546 - Spending the Winter # 9

Gloria's skin is as white as snow.

I struck that girl's buttocks with all my might with my palm.

Jjak-!

At that, flesh and flesh created a strong friction. Simultaneously, Gloria's body bounced up like a rocket.

"Kyaaaak-! Are you crazy!? I'll kill you-! I'm going to kill you-!"

She must be ashamed of the fact that she was spanked.

But corporal punishment is inherently shameful.

The fact that it is shameful and painful must be engraved.

Only then will she fear the punishment and stop causing trouble.

Like footprints left on a field of snow that no one has stepped on, Gloria's buttocks were marked red in the shape of my palm.

Seureureuk-.

Watching that, I spoke calmly without any emotion.

"For now, I'm only going to give you five hits. You already got one for bullying the Nymphs. This one is for bullying Doris's honeybees."

Jjak-!

"Huyayak-! Let go-! I said let go-! I told you to let go-! You crazy bastard-! Where do you think you're touching-! A man, touching a grown woman's body-!"

"You're not a woman, you're a child. You and I, we're not in a man-woman relationship; we're going to have a relationship like senior and junior, or teacher and student, so it's fine."

"Whaat-. Uat-!"

"This is for making Ignoi's cleaning difficult, for stealing and eating Keong-keong's bread, and even for blowing Luna away."

Jjak-. Jjak-. Jjak-.

Taking advantage of the momentum, I deliver all three remaining hits.

Gloria, who had been growling to escape my embrace, could no longer speak as her waist and body trembled from the consecutive palm strikes.

"Muuuk...."

It must have been quite painful.

If it had been any girl other than Gloria, I hit her hard enough that she wouldn't have even been able to endure such strong corporal punishment.

But because Gloria is sturdy, hitting her strongly is actually better.

If I did it weakly, it wouldn't even hurt her.

"Keuu...."

Gloria could no longer speak and only flushed red with shame and anger. I said while keeping my arm firmly wrapped around her waist.

"I was entrusted with you by your brother. So that someday, even if you meet Castor again-. I have a responsibility to make you into a fine girl so that you won't be ashamed."

"...."

"Every time you do something wrong, I will find you and make sure you receive punishment. This is a paddle of love. So, from now on, be careful if you don't want to get spanked."

"Fuck off...!"

"Sssst, you should use pretty words!"

Jjak-.

"Kyaaaaak-!"

"Now, then, say thank you for educating you. I didn't want to hit you, but I had no choice but to raise my palm for your sake. You should be grateful and say thank you."

"Why should I-!"

Jjak-!

"Keuuuuut-!"

A child who doesn't listen needs a certain amount of the rod.

That was my educational philosophy. Since I grew up being hit with a switch by my mother countless times, I know the power of the rod well.

However, my younger sister, who didn't get hit, grew up to be like a delinquent under my mother's laissez-faire attitude.

And Gloria is similar to my sister.

Because this girl lost her family and acquaintances at a young age, she had no opportunity to be scolded or rebuked by anyone. Not even having the chance to receive discipline is actually a very sad thing.

Because it means that no matter how recklessly I act or how out of line I go, not a single person cares.

So at this moment, I made a vow.

The role that her family should have rightfully played.

I would take it upon myself to do it.

I am more of an adult than Gloria.

Leading a young child onto the right path is precisely the role of an adult.

However, Gloria was indeed stubborn.

"I won't listen to anything you say-! Never-!"

"Then until you can live normally as a good child, I will keep scolding you. Because right now, I'm the only one in this world who can do this."

I am the only one who can scold Gloria. This is the truth without a single lie.

The strength of Gloria, who was currently struggling to escape from me, was like the writhing of a massive hill.

Beudung-beudung.

It's because it's me that I'm able to catch her and hold her still. If it were most people, they would have already been sent flying and slammed into a wall.

"Let go-!"

"Hurry up and say you're sorry. Apologize to everyone. Otherwise, you're going to get spanked by me all day today."

Jjak-.

"Geuuu, geuuuuu-!"

Gloria struggled like a forcibly bound lioness, but I instead held her even more tightly. At that sight, Paranoy slowly approached and nodded his head.

