Chapter 481 Bringing a Withered Tree to Bloom ②
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Nn-just what in the world are you doing?”
”Can’t you tell? I’m loosening you up.”
I was in the middle of a child-making session with Carley, an Ancient Elf¹ with russet, autumnal hair. I’d been dragged into this somewhat against my will, but after she told me so plainly, “I want to bear your child,” I couldn’t exactly half-ass it. We were both stripped bare; she was perched on my lap as I began to caress her.
”But listen,” she countered, “I’m already sufficiently… lubricated. Wouldn’t it be more efficient to just get it over with and have a quick finish?”
”Get that thought out of your head. For starters, Elves don’t just get pregnant from a quick hit-and-run, right? This is just my theory, but I’m betting you won’t conceive unless your head is actually in the game.”
”Hmm. Well, I hear what you’re saying, but…”
This wasn’t just some personal kink of mine, and I wasn’t just talking out of my ass. After my time with the love-elf Tania-and having dealt with my fair share of Elves since-I was certain of it.
Whenever I thought about Elven conception, I remembered the “folk traditions”² Tania and I practiced. According to her, the formula was: “Administer the elixir, provide ample pleasure, and force them to endure until the absolute limit.” In layman’s terms, it was a high-stakes, teasing-and-denial service.
Back then, Tania teased me senseless before spending the entire night draining me dry. In our next round, we swapped roles; I bullied her relentlessly before finally planting the seed³.
At a glance, it seems like a way to concentrate the s**men and raise the odds of conception. But even so, it’s a bit too superstitious-the kind of thing modern medicine back in my old world would laugh at.
That suspicion became a conviction when I interviewed other Elves while planning a second round with Tania. It turns out Elves have a ton of these traditions.
Like, “One must only couple on the night of the year’s brightest full moon.” That’s basically an Elven version of a year-long marathon of intimacy. A ritual only possible for Elven couples with the patience of centuries.
Then there was: “Set aside one week every month to focus solely on the act for seven days and nights.” I mean, if you’re going at it that hard, of course you’re going to get pregnant, but apparently, this is a well-known tradition. Carley had mentioned something similar.
There were so many more: “Burn incense and pray to the ancestors,” “Prepare baby clothes and toys as a couple,” “Couple completely naked at a moonlit spring.” It was a staggering list.
The common thread? None of these were things you’d actually do unless both people desperately wanted a child. All these tedious, troublesome rituals were, in my opinion, a way to align the heart and the body. That was my hypothesis.
”Come on, visualize it. Imagine accepting the seed deep inside, right where the baby will take root.”
”I see…”
I whispered to her while tracing the damp, vertical line of her heat again and again. Despite how wet she was, her entrance remained tightly closed-she was nowhere near ready to truly receive me.
”Even after you take it in, you won’t feel a change for a few months. But slowly, surely, the fetus will grow. Your body will start to shift, your belly will begin to swell. At first, you’ll think it’s just your imagination, but then… you’ll realize a life is truly there.”
”I don’t need a lecture at this stage of my life. I’m well aware of the biology.”
”You’re aware, but you don’t feel it. I want you to visualize it-realize that everything you’ve seen happen to other mothers is about to happen to you.”
”Mmm…”
I whispered in the softest voice possible, right against her pointed ear. She didn’t flinch or act ticklish; she just watched my fingers trace her vulva with a look of clinical doubt. I lifted a strand of sticky moisture between my fingers to show her, but she didn’t react.
Evidently, shaming her wasn’t going to work. She viewed her arousal as a purely physiological reflex. No reason for shame, and apparently, no reason for excitement either.
”Fine. Let me help you, then. It’s right around here. Deep inside… the womb. The organ that’s going to protect your baby.”
I gave up on that angle and shifted gears. I wiped the moisture away with the bedsheet and pressed my palm flat against her lower abdomen. Then, slowly, I began to rub and rock her, letting my body heat seep into her skin.
”I know that too. I’ve never dissected myself, obviously… but I’ve lived long enough to see plenty. Besides, I can use pregnancy-detection magic⁴.”
”Is that so? Then you can clearly visualize exactly how a baby grows in the womb, right?”
”Yes. Well, if you insist, I’ll give it a try. But don’t expect much. Though I’m not sure what you’re even looking for.”
She closed her eyes and began to concentrate, looking for all the world like she was just putting up with me to get what she wanted. But that wasn’t going to cut it. I needed her to crave it. I needed her to be the one clinging to me, pleading for it.
Maintaining my position, I licked her ear from the lobe to the tip. Tania would have let out a high-pitched “Eek!” and melted, but Carley didn’t even twitch.
I ignored it and kept going, pushing for that sense of self-awareness. I pressed our skin together, let my “gear” grind against her hip, and peppered kisses from her ear to her shoulder. Her breathing didn’t even skip a beat. I kept it up for a long time. Eventually, I asked:
”How far did you get?”
