Chapter 29
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: A Suspicious Shopping Trip with Chae Seol-ah (1)
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Despite the larger-scale Gangwon-do Incident, the department store terrorist attack continued to dominate the news for a while.
It seemed to have sparked discussions on national security concerns, overlapping with the Gangwon-do Incident.
However, no concrete measures were announced.
A week after the department store incident, the news was filled only with political finger-pointing between the ruling and opposition parties.
"How intriguing!"
Bathory, who had been sitting primly and watching the news on TV, nodded her head.
"They can't solve the root of the problem and are only busy blaming each other. Humans are truly fascinating. As expected, lowly humans like these need the rule of my Demon Lord..."
"Is this kid properly socialized?"
Kim Hyun, leaning back against the sofa with her legs crossed under her, turned to Chae Seol-ah with a sullen expression.
Bathory had now completed the Management Bureau's entire socialization program and returned to Kim Hyun's side.
Chae Seol-ah, sitting beside her, scratched her cheek and replied.
"Um, they said she finished the whole program."
"What score did she get?"
"I don't really know that..."
As Chae Seol-ah shook her head, Bathory placed a hand on her chest and lifted her chin proudly.
"Of course, perfect score!"
"You didn't dominate and manipulate those people, did you?"
Bathory smiled with her eyes.
"Oh, come on."
"I don't believe you."
Kim Hyun wore a subtle expression.
"Dominate?"
Chae Seol-ah tilted her head at the sudden term.
"Yeah, that's her ability."
Kim Hyun held up one finger. A drop of blood rose from her fingertip and floated in the air.
"Bathory can turn anyone injected with her blood into a familiar and control them."
"...!"
Chae Seol-ah's eyes widened at the words.
Inject blood and control anything? Could such an absurd ability really exist in the world?
Suddenly recalling the Gangwon-do Incident, Chae Seol-ah cautiously asked.
"Then the monsters in Gangwon-do back then...?"
"Probably manipulated using Bathory's blood."
"My god..."
Chae Seol-ah looked at Bathory with newfound awe.
"Compared to the Demon Lord, this is just ordinary. Ordinary."
What kind of standards allowed her to call such a power ordinary?
Chae Seol-ah inwardly grew afraid of Kim Hyun.
At that moment, Kim Hyun raised her hand.
As she extended her left hand, Chae Seol-ah, sitting to her left, immediately held out the popcorn bag as if waiting for it.
Kim Hyun had long since finished her share of the caramel popcorn.
"Mm, this is tasty."
"Convenience store popcorn tastes better than movie theater these days."
"And there are so many flavors."
"Movie theaters have similar varieties, don't they?"
"Really?"
Bathory, who had been quietly listening to their conversation, looked at Chae Seol-ah with discomfort.
Soon, Bathory glared at Chae Seol-ah and asked.
"Why do you know so much about this?"
"Pardon?"
"You! You!"
Bathory jumped to her feet and pointed accusingly at Chae Seol-ah, hopping in place.
"Why do you know the Demon Lord better than I do?!"
Startled by the sudden shout, Chae Seol-ah flinched and pulled back. With a flustered face, she carefully asked.
"Wh-what do you mean?"
"I mean! How do you know that the Demon Lord wants that snack at that exact moment?!"
"Hey, don't block the TV."
Kim Hyun nudged Bathory with her toe.
Only then did Bathory step out of the TV screen's view and stare at Chae Seol-ah with bulging eyes.
Finally understanding why Bathory was angry, Chae Seol-ah averted her gaze awkwardly and began explaining.
"Well, it's because of my ability..."
"Ability?"
"I have the power to figure out how to approach targets."
At those words, Kim Hyun suddenly realized something and turned to look at Chae Seol-ah.
"Wait, so this whole time you've been strategizing how to approach me?"
"Uh... yeah?"
"Unbelievable."
Kim Hyun turned her gaze back to the TV screen.
"That's such an unfair ability. I barely know this world yet! You cheater!"
"S-sorry."
Chae Seol-ah bowed her head, then suddenly tilted it in confusion.
"...B-but why does that make me the cheater?"
"I'm the one who should serve the Demon Lord best. You're stealing my position!"
"...?"
Meanwhile, as Kim Hyun flipped through channels looking for something worth watching, a home shopping underwear ad caught her eye.
"Hm."
Kim Hyun's head tilted downward.
Her gray tracksuit came into view. The chest area was slightly bulging. Now that she was aware of it, it felt itchy somehow.
"Come to think of it, I guess I should wear underwear."
At Kim Hyun's abrupt statement, Chae Seol-ah whipped her head around.
