Chapter 7
Chapter 7
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: Hey! Stop Slacking and Crunch Properly!! I Can't Feel a Thing!!!
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Seol Harin was in a daze, her mind completely blank.
At first, she'd assumed Kim Taeyang had some gym-related sex fantasy.
'A gym, of all places... He must get off on naughty thoughts while working out. What a pervert, just like he looks...'
When he handed her the workout clothes, she figured it was a fetish for athletic girls.
'Not even anything revealing or tight-fitting, just plain old workout gear...? He prefers covered up over naked! Definitely not your average perv...!'
And after making her exercise, she thought her sweat was the goal.
'What's so great about filthy sweat...? Such a disgusting, bottomless taste...'
Then, when Kim Taeyang pushed Seol Harin to her absolute limit.
When he forced her past failure point on weighted squats into near-torture training.
Seol Harin couldn't think straight at all.
'Am I... gonna turn into... an idiot... like this...?'
It felt like the exhaustion was degenerating her intelligence.
She'd never even known such a sensation existed.
Kim Taeyang had completely wrecked her lower body.
She'd never endured training this intense before.
It was so grueling, tears were streaming down her face...!
She couldn't even tell if it was sweat or tears anymore.
In the midst of her soul nearly departing her body.
Kim Taeyang said they needed to replenish 'protein' and headed off somewhere.
Seol Harin thought the moment had finally arrived.
'He wore me out so I couldn't resist, all to toy with me at his leisure...! So low-class and vile...!!'
"It's common sense to have a protein shake after a workout, right?! Open your mouth!!!"
"Ahh...???"
Gulp, gulp, gulp.
Her expectations missed the mark again.
The shake Kim Taeyang poured into her mouth was delicious.
Aside from her lower belly going 'Kyung~♡' once, it was undoubtedly an excellent supplement.
"Hey, hey!!! Don't waste it by spilling!!! Lick up every drop on the floor!!! It's expensive!!!!"
"Y-Yes...♡"
She let out a moan in ecstasy, but it was a minor slip-up.
The drink was so sweet like honey after the brutal workout that she'd been momentarily bewitched.
Seol Harin was still on guard against Kim Taeyang.
'It was so tasty I made a weird noise... Get it together.'
Anyway, things had gone luckily so far.
This man's 'real workout' and 'protein' had all meant exactly what the words implied, honestly.
Which made it all the more terrifying.
At least gym, athletic girl, and sweat fetishes were understandable.
But what kind of fetish got off on inflicting this kind of suffering?!
'This guy's definitely aroused by watching me break... He must be super turned on right now... Disgusting...!'
The unknown was frightening.
Seol Harin resolved to steel her mind even more to avoid falling for this guy's schemes.
She never knew when or how he'd pounce.
Just then, her eyes met Glacis's, who was sitting in the corner.
'Glacis...'
Glacis had watched her entire training session.
Seol Harin felt ashamed for showing such an unseemly sight in front of her Constellation, but Glacis seemed unfazed now.
'Even after all this... she won't acknowledge me...'
A wave of grievance suddenly welled up.
Tears fell onto the spilled shake on the floor.
Tear-mixed shake!
How could anyone who hasn't licked this up understand her misery?!
As she leaned down to stick out her tongue toward the spilled shake.
"Hey, hey. You really planning to abandon your humanity?"
"...?"
"Telling you to lick it up was a joke."
Swish, swish.
Kim Taeyang had fetched a rag from somewhere and was wiping up the spill himself.
'Acting sweet now, after all that?! You think I won't see through your gaslighting trick?!'
After plenty of torment, even a little kindness makes you emotional.
Seol Harin knew the mechanics of domination well.
'Hmph. Try that on someone who'll fall for it. I won't budge for such cheap tricks.'
She was satisfied with her own sharp wits.
Seol Harin cautiously opened her mouth.
"So... you'll let me talk now, right?"
"Ahh- Of course."
Surprisingly, Kim Taeyang accepted the request readily.
He had this cool side in moments like this.
"Pomi!"
"Woof!"
Glacis came bounding over energetically.
Seol Harin was learning for the first time today that she could be so lively.
"Go on, talk. I'll give you 30 minutes. I'll be back at the dorm waiting."
"W-Wait a sec."
"Hah? What now?"
"Make her human so we can talk..."
Before Seol Harin could finish, Kim Taeyang cut her off.
His expression had turned incredibly fierce.
"Hey...!!!"
"...W-What?"
"Pomi's a female I raised, but she has her own say in things."