”I’ve given birth about three times now.”
”I see. No breech births⁵? I’m worried you won’t do your prenatal exercises if you aren’t paying attention.”
”A breech birth… right. That is a possibility. But… exercises?”
”Yeah. A breech birth is hell on the mother and the baby. To make sure the head comes out first, you have to do specific movements to help the baby get into position.”
”…I see.”
”And then there’s… well, you have to massage your belly so you don’t get stretch marks. And your breasts, too, to make sure the milk flows well. Like this. I’ll be helping you, so you have to take it seriously, okay?”
I used my free hand to knead her chest-there wasn’t even a hint of a curve there. Still, it was a woman’s skin, so it had a certain suppleness. Her n**ipss… they were a bit darker than her pale, translucent skin, but their lack of sensitivity told me she’d never even touched them herself.
”They’ll swell up during the pregnancy, and then the milk comes in once the baby’s born. You have to keep the skin soft. Especially the n**ipss, or the baby won’t be able to latch. Just imagine it-the child you suffered through labor to bring into the world, searching desperately for you, latching on to feed.”
”Hmm.”
”A boy? A girl? What color will their hair be? If they take after me, it’ll be black, but our kids usually take after their mothers. Will they have your russet hair? That mix of pale yellow, red, and brown? It’s a complex color. It’s beautiful.”
”Heh… you can just call it ‘withered leaf’ color. I don’t mind. Though I suppose it’s a bit of a pity for the child.”
She laughed softly and brought her arms up, curving them over her stomach as if she were already cradling a newborn. She was likely thinking of all the babies she’d seen over the centuries, finally projecting our potential child into that space.
”Not at all. I bet the kid’ll be thrilled to take after their mom.”
”Heh… ‘Mom,’ huh? ‘Mom.’ Coming from your kid, I suppose that might be how it is…”
”Our kid. Mine and yours, Carley.”
”Yes… yours and… mine. No, what am I saying? I’m not even pregnant yet. I haven’t even taken the seed…”
”Don’t go getting logical on me now. Come on, one more time. Visualize the act. Visualize the seed being poured into you. And don’t you dare say ‘hit-and-run’ again. What we’re doing is a sacred ritual to bring a life into this world. I don’t do casual s*x. It’s disrespectful to the child, isn’t it?”
”I… I see. Yes, you’re… you’re right…”
Carley lowered the arms that had been cradling an imaginary child. She started to reach out again, then let her hands fall back, looking strangely lonely. She was visibly rattled. Her body was trembling slightly. She rubbed her thighs together, a small, restless friction.
The awareness of motherhood was finally sinking in.
Good. Now, the real work begins.
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Summary:
Natsumi attempts to psychologically prepare Carley for conception by breaking through her clinical detachment. He uses his knowledge of Elven ‘folk traditions’ to argue that emotional investment is a biological necessity for their reproduction. By the end of the chapter, Carley begins to visualize herself as a mother, leading to her first signs of genuine arousal and confusion.
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Trivia:
- Natsumi’s theory on Elven conception suggests that ‘getting in the mood’ is a physiological requirement for pregnancy.
- Carley has reached an age where she has observed many pregnancies and even knows medical magic, yet she lacks personal experience.
- The ‘withered leaf’ hair color is a literal description Carley uses for herself, which Natsumi reframes as beautiful.
- Natsumi’s rejection of ‘casual s*x’ in this context is framed as a moral obligation to the future child
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Character Insight:
Carley represents a ‘final boss’ of stoicism; her lack of reaction to physical stimuli like ear-licking highlights how deep her mental walls are. Natsumi’s growth as a ‘teacher’ of intimacy shows his ability to manipulate emotions not just for pleasure, but for his goal of procreation.
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Behind the Scenes:
The ‘Polynesian version’ reference in the text likely refers to the trope of ‘Polynesian Sex’ often found in adult Japanese media, characterized by extremely high frequency and duration to ensure bonding/conception.
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TL Notes:
Notes:
• Carley – Ancient Elf ‘Mother’ (Haha-sama) of Wielope Empire—young beautiful elven looks w/ ancient aura, long autumn-leaf green hair, flat-chested soft body, carefree villain matriarch to assassins/royalty like Emperor ‘Dee-bou’ & Gustav. Forest Blessing granter, founder/supporter, blunt/pragmatic, Kento progeny-obsessed, chill under magic/tentacle restraints.
• Tania – An Elf adventurer who, despite her race’s reputation for low sex drive, is secretly quite passionate. She initially seemed ‘wasted’ (emotionally dry) to her friend Raika, but was easily introduced to the pleasure-items sold at ‘Harvest.’ She is easily embarrassed and attempts to maintain a dignified facade, despite her recent, frequent purchases. She wears practical but light armor over a simple cloth tunic and short pants, highlighting her grace and agility. Her primary relationship is one of friendly senior-junior with Raika.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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