Lynne stood there, dazed, his mind thundering with tumultuous roars. It felt as if he had been thrown into a pond of nuclear explosions, instantly erupting into countless lolies.
"No, this isn't right!"
Lynne clutched his head in shock. He dashed forward, leaping to snatch the device entwined by the Witch God's cephalic tentacles. But the Witch God Skull, with eyes closed, swiftly rose, eluding his grasp.
"Listen to my explanation!" Lynne pleaded in utter panic, his voice tinged with alarm. "It's not what you think. Seeing is believing, but hearing can be deceiving! What we did wasn't what you imagined, just a normal act of care! I was just helping Little clean her ears, really! Believe me! Believe me!"
The Witch God's face, with eyes still shut, curled into a faint smile. Her sagacious expression had already revealed the answer to Lynne. She spoke slowly, her voice tinged with a light chuckle, "I had my doubts — but seeing your panic now — I'm even more convinced — If you hadn't been high — you wouldn't be this distraught now — hehe —"
Her expression seemed to taunt Lynne, "I've seen right through you! Think you can hide it? What a joke!"
Lynne frantically clawed at his scalp, feeling as though he was splitting apart.
"Ma'am, please hear me out. The situation isn't as you imagine. If you don't believe me, you can..."
"No need —further words." The Witch God, with her head lowered and eyes closed, interrupted him: "It's normal for young people—to get a little carried away—you shouldn't feel dishonored— However, as a mother—I must still remind you— Regarding the Favorability between you and my daughter—I have no objections—but my girl is, after all, just a head right now— So, for the future, refrain from venturing into peculiar realms—once my girl has a body—delving deeper then won't be too late—"
"…"
"…"
A brief silence followed.
"Ah—ah—ah—ah—"
Lynne clutched his head as if it were splitting apart, banging it repeatedly against a nearby hillock, emitting a series of indescribable, tearless wails.
"No, that's not it! Not at all! Why can't I explain myself?! Nothing like what you're imagining happened, please listen to me! Our relationship is purely platonic! I would never do such inappropriate things with Little!"
Upon hearing this, the Witch God Skull instantly narrowed her eyes, her aura brimming with murderous intent.
"Oh? Are you suggesting—you've been intimate with my daughter—and now you refuse to acknowledge it?"
Buzz—
Lynne's expression became vacant once again.
"That's not what I meant..."
The Witch God Skull softened her expression, speaking gently: "Well, that's good—if that were indeed your intention—I couldn't have helped but take action against you— After all—if it weren't for my daughter's special Favorability for you—I would've really fancied a sweet treat—hee hee hee—"
Slurp—
The Witch God Skull gently extended her long tongue, licking her lips.
[Lynne's Sanity-10]
Lynne hollowly said, "Is... is... is that so..."
A life-or-death proposition... No! That won't do! Life is indeed precious, but compared to innocence...
"..."
It seems life is more important after all! Damn it!
Lynne's forehead was drenched in cold sweat, his head bowed, eyes darting frantically as his mind raced at an incredible speed.
No! I can't clarify it here! This misunderstanding is too severe, she'll never believe my explanations! That's right! Little! There's still Little! She's merely the other party in this incident. If Little casually explained what happened this morning to her parents, the misunderstanding would be immediately resolved.
Exactly!
With this realization, Lynne suddenly lifted his head, his expression firming decisively.
The Witch God softly said, "What now—do you still intend to argue?"
Lynne squinted his eyes calmly, responding, "Ma'am, I might indeed fail to clarify things to you, and even if I did explain, you would surely think I'm just covering up! But Little is a very pure girl. If you don't believe me, we can confront her directly. You wouldn't doubt Little's words, would you?"
The Witch God also narrowed her eyes, stating: "So, you did it—and now refuse to admit it?"
Lynne clenched his teeth, replying, "Ma'am, you might indeed kill me, but you can't tarnish an innocent person's reputation!"
He suddenly pointed towards the distance, loudly proclaiming, "If Little says that something indeed happened between us, then I, Lynne, will not utter a word against it. I'll do as you say! If you command me to go east, I shall not go west! How about that?"
