Chapter 20
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Even in Dreams, No Means No (1)
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If I were to briefly summarize the plot of [Possessed into an Idle Game], the novel I wrote, it breaks down something like this.
"You can't claim to know nothing about Kang Si-woo, the man who came to this world from somewhere else. Right, Gabriel?"
The protagonist of this novel, office worker Kang Si-woo, had only one joy and respite in life: a smartphone idle game he played after work.
The game was titled [Making the Idle Saintess Happy], where the player becomes a hero, slays monsters, and raises the saintess's affection as the main goal.
Here, the saintess was Azazel, who before contracting with the outer god was known as the Saintess of Mercy.
Like the real-world game <AlXego>, she was a character who listened to players' troubles through psychological choice prompts.
Kang Si-woo was obsessed with this game character, filling his room with her merchandise and figures.
Since plenty of people are die-hard fans of subculture games in real life, I figured that alone would give it commercial viability as a webnovel.
"Hmm... I'm really curious about the source of this information. Are you basing this on that child's visions of the future?"
Gabriel, who had been listening to my story with wide-eyed surprise, rested her chin on her hand properly.
In the original story I wrote, Kang Si-woo gets hit by a truck, possesses the game's hero, and upon opening his eyes, meets a woman with pink hair.
'The problem was that she wasn't the Azazel who'd been waiting for him all along, but her identical twin sister...'
I let out a deep sigh while looking at Azazel's face. I never imagined that pouring my inability to escape my brother's shadow into the novel would come back like this.
"No, I came to give that child a proper lover. How can a man be called a man if he can't even recognize the one he loves?"
Kang Si-woo assumes the first woman he meets is Azazel and travels with Gabriel.
They hold hands, embrace, share deep kisses, and their feelings grow.
Eventually, their relationship escalates to them coupling like beasts, and Azazel, witnessing the scene, falls into despair. That's how the early chapters of [Possessed into an Idle Game] begin.
Back then, I wanted to spice up the early parts for viral buzz and a comeback.
"Oh my... What an unexpected story. Most men act like their brains are in their dicks."
Gabriel's gaze shifted to my crotch, her eyes narrowing. I'd never described such a perverted look from her.
Dream Demons are a race specialized in delving into human hearts, finding weaknesses, and showing desired dreams.
"Do you really have no intention of touching your disciples? Even once they come of age?"
Using her signature demonic eyes, Gabriel had read information from me and mockingly brought it up.
I knew Biwol harbored special feelings for me. I also knew Verdandi felt more than ordinary fondness.
"How can a father who lays hands on a child he's raised like his own daughter be called human? Even beasts wouldn't do such a thing."
I would absolutely never touch my disciples.
Because it was I who dragged them into the pit of misfortune, saving them only for my own selfish satisfaction.
That couldn't be called love.
"I actually like mutts like that. Unlike your disciples, you're an adult too."
"Shut your mouth."
I grabbed Gabriel's wrist as she tried to tickle my chest with her finger, signaling my displeasure.
She looked like an angel on the outside, but she was a devil of a woman who stole others' lovers for her own amusement.
"Fine, whatever. So why did you call me here?"
"To check if there's any discrepancy between what I know about Azazel Blackheart's actions and the facts. And..."
I slowly got to the point with Gabriel. I believed her guidance was essential to meet Azazel now.
"...to make you guide me to her."
"Oh? Even knowing I slept with the man she loves?"
"Yes."
I nodded as I listened to Gabriel. It was a setup that needed to be known to both Azazel and her.
The saintess in the smartphone, saddened at not meeting the original protagonist Kang Si-woo.
Azazel spent her days gradually deepening her love for him, dreaming of someday meeting him.
But,
'Azazel doesn't even know exactly who Kang Si-woo is. She only sees the good sides and assumes no flaws.'
In truth, the real-world Kang Si-woo wasn't set up as a fine hero like the one he played, but a scummy protagonist.
Like typical harem leads, he doesn't turn away comers and grabs those who leave.
It was partly my fault for crafting the narrative around the heroines doing BSS (but she loved me first) for shock value.
'It was planned as a harem story from the start.'
I put too much emphasis on the saintess's one-sided crush on the male lead in [Possessed into an Idle Game].
In the end, it led to massive backlash in early chapters on communities and comments, leaving just one reader by the late parts.
