I'll Kill You
"I'll kill you! 'Did you really sleep with Han Yu-wol?!'"
Her question made my mind go blank.
I'd suddenly become the palace lord, and now I was being painted as some psycho bitch who used her power to deflower a rival the moment she took the throne.
"Not 阴阳合一 (Yin-Yang Union), but 阴阴合一 (Yin-Yin Union)? What kind of demonic act is this…!"
"I didn't sleep with her!"
"Then what the hell were those moaning sounds the maids heard?!"
Of course, nothing happened last night.
After the interrogation acupoint session ended, we'd parted ways with flushed faces in an awkward, kinda embarrassing vibe.
I'd seen her off like a total gentleman, damn it.
After holding back while watching Han Yu-wol writhe and let out those moans, no way was I putting up with this bullshit treatment.
"You crazy bitch! Don't you know homosexuality is banned by national law?!"
"Nothing happened!"
"Would you believe that if it was you?"
"Argh…! Fine, then call her over and confirm it yourself!"
But since she flat-out refused to believe me, what choice did I have? I headed to the An family estate with her to meet Han Yu-wol.
The interrogation acupoint wasn't a one-and-done skill anyway, so we'd have to meet a few more times.
"Oh! Palace Lord, what brings you here without notice…? I'll inform the family head right away."
"No need. Just guide me to Han Yu-wol."
The servant handling the new palace lord and the heirs from the other three families looked a bit pitiful, but we were just gonna peek at her face and leave, so no big deal.
I had zero interest in seeing that family head dude's mug anyway, so I ordered him to quietly escort us to Han Yu-wol's room.
We crossed the spacious courtyard of the estate and arrived at her door, where I could hear movement inside.
"Miss, the Palace Lord is here to see you."
"Wh-what? Give me a moment!"
After some clattering chaos from inside, a few minutes passed before the door creaked open cautiously, and Han Yu-wol stepped out.
"Wh-what brings you here, Palace Lord?"
Sweat trickling down her collarbone, sloppy clothes like she'd thrown them on in a hurry, eyes dodging mine, body twisting shyly…
"You still gonna say nothing happened?"
"It really didn't."
To a third party, it screamed that something had gone down last night.
"Palace Lord, if you wish, we can install a soundproofing formation in your chambers."
"Shut up."
This was so fucking unfair. ***
Another peaceful day in the Awakener Gallery.
They were deep in their usual heated debates when one trial struck.
It was because of that top-rated record broadcast scene—too embarrassing to watch with others.
People watching with coworkers or family were put in awkward spots.
"—Haaang—!"
"—Quiet down, you bitch!"
"—My voice slipped out on its own?!"
"…Son, what are you doing on the laptop I bought for studying?"
"No, it's a mistake, Mom."
"You're not watching anything weird, right? Mom trusts you…?"
"Fuck."
As victims popped up nationwide, the Association mercifully slapped an adult restriction on it at the perfect timing and started censoring.
The screen went full black, only moans audible—no more visual fun.
"—Haeut?!"
"—Ribs this time, don't bite down."
"—Heuk?!"
But the moans kept coming through earphones.
Association rules required publicizing either the raid footage or the audio, leading to this disaster… but no one complained.
The post's upvotes quietly climbed.
"Palace Lord~ The soundproofing formation is all set now, so no worries tonight?"
"Please shut up."
The morning before the enthronement ceremony, and Yu-jin was still tormenting me.
I'd wondered why this girl was popping in and out of my chambers like it was her master bedroom, but turns out she'd been picked as my advisor—guarding the palace lord's side.
She was the top pick politically and skill-wise among applicants, so she'd snagged the role easy.
"So, how was the An family eldest daughter's body? Want me to fetch a few more girls?"
"Tease me one more time and I'll fuck you first."
"Sorry, Palace Lord."
I'd explained the situation, so she knew I hadn't actually banged Han Yu-wol, but that didn't stop the massive ribbing.
"Sigh… Let's at least check out the enthronement site."
