Chapter 54
The summer comprehensive training was finally wrapped up. Both Yujin and I had left a solid impression on everyone, practically guaranteeing top marks. Just as I'd planned, this should secure my level-up event over the summer break. As the saying goes, all roads lead to Rome—as long as the results are good, the process doesn't matter. I could let it slide like that, but there was one thing I had to nail down first.
"Hey, what the hell were you thinking? Why'd you do it?"
"Ehehe, don't make such a scary face. It's frightening. I didn't do anything bad, you know. Let go of my collar first, and then we can talk."
Kiru, with her plain face and that perpetual beaming smile even as I gripped her collar. Beneath that carefree facade lurked a bomb waiting to go off—you never knew what she'd do next. Fun to observe from a third-party perspective, but dealing with her directly? This girl was a total headache.
"Fine, let's confirm. During the exam, you shared your qi with Yujin, right?"
"Yep!"
Her reply was as chipper as a kindergartener's. Not like she could've hidden it anyway.
The Eight Kings can share their qi with humans, monsters, or even objects to strengthen them. At first glance, it seemed superior to Yujin's method—no sex required. But that wasn't the case.
Yujin's way left his own qi intact while dramatically boosting the woman's qi through training. Overall: a net positive.
The Eight Kings' method just dumped their qi one-way into the target, reducing their own reserves by the same amount. Net zero.
That explained why Kiru had seemed oddly weak throughout the training.
So the question arose.
"Why? Why share your qi? What was the point?"
"Hmm~ Call it an experiment? You know, Hyowon powered up by having sex with Yujin, right? So I thought, maybe I can too? I approached him... but apparently, he has no intention of sleeping with any girl but you."
"What?"
Yujin said that? ...Not ideal. Once he gets used to doing it with me, he'll need to level up more women. Was he being loyal in the weirdest way? I'd have to think on that later.
"They call guys like him one-track romantics, pure-hearted types. Being loved by a man like that is a woman's greatest joy, or so I heard. Lucky you, Hyowon. It'd be even better if you shared that joy with others."
"Shut up with that nonsense."
The idea of that guy loving me? It gave me chills just thinking about it. There was a clear line between us, easy to understand. Neither of us would cross it.
Of course, if I were a real woman? Dating Yujin might've been a decent option. As long as I avoided the extreme risk of turning into a masochistic slut.
His face wasn't bad at all, and while he lacked some awareness, that could be cute too... His potential was unique compared to other cadets—not worse, just different. Strong sense of justice, deep affection for those he loved.
...And in that department? Yeah, immense. Hard to judge without comparisons, but enormous.
But all that only mattered if I were a real woman. Trapped in this beauty's shell or not, my heart housed a surging masculinity ready to burst free. I'm not gay—there's no way I'd give my heart to a man for real.
"But how does failing to seduce Yujin relate to sharing your qi? His strengthening and the Eight Kings' sharing work differently, don't they?"
"? You know that much? What are you, really? You're the mysterious one here, more than me."
My uniqueness was on another level. Eight Kings like her existed; I was one of a kind.
"Yujin's Unique Ability works like this, right? Men's and women's qi fuse and synergize. So I figured, if I planted my qi in him, it might create a fusion opportunity and mimic the effect. And look—the results were a huge success. I didn't expect him to utilize it that well."
True enough. Even as an Eight King remnant, Kiru was only at top cadet level now. Sharing that wouldn't cause such dramatic growth.
Yujin's explosive performance came from his innate talent to amplify what she gave him.
"Exciting. With Yujin's help, I can recover my power way faster than expected."
"You think Yujin's some tool!?"
It pissed me off. Treating him like a mere instrument was bad enough, but her reckless action had jacked up the risk of him getting targeted. My stomach churned.
Suppose an Eight King appeared someday. Seeing Yujin and Kiru, who'd they target as kin? Obviously Yujin, brimming with potent Eight King qi. He'd become priority one.
