Chapter 101
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 101
Chapter Title: Turning the Barrel (1)
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"Mmm... honey... more, more..."
"Yeah, ignoring what Mom says and giving it all to him..."
"These girls are even dreaming about cock."
After lavishing all my love on that mother-daughter pair, I was utterly spent. I dragged myself to the fridge and chugged down some milk.
Real milk this time.
Not mana elixir.
'Phew, sex is great and all, but it feels like my body's not keeping up anymore.'
My sessions with the mother and daughter had wrung every last drop of dopamine out of me.
My body's still healthy, erections come easy, but mentally? I'm exhausted.
That's when Ira quietly approached and reported to me.
"Master, there was a single bottle of liquor left right outside the lab door."
"Liquor? Someone was here?"
Someone from the sect?
It's my private lab, but it's in a sect building, so if someone overheard the voices leaking out, it wouldn't be that strange.
'Never had an issue before, so I haven't really worried about soundproofing...'
A twinge of unease crept in.
"Can you use your ability to check who it was?"
"I'll try."
Ira closed her eyes and focused for a moment. Then she shook her head.
"I checked the visual records, but their face and body were all covered in powerful recognition jamming. Impossible to identify."
"I see..."
"But that's exactly why we can narrow it down."
She continued casually, like it was no big deal.
"Only one person in this sect could freely use jamming tech like that around here."
"Who?"
"Probably my master, Elder Masha Leoshika."
Ah. Right, I remembered.
What she'd said when we bumped into each other in the hall.
That promise to grab a drink soon.
"...This is trouble."
I scratched my head.
For that prideful, curiosity-driven woman to come all the way here, leave a bottle, and say nothing? She must've heard the sounds leaking through the door and guessed what was going on inside.
Bet she's pretty shocked.
"No need to worry too much, Master."
Ira spoke up, trying to ease my mind.
"My master loves her booze. She might've just gotten drunk, mixed up the spot, and left the bottle by mistake."
"Yeah, that tracks."
The first time we drank together, she got totally wasted...
Anyway, no need to act rashly right now.
Even if she did catch on, with her personality, she wouldn't suddenly kick me out of the lab.
"Still, please be careful, Master. Our relationship with the Maker Sect is the most vital foundation for our guild, 'Arbiter.' Pay extra attention to Elder Masha Leoshika."
"I know."
The Yoo family was just the beginning.
To collaborate with other prestigious houses ahead and pull them into my sphere, I needed the solid backing of the Maker Sect.
And as I mentioned before, interacting with the sect's other named characters in future story beats was essential too.
"I'll go see Masha-nee later and smooth things over myself."
"Understood, Master... Just keep tomorrow's schedule clear."
"Why? What's up?"
"Tomorrow evening, we have a deal set with a black magic trader under the Witch."
"What? I never heard about this."
Ira paused for a split second at my question. A faint trace of fatigue flickered in her ever-calm voice.
"...Master. Remember that potion recipe you sold the Witch? You contracted to receive royalties periodically from the sales."
"Oh, right. That was it."
Honestly, my thoughts had gotten a bit tangled.
The royalty-from-recipes plan was something I'd cooked up for the Doris Finch deal originally. Truth be told, I'd never even considered the Witch actually brewing and selling potions with it.
Royalties when I didn't even know if she was selling? Looking back, it was a weird call.
'Makes sense, though—she's such a social recluse.'
I figured she was just quietly rotting away in the bottom swamps. Turns out she was running a pretty big operation behind the scenes.
Black magic trader, huh...
Similar to Alchemist Street, but a bit different.
"Got it. Tomorrow evening, then? I'll clear my schedule."
"Yes, Master. I'll report the exact time and place tomorrow morning."
Right then, I could have Ira whip up the Witch's clone body.
Some time later. Academy, Seraphina's office.
Seraphina, an academy instructor, was busier than ever these days.
Interviews with fawning newspaper articles praising her.
Dinner dates with bigwigs from influential families and associations.
Her schedule was packed solid, not a single day's gap.
'Heh heh, finally, my true worth is shining through.'
She tilted her coffee cup elegantly, a satisfied smile on her lips.
She firmly believed all this glory was solely due to her own talents.
The result of her long efforts gathering and taming talents with her unique methods, now finally bearing fruit.
Having clawed her way up from the fetid gutters of the 'Ashen' slums, filled with nothing but darkness and filth, the spotlight tasted even sweeter.
"The great educator who turned failing student Kang Ihyeon into an academy star prospect in an instant. Her teaching methods and devotion to her students have become a model for all instructors... Heh heh, this article's not bad either, Mr. Reporter."
"Ahaha, no way! You're the impressive one, Instructor. How did you turn such a problem child around so brilliantly?"
