06. Evolution?
06. Evolution?
Unable to defy Sihwan's words, Eleonore eventually put the cigarette in her mouth as instructed, lit it, and leaned against the car.
"Nice. Your face and figure are so pretty that even just posing roughly looks like a great shot."
Sihwan started taking photos using the building management tablet he'd brought along.
As he gave various instructions and snapped away, he soon secured over twenty shots.
And at the same time, the expressions of the women—excluding Bari—soured.
"You... made me do something like this...?"
She was already lifting the hem of her short skirt just enough to tease a glimpse of her panties, or unbuttoning perfectly fine buttons to reveal her cleavage.
It was blatant sex appeal, no matter who looked.
Ha Yeon-seo and Yu Ina were furious.
"'Something like this'? This is all top-notch modeling work."
"Bullshit! You... you make your wife do stuff like this!!"
Yu Ina pointed accusingly at him, her face flushed red as she scolded.
His tastes were utterly incomprehensible.
This was crossing the line!
"What are you talking about? If your wife's a sexy model, what could be better?"
"You shameless doll-fucker...!"
Yu Ina recoiled in disgust, hurling abuse.
She was far too pure to accept Sihwan's tastes(?).
"Hang on, did I just hear something weird?"
In the midst of it, Ha Yeon-seo jumped in.
"'Doll-fucker'?"
"No, you're focusing on that?"
Everyone in this world reacted to 'doll-fucker.'
Yu Ina had, Eleonore—who was now swishing her skirt—had too.
And now Ha Yeon-seo as well.
"No way... you're actually...?"
Yeon-seo shot him a look of profound admiration and took a couple steps back.
"So what?"
"Oh my god..."
Her pupils shook.
She looked more shocked than when she'd seen Eleonore's sexy poses, covering her mouth with her palm in horror.
Was banging Bari really that weird? Huh?
"Anyway, enough. Ina, you come here too. A wife should help her husband's business."
"Eek! No way!!"
She hadn't even changed clothes yet, but shook her head violently.
Ha Yeon-seo wore a look of sheer terror too.
No matter what, she wasn't putting on the uniform.
"...I'll be heading out now. I'm exhausted in every way."
"Fine, fine. Man, you guys are so picky."
He took a step back.
"Just keep the cigarette in your mouth like that. I already checked your outfit."
"No, I'm leaving?"
"Hey now. Didn't you say earlier you'd help with the promo? Backing out after one word? From a great 『Noblesse』-nim like you?"
"Sigh... I didn't know it'd be this."
"A promise is a promise, though."
"You really..."
Crunch.
She ground her teeth and glared, but would Sihwan back down from something like that?
In the end, Yeon-seo gave up.
"...Ugh, this pisses me off!"
"Alright, Yuna too. Keep your clothes on and just smoke the cig."
"Ugh... no, the whole act just feels gross."
"You know what this is?"
"I know what photos are!"
"Hoh."
There were Magic Carriages like car-ish things, so apparently cameras existed too.
"Anyway, go stand over there."
"You... just you wait till tomorrow."
Ina, the type to reluctantly give in if pushed, finally submitted and stood in front of the car.
Her hesitant pose was kinda awkward, but she was such a beauty that even that made a picture.
It blended nicely with the sleek car, creating a pretty convincing scene.
"Alright, put it in your mouth."
He tossed her a cigarette like training a dog, and she snatched it out of the air with her hand.
"Don't treat me like an animal!"
Even as she said that, she obediently put it in her mouth and lit up.
"Yeah, yeah. Good girl, my wife."
"...Feels gross."
Sihwan made various demands.
Still, compared to what he'd made Eleonore do—since she was his wife—it toned down the sex appeal. More focused on her natural beauty, you could say.
Yeon-seo watched her and Sihwan with a strange gaze.
More precisely, Sihwan, who was snapping away furiously.
She'd had a bit of interest in him from the start.
Armed with outrageous arrogance, he ruthlessly pierced her complacency—he was an Irregular in her life.
She'd never met a guy like Sihwan in her whole life.
Not just from lower races, but even including 『Noblesse』 men.
And for good reason: 『Noblesse』 men were lower status than 『Noblesse』 women, and Yeon-seo was the granddaughter of the Great Ha Family.
Who would dare act cocky with her?
Even Yoo Tae-hee, head of the Yu Family, treated her as a subordinate but respected her as Chief Instructor of the Academy and kept proper etiquette.
