Chapter 47
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: War (1)
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"Hmm..."
I opened my eyes in bed. Fluffy blankets welcomed me to a pleasant midday haze. I couldn't even begin to guess how long I'd slept.
"...This is really weird."
No one was there sucking my dick when I woke up. How long had it been since that happened?
After being raped at all hours for so long, this somehow felt more awkward instead.
"No one's... up yet?"
Rubbing my eyes, I stepped out into an empty living room. I'd once casually mentioned they slept a lot, and it turned out to be true.
'They're always up before me and waiting in my room, so of course I wouldn't know...'
Maybe.
This could be my chance to escape.
If I just ran away now and went back to a normal life...
"...No."
I shook my head. To begin with, Ju Hana had my ID, and I didn't have any money on me right now—or even my phone.
...Thinking about it, it was amazing how I'd survived this long without a phone. I was starting to impress myself.
"Well then..."
Suddenly, I remembered the conversation I'd had with Yi Hyun yesterday.
Self-harm blackmail. Only after threatening to kill himself if it came to that did they start treating him warmly.
"If it really comes down to it..."
Maybe I should do the same. It might even be a good opportunity right now.
"Ah, Yun's awake?"
I flinched!
Ju Hana, staggering out of her room, called my name, and my mind went completely blank.
"Y-Yeah..."
"Okay... Hungry? Want me to make something?"
"N-No, I'm good."
"Alright?"
With that, Ju Hana headed to the kitchen and started pulling out ingredients with familiar motions.
"How's the hangover from last night?"
"Huh? Oh, fine."
I hadn't drunk much anyway. I'd pretended to be wasted after just a little, figuring I couldn't afford to actually get smashed there.
"Hmm... I was gonna make some hangover stew. Got it."
After that, Ju Hana didn't speak to me. The bubbling sounds and the smell of stew slowly filled the quiet house.
Around then, the other women started waking up one by one and coming out to the living room.
"Ah... Hangover stew? Nice."
Seong Ha-neul, seated at the table, began drumming on it, demanding they hurry up and serve it.
"Feed me!!"
"...Shouldn't you at least set out spoons and chopsticks first?"
"Boop!!!"
"......"
Ju Hana let out a sigh, finished cooking, and lined up the bowls on the table.
"All done."
Meal time was surprisingly quiet. The women, who usually scrolled on their phones or chattered noisily, were meekly slurping their stew, which felt oddly out of place.
'...Why isn't anyone talking to me?'
That's when I first sensed something off.
Normally, they'd tease me or grab me to brainstorm concepts for the next video, pestering me endlessly.
But today, it was like I was invisible—all four of them completely ignoring me.
"...Tastes good. I'm going back to sleep. I'll do the dishes later, so just stack 'em."
Choi Ju-eun, finishing first, said that and vanished into her room without another word.
'What's going on with everyone?'
Were they playing hard to get or something? Thinking that if they ignored me, I'd get antsy and cling to them first?
'...No way in hell.'
Even if I died of boredom, I wouldn't butter them up first. That was my last shred of pride, maybe even the root of my lingering convictions.
"Me too... Gonna sleep more... Sleep won't come... Yawwwn..."
Han Yu-rim finished eating and shuffled back to her room on her own. Now it was just Ju Hana, Seong Ha-neul, and me left in the living room.
Clink, scrape—.
The sound of a spoon being set down and a chair being pushed back.
"...Gonna rest."
"Why not just say you're going to bed?"
"Same difference."
Seong Ha-neul smirked and headed to her room. At this point, even I could tell something was wrong.
Normally, they'd all stay in the living room, surrounding me and hanging out.
One by one, they were leaving. Sure, it could be the hangover, but... this felt off.
"Hmm... I wanna nap too. If you're bored, entertain yourself a bit."
"Sure..."
Entertain myself how? I had nothing.
"Hmm..."
An empty living room with no one around. I poked around hoping for a computer or something, but surprisingly, there was zilch.
"...What the hell am I supposed to do?"
No phone, no computer. Not even a book. What now?
"Might as well just fuck... Whoa."
I almost unconsciously thought sex would be better. What the hell was I thinking?
"TV at least..."
