The Puppet Monarch Steps into the Dragon Alliance
I stepped into the administrative building and some of the beastmen immediately lowered their heads, sensing my dragonkin presence.
“Do you have business with the Dragon Lord?”
“Stand aside. I’ll find it myself.”
“Yes, yes…”
I adopted the form of a black dragon, scowling with the utmost irritation to make myself difficult to approach.
The beastmen, having read my mood, bowed deeply and retreated far down the corridor.
‘Let me see…’
I pressed onward through the administrative building’s inner corridors, lined with the symbols of the thirteen major beast tribes.
Beyond those corridors lay the exclusive administrative offices reserved solely for the thirteen great tribes.
The corridor split into branches, and I took the one marked with the dragon sign.
On the other side lay a path no one but dragons could enter.
I strengthened my black dragon bloodline and turned toward the fork marked with the symbol of dragons who wielded yin-style divine arts.
‘From here on, only black dragons, sea dragons, or water dragons are allowed.’
And this was precisely the space small Marshal discovered.
While walking the corridor, I placed my hand on one of the engraved black dragon motifs on the stone wall.
Upon injecting my black dragon bloodline, my hand suddenly plunged straight into the wall.
‘As expected…’
It was a barrier shaped like a wall.
I successfully pierced the barrier and stepped into the hidden space.
“….”
Thud, thud, thud…
How far along the hidden passage had I gone?
Descending deeper and deeper along the stairs, I finally reached a space of extraordinary width.
Judging by the spatial distortion, it was clearly a compressed pocket dimension, yet its size was immense.
Paah!
And a spirit stone embedded in the ceiling shone with sunlight-like radiance, giving the impression of broad daylight.
‘Bigger than Gu-ryeon’s Wanhwa Farm…’
I gazed at the vast expanse and clicked my tongue in amazement.
At the center of the open grassland sprouted by the ceiling’s radiant energy, cool valleys flowed here and there, and fragrant trees stood tall.
And in the heart of the grassland rose a grand manor.
Within the manor grounds stood several elegant tiled-roofed residences, and from inside one of them I could sense a faint presence.
I walked slowly toward the manor.
Surprisingly, there were no barriers or gold-blocking formations anywhere.
‘Ah, I see…’
The closer I drew to the manor, the stronger the flow of yin and yang became—completely disordered.
Heaven and earth qi swirled chaotically inside, explaining why no gold or barriers could be installed.
And just as I reached the manor’s entrance, a voice echoed from within.
Tap tap tap tap—
Someone was running toward me.
At the same moment, the manor gate burst open and a familiar face emerged.
“Master Seo Hyeol has arrived?”
It was Oh Hye-seo.
“…It’s been a while.”
And I greeted her with a stiff, formal tone—the same one I reserved for long-lost acquaintances.
“Master Seo Hyeol sent me.”
“Ah, Master Seo Hyeol? Please, come inside.”
Oh Hye-seo smiled brightly at the mention of his name and ushered me into the manor, and I followed her toward the residence.
“Ma’am, a guest from Master Seo Hyeol!”
“Yes, miss. I’ll prepare immediately.”
“…?”
I furrowed my brows at the middle-aged woman who welcomed Oh Hye-seo and the servants bustling throughout the estate.
Not a single gold or barrier existed outside, yet the presence I had sensed was unmistakably hers alone.
Yet inside, there were countless people.
I quickly realized their true nature and frowned.
‘Undead.’
They were all zombies reeking of fresh flesh.
Real people’s corpses turned into puppets.
‘What an eerie manor…’
I swallowed hard, peering into the hidden side of a well-maintained estate.
The middle-aged woman smiled kindly and guided me toward the inner quarters.
After a while, I faced Oh Hye-seo in the inner chamber.
“What did Master Seo Hyeol tell you? Usually he comes himself…”
“…Master Seo Hyeol asked me to check if you’re doing well.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“…Hmm…”
‘…? What’s going on?’