The Witch God Skull chuckled coldly, licking her lips and saying, "Interesting little guy—fine—since you're intent on denying it—let's call my daughter over—and ask her— Let's see—how you'll explain this!"
...
A few minutes later.
Behind the small hill, Little (ω) looked uncertainly at her mother on the left and Lynne, who was clenching his jaw tightly, on the right. She wasn't quite clear why the atmosphere seemed a bit tense.
Little turned to her mother and asked: "Mother—are you unhappy with Doctor Brother?"
The Witch God's face instantly softened with Favorability. She extended a tentacle to embrace Little, cooing: "Not at all—as long as my daughter is happy—I am happy— I called my little darling here—to ask her something—you must be honest with mommy, okay?"
Little asked, puzzled: "What is it?"
The Witch God asked with a smile: "Daughter—did you and this doctor do anything very 'high' in the alley this morning?"
Lynne immediately looked at Little with hopeful eyes.
Quickly! Little! Tell your mother about how I took care of you, tell her we were just doing normal, decent things, not any strange or bizarre behavior!
Little looked bewilderedly at her mother, then turned a puzzled gaze to Lynne.
High? Does that mean happy?
Little immediately recalled the care she received from Doctor Brother that morning.
"Um!" Little instantly showed a (ω) expression, her tentacles joyously dancing around her!
"Yes—Doctor Brother's skills—are really amazing—made Little feel incredibly high—"
[Ding! Little recalls the delightful events of the morning, her Favorability towards you +10]
Lynne: "!!!"
Lynne's face drained of color, and he quickly extended his hand, saying, "Wait, Little, that's not..."
Slap—
A tentacle from the Witch God Skull flicked. A small piece of sticky flesh slapped onto Lynne's face like a face-hugger, abruptly cutting off his further speech.
"Ugh—Ugh—"
Lynne's eyes widened in shock. He struggled to speak, but the flesh made it impossible.
The Witch God's expression softened even more, asking, "Daughter—how 'high' was it?"
Little (ω) extended numerous tentacles and said, "Very high—the ears—the mouth—the nose—the cheeks—Doctor Brother took great care of them all—"
In her mind, Little recalled how Lynne, using various tools, tirelessly cleaned every bit of dirt from both inside and outside her ears, meticulously tending to her. His dedication was truly remarkable!
Every part, even each pore, was carefully washed clean with a bubbly liquid. The serious expression on his face while diligently helping Little bathe. It was truly captivating.
"(๑＞︶＜)و After that—Little felt completely refreshed!"
[Ding! Little's Favorability towards you +20!]
Lynne: "(꒪Д꒪)!!"
I can't explain this! Now, it's really impossible to explain!
The Witch God's face glowed with a radiant, loving smile. She gently stroked Little's head, asking, "Daughter—do you like this doctor—"
Little instantly (ω) nodded vigorously, saying, "Super—like—Doctor is—a very good person—"
The Witch God's expression softened even more, asking, "Is that so—then darling, would you like—to like him even more—"
"Eh?" Little confusedly formed a "?" with her tentacles, asking, "Like—more?"
The Witch God Favorabilityately poked Little's cheek, suggesting hopefully, "Yes—like a relationship similar to mom and dad—like marriage—"
Lynne: "(;꒪Д꒪)!!"
Little (ω) said, "Marriage? Um!"
She didn't quite understand what those words meant.
But her parents, though they occasionally fought madly, were inseparable when calm, sharing a very good relationship. Could that be what marriage means? If that's the case...
"I want to!" Little immediately became joyously exuberant. "Little wants to have—a better relationship—with Doctor—um!"
[Ding! Little's Favorability towards you +30]
Lynne exclaimed, "(;′꒪Д꒪`) Ahhh..."
Deceiving an innocent young girl! Arranging a marriage by force! Forcing oneself into a relationship!
Unaware of Lynne's crumbling expression, the Witch God Skull, wrapped in tendrils around her daughter, shed tears that pattered down.