"Isn't this actually an opportunity for you? You're doing this on purpose to keep your little sister from a trash guy."
At my words, Gabriel's eyes narrowed, her lips twitching.
No matter how identical twins are, their auras, speech, actions, and habits can't be exactly the same to people.
As Kang Si-woo got to know Gabriel, he couldn't help but feel that dissonance.
Just as she couldn't read all the info I was hiding now, Dream Demon abilities have limits.
"You're right. At some point, he realized I wasn't his little sister but still averted his eyes from that and lusted after my body."
Gabriel cupped her breasts with both hands as if emphasizing them, and smirked when I looked away.
In this way, Gabriel was a contradictory figure, possessing both angelic and demonic sides.
Initially, she approached out of curiosity about how it would feel to steal her little sister's love.
"Sometimes when angry, he'd choke me, hit me, and even order self-harm just to see my face twisted in pain."
Later, she realized such a man should never approach her sister and deliberately showed the NTR scene.
"Wasn't that painful?"
"...Who knows. I've had men do far worse to me, so I thought that was normal?"
Gabriel sipped her black tea nonchalantly. To her, love was like that.
A sadomasochistic outlet for twisted emotions.
"That's not love. How can violence be love?"
I shook my head at the sight. It was the exact logic I'd thought as a child.
After my brother died, I figured my father's beatings were better than indifference.
"Who knows? Love comes in many forms, and I just think more inclusively."
"Sophistry. Would someone like you steal a girl from a bad man in between to keep him away?"
"...You're different, aren't you? I want to spend a night and see for myself."
She tried to test me with an instant aphrodisiac. I immediately drew up my inner chill to block foreign energies.
"Is Azazel really at the monastery here? Because she's a Dream Demon, the old Vatican fools won't recognize her as a saintess."
"Yes, but it's pretty remote. An arrangement to keep her strict sister from meeting a harsh man and falling in love."
I'd written that for succubi, love was like deadly poison.
For Dream Demons who must couple with countless men for new experiences,
pure love for one man was a life-risking danger— a fun setting twist.
A cliché subversion.
That's why I added plausibility to this world's setup of dream experiences without real love.
"Do you know she contracted with an outer god?"
"Yes, succubi like us will do anything when in love."
Gabriel's fingertips trembled slightly as she spoke, forcing a smile.
"Can you guide us there? I want to meet Azazel with my disciples."
"Why should I?"
"I want to help her meet a proper man and learn true love. Same as you."
"...Oh my."
Gabriel covered her mouth in surprise at my words, her shoulders shaking.
"What's your name?"
"Bing Yeon. I run a small sect in the East. Simply put, I take in kids with nowhere to go and teach them martial arts."
Hearing my name, Gabriel murmured 'Bing Yeon... Bing Yeon...' a few times, then smiled satisfied.
"...Your disciples already seem head over heels for you. Enough that our Azazel might grow under your hand."
"I think it's just fleeting affection. Once they come of age and meet more people, their perspective will change."
I said that, but Gabriel shook her head with a disbelieving chuckle.
"Someone like you should know love doesn't care about age?"
"I know that much, but they're like daughters I've raised. As long as I don't harbor dark desires, they'll let go."
That's why I served Dream Demon delicacies to let them experience new love.
No matter how grateful, what would they see in an old man like me to keep loving?
A master touching disciples isn't just thief-level scorn; society calls it trash.
"Will it really? I'd love to watch from the sidelines."
"You're welcome to. So, will you guide us?"
"Yes! Of course..."
As Gabriel nodded in agreement, the firmly shut back door burst open, and several men entered.
"Big trouble! Miss Gabriel! The guests are causing chaos in their dreams!"
The voices belonged to incubi, their faces bruised like they'd been beaten.
"Ughhh... Never thought I'd get kicked in the balls in a dream while alive..."
"I-I just spouted some sleazy romantic lines, and my tongue nearly got yanked out..."
Their faces were a mess of terror and cold sweat. I had a bad feeling about the culprits.
"Who the hell...? No, no one resists a Dream Demon's dream to begin with?!"
Right—ordinary folk or adventurers couldn't pull this off. No one resists after eating Dream Demon food.
But,
"...Probably my disciples. Sorry about that, everyone."
The final bosses I set as the strongest and most vicious to cap the novel apparently don't fall for such pranks easily.