"To think that ferocious Samaritan is caught and getting spanked. It brings back old memories for this Paranoy-itssit...! When I secretly ate my mother's candy, this Paranoy also got his buttocks smacked repeatedly-itssit...!"

"I also used to get hit like this by the Elder in the past. Though it was when I was very young. Gloria was still a child. Puhuhu-. Seeing her like this, she's cute. Like a younger sister."

━Hiooong.

When even Luna and Keong-keong burst into laughter while looking at Gloria, Gloria's face turned red as if she couldn't bear the situation.

"Why on earth-! Why can't I shake you off-!"

"That's because I'm stronger than you. Realize that there are many things in the world that can't be solved with force."

"...Geuuuuu-!"

"I have plenty of time. I won't let you go until you apologize and say you're sorry. It's no use trying to hold out with useless stubbornness."

"Who do you think would say-."

"Then you just get one more hit."

Jjak-!

"Kyauuut-!"

Gloria's buttocks were already swollen red from the continuous slapping.

Her white buttocks were quite pretty, like a painting, but now they were stained red with palm prints to the point where one could only feel pity.

However.

In the end, she never apologized to me.

"Then keep staying like that. Is it dinner time now?"

"That is correct-itssit...! It is said that Ignoi made something called Hamburg steak for dinner tonight-itssit...! Shall we head to the dining hall...?"

"Yeah. We should go."

I stood up while still holding Gloria by her waist. At that sight, Luna hesitantly asked.

"Hassan, what about Gloria...? Are you going to keep doing that...?"

"I have to. If I let her go now, she'll just run wild again without reflecting. Gloria, if you want to eat dinner, apologize and say you're sorry. Say you did wrong."

"......."

Gloria was stubborn.

In the end, I had no choice but to head to the dining hall with Gloria tucked under my arm. Seeing us, the Nymphs began to whisper among themselves.

━What is that-.

━I don't know, it looks like she's being scolded-!

━She was acting out earlier. It serves her right...!

Gloria, who must have heard that, growled at the Nymphs.

"What are you looking at-! Why don't you get lost already!? Is this a show to you!?"

I spanked Gloria's buttocks once more.

Jjak-.

"Uh-huh. You should use kind words."

"Muuuut, khut...."

Having been hit repeatedly, Gloria seemed to have become somewhat accustomed to this pain. Perhaps because there were people around, she didn't scream like before.

I took her to the dining hall where a very large, long table was set. The table is really damn long.

The food served on it was also as plentiful and diverse as a buffet, so it's moving to feel that I, who used to pack a lot of food from buffets, have succeeded like this.

"...Hassan, what about the one next to you? Why are her buttocks exposed like that...."

Hippolyte, who was sitting at the table with Antiope, slightly narrowed her brow as she looked at Gloria tucked under my arm.

Antiope answered in my stead.

"I get it. That girl is being scolded, right? Hahahat-! That's totally hilarious. I also used to get scolded like that a lot by Sister Syleia in the past! For smoking magic grass-."

"This great Doris also has memories of being spanked by Goddess Ceres because the amount of honey collected was less than the quota...!"

Hearing the stories, it seemed that being spanked was a common form of corporal punishment on this Gaia continent.

Was it being passed down from my mother to me, and from me to Gloria?

This was a cycle of its own.

I said.

"Anyway, don't mind this girl. Don't even give her food. If you show her sympathy without permission, I'll kick you out too."

With that kind of vibe, I started my meal by scooping some soup.

Whether it was thanks to my threat or because they agreed with punishing Gloria.

No one cared about or spoke to Gloria, who was tucked under my arm.

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Gloria also just hung there limply, having lost her energy.

"...."

She looked exactly like laundry hung on a clothesline after being soaked.

It can't be helped even if it's pitiful that she's dejected.

After finishing the meal roughly like that.

I took her to the Nymphs who were cleaning the 1st and 2nd floors.

The Nymphs, who had been working until just now and were about to prepare to go home, opened their mouths wide in surprise at our appearance.

"Hoeee-, Nymph friends, look at that-!"

I presented Gloria's face to the Nymphs who were making a fuss.

"Gloria, say you're sorry for making a mess. Apologize to them."

