Chapter 56: Young Wife's Heart, Maiden's Body (Bonus Chapter) (Patreon)

Less than a month remained until the Saiyans' arrival.

Bulma and Lunch's plane touched down on a grassy plain.

The seven Dragon Balls lay on the ground, glowing with an orange light.

The two of them exchanged a glance and smiled.

These were the seven Dragon Balls they'd spent over half a month gathering.

Bulma took a deep breath and raised both hands high. "Come forth, Shenron! Grant my wish!"

The sky suddenly darkened.

Golden light burst from the Dragon Balls, converging into a massive pillar that shot straight toward the heavens,

and dark clouds gathered from every direction, blotting out the entire sky in an instant.

The golden light took the shape of Shenron.

"Speak your wish. I can grant any one wish."

Bulma said, "Let Lunch and me become young again — back to twenty years old!"

These past few days, they'd traveled the length of Earth, from south to north, from the tropics to the glaciers, learning firsthand just how hard it was to find the Dragon Balls.

Their original wish of turning five years younger had, by now, grown into wanting it all in one shot.

But upon hearing Bulma's wish, Shenron refused.

"I'm sorry. I cannot grant this wish of yours."

"Why?"

Bulma and Lunch exchanged a glance, both of them confused, staring at Shenron.

Shenron explained, "I can grant only one wish, and what you've stated is clearly two wishes. I can make only one of you young again."

Realization dawned on Bulma and Lunch.

"I see — we were being too greedy!"

Bulma said, "Lunch, you go ahead and become young. I'll wait until next year."

"No, no, it should be you. You did the most work finding the Dragon Balls."

"We're sisters. No need to be so polite. Besides, I'm just not as good as you — you're the one who satisfies Oryon better, most of the time..."

As she spoke, a blush spread across Bulma's face.

Lunch looked at Bulma, warmth blooming inside her.

She took Bulma's hand and thanked her sincerely. "Thank you, Bulma. You really are my best sister."

Just then, an idea flashed through Lunch's mind.

"Wait, I just remembered something. Didn't Shenron once revive all those countless people King Piccolo killed, all at once? So making the two of us young this time should work too!"

Bulma's pupils contracted.

"That's right — Shenron can only grant one wish."

"But if we word it differently, so the wish itself covers more while still technically counting as one wish, that would work!"

Lunch asked curiously, "Word it how, exactly?"

Bulma's mind raced, and she quickly put the phrasing together.

She looked up at Shenron. "Shenron, I've thought of my wish."

"I wish for all of Oryon's women to become young again — back to twenty. Is that all right?"

One wish, its meaning covering both of them — no problem at all.

Shenron nodded. "Your wish can be granted."

"Really? Wonderful!"

Lunch gave Bulma a thumbs-up. "Bulma, you really do have a sharp mind!"

"Of course. I am a super genius girl, after all—"

Lunch pursed her lips. "You're thirty years old and still calling yourself a girl..."

Bulma stuck out her tongue and laughed. "Right now I'm a super woman, but any second I'll be a genius girl again."

"Mm-hm!"

Bulma and Lunch hugged each other, giddy with excitement.

Shenron's eyes flashed red, and a wave of divine power rippled outward.

"Your wish has been granted!"

With that, Bulma felt a cool sensation sweep through her entire body.

Her skin tightened, her bones tingled faintly as they straightened, and every hidden ailment from her sleepless nights melted away.

Then her skin turned fair and luminous.

Bulma looked down at her hands — her fingers had grown longer and more delicate, her nails rounder, glowing with a soft pink sheen.

The fine lines on the backs of her hands had faded too.

She touched her face — the skin firm and smooth, her lips full, her whole body feeling incredibly light.

"Being twenty again is wonderful!"

Lunch's transformation was even more striking.

Her hair grew thicker and silkier, and her once-plump figure slimmed down a little.

But being slim at twenty was nothing like being slim in her thirties.

Now Lunch was slender where she should be slender and full where she should be full. Her chest had shrunk slightly, but it sat higher and firmer than before.

The biggest change, though, was in her bearing — her whole self had grown young.

It was hard to say exactly what was different, but she radiated vitality.

