Chapter 157: What Was Different?
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 157: What Was Different?
“I’m of the mind that we simply can’t coexist with monsters. I mean, they eat humans. That’s an automatic disqualification right there.”
“Ah… Right. Most people feel that way.”
“Monsters all need to be killed. Take Pellets, for example—those rodent monsters. People leave them alone even when they show up in the city because they’re ‘not dangerous,’ but even things like that should be completely eradicated. Don’t you agree, Agent?”
“Uh…”
It was exhausting, prattling on while playing a radical role I was never meant for.
Well, most people do believe monsters are dangerous and should be eliminated, but it was hard work putting extra emotion into it, acting as if I were fueled by pure hatred.
I was running out of things to say. Could we wrap this up now?
“But Mr. Seo Yeon-woo, in your last mission, you cooperated with an intelligent monster…”
“Ah, that? Who was it again? There was an agent in charge there.”
“…Are you referring to Agent Ibuki?”
“That’s the one. I only held back because Agent Ibuki stopped me. If he hadn’t been there, that monster would’ve been dead a long time ago.”
Though if we’d actually fought, I’m the one who would’ve ended up dead.
Constantly making things up was draining the life out of me. You have to keep lies moderate to avoid getting caught, but these agents were so persistent with their questions that I was worried I’d eventually trip over a contradiction.
Just as I was holding out, the tent flap opened and Berengel walked in.
The interrogating agent stood up immediately. Berengel gave a half-hearted acknowledgment of the agent’s salute and sat down across from me.
He looked quite displeased. Did he catch me in a lie?
“You can stop the act now.”
“Uh… Why do you think I’m acting?”
“I’ve already spoken with Lady Teresa. If you heard the story from her, you should have reported it to me. Why did you act alone without reporting in?”
What? He’s angrier about me acting alone than about me interfering with the capture and attacking a comrade?
And what’s this about Teresa?
In times like this, it’s better to just look pitiful than to speak recklessly.
As I lowered my head and pretended to gauge his reaction while organizing my thoughts, Berengel continued.
“I don’t know what your relationship with the Diana Clan is, but the person in charge is there so you can share your burdens at times like this.”
Okay, I’ve got it.
It seems Teresa stepped up to defend me. She probably made it look like she either ordered or requested that the monster be killed at all costs, and I simply followed her wishes.
Not bad.
Teresa is the leader of a village where residents were killed; no one can blame her for being furious. Besides, this place is outside normal jurisdiction—it’s whatever Teresa says it is.
If I say I was just carrying out her wishes, my guilt becomes much lighter. I was just following the client’s orders, after all.
Berengel seemed to understand and even feel sorry for me, so I decided to lean into Teresa’s narrative.
“Did Lady Teresa already tell you…?”
When I spoke with bitter, soulful eyes, Berengel—a middle-aged man with plenty of empathy—nodded in commiseration.
“I understand Lady Teresa’s anger since her people were killed. But you didn’t need to take that burden all on yourself.”
“If she told you, then I suppose it can’t be helped.”
Since I didn’t know exactly what she said, I didn’t add anything else.
The only thing I’d actually "taken on" was Akito’s hyper-empathetic melodrama, though.
To avoid bringing up things I didn't know about, I just gave vague affirmations to Berengel’s words, and I was released shortly after.
To think she’d look out for me this much. I’ll have to give Teresa a big hug when I get back.
“Yeon-woo!”
As if she’d been waiting the entire time I was being interrogated, Angelica ran over and hugged me the moment she saw me.
Behind her, the rest of the team approached with smiles, offering their congratulations.
“I thought you were finally going to get a criminal record. What a shame.”
“You were too reckless.”
“It would have been better if you’d suffered a bit more. How disappointing.”
This is… congratulations, right? The Comedy Duo and Bukgeuk-jwa were smirking.
Yukina’s expression didn’t change much, as if she’d known I’d get off easily or simply trusted me.
And Thug, stop looking at me with those gay eyes. You’re the only one being serious.
“Have you been waiting this whole time? Aren’t you tired?”
“How could I rest when you were dragged away so unfairly?”