For a mere human to strut around her like that was simply unimaginable.
'He's... handling me however he wants...'
If he lacked ability, she'd dismiss him as some clueless bug.
Not even worth a sliver of attention—pure extravagance.
But from what she'd seen today, he had skills that justified his personality.
Even if it was his doll's power, as long as she pledged absolute loyalty, it was as good as his own.
'Being a doll-fucker is a bit off-putting... but... whatever.'
This was Ryu Si-hwan, after all—did it even matter now?
"Pretty, my wife."
"Sh-shut up."
"Just lift your leg a bit like that."
"...Like this?"
Sihwan was still engrossed in shooting.
Desire began flickering in Yeon-seo's eyes as she watched him.
.
.
"Alright, now Yeon-seo... huh?"
Sihwan, having shot Yuna plenty.
He looked for his next model, Yeon-seo... but what do you know? She was wearing the uniform.
When the hell had she changed?
No, before that—why?
"Why stare like that?"
"No... didn't you say you weren't wearing that?"
"I did... but I changed my mind. If we're doing it, might as well do it right."
"True, but..."
What wind blew in suddenly?
"Doesn't suit me?"
"No way. It suits you perfectly."
"Heh."
The Academy's top beauty—how could the uniform not suit her?
Her breasts swelled like they might burst, contrasted by her sharply cinched waistline.
From her ample hips to her pale exposed thighs and long stretched legs, she radiated sex appeal that made you wonder if this was even allowed.
Muguk.
She crossed her arms proudly, propping up her voluptuous chest and drawing all eyes.
Chiiik.
And a cigarette on top.
She strode out like a model, exhaled a plume of smoke, leaned against the car, and crossed her legs.
"Alright, shoot."
+++
On the way back.
Yu Ina kept glancing sideways at Yeon-seo sitting next to her.
'That look in her eyes was weird.'
At some point, the way Yeon-seo looked at Sihwan had gotten strangely different.
As a woman, and as his wife, she was sensitive to such changes.
'No way... right?'
The changed gaze, suddenly switching to the uniform... everything was suspicious.
As her thoughts spiraled...
'The Chief Instructor really...?!'
She arrived at a dizzying conclusion.
But she quickly shook her head.
No matter what, that didn't make sense.
Yeon-seo developing feelings for that arrogant Sihwan? Even if the sky split in two, impossible!
'I'm just on edge from all the crazy crap today.'
She rationalized it to herself.
What happened(?) today was more than enough to make anyone sensitive.
"You must be pretty conflicted too~."
"...Pardon?"
"Your husband's a doll-fucker... and flaunting an Elf like that."
"Do your gossiping without me."
"Even in a flower garden like this, I'm being big-hearted about it."
"What the—."
What did that even have to do with anything?
Sihwan felt wronged, but Yeon-seo kept talking.
"But hey, silver lining? You're not really in love anyway. Doesn't actually bother you, right?"
Like hell it didn't.
Every time Sihwan did it with Eleonore and Bari, jealousy surged inside her.
It was obvious jealousy to anyone watching.
But she couldn't admit that here.
"O-of course not. Doesn't bother me at all. Whatever that guy's up to..."
"Hmm... really? Good thing."
"..."
Was that 'good thing' comment loaded, or just her imagination?
She felt inexplicably annoyed.
.
.
Back at the Factory, eleven cars had been produced.
Cigarettes were already stocked to the brim.
"You know, thinking about it, we shouldn't sell the cars. If we do, later."
Sihwan paused while setting additional car production.
For once, he was actually thinking.
"If cars flood the market, it's no good for me."
"I was going to suggest that too, so no need."
Relieved.
Bari added.
Indeed, the profits from just selling cars on the market were minimal.
Better to make buses or something and monopolize inter-city transport and logistics for way bigger long-term gains.
"Can't launch satellites in The Tower, so let's deploy Relay Drones. Map every inch of the terrain and dominate logistics."
This world's distribution and logistics were mostly horse carriages.
Ultra-luxury stuff might use Magic Carriages, but even those got crushed by car performance.
"Gotta build stations, produce different types of vehicles... mountains of work."
"You'll need a company too. To do it properly."
"Yeah."
It might seem like a hassle, but he welcomed it.
After all, he'd jumped into the Black Hole to this Otherworld out of boredom in the first place.
"Alright. We'll only hire total babes as employees."
"Crazy bastard."