Interlude, Each in Their Own Way
I spent last night in bed with Seol-hee. After we finished in the bathroom, we naturally continued our business in the master bedroom. I acted solely on my own desires, 'using' her like a mere object. It wasn't consideration that Seol-hee wanted. Whenever I made harsh or violent demands, she felt relieved and accepted everything with a devoted attitude, as if that were the only way to prove her own worth.
'She feels somewhat dependent.'
Seol-hee treats me like her only lifeline. Not for her own sake, but for Hyerin’s. Her train of thought has completely solidified, and she continues to nurture that feeling on her own—to the point where Aunt Sujeong’s skills aren't even necessary.
"Lee Hyun-nim."
Early in the morning, Seol-hee swallows what she had in her mouth and looks up at me. She’s checking to see if I’m satisfied.
"Hoo... that was good."
We’d been at it again since dawn. It started with her waking up before me and performing oral sex. I had asked her to do it before we went to sleep last night.
"Hehe. I was worried because I’d never done something like this before. Ah, let me clean up for you."
Seol-hee smiles at my response and opens her mouth again. She performs the 'cleaning' I taught her yesterday and finishes up with a warm towel. I asked her while leaving my body to her touch.
"What’s so funny?"
"Ah... I think I finally understand why Bom says you’re cute, Lee Hyun-nim."
"Me?"
"Yes. Your... eyes are sparkling."
Seol-hee wipes herself down and opens the window to ventilate the room. She even gargles before returning to bed.
"Dawn is better than the night."
I changed the subject. It wasn't just idle talk. Now, if we have sex repeatedly, it’s not a matter of stamina or virility, but the heat that makes it difficult.
"Pfft. Yes, that’s true. It was so hot last night."
Seol-hee looks at me with affectionate eyes. Strangely, her expression is similar to when she looks at Hyerin.
"Thanks to you, Seol-hee, I’m starting my day feeling refreshed."
I ignored her expression and said what I wanted to say. It wasn't empty praise; my body and mind truly felt refreshed. Seol-hee lies down next to me and smiles brightly. I can feel her happiness. It’s because my words validate her usefulness.
"You must be hungry, right? I’ll go prepare breakfast quickly."
"Stay a little longer."
Just as I was satisfied, it seems Seol-hee is satisfied with my words, too. She tries to get up without even resting, so I pull her arm and wrap my own around her from behind.
"Lee Hyun-nim. Do you like my breasts?"
"Yes."
"Hnn... I’m relieved. I used to think they were a nuisance so often..."
My hand instinctively finds her weak point. In the end, Bom-noona ended up preparing breakfast.
After finishing the preparations, I headed to the conference room.
"Hyung-nim. Did something good happen?"
Jang Hoseop asks, looking at my face. He seems to be gauging my mood because of yesterday's events.
"Oh, just because. My condition is good. Everything is good."
Seol-hee blushes at the conversation between Jang Hoseop and me, and Bom-noona teases her by poking her in the side.
"Don't tell me..."
I wasn't the only one who noticed the two women's reactions. Yuna turns her head sharply to look at me.
"Let’s begin."
I started the meeting quickly. First, we organized various schedules, and Jang Hoseop spoke about the new project.
"We have the Day-Night Wheat harvest coming up soon... and since our numbers have increased, I think we can start."
The new project is to build a wall surrounding Samira's land. We are building walls now, but it’s embarrassing to call them 'barriers.' It’s more like we’ve just drawn lines to distinguish our territory. I intend to build a proper defensive barrier.
Since it’s a large-scale construction project, we first weighed whether Samira had the capacity for it.
"Wouldn't it be better to expand Samira's sphere of influence first? If we start construction, we’ll naturally have to commit Awakened personnel..."
"We have to consider the case of the Seoul Station faction. They were eventually breached, but thanks to the barrier, they were at least able to..."
The group's opinions were divided. No one disagreed with the idea that a barrier was necessary itself. Eventually, everyone looked at me.
"Let’s start. Let’s proceed in parallel with other projects. For the first barrier, let’s utilize the existing buildings..."
There are many things to consider. How to build the barrier, whether we have the ability to do so, what materials are needed and how much, etc.
"I’m not asking for a perfect answer right now. Even if it’s small-scale, I’d like us to discuss it and enter into construction. A barrier is absolutely necessary."
The barrier is an investment for the future. The monster wave that hit Seoul Station could come to Samira, bigger and stronger.
"Jangsu-ajusshi, you take charge of this. I know you’re already busy enough to need two bodies, but..."
Perhaps I was pushing it recklessly because I lack knowledge in civil engineering. Jangsu-ajusshi is already incredibly busy.
"Understood. There are people who worked in construction, so I’ll form a team..."
Still, he didn't argue and answered that he understood. It’s now his job to consider the realistic aspects. All I can do is gather more people.
"Next, I have something to say about Do Jieun."
"Ah, you had an interview yesterday, right?"