"Hee hee, it was nothing. I just believed in that boy's potential and guided him with love."
She said it while proudly thrusting out her ample chest.
She believed she stood at the center of the world.
And that the other Ashen executives would one day kneel at her feet. She had no doubt.
Of course, her underlings crawling at her feet had sent a few insolent warnings. Pathetic advice about getting too drunk on her recent success.
'Drunk on it? Maybe. But so what? I'm Seraphina. I deserve it.'
But climb too high, or fall short of expectations, and impatience sets in.
Ha ha ho ho.
Amid the reporters showering her with flattery, another adjusted his horn-rimmed glasses and lobbed a sharp question.
"However, Instructor, there's criticism that Kang Ihyeon's clone creation skill seriously infringes on the portrait rights of active hunters like pro hunter Miyazaki Rena. There are even unsavory rumors of sexual acts using those clones. What's your take?"
The jovial office atmosphere chilled instantly.
Seraphina's elegant smile vanished for a split second, but she quickly regained her composure and replied with a leisurely grin.
"Hee hee, I'm well aware of those concerns. But I think it's a narrow view of his skill."
"Narrow how?"
"His skill doesn't just mimic appearances—it reproduces the target's combat techniques and abilities too. Incredible potential. It means providing our academy students with excellent sparring partners. Safe mock battles with real active hunters. How wonderful is that?"
She artfully blurred the point to dodge the crisis.
But the reporter pressed on.
"Even so, the portrait rights infringement and sexual controversy suspicions don't vanish. If Miyazaki Rena's side officially raises the issue, how do you plan to handle it?"
"...Anything but the sexual stuff—I can't buy that. Got any evidence?"
"Not yet. But there's a tipster mentioning it. I expect it'll come out in a few days..."
"......"
She couldn't muster a proper reply.
She just toyed with her wine glass, forcing a smile.
A thick shadow fell over her face, which had shone like she owned the world moments ago.
'Kang Ihyeon, what the hell are you up to?'
He was one of Ashen's, a talent she'd personally scouted and recruited.
But from her view, he was just another disciple.
If he became a real problem, she could cut him loose like a tail anytime.
What truly worried and terrified Seraphina was that this little spark named Kang Ihyeon might unravel everything she'd built—exposing her ugly secrets to the world.
All the filthy deeds for power and pleasure.
Starting with the high-end brothel she ran herself, she'd turned promising low-tier academy talents into her slaves through drugs, blackmail, and rape, pulling them into her faction.
Beneath her glamorous mask lurked indelible stains of crime.
Alone in the waiting room after the interview, she stared at her reflection and muttered softly.
'It's fine, Seraphina. You're perfect. No need to waver over stupid rumors. You're an Ashen executive. Who could touch you?'
She soothed herself, trying to bury the anxiety. Repeating it to her mirror self—fine, perfect—the trembling in her hands subsided, and she regained her lofty, confident poise.
Seraphina then immediately tried contacting Kang Ihyeon.
To inform him of the interview and warn him to lay low for a while.
But he ignored her, using the Maker Sect project as an excuse.
"That bastard...! Got a little success and now ignoring my calls?"
She gnashed her teeth.
Arrogant prick.
Time for some proper discipline.
She summoned one of her other students to her room.
"Jo Jaehyeok."
"Yes, Instructor! You called?"
He was one of the few who'd survived that hellish Straggler Reorganization Exam with Kang Ihyeon. Same class, in a way.
Though he'd gotten beaten half to death by Ihyeon in that exam.
"I have an important mission for you."
"Yes! Anything you say!"
"Under the pretext of internship interest, make contact with S-rank active hunter Miyazaki Rena's guild."
"Pardon? What did you say?"
"I won't repeat myself. Incite them to file charges against Kang Ihyeon for portrait infringement and sexual harassment."
"K-Kang Ihyeon? The Kang Ihyeon I know? W-We were on the same side..."
Jo Jaehyeok's face drained of color.
"Scared? Or do you have reason to be?"
"N-No, of course not! But Instructor... why target Kang Ihyeon all of a sudden...?"
"Better to detonate the bomb early than wait for it to go off."
Her eyes gleamed coldly.
"He's my disciple, but as his master, I can't overlook his misconduct anymore... That way, all the blame arrows point straight at him."
Seraphina had never intended to push Kang Ihyeon this hard originally.
No evidence on the sexual rumors, and portrait rights lacked solid legal framework—unlikely to reach court.
But his moves to slip her grasp changed everything.
It wasn't just ignoring her call this time. She already knew he'd glued himself to the Maker Sect, forging new connections.
'Want to live? You'll kneel and beg me, Kang Ihyeon.'