"Her own... say?"
"I have no intention of forcing anything on Pomi. I'll give you two time alone, so figure out the rest yourselves."
"...."
It was such sound advice coming from that thug's mouth that she couldn't even argue.
Kim Taeyang muttered as he left the gym first.
"Can't expect anything less from a rich sow... Wants everything spoon-fed from one to ten?"
'That mouth of his...'
Seol Harin didn't bother responding and waited for him to leave.
He was gone in no time.
Now the gym held only Glacis and Seol Harin.
"Glacis... Where do I even start... I've, I've been such an idiot all this time...?"
Glacis snorted 'hmph' and turned her back, lying down.
It was blatant disregard.
Seol Harin moved to face her again.
Glacis 'hmph'ed once more and turned away.
'Why's she doing this...? Ah! Could it be...!'
Realizing something, Seol Harin corrected herself.
"'Pomi'... Will you hear me out...?"
"Woof."
Her 'real' name.
She'd been trained to respond only to that vulgar name her owner gave her.
Seol Harin sighed and continued.
"I... I was all wrong. So, come back to me? I can treat you way better than before. I'll buy you tasty treats, pet you lots. For peeing outside... we can find a compromise...!"
She thought it was a reasonable offer.
No, a proposal where she'd conceded a lot.
But Pomi thought differently.
She'd already gained freedom.
And a master who gave her true joy.
To Pomi, this time was just meaningless and uncomfortable.
"Woof woof!"
Pomi bolted away running.
"G-Glacis! No, Pomi!! Stop!!"
Seol Harin chased after her hurriedly.
Her legs were trembling, but she couldn't let this precious chance slip.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
After giving them alone time, I returned to the dorm and showered first.
I'd been yelling to make her exercise, so I was drenched in sweat too.
I wondered if the talk was going well.
Seol Harin would try to persuade Pomi, but it wouldn't go as she hoped.
A Constellation's heart doesn't change that easily.
Plus, Pomi had the 'Loyalty' trait, making it even harder.
Unless I beat Pomi, abandon her, or threaten to make dog meat soup, she wouldn't betray me.
In other words, Seol Harin was now a hero without a Constellation.
Of course, I'd lend Pomi when necessary.
Couldn't have her so heartbroken she quits being a hero.
Then the doorbell rang.
I rinsed off the suds roughly, threw on a bathrobe, and opened the door.
"Aang? Pomi?"
"Woof!"
Waiting outside was Pomi.
She darted inside the moment the door opened.
"Hey. You timed that too perfectly, didn't you?"
And right then.
"P-Pomi!! Please hear me out...!!!"
Seol Harin followed her in.
"Hey, hey!! Don't barge into someone else's place like that!!!"
"B-But! We haven't finished talking!!"
"Hah? Time's up, what nonsense is this, you dumb sow!!!"
"Pomi suddenly ran off...!"
"Hey!!!! Blaming Pomi again?!!! That's why you're unfit as an owner, with zero responsibility!!!!"
"...."
Seol Harin fell silent, out of words.
I meant every bit of that.
I'm a dog lover, after all.
I'd seen Seol Harin treat Pomi coldly countless times even before possession.
It always annoyed me, and now I had the chance to jab at her.
"It's your fault for not persuading her convincingly enough?!!"
"T-That's..."
"And slave stuff is boring now! Forget talking to Pomi again!!"
Of course, total bullshit.
I'd keep treating and training Seol Harin like a slave for a long time.
This was just to poke at her.
"You can't just decide that one-sidedly!!"
"Hah? I'm freeing you from slavery, what's your problem?!!"
"Even if you allow it! I won't! I'll stay your slave!! Until Pomi talks to me!!"
Now she was begging to remain my slave.
You're such a good slave!
"Then show some minimum sincerity!!"
"Kgh...!"
She seemed pretty recovered.
It'd been just over 30 minutes since the workout, but she'd run here fine.
Or maybe she hadn't tired out to begin with.
A talented hero's body... truly mysterious.
Strength training is repeated micro-tears and recovery.
Once recovered, next exercise.
"...Fine. No equipment here, so bodyweight exercises."
Surprisingly, Seol Harin knew exactly what I wanted.
She lay on the floor in position.
"Kukuku. As expected of a well-bred lady, quick on the uptake? I'll hold your legs tight, so start."
"One...! Two...!"
Thus began workout round two.
Abs first this time.
"Nngh..."
"Haaah...!"
Around 200 reps?
Seol Harin couldn't even count anymore, just moaning.