I sensed something off in her intentions, yet I continued questioning her.
“Any discomfort in daily life?”
“No. Master Seo Hyeol takes care of everything for me.”
‘Liar.’
“Any physical ailments or health concerns?”
“None at all. I’m perfectly fine.”
‘Liar.’
“Any mental strain?”
“Hohoho, Master Seo Hyeol, you’re so kind. What could possibly be hard when he’s right here?”
‘Again a lie.’
I asked with a heavy sigh.
“You don’t wish to go outside, do you?”
“Outside? Ah, did you not hear Master Seo Hyeol? We walk the streets of Bongmyeong-ju together once every few days—it’s wonderful. I’m already outside, so…”
‘That part is truthful… but there’s something more…’
Just then, I was about to gather my thoughts.
“Oh, and you haven’t checked Master Seo Hyeol’s Ho-pung Seong-hyeolbyeon technique?”
“The Ho-pung Seong-hyeolbyeon…?”
“Could you please verify it for a moment?”
“…Yes, then I’ll step outside for a moment…”
“Eek!”
However, she immediately closed the door, sat down, and began circulating qi.
Kiing—
Heaven and earth qi inside the room swirled around Oh Hye-seo.
I watched in astonishment.
I knew the Ho-pung Seong-hyeolbyeon technique.
Yet it lacked such a function.
Just then, the usually bright and cheerful expression on Oh Hye-seo’s face twisted into a cold glare.
Ssaaa—
The room fell deathly silent.
She opened her mouth.
“…Who are you?”
“…”
“Master Seo Hyeol sent you? If he did, you’d know we walk together once every few days.”
“…”
‘What now?’
Should I discard my fabricated identity with the black dragon bloodline and the honey trap face?
But it was risky.
If Oh Hye-seo had been brainwashed by Seo Hyeol, she could immediately report my arrival to him.
And that would mean…
Just as I was pondering, the woman watching me suddenly stood up in shock, staggering backward.
“A…!”
“…?”
Oh Hye-seo’s voice trembled.
‘What? She was startled by something. That expression on her face… It looks like she’s read my thoughts. What did she see? Is she calling servants?’
But her next words shattered my imagination.
“Seo… Eun-hyun?”
“!!!…”
I couldn’t hide my shock and stared at her.
“Seo Eun-hyun! That’s right! I remember that face! My sense of time has become completely distorted—I saw your face tens of years ago! Seo Eun-hyun!”
The suspicion melting from Oh Hye-seo’s gaze dissolved into a smile.
Yet I was left bewildered.
‘How did she realize my true identity as Seo Eun-hyun?’
“Ahahaha, indeed! It’s been so long since I last saw a familiar face. Last time I called you Sunbae Seo, right? Anyway, seeing your face after so many years… well, it just feels natural to say my name. Hohoho…”
I stood frozen in front of her for a moment, then ran my fingers over my face with a rigid expression.
Soon, the blood armor covering my face peeled away, revealing my true appearance.
“…It’s been a while.”
“Yes… truly, it has.”
We remained silent for a while.
And then Oh Hye-seo asked me.
“By the way, how did you know? You even changed your face.”
“Hmm?”
“My ability, you see…”
“Wait, don’t say it!”
“Hmm?”
I stopped her before she could casually reveal her ability.
“…Have you ever mentioned my acquired ability to anyone?”
“No, I didn’t. At first I wanted to tell Master Seo Hyeol but changed my mind. Ah, by the way, why did you come in with that face?”
I forced a bitter smile at her question.
“Because I’m not on good terms with Seo Hyeol.”
“Ah, I see.”
Oh Hye-seo chuckled.
“Actually, I don’t like Master Seo Hyeol much either. Do you sense it? These servants in the manor… are they really people?”
‘Hm?’
Oh Hye-seo lowered her voice as if divulging a tremendous secret.
“They’re all corpses. They constantly watch me. And the moment Master Seo Hyeol arrives, they immediately report everything to him.”
