Fire Moths and Shared Agony
Slurp went the noodles. Seolyeon glanced over at me sideways while inhaling hers. Her eyes seemed to say, Oh, you're not eating? Was she reading the room or not? I had no idea how anyone could swallow cold noodles in this situation.
Haa. I sighed inwardly.
Han Yuseon was biting her lip with a dark expression. There was cold noodles right in front of her, but she wasn't touching them. She'd been like that ever since Seolyeon's comment.
Honestly, I don't really care.
If there was anything regrettable, it was that my tiny apartment made it hard to grill stuff. That's why we'd switched to cold noodles. And added some charcoal-grilled meat as a consolation prize.
She was already under suspicion anyway.
Han Yuseon's behavior. From the first time we met, she knew about the Tower Owner, or at least had a ton of info on the Tower. She knew a lot about this place too, and she was strong enough to insta-kill an S-rank hunter on Floor 3. That's enough to fuel a mountain of guesses. I'm not an idiot; of course I figured it out.
Han Yuseon isn't something I created.
I'd questioned why the skill was called Doll Creation in the first place. One, it summons something that already exists. Even setting aside the self-awareness, it was already "trained." Two, Han Yuseon is a master of thread manipulation. But thread skills are straightforward, and even after 20 years since the Tower appeared, no one's used it that well. Detecting tiny tremors on Floor 3 means she honed her innate ability before the Tower even showed up. Crushing a top-tier S-rank? That's the only explanation.
Conclusion: She's not a modern human.
Three, Han Yuseon feels no guilt killing humans. She waited until Argos was summoned, then killed them after getting the loot. She acts on mechanical efficiency, not human emotions—or her beliefs are totally different. And when she learned about the 5,000 gold, I was certain she knew about the Tower.
It was a hunch, but it all lined up.
That's why I brushed off Seolyeon's words so casually. I believed she wouldn't go after my life right away. Both Han Yuseon and Seolyeon are tied to me—they know they can't cut those ties, so they just don't think about it.
"What're you brooding over like that? If you're skipping out 'cause it's not Hanwoo beef, I'll really kill you. Eat."
I shrugged. Han Yuseon furrowed her brow, like I was acting weird.
"Aren't you bothered at all, Dollmaster?"
"Should I have done something? Want me to freak out now?"
"This isn't a joke contest..."
Han Yuseon sighed but let out a small laugh. Probably relieved by my unchanged attitude.
"If I started panicking and changed my vibe, nothing would actually change. And whatever you two are, I don't care. What do you expect from a room-bound hikikomori?"
I smirked, as if relieved myself.
"I just like bantering with you. Kicking that to the curb would make me the idiot."
"Weren't you already?"
"You're a pro at killing the mood, huh. Anyway, eat before it all melts."
Han Yuseon nodded. I picked up my chopsticks, thinking I'd finally eat too.
What the fuck?
All the meat was gone. Han Yuseon and I turned stunned gazes toward Seolyeon.
Caught in our stares, Seolyeon blinked in panic.
"Uh-ehhh?"
Her mouth was smeared with meat grease. Realizing too late, she mumbled an excuse.
"Uh, n-no one was eating it, sooo..."
"Yuseon-ah."
Han Yuseon nodded with a hardened expression.
"Yes, Dollmaster."
"You know what I want you to say, right?"
"I'll kill her."
Han Yuseon grinned and stood. As she cracked her knuckles,
Crack, crunch.
Sounds that shouldn't come from joints echoed out.
"Hieeeeek!"
Seolyeon freaked out, finally grasping the gravity.
"Spit it out!"
"I already ate it! Is that it? D-do you have a fetish for eating puke or something?!"
"No such fetish exists! Dollmaster, do you...?"
Han Yuseon stared at me in horror. Saliva from a beauty? Sure. But puke? What kind of taste is that? My face twisted.
"Wanna die?"
"D-Dollmaaaaster?!"
What the hell was even happening?