I pressed her abs firmly.
No tension at all.
"Hey! Stop slacking and crunch properly!! I can't feel a thing?!!!"
Crunching this sloppily lets other muscles take over?
Then it's not working at all?
"Kuuugh...!"
Her putting in all her effort.
Her persistence was at least likable.
Still a long way to go, though.
As I focused on shredding her abs.
Bang bang bang!
"?"
Someone pounded roughly on my door.
This was temporary lodging, no one should visit.
Ah, noise complaint maybe?
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
'I should've noticed when Harin was talking to that blond tanned thug...'
Childhood friend Seol Harin.
From the moment the blond dark-skinned thug approached her, something felt off.
But Kang Ju-hyuk couldn't step up.
Seol Harin had always been superior to him.
She handled any problem on her own.
He was always the one receiving help.
This time too.
He'd assumed she'd manage alone.
Kang Ju-hyuk comforted himself that way and ignored the hulking thug.
The result.
Seol Harin lost her Constellation.
Kneeled and bowed to the thug in front of everyone.
Declared herself his slave, revealing her three sizes in humiliation.
Kang Ju-hyuk had deliberately avoided the scene.
She wouldn't want him intervening.
She'd hate showing him that side.
But he hadn't just run away.
'I'll repay double... no, triple what he did...'
Kang Ju-hyuk inquired to find the thug's dorm.
Learned the room number from witnesses and headed straight there.
Three Constellations accompanied him.
"Hero, petty revenge holds no meaning. Meditating would benefit you more than this."
The stuffy white-eyed archmage, Apolione.
"Pfft, easy for you to say, loner with no friends. Kid's pissed as hell right now!"
The prickly ghost knight, Plancel.
"Per church doctrine, killing from revenge is forbidden. Taking two or three fingers would be best."
The sealed saintess, Danaran.
Kang Ju-hyuk stood before Kim Taeyang's door with the three Constellations.
"Plancel-nim. Help me."
"Yeah, yeah, I'll help. But ease up those eyes, man. Swing like that in rage and you'll kill someone."
"I'll try to control it."
"'Try'? Do it!"
"Can't promise."
"Haa..."
The ghost knight Plancel granted a stigma, pretending reluctance.
'Power of the Honorable'.
A skill boosting the hero's power several times for a duration.
Kang Ju-hyuk clenched his ghost-flame-wreathed fist.
His whole body tensed unconsciously.
Blood vessels in his eyes bursting.
'I'll show him my true power. So he'll never harass Harin again...!!'
Bang bang bang!!
He pounded the door.
Slight noise from inside, then it opened.
'He's here...!'
He planned to punch the moment Kim Taeyang showed his face.
He knew the guy was strong.
Since he beat Seol Harin.
But that was with her Constellation.
Without it, bare-handed, a surprise attack could take him down.
Creeeak-
The one who opened the door appeared.
Kang Ju-hyuk, mid-swing, froze like stone.
'Harin...?'
It wasn't Kim Taeyang—it was Seol Harin.
"Haa. Haa... Huff..."
Her body drenched in sweat.
Her face flushed beet red, gasping like after intense exercise.
"H-Harin...! What the hell did that bastard do to you?!!"
"...."
Dozens of images flashed in Kang Ju-hyuk's mind.
His precious childhood friend pinned under the thug, ravaged mercilessly.
Her first time should've been soft and romantic...!
Her first partner should've been a hot guy like me, not that ugly creep...!!!
"You bastard...!"
He couldn't hold back anymore.
Unbearable rage at being one step too late.
As he tried to enter.
"...Kang Ju-hyuk."
"?"
Seol Harin blocked him.
"Barging in like this—what're you planning?"
"W-Well... I came to save you..."
"Hah. Save me? Now?"
"...!"
Now?
How late do you think I am?
I stayed away because I didn't want to see you like that...
I was being considerate...!
Pure rationalization.
Kang Ju-hyuk was skilled at it.
Maybe why he was always a step behind.
Shove-
Seol Harin pushed him back.
Her palm on his chest burned like fire.
"No. Forget I said that... I don't know what you're thinking, but I don't need your help. Never have. So go home."
"W-Wait! At least let me know what's—"
"I'll explain everything later."
That was the entire explanation.
"Harin?"
Slam!
Seol Harin shoved him out and shut the door.
"...."
Kang Ju-hyuk, alone in the hall.
Haaht! Haaah...!!
Moans resumed from inside.
Thud-
His face ashen, Kang Ju-hyuk collapsed there.