“…”
“And at first I thought he was a wonderful person… but then, at some point, he started casting hypnosis or brainwashing on me. That’s when I realized Master Seo Hyeol is insane.”
I had no idea what expression to wear and felt strangely unsettled.
Oh Hye-seo had known everything about Seo Hyeol all along.
“Before I awakened my ability, I thought he was truly handsome, kind, and gentle. But the moment I reached Nascent Soul and mastered the technique, all illusions about him shattered—along with the brainwashing he placed on me.”
She continued talking to me for quite a while.
I watched her chatter without pause and gave a small smile.
Oh Hye-seo, the female employee who earned the nickname “canary” at the company, admired by everyone in the office.
Even trapped by Seo Hyeol, she still seemed like the same bright girl I remembered.
She remained cheerful.
“Oh Hye-seo, if you want, I can take you out of here.”
I looked at her and asked.
She fell silent for a moment, then smiled.
“No, it’s fine.”
“…?”
“My ability, when I hone it to its limit, might let me understand why we came to this world. And where we must return, and how we fell into this world…”
“…But how does that relate to the space remaining here?”
“It does. The best person to hone my ability is Master Seo Hyeol.”
She smiled.
“I used my ability to investigate Master Seo Hyeol. And I’m unraveling his story backward. Master Seo Hyeol really accomplished many things. Because of that, so many people have deep connections with him, which has made my ability evolve to its limit. Lately, I’ve become interested in why such a human became like him.”
Strictly speaking, Seo Hyeol was never human.
“Oh, I never thought of it that way.”
What kind of ability was Oh Hye-seo’s, exactly?
It felt like she could see through everything from her seat.
‘Wasn’t it supposed to be related to the succubus bloodline?’
Then why had it evolved into something so close to omniscience?
Just then, I wondered if she had noticed my regression as well.
“Are you reading me too?”
“Yes. I am. Other people’s minds were easy, but yours are harder… the weight of the book feels incredibly heavy… and there are also murky fog-like things… that’s why it’s difficult to read.”
“Hmm…”
I conversed with her for a while, then let out a chuckle.
“So, you’ll stay by Master Seo Hyeol’s side?”
“Yes.”
“…Good. Be careful. As you know, he’s an existence skilled at manipulating things as subtly as breathing.”
“That much I already knew.”
“…Since I’ve seen you safely here, I’ll be going now.”
“It’s a little disappointing. Master Seo Hyeol doesn’t come here for days anyway. Aren’t you sleeping here?”
“If it’s because of the servants’ eyes, I could use my power somehow.”
“No, sorry, but I have things to do.”
I stood up and left the manor for the first time since arriving in this world.
My chest felt noticeably lighter.
Oh Hye-seo probably believed she would be used or brainwashed by Seo Hyeol.
Yet watching her effortlessly read my mind from her seat, I felt she wouldn’t fall easily.
‘She might have been tricked at first, but gradually, as she awakens her abilities, she’s starting to read Seo Hyeol’s schemes instead.’
Perhaps she was the one companion among mine who needed the least worry.
It was when I was about to leave the manor.
Uuuuuung!
A blinding white light erupted from behind, striking the manor’s undead.
The zombies’ eyes dimmed, and they froze in place.
Oh Hye-seo’s voice echoed.
“The power of the Succubus Queen. When a lower being touches light, it briefly turns them foolish. The zombies will forget you came today. Farewell.”
“…Yes, you too, take care.”
I walked out of the hidden space with a light heart.
Crack, crackle…
My physical body had almost turned to gas.
Yet one of the goals I had set for this life had been achieved.
‘Truly…’
I was glad I had lived.
With a somewhat lighter heart, I began preparing to make this life’s final performance spectacular.
Zhrit, zhrit…
In my Strange Star-Mind Scroll, a distant Wondrous Castle began to be sensed far away.
Jo Yeon, the Puppet Monarch, had stepped into the Jinlong Alliance territory.