Come to think of it, there was a TV. I went back to the living room, sat on the sofa, grabbed the remote, and turned it on.
Beep—.
A familiar electronic chime rang out as the screen lit up, and a voice began to broadcast.
-Breaking news. A small-scale armed clash occurred at the Baekdu Mountain border with the Chinese side. The government has deemed this a clear provocation and is demanding a firm response from China. They've stated they're prepared for full-scale war if necessary.
"...Huh?"
-Meanwhile, the Chinese government claims it was a preemptive attack from the Korean side and is demanding a swift apology and reparations. At this rate, full-scale war seems inevitable...
The calm, composed tone delivered utterly uncalm news.
"What the...?"
The Chinese here... didn't seem much different from my old world. If anything, they were more thuggish, not kinder.
The near-kidnapping I'd barely escaped last time? China was behind that too, apparently.
As Seong Ha-neul had said in passing, they were pathetic fools still drunk on past glory, blind to reality.
"...Ugh, what do I do?"
Of course, now I knew how amazing Awakeners were—and just how incredible the people sleeping in those rooms were.
I probably wouldn't come to any harm. But...
"...I'm scared."
There had to be people stronger than them out there. Na Hye-eun, right? Their senior sister alone seemed leagues above.
If I wanted to be safer...
"......"
[Never-Drying Spring]
[Semen never runs dry.]
[Semen gains stamina and mana increase/recovery effects.]
[Efficiency rises with Mana Rank.]
[However, semen induces extreme arousal.]
[Activates only on those granted the 'Subordination' skill.]
"...Ugh, I hate this."
I'd recently heard that skill had bumped Ju Hana and Seong Ha-neul up to A-Rank. The effect was proven, but...
"No choice, huh?"
I walked down the long, wide hallway and opened the first door that caught my eye.
"...Yun?!"
Inside, Seong Ha-neul—in her underwear, blankets pulled up—stared at me in surprise.
"Why are you in here...?"
Come to think of it, living here, I'd never been anywhere but my room and the living room. Glancing around, the space looked mostly bare.
"...Sis."
"Hm?"
She just looked like an ordinary person like this. Why did her eyes go wild the second clothes came off...?
"Um... You don't have to do it today."
Seong Ha-neul's expression hardened at my words.
"...Suddenly?"
"No, just..."
I couldn't exactly say I was scared and wanted to power her up to protect me. No way they'd take that well.
"Just... feels weird."
"Hmm..."
Her face shifted by the second—teary-eyed one moment, regretful the next.
"...Come here."
"Okay."
Guess she was gonna do it after all. Relieved deep down, I approached the bed.
Squish—.
"...Ah."
Seong Ha-neul reached out, pulled me into her arms, and stroked my head with trembling hands.
"...Sorry. Things will probably... change starting today. If you don't want it, I won't."
"......Huh?"
What the hell was this all of a sudden?
"Then do it now. I'm fine with it."
"...Uh, yeah?"
"You like it anyway, sis. You want to."
I looked up at her face. She'd do it anytime whether I said no or not—backing off now? Ridiculous.
"...Sorry."
"...Why?"
Why was she apologizing so much? I'd psyched myself up to come here, and this was throwing me off.
"...Me. Us. We're sorry."
Seong Ha-neul quietly held me and kept murmuring apologies.
"...Ugh, gonna lose it. War after all?"
"So that's why they swapped his ability? It was supposed to go somewhere else originally."
"Yeah, it was meant for that guy who buffs his party with dick power and drags 'em around... Worlds are different anyway. Screwed."
"Why are they filming unprompted regret porn?"
A husky voice made the girl snap in anger.
"I don't know! Why'd it turn out like this all of a sudden!!"
"Stop raging and fix it."
She wanted to go mad at the unhelpful nitpicking, but cleanup came first, as advised.
The girl snapped her fingers and muttered something.
"Hmm... Can't undo what's happened anyway. Gotta mess with senior's body again."
"...Poor guy's always suffering."
"He'll like this one. It was gonna happen eventually anyway."
The girl clapped and declared it done.
"Alright, regret arc passed. No clue what happens next."
"That's enough. This gig's a headache."
"Tell me about it."