How to Steal the Hero's Woman - 333: Yggdrasil (3-42)
I called Min Hayeon and Han Bom to my room separately and explained what had happened earlier.
Of course, I conveniently left out anything about Lucien.
I figured that would just lead to a huge hassle.
To the two of them, I said I'd checked outside the village just in case and happened to stumble upon a monster, which we took down.
Min Hayeon smirked and spoke up after hearing my story.
"Words spoken by day are heard by birds, and words spoken at night are heard by rats."
"What a coincidence. It's kinda like that proverb."
In truth, it wasn't exactly what I had in mind, but it wasn't entirely wrong either.
It was a reminder that we needed to stay vigilant not just during the day, but at night too—and that held true here as well.
We'd definitely gotten a hint and resolved it, but my mind wasn't at ease.
"It also means we should always be on guard, no matter the season."
A world where anything could happen day or night, in any environment.
A place where daytime didn't guarantee safety and nighttime didn't promise silence.
The first floor was the perfect spot to learn that lesson firsthand.
As I nodded in agreement with Min Hayeon, Han Bom looked puzzled and spoke up.
"But why did she make that face earlier?"
"Ah... Han Yeoreum?"
"Yeah."
When I'd said we found the token and should head out tomorrow, Han Yeoreum's face had filled with utter despair.
I had a rough idea why.
"Probably because the regression point is changing?"
"Oh... yeah, didn't she and that old guy say it changed after Sis and he got here?"
Han Bom had only experienced regressions herself, so she hadn't dealt with shifting regression points.
Truth be told, the reason we'd gathered in my room today wasn't just to recap earlier events.
It was about progression.
"...Should we head to the next floor?"
That's why we'd met—to discuss whether to push on to the next layer.
Neither Han Bom nor I jumped to answer Min Hayeon's question.
I could've shouted "Let's go!" without a second thought, but that would've undermined the image I'd carefully built up so far.
I needed to persuade them.
Give them a solid reason to go.
I spoke to the hesitating pair.
"I think we should go."
As their eyes turned to me, I continued.
"If we go to the next floor and it locks in there, we might get unlucky and have only Han Yeoreum regress."
"..."
"But if we regress again here... Han Bom, you'd be the one suffering alone."
"Ah..."
Min Hayeon nodded right away, while Han Bom looked flustered as she stared at me.
"I-I'm fine..."
"No, you're not... Once or twice might be okay, but after going through it multiple times myself, I know how rough it gets."
"..."
Regression was great and all, but being forcibly dragged back against your will was a different story.
Especially if the memories of the people you cared about kept resetting...
And with that, the discussion wrapped up.
"Let's push forward."
The two women nodded at my words, their faces set with resolve.
They'd been anxious earlier, but lingering on that anxiety wouldn't make it vanish.
I controlled the regressions, but they had no idea.
"If we hang back for no reason and end up dragging Han Bom into it with us... we'd all lose our memories in the end."
"Yeah... I don't want that."
With that, I convinced them, and we decided to progress as fast as possible.
"...So, who tonight?"
"Sis went last night, so can it be me today?"
"..."
My lower abdomen was in bliss, but I couldn't shake the feeling that one day I'd die from overindulgence.
..
..
We started prepping to enter the dungeon first thing in the morning.
Even with the key, we'd have to swing by the central village before re-entering, so we geared up expecting a long haul.
But there was one issue to deliberate.
Han Yeoreum's restraints.
"Please, just stop already! Even the orange warning gem is gone!"
"Well... true, but..."
The orange warning gem above Han Yeoreum's head had vanished at some point.
It had been an aborted incident, and with the marker gone, there seemed little reason to keep her tied up.
But ultimately, this was up to the women.
They'd suggested tying her in the first place out of unease.
After a brief huddle, the trio returned with their verdict.
"For now, let's go without restraints this time."
"Phew..."
Han Yeoreum let out a sigh of relief at their decision.
