Chapter 328: The Future, Twisted.
Chapter 328: The Future, Twisted.
Quite some time had passed since Baek Seoyeon had been given the aphrodisiac and then even the third-stage black potion—the Potion of Pain.
The underground prison was as dark as ever. I calmly crossed the area that had once been a training ground, the scenery now feeling familiar. Eventually, I stopped in front of the multipurpose room. The door was already open, so I peered inside without hesitation.
Unlike the other cells, a faint light illuminated this one. A strange, hot wind was swirling within.
The acrid smells of semen, sweat, filth, and body odor rode the heated air and flooded my nostrils. The source was a woman and three men, tangled together inside. I watched their one-sided affair for a moment before slowly stepping in.
I didn’t close the door. Still, one of the men, who had been engrossed in the act, must have heard my footsteps, as he quickly turned around.
“Hah, hah!”
“It’s fine. You can continue.”
I raised a hand to signal that it was alright, but the Vagabonds surrounding Baek Seoyeon awkwardly pulled away from her. Hastily covering themselves with rags that could hardly be called clothes, they began to watch me warily.
“Did Vivian stop by?”
“Y-Yes. She brought today’s meal… and checked on things for a moment before leaving.”
“I see. Any problems?”
“No! The meals have been good lately… and, well…”
The Vagabond standing closest to me glanced at Baek Seoyeon before answering in a cautious voice.
They need the energy to do that, after all.
Strictly speaking, I wasn’t starving the Vagabonds. I wasn’t exactly feasting them like honored guests, either, but aside from Baek Seoyeon and her two confidants, they were being treated as normal prisoners. Those three, of course, were being force-fed just enough to keep them from dying.
“Um… Mercenary Lord. If it’s not too presumptuous, may I ask you something?”
One of the Vagabonds, who had been quietly observing me, spoke up.
I nodded for him to continue, and he spoke in a slightly rough voice.
“About what you mentioned last time… how is that progressing?”
“Ah. The Call to Arms will be issued soon. The trial will be held then as well.”
“I-I see. Thank you for answering.”
“Don’t mention it. I intend to keep my promise regarding your testimony, at least, so you don’t need to worry about that. In any case, please continue to follow Vivian’s instructions for the time being. I won’t forget.”
The Vagabond bowed his head deeply, his expression saying he would do as I commanded. I had already laid the smokescreen that I couldn’t guarantee their lives. Perhaps they thought this was the end for them. The thought suddenly occurred to me that this might be why they pounced on Baek Seoyeon like beasts.
One by one, the Vagabonds began to leave the room. They looked disappointed, as if they had been in the middle of enjoying themselves, but soon, not a single one was left. They all returned to their respective cells.
The moment I heard the door close, I clapped my hands together, infusing the sound with a bit of magic. The Light Stones in the multipurpose room flared to life, starkly illuminating the naked body of Baek Seoyeon, who was lying on the floor as if dead.
The sight of her, sprawled on her back with her legs spread wide, was quite wretched. She must have been tormented relentlessly, as there wasn’t a single part of her that looked unscathed. Her full breasts were covered in suck marks and bite marks. Her vulva was swollen red, and a white fluid trickled endlessly from the slightly parted pinkish crevice. The white and red marks staining her from head to toe were a testament to how severely she had been treated over the past few days.
“Agh… Aah… Sob… Ugh… Haah… Hicc…”
Sounds that were impossible to distinguish—crying, arousal, pain—spilled from her parted lips. Or perhaps it was all three. According to Vivian, the fruit of Yggdrasil was supposed to have a permanent effect. However, its permanence was lost in the process of reversing its effects and brewing the potion, though its duration remained.
In other words, Baek Seoyeon was currently experiencing both pleasure and pain simultaneously, her senses heightened. I stared down at her for a long while.
Even a woman with a strong spirit would become mentally unstable after being gang-raped. No matter how much of the aphrodisiac she was given, her mind wouldn’t change in a matter of days. It only forced her body to react; making someone genuinely enjoy it was something that only happened in novels.
Moreover, Baek Seoyeon had been violated by subordinates she had once cherished. She wasn’t a born nymphomaniac, nor had she been conditioned over a long period like the Elf Queen. She probably felt so tormented right now that she wanted to die.
“Sob… Hu-heong… Heo-eong… Eoh-eong…”
Just then, Baek Seoyeon’s cries once again filled the empty space. This time, it was clearly the sound of sobbing. She had covered her eyes with the back of her hand and was letting out a torrent of tears.
“……”
In the quiet silence, only the sound of her mournful sobs echoed through the underground. It made the already heavy atmosphere feel even weightier, even more pathetic. After watching her for a long time as tears streamed down her face, I quietly turned and walked out of the multipurpose room.
I didn’t feel sorry for her. I wasn’t sad.
I calmly acknowledged my inner thoughts and slowly closed my eyes. I didn’t know how others saw me, but I’d never once considered myself a good person.
That was simply how I saw it. Humans were animals who excelled at self-justification, whose attitudes changed with the situation—thoroughly inconsistent and selfish creatures.
I returned to this second playthrough with a purpose. And I firmly resolved that I would stop at nothing to achieve it. As such, the memories of the first playthrough were still too vivid in my mind to feel any sorrow over a situation like this.
The days I had to endure, the things I had to watch, the suffering I had to bear. The piercing memories of that time were still etched deep in my heart.
Yes. That was all there was to it.
*
“Soohyun. Do you know how long it’s been since you’ve called for me?”
In the middle of the night, as I was descending a dark staircase, a sharp voice reached my ears. I turned my head to the side and answered indifferently.
“Has it?”
“Yes, it has. You showed up out of the blue today, but I was still so happy inside. And then you just tell me to follow you with no explanation… Hayeon is sad, you know.”
“I’ve been a bit busy lately.”
Ko Yeonju looked like she was about to complain, but she immediately fell silent at my words. Having watched me from the side, she knew exactly how I’d been spending my time, so there was nothing she could say.
Still, clearly displeased at not hearing the sweet words she wanted, Ko Yeonju pouted. I knew what she wanted to hear, but I wanted to save my words for now. A crucial moment was just ahead.
We soon reached the lobby, walked down an open corridor, and arrived at the stairs leading to the basement. As I descended without a word, Ko Yeonju’s voice, now much calmer as if she’d read my mood, reached me.
“Soohyun. Did you know that a Call to Arms is being secretly held in three days?”
“I know.”
“Then what do you plan to do with the Vagabonds?”
“We’ll see. I’ll know after today.”
Ko Yeonju seemed to ponder this for a moment before speaking in a languid tone.
“I suppose I should prepare my Eyes of Temptation.”
As expected, she grasped the situation at once. I gave a single nod and stopped in front of the underground prison we had just reached. I didn’t open the door right away. Taking a deep breath to compose myself, I knocked three times, loud enough for someone inside to hear.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
“Hm? Why aren’t you going in?”
Vwooom!
Ko Yeonju tilted her head and asked. At that exact moment, I felt a strong flow of magic from within. It would take a little time for Vivian’s illusion magic circle to fully manifest anyway. It seemed she had already noticed, but I decided to add a few more details.
“Ko Yeonju. I plan to deal the finishing blow to Baek Seoyeon today.”
“The finishing blow… I see.”
“I’ve prepared a little show for the occasion. Of course, you’re not the target, but just in case, please wait here. The moment I bring Baek Seoyeon out, use your Eyes of Temptation as the situation demands.”
“Mm… I don’t quite get it yet, but I guess I’ll know when I see it. Understood.”
At Ko Yeonju’s brisk reply, I focused my magic to sense the situation inside. Then, without delay, I threw the door wide open. Unlike before, the interior was dazzlingly bright, with all the Light Stones lit up.
To an outsider, the scene inside the prison would have looked quite ridiculous. A massive magic circle was drawn on the floor, glowing with a faint green light. Scattered across it were the twitching forms of the Vagabonds. The once-firmly-shut cell doors were now wide open.
My eyes met Vivian’s, who was standing off to one side. She aimed the glowing Ordo at the floor and gave a silent nod. We had already discussed everything. I took a step inside. Accepting the magic flowing into my body, I began to walk forward. My target was the center of the magic circle, where Baek Seoyeon lay.
When I reached the center of the circle, I saw her lying there as if dead. I calmly bent down and shook her awake.
“Ugh…? Hh… Ugh, heuh!”
Baek Seoyeon’s eyes fluttered open with a choked sound, and she reflexively flinched. Dazzled by the light she hadn’t seen in a long time, she kept blinking. I wrapped her naked body in a robe I had prepared beforehand and gently helped her up. Then, I forced her head up to look me straight in the eye.
The emotions of despair and loss were deeply embedded in Baek Seoyeon’s eyes as she looked at me. It was like looking into the eyes of a dead person. But that, too, was brief. Her eyes suddenly shot wide open, her mouth falling agape as she began to stare at me blankly.
About thirty seconds passed. A hoarse voice escaped Baek Seoyeon’s throat.
“Hyeon…?”
“……”
“H-Hyeon? It’s you, right? Huh? It’s Hyeon, isn’t it?!”
Baek Seoyeon’s eyes were still hazy. But, ever so faintly, they were beginning to change. While negative emotions still dominated, a single sliver of light that shone through clearly spoke of hope.
“Why… Why are you here? Why are you…”
“……”
“Why won’t you answer me? Hyeon? Hyeon…”
Baek Seoyeon weakly raised a hand to caress my face. Then, her words suddenly trailed off as her gaze dropped to my chest. I continued to observe her expression as I feigned covering my chest with my hand.
Right now, Baek Seoyeon had likely drunk the final-stage purple potion, which rapidly diminished judgment and awareness, inducing a state of fogginess. And she was caught in the illusion magic Vivian had activated.
Vivian’s skills weren’t perfect yet, which was why I had to go through with this theatrical charade. But Mavolo had said this was one of the most effective methods, so I was willing to put up with it at least once.
Baek Seoyeon’s gaze was still fixed on my chest. With her remaining arm, she managed to push my hand away—though of course, I intentionally let her—and took a sharp breath. Then, she looked up at me with trembling eyes.
“Why are you so hurt…?”
“……”
“Don’t tell me… you were hurt because of me? To save me…”
What kind of illusion was Baek Seoyeon seeing right now? I was extremely curious, but all I had to do was act according to the situation, so I gave a single nod.
“I-I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I was being stubborn… I shouldn’t have taken the commander position, just like you said…”
I slowly shook my head from side to side.
“But why haven’t you said anything? And how did you get here…? I’m sure this place is…”
Hyeon, huh. Looks like what the Vagabonds said was true.
Thankful that I’d bothered to learn all the little details, I began to lead Baek Seoyeon toward the door. If she realized it was an illusion, all my careful preparations would be for nothing. Well, that would be quite a blow.
Baek Seoyeon stumbled at first, but she soon leaned against me and began to walk, one difficult step at a time. She kept looking at my face with an expression of disbelief before slowly starting to look around.
After about ten steps, I heard Baek Seoyeon mutter something, as if she’d discovered something. I glanced down and confirmed that her gaze was fixed on the fallen Vagabonds.
“Those fools. I told them not to fall for it… So they died in the end. Damn them…!”
Did they really die?
“Ah, Hyeon! W-Wait a moment!”
“?”
“Haein and Gain are probably being held here. Y-You know them, right? Have you seen them?”
Her tone was now pleading, but I didn’t answer. I focused solely on dragging her to the door. The distance was gradually shrinking.
“Hyeon? Hyeon! Why can’t I see them? Are they dead? Please, answer me! Haein and Gain…”
When I shook my head again, Baek Seoyeon finally stopped speaking and stared blankly at the prison.
“They’re… dead…?”
Finally, just before the door, I stopped and turned to look back inside. After confirming that the brightly glowing, light-green magic circle was slowly fading, I finally spoke in my own voice.
“They’re not dead.”
“Huh? They’re not dead? Then why… aren’t you bringing them out?”
Still seemingly under the influence of the potion and the magic, Baek Seoyeon looked at me with confusion. I didn’t answer further. Instead, I simply clapped my hands together, infusing the sound with magic. At that, the Light Stones that had been shining brightly were extinguished in an instant, and light and darkness swapped places in a flash. With just a single clap, the underground prison returned to its former gloomy state.
And, at the same time, the Vagabonds who had been lying on the magic circle began to rise, one by one.
“Wh-Wh-What? Hyeon? Hyeon?! Why are the dead guys suddenly…!”
Baek Seoyeon screamed. Still unable to cross the boundary between dream and reality, she clung to me tighter and cried out. The magic circle was already gone. I decided it was time to reveal the truth.
“My name is Soohyun. Don’t call me by a single name like that.”
“Ah…?”
Finally sensing that something was wrong, Baek Seoyeon slowly, very slowly, turned to look at me.
“Hyeon?”
The moment she looked at my face, the hopeful voice that had been searching for Hyeon instantly died away.
“Hyeon…………?”