"Yeah. I’m going to appoint her as the CCTV operator."
"Yes? Do we have CCTV?"
Jang Hoseop is surprised.
"Not real CCTV. My Spirit Stone has a Gate Detection function, remember?"
"Ah, right. That’s true. But that consumes a massive amount of mana."
The Level 4 Spirit Stone has a function called 'Gate Detection.' It’s a feature that detects gates within the range of the safety wave. It’s surprising that it can find gates, but what’s even more surprising is the method. Gate Detection provides a view looking down at the ground from the sky, like a bird's-eye view.
"We can't use it constantly. But Do Jieun has great observational skills. Her memory is also excellent..."
Gate Detection consumes a tremendous amount of mana. I thought the worry about mana needed for Spirit Stone usage had disappeared with the acquisition of energy stones, but that wasn't the case. Furthermore, if you use the sub-functions of Gate Detection, the mana consumption becomes even more severe. Functions like zooming in on a certain area or seeing through places with limited visibility. Of course, it’s a crazy function that outweighs the mana consumption.
"I’m going to test her. To see how much information Do Jieun can grasp in a short amount of time..."
I intend to monitor Samira's land with Gate Detection. Real-time monitoring is impossible due to mana consumption, but detecting changes seems possible.
"So if she passes the test, Do Jieun will use Gate Detection at regular intervals?"
"Yeah. So you prepare, too. Make sure her kleptomania has really improved, and judge whether I can entrust her with my Spirit Stone."
"Yes. Understood."
Although Do Jieun has been with us since the Muhwa-dong days, she is still staying in the intern dormitory. If she passes the test, I will call her into the main building. I’ll treat her well, too.
"She’ll have a hard time at first. Because she has to grasp the overall information..."
With the talk about Do Jieun, I concluded the meeting.
Busy days continued. I fought battles without resting a single day. Between clearing gates and responding to rescue requests, I couldn't pay much attention to the affairs inside Samira.
"Hyun-ah, shall we get up now?"
I hear Bom-noona's voice. I can also feel her hand gently stroking my hair.
"Noona."
It’s already late afternoon. I came out after clearing a gate around lunchtime and slept for about four hours. I pull Bom-noona into my arms.
"Ego, are you tired? No matter how high your level is, you need to sleep properly."
"It’s okay. I’m doing it because I can handle it."
"Still, living an irregular life is how much... Hnn. That tickles!"
Before I knew it, my hand was inside her clothes. But her skin feels a bit sticky. My back is damp, too.
"Ha, it’s so hot."
"That’s what I mean. Huing... I’m all sweaty."
"Let’s go wash together. We still have time, right?"
We harvested the Day-Night Wheat today. The farming was successful, and we decided to hold a festival to commemorate it. It’s a kind of Thanksgiving. It’s nothing grand. Just eating dinner and drinking with the members of Samira. Thanks to the successful breeding of the Big-Ma, we can even grill meat. We can feed this many people.
"Yes. We have time, but..."
I got out of bed after hearing Bom-noona's answer. I think we can just wash up and get ready. Since Noona pays a lot of attention to my outward appearance, the preparation takes quite a while, but it seems there’s some leeway.
"But the problem isn't the time; Yuna is here outside."
"Again?"
I can feel three presences in the living room. Seol-hee, Hyerin, and Yuna. I thought about putting on clothes, but I just went out to the living room.
"Ajusshi! I heard everything."
"What."
"You said 'Why is she here again' when you heard I was here... Ah."
Because it was hot, I slept with the window and the master bedroom door open. Yuna, who was raising her voice to argue, sees my naked body and turns her head.
"Ah, seriously. Why do you always walk around in just your underwear!"
"Because it’s my house."
Yuna is speechless. There are traces of things they ate on the living room table.
"Do you come here every day to drain my household supplies?"
"That’s not it! How much do I even eat..."
"You eat a lot."
The other members don't come to my house unless there’s something going on. Even if they come for work, they wait outside the door. But Yuna has been coming to my house every chance she gets for the past few days and rolling around like that. She probably spends more time in my house than in her own. Except for when she’s sleeping.
'My attire is comfortable, too...'
Because the weather has gotten hot, my clothing is light.
"Yuna is unpaid, right? Maybe that’s why."
"Unni! I have quite a few Magic Stones saved up!"
"Oh my, did you hear that? Our Yuna has sharp ears. But she’s really lacking in tact..."
"No, I help with the housework, too..."
Bom-noona must have been looking forward to some time for just the two of us. She usually thinks Yuna is cute, but now she seems to think she’s a nuisance.
"Noona. Let’s go."
"Uh... uh? Where?"
"To wash."
"Ah..."
I don't care. I could feel Yuna’s flustered emotions, but I just ignored them and pulled Bom-noona’s hand.
"T-two of you, what, what are you going to do by going in there together!"
"Sex."
"Eek?"
Teasing Yuna is becoming more and more fun.
