Woo! Woo! Woo!
Akashi's eyes widened in panic as he gasped for breath.
Struggling under the sheer instinct for survival, he desperately pushed with his small hands. But his tiny body—defined by the system's "Strength: 5"—betrayed him.
Now a fragile little shota, his strength was no match for what he once possessed as an adult. No matter how much effort he put into pushing, he couldn't budge even an inch.
His head was trapped, buried deep, and the overwhelming fragrance filling his nose left him gasping for oxygen. He was on the verge of suffocating.
Just as darkness threatened to consume him, Eri, who had snapped out of her dazed state, quickly stood up.
At last, Akashi was free.
"Ha!" He exhaled sharply, taking in deep, greedy breaths of fresh air.
"Child, are you okay?" Eri asked with concern.
But the newly liberated Akashi didn't answer. Instead, he grabbed the thin quilt and scrambled backward, retreating into the farthest corner of the bed.
His wide eyes were filled with fear, and he muttered to himself, 'I thought I was going to die!'
This overwhelming sense of helplessness, this powerlessness—it was utterly humiliating.
He had nearly died just now!
As Akashi clutched the quilt tightly, he thought to himself, 'Losing my strength and becoming a child is too dangerous. This form is so weak—it's terrifying!'
---
Looking at Eri, who stood before him appearing completely ordinary, Akashi wanted to quip, 'It wouldn't hurt to fall again!'
But now wasn't the time for jokes. He needed to maintain his cover. With lightning speed, he transformed his demeanor into that of a frightened, vulnerable child.
"W-Who are you? Why am I here? What do you want from me?"
His voice trembled as he played the part perfectly.
---
Eri looked at him, and her heart melted instantly.
The short, neat hair, the porcelain-white face, the smooth features, and those starry, wide eyes—it was as though he were a delicate little elf who had wandered into the mortal world by accident.
The way he clutched the quilt with his small hands, trembling, made him look like a frightened little animal.
A perfectly handsome little boy—utterly endearing.
Eri felt her maternal instincts awaken, her heartstrings tugging in a way she hadn't felt since her daughter was an infant. This time, the feeling was far stronger.
With a soft smile, she forced herself to stay calm and spoke warmly.
"Don't be afraid, child. Auntie isn't a bad person."
She crouched slightly, keeping her tone soothing. "I'm Eri, a lawyer. I found you unconscious on the street yesterday, and I was worried something might happen to you, so I brought you home to keep you safe."
"Do you remember where your parents are? Or their phone numbers? I can call them and take you back home."
As she spoke, Eri couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Such a well-behaved, adorable child... If she sent him back, would she ever see him again? The thought left her with an inexplicable feeling of reluctance.
---
Akashi, sensing her softening emotions, adjusted his expression. His features relaxed, his body loosened ever so slightly, and he appeared less wary.
"I don't have parents. I've never had parents," he whispered, his tone filled with sorrow.
"The dean… Grandpa dean… he beat me, so I ran away." His voice wavered, and he clung to the quilt even tighter.
"I won't go back. I won't!"
His large, teary eyes brimmed with fear and panic, making him look even more fragile and pitiful.
---
Eri felt her heart ache as she listened to his story.
'What kind of parents would abandon such an adorable, innocent child?'
'Dean? Was this some sort of orphanage?'
Her expression darkened. 'What kind of heartless orphanage director would lay a hand on such a young, helpless child?'
"This is child abuse! Unforgivable!" she thought, gritting her teeth in silent anger.
Unable to hold herself back, Eri stepped forward and gently pulled Akashi into her embrace.
She wrapped her arms around his small frame, holding him protectively. Her soft hands stroked his back in soothing circles.
"There, there… It's okay now," she whispered, her voice full of warmth.
"Don't be afraid."
"Auntie won't send you back. I promise, I won't send you back."
If anyone who knew Eri were to see her now, they would likely be shocked beyond words.
The sharp and commanding aura of the courtroom queen, capable of intimidating the fiercest opponents, was nowhere to be found.
Instead, Eri's voice was soft, her demeanor gentle—resembling that of a kind and nurturing mother.
Akashi, cradled carefully in her arms, couldn't help but blush slightly. His head rested against her shoulder as he marveled at how approachable and compassionate this legendary lawyer truly was.
