Chapter 110

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 110

Chapter Title: Release (1)

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"Alright, let's get started."

The transaction was led by the woman in the duke's mask called Alice. As if she had completely forgotten the earlier commotion, she elegantly gestured toward the center of the table.

"Elder. That item you narrowly missed at the last auction—are you still keeping it in mind?"

"Heh heh, as expected, Miss Alice is quick on the uptake. So, have you procured it for me?"

At the elderly man's words, Alice silently placed a platinum bracelet on the table without a word. The blue gem embedded in its center shimmered iridescently under the chandelier's light.

"It subtly amplifies the wearer's mana. It's negligible for combat, but in fields requiring precise control like alchemy or magical engineering, it would be quite useful. If you gifted it to the crafting team in the guild you run, Elder, they'd love it."

"So, what do you want in return? Our 'Goldstone' elite security team?"

"Yes. I'd like you to handle security for the VVIP party at my boutique next month. With your reputation, you'd easily keep out the pesky flies."

A concise deal, without any superfluous words. From their conversation, it was clear this wasn't their first time doing business like this.

As soon as their deal wrapped up, Dwight stepped forward this time.

"Miss Alice, for the gifts to the guests invited to that VVIP party... you'll prepare them at your lovely boutique, of course?"

"Naturally, Mr. Dwight. I've just received some new products perfect for satisfying all your many lovers."

"Excellent! Then, let's settle part of the profits from that investment we handled together as prepayment for the jewels. A win-win for both of us, right?"

Listening to their exchange made my head spin.

It didn't even feel like a proper barter exchange.

Rather, they resembled a massive cartel of intertwined interests, like a web of spiders.

At that moment, the elderly man seemed to read my mind, chuckling heartily as he addressed me.

"What do you think, young man? As you ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠can see, this barter exchange is nothing special. The same faces show up every time. Just six or seven of us taking turns, filling each other's needs and scratching each other's backs... that's all it is."

Only then did it all click for me.

'So that's why they were so interested in me.'

A newbie crashing the veterans' party.

The deals initially revolved ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠around them.

Once they had settled most of their business, everyone's attention naturally shifted back to me.

The first to speak was, predictably, the elderly man.

"So, young man. What are you offering? And what do you want? I'm very interested in that black egg of yours. My grandson happens to dream of raising a rare mana beast."

"I'm sorry, Elder. I'm not planning to sell that egg."

I shook my head firmly.

Seeing my resolute attitude, the elder smacked his lips in disappointment but didn't press further.

Then Alice cut in.

"Mr. Kang Ihyeon. In that case, how about making your skill itself the subject of the trade?"

"...My skill?"

"Yes. That puppet of yours. It must have taken quite some time to create a perfect replica of Ms. Miyazaki Rena here, right?"

"Yes, that's correct. Analyzing and recreating every aspect of the model takes months at least."

"But what if it was just the 'appearance'? Without needing to replicate combat skills or detailed stats—just making the outer look identical. That would shorten the production time dramatically, wouldn't it?"

Of course.

If it was just the exterior, Aira could fabricate it herself in a matter of weeks.

"Probably. A few months at most, a few weeks at least."

"Great. Then let me make you a proposal."

"I'm listening."

"I'll send you photos of the models for the new clothing line launching soon at my boutique. Create puppets identical to those models for use as 'mannequins.' They just need to be able to wear my clothes."

Alice flashed a satisfied smile.

"We'll showcase the puppets you made at my boutique. Kang Ihyeon, the rising star of the Maker Sect, the genius who creates perfect replica puppets. Judging by the one you've shown, you'll establish yourself as a famous hunter in the industry within a year or two. I'll shorten that to just a few months. The higher your fame rises, the more valuable those 'mannequins' you make will become—and that's a win for me too. Win-win, what do you say?"

It was a tempting offer.

Fame meant money and power. There'd be no better springboard for expanding Arbiter Guild's influence.

I accepted Alice's proposal positively.

After exchanging a few more words on specific contract terms, our brief barter exchange naturally drew to a close.

But that wasn't the end.

"Mr. Kang Ihyeon. Really, won't you reconsider? If we join forces, we can dominate every man in Tartaros! We'll build an empire of money and pleasure! Please, join this grand venture!"

"I'm sorry, but until my abilities become more refined, I don't think I can take interest in that. I hope you understand."

I politely but firmly rejected his offer once more.

He finally gave a deep sigh and gave up.

The elderly man was the same.

"Young man. You really don't have any virility enhancers? I'll pay top dollar for that secret recipe...!"

"It's not a recipe, Elder—it's a matter of constitution. There's nothing I can do for you."

I couldn't sell my semen, and considering the precedent with the coffee made from it in the past, any virility enhancer I made would likely have no effect on other men—or worse, be outright poisonous.

No need to give anyone erectile dysfunction...

In the end, leaving their regretful gazes behind, I rose from my seat.

"Then, I'll take my leave first."

As I stood, Rena, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠who had been clinging to me like a shadow, hurriedly got up as if she'd been waiting. She still gripped my lapel, her eagerness to escape this repulsive place plain as day.