"Mama—why are you crying—" Little, curious, extended a tendril to wipe away her tears.
With tears in her eyes, the Witch God Skull smiled and said, "No—it's just—I'm truly relieved—"
Her precious baby had died at the tender age of five. If not for that disastrous war, her darling daughter might now have grown into a graceful young lady.
She wept, heartbroken. And now, she had to suffer in this hell with them. Transformed into such a frightful monster, enduring the occasional madness of her two inept parents, the more she thought, the more she felt she had failed her daughter.
Today, finally, they had encountered someone her daughter really liked... As parents, they had to keep him here! Because it had been so long since she'd seen her daughter smile like a normal child!
The Witch God Skull was overwhelmed with sorrow, o(╥﹏╥)o.
Heartbroken. So was Lynne, o(╥﹏╥)o. His heartache was even deeper. For he had caused this tragedy! What kind of tragedy had he wrought!
The Witch God Skull quickly composed her sorrowful expression, then swiftly, as if afraid to let the opportunity slip away, pricked Little's tendril with a sharp one of her own.
Instantly, a drop of blood floated up from the spot.
Little exclaimed in surprise, "Ouch!"
The Witch God Skull quickly responded with tender care, "Bear with it for a moment—this is a tradition of our Titan clan—if you really like a boy—you can first sign an equal pact with him—"
Little, puzzled, asked, "An equal—pact?"
The Witch God Skull, smiling, gently stroked her daughter's head and reassured her, "Yes—a simple magic really—without too much constraint on each other—but it signals to other Titans—that you have a very close partner—that you are a young lady ready for marriage—"
Though... there were no living members of the Titan clan left...
Little (ω) immediately perked up, "Is it a symbol of a close relationship?"
The Witch God Skull, wiping her tears, affirmed, "Yes—it's a symbol of growing up—"
Little, elated, said, "Hmm—Little is very willing—but will Doctor Brother agree?"
She turned, looking hopefully at Lynne, his mouth sealed by a 'face-hugger,' o(╥﹏╥)o.
"Doctor Brother—is crying?" Little asked curiously.
The Witch God Skull, still dabbing at her tears, insisted, "Those are tears of joy—he's very willing too!"
The 'face-hugger' sealing Lynne's mouth sprouted a tendril resembling Little's, which prodded the o(╥﹏╥)o Lynne's head, nodding it up and down vigorously.
The Witch God Skull, dabbing away her tears, exclaimed, "Look—how happy he is—"
Little, somewhat puzzled, uttered, "(ω) Hmm!"
[Ding! Little's Favorability for you +10]
[Ding! Little's Trust in you +10]
And then, in the next moment, accompanied by a strange fluctuation, Lynne immediately felt an indescribable bond forming between him and Little. It was like a telepathic connection, or a peculiar link, allowing him to clearly feel the other's heartbeat and the distance between them.
Simultaneously, above the foreheads of both Lynne and Little, an ancient cross pattern slowly appeared. It flashed briefly, then quickly vanished beneath their skin. And at that instant, a system notification echoed in Lynne's ears.
[Ding! You have signed a 'Soul Bond' with Little. You gain a permanent buff: Titan clan reputation increased to friendly, Witch God Skull's Favorability +30, all attributes +10]
[Soul Bond: An ancient ritual from the Titan clan, enabling those who sign the pact to become more in tune with each other.]
[Description: In Titan customs, during the annual celebration, giants with mutual affection propose signing the pact with their desired partner. Acceptance means a deeper understanding of each other, and if suitable, they can become eternal companions, blessed by the Titan gods.]
Lynne: o(╥﹏╥)o
[Ding! Congratulations on achieving the epic achievement: Titan Lover. You gain Experience 200]
[Titan Lover (Pseudo): An epic achievement, obtained when you have a Titan of either gender sign a Soul Bond with you. This signifies your irrevocable journey towards 'driving the big vehicle,' granting you a permanent layer: Little's Trust +30, Spirit +10, Physical +10.]
