Chapter 228: Earth’s Commander, Fruit Seller
Their steps finally brought them back to the plantation. Warm air and the scent of damp earth welcomed them, a sharp contrast to the snowy chill they’d just left behind. From the distance, a small, excited voice rang out.
"Papa!"
Ruby came running, her little rabbit ears bouncing, tiny feet thumping against the ground. The moment she spotted Nathan, she threw herself straight into him. Nathan was startled, but a faint smile slipped onto his face before he even realized it—his arms instinctively lifting Ruby into a tight embrace.
The other monster girls turned their heads at once. Validia frowned in brief confusion, while Velmora whispered under her breath.
"Two days? Why were they gone for so short a time..."
Right then, a massive shadow swept down from the sky. Fwoosh! Morvessa landed gracefully, her black wings beating once before folding behind her. Her eyes sparkled, and without hesitation she wrapped her arms tightly around Nathan.
"Brother! I missed you!" she cried with raw emotion. Her body pressed against him firmly, as if needing to make sure he was truly there in front of her.
But only seconds later, Morvessa lifted her head, her nose twitching faintly toward Livia. Her gaze sharpened instantly, dripping with suspicion.
"You..." she hissed, her eyes narrowing. "What did you do, little rabbit?"
Livia jolted, her face flaring red. She turned away hastily, fists clenching at her sides. "N-nothing..." she blurted out, her voice stiff and forced.
Morvessa’s stare didn’t waver—her nose clearly catching the lingering thick scent clinging to Livia’s skin. A thin smile curved her lips, her eyes narrowing further, brimming with accusation.
"Nothing... hmm? Brother’s cum is still smeared all over you. Did you think I wouldn’t recognize it?"
Livia froze in place, her ears standing stiff with tension, while Nathan immediately choked, his face burning hotter than ever.
The air grew heavier—Morvessa’s narrowed eyes stayed locked on Livia, while Nathan could barely even open his mouth from sheer embarrassment.
Suddenly, Ruby, still nestled in Nathan’s arms, tilted her head up innocently, her ears twitching.
"Cum? What’s that, Papa?" she asked in her clear, curious little voice, eyes wide and shining.
Nathan froze solid, his face turning tomato-red.
"E-eh... i-it’s... nothin—"
Before he could stammer out more nonsense, Lilith stepped in from the side, her sly smile never fading. With smooth ease, she lifted Ruby from Nathan’s arms and raised her high.
"Hmmm... you’re so adorable, little one," she purred, rubbing her cheek lightly against Ruby’s, who still looked confused.
Ruby giggled softly, her eyes sparkling, then without a second thought, she chirped out loud:
"Grandma Lilith!"
Nathan nearly collapsed on the spot. "G-Grandma...?" he muttered, his face twisting with pure disbelief.
Lilith only chuckled, her crimson eyes sliding sharply toward Nathan.
"Why so confused, my... SON?"
Ruby wrapped her arms tightly around Lilith, squealing with joy.
"Grandma, grandma!"
Nathan lowered his head, covering his face with one hand, a heavy sigh slipping out.
"...What the hell is this... feels like some kind of freak family..."
Meanwhile, behind them, Livia ground her teeth in silence, while Morvessa kept her gaze sharp and accusing, her eyes narrowing further at the rabbit girl.
Nathan let out a long sigh, trying to push aside the thought of Ruby calling Lilith "grandma." His eyes drifted around the gathering, sweeping past the monster girls who had been watching. Then they stopped—on one figure.
Velmora.
The scaled woman with crimson hair stood a little apart, her posture stiff. The moment her gaze met Nathan’s, she quickly turned away, her cheeks faintly flushed—as if trying to hide something.
Nathan could feel a strange tension radiating from her, but he chose to stay quiet.
On the other side, Velmora’s mind spun into chaos.
Why...?
Before, every time she looked at Nathan, disgust would instantly take over her chest. Especially when she remembered that ridiculous moment—the one where she had unconsciously treated "that thing" like she was just toying with some dumb snake. The memory alone made her face burn.
Stupid... humiliating... she cursed inwardly, her fingers clenching tight.
And yet, hidden beneath that shame and disgust, something else crept up—an old memory she could never quite erase. A warmth she had once felt toward Nathan, real and undeniable.
That... wasn’t a lie. I... really did feel it once.
Velmora lowered her head further, trying to bury her face. A pink hue dusted her cheeks, her eyes trembling, while her scaly tail scraped restlessly against the ground.
Nathan only glanced at her for a moment before shifting his gaze away. But in his chest, a strange mix lingered—awkwardness and curiosity, the kind that had never really gone away.
I wonder what her pussy looks like... he thought bluntly.
Lilith held Ruby tighter, her black wings spreading wide in a majestic arc. The silver-white glow of the 100th floor’s aura made them stand out even more, dark and beautiful. Ruby laughed in delight, her tiny hands flapping like she wanted to fly along with her.
"Hehehe, Grandma, let’s fly high!"
Nathan only exhaled, his face a twisted mess of emotions. Earth’s Commander... and yet my own kid calls Lilith grandma... what kind of family is this...
Morvessa, who had landed right beside them, froze in place. Her eyes lifted toward Ruby in Lilith’s arms high in the air—and for a fleeting moment, a faint smile touched her lips. A memory of her own mother flashed across her mind, stirring something deep in her chest.
Meanwhile, Validia stepped out from the orchards of the 100th floor, where strange glowing trees bore their ripe fruits. She gave a light bow.
"Nathan. You’ve returned sooner than expected. All the fruits in this plantation have ripened and been harvested. We’ve already packed them, ready to be sold at the White Null Shop."
In her hand, she held out a rolled document—an itemized record of the harvest batch—alongside a large basket overflowing with shimmering fruit, their sweet, piercing aroma unique to the 100th floor. Then she produced a small container filled with thick, black ink.
"If you wish to make it official, you may stamp it with a seal carved from the Prunus Vitalis wood."
Nathan stared at the bizarre fruits harvested from the Tower’s plantation, then let out a long, heavy sigh.
"...The first Commander of Earth, and my job’s basically running a fruit stand..."