Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Woof! Master! Let's do that! That!! Let's do something fun!!!
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"Hey. Didn't you use the thing I bought you?"
Kim Taeyang said that the moment he saw Seol Harin.
"...What do you mean."
"The earrings. You acted like you didn't like them, but you actually do. Heh heh heh."
"It was a gift... I was just showing some appreciation."
"Hey. Don't act all high and mighty in front of me when you're just a slave."
"Tch...."
Swipe-
Kim Taeyang draped his thick, hard forearm over Seol Harin's shoulder.
It no longer felt all that uncomfortable.
"Gasp. It's Kim Taeyang."
"Seol Harin looks stunning again today...."
"A girl like that getting bullied by a guy like Kim Taeyang every day...."
On the way to school.
Students walking across campus showered them with stares.
The hulking thug Kim Taeyang.
The noble lady Seol Harin.
The sight of those two, who seemed utterly mismatched, sticking together on their way to class was always a bizarre spectacle, no matter how many times you saw it.
In a way, it felt like the world was divided.
They seemed to live in a different world from the other students.
"They're freshmen, right?"
"Their auras are just... different...."
"Kim Taeyang looks rough, but his body's pretty impressive."
"Not that I wanna get friendly with him."
Their presence had the power to turn everyone around them into mere extras.
For better or worse...
Or both,
being at the center of it all was something that inspired both fear and envy.
Some students even viewed Kim Taeyang positively.
"He's not out there doing really bad stuff, though?"
"He just looks and sounds scary, but what he says is pretty normal."
"Yeah. Aside from that slave declaration thing, he doesn't openly bully Seol Harin, right?"
There had been a key incident that improved Kim Taeyang's image.
He'd taken down Cloé Maiden, the Guidance Committee President who terrified all the freshmen,
and once it spread across Ark Gallery, his presence became meme-ified...!
"He might actually be a decent guy...."
But moments later,
the students realized that notion was very wrong.
"Hah...!?"
"?"
Seol Harin, who had been walking obediently, suddenly let out a moan.
Her body stiffened up like a startled cat.
"Hey, hey. Aren't you used to it by now? Heh heh heh."
"Y-you did it so suddenly, of course I got startled...!?"
Seol Harin staggered, letting out beastly noises.
She looked so overwhelmed that even her eyes were unfocused.
The students had to clap hands over their mouths in shock.
'That's... that thing...!'
'It has to be...!!'
Anyone could tell it was a vibrator, right?!
'Doing that on the way to school? Is he insane?!'
'He's living like it's some porno...?!'
'Psycho...!'
Cancel the "he doesn't bully Seol Harin" bit.
And the "he's actually decent" too.
'Kim Taeyang's still trash!! A nuclear waste that won't even decompose naturally!!!'
Kim Taeyang's image snapped right back to square one.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Create sword qi."
"Yes, ma'am."
Crackle...!
Kang Ju-hyuk focused his mind.
Blue sword qi wrapped around his wooden sword.
"Not a bad amount."
"Thank you."
The woman instructing him was Shin Hye-won.
Ark's Vice Head and a top-tier hero who taught swordsmanship.
"How far have you gotten in the Hero Sword's Seven Sword Qi?"
Hero Sword.
It was a versatile sword style made for heroes.
Among its techniques, the Seven Sword Qi referred to seven ways to attack using sword qi.
Basic moves, but essential since nearly every sword art built on them.
"Everything except Toe Strike Sword and Converging Sword."
Shin Hye-won's brow furrowed.
'He needs to learn Converging Sword.'
She'd heard all the rumors about Kim Taeyang.
He'd taken a thousand lashes from Cloé's whip without flinching.
Even if they were purely physical swings without mana,
enduring a thousand meant insane durability.
Would that body block sword strikes too? She needed to make sure.
"We know too little about him. To guarantee a takedown, you'll need Converging Sword."
"If you teach me... I'll do my absolute best!"
"That's the one thing I hate most... Forget your best! Approach it with the resolve to be the greatest!"
"Yes, ma'am...!"
The ghost knight Plancel, floating above Kang Ju-hyuk, muttered.
"If I could female-transform, I'd teach him in a day flat...."