“It wasn’t exactly unfair. There was a disagreement, and I attacked first.”
When I spoke with a warning to watch his mouth, Thug understood and glanced at the surroundings.
Officially, it was just a disagreement over whether to capture or kill. That’s how it would be recorded in the report, and Akito would get the credit for capturing an intelligent monster.
Everyone looked busy escorting the residents back to the village and preparing to withdraw.
Regardless, we headed back to the shrine to rest. Since we were already here, I planned to stay for a couple of days.
There were people to serve us, the food was high-class, the lodging was great, and the scenery was beautiful. This was the ultimate luxury resort.
Perhaps because the interrogation had been so mentally taxing, I didn't even feel like bathing. I went straight to my room and collapsed onto the plush bed.
The blankets smelled nice. I felt like I could fall asleep right—
“Oh my… I suppose today isn’t the day. Are you that tired?”
At the soft, sultry voice, my body and my dick stood up automatically.
Turning my head, I saw Teresa sitting with her chin resting on her hand, looking at me with a satisfied expression.
Come to think of it, I was being rude. She’d saved me, and I was about to go straight to sleep without even saying thank you because I was tired.
“Thank you for protecting me.”
Teresa let out a soft giggle, then began fiddling with her nails as if she weren't particularly interested.
“It’s only natural for your sake, Yeon-woo. I didn't do it expecting anything in return… but you aren't the type to just say thank you with words, are you? That’s why I like you.”
Teresa smiled, her eyes filled with desire as she looked at me.
Indeed, I am not a man of mere words.
As I unzipped my pants, my dick reared its head to offer its own thanks to Teresa.
The moment she saw the politely erect member, Teresa stood up with a radiant smile.
With every slow step she took toward me, her ornate robes began to slip. By the time she stood before me, the fabric had completely loosened and slumped to the floor.
Boasting her snow-white naked body, Teresa looked down at me sitting on the bed and smiled.
Moving even a fingertip with elegance, she leaned forward. Her large breasts spilled out, but defying gravity, they swayed without losing their shape, beckoning me.
As I watched her breasts swing from side to side like a hypnotic pendulum, Teresa lifted my chin with her index finger, met my eyes, and whispered.
“Since you’re tired today, Yeon-woo… please leave everything to me.”
“I’m not as tired as I look.”
“Fufu.”
Laughing with a melodic voice, Teresa gave me a light kiss, then began licking my skin with her tongue, slowly working her way down.
Chu. Chu. Chu.
Her touch, both gentle and passionate, stripped away my clothes. Sliding her tongue over my exposed skin, she reached my abdomen and pressed her lips briefly against my dick as if kissing it.
I’d been chasing the Fierce Beast Girl all night and had even been in a battle, so my dick was unwashed and musky, yet Teresa pressed her face against it and rubbed her cheek as if she were in bliss.
“Such a foul, wonderful scent.”
Looking up at me with her cheek still pressed against my dick, Teresa smiled with her eyes.
Seeing Teresa—who was respected by all the shrine maidens and was essentially the queen of a nation—crawling on all fours and rubbing her face against my dick sent a surge of pleasure through me.
“Haaum, chyuup, chuup… Are you trying to get our children pregnant with such a ghastly thing? Chuup… fufu.”
Even while sucking on my dick as if it were a delicacy, Teresa never took her eyes off me.
Her mouth, which usually spoke with such refined language, was stuffed with my cock, causing her pronunciation to slur, and every time she spoke, her tongue rubbed against me. It felt incredible.
When the vulgar yet sensual Teresa finally spat it out, a string of thick saliva dripped to the floor.
Saliva coated my dick, glistening, but Teresa didn't care. She tilted her head and began licking my balls.
The saliva that had been dripping now stained her flawless cheek. Teresa unceremoniously took both balls into her mouth and rolled them gently with her tongue.
As my dick twitched and thrashed under her masterful tongue-work, Teresa gripped it with her hand, using her wrist to stroke it up and down.
When I could no longer hold back the pleasure from her supreme service, Teresa, still holding my balls in her mouth, looked up from between my legs and smirked.