A long table was laid out in the wide vacant lot. Braziers were placed here and there, and mana lamps emitted a soft glow on the table.
'I can't believe it.'
Do Jieun suddenly felt like this scene reflected in her eyes was a dream. Just two months ago, she had been contemplating suicide in her cramped studio apartment. Countless people were laughing and talking. They were eating and drinking their fill, washing away the fatigue of the day. Even if someone raised their voice, no one worried.
'Lee Hyun-nim...'
Her gaze reached Lee Hyun at another table. He had created all of this.
'Ah...'
Do Jieun felt goosebumps all over her body again as soon as she saw Lee Hyun’s face. The memory of that day came back. The sight of him looking down at her emotionlessly and swinging an axe. She thought Lee Hyun was a devil. A devil who didn't see people as people. Ironically, such a devil had cultivated the land of Samira.
'Lee Hyun-nim was right.'
As she kept looking at Lee Hyun’s face, her crotch became wet. Thanks to Lee Hyun, Do Jieun was able to break the vicious cycle caused by her kleptomania. Because whenever she looked at him, she felt a chill more intense than when she was shoplifting. At first, it was fear, but now it had become a sensation that was hard to explain in words. That sensation sometimes turned into sexual pleasure, exciting her. So, Do Jieun had found a new dopamine.
'I wish he would look this way.'
Do Jieun is awkward with the people from Muhwa-dong. Although she passed the test Lee Hyun gave and entered the main building, few people talk to her first. It’s the same now. Even though they are sitting at the same table, everyone feels awkward around Do Jieun.
Creak.
Do Jieun stood up from her seat. It doesn't matter if she’s awkward with other people. Her personality wasn't social to begin with. Her interest is only in Lee Hyun. So, she decided to summon her courage.
"Um... Headquarters Manager."
"Yes? Ah, yes."
The first person Do Jieun summoned her courage for was Jang Hoseop. Everyone thinks he is Samira’s second-in-command, receiving Lee Hyun’s deepest trust and favor. As it happened, Jang Hoseop was sitting in a different place, away from the table where Lee Hyun was.
"This..."
"Yes..."
Do Jieun tilts the liquor bottle with an awkward attitude. Jang Hoseop receives the liquor she pours even more awkwardly.
"There’s something I wanted to ask."
"Yes, please go ahead."
"How can I be recognized by Lee Hyun-nim?"
Jang Hoseop was there when she took the test. Thanks to that, it was at least comfortable to start the conversation. It was the same for Jang Hoseop.
"Hmm... that’s nothing special? It’s easy."
"Yes? Uh... I wonder if you could give me some advice..."
"Of course."
Jang Hoseop starts talking with a slightly more comfortable expression.
"You just have to do your work faithfully."
"Yes? Is that all?"
"Yes. Ah, Hyung-nim has incredibly good observational skills, you know? It’s hard to express it any further... anyway, it’s good to a degree that normal people can't understand."
Jang Hoseop says something similar to what Kim Sujeong says during the time of cultivation.
"So, even if it seems like he’s not watching, he’s watching everything. A feeling of piercing through the heart? It’s been like that from the beginning."
It’s not just idle talk. Jang Hoseop’s expression is serious.
"Even if it’s not work done in front of Hyung-nim. That’s why I always do my best. I wake up before Hyung-nim and wait, and I respect and follow Hyung-nim from the bottom of my heart."
Jang Hoseop turns his head to look at Do Jieun.
"This is the end. There’s no need to think complicatedly. Hyung-nim is simpler than he looks."
"He’s simple?"
"Yes. You know those things. Will anyone recognize me if I do this? Those kinds of thoughts."
"Ah, yes."
"Hyung-nim recognizes it. If you do well, he gives you a reward, and if you do something futile, he punishes you. That’s the end."
Jang Hoseop thinks it’s really easy to get into Lee Hyun’s good graces. Because there’s no need to do other complicated calculations.
"How is it? It’s really easy, right?"
So, he said it in a tone that it was nothing special and stood up from his seat.
"I suddenly remembered something I have to tell Hyung-nim."
"Ah, yes. Thank you for the advice."
"It’s nothing. Hyung-nim is also looking at you favorably, Do Jieun-ssi, so just work hard."
Do Jieun thought while looking at Jang Hoseop’s retreating back.
'It’s just that he himself is incredibly sincere...'
Jang Hoseop told her honestly. But she thought it wouldn't be easy to follow his sincerity. Because everyone carries a bit of craftiness in a corner of their heart.
"Hyung-nim! I suddenly thought of something. Should I set up that table nicely and upload it to the Square?"
"Why?"
"We uploaded the Day-Night Wheat harvest, so we should boast about the results, too. We’re having a festival like this. So join Samira. How about it?"
Jang Hoseop’s voice is heard. Even at a moment when everyone is busy eating and enjoying themselves, he is looking for things he can do for Samira.
'He’s truly amazing.'
Do Jieun decided on her role model.