Kang Ju-hyuk's Constellations hadn't female-transformed yet.
Ghost knight Plancel appeared as a small ghost under a blanket,
Blind Great Mage Apolione as a talking pointed hat,
and Sealed Saint Dana as chains tightly wound around itself.
Shin Hye-won raised her wooden sword.
"Converging Sword focuses sword qi at the blade's tip—the 'head'—for a piercing strike. It's the most powerful of the Seven Sword Qi. Try it."
"Got it!"
Kang Ju-hyuk threw himself into learning with zeal.
"Too little qi. With three Constellations, is that all the control you have?"
"Clumping it crudely like that is useless. Lucky to have three, huh?"
"It's leaking everywhere. Can't focus? Distracted by those three?"
Shin Hye-won was known as a strong, competent, beautiful hero.
And infamous as a strict, terrifying instructor.
"Urk...."
"Softened by those three getting along? Don't show weakness."
"Sorry...!"
Still, Kang Ju-hyuk endured with grit.
His opponent was Kim Taeyang.
'I'll crush you overwhelmingly and make you kneel...!'
No room for complacency.
My precious childhood friend Seol Harin.
The humiliation and shame she'd endured,
and the insult I'd felt—I'd pay it all back!
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Hrah! Hrah!!"
After class.
In the indoor training hall, the one roaring like a lion was none other than me.
"Woof!"
Thwack!!
Parrying my sword was Pomi in her female-transformed state.
When I asked for sword practice, she'd eagerly stepped up to help.
But it wasn't helping much.
Pomi's sword skills sucked.
She was just brute-forcing it with physical prowess.
"Hrah! Hrah! Hrah!!!"
"Woof! Woof! Woof!!"
"Hrah! Hrah! Hraaah!!!"
"Woof! Woof! Woof woof woof!!!!"
Pomi blocked every swing perfectly.
But she never counterattacked.
This was pointless—just swinging a sword around.
I heard whispers from kids peeking at me.
"Damn. It's Kim Taeyang."
"Look at that body. What does he eat to get like that?"
"Intimidating as hell.... Should we train somewhere else...?"
Kim Taeyang's physique was top-tier.
His strength and stamina rivaled the best students.
The downside was his abysmal mana.
Constellation buffs could fix that.
The real issue was weapon handling, like swordsmanship.
"Kim Taeyang's swordplay isn't that great, huh?"
"Yeah. Heard he's dueling Kang Ju-hyuk soon for Guidance Committee entry. Might be tough?"
"With a body that took a thousand whips? He'll just smash with raw power."
"It's a spar, so probably scored. Then yeah, he'd lose."
Not wrong.
Pure sword skill? I was way behind Kang Ju-hyuk.
And contrary to rumors, my body wasn't indestructible.
In a real fight, not a spar, I'd just be fancy muscle meat.
No way to boost sword skills short-term...
That's why I got the cheat item (love gel).
Truth is, I came to the training hall today to test the cheat item, not practice swordplay.
Like a rehearsal.
Pomi wasn't ideal as a Constellation, and Seol Harin was late...
"Hey, Pomi. That's enough. Let's take a break."
"Woof woof! Master! Let's do that! That!! Let's do something fun!!!"
Pomi nipped at my hand and shoulder playfully, begging.
For the record, "that" meant tug-of-war with a doll.
Nothing weird.
"Gasp. Kim Taeyang even does that with his Constellation...."
"With a Constellation like that, totally doable."
"But when she turns back to dog form, it'd be embarrassing. That's basically bestiality."
"A guy like Kim Taeyang care? He'd just go for it."
"True.... He's a beast."
I'm not banging her, you pervs...!!!
Your filthy imaginations are the real beasts!!!!
"Hey, Pomi. I'll order chicken later, so behave."
"Chicken?? For real??"
"Hot fry, your favorite."
"Woof!!"
I could've yelled at the whisperers, but getting mad would just prove them right, so I held back...
Anyway.
When's Seol Harin coming?
She's late past our meeting time.
Getting lax because I've been nice lately?
Time to tighten discipline when she shows.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ After class.
Seol Harin was heading to help with Kim Taeyang's sword training.
"Harin!"
