The Request

I mulled over where to even begin, then slowly opened my mouth.

"Do you know the Buyer Guild?"

"Of course I do. I also know Cadet Lee Ho-yeon paid them a visit yesterday, and that you spoke with Cadet Nam Da-eun."

So she'd already pieced together the broad strokes. She even seemed to know that Nam Da-eun was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my objective.

"I need evidence of every illegal activity taking place inside the Buyer Guild. It has to be airtight — the kind of proof that would send the entire guild crashing into ruin the moment it sees the light of day."

If I was going to expose them, I needed evidence first. Once I had that, I could handle the rest myself. I had enough fame for that, at least.

"That's not all, I assume?"

"This next part is the most important. Nam Da-eun's younger sister, Nam Daehee, is being held captive in a hospital connected to the Buyer Guild. We need to get that girl out."

Nam Da-eun's weakness — the leverage they held over her — was her little sister. Handing over information this valuable for free stung a little, but this was no time to be stingy.

"Hmm... so the condition of her lifelong contract was her sister."

Kang Hyo-rin glanced at her smartwatch and tapped at the air. I swallowed and waited for what she would say next.

"Ah... this throws the calculation off."

"Excuse me? The calculation?"

I echoed her in alarm, worried something might interfere with the job.

"With the information you just gave me, this has become something I can handle on my own. Using a commission privilege for a job this easy pricks my conscience."

"...?"

What was she talking about? So the intel I'd provided was so substantial that the work had become too simple?

"At this level, I don't even need to pass it up to the Guild Master. I can take care of it myself."

"That's fine. As long as it gets done."

I'd obtained the commission privilege specifically to settle Nam Da-eun's situation for good. As long as it was handled properly, I didn't care who did the work.

"That won't do. This is a matter of pride as the Korean Branch Manager of the Iris Guild."

"I really am fine with it."

I just wanted the job done quickly. That alone would be more than enough.

"Then how about this? I'll keep the factions slandering Cadet Lee Ho-yeon in check, and we'll call that the remaining balance."

Without anyone asking, Dr. Kang Hyo-rin had started pushing a plan of her own. And honestly? This was even better.

"The factions slandering me?"

"Yes. You must already know about it. There's a site called The Truth Lee Ho-yeon Is Hiding that's been running a malicious smear campaign against you. That's the Shinyoung Guild's handiwork."

"The Shinyoung Guild... Shin Dong-min?"

The Shinyoung Guild was run by the family of Shin Dong-min, the student council vice president. He'd gone quiet after I thrashed him at the festival, so this was what he'd been up to?

No wonder the vice president getting demolished had been swept under the rug while public opinion piled onto me. There'd been an organized effort working behind the scenes.

"They're normally very thorough about cutting loose ends, but strangely enough, they're full of gaps right now. We can dig in plenty if we move now."

"Well... I certainly appreciate it. But you have to handle Nam Da-eun's situation first, no exceptions. The Shinyoung Guild can wait until after."

Even with Professor Lim Sol and Baek A-young offering to help, there hadn't been any sign of a quick resolution. Extra help would be welcome.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"Deal. I'll send over the relevant materials as soon as the investigation wraps up. We'll put the Shin Dong-min matter on hold for later, and as for the Buyer Guild... that should be finished by next week."

This was a place so well-defended that even Scarlet, an elite of the Iris Guild, hadn't been able to crack it. Finishing in a week was an absurdly fast timeline. But next week would already be after the party. There was no telling what might happen to Nam Da-eun there — I wanted this finished before then.

"What if you focused solely on rescuing Nam Da-eun's sister? I need Nam Daehee extracted by Friday at the latest."

"Hmm. Rescuing the sister won't be the end of it. To keep them in the dark for even a little while afterward, we'd need to install a body-double magic circle as well... Tch. All right. I'll find a way to wrap it up by Friday. But that means the rest of the investigation gets pushed back."

"Thank you. That's all I need."

"Good. I'll begin the commission immediately."

Dr. Kang Hyo-rin nodded, pulled up a holographic monitor in midair, and started making calls. I bowed my head and slipped out of the lab.