If the trio approved, I had no reason to force it.
They figured dragging her around was less efficient than pushing ahead quickly.
I glanced at Han Yeoreum and issued a simple order.
"Hey, no funny business in the dungeon. Stick close behind us, got it?"
"Hmph..."
That damn snort of hers...
Today was the last day I had full control over Han Yeoreum.
Come tomorrow, the contract would expire, and I'd have to hand over the gems I held as per its terms.
I smirked bitterly at the gems in my inventory.
Heh heh... I'll give her the real treasure.
As I chuckled at my inventory, someone tapped my back.
Turning around, I saw Park Seon-hee.
"We're all set over here."
"Got it. We'll let you know once we're ready too."
Min Hayeon and Han Bom were chatting while checking their inventories.
The dungeon itself wasn't an issue, but these meticulous women were double-checking everything to avoid slip-ups, taking their time.
As I smiled at Min Hayeon and Han Bom, Park Seon-hee grumbled beside me.
"You're treating us so differently."
"Huh?"
"Pay a little attention to me too. I'm working hard..."
She used "me" instead of "us," drawing a line between herself and the trio for this moment.
I hadn't expected Park Seon-hee to come at me like this out of nowhere.
"Haha... I team up with those two by coincidence a lot, but I see all of you as equals, you know."
"Hmph... You're so obvious about the favoritism. It hurts my feelings."
Park Seon-hee pouted, stirring up the playboy side of me.
"Sorry. I'll be more careful."
Women gonna woman...
I'd figured Park Seon-hee would make a move eventually.
The trio had actually tried seducing me once before a regression.
But this loop's chaos had kept things quiet—no openings for her to approach.
"If you're that sorry, can I ask for one favor?"
"Sure, what is it?"
"If we make it to the next floor safely, treat me to a fancy meal?"
It was the best play in her arsenal.
At least she's not going for blackmail like last time.
[She probably thinks that's a lost cause now.]
I personally kinda liked her approach back then.
Last loop, Park Seon-hee had leveraged seeing me with Han Bom, threatening to tell Min Hayeon as her hook.
Blackmail in name only—it was really just seduction, and one of my favorite scenarios.
It showed just how bold Park Seon-hee could be.
I've been too busy this loop to pay attention, but yeah, better give her some.
[Any woman under subordination will always benefit you, Su-ho.]
Oh! What about this then?
[...?]
I shared my idea with Armonia. She pondered briefly before responding.
[I think that's fine.]
No limits on numbers or anything?
[None. But once contracted, it can't be undone.]
We don't have to do anything for them anyway.
[Correct.]
Perfect...
Finishing my chat with Armonia, I turned to Park Seon-hee.
"Sure, it's a deal. Something pricey."
"Oho. Looking forward to it."
Watching her beam at me innocently, I made her a proposal.
"Park Seon-hee."
"Yes?"
"Do you know I'm from the outside world?"
..
..
After that, I shared the same story with not just Park Seon-hee, but Son Hye-eun and Park Jin-hee too.
"Somehow... you seemed super strong, Su-ho."
"Yeah, he shoots the bow better than Min Hayeon, and he pulls out all these weird abilities, so I kinda figured."
"But why tell us all this suddenly?"
The reason I brought it up with the three was simple.
"You could go somewhere else too, just like me."
"R... right?"
"If you're okay with it, how about joining the organization I'm with?"
I led the conversation much like I had with Min Hayeon and Han Bom.
These women had proven skills and mindset.
Putting them under NTL Corporation would make management easier.
The trio exchanged glances and nodded.
"That'd be great for us."
"Now that you mention it, we were dragged here against our will too—no rule saying we can't go to your world."
Reminding them it was a no-lose deal sealed the persuasion quickly.
After issuing them simple employee badges...
Son Hye-eun pressed close to me and hummed playfully.
"Sorry for always being the one helped."
