Isol's Perspective

XX Hotel suite.

"Mmm..."

I woke from a deep sleep and finally cleared my head. That's right. This was the hotel. And last night, with him...

My lower belly felt strange. Not only that—down there still carried the lingering heat of the night before. Embarrassing. I didn't want anyone to see it. But even now he had to be lying right beside me...

I carefully turned the other way. Was he still asleep?

"Huh?"

No one. Was he washing up? Yet not a single sound reached me. Even concentrating mana into my ears changed nothing.

"What time is it?"

I snatched up my smartphone. Before I could check the clock, my eyes locked onto the message waiting for me—from him.

A stiff, distant tone. Definitely his message.

My stomach growled. I was starving. After doing it that many times last night. Pervert bastard. Bad bastard...

I stretched and rose from the bed. Huh? Something was sliding down my thigh. I hurriedly pressed my hand there. Wet...

Come to think of it, I'd been having filthy dreams the whole time I slept. All that bastard's fault.

"Haah..."

What am I doing first thing in the morning...

Blinding sunlight poured through the gap in the curtains. I parted them a little and looked out. Seoul's ordinary morning sprawled far below. This was an insanely expensive hotel—where had that guy suddenly gotten money? Before, he only ever used the company card and lived in a tiny place; I'd thought he was dirt poor. Did he win the lottery or something?

But far more shocking was my mana. An absurd, overwhelming amount of it now pulsed inside my body. What the hell had happened? Every time I shared a bed with him my mana multiplied several times over. This time ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it had surged even higher.

"Haa..."

He'd said this was the last time. Right. From now on I wouldn't have to do that kind of thing anymore. Having sex I didn't even want just to raise my mana... with a man like that...

I shook my head. What stupid thoughts was I having? I should be happy. It was over. My mana had increased this much already. I rolled my shoulders, loosening the muscles, then headed straight for the shower. Today I had to go to the company. Soon I would be joining the one he had founded himself.

"Isol-ssi... hello."

"Hmph."

Lee Donggeul, whose thoughts I could never read, greeted me first. When I didn't answer she pretended to wilt. That fox-like bitch was always glued to his side.

"Hel...lo."

Baek Hwayeon this time. Why was her voice always so tiny? She was taller than me, too. Could she not come any closer? If I boosted my hearing with mana I could catch whatever she mumbled, but I wasn't about to waste mana on something that trivial. He always drilled that into me. I wasn't a kid anymore.

"Everyone's here? It's been a week, right? Today's Friday—why did the company suddenly call us in? I tried contacting Hyung-nim but he never answered."

Jang Yong showed up too. He was the only one who still didn't know why we'd been summoned. The rest of us had already come in last Monday and heard that he had quit the company. Of course I'd already known—he'd told me over dinner the weekend before.

"You're all here."

The company higher-ups appeared. I spoke first. I'd already said it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠on Monday, but back then I hadn't had the money so it had fizzled out.

"I got the penalty fee ready. So I'm quitting as of today."

Jang Yong and every company man stared at me in shock. So what? I'd told them Monday.

Jang Yong pestered me.

"Uh... what's this all of a sudden? Isol-ssi, you're quitting?"

"Yeah."

I answered with clear annoyance and he stopped asking. But he still had more surprises coming. I wasn't the only one leaving. Those girls were all planning to join his company too. Why he was scouting such weaklings I had no idea.

"I got permission from Mom too! She said she'd give me the money!"

"Um... I prepared mine as well."

Lee Donggeul was richer than I'd thought. Her mother just handed it over. I'd scraped together every coin from my Academy days and borrowed the rest from Dad. Baek Hwayeon, though—how poor was she that she'd even begged that guy who already looked broke? Crazy bitch. I planned to watch from the side and make sure she paid every won back.

Manager Im raised his voice in shock. My ears hurt.

"That's impossible! That is—"

"What's impossible?! On Monday you told us to bring the penalty fee!"

"Did you even read the contract properly? You have to finish every job already planned in advance... and the company needs time to fill the empty slots with someone else! The contract clearly states you must give at least fifteen days' notice before terminating!"

"So what? Five days already passed—quitting in ten more days or quitting now makes zero difference. 'Already planned'? You're not even recruiting new Awoken. Who do you take me for?!"

"That may be true, but..."

"Manager, I'll handle this."

"Fine. Deputy Manager Park, try talking some sense into them."

"Team Leader Kang... ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠no, the Awoken of F-team. The company has already finished negotiations to transfer all of you to Kim Chan-il's team. And we plan to pick the outstanding ones among you and promote them straight to D or C team. An opportunity like this won't come twice. You need to think carefully. What company is going to take an Awoken who couldn't even finish one year of contract? Do you know how picky people in this industry are? You're still young, so you don't—"

"Shut up! I already have a company to go to. I don't need you worrying about that."

"Th-that insolent—"

"What?! What did you just say?!"

"Ahem... what did I say? Just talking to myself. Talking to myself."

That old toad-faced bastard. He was pissing me off.

Deputy Manager Park kept flapping his mouth without a care. I wanted to punch him right then.