"...I don't want to-."

Jjak-.

"Geuut-."

The Nymphs laughed as they saw Gloria trembling after being spanked.

"Seeing her being scolded makes me feel better-! It would have been even better if we got an apology, though-!"

"I, Ononoi, also got hit like that by my mother when I was a child-!"

"...."

Gloria kept her mouth shut tight.

Her face was already flushed red. It must be agonizing to be scolded while being moved around here and there, as it's unfamiliar, awkward, and embarrassing.

I know that feeling well.

Before I even entered kindergarten.

━Hey-! Hassan, you come over here-!

━Hieeek....

━Didn't I tell you not to drink soda at night before bed-!

━Hieeek-!

Was there a time I got scolded terribly by my mother for drawing a map on the blanket while sleeping?

In the end, I had to walk around the neighborhood with a winnowing basket on my head to receive salt.

━You rascal-! You bed-wetter-!

━Where do you think you are, coming to get salt-!

The terrifying sight of the neighborhood grandmothers and ladies scolding me with exaggeratedly stern voices while sprinkling salt on me back then still occasionally comes to mind like a trauma.

Of course, after that time, the habit of drawing maps while sleeping was completely cured.

Seueuk, jeobeok, jeobeok.

Now my footsteps headed to the 3rd floor. Somnia, who was there, looked back and forth between Gloria and me and laughed as if it were absurd.

"You're treating that ferocious Holy Knight of Juno completely like a child. No, she is a child, but-."

"Geuuu, wha, what are you laughing at-! I'll rip your mouth open-!"

"Woah, even if you say that while being held like that. It's not scary at all-. Puhuhuhuhuhu-. Can I try spanking her once?"

I nodded at Somnia's question.

At that, Somnia slapped her buttocks without hesitation.

"My goodness, who would have thought an opportunity to spank Gloria would come in my lifetime? Just the number of our comrades who suffered at your hands is too many to count-!"

"Could I also try hitting her once?"

"No, Anxious. You're a pervert. Ah, anyway, I feel a bit relieved."

Somnia was happy as if a long-standing congestion had been cleared. Schizo, the greatsword mage who had been watching quietly from the side, added a word.

"...Somnia. ...If you are too ...familiarly rude to ...the little Pluto. ...You might end up like that too."

"Th-that won't happen-! Hassan and I are close-! Right?"

"...."

"Say we're close-!"

Leaving the mansion's guards behind, I went up to the 4th floor where my bedroom was.

Gloria's body, having toured from the 1st to the 4th floor in a humiliating posture, was flushed red from her ear tips to her toes, heating up like a warm steamed bun, not just her spanked buttocks.

"Do you feel like apologizing for doing wrong now?"

I asked in front of her room door.

"...."

Of course, Gloria didn't answer. She must be starting a silent protest now.

It's a characteristic of young children to be silent like they're sulking for a while and then eventually apologize as if they couldn't help it.

Do I have to be like this all day?

So when will she open her mouth?

Just when I felt like a slight sigh was about to come out.

"...I did."

Gloria made a sound so small that it wouldn't even be heard by my sensitive ears that could detect an ant's leg moving.

"What? You should speak clearly."

"...I said I did wrong. So, stop it now and let me go...."

Although I scolded her to hear these words, I felt surprised because I had expected that I wouldn't be able to hear it until the entire day was over.

I thought she would be more stubborn.

"Are you not going to do it again in the future?"

"...Yeah."

"Next time if you don't listen again, or if you do mean things to other people for no reason, you'll be scolded again."

"...."

"You should answer."

"...Yes."

"Then it's a promise."

"Yes."

Only then did I let go of Gloria, whom I had been carrying around for half the day.

She pulled down her dress to cover her buttocks and then limped into her bedroom.

Seeing her attitude being more docile than expected, I began to reflect, wondering if I had been too harsh.

However, along with that feeling.

I also felt a sense of achievement that I was able to lead my friend's younger sister onto the right path in place of my absent friend.

By being scolded like this, hearing rebukes, and living with other people while bumping shoulders-.

Won't Gloria also be able to continue a normal life, at least to the extent of Luna or Hippolyte?

