Chapter 41

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 41

Chapter Title: Demon King's Castle 2nd Round

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Hunter Association building, top floor. President's office.

A woman with dark circles hanging all the way down to her chin slumped exhaustedly in her chair.

The Hunter Association President. Sword Ghost Yoon Joo-young. Tormented by endless paperwork, she leaned back into the plush executive chair and stared blankly at the ceiling.

Her head was already pounding from the mountain of agenda items she had to handle, and then that bastard suddenly vanished without a trace. No messages, nothing. Where the hell did he run off to? Fuck.

She had clearly told him she could only cover for him for a week, but that deadline had already passed.

"Haa. Fuck."

Even as curses spilled from her lips, her mind was a whirlwind of scattered thoughts.

'Ugh, my head hurts. I'm so sleepy. This is exhausting. Why do I have to work this hard? Fuck. And where the hell did that guy go? Dream... Will I see him in my dreams again...? Shit. Should I just masturbate...? No. Where's my cigarettes? Damn, I smoked them all. Should I have someone run errands? Oh right, I told Gahee to bring the CCTV footage... When's she getting back?'

It was then, as Joo-young rubbed her throbbing temples and stared vacantly at the ceiling.

Knock knock.

"President."

Right on cue, her secretary had arrived at the office. Joo-young turned to her.

"Gahee, you're back. Did you find him?"

"W-Well... not yet."

Hearing the report, Joo-young clutched her head.

"...Ah. My head hurts."

The board upstairs was pressuring her, and the reporters downstairs were throwing tantrums.

Where's that guy? Why can't you track him down? If you're going to give him a week's extension using your presidential authority, what's the deal? Any bribes or connections? Are you two getting married? They were even asking crap like that.

'Lee Yeon, you fucking bastard. You think you can shit on me after I did you a solid by covering for you for a week? When I find you, I'll rip you apart.'

Using her goodwill to screw her over like this. She couldn't let it slide this time. As president, she'd mobilize every ounce of her authority and connections to hunt him down and make him pay.

She'd force him ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to his knees, begging on all fours, then grind her high heel into his skull until her rage subsided.

"Hoo."

As she let out a furious breath and scratched her head furiously, Joo-young suddenly looked up at her secretary.

"The CCTV. Did you secure it?"

"Yes. It was nearly deleted, but I managed to get it. It's footage from the station restroom entrance."

Beep.

The secretary plugged a USB into the computer and pressed the remote. Grainy black-and-white footage began playing on the screen.

Amid the bustling crowd, Lee Yeon heading toward the station restrooms.

But even after rewinding and fast-forwarding extensively, there was no sign of him emerging.

'Jumped out a window? Teleport artifact? Invisibility artifact?'

As Joo-young kept scrubbing back and forth through the CCTV, she spotted something odd.

"...!"

A few minutes after the bastard entered the restroom, an unfamiliar boy slowly walked out.

No footage captured this boy entering, no matter how much she checked before and after.

His clothes and hat obscured his face almost completely, but they couldn't fool her eyes.

'That's definitely... the one from my dream.'

The boy on screen matched the height and build of that shota Lee Yeon perfectly.

Joo-young swallowed hard, briefly recalling that night's dream.

Once her thoughts settled, she quietly called to her secretary.

"Gahee."

"Yes, President."

"No copy of the CCTV, right?"

"Yes, this is the original."

"Got it. Get out."

"?"

The secretary tilted her head but left the office without protest.

After she was gone, Joo-young stared at the boy on the CCTV and slowly smiled.

'It wasn't... just a dream.'

She had dismissed it as a lewd fantasy born from her pent-up frustrations, but it was real.

The rest was trivial now. Whatever the old fogeys at the association said, whatever the press yapped about—she'd find that bastard first, ahead of everyone else. And then...

Gulp.

Joo-young swallowed, stealthily slipping her right hand under the desk.

**

"..."

I blinked awake. Uneasily scanning the room, I took in the familiar bed and bathroom. The TV, table, appliances.