For Kiru, it meant easy growth without effort while Yujin tanked the aggro. I couldn't let that bandit mentality slide!
"Ahahaha, no wonder you're mad. So, what now? Want me to take it back?"
"...You're being awfully compliant. What's your angle?"
"No angle. ...But don't you feel a little bad? With my power inside, his growth accelerates hugely."
"...You'll just reclaim it all anyway."
"I'll take the qi back, sure. But the sense for wielding it? That stays with him. You know fights aren't decided by raw qi totals alone."
Of course. If they were, humanity would've been wiped out long ago.
"...Sigh."
I released her collar. Annoying as she was, she'd undeniably accelerated Yujin's awakening. No free lunch in this world.
...But still.
"It won't go your way. Don't underestimate people."
"My way? Hmm. Hey, Hyowon. If I said I have no intention of destroying humanity even after regaining my power, what then?"
"I wouldn't buy it."
"Harsh... Though smart. The original Ganwang totally planned that. But I'm just a remnant from his death throes. I have some sense of self as Ganwang, the drive to recover... but no continuous ego."
"So what? You're a 'safe' Eight King, so relax?"
"Hardly. I wouldn't say something so irresponsible like 'I'm harmless' or 'I won't hurt you.' Even humans don't trust that from each other—imagine from me."
Just.
"Keep your guard up, sure. But don't auto-hostile me. I just want to see all the beautiful, awesome things this world has to offer."
"...How much of that can I trust?"
Not very. In most routes, she was Yujin's ally—supporting the heroine abuse, sure. But some paths turned her hostile, and that nagged at me.
Still, that was that. This was this.
"Anyway, thanks. Yujin awakened big-time thanks to you."
"Huh? Think a 'thanks' wipes the slate clean? Nah~ Some things need more than words."
"...Fine. What do you want?"
Kiru clasped her hands demurely, closed her eyes, and puckered her lips.
"Mmm~ A kiss!"
"........."
Lip-to-lip was a no-go, so I gave her a real smack instead.
"Aaaack! It hurts! You two lovebirds are too much, seriously!"
Expected result.
※ Kiru's kiss demand ended as a mere hiccup, but my lips weren't staying pure anyway. Someone had already claimed them at auction.
...Though whether lips that had first tasted a man's cock could be called pure was debatable.
"Alright, pucker up."
"You sure? Grades aren't official yet."
"No need to drag it out. Everyone saw your performance—you're top grade for sure. ...Even if not, you worked hard. You deserve a reward."
"...Thanks for noticing."
He seemed happier about my acknowledgment than the kiss. Too damn pure for the protagonist of an abuse story.
...Or maybe that purity was what twisted him down weird paths.
I cupped his cheeks with my palms. My height as Joo Hyowon meant no need to make him bend down awkwardly. I pulled his head closer, closed my eyes.
No one kisses a guy with eyes open while sane.
His unexpectedly soft cheek met my lips lightly. Then I pulled away fast.
"There, done! That counts—I said kiss, but didn't specify where or how long!"
Even I thought it was kinda thuggish. Heat rushed through me, cheeks flushing. This embarrassment was different from sex; I fanned my face.
He touched his cheek dazedly.
Hmph, he probably imagined lip-to-lip. Tough luck—this suits you.
"...Thanks, really."
"Huh?"
"Dunno... A light peck on the cheek feels more affectionate, kinda ticklish. Not bad... No, it's great. Amazing."
His face went slack as he rubbed where I'd kissed, like trying to preserve the warmth.
Gross, this guy. What're you even thinking? You like this better? And affection? You're subtly pushing boundaries. We're not like that—friends, maybe, but nothing more.
...Nope, not having it.
"Hey, again."
"Huh?"
I yanked his head in, crashing my lips against his. Soft, squishy—ufufu, sweet and tangy kiss? No way. Know this: the most I give you is foreplay before sex!
"Open... your mouth...."
I'll erase that cheek peck from memory.