How to Be Loved by a Corrupting Witch (2)

Next day.

I've gotten a bit used to putting on a suit and tying a tie now. Even just looking in the mirror, I pass for a competent psychological counselor. Some might say I look a little rough around the edges.

Well, maybe that delinquent vibe suits me better today.

Sector 5, as you might know, was nothing like the glittering skyscrapers of Sectors 1 and 2. This place was like the shadow of the city. Abandoned construction sites where redevelopment had stalled, rusted steel frames, ramshackle houses crammed together.

This slum's a real shithole. How the hell does Seo-yul noona survive here?

"This is it, huh."

The air reeked of acrid exhaust and mold. Trash bags had burst open on the ground, spilling their guts, and telephone poles were plastered with illegal loan flyers.

For a place where a magical girl lives... it's pretty rough.

When you think of magical girls, you picture flashy penthouses or luxury officetels, but reality was brutal.

Retired magical girls drowning in debt often ended up in slums like this—more common than you'd think. It wasn't just the corruption desire; their earnings and maintenance costs were sky-high to begin with. Freelancers without a guild could snowball into massive debt from the slightest imbalance.

Checking the address, I climbed the hill and spotted someone waving from afar.

"Sir! Over here!"

A petite girl in a hard hat. It was Yu-bin, the client from the profile photo.

She was tiny. Way smaller than I'd imagined.

High school senior? Seriously? Is she even 150cm?

Oversized hoodie and training pants made her look like an elementary kid who'd stolen her dad's clothes.

"Hello, you're Yu-bin, right?"

"Yes! Wow, you really came! Thank you so much!"

Yu-bin bowed at the waist. Her loose hard hat rattled every time she looked up. Up close, her face was smudged with dirt.

"Just coming from work?"

"Ah, yes! I do part-time at a construction site nearby. When you said you'd be two hours early, I asked the foreman and slipped out."

"Sorry to make you rush."

"Hehe, no worries! You're doing this for free—if you come early, that's even better for me!"

She giggled, scratching the back of her head.

I could guess how tough her life was.

"Let's head in. Is your mom inside?"

"Yes. Probably... playing games."

Yu-bin's expression darkened a little.

"Um, sir. Just so you know ahead of time... the house is kinda dirty. Smells bad too... don't be shocked."

"It's fine. I've seen all kinds of places in my line of work."

"Phew, good... this way."

She led the way. Pushing open the rusted door unleashed the damp mustiness unique to a basement apartment.

Screeech.

The front door opened.

"Mom, we have a guest."

Yu-bin stepped inside cautiously. I slipped off my shoes and followed. Chae Yu-bin's mother was in the room at the far end.

"......"

The moment I opened the door and inhaled, my brow nearly furrowed.

The room reeked, thick and cloying. For a magical girl's home, this level of stench was impressive in its own way.

"Hey, heal... no, why isn't heal coming... sigh... what's the tank doing over there... fucking hell..."

A woman buried in her chair, headset on, nose practically glued to the monitor, hammering the keyboard like a maniac.

"Um... sir."

Yu-bin tugged lightly at my sleeve. Her eyes trembled with anxiety.

"Yes?"

"The thing is... actually."

She glanced nervously at her mom, lost in her game trance.

"I didn't tell Mom you're coming today."

"Ah."

"I meant to, but... couldn't find the right moment. She barely talks to me these days..."

Yu-bin fidgeted with her fingers. No wonder. How do you tell someone in that state, "Mom, you're acting kinda crazy, so I called a counselor"? It'd just spark backlash and get you shut out.

"It's okay."

"Really...?"

"Actually, it's for the best. Sometimes approaching naturally before the patient sets up defenses works better."

I smiled reassuringly and flashed my certification card from my pocket.

"Leave your mom to me. Just relax, Yu-bin."

"O-okay..."

Yu-bin nodded but still looked worried. She hesitated, lips moving, then glanced around.

"Then... I'll do some cleaning."

"Cleaning?"

"Yeah. The place is a total mess... no proper spot for you to sit..."

She nudged a cup ramen container rolling on the floor with her toe. Yeah, there wasn't even standing room.

"Please, sir. Mom might get mad, but she's not a bad person."

"Don't worry. Handling angry patients is my specialty."

I shrugged casually, feigning ease. Only then did Yu-bin seem relieved, starting to pick up the scattered trash.

Rustle, crinkle.

"Mom, I'll clean this up a bit."

"M-move... you're blocking the screen, I can't see shit..."

"Ah, sorry... Mom."