Lynne stood there, dazed, his mind thundering with tumultuous roars. It felt as if he had been thrown into a pond of nuclear explosions, instantly erupting into countless lolies.
"No, this isn't right!"
Lynne clutched his head in shock. He dashed forward, leaping to snatch the device entwined by the Witch God's cephalic tentacles. But the Witch God Skull, with eyes closed, swiftly rose, eluding his grasp.
"Listen to my explanation!" Lynne pleaded in utter panic, his voice tinged with alarm. "It's not what you think. Seeing is believing, but hearing can be deceiving! What we did wasn't what you imagined, just a normal act of care! I was just helping Little clean her ears, really! Believe me! Believe me!"
The Witch God's face, with eyes still shut, curled into a faint smile. Her sagacious expression had already revealed the answer to Lynne. She spoke slowly, her voice tinged with a light chuckle, "I had my doubts — but seeing your panic now — I'm even more convinced — If you hadn't been high — you wouldn't be this distraught now — hehe —"
Her expression seemed to taunt Lynne, "I've seen right through you! Think you can hide it? What a joke!"
Lynne frantically clawed at his scalp, feeling as though he was splitting apart.
"Ma'am, please hear me out. The situation isn't as you imagine. If you don't believe me, you can..."
"No need —further words." The Witch God, with her head lowered and eyes closed, interrupted him: "It's normal for young people—to get a little carried away—you shouldn't feel dishonored— However, as a mother—I must still remind you— Regarding the Favorability between you and my daughter—I have no objections—but my girl is, after all, just a head right now— So, for the future, refrain from venturing into peculiar realms—once my girl has a body—delving deeper then won't be too late—"
"…"
"…"
A brief silence followed.
"Ah—ah—ah—ah—"
Lynne clutched his head as if it were splitting apart, banging it repeatedly against a nearby hillock, emitting a series of indescribable, tearless wails.
"No, that's not it! Not at all! Why can't I explain myself?! Nothing like what you're imagining happened, please listen to me! Our relationship is purely platonic! I would never do such inappropriate things with Little!"
Upon hearing this, the Witch God Skull instantly narrowed her eyes, her aura brimming with murderous intent.
"Oh? Are you suggesting—you've been intimate with my daughter—and now you refuse to acknowledge it?"
Buzz—
Lynne's expression became vacant once again.
"That's not what I meant..."
The Witch God Skull softened her expression, speaking gently: "Well, that's good—if that were indeed your intention—I couldn't have helped but take action against you— After all—if it weren't for my daughter's special Favorability for you—I would've really fancied a sweet treat—hee hee hee—"
Slurp—
The Witch God Skull gently extended her long tongue, licking her lips.
[Lynne's Sanity-10]
Lynne hollowly said, "Is... is... is that so..."
A life-or-death proposition... No! That won't do! Life is indeed precious, but compared to innocence...
"..."
It seems life is more important after all! Damn it!
Lynne's forehead was drenched in cold sweat, his head bowed, eyes darting frantically as his mind raced at an incredible speed.
No! I can't clarify it here! This misunderstanding is too severe, she'll never believe my explanations! That's right! Little! There's still Little! She's merely the other party in this incident. If Little casually explained what happened this morning to her parents, the misunderstanding would be immediately resolved.
Exactly!
With this realization, Lynne suddenly lifted his head, his expression firming decisively.
The Witch God softly said, "What now—do you still intend to argue?"
Lynne squinted his eyes calmly, responding, "Ma'am, I might indeed fail to clarify things to you, and even if I did explain, you would surely think I'm just covering up! But Little is a very pure girl. If you don't believe me, we can confront her directly. You wouldn't doubt Little's words, would you?"
The Witch God also narrowed her eyes, stating: "So, you did it—and now refuse to admit it?"
Lynne clenched his teeth, replying, "Ma'am, you might indeed kill me, but you can't tarnish an innocent person's reputation!"
He suddenly pointed towards the distance, loudly proclaiming, "If Little says that something indeed happened between us, then I, Lynne, will not utter a word against it. I'll do as you say! If you command me to go east, I shall not go west! How about that?"