Her knees no longer ached, her back no longer hurt, and energy filled her from head to toe.

"We're really young again!"

Lunch touched her own face and looked at Bulma, and they smiled at each other.

"All right, if there's nothing else — farewell!" Shenron said.

"Goodbye, Shenron!"

Shenron turned back into golden light and dove into the Dragon Balls, which scattered in every direction.

The dark clouds overhead quickly dispersed, and the sky returned to a deep, clear blue.

Bulma took Lunch's hand. "Come on, let's head back — it's time to surprise Oryon!"

"Mm, Oryon's definitely going to be shocked. He's going to kiss us both breathless!"

Lunch sank into a sweet daydream.

The two of them boarded the plane and flew back to Capsule Corporation in high spirits.

West City, Capsule Corporation.

In Tights's bedroom, the curtains were drawn tight.

It was already afternoon.

She and Oryon had just gotten back from the water park.

Tights leaned against the headboard while Oryon braced himself above her, and the two of them kissed each other hungrily.

Tights's fingers tangled in Oryon's hair, his hand wrapped around her waist, and together their bodies pressed a hollow into the sheets.

Just then, a flicker of light passed over Tights's body.

Oryon instinctively let go of her and opened his eyes.

Tights was still Tights, but she had changed dramatically.

Her skin had turned rosy and snow-white, her face and eyes taking on a fresh, dewy glow.

Her already delicate features had softened, her lips fuller and rosier, her golden hair far thicker than before.

Oryon's hand was still resting on her waist.

He gave it a light squeeze — the feel was completely different from a moment ago.

Springy, like squeezing a freshly made jelly — the slightest pressure of his fingertips let him feel the elasticity of the muscle beneath her skin.

Tights couldn't see it, but she could feel the change in her own body.

She glanced down at her arms and collarbone, her eyes going wide.

"What... what's happening to me?"

Oryon blinked. "You look like you've gotten younger?" Suddenly, the clouds outside the window cleared, and the light in the room brightened considerably.

Oryon's eyes went wide with realization.

"So those weren't storm clouds a minute ago — someone used the Dragon Balls..."

He looked again at the young, dewy Tights, and a guess surfaced in his mind.

"Don't tell me Bulma used Shenron to make you young again?"

Tights touched her own face, disbelieving. "What? Why would she make me young..."

A moment later, warmth crossed her face. "So my little sister does love me after all — she thinks of her big sister whenever something good comes along!"

Oryon rubbed his chin, unable to figure out what Bulma was up to.

Why hadn't she just asked Shenron to make herself even younger?

Tights pulled Oryon close happily. "Speaking of which, being young feels amazing — I can't wait to enjoy it!"

With that, she wrapped her arms around him again and kissed him.

Oryon breathed in the fragrance of the girl in his arms and kissed her back just as eagerly.

Now that she was young again, every inch of Tights's skin had become extraordinarily sensitive, her sense of touch amplified many times over.

Every kiss, every touch, brought a completely different feeling.

The sensation of turning from a mature woman into a young girl was beyond words.

It was the same person, yet the feeling was worlds apart.

The dewy softness of a young girl's touch was intoxicating, enough to make him forget every worry.

Their embrace grew tighter, and before they knew it, half an hour had slipped by.

Tights gazed at Oryon sweetly, her face full of joy.

Usually she'd have felt at least a little tired by now.

But this time, she didn't feel tired at all.

She felt frighteningly strong right now!

She got up, hopped barefoot off the bed, and looked at her dewy young face in the mirror. "So this is what being young feels like — amazing!"

[Ding. You and Tights completed an exceptionally satisfying interaction, earning a 30-day cultivation training reward.]

In an instant, Oryon's muscles ached deliciously all over again — he was bulking up once more.

He lay on the bed watching Tights preen in front of the mirror, her energetic figure overlapping in his mind with the sultry, mature silhouette from before, giving him an odd sense of stepping outside of time.

Was this what they meant by a mature woman's heart in a young girl's body?

So fresh and dewy!

Tights turned back, climbed on top of him, and propped herself up with both hands on the mattress.

