SHC13_C13: A Familiar Ceiling

 

Chapter 13: A Familiar Ceiling

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The line between dream and reality blurred until sunlight filtered through my eyelids—snapping everything firmly into the real world.

My awakening consciousness prompted me to open my eyes, and above me was a richly decorated ceiling.

Ah.

“I know this ceiling…”

I see it every day, after all.

Alright then, time to get up and get ready—was what I thought, but the moment I tried to sit up, an overwhelming pain and weight hit my body.

“What the heck!?”

I wanted to scream, but there was a particularly heavy pressure on my stomach that made it hard to even breathe.

Gritting my teeth through the pain, I lifted my body slightly and looked at my abdomen.

There was a large, mountain-like lump under the blanket.

“What is this!?”

That’s twice already this morning I’ve asked myself that.

I had a very bad feeling about this.

Urging my stiff, bandage-wrapped arm to move despite the pain, I peeled back the blanket—only to see something golden.

Something like… a head of blonde hair.

“Please no, I don’t want creepy ghost stories first thing in the morning…”

Just as I was trembling and staring at the golden hair, a tiny hand emerged from within it—and that hand started squishing my belly fat.

“PIIIIGYAAAA!! Stop squishing meeee!!”

Terrifying. Absolutely terrifying!

As if the golden hair sprouting hands wasn’t creepy enough, now it was kneading my chubby stomach like mochi! Horrifying!

I flailed in pain and panic, trying to push away the squishy, mochi-making blond mass, when—

BANG!

The door flew open with a loud crash.

“Hōchō-kun!?”
“Young Master!?”

Professor Romanov and Rottenmeier-san stormed in, eyes wide in alarm—only to freeze mid-step at the sight of me, writhing on the bed like an overturned turtle.

Their gazes dropped to my bulging belly, and Rottenmeier-san’s brows shot up sharply.

“Utsunomiya-san, what on earth are you doing!?”

Utsunomiya? Who’s that?

Wait—more importantly—

“S-save meee! The golden-haired belly-squisher won’t stop!!”

No, please—make it stop!

The chubby squishing was intense and rhythmic—it made me feel like a cow being milked!

“Not again, not after last night—!!”
“I sincerely apologize!!”

A girl with ashen-blonde hair bowed deeply, trembling as she spoke. At her feet clung the golden-haired culprit—Regulus.

There was something… familiar about this scene. As I watched, Regulus let go of the girl’s leg and climbed up onto my bed again.

“You looked away from Regulus-sama for one second and the Young Master ended up injured! Do you understand how much worse it could’ve been if he hadn’t caught him!? Utsunomiya-san, this is serious!”

“Y-Yes! I am truly, deeply sorry!”

Even Professor Romanov nodded grimly beside her.

Meanwhile, I had no idea what was going on.

Tilting my head in confusion, I suddenly felt a little tug on my pajamas near my knees.

Regulus looked up at me and said,

“I’m hungry.”

“…Oh.”

A loud growl from his tiny stomach seconded the complaint.

But everyone around us still had scary faces, and Utsunomiya-san looked like she was about to cry.

I didn’t have the courage to interrupt… but maybe…

Looking around the room, I spotted my waist pouch hanging from the coatrack.

Ah, right—I stashed away that peach the princess gave me. It should still be fresh since time doesn’t pass inside the pouch.

Forcing my aching, bandaged arm to move, I spoke up:

“Regulus-kun, can you bring me the pouch hanging on the coatrack?”

“Mhm.”

His little feet padded over, and after confirming with a glance, he unhooked the pouch and brought it to me.

I opened the main compartment—and suddenly, a window similar to a status screen appeared in mid-air.

“What in the world…”
“Huh?”

The window listed the contents: gardening scissors, a handkerchief, a paper towel, and an immortal peach.

Ah. So that’s what “仙桃” means—an immortal peach.

I tapped the entry, and poof!—the peach materialized in the pouch.

“So this is an item box, huh…”

Convenient.

If these things were mass-produced, I’d want one per household. The magic behind them must be complex, though—definitely not easy to get.

Anyway—

Regulus’s hungry gaze locked onto the peach. But I couldn’t just hand it over; it had to be peeled or sliced first.

Except… when I touched it—

Snap!

It automatically split into bite-sized pieces.

What a considerate peach! When I placed the slices on a paper napkin, even the juice didn’t drip.

As expected of the princess’s fruit—clearly made to avoid dirtying her hands. Incredible!

I picked up a slice and offered it to Regulus. He opened his mouth wide like a baby bird.

The moment he took a bite, his face lit up in pure delight.

Aaaahh!! Nooo!! Don’t smile like that, beautiful child!!

The radiance! It’s blinding!

My senses reeled from the visual impact of pure cuteness at such close range. I collapsed back onto the bed.

Too dazzling. Too exhausting. I wanted to faint.

But the beautiful toddler would not allow me that mercy. He chirped like a chick, opening his mouth again for more.

Aaaaah!! This is why beautiful people are too much!!

He didn’t care about my anguish. Chomp, gulp, chomp, gulp—slice by slice, the peach disappeared.

Finally, only one piece remained.

Freedom was near.

I reached for the final piece, but before I could offer it—

Regulus grabbed it.

Yes, yes, good—feed yourself from the start next time. I wouldn’t have had to suffer so much.

I sighed and wiped my hands clean, but then—squish.

Something soft pressed against my lips.

“Nngh!?”

“Here!”

He pushed the peach against my mouth, trying to feed me back.

He wedged it between my lips, smushing it in. The sweetness hit my tongue before I could even resist.

Then those little fingers kept pushing deeper—into my mouth.

“Fuah… nghh… mmph…!”

“Tasty?”

“Mmmph—!”

Stop pushing your fingers into my mouth!!

That was my last clear thought before the lack of oxygen took over and my mind went hazy.

Eunie: Thanks for reading!!

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