Proof

Damn it.

A familiar ceiling.

It was the bedroom of Jinyul, where I’d spent the entire previous night ravaging the mother and daughter of the Hyunmu Hall.

How do I manage to collapse like a pathetic idiot every single time? Aside from that one time Jinyul and I were left behind in a Gate, haven't I collapsed like this almost every time I’ve fought?

"..."

Looking at it again, it really is a pathetic body. I swing a sword a few times and immediately pass out.

"Ughhh...!"

My limbs were tingling. It wasn't painful enough to kill me, but just how much had my ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠body been pushed to reach this state?

Right, that’s it. I did something at the very end.

Everyone ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠behind me was trying to stop me, but in the end, I managed to get out of there, so who cares?

I hadn't noticed, but system notifications had been popping up for a while. Since I cleared an S-rank Gate, surely it would give me something good.

Oh?

No way?

'Status Window.'

"Yesss!!!"

This is insane.

For starters, all my stats went up by 10. That alone was a massive achievement.

But on top of that, I got two S-rank skills. Now I need to check them out one by one.

Is that the skill the bastard showed me? It's a shame I didn't get the one that warps space to defend the body, but even with just these two abilities, there's more than enough I can do.

And I should check the skill I haven't looked at yet.

Strengthening the body and skills. Could this be the reason my Hwanguk Sword Method temporarily rose to S-rank? Judging by the fact that there's a cooldown, that seemed highly plausible.

I suspect this is what my 'Sense' skill had been pointing to all along.

By the way, to think that what I found with my father's skill was the remains of an Old King. Could this also be my father's...?

"Umm... Master? Are you awake?"

Just as I was staring at my status window for a long time, I heard Seolhye's voice.

"Seolhye?"

"Yes, it's me. Is your body alright? Everyone is worried sick because you collapsed again."

"...Yeah. Aside from being a bit stiff, I'm fine."

"It seems Yuyeon's actions were helpful. As soon as you returned, she stripped you naked and hugged you while she was naked herself, so I had to question her about it once."

It seems Yuyeon helped me again. She did the same thing when we first met.

"Thanks for worrying. But I'm fine now."

I felt sorry for everyone about this incident. From their perspective, I was just being stubborn, yet they all trusted me and followed me anyway.

I don't want to cause unnecessary worry. Still, I've become quite strong with this reward, so if I train hard with Seolhye from now on, I should be able to pull my own weight.

"...You're fine now? What do you mean by that?"

"Exactly what I said. I'm gradually getting stronger with the Gate rewards, so there won't be much to worry about like before."

I added an explanation to reassure Seolhye. Everything happens because I'm too weak, so if I keep getting stronger, won't there be much less for them to worry about?

"I know. The martial prowess you displayed was incredible. To the point where you might not need me anymore."

Huh?

That's not it?

"If I didn't see it wrong, that technique you used at the end was definitely the 'Severing the Heavens' we mastered together. Am I right?"

"That's right."

"You're truly amazing, Master. I don't know how you did it, but for someone who hasn't held a sword for long to reach the pinnacle..."

"That was only by relying on the skill..."

"Even so, it doesn't change the fact that you accomplished such a monumental feat. It's definitely something worthy of praise."

"...Thank you."

Seolhye, my sword technique mentor, praised me. Even though I have the upper hand in our master-servant relationship, I was just happy to receive her approval.

However, Seolhye's expression wasn't good at all.

"...As expected of you, Master. To already surpass me... at this rate... it feels as if my usefulness has already come to an end."

"Huh? What do you mean..."

-Up!

"It's true!"

Seolhye, who had been sitting beside me, suddenly stood up. In her eyes, tears I hadn't seen easily were welling up.

"I am stupid. I can't even properly mimic a human, so I have to live with my ears and tail exposed, and I was forced to become a swordsman because I couldn't emit energy with anything other than a sword."

"..."

"That is why the only way I could be of help to you, Master, was to show you a higher realm with my meager swordsmanship."

"That's not true. Just like the others, you are also precious to me..."

"Don't talk nonsense. You've been intimate with the others several times already, but with me, wasn't that night before the semester started the first and last time?"

...It's true that I haven't been with Seolhye since that one time.

Perhaps because of how she attacked me with killing intent the first day we met,

"Even to me, I have no charm as a woman. Hard abs are felt before soft skin. Maybe that's why I felt the most resistance when you tried to take Jinyul."

"Wasn't that just because you didn't want your friend to have a rough time?"

"Master doesn't seem to know me well yet. I'm not just that kind."

"Then?"

"...It's jealousy."

Jealousy? Could Seolhye be jealous of Jinyul?

"It's true that Jinyul and I have been close since we were young. She's the only one who speaks to me informally, after all."

"And? What's the problem?"

"Jinyul's shy appearance at first was just pitiful. Still, it was nice to see her gradually opening her heart to you."

"..."

"But coming to the Hyunmu Hall this time, I started having strange thoughts. From thinking about whether Jinyul was that pretty, to feeling extremely humiliated when you gave me strange orders."

Ah. I had ordered Seolhye to lick Jinyul's pussy to tease her because she kept adding her two cents from the side.

"...I'm sorry about that."

"You don't have to apologize. It would be much better to take someone like Jinyul, who has big breasts, is cute... and charming, than to deal with a tomboy like me."

"No, that's not it..."

"But... I can't help it if my heart feels increasingly heavy. My body, branded with your mark, desires you, but you don't desire me."

-Drip. Drip.

The sound of tears falling echoed softly.

"Tell me. Please tell me. What... what should I do now?"

I couldn't say anything.

No, I decided not to say anything.

-Hug!

"...Ma, Master? You don't have to force yourself to comfort me..."

"I'm sorry. I was short-sighted."

"..."

"When we first met, you beat me up pretty badly. Back then, it wasn't even training, you were beating me like you were trying to kill me, right?"

"Sob... I, I'm sorry... I reflected on it... I'll never do it again...!"

"I'm not trying to say anything about that. Even though it was awkward to deal with you. It's fine now."

I was glad I could hear her true feelings when we were alone like this. If I hadn't known, I wouldn't have known what a heartbroken Seolhye might do.

"And, I think you're just as pretty as Jinyul, Seolhye."

In the first place, they're all beauties.

"...Liar. If that were true, why do you ravage everyone else every day except me..."

"That's because I didn't know you felt this way."

"I can't believe it. You think I don't know you're just saying that with your mouth right now?"

The rift of distrust is deep. Seolhye is a woman too, and I felt I had been too negligent.

"Alright. I'll prove it."

Like the old saying that seeing is believing, I just need to treat Seolhye thoroughly as a woman.

"Take it off."

"...Huh?"

"...Ugh!"

It didn't take long for Seolhye to take off all her clothes.

"Is, is this okay?"

"Well done."

See. You're hot when you strip down.