always tried to look best in front of her. Yet, to show such an unsightly face at a time like this. As he thought about hurriedly rubbing his wrinkled brows with his hands, Lulu straightened up slightly and kissed his furrowed brow.

“Quickly go to sleep, Er.”

With that, Lulu closed her eyes again and burrowed into his chest. After a short while, he heard the even breathing of deep sleep. Ervandas stroked the lingering warmth on his brow before placing a thin blanket over her shoulders and burying his face in the nape of her neck.

‘But…’

There was one rule of the world that he would make sure Lulu knew.

Ervandas held Lulu’s hand and caressed her fourth finger.

* * *

“Please sit here.”

The next day, Ervandas patted the seat beside him. Lulu, ignoring his words, neatly settled herself on his thigh. A familiar sigh poured down the back of Lulu’s neck.

Ervandas didn’t put her down. Instead, he wrapped one arm around her waist, pulled her even closer to his body, and lightly kissed her neck. Lulu squirmed at the tickle sensation, ‘If he likes it, why did he ask to sit apart?’

“Why did you call me?”

“I just want to know if there’s anything you need.”

“I need?”

“Yes. Many things are lacking at home.”

Things lacking? Lulu failed to understand Ervandas’ words for a moment.

She had been doing her math right, using magic in the garden, so there was no shortage of food. And thanks to Er’s diligent efforts in building supports and pruning, the vegetables grew even bigger and appetizing than when Lulu grew them solely with magic.

“There’s none?”

“No, there is. We’re out of soap for now.”

“Ah.”

Lulu nodded at the mention of “soap.”

Lately, they had been intertwining their bodies frequently. It meant that they often ended up in a messy state. Naturally, their bathing routine had increased. As a result, the soap had now shrunk to the size of a fingernail.

Due to its small size, Lulu lost hold of it and it was swept away in the stream.

“That’s not the only thing we lack. Clothes, of course, and some more spices… Hmm, it would be great if we had eggs. If we can get flour, we can also make bread.”

“Bread? Er can make bread?”

“Yes. I know how to make it, at least.”

Upon hearing that he could make bread, Lulu’s eyes filled with awe as she looked at him. Ervandas chuckled at her gaze as if she were looking at the wisest person in the world.

To be looked at with such anticipation just because he can make bread. Ervandas happily listed the things he felt were lacking.

“First, most of the pens have dried up, and the ink has become too old and sticky. We also lack paper. Would you like to read a new book?”

“It would be nice to have more… Are you going to make them?”

“No. I’m thinking of buying them.”

“You’re going to buy them?”

Lulu’s expression became more and more puzzled as the conversation progressed, and Ervandas realized that she had many gaps in her understanding of the world.

After a moment’s thought, he turned Lulu around to face him and asked.

“Lulu, have you ever wondered what the world outside the forest looks like?”

“Not really?”

Lulu replied as if asking why she should be curious. When Ervandas wasn’t sure what to say next, Lulu spoke up.

“Erv is here. That’s enough. There’s no reason for me to leave the forest.”

You are my world, she meant. Ervandas was speechless for a moment. It was heartwarming that Lulu thought so. However…