'She's so easy to fool!' he thought to himself, impressed by how quickly she believed his feigned distress.
And yet, being held like this felt undeniably comforting.
---
As warmth spread through his body, Akashi noticed an inexplicable surge of energy coursing within him. His small frame tingled with a strange happiness.
Eri, unaware of the mysterious forces at play, experienced a similar sensation. The exhaustion from sitting beside the bed all night melted away, replaced by a soothing tranquility.
Holding Akashi in her arms gave her a sense of fulfillment—an unfamiliar but pleasant feeling that filled her heart with tenderness.
---
Suddenly, a system notification chimed in Akashi's mind.
[Ding! Prolonged physical contact with a high-quality member of the opposite sex has significantly increased your Yin energy. Yin energy +5!]
Akashi's eyes snapped open, scanning the system log in his mind.
'So that's why…'
He recalled similar notifications from earlier, back when he was unconscious:
[Ding! Contact with a high-quality member of the opposite sex. Absorbing Yin energy. Yin energy +1!]
But this time, the increase was a full +5—five times greater than before.
Clearly, the method of contact influenced the amount of Yin energy he could absorb. This revelation would require further investigation.
---
Eri, noticing Akashi had calmed down, gently released him from her embrace.
She didn't want the child to think she was some strange or overly clingy aunt.
With a warm smile, she asked, "Child, what's your name? Which orphanage were you in before?"
Akashi, maintaining his innocent act, replied, "My name is Akashi."
"Orphanage? Auntie, please don't send me back! I don't want to return to Aoyama Orphanage—Grandpa Aoyama will beat me to death!"
---
Eri's brow furrowed slightly as she processed his words.
'Aoyama Orphanage?'
The name didn't ring any bells. To her knowledge, no such orphanage existed in Beika Town.
Without wasting time, she picked up her phone and called her assistant, Midori Kuriyama, asking her to investigate.
The response came swiftly: there was no record of any Aoyama Orphanage in all of Tokyo.
Of course, Erin already suspected this. After all, Akashi had made it up on the spot.
---
Hanging up the call, Eri adjusted her gold-rimmed glasses, her expression thoughtful.
She began analyzing the situation:
The boy had been found wearing tattered, bloodstained adult clothes reeking of seawater.
He'd appeared out of nowhere on the streets of Yoneka Town, claiming to come from an orphanage no one had heard of.
The more she thought about it, the more suspicious the circumstances seemed. Could this child be hiding some kind of extraordinary secret?
But then, Eri shook her head, a soft laugh escaping her lips.
'I've been reading too many mystery novels!'
How could a boy this cute be lying or deceiving anyone?
'Maybe he just remembered the name of the orphanage wrong.'
---
In any case, Eri wasn't concerned.
If Akashi remembered more details, great—it would simplify the process.
If not, she had connections. There were always ways to help.
The most important thing now was to consider the child's feelings.
With a gentle smile, Eri approached the bedside and leaned forward. Her expression was warm and reassuring as she asked, "Akashi, if you don't want to go back to the orphanage… then Auntie has a question for you."
Her eyes softened, radiating sincerity. "Do you want to live with Auntie instead?"
But as she leaned closer, the top two buttons of her blouse gave way under the pressure.
*Her figure, which her clothing struggled to contain, instantly came into view, gaping open to reveal the lush curves of her breasts barely contained by the delicate fabric.
*Eri gasped, her cheeks flushing pink as she realized her mistake.
*"Oh my goodness," she exclaimed, quickly moving to cover herself. "I'm so sorry, Akashi! Auntie didn't mean to... to expose herself like that."
*But even as she apologized, Eri couldn't help but notice the way Akashi's eyes had widened, the way his gaze had been drawn to her newly revealed flesh.
*A shiver ran through her at the intensity of his stare, and she felt a strange heat pooling low in her belly.
*"No, it's okay!" Akashi breathed, his voice barely above a whisper. "Do you really mean it, Auntie?"
*Slowly, almost against her will, Eri reached out to stroke Akashi's cheek with the back of her hand.
*His skin was so soft, so warm, and she felt a sudden urge to touch more of him, to feel his body against hers, to protect him at all costs.
*"Akashi," she said, her voice full of conviction. "Auntie really means it!"