"Pardon?"
"Underwear, I mean."
Kim Hyun gestured toward the TV screen with her chin.
Only then did Chae Seol-ah and Bathory notice the home shopping ad.
Chae Seol-ah looked perplexed.
"'Should wear underwear'? What does that mean...?"
Soon, glancing down at Kim Hyun's chest, Chae Seol-ah screamed.
"Kyaaah!"
"Why so surprised? First time seeing someone without underwear?"
Kim Hyun shrugged.
Chae Seol-ah covered her face with both hands and yelled.
"First time! No, why aren't you wearing any?!"
Chae Seol-ah snapped her fingers in demonstration and waved her arms.
"You can just make clothes like this!"
"I had to see underwear first to make it."
"You just saw some on TV!"
"Can't make it unless I see it in person."
"What kind of...?"
What kind of ability is that? Chae Seol-ah wore an incredulous expression.
Looking up at her, Kim Hyun suddenly grinned slyly.
"Then shall we go buy some?"
"Pardon? Buy what?"
"Underwear."
*Ding-a-ling!*
"Welcome..."
Lee Ye-rim, who ran an underwear shop called 'The House' in Bundang, froze mid-greeting, swallowing hard in surprise.
'Whoa, what is this?'
The customers who entered weren't ordinary at all.
All of them were beauties who could make anyone passing by on the street turn their heads. They looked like celebrities at first glance.
The combination was unusual too.
One white-haired foreigner in a dress, one innocent-looking woman with a ponytail in a suit, and one sharp-featured short-haired woman in tracksuit.
'Cosplay or something?'
Lee Ye-rim thought that inwardly as she greeted them again.
"W-welcome!"
"Yes, hello!"
She hadn't expected a response, but the innocent-looking woman bowed her head politely.
'Wow, whoever they are, they must have been born lucky.'
What must it be like to live with such faces? Lee Ye-rim scanned the beauties' appearances enviously, then glanced at the mirror on the wall and sighed.
'Sigh, better get to work.'
Lee Ye-rim slowly began organizing the underwear. Of course, she couldn't stop sneaking glances behind her.
"I don't know much about underwear."
"Why don't you kn... oh..."
"I don't know much about these little fabric scraps either."
"Uh, th-then what do we do?"
The flustered ponytail woman turned to Lee Ye-rim with desperate eyes, pleading for help.
"Yes, what can I do for you?"
"Could you measure our sizes?"
"Ah, yes. Measurements."
Lee Ye-rim grabbed a measuring tape from the counter and approached the trio of beauties.
"I'll go first."
Bathory was the first to get measured.
'Whoa, what is this?'
Lee Ye-rim doubted her eyes at Bathory's bust.
She hadn't noticed from afar earlier, but it was big.
Really big.
'Westerners really are something...'
Thinking that, Lee Ye-rim took the measurement.
The result was 80E.
"Mm..."
It was no joke, seriously no joke.
Bathory tilted her head upon hearing her size.
"Is that good?"
Lee Ye-rim was momentarily speechless.
Good...?
'Is having big breasts good...?'
No matter how she thought about it, that size seemed more inconvenient. Still smiling, Lee Ye-rim replied.
"Bigger is better. Men will love it."
"Not good at all."
"...?"
Next up was the short-haired beauty.
'So this is what they mean by a face that glows.'
Lee Ye-rim swallowed dryly and took the measurement.
The result was 75C.
"What does this mean?"
Kim Hyun tilted her head and looked at Chae Seol-ah.
"Well, it's like this. We measure underbust and bust circumference..."
"Bigger than average?"
"Bigger... yeah?"
"Big, huh... I guess so..."
Suddenly, Kim Hyun cupped her breasts and kneaded them. It was so embarrassing that Lee Ye-rim quickly fled to the counter.
Chae Seol-ah, face flushed red, stopped Kim Hyun.
"K-Kim Hyun! Stop..."
"Fine, whatever. What about you? Aren't you getting measured?"
At the question, Chae Seol-ah nodded awkwardly.
"I already know my size."
"What is it?"
"Wh-why do you ask?"
"Just curious?"
Kim Hyun grinned slyly.
"So, what's your size?"
"...Same as yours, Kim Hyun."
"Hm."
Hmm, hmm.
After humming for a while, Kim Hyun lightly snapped her fingers.
"Then I can just try it on you."
"Pardon?"
Kim Hyun grinned and grabbed Chae Seol-ah's shoulder.
"If I dress you up in what I'm going to wear, I can get a rough idea of how it'll feel. Right?"
"...?!"
Chae Seol-ah's face turned pale.