Once we turned into a quiet alley, I finally felt the tension drain from my body and let out a deep sigh.

Though there was still one more person I had to deal with.

"Hey."

Confirming no one was around, Rena shoved my chest roughly. Her face was flushed red with embarrassment and humiliation.

I leaned against the wall, scratching my head.

"Man, who would've thought I'd run into an acquaintance in a place like that. You really have rotten luck, Ms. Rena."

"Rotten luck? Don't think you can brush it off with that."

Her voice trembled faintly with anger and shame. She clenched her fists and lightly thumped my chest. The gesture held more helpless confusion and resentment than actual fury.

"Why... why did I listen to you... why did I do something like that...!"

"I explained earlier. Puppet acting. Wasn't it? You were clearly trying not to get caught—"

"Shut up! That's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠not it! Don't treat me like an idiot. Why did my body react on its own like that...!"

I leaned against the wall, scratching my head nonchalantly. She bit her lip, unable to continue.

Yeah. She was angry. But at the same time, she'd enjoyed it.

Pleasure Aura stirred her primal instincts, after all.

"Tell me straight. What did you do to my body?"

"You're misunderstanding. What do you think I did?"

"Don't lie! I know my own body best. What are you, some Paradise gigolo? You're way too good at handling women."

That was probably the most insulting jab she could muster.

But the target of that jab was the problem.

"You're right."

"...What?"

"Yeah, that's right. I'm an orphan from Paradise."

I affirmed her words quite calmly.

A moment of silence fell. The alley's air froze solid.

Rena's eyes widened in disbelief.

The anger and contempt vanished from her face in an instant. All that remained was utter confusion.

Her lips trembled a few times before a tiny, creeping voice leaked out.

"Uh... sorry. I... I misspoke. I didn't mean it..."

Her apology at the end of that brief silence was genuine. Her slumped shoulders, like a deflated puppy, spoke volumes of her regret.

"It's fine."

I waved it off indifferently.

"See, Ms. Rena? As you can tell, I operate in these shady circles, so there's nothing good for you in sticking around me. What happened today... we might've overacted a bit, but thanks to it, we both got through safely, right?"

At my subtle attempt to dodge responsibility, she glared at me sharply once more. But soon, she let out a long sigh and gave up arguing. What was done was done, after all.

She changed the subject.

"For now, bring out your puppet. You can do it right now, right?"

"I have it, but... right now?"

"Yeah, right now! I need to see it with my own eyes first. To check if it's really capable of standing in for me properly!"

Come to think of it, she was only checking now.

She'd declared she'd entrust it as her stand-in without even verifying its performance.

This woman had more impulsive and sloppy sides than I thought.

'But have I ever summoned a clone in front of the original?'

Summoning a clone identical to the person right in front of the actual person.

I'd never done it before. It wasn't a doppelganger, but a strange tension hung in the air.

I pulled the puppet from my pocket and tossed it lightly onto the alley floor.

Miyazaki Rena.

My clone materialized.

"Master. Awaiting orders."

A cold, mechanical voice devoid of any emotion.

The clone of Miyazaki Rena bowed toward me with an expressionless face.

Yes, this was my Miyazaki Rena.

It felt far more reassuring than the original.

I turned my head to look at the real Miyazaki Rena.

She stood speechless.

Simply staring at another version of her own face and body—identical in every way—with an incredulous expression.

"I-It really looks just like me..."

I silently positioned myself between the two Renas.

One was the real Miyazaki Rena. A living flame brimming with anger, shame, and curiosity.

The other was the fake Miyazaki Rena. A cold, empty ice doll awaiting only my command.

And so, both Renas fully entered my embrace.

'It'd be nice if I could taste both their pussies like this.'

But I had to set aside such lewd thoughts for now.

The real Rena circled her clone with a dissatisfied look, inspecting it closely.

"Hey. Do you have a name?"

"I am Miyazaki Rena."

"I'm Miyazaki Rena."

"That is correct. However, I am also Miyazaki Rena. I am called so per Master's orders."

"How about being called Rena No. 2?"

"I refuse."

"Ugh...!"

The two exchanged trivial banter.

Watching them, I couldn't help but chuckle.

As Rena conversed with her clone, something apparently dissatisfied her, and her eyebrow twitched.

"It definitely looks similar on the outside... but it's too stiff! The speech, the expressions—everything. Can't you make it more like me?"

"I can, actually."

I'd already prepared it long ago to boost her combat power to over 50% anytime.

I'd simply kept her in machine mode out of necessity.

"Let's give it a try, then."

I placed my hand on the back of the clone's nape.

Her white, slender nape, just below where her hair began. There, concealed faintly, was a mana circuit only I knew about.

Without hesitation, I adjusted it, pushing past the threshold.

A subtle tweak raising her combat power from 49% to 50%.

And at that instant, both Renas' bodies twitched simultaneously.

"Huh? Suddenly?"

It was a change I hadn't anticipated.