EP 5 The Demon of the Seoul Retake Academy Class

Recently, Yoo Ji-tae had only been fulfilling requests on the Alchemist board. He hadn't been engaging in any community chatter. That was why he had no idea what was currently happening on the forums. That carefree ignorance had sparked a typhoon.

The alchemist community, Alchemist. There were two evaluation criteria used to judge alchemists there. One was rank, the other was request score. Rank was the grade determined by factors like the rarity of the creation, its historical value, and the difficulty of its production. It was the only variable that could influence winning a Nobel Prize. An alchemist's creations were also their pride. That was why the highest-ranking alchemists rarely accepted requests below a certain rank. Since it represented the peak of one's work, a creation's rank was generally seen as a measure of that person's skill.

Conversely, request score was the cumulative points earned by completing requests. Even handling low-grade requests would accumulate at least some points. Therefore, the total request score was considered a measure of community activity. A high request score earned you the label of someone who had thrown their entire life into the community just to chase rankings. It was a kind of named achievement.

Until recently, the rankings for rank and request score had been separate. Rank was the battlefield of the highest-ranking alchemists. The request score ranking was the battlefield of the community-addicted alchemists. That was common sense among alchemists. And then... that common sense was shattered by a certain alchemist.

In the alchemy research lab of a famous Japanese university, Professor Murakami Satsuki slammed her monitor and cursed.

"What the fuck?"

She had been robbed of first place. The weekly ranking's top spot, which she had monopolized for years, was gone. Professor Murakami blinked repeatedly at the request window before checking the calendar. Today was Thursday. In other words, Hermes had cleared requests at a pace of twenty per day this week.

She opened Hermes's request list and was shocked.

"...What?"

[Appraisal Request] [Forbidden Puppet Technique (D)] [Completed]

[Appraisal Request] [Merchant's Opening Method (C)] [Completed]

[Appraisal Request] [Artman's Egg (F)] [Completed]

[Appraisal Request] [Wallachia's Demon Sword (F)] [Completed]

[Appraisal Request] [Bellonica's Dress (F)] [Completed]

...

"Appraisal requests...?"

Appraisal requests were notorious for taking a long time. Modern magic had incorporated everything from shamanism, magic, holy arts, and martial arts into the magic category. Naturally, the artifacts related to them came in all shapes and forms. It was normal for them to be divided into Eastern, Western, and South American mythologies, and even within the same mythology, enormous differences existed depending on era, ethnicity, and region. Since no one knew about verifying artifact information through Hephaestus, public opinion toward Hermes naturally split into two camps: fraud or genius.

Without the person in question knowing, Hermes's antis ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and hardcore fans had been waging an intense territorial war ever since the Llywelyn vs. Hermes broadcast.

At this point, a kind of frame had formed where Hermes's enemies equaled Hermes antis. However...

Once this post appeared, it could only look like an execution notice to both Hermes's hardcore fans and antis. The execution of the antis who had challenged her.

The comment section exploded in an instant. The question post received over a hundred upvotes and made it to the popular posts. Yoo Ji-tae, who was watching this, tilted his head at the inexplicable aggression. Before long, fights had broken out in the comments.

Yoo ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Ji-tae, who was watching this, naturally had no idea what was going on.

"...What the hell is this...."

He could only stand there in a daze for a moment. The comments that multiplied in an instant reached two hundred in just five minutes. And not a single one answered the question. They were all fighting comments.

"...Maybe there's some misunderstanding?"

Looking at it that way, it seemed like they hadn't properly understood his question because they were too busy fighting each other.

"...It's real though."

If he posted a photo, would they believe him? If he posted a photo of the three women with only their faces mosaicked, maybe they'd understand that the situation he described was real.

"...Hey. Can I take a picture?"

Han Yoo-ra nodded.

"Yes. If that's what Yoo Ji-tae-nim wants, anything is fine."

"Then let's stand up for a moment."

Han Yoo-ra grabbed his leg and pulled up Lee Eun-ah, who had been crying while holding onto it. Yoo Jin-sol also stood up beside her and looked at him.

"Alright, then...."

He was about to take the photo when his hand stopped. Their outfits were too distinctive.