Right. Gloomy big-tits beauties don't exist. Just crazy food fiends.
...
Night fell, and the Dollmaster fell asleep while watching horror movies with us.
Han Yuseon stepped out to exchange 80 million won worth of gold.
And handle the cleanup, of course. Seems like some moths have sniffed out our location and are swarming.
Han Yuseon fiddled with her navy suit—Chilya—and smiled.
"Um... F-First Doll? Where are you goinggg?"
Seolyeon tilted her head. Han Yuseon sighed softly.
"Not 'First Doll' anymore—call me Han Yuseon from now on. And avoid mentioning names in front of enemies."
"Y-Yes... Got it..."
Seolyeon nodded, looking tense.
"So, to sum up, we're giving them a warning? Don't mess with the Dollmaster...?"
"Exactly."
"B-But... why meee? Isn't just you enough, Unnie Yuseon?"
Calling her 'Unnie' right away—she wasn't clueless.
Han Yuseon shrugged.
"Sure, but for a warning, aren't you better?"
"Aah... R-Right. And... Seolyeon is a nice name..."
Seolyeon nodded, getting it.
"Your skills haven't dulled, right?"
"E-Even if they did, trash humans are... hehe."
"Good enough."
Han Yuseon beckoned with a finger, thinking.
First target: the Korean Hunter Association Branch, unavoidably.
The whole world was on alert. An S-rank hunter was dead. Plus, with Black Cloud's assassins already sent once, our location was basically public. Branch hunters had even come sniffing after Chilya and the sleeping Dollmaster.
Unregistered hunter who killed an S-rank? Other countries are gunning for us too.
We'd strike first.
"B-But one of the Four Heavenly Kings... B-Black Darkness? What is thattt? Do I have to say it? 'Darkness is black' or whatever..."
"Say it if I tell you to, Seolyeon. Childish names make it seem like a massive organization. Like Black Cloud."
"Hoee..."
Simple reason for bringing her instead of leaving her to guard the apartment: No one could pierce the threads anyway, and she had her ability.
"We need to hint we're huge. It's ridiculous, but the disruption op is already in motion."
"Even so, B-Black Darkness..."
Seolyeon mumbled. Han Yuseon's sharp gaze made her drop her eyes.
They'd arrived at the branch mid-conversation.
Anyway, gotta chat with Black Cloud. Leave the 'don't touch' announcement to Aruen.
Han Yuseon appeared.
WEE-OO-WEE-OO!
The room flooded red in an instant, hunters from various countries swarming in. Looked like they were chatting inside.
"What... Just squash a few incoming fire moths."
"Th-Those are S-rank humans... A-And other countries too... Y-You have a plan, righttt?"
"This much won't faze me."
Han Yuseon sneered. Seolyeon shook her head.
"Then we're good."
"R-Righttt..."
A hunter-like man spotted them and gasped.
"Wh-what the hell is that?!"
"F-Fucking humans..."
Seolyeon's face twisted in annoyance. She clenched the air, a massive needle appearing in her hand.
Curse Doll
Her fury-filled, bloodshot eyes locked on the hunter.
Bang—!
The needle flew, exploding his head in a flash. Nearby hunters recoiled in shock.
"O-one shot?!"
"The Aegis Shield...! It should've tanked at least one hit...!"
Curse Doll: Pain Sharing
Seolyeon grinned creepily, hehe. In one hand, a doll mimicking the dead man's appearance.
Hunters from every country widened their eyes.
"He, hehe... L-Let's share it together!"
Stab—!
The needle plunged into the curse doll's chest.
"Gaaahhhh—!"
"Kuh—! Gahk!"
Screams erupted. Some collapsed from the pain already.
Seolyeon took damage too—a hole pierced her own chest.
But.
"He, hehe... T-Together... sh-sharing the painnn!"
Seolyeon laughed maniacally. Blood trickled from her mouth, her smile tearing wider.
"The abandoned suffering!"