Yu-bin tiptoed around her mom's back, filling a trash bag. The sight was so familiar it tugged at something bittersweet.

I watched for a moment, then slowly approached Jin Se-hee from behind.

The closer I got, the fouler smell faded. Cup ramen broth, damp dust—and threading through it, a sweet bodily scent.

The unique aroma of a magical girl. Even unwashed, their bodies didn't rot. Definitely blessed.

Jin Se-hee. Former C-grade magical girl.

"Nngh... there... dodge it... you idiots..."

Her voice was small, creeping, almost sinister.

She hadn't noticed me. I glanced at her profile.

The material's top-notch.

My gaze dropped below her neckline. Blue-striped pajamas, but they couldn't hide the overwhelming volume beneath.

Massive breasts resting on the desk. Each keystroke made the heavy flesh jiggle, pressing against the wood. No bra, apparently—nipple outlines stark through the fabric.

A neglected body, utterly untended.

Yet it hadn't rotted; it exuded a dangerous allure, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠like overripe fruit.

Was this the body primed for a retired magical girl to become a witch?

"Ah... aaah..."

Then the monitor went gray. Red letters blazed in the center:

"Fucked up... lost again..."

Jin Se-hee released the mouse, clutching her head.

"Nngh... trash... all die... useless fucks..."

She started gnawing her nails.

Unstable psyche. Escapism. Massive destructive impulses building inside.

Worst case I've seen yet.

In other words...

Perfect.

If a woman like this doesn't turn into a corrupting witch, who would? In a way, she was prime talent. The question was what kind.

But how to stoke these urges?

The app could trigger desire flares, but it funneled the poison qi into me for absorption.

That'd just be standard therapy, nothing more.

Hold on.

I fiddled with the smartphone in my pocket.

My power's mechanism had been simple: absorb and digest the poison qi from magical girls.

I was basically a 'human filter.'

But what if I reverse it?

Before treating Kim Na-young, two absorptions had boosted my poison qi capacity. I'd been holding some since—better to digest in batches, skipping the agony of piecemeal processing.

I cautiously scrolled the app menu.

And there it was, tucked in the corner—a tiny icon.

[Release]

Jackpot.

Yes, this could work.

I swallowed dryly. Never tried it before. But Jin Se-hee was the perfect guinea pig.

Her mental state's already half-gone; a bit more madness wouldn't show.

Just a tiny bit. Enough to test without issues.

Not a huge amount anyway.

I tapped Release, set the target to 'Jin Se-hee,' and slid the bar up just one notch.

Bzzz—

The phone vibrated faintly.

At the same time, the heavy black mass lodged in my solar plexus surged back up my throat.

Ugh.

Like vomiting a molten lead ball. An invisible, sticky, dense energy ejected from me toward her.

"Ugh... nngh...?"

Instant reaction.

Jin Se-hee's shoulders jerked. Her typing fingers froze mid-air.

"Haa... nngh...?"

She started writhing.

"Ah... aaah... grk..."

The chair leather squeaked as she rubbed against it. Legs crossing and uncrossing, thighs grinding hard.

"Haa... haa... what... is this... nngh...!"

She threw her head back. Her face, lit by the monitor, flushed crimson.

Eyes unfocused, rolling back. Mouth half-open, tongue lolling.

"Haa... hngh... nngh..."

She moaned like she was masturbating. Her massive desk-bound breasts heaved with ragged breaths. Nipples hardened, straining the fabric.

Whoa, insane.

Way too direct.

"G-good... grk! My head... it's tingling so baaad...!"

She clawed her arms. Shivering in pleasure-pain, grinding her back against the chair.

Drip.

"Huh?"

Blood dripped from her nose. Red drops splattered the desk, seeping between keys.

"Hngh... ugh... so hot... my brain... it's melting...!"

Her body convulsed. Eyes fully rolled back, foam bubbling at her mouth.

Danger.

Clear overload!

Like force-feeding ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a full cup till it shatters. Her mind couldn't handle the poison qi and was collapsing.

I slammed the [Stop] button.

Click.

Supply cut.

"Gack... hack! Haa... haa...!"

Jin Se-hee slumped over the desk. Gasping, she wiped her nosebleed with her hand.

"Haa... haa... what was that... just ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠now...?"

She aged ten years.

I wiped cold sweat, checking the app.

"......?"

I blinked in disbelief.

Why my name? Wait, desires ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠can stack?

Stunned, staring at the screen, I finally got it.

The poison qi.

She tasted the poison qi I released... and it spawned a new corruption desire—for me.

"Wh... o...?"