"...?"
A familiar voice called as she left the dorm.
Kang Ju-hyuk.
"Got a minute?"
"What is it?"
"We don't need a reason to talk, right?"
"...."
Seol Harin briefly reflected on her attitude.
Hanging with Kim Taeyang lately had made her snappier.
She'd resented Ju-hyuk for ignoring her, sure.
But rationally, he had no obligation to help her.
'We're just friends.'
As he'd said.
They were friends, not lovers.
Seol Harin glanced around instinctively.
Worried Kim Taeyang might see.
"Why are you looking around?"
"...Nothing. It's fine."
-Don't talk to other guys in front of me!
Kim Taeyang's rule.
'Since when do I follow that guy's orders so well...?'
A self-mocking sigh escaped at how tamed she'd become.
But this was reality.
"Huh? Harin, you're wearing earrings? You always said they bothered you."
Kang Ju-hyuk spotted the earrings from Kim Taeyang.
As he leaned in to look, she hurriedly covered her ear with her hair.
"Just... a gift."
"A gift? From who...?"
"You got something to say? I'm busy."
An awkward air hung between them.
Kang Ju-hyuk looked a bit annoyed.
"Harin. Can't you tell me now... what happened with that guy?"
"It hasn't been resolved yet."
"Resolved how?"
"Get Glacis back... and get revenge on him."
"I'll help!"
"No. You can't. This is my fight."
Firm stance.
Kang Ju-hyuk felt a bit relieved.
Unlike the rumors, she wasn't fully broken.
Harin's still strong.
Resisting in her own way.
His fist clenched unconsciously.
"Harin. Thinking about what that guy does to you every night... I can't stand it."
"Yeah. He's a real scumbag."
"Torments you relentlessly, right?"
"Totally... He zeroes in on one spot so obsessively... until my legs give out...."
"Urgh. That pervert...!!!"
"?"
Seol Harin realized her words could be misinterpreted and clammed up.
She could've said it was honest training, but whether sex or training, it was embarrassing either way.
Plus, Ju-hyuk's reaction suggested he wouldn't believe the truth.
Hadn't she doubted it herself at first?
With the whole school believing 'Kim Taeyang made Seol Harin his sex slave,' words alone wouldn't change minds.
"Heard Guidance Committee scouted you."
"Yeah. That thug applied too. Plans to destroy it from inside."
"Heard you'll duel him too...."
"Don't worry. I'm training my ass off...!"
Kang Ju-hyuk. And Kim Taeyang.
Seol Harin compared them.
'Swordsmanship... Ju-hyuk's definitely better....'
She knew his skills better than anyone.
They'd trained together since kids.
Logically, Ju-hyuk couldn't lose.
But...
'Why can't I picture him winning...?'
For some reason, Ju-hyuk victorious didn't compute.
Size difference for starters.
Kim Taeyang's beautifully massive body, honed by years of weights.
Could Ju-hyuk handle it?
Aura too.
Unfazed by her killing intent, bold even before professors.
A man with a beast's heart.
Imposing anywhere.
Just thinking of him made her feel secure.
'Can Ju-hyuk... really win?'
No confidence.
His cockiness looked foolish, pathetic even.
"Harin? What's wrong?"
"...Nothing. You'll win."
"Of course! Who trained with me? You're my master too, Harin!"
Kang Ju-hyuk grinned innocently.
Seol Harin smiled back.
A bitter smile.
"Right. Don't embarrass your master—win properly."
"Yeah! Cheer for me!!"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Hey!!! Squeeze out more mana!!!!!"
"Ongogooo...!!?"
Seol Harin's bitter smile twisted into agony.
Sword practice with Kim Taeyang.
He'd subdued her in a way she never imagined.
'My sword qi... it's all getting sucked in...?!'
Kim Taeyang was absorbing her sword qi.
Such intense suction it drained her in seconds!
"Hraaaaaah!!!!!"
"Kiyoooooo!!!!!"
A man who NTR'd not just Constellations, but sword qi too...!
Kang Ju-hyuk fighting this beast...?
'No way no way no way no way no waaaaay──!! Wrong!!! That scrub can't beat Master eeeever───────!!!!!'