"Haha, no worries. I've gotten plenty of help too."
"Hehe... No idea what the next floor's like, but make time later. My treat for a meal."
"Haha... Thanks."
"M-Me too..."
One thing I'd noticed traveling with this trio: even across regressions, their approach stayed the same.
Park Seon-hee charges in bold, Son Hye-eun gets spurred and follows, then Park Jin-hee creeps up shyly.
It seemed repetitive, but following their instincts showed people don't really change.
No wonder regressors are such cheats.
[But misjudge the variables, and it backfires dangerously.]
Like Han Yeoreum?
I chuckled inwardly over comms.
Han Yeoreum was too straightforward to suspect other regressors.
She couldn't even pinpoint causes of new variables.
Regression was absolute power, wasted on such a scrub.
With the trio sorted, Min Hayeon and Han Bom approached from afar.
"We're all set. You three good?"
"Yeah, done."
"Alright, let's head out then."
We set off for the underground sewer entrance, morning sun at our backs.
Min Hayeon clung to my side, poking my ribs playfully, while Han Bom giggled at the sight.
At the entrance, Han Bom gazed skyward with a glum expression.
"Sigh... Gonna miss the sun again."
She struggled most with humid spots, her anxiety showing plainly.
Min Hayeon comforted her.
"Almost over. Hang in there."
"Yeah."
The two shared encouragement, bonding like family.
And standing awkwardly apart in the mood: that one.
Han Yeoreum... what's with her vibe?
No restraints, yet she stared at me with genuine unease.
Contract ends tomorrow—why so antsy?
No way we clear the floor this loop, right?
[Even rushing, we must pass the central village. Impossible. Han Yeoreum will suicide before ascending.]
Sigh... such a shame.
This loop had been near-perfect for me—satisfying results.
For Han Yeoreum, utter disaster.
We were perfect mirrors.
One gains, the other loses—naturally balanced.
As we traded dirty glares, Han Yeoreum suddenly approached.
"Hey, contract ends tomorrow, right?"
"Yeah."
"We're heading in anyway—hand 'em over now? Contract holds till then. I'll just hold onto them."
Her goal: the recording gems I had.
If I ordered it, she'd never see them even holding them.
After a pause, I handed over the pile.
"Fine."
"W-Wait, really?"
"I keep my promises."
She took the gems and started grinning creepily.
"Heh heh heh heh..."
"What the hell's so special about those gems... Like I said, not yours till contract's up."
"Got it, got it."
Her glee tanked my mood.
Should've extended it...
[Best we could do. She won't get what she wants anyway—no issue.]
Wish I could see her face watching the contents.
Smirking secretly at her joy, I addressed the group.
"Alright, let's go in."
Including Han Yeoreum, everyone nodded.
We entered the dungeon together.
Brilliant light enveloped us upon entry, teleporting us inside.
Then the light faded.
"Okay, let's—wait, where the hell is this?"
It was the underground sewer, for sure.
But not the dungeon I remembered.
First time, it was a straight tunnel with the exit blocked.
Now, an open clearing, paths in all directions.
I wasn't the only confused one.
"Where are we?"
"Seon-hee, was it like this entering from the right village?"
"N-No! It was a straight tunnel, back sealed."
Entries so far auto-sent us to blocked-tunnel spots.
This was a dark, open void—directions unknown.
Voices echoing confirmed the sewer.
As confusion spread, light burst from the clearing's center.
Whoosh!
"W-What?!"
Green light dimmed, revealing a man-sized emerald gem in the center.
Despite its allure, everyone backed away.
As we distanced, numbers appeared above it.
We stared blankly at the numbers when I muttered quietly.
"A timer?"
That instant:
Definite timer.
As it ticked, eerie sounds echoed from afar.
Kreeee... Kieeek!
I had no clue what was happening.
But one thing was clear.
"Everyone, get ready! Something's coming!"
Monsters—multiple, not just one or two—were heading our way.