Just before lunch period ended, I went looking for Professor Lim Sol. She was a celebrity in her own right, so if she'd been invited to Saturday's party, my plan was to ask her to bring me along.

"Ah... you've already sent your regrets?"

"Yeah. Obviously. I can't stand places packed with people."

She took a sip of her instant coffee and plucked up a cookie. Unfortunately, I was already too late. Then again, her personality had never been the party-going type.

"Why the party, though?"

"Ah... I just got curious. I thought maybe I could tag along at your side, Professor."

"Hmm. Too bad."

Wait a second. If Professor Lim Sol had been invited, wouldn't Baek A-young have received an invitation too? She was the Saint, after all.

"Come to think of it, do you think A-young was invited as well?"

Tsk.

"Yeah. She probably was."

"Right? That makes sense. I should stop by the infirmary, then."

I could have sworn I'd just heard a short click of the tongue. Maybe I'd imagined it. Either way, once I finished talking with Professor Lim Sol, I needed to go see Baek A-young.

"I'm looking into the people slandering you right now. It won't wrap up overnight, but I'll handle it one way or another, so don't worry."

So Professor Lim Sol had caught on to the factions as well. She still didn't seem to know that the Shinyoung Guild was backing them, though.

"I've been gathering information on my own end too. If I find anything first, I'll let you know, Professor."

"Sure. But don't push yourself too hard. I'm working my own connections on this end."

"Thank you, Professor."

Reliable as ever — that was Lim Sol for you. I considered telling her in advance that the Shinyoung Guild was the one behind it, but I held my tongue in case it wounded her pride. There was no guarantee the Iris Guild's findings were absolutely correct, either. Investigating from multiple angles wasn't a bad thing.

But grateful as I was, I still had something else to bring up.

"On a different note — you remember the promise you made me, right?"

"Promise? What promise... ah."

"So you do remember. You have to take me to the Magic Expo."

We'd made a deal: if I scored a perfect mark on the written exam, we'd go to the Magic Expo together. No matter how busy things got, I was carving out time for this.

"Haa..."

Lim Sol let out a sigh as if the whole thing were a chore, but I had no intention of backing down just because she made a show of it.

"A promise is a promise. Surely a professor wouldn't break her word to her own student and run away?"

I'd already figured out how to get under Lim Sol's skin. Prod that formidable pride of hers just right, and she always said yes.

"...Fine. I'll go. That's a promise."

"Thank you, Professor. In return, I'll help you with your research as much as I can."

Lee Ho-yeon: a man who knew how to keep work and play in their proper places. When there was a job to do, he did it.

"Got it. Then take your pants off."

Lim Sol rose from the sofa, walked up to me, and dropped to her knees. She set her hands on my thighs and slowly slid them toward my groin.

"Hold on a second, Professor. What about the thesis research?"

"I can do it myself. You just provide the sugar."

"There's no sugar in my semen... Yes. Understood."

I met Lim Sol's eyes, but the look she gave me was ice-cold. I tucked my tail between my legs and dropped my pants.

Lim Sol took my exposed cock into her mouth and sucked hard, her lips sealing tight around the shaft with wet, greedy pulls.

"Ow — hang on, Professor. You're not actually mad, are you?"

She made a muffled sound around me, something I couldn't make out at all. Her mouth was packed too full of me to form words.

Why was everyone so hung up on pride and dignity these days?

"Ah — that hurts, Professor. Your teeth are scraping... Yes. I'll stay still."

Lim Sol's blowjob today hurt a little. Even so, the way her soft tongue rubbed apologetically over the spots her teeth had grazed felt good enough to make up for it.

Baek A-young finished with the lunch rush and sank back into her chair. The academy infirmary was always busier during lunch than during regular hours — that was when the cadets came pouring in. During class time, unless there was an emergency, the place sat wide and empty.

A knock sounded at the door.

Doesn't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sound like an emergency. One of the lobby staff, maybe?

But the staff usually identified themselves from outside. Nobody ever just showed up this quietly.

"Yes, come in."

