Yggdrasil (3-16)
Min Hayeon convinced them not because Han Yeoreum was helpful, but because she couldn't just abandon a fellow party member.
But the women didn't buy that reasoning so easily, and in the end, I had to resort to hardline measures to persuade the four reluctant ones.
And those hardline measures were...
"F-fuck... Why the hell am I in this state...?"
"Shut up. Or we'll leave you behind."
"Fuck..."
Binding her arms behind her back with cable ties and forcing her to join the exploration.
Just tying her wrists might let her wriggle free on her own, so by binding all ten fingers, I fully convinced the other women.
Han Yeoreum kept spewing curses under her breath the whole time, loud enough only for me to hear.
Walking behind her, I jabbed the tip of my arrow into her back.
Poke. Poke.
"Hurry up, slave."
"Argh! That hurts, you bastard! When I get free, you're dead!"
"Oh? The slave dares to talk about liberation?"
"You fucking prick!"
Han Yeoreum started hurling curses because the arrow tip really stung her back.
But those curses didn't last long.
Min Hayeon up front shouted.
"Everyone, get ready! They're coming!"
As everyone scrambled into noisy combat prep, I leisurely whispered in Han Yeoreum's ear from behind.
"You know I'm watching you here, right? If you lunge at the girls and get caught doing something sleazy, you might get an arrow hole in your leg right away."
"You fucking bastard! As if I'd do that!"
"Quiet down. I have to cover you, so shut it."
I shut Han Yeoreum up like that, then moved from the rear—keeping her in sight—to help the others.
The fight didn't even last a full minute.
The moment it ended, everyone crowded around me, gushing admiration.
"Whoa... Su-ho, you're no joke."
"Honestly, without you, we'd have been fighting for over ten minutes. Thanks to you, easy clear."
"And you kept watch so well, we felt safe too."
"Nngh..."
Han Yeoreum knew damn well who Park Jin-hee meant by "watch."
Seeing the women praise me, her face twisted in fury.
Before coming to the first floor, those three had clung to Han Yeoreum, fawning over her.
Pathetically so, to the point of desperation.
The women had no idea what Han Yeoreum was thinking now.
They probably just figured she was pissed because she was tied up, hence the scowling.
But even I couldn't bask in their praise.
"... "
Min Hayeon shot me a cold glance, then turned back to lead the way.
"Let's go."
..
..
We pitched tents only after reaching the first safe zone, then started prepping food.
Even then, Han Bom kept trying to talk to Min Hayeon, but she kept her expression heavy and refused.
And there was one idiot who couldn't read the mood at all.
"Hey, untie me."
"You think I untie a slave just 'cause they ask?"
"You fucking prick, I told you not to call me that!"
The tall slave glared down at me, bitching.
But so what if she was tall? Just a cable-tie slave.
"Oops, my bad."
"Then hurry up and..."
"Criminal bitch. You think I untie a criminal just 'cause they ask?"
"You goddamn..."
Yang Ji-hyeon approached as Han Yeoreum and I bickered.
"What's going on?"
"This rapist wants me to untie her. Unless I shove something in her pocket, she's begging with empty words."
"Fuck! How am I supposed to eat?!"
"Aha!"
Now I got why Han Yeoreum wanted loose.
Not that I cared before.
"Should've said so earlier. No need to piss me off and cause misunderstandings."
"Fuck... Then untie me quick."
"Huh? Not planning to."
"You son of a bitch!"
I kept needling her, and Yang Ji-hyeon looked awkward, unable to protest my actions given the situation.
Right on cue.
Snip, snip, snip.
"H-Hayeon!"
"... "
Min Hayeon cut the cable tie binding Han Yeoreum's fingers, then said,
"We'll untie for meals, but retie at night."
"Th-this is enough! I swear I won't do anything weird!"
"We already agreed. No way until the next village."
"F..."
Min Hayeon freed Han Yeoreum, glanced at me sadly, and headed to her tent. Yang Ji-hyeon sighed in relief and followed.
Han Yeoreum tilted her head, smirking.
"Heh... Looks like Hayeon finally saw your true colors."
"... "
Not her place to talk—she'd been too busy with her bindings and glares to notice Min Hayeon till now.
With her hands free, her field of view widened, spotting it right away.
But clueless on the reason, she started grilling me.
"What'd you do? What retarded shit? Huh? Spill."
Like I'd feed a regressor that kind of detail?
"Bullshit. Eat up and prep for lockdown."
"You fucking prick..."
Han Yeoreum cursed but grinned at my face, pitching her tent.
"Try your whole life. Think Hayeon'll stick with you? You're on different levels."
"Meal time's 30 minutes. If you don't finish while others eat, straight back to tied. Eat fast."
"Hmph, loser."
She clawed at my nerves, pitched her tent, and wolfed down food.
Normally I'd eat with the group, but no one wanted her there either.
I joined Han Bom and the other women for chow.
But Min Hayeon still wasn't there.
Park Seon-hee eyed me.
"Something up with Min Hayeon?"
"Probably not feeling well."
"Ah, that time of the month, huh."
"... "
Park Seon-hee... Guess we're comfy now; she tossed out "that day" without hesitation.
Son Hye-eun chimed in.
"For real. That day I'm super sensitive too."
"Mine changes every other month."
"Wow, don't aim that high. If mine's that regular, I'd be thrilled."
The three dove into "that day" talk; Yang Ji-hyeon stayed out, focused on eating.