"I'll guide you, Palace Lord."
"That formal shit doesn't suit you—drop it. When it's just us, talk normal."
"Hehe, like this?"
She scratched her head and dashed off ahead; my blood pressure spiked, but I let it slide.
She was a precious young lady from one of the three families, and more importantly, I still wasn't used to getting formal speech.
Even now, it felt weird when elders like the Grand Elder bowed and honored me.
"Here—we do the enthronement here! All previous lords inherited the seat in this spot."
"Huh, nice view."
"Tomorrow it'll be packed. Everyone in the North Sea comes to see a palace lord enthroned."
"For real?"
This empty snowfield filling up just to see me? Slowly sinking in what my position meant.
"That's pretty cool."
"At least in the North Sea, you've climbed to a position above ten thousand. What's your take?"
"My take…"
Above ten thousand.
The absolute top dog, a person above all others.
"Feels like I could fly to the heavens."
"That's too plain."
"Sometimes simple packs more punch."
Almost there.
Just one step left until clearing this A-rank dungeon.
Once done, I'd get even more props from the Association and as a hunter.
"So, still no leads on that guy?"
"…Yeah, nothing."
But that last step wouldn't drop.
The Association, Cheonam Guild, North Sea Ice Palace warriors—nobody could pin down a trace of him.
The man who'd taught Baek Ye-hwa the formation hadn't shown.
"Honestly… I'm doubting if he even exists. No one matching your description anywhere in the North Sea."
"…Is that so."
All I knew about him: male, sword user.
Even that I'd scraped from loops pounding Baek Ye-hwa.
"Who the hell is this guy you're so desperate to find? Hidden lover?"
"Dunno. Just feels off, so I'm checking."
Could be my paranoia.
Maybe just a MacGuffin to skip past, or a good guy purely backing Baek Ye-hwa.
But it nagged too much to ignore.
"Keep investigating just in case."
"If you say so, but don't get hopes up."
Dungeon clear condition: your supported candidate becomes palace lord.
More precisely, get credit for helping at the enthronement.
So tomorrow's ceremony, just thank the Association and Cheonam Guild—done.
"Yu-jin."
"Yeah?"
"Thanks for helping with the enthronement prep."
"What, outta nowhere?"
"Just felt like saying it."
And Han Yu-wol, Yu-jin—farewell to them too.
Short time, but I'd grown attached; sucked to leave, but couldn't live in a dungeon forever.
"Then raise my salary."
"In your dreams."
"Tch."
This casual chit-chat vibe might be missed a bit. ***
Enthronement day morning.
I'd been up since dawn prepping.
"Palace Lord, your attire's disheveled."
"Let me apply some rouge and powder."
"Hair's tangled—I'll redo it."
"Ugh…"
22 years as a guy, and now I got why girls take two hours for dates.
Six hours manhandled by maids for beauty shit? Yeah, I got it.
Even Yu-jin, fancy lady, insisted on doing my hair—turned a two-hour job into hell.
"Phew, done, Palace Lord."
"Best work of this maid's 17-year career!"
"That much…?"
The white-haired woman in the mirror looked kinda pretty.
More elegant, refined than usual—just makeup and hair doing that?
As I thought that, a paper on the vanity caught my eye.
"What's this."
Wasn't there before. Puzzled, I picked it up.
Snow-white paper, one black-ink sentence in the center.
Tonight. At the Palace Lord's enthronement ceremony, I will assassinate the current North Sea Ice Palace Lord, Baek Sion.
Ridiculously simple, yet chilling.
But it actually relieved me.
"Yeah, too easy an end otherwise?"
This was a dungeon.
Wouldn't be fun if it wrapped neat.
Smiling at the danger ahead, I swept back my hair.
"Palace Lord! Don't touch your hair!!"
"Oh, right."
"Ugh, hopeless! Come here, I'll redo it!"
I stuck my head out again to Yu-jin's scolding.
Threat or whatever—gotta do what I gotta do.