The Witch God Skull chuckled coldly, licking her lips and saying, "Interesting little guy—fine—since you're intent on denying it—let's call my daughter over—and ask her— Let's see—how you'll explain this!"
...
A few minutes later.
Behind the small hill, Little (ω) looked uncertainly at her mother on the left and Lynne, who was clenching his jaw tightly, on the right. She wasn't quite clear why the atmosphere seemed a bit tense.
Little turned to her mother and asked: "Mother—are you unhappy with Doctor Brother?"
The Witch God's face instantly softened with Favorability. She extended a tentacle to embrace Little, cooing: "Not at all—as long as my daughter is happy—I am happy— I called my little darling here—to ask her something—you must be honest with mommy, okay?"
Little asked, puzzled: "What is it?"
The Witch God asked with a smile: "Daughter—did you and this doctor do anything very 'high' in the alley this morning?"
Lynne immediately looked at Little with hopeful eyes.
Quickly! Little! Tell your mother about how I took care of you, tell her we were just doing normal, decent things, not any strange or bizarre behavior!
Little looked bewilderedly at her mother, then turned a puzzled gaze to Lynne.
High? Does that mean happy?
Little immediately recalled the care she received from Doctor Brother that morning.
"Um!" Little instantly showed a (ω) expression, her tentacles joyously dancing around her!
"Yes—Doctor Brother's skills—are really amazing—made Little feel incredibly high—"
[Ding! Little recalls the delightful events of the morning, her Favorability towards you +10]
Lynne: "!!!"
Lynne's face drained of color, and he quickly extended his hand, saying, "Wait, Little, that's not..."
Slap—
A tentacle from the Witch God Skull flicked. A small piece of sticky flesh slapped onto Lynne's face like a face-hugger, abruptly cutting off his further speech.
"Ugh—Ugh—"
Lynne's eyes widened in shock. He struggled to speak, but the flesh made it impossible.
The Witch God's expression softened even more, asking, "Daughter—how 'high' was it?"
Little (ω) extended numerous tentacles and said, "Very high—the ears—the mouth—the nose—the cheeks—Doctor Brother took great care of them all—"
In her mind, Little recalled how Lynne, using various tools, tirelessly cleaned every bit of dirt from both inside and outside her ears, meticulously tending to her. His dedication was truly remarkable!
Every part, even each pore, was carefully washed clean with a bubbly liquid. The serious expression on his face while diligently helping Little bathe. It was truly captivating.
"(๑＞︶＜)و After that—Little felt completely refreshed!"
[Ding! Little's Favorability towards you +20!]
Lynne: "(꒪Д꒪)!!"
I can't explain this! Now, it's really impossible to explain!
The Witch God's face glowed with a radiant, loving smile. She gently stroked Little's head, asking, "Daughter—do you like this doctor—"
Little instantly (ω) nodded vigorously, saying, "Super—like—Doctor is—a very good person—"
The Witch God's expression softened even more, asking, "Is that so—then darling, would you like—to like him even more—"
"Eh?" Little confusedly formed a "?" with her tentacles, asking, "Like—more?"
The Witch God Favorabilityately poked Little's cheek, suggesting hopefully, "Yes—like a relationship similar to mom and dad—like marriage—"
Lynne: "(;꒪Д꒪)!!"
Little (ω) said, "Marriage? Um!"
She didn't quite understand what those words meant.
But her parents, though they occasionally fought madly, were inseparable when calm, sharing a very good relationship. Could that be what marriage means? If that's the case...
"I want to!" Little immediately became joyously exuberant. "Little wants to have—a better relationship—with Doctor—um!"
[Ding! Little's Favorability towards you +30]
Lynne exclaimed, "(;′꒪Д꒪`) Ahhh..."
Deceiving an innocent young girl! Arranging a marriage by force! Forcing oneself into a relationship!
Unaware of Lynne's crumbling expression, the Witch God Skull, wrapped in tendrils around her daughter, shed tears that pattered down.