There were bodyguards posted outside anyway, and it wasn't as if some stranger was going to wander into the infirmary. Baek A-young gave permission without much thought.

The door opened, and a familiar face filled her vision.

"H-Ho-yeon?"

"Hello, A-young. I got bored, so I came to hang out."

"Isn't it class time right now? Why are you here...?"

"You're more important than class, aren't you? I ditched everything and came."

The corners of his mouth lifted, and his eyes curved into pretty half-moons. She knew he was teasing, but that smile still sent her heart racing.

"D-don't say weird things like that. What did you come here for?"

"I have something to ask you. A-young, are you attending the party this Saturday?"

Lee Ho-yeon sat down on the infirmary's patient chair as if he belonged there.

"A party...? Oh, you mean the Association's networking party?"

"That's the one."

"I probably won't go. I don't have a partner, and..."

The parties hosted by the Association's old men had a fondness for pairing men and women off. It wasn't a written rule, and nobody said it out loud, but it was an unspoken custom that had held for a long time. And if a young man or woman showed up alone, word spread that they were looking for a partner — which meant a flood of unwanted advances. It was a hassle, and Baek A-young had nothing to gain by attending anyway.

"A partner? There's a thing like that?"

Lee Ho-yeon asked as if he were hearing it for the first time.

"Yeah. Men and women usually attend as a pair. If a young person shows up to the party without a partner, it means they're looking for one."

"Ah..."

Shit. So that's what this was.

It clicked for Lee Ho-yeon at last. That old man was planning to attend the party as Nam Da-eun's partner. However grotesque it looked to everyone else, it would keep other men from approaching her.

Watching Lee Ho-yeon's expression suddenly harden, Baek A-young worried she'd said something wrong.

"A-young. Come with me."

"H-huh?"

And then, at the words that followed, she doubted her own ears.

"Let's go as partners."

"...People might talk. Attending an Association party as someone's partner is more... than you think."

"I don't mind. I don't mind being misunderstood like that with you, A-young."

"...Hnh! Hyeet!"

Baek A-young made a startled, strangled little sound. When he came at her that suddenly, she couldn't help but panic.

"Pfft. What was that?"

Watching Lee Ho-yeon laugh as if he were teasing her, her face burned.

"Th-that's because you keep messing with me!"

"A-young. I'm not joking. Come to the party with me."

"Uugh..."

She hated him a little for saying something like that when he didn't even understand what going to the party together actually meant. Why did he keep leaving the door cracked open like it was all a game? Or... was he actually serious?

Baek A-young wrestled with it, and in the end she nodded.

"Fine. You're the one who asked me to go with you. Don't regret it later."

"I won't."

Lee Ho-yeon stood up from the chair, thinking, Being rumored as partners wouldn't be so bad.

He'd come to check on Baek A-young's condition as much as to secure a spot at the party, and her condition was far better than expected. Whatever change of heart she'd had, the affection that had dropped was climbing again, and the resentment in her eyes when she looked at him had thinned.

Looking at what was in her heart, I felt a little sorry. Once this current mess was over, I needed to settle things with Baek A-young right away. Between one crisis after another, she'd somehow ended up as the tragic heroine of the story. I had to take care of her before the worry piled any higher.

Still, you had to play the push and pull if you wanted her to come rushing in when you finally reeled her close. The law of action and reaction, as developed by yours ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠truly, for seducing women.

"Darling. Come here."

"...Yes. Darling."

Baek A-young's heart hammered in her chest. She hated herself for fluttering at that word like one of Pavlov's dogs.

But I don't really hate it.

She rose from her chair and folded herself into Lee Ho-yeon's arms.

"It's been three days."

"Yeah, darling... w-wait, at least lock the door first..."

"I locked it when I came in."

"Hnn..."

Baek A-young surrendered herself to Lee Ho-yeon's hands. With every piece of clothing that came away, the pounding in her chest grew stronger. How long would she get to feel this? Maybe — just maybe — it could actually work out.

Hoping that someday they would share a home, and that the word darling would no longer feel strange in her mouth, Baek A-young held on to Lee Ho-yeon.