Han Bom sulked, barely touching her food.
Shit. Want to talk to her, but if Hayeon overhears, it'll worsen things...
Even if Min Hayeon's alone in her tent, popping out suddenly risks more weird misunderstandings. Real hassle.
In the end, no glimpse of her face during meals. We camped the first safe zone overnight, set to depart next day.
I rebound Han Yeoreum and shoved her in her tent.
"Caught outside? You know what happens."
"Fucking prick..."
Tired of bickering, she crawled in hands-bound.
I checked surroundings, peeked at Min Hayeon and Han Bom's tents, then hit my own sack.
Lying there, worries hit.
Haa... Just wanna smack her with regression and be done.
Opportunities aplenty, really.
Red Crescent was already mine; plenty of chances to kill Han Yeoreum pre-dungeon.
But I held off because this mess was an unavoidable hurdle someday.
Just like Han Yeoreum endured humiliation without regressing to snag my info, I was enduring too—searching for a way for those two to resolve it properly.
Not forced ties, but true belonging to my household...
[For now, I recommend enduring the frustration. Regression risks new variables, but without trying, it's meaningless anyway.]
Yeah, you're right~
Cool response, but my heart wasn't.
Finally, I slapped subordination on Min Hayeon.
I'd used it countless times on game heroines.
From brainless eroge to buildup-heavy ones, endless.
Subordination started as cheap hypnosis subgenre, but blending in abuse/training made it solid.
No guilt back then.
Why feel bad making her love me, me love her?
I thought.
As I tossed with eyes shut, Armonia spoke.
[Still feeling uneasy?]
Ah... No.
Forcing denial, trying to sleep again.
[May I say something?]
Sure.
Armonia going personal perked my ears.
[In my life, I've regretted just once.]
When? What happened?
[...I'll tell you that someday. But what I want to say is...]
Armonia's voice trembled faintly, laced with life's regret.
[The path to that one regret was filled with immense happiness.]
...
[Despite frustrations and discomforts along the way, those very things let me realize true happiness. Even now, I believe those times were happy.]
It sounded like restrained endurance yielding happiness was actually the seed of approaching misfortune.
[But... that passive, overly considerate frustration led to losing everything at the end, leaving regret.]
Hmm...
[What I mean is... seeking happiness in the process might lead to losing it all in the end someday.]
I didn't know her past, but no lies or pretense in her words.
Hearing Armonia's sincerity stirred guilt.
Sorry.
[...? No need to apologize.]
Made you dredge up bad memories. Sorry.
[....]
Normal Armonia would've brushed it off, but she accepted my apology in silence.
But apologies end there.
She hates wasting time on needless emotions.
Then shall we work so I won't regret?
[...? It's bedtime now. Where to...]
I lay in my tent spot, closed eyes, serene face.
Work in dreams.
..
..
Entered at once, so she was asleep?
I scanned surroundings in a hazy state.
Lucid dream led by Min Hayeon or regular unconscious dive—either fine.
Key was learning her thoughts.
And there, far off, Min Hayeon and Han Bom appeared.
Both as kids.
Han Bom on the swing, Min Hayeon gently pushing from behind.
Seeing their childhood, I grinned warmly right away.
Heh... Kids with us would look just like that, huh?
To have those two kids someday, I needed both their hearts.
Stealthed, I approached to eavesdrop.
"S-sis! Scary!"
"Hold tight, I'll push slow."
Close in age, but Min Hayeon looked mid-puberty, Han Bom still early elementary.
Their dynamic flowed unchanged after.
Han Bom hesitated, Min Hayeon supported and led from behind.
Fun fact: Even aging, positions stayed same.
Min Hayeon led front or back—always guiding Han Bom well.
Yeah... Han Bom lost parents young? Extra care there.
Caring gets tedious over time, but Min Hayeon never showed it, always tending her.
Soon, school uniforms; womanly forms emerging.
Hayeon's killer even in high school.
No—peaked then, held perfectly after.
And Han Bom...
Back then, puffed with boob hopes? Only heart puffed in end...
Slim like now, but girly vibe strong.
Min Hayeon high schooler, Han Bom middle school-ish.
In a pink-tinged room, they chattered obliviously to me.
"Haa... Han Yeoreum! Should I smack her?!"
"Sis... Sorry."
"No, Bom, nothing for you to be sorry. Haa... That bitch really..."
"I'll beat her when I get home."
Min Hayeon beamed, anger eased.
From talk, Han Yeoreum pulled some shit again.
Min Hayeon in uniform meant fresh relationship, yet cheating already.
Well, not my place to judge... But weird.
Casual at first, but Min Hayeon dreamed this in turmoil.
Plus, Han Bom from under table...
Odd... Suspicious exit warrants doubt, but why overreact?
Couldn't confirm from that alone.
Especially since Min Hayeon warned Han Bom might act weird first.
Yet Han Bom's emergence sparked certainty of me and her—beyond misunderstanding.
And in this troubled dream, they chatted cozy.
While puzzled, talk continued, hitting my ears.
"Bom, anyone you're into?"
..
..
Eyes snapped open to Armonia's comm.
[Learn anything?]
Yeah... Sorta.
Min Hayeon and Han Bom's past, their bond.
Doesn't seem like Hayeon's acting up because of me.
[Meaning?]
Min Hayeon instantly knew about me and Han Bom—not from situation or my look.
From Han Bom's expression, watched nearly lifelong.
...It's Han Bom.
That Han Bom loves me...
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