"Oryon, I'm going to grab some water — let's go again in a bit, okay?"

Oryon pinched her dewy cheek and laughed. "Of course. You've gotten stronger, sure, but I've always been frighteningly strong!"

"Mm-hm!" Tights bounced off happily to get her water.

Compared to her once-elegant, cat-like steps, Tights now moved with bounding energy and vigor.

Just then, the hum of an airplane sounded outside the window.

"Bulma's back!"

Oryon said quickly, "Tights, let's call it a day for now — go ahead and get dressed."

Tights sipped her water and nodded.

"Mm. I really should thank Bulma properly..."

Oryon threw his clothes on in seconds and nodded. "Go ahead and change, then. I'll head down to find them."

With that, he went downstairs.

Bulma and Lunch stood there radiant, gazing at Oryon with big sparkling eyes, unusually lively.

Oryon froze.

"You two... you got younger too?"

"What do you mean, 'too'?"

"Who else got younger?"

Bulma looped her arm through Oryon's left, Lunch through his right.

The two of them showed off their figures, their faces, their skin, and their long, long legs...

"So? Don't we look even fresher and more beautiful than before?"

The corners of Bulma and Lunch's mouths curled almost up to their ears, their eyes bright as they watched Oryon, waiting for him to shower them with praise.

Oryon didn't disappoint them.

He spread his arms wide, pulling both of them into his embrace at once, then kissed each of them on the cheek.

"What a wonderful surprise."

"It got dark a while ago — did you two use the Dragon Balls to become young again?"

"Mm-hm!" The two of them nestled into Oryon's arms, brimming with happiness.

Bulma looked up at him. "We haven't gotten to spend much time with you these past few days — did you miss us?"

Oryon nodded. "Of course I did..."

Lunch grinned, her voice teasing. "Aren't you just dying to devour the two of us right now?"

"I've been dying to for ages," Oryon said.

"Yeah — come on, then. What are we waiting for..."

Just then, footsteps sounded on the stairs.

Tights was coming down.

The moment Bulma and Lunch's eyes landed on her face, both of them froze.

Tights's face was still the same face, but it looked completely different from before.

Her skin was firm and fair.

Her golden hair shone softly under the living room lights.

She was in exactly the same state as Bulma and Lunch.

She seemed to have gone back to twenty as well.

Bulma thought of the word "too" Oryon had used just now.

She blurted out, "Sis... what's going on?"

Bulma pulled out of Oryon's embrace, looking Tights up and down.

Tights said, "I was about to ask you the same thing. Wasn't it you two who made me young?"

Bulma and Lunch exchanged a blank look.

Tights touched her own face, puzzled. "If it wasn't you, then that's strange. A moment ago I don't know what happened — I just suddenly started aging backward."

Bulma looked at her now-young sister, her mind racing.

Her wish had been: let all of Oryon's women become young again, back to twenty.

Clearly, her sister had returned to that same state of twenty.

That meant...

Tights had grown young today too, which meant she'd also been swept into the category of "all of Oryon's women."

Confusion, bewilderment, and a flicker of irritation crossed Bulma's face as she turned to Oryon.

"When did you sleep with my sister too?"

Oryon froze. Sure, she was a genius, but she'd figured this out awfully fast.

No, wait — how had she even worked it out?

Or rather, what exactly had she wished for? Oryon sank into thought.

Thinking Bulma was about to lay into Oryon, Tights hurried over.

"Bulma, don't blame him. It's my fault.

I just wanted to experience what falling in love felt like — material for my novel — so I asked Oryon to help me. Bulma, you really do have a good boyfriend.

At first I even looked down on him a little, but after a few days together, I saw his good qualities, and before I knew it, the act became real."

As she spoke, Tights's face filled with apology.

"But don't worry, Bulma.

As your sister, I'd never steal your boyfriend, and I'd never do anything to threaten your marriage.

I've already tasted the sweetness of love.

Now it's time to experience heartbreak.

In a couple of days I'll leave Earth and continue my journey of exploration.

Just pretend nothing ever happened between him and me, okay?"

Tights gripped Bulma's hand tightly, looking into her eyes, her face pleading once more.