This wicked, wicked woman.
“Ah… I told you to leave it to me, fufufu.”
I couldn't take it anymore. I grabbed Teresa—who was like a succubus intent on draining every drop of a man’s essence—threw her onto the bed, and pounced.
* * *
“Brother, are you alright?”
Akito, who had been sitting in a secluded spot staring blankly at the scenery, looked up at Shiori’s voice.
Seeing his troubled face, Shiori gave a bitter smile and sat down beside him.
Though she’d asked if he was okay, she didn't seem to expect an answer. She simply sat by his side and looked out at the same view he was watching.
Akito soon turned his gaze back, and the two of them stared silently at the well-manicured garden.
“I’ll follow whatever choice you make, Brother. Because I trust you.”
“… …”
“As long as we’re human, we make mistakes and get things wrong. But even when you’re wrong, you listen to those around you and try to find a better answer. That’s why I trust your choices.”
Akito turned to look at Shiori, but she continued to speak calmly, still watching the garden.
“This time, you weren't yourself.”
“Ah…”
Akito understood what Shiori meant.
He had always listened to the opinions of those around him. Even if he couldn't understand them at first, he would think about them once more and try to empathize.
No matter how difficult the hardship, he believed it could be overcome by consulting everyone and worrying together. If everyone lent their strength, they could move toward a better future.
Even though Akito was capable of doing everything alone, he never ignored the opinions of those around him.
He even empathized with Yeon-woo’s opinion.
He still couldn't accept that she had to be killed, but she was currently as dangerous as a wild beast. The fact that she had no qualms about eating humans showed that she was an entirely different species. It was no different from letting a monster loose inside the Barrier.
Would she really have kept her promise? Even Akito wasn't sure about that.
If he had listened to Yeon-woo as he usually did, if he hadn't stubbornly pushed his own way and had talked to him more, there would have been no need to fight—and no need for Yeon-woo to take the blame in his stead.
“What was different this time?”
“I… don’t know either.”
Akito couldn't understand his own emotions.
Why had he fought Yeon-woo instead of talking? Why had he let his emotions take the lead? Why hadn't he listened to him?
The questions followed one after another, but with no answers in sight, Akito felt stifled.
Watching her brother like that, Shiori gave a small laugh and stood up.
“I like you, Brother. Even the way you worry like this.”
Akito might wander, but he always found the answer.
Thinking that this time would be no different… no, believing it, Shiori withdrew first so as not to disturb him.
Left alone with his thoughts, Akito suddenly realized he hadn't apologized to Yeon-woo.
He’d heard from Kurumi that the interrogation at headquarters was over and that he’d returned to the lodging.
The man who had suggested a new path when Akito was about to irresponsibly release a creature that could be dangerous to others, and the man who had covered up the crime Akito had committed.
Feeling an infinite sense of gratitude toward Yeon-woo, Akito decided that apologizing was the first priority. He stood up and headed toward Yeon-woo’s room.
As he approached the room, rehearsing his apology in his head, Akito stopped in his tracks at a strange noise.
“Ah… Yeon-woo… Haaang, it’s so full… I love it, ahhaang…!”
A familiar voice. But it was a voice drenched in a level of pleasure he had never heard before. Akito’s body froze.
He already knew whose voice it was.
The incredibly sophisticated and noble woman, Teresa.
Though their meeting had been brief, Akito had been captivated by her poise and elegance. He suppressed his mana, erased his presence, and drew closer to Yeon-woo’s room.
“Haaaang…! The cock, hng, Yeon-woo’s cock is vibrating all the way inside… Hyaat!”
The chaste, noble woman was nowhere to be found.
The woman in Akito’s memory had vanished. In her place was a woman pinned beneath Yeon-woo, surrendering to his cock and letting out nothing but vulgar moans.
A damp, unpleasant emotion, like the foul smell of a rag used to wipe up spoiled milk, pierced his nose.
Comparing himself to another, harboring negative feelings toward them—even as he told himself he shouldn't think this way, the feeling stuck to the depths of his heart like thick, black sludge.
‘What was different this time?’
Akito finally realized what it was.