Lying in bed, I vowed to take Gloria around from tomorrow and teach her various things. This must be the role I have to take on.

Then, something occurred to me, so I opened Gloria's door again.

Gi-iiik.

"Wha, what-!"

Then, Gloria, who was showing her buttocks in the mirror, came into my view. Her red, swollen buttocks are a bit pitiful.

"...I haven't done anything wrong yet!"

"No, I'm here to apply medicine."

I showed her the seashell ointment in my hand.

Originally, corporal punishment is completed as a cycle not just by scolding but by final comfort and applying medicine.

Even the young Hassan, who had been hit on the calves with a switch and firmly made up his mind that he wouldn't even talk to his mom anymore-.

Ended up melting away at his mom's touch as she applied medicine to the bruised areas.

Recalling that memory, I patted the bed.

"Here, lie face down."

Heumchit-.

At my words, Gloria's body hesitated and trembled.

However, whether a superior-inferior relationship and hierarchy had been established by the previous act, Gloria eventually lay face down before me with a reluctant feeling.

I spread the cold, transparent ointment thinly over her buttocks.

"Eung, eueueu, eueuut, eueu...."

Gloria trembled and made strange noises. Since I'm applying ointment to the injured area, it must be painful. But since it's a medicine specially formulated by Luna for me, who often gets hurt, the effect should be good.

"Euut, eueu, the feeling, the feeling is strange. It's like ants are crawling...."

"Still, if you apply this, the wound won't hurt at all anymore."

Seureuk. Seureureuk.

She and I didn't speak for a while. Just as I was guessing if Gloria's sulky mood had softened a bit.

The girl lying face down with her head on the bed muttered something.

"...It's been a long time since someone applied medicine to me."

"Really?"

"Now, I don't even remember. Every day, getting injured. My body. Full of scars. With a body like this, even if I wear clothes like normal girls. It's just strange."

At Gloria's words, I looked at her calves and thighs.

Indeed, as she said, there were several scratches on her white, long thighs.

They are scars closer to those of a warrior than a young girl. Not befitting her age.

I decided to offer words of comfort.

"It's not strange at all. And this, it even removes scars."

I applied the medicine to the many scars on her thighs. Then, as expected of Gloria with her strong vitality, the scars quickly healed and disappeared.

Seureureuk-.

Then Gloria bent her leg into an 'L' shape. Thanks to that, the deep inner part of her thigh became visible, so I turned my eyes away.

"Why, what is it."

"Apply it to the inside too. There was a place scarred from being scratched by a tree before. If it were my brother, he would have surely applied it to every nook and cranny."

"...Really?"

"You said you wanted to fill my brother's empty spot. Then, you should do it like a brother. Because you took Castor away from me."

At the mention of Castor's name, my heart stung. Before that name, I am a sinner. This girl is the bereaved family. The hierarchy between her and me ends up being flipped.

However, no matter what, touching this inner part felt a bit morally incorrect. So as I was hesitating.

"You said I'm a child. Isn't it fine to look at a child's body? Or were you lying to me?"

Gloria, lying face down on the bed, provoked me.

Common sense-wise, where is there a child this big? But Gloria doesn't give me a moment to rest.

"After all that talk about teaching me and scolding me, are you just like the others who are all talk?"

In the end, I slowly reached out my hand and ended up rubbing the deep inner part of her soft yet firm thigh with my finger.

"Muaeung...."

Then she began to make a sound like a cat huddled in a dark warehouse. It felt exactly like I was doing something bad, so my body trembled.

"Why are you making that kind of sound."

"...Then, ...muu, euheu, ...how can I not make a sound. When you keep touching me, strangely, like this."

"No, what am I touching strangely? Don't say things that others would misunderstand if they heard."

I decided to finish the inner part of her thigh quickly. Adding the grace of my Agility and Dexterity, which reached 16, nothing was impossible.

"There, it's done. Is that enough?"

"...No, you have to do the front too. There are more scars on the front."

"...The front?"

"Why, is the front not allowed?"

Seureureuk.

Like flipping a well-cooked pancake. Gloria rolled her body over.

And then she slowly lifted her skirt, and at the strange scent of lime, my mind went dizzy.