"Mama—why are you crying—" Little, curious, extended a tendril to wipe away her tears.
With tears in her eyes, the Witch God Skull smiled and said, "No—it's just—I'm truly relieved—"
Her precious baby had died at the tender age of five. If not for that disastrous war, her darling daughter might now have grown into a graceful young lady.
She wept, heartbroken. And now, she had to suffer in this hell with them. Transformed into such a frightful monster, enduring the occasional madness of her two inept parents, the more she thought, the more she felt she had failed her daughter.
Today, finally, they had encountered someone her daughter really liked... As parents, they had to keep him here! Because it had been so long since she'd seen her daughter smile like a normal child!
The Witch God Skull was overwhelmed with sorrow, o(╥﹏╥)o.
Heartbroken. So was Lynne, o(╥﹏╥)o. His heartache was even deeper. For he had caused this tragedy! What kind of tragedy had he wrought!
The Witch God Skull quickly composed her sorrowful expression, then swiftly, as if afraid to let the opportunity slip away, pricked Little's tendril with a sharp one of her own.
Instantly, a drop of blood floated up from the spot.
Little exclaimed in surprise, "Ouch!"
The Witch God Skull quickly responded with tender care, "Bear with it for a moment—this is a tradition of our Titan clan—if you really like a boy—you can first sign an equal pact with him—"
Little, puzzled, asked, "An equal—pact?"
The Witch God Skull, smiling, gently stroked her daughter's head and reassured her, "Yes—a simple magic really—without too much constraint on each other—but it signals to other Titans—that you have a very close partner—that you are a young lady ready for marriage—"
Though... there were no living members of the Titan clan left...
Little (ω) immediately perked up, "Is it a symbol of a close relationship?"
The Witch God Skull, wiping her tears, affirmed, "Yes—it's a symbol of growing up—"
Little, elated, said, "Hmm—Little is very willing—but will Doctor Brother agree?"
She turned, looking hopefully at Lynne, his mouth sealed by a 'face-hugger,' o(╥﹏╥)o.
"Doctor Brother—is crying?" Little asked curiously.
The Witch God Skull, still dabbing at her tears, insisted, "Those are tears of joy—he's very willing too!"
The 'face-hugger' sealing Lynne's mouth sprouted a tendril resembling Little's, which prodded the o(╥﹏╥)o Lynne's head, nodding it up and down vigorously.
The Witch God Skull, dabbing away her tears, exclaimed, "Look—how happy he is—"
Little, somewhat puzzled, uttered, "(ω) Hmm!"
[Ding! Little's Favorability for you +10]
[Ding! Little's Trust in you +10]
And then, in the next moment, accompanied by a strange fluctuation, Lynne immediately felt an indescribable bond forming between him and Little. It was like a telepathic connection, or a peculiar link, allowing him to clearly feel the other's heartbeat and the distance between them.
Simultaneously, above the foreheads of both Lynne and Little, an ancient cross pattern slowly appeared. It flashed briefly, then quickly vanished beneath their skin. And at that instant, a system notification echoed in Lynne's ears.
[Ding! You have signed a 'Soul Bond' with Little. You gain a permanent buff: Titan clan reputation increased to friendly, Witch God Skull's Favorability +30, all attributes +10]
[Soul Bond: An ancient ritual from the Titan clan, enabling those who sign the pact to become more in tune with each other.]
[Description: In Titan customs, during the annual celebration, giants with mutual affection propose signing the pact with their desired partner. Acceptance means a deeper understanding of each other, and if suitable, they can become eternal companions, blessed by the Titan gods.]
Lynne: o(╥﹏╥)o
[Ding! Congratulations on achieving the epic achievement: Titan Lover. You gain Experience 200]
[Titan Lover (Pseudo): An epic achievement, obtained when you have a Titan of either gender sign a Soul Bond with you. This signifies your irrevocable journey towards 'driving the big vehicle,' granting you a permanent layer: Little's Trust +30, Spirit +10, Physical +10.]