"Now, now, everyone calm down. If it's another company, where exactly are you planning to go..."

"None of your business. There is one."

"Don't tell me they're offering extra money? Paying the penalty fee for you too? Where the hell is this place! I've never seen such an unethical company."

"It's not like that! One more word of bullshit and I'll smash everything here."

I had to throw a tantrum before they finally shut up. Haa... Why did that guy suddenly quit and make everything this annoying? He didn't even have money, yet he was starting a company. Still, I'd promised to go... Any other team made me sick.

Park was still yapping.

"It won't work. It's written in the contract. Even if you pay the penalty today, you remain under contract with us for at least the next eleven days. If you refuse to follow company policy before then, we will sue for breach of contract."

"Then what the hell am I supposed to do?! What happens if I stay eleven more days? F-team is already in the red, right? I already heard everything!"

"Hrm... Still, a contract is a contract. And your next expedition has already been decided. If you no-show without permission, we will also claim damages for that..."

Bang—!

I slammed my palm onto the table in fury. Of course I didn't use mana. Doing that to ordinary people was something only an idiot would do. But I had no choice except to accept their demand. The contract really did say that, so they weren't completely wrong... and going on one more dungeon run wouldn't kill me. His company wasn't even fully set up yet. The truth was, I was dying to try out the mana he'd strengthened for me. I just hated being ordered around by the company. If they'd asked a little more nicely I wouldn't have gotten this angry. Idiots.

The moment the meeting ended I called him.

"We... have to go on an expedition."

I explained everything that had happened in the meeting, step by step. I thought he would take my side. Why did I even expect that? Stupid...

"Got it..."

Beep... beep...

"Idiot..."

In the end I had to leave on an expedition with people from another team. Monday departure. The man named Kim Chan-il was nothing like him. He didn't even send advance information, and the first time we spoke was right before entering the dungeon. Even then, not a single message had come from him. Three whole days since our last call. Bad bastard...

"Haha, just listen well to oppa. Then I'll make you big money."

"Hyung-nim. I'm a man, though."

"Can you shut up for a bit?"

This team was truly... the worst. Team Leader Kim Chan-il couldn't control the four male Awoken at all. Far beyond that—he was being dragged around like a slave. Unpleasant bastards. Just thinking about having to live with these guys inside a dungeon for days made irritation boil up.

Four male Awoken. Team Leader Kim Chan-il and a female support named Kim Miyeon. Plus three middle-aged guys from the equipment company. That was everyone except the three teammates ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠who'd always been with me. Including us there were eight Awoken total, so the equipment company had sent three people. It looked expensive—why throw so much support at this team when ours...

It was already in the past, yet it still made me angry for no reason.

"I heard from the manager and deputy manager, but since I don't really know your skills yet, please just watch at first. Our team's Awoken will give the orders on their own."

"What? You're telling us to follow those guys' commands?"

"Yes... for now those people are seniors to you..."

What does that matter?! Being strong is enough! The words rose all the way to my throat, but I didn't spit them out. I decided to just watch quietly. He had told me not to fight...

Lee Donggeul looked at me.

"Why?"

"Nothing. Just that you're not getting angry..."

"What, you think all I ever do is get angry?"

"See... you're getting angry while saying that..."

"What!?"

Right then the male Awoken from that team walked over.

"Haha, our cute little newbies, why are you fighting? Tell oppa. I'll fix everything."

"I'm fine..."

"......"

That fox started wagging her tail at the men again. Whatever. I ignored them properly and put some distance between us. But one of them followed me.

"What..."

"Kya, look at that fiery one. What's your name, our newbie?"

"Can you get away? Your breath stinks."

"What? Huh, seriously... where does a green newbie bitch get off talking back."

"Ugh... smell."

"This—this bitch!"

The guy suddenly pressed close and reached out. His hand was heading straight for my ass. This crazy bastard. I immediately shifted sideways and avoided the filthy touch. I wanted to punch him, but I had to hold it in. I couldn't kill him right at the start. Thanks to the increased mana, the man's movements looked ridiculously slow, and my body felt light as a feather.

"Amazing..."

I never once imagined I'd be this shocked by my own movements. Suddenly his face floated up and I shook my head. What was he doing right now?

I lightly stuck out a leg and gave the guy's heavy body a small push. He tripped over my leg and crashed to the ground. I knocked him down without using any strength at all. I seemed to have become incredibly strong—hard to put into words. All thanks to him.

I gathered a little of the overflowing mana into my foot. Then I slammed it down hard into the dirt right beside the fallen man's face.

Bang!

A loud crack and a cloud of dust rose.

"Eek..."

"Wanna die?"

"N-no."

"Then what do you think you should do from now on?"

"...I-I won't come close."

"Same goes for our girls."

The man stayed prone, bowing and nodding frantically at me. Hmph. Every male Awoken on that team was watching. They stood there dumbfounded with their mouths hanging open; the moment their eyes met mine they hurriedly looked away.

"Haah... what a dumbass."

A sigh escaped on its own. So don't mess around from now on. You idiots.