This wasn't the luxury mansion from Aidea Corp—it was my bunker's bedroom.

Which meant I'd completed this parallel world and returned to reality.

'I survived! I fucking survived!'

"Phew."

Only then did I sigh in relief and flop back onto the bed. My mind replayed that hellish week.

It started on the first day of ejaculation management when Elise and Cid dragged me to the bathhouse. For the entire week, they tormented me without letting me cum even once.

Time blurred together. Every day, I writhed gripping the chastity cage, begging for release, but they ignored me.

Instead, they hauled me to the bathhouse daily, relentlessly developing my nipples and ass. I couldn't ejaculate, yet I drowned in pleasure and dry orgasms in that bizarre state.

By day seven, I thought I'd lose my mind.

My balls were swollen to bursting, cock locked away. Constant stimulation had heightened my sensitivity everywhere, and with those two sisters teasing and tentacling me nonstop, staying sane was impossible.

Enduring that ejaculatory hell brought no reward. Just semen extraction for research, then shipped off to some chairman.

The night before ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠that terrifying fate, the quest cleared. Lucky, I guess...

Anyway, Cyberpunk 6974. Supposedly easier than Demon King's Castle, so I went in relaxed, but reality hit differently.

Kidnapped, sold, strapped down in a lab for implantation, surrounded by freakishly modified people. Terrifying and grueling. Compared to this, Demon King's Castle or heaven were cakewalks.

'At least I made it out safe.'

I swallowed and picked up my smartphone.

'Cyberpunk 2nd round... on hold for now.'

Entry restrictions aside, I'd just get my ass handed to me by that chairman anyway. Lower priority—worldview's too scary.

Speaking of which.

"Yuria. Where the hell have you been?"

I called out irritably. During that hellish week, she'd ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠ignored every summon.

Poof—she appeared in the air, landing on my shoulder and chattering away.

'300,000 points!'

More than the Demon King's Castle 1st round clear. Probably because of the longer stay and higher perceived difficulty.

Yeah. Considering what I went through, this is the least they could give. No—it's not enough! Gimme more!

I wanted to say it boldly, but I shrank back quietly. No telling what might happen if I mouthed off.

"Yeah. But why are you acting smug? I did all the suffering."

What.

No good comeback, so I let it slide.

**

After settlement, I ate in the bunker and took some time to relax.

While watching TV over dinner, a few news segments about me popped up.

[Hunter Ranking #1, Lee Yeon vanishes. Location unknown for days...]

[Secret deal with Association President Yoon Joo-young? Digging into their relationship. Probe24]

I switched channels and sighed inwardly.

'Sorry about that, girl.'

Joo-young was probably tearing her hair out and cursing me right now. My ears itched.

Apologize when we meet. If she doesn't pull a knife on me first.

"Burp."

All done.

After dinner, I washed up and hit the hay. Minimal physical fatigue, but mentally drained—sleep came easy.

Next day.

'Time to head back in.'

No time for long breaks. Time is points.

I manipulated my smartphone to scan parallel worlds. Demon King's Castle 2nd round was open—probably unlocked after clearing Cyberpunk.

Other worlds tempted me, but points first. Clear the highest-yield one: Demon King's Castle.

I lay comfortably on the bed and selected Demon King's Castle 2nd round without hesitation.

Shwooo.

Sucked into a vortex. I surrendered to the sinking consciousness.

**

"Did you sleep well, Yeon-nim?"

I opened my groggy eyes to a familiar low voice.

A woman in a prim maid outfit bowed toward me in bed. Sylvia.

"Mm..."

Rubbing sleepy eyes, I surveyed the opulent European-style room. Canopy bed, carpeted floor.

Safely arrived in Demon King's Castle 2nd round. No time passage while I was away.

I quenched my thirst with water from the cup Sylvia offered and asked about the day's schedule.

"What's... on the agenda today?"

Whatever it was, better than Cyberpunk. Still, good to know.

Sylvia replied calmly.

"Tonight, by Her Highness's command, you must go to her chambers. Essential training precedes that, so please follow me."