'...Won't they get recognized because of the clothes?'

Their outfits weren't normal. They were revealing clothes that exposed their thighs, stomachs, and hips. If he posted them like this, it would be obvious they'd be identified as "Aren't those those girls?" right away. There was only one solution.

"Why are you like that? Yoo Ji-tae-nim?"

Han Yoo-ra asked, fidgeting with her fingers.

"Can you take your clothes off for a moment? I want to take the picture in your underwear."

All three of their mouths fell open.

"U-underwear, you mean?"

"Yeah. Ah, you don't want to?"

"No! R-rather... our bodies as women...."

"No. Your figures are pretty. They're the kind that drive men crazy."

At that single remark, everyone's expressions changed. From fear to bewilderment, then to joy. Han Yoo-ra asked back with her mouth agape.

"Really? Can we also receive Yoo Ji-tae-nim's grace?"

What the hell was grace?

'...Did I say something wrong?'

Not wanting to be misunderstood, he added an explanation.

"I don't like your personalities. But I think your bodies are the type that drive men insane. Slender waists, the lines of your legs, breasts that look soft. They're all so pretty that I have to do my best to suppress my excitement every time I see them. Honestly, I'm at my limit now."

He said it while feeling embarrassed. Immediately, Hephaestus displayed a point notification.

Right after, the three women threw off their clothes right in front of him. Watching three women undress simultaneously was mentally taxing in itself. Sexual excitement, fear, and discomfort swirled inside him, to the point his mind felt hazy. Their underwear wasn't flashy but plain. The kind called sports underwear. That style with black and white bands, but somehow it made his head spin even more.

"I'm taking it."

Then the three women made heart shapes with their hands and held them up to their chests.

"Yes, oppa."

"Anytime."

"Yes, Yoo Ji-tae-nim."

After taking the photo, he mosaicked their faces and posted it again on the question thread.

These girls attacked me, and somehow I subdued them? But they did apologize. I just don't know if they're really sorry or if they're just trying to get through the moment. So I want to give them punishment to make them truly reflect, but I've never given punishment before. I want recommendations.

[Comments][18]

- [Beginner][High School Grad] Hermes: Ah. Anyway, just mention what kind of punishment to give first. I'm busy....

└ [Expert][PhD] Dr. Murakami: You have no self-awareness about what kind of post you're writing????

└ [Beginner][High School Grad] Hermes: ?

└ [Expert][PhD] Dr. Murakami: ? Are you fucking kidding me, is this bitch crazy. Don't you realize you're the cancer cell of Alchemist?

└└ [High Rank][High School Grad] SadnessEndurer: Dr. Murakami, you must respect Hermes-nim. She is a Nobel Prize winner, the undisputed #1 in this week's request score ranking, the successful crafter of Alkahest, and the eternal god and master of Alchemist.

Leaving the two of them to fight, he found some worthwhile comments. He appropriately ignored the "kill them" comments. Beating them or carving something into their bodies was also a pass. These girls would get married someday too, so leaving scars on their bodies was too much. The ones he narrowed it down to were a few. The first one was this.

"Lee Eun-ah. Come here."

"Yes, Ji-tae oppa."

"...Mm. I feel a bit sorry, but still, you guys said you'd accept it."

"Yes, oppa. You can use us like toys."

Looking at Lee Eun-ah's face gazing at him contentedly, he spat on it.

"Ptooey."

Plop. Drip.

The comment he had seen was this one.

He looked at Lee Eun-ah's expression while drooling.

"Ji-tae oppa... Ji-tae oppaaa...."

Lee Eun-ah was in a daze. The saliva that fell from his mouth landed on her pretty face. The transparent saliva soiled Lee Eun-ah's face.

"...Oppa."

"...Eat it."

Lee Eun-ah opened her mouth slightly and licked the saliva that had fallen near her lips.

"I... I ate it."

'...Why does she like it?'

It was strange. If someone spat on him, he'd probably feel disgusted, but he really couldn't understand other people's hearts. He looked at Han Yoo-ra and Yoo Jin-sol. Both were staring at him with twitching lips as if expecting something. But spitting on someone's face... he felt guilty doing it multiple times.

"Alright. