It Was an Overwhelming Ability to Simply Ignore
It Was an Overwhelming Ability to Simply Ignore
"Oh right, it's shift change time! I should get going then! See you next time, Bo-ram! Hahahaha!"
"W-wait, Tyrone!"
"It's a private room that doesn't require checkout, so just cover your face when you leave~ Well then!"
"No, wait a minute!"
With Tyrone making his hasty escape, Hye-eun and I were left alone in the motel room.
"..."
"..."
Since learning that I, in my Yu Bo-ram state—that is, as a woman—still contained Yoo Han-gyeol inside, Hye-eun had started viewing me not as a seductress who tempted her childhood friend but as her actual childhood friend. Yet an awkwardness still lingered between us.
"...I was worried because you didn't show up for your guard duty, so I came looking for you."
"Ah, I know..."
Especially in my female form, it was even more awkward. And since Hye-eun had seen me—a man she knew, though not exactly on good terms with—doing that kind of thing with Tyrone in a motel, the awkwardness was unavoidable.
"And...I just asked where you were since I knew you were aware, but I didn't expect you to bring me here like this. Sorry."
"I know that too, so it's fine...That's just how he is."
"Yeah..."
'Ugh, seriously! Where did Rio-nim go this time!'
When Rio-nim was around—who seemed to get along well with Hye-eun? Or more accurately, who unilaterally liked Hye-eun just like Tyrone—it was at least less awkward. But thanks to Rio-nim warping Hye-eun right in front of the motel bed and then disappearing, the awkwardness doubled, even tripled.
"But it's good that it's just the two of us now."
"Huh?"
Hye-eun looked at me with a serious expression.
"Can you...change back to a man for me?"
"Huh?"
At her request for me to return to being a man, I couldn't help but feel confused.
"Ah, if it's inconvenient or difficult, it's okay. It's just that I want to talk with Han-gyeol...with you as a man..."
"With me as a man?"
"I just want to have a conversation."
"...A conversation?"
"Yeah. A conversation."
"Ahh...Yeah...You want to talk? Talk with me after I change back to a man...Yeah! Talking is good!...Yeah yeah! Absolutely good!"
"Han-gyeol?"
Hye-eun looked puzzled at my flustered response, as I had instinctively misunderstood her request on a massive scale.
"...!?"
Then Hye-eun noticed the location we were in—especially the bed that still bore the fresh traces of hot, sticky passion between a man and a woman—and her face turned bright red.
"N-no! I just want to talk with Han-gyeol! With Han-gyeol, not Yu Bo-ram! Th-that kind of thing is too soon!"
Finally realizing how her words could be misinterpreted, Hye-eun desperately tried to explain but ended up making a small slip of the tongue.
"Huh? Too soon...?"
"Eep!?"
She covered her mouth, but it was too late to take back what she'd already said.
"Hng....Uuuu...I, I don't know!"
Just like when we were kids at the orphanage and Hye-eun would choose to run away whenever she was at a disadvantage during an argument, she opened the motel room window and flew away.
"Huh? Hye-eun? Hye-eun!?"
Leaving me all alone.
"...What do I do now?"
Thump-
I flopped down on the motel bed, feeling Tyrone's cooled traces stick to my body, but I didn't pay it much mind.
'What did she want to talk about? Well, I had been thinking that I wanted to have a sincere conversation with her someday too...but the timing was just terrible.'
I was curious about what Hye-eun wanted to discuss, but more than that, I felt guilty for making her embarrassed unnecessarily.
'But...honestly, is it for the best?'
Unlike Hye-eun, who wanted to have an honest conversation with me, I still didn't know what to say to her and lacked the courage to properly apologize for what happened when we parted ways. Part of me actually felt relieved about the earlier situation.
And as I was ruminating on these complicated feelings...
Swish-
"Ah~ Don't worry about that~ Hye-eun probably feels the same way~ What Hye-eun wanted to talk about is something else~ By the way, our Bo-ram is filming a romantic comedy with a girl even in a female body~?"
Our mischievous constellation-nim, who arbitrarily peeked into my thoughts, appeared through a warp just like when she dumped Hye-eun in the motel room, lying down beside me.
"I told Hye-eun I'd come pick her up~ You know how she is? She said she'll definitely repay this debt later~? Isn't she cute~?"
"Well, if we're being technical, it's because Rio-nim threw Hye-eun here that..."
"Wow~ So fun, so fun~ That alone makes Bo-ram's coming here worthwhile~ Ah, by 'here' I don't mean this motel room~? I mean this world~ Hahaha~"
Slurp-
"Mmm! Our Tyrone's semen is delicious even when cooled!"
Lightly ignoring my words, Rio-nim lay down right on the traces Tyrone had left behind—just like I had—but not satisfied with that, she even scooped up some of the scattered semen with her finger and tasted it.
"Hehe♡"
"Hng"
As she looked at me with a lewd smile, Rio-nim was so erotic that even in my female form, I felt like my non-existent dick was getting hard.
"Ahem! Anyway, what did you mean by 'something else'?"
"Tch~ You have unexpected self-control, don't you~? Is it because you're still a woman~?"
Feeling like I might get caught in Rio-nim's tricks again and end up changing back to a man to have a go with her, I quickly changed the subject. Sure enough, Rio-nim—who seemed to have come with that very intention—suddenly sat up in bed and continued.
"What Hye-eun wanted to talk about is probably about the Guild Master~"
"The Guild Master? Ahh...Hye-eun's workplace superior?"
"It's more of a different issue than that~ Hmm~ Should I be the one to tell you this~?"
'Did they talk first? Or did she peek into his thoughts like me?'
Hye-eun, who took turns with Tyrone guarding me, spent a lot of time with Rio-nim when I was with Tyrone.
Under the pretext of teaching Hye-eun, who had just become a Transcendent, how to control her power, they even went together to the 【2931st Floor: Spacetime Room】. So perhaps Rio-nim spent more time with Hye-eun than with me.
"Actually, it's better if Hye-eun tells you this herself~ So I'll just say one thing~"
"Ah, yes. I'm listening."
"Haha~ It's nothing grand, so drop that stiff attitude~ Anyway~"
Swish-
As if suggesting we should head back soon, she opened a warp but gestured for me to go first, seemingly planning to go somewhere else herself.
"What he did to you guys can't be justified, of course...but just know that he's also a pitiful person."
Rio-nim continued with an unusually serious tone.
"I also had connections with people in similar positions long ago...so I understand that much about having no choice...hahaha"
"Rio-nim..."
Seeing Rio-nim's expression—which looked lonelier than any I'd seen since first meeting her—I resolved that no matter what story I heard from Hye-eun, I would at least once, just once, try to see things from the Guild Master's perspective. But...
.
.
.
"Don't ever trust him. I'll make him pay for his sins...without fail...someday without fail..."
Thud!-
"Hye-eun..."
Hearing Hye-eun's words—she had returned home first for my guard duty—I had no idea what expression I should wear when facing him.
***
Regardless of my deepening worries, time flowed on until finally the day arrived for me to receive the Floor 5 clearance—specifically, the clearance that Rio-nim had accomplished but was credited to me.
And for this first event, I would be participating not as Yoo Han-gyeol but as Yu Bo-ram due to 'certain reasons'.
"I won't forget this favor! You are my lifelong benefactor!"
"Aw, don't make such a fuss...well, actually I should be saying this to you. Team Leader, no, should I say Director now? Director, you are my lifelong benefactor."
"Gghk! Bo,Bo-raaaaaam! Thank youuuuu!"
When it came to the most significant authority—the 100th Floor Resort level (not a rest area like Floor 4, but an actual resort floor)—I had no hesitation in recommending the person who helped turn my life around, Team Leader Lee Woo-jin, for the director position, since the most trustworthy Tower official could be appointed.
"The work shouldn't be too difficult. There are plenty of assistants and people who will handle the actual management."
The most important factor for this position wasn't work ability but trustworthiness. Though I felt sorry to Hye-eun and Tyrone, if asked who I trusted most besides Rio-nim right now, he was the first person that came to mind, so I recommended him first. While the other Tower officials showed disappointed looks, no one opposed it.
"Hmm...I had many other candidates in mind...but I'll follow your recommendation."
The Guild Master, who had personally attended the director inauguration ceremony, also expressed regret but didn't utter a single word of opposition.
"The Guild Master doesn't have the authority to oppose, does he? Shouldn't we first address the problem of trying to push your own personnel under the guise of recommendation?"
"Hye-eun-yang..."
"Hye-eun..."
Thanks to Hye-eun sticking close to my side and glaring coldly at the Guild Master, I felt a slight pain in my stomach.
'Speaking of the inauguration celebration party...this is probably the perfect opportunity.'
Thinking that, I glanced at Rio-nim, who nodded back at me.
"Hye-eun~ There's delicious food over there! Let's go eat together!"
"Huh? Rio-ni, I mean Rio-ya? Wait! No, wait a minute!"
With Rio-nim perceptively taking Hye-eun away, I was left alone with the Guild Master.
"Haha, looks like this old man is scaring everyone away."
"Not at all. I like the calm atmosphere."
The celebration party would last for three days and two nights.
While nominally the 'Tower's 100th Floor Resort Director Inauguration Party', it was essentially my first official event as the holder of all these authorities, so only carefully selected personnel were invited. Though everyone was watching each other, no one dared to approach me recklessly.
"I also wanted to have a 'leisurely' conversation with the Guild Master, 'just the two of us'."
"Hoho! Of course, me too!"
"Hohoho!"
"Hahaha!"
"..."
"..."
Given that I, who lacked nothing, so blatantly wanted to be alone with him, the Guild Master—who held a position where he couldn't afford to be oblivious—naturally became suspicious of my intentions.
'No need to be so wary...I just want you to hold me once, no, preferably many times...that's all♡'
"Ahem!"
As if he'd seen the eyes of a snake hunting its prey, the Guild Master coughed awkwardly. Though we were inside the Tower, I looked at the perfectly visible sun in the sky and prayed for it to set quickly.
'No matter what happens at this party, I will obtain 'Ability Nullification'!'
Though Hye-eun repeatedly warned me to be careful of the Guild Master, I couldn't possibly give up on that ability—'Ability Nullification'. To obtain it, I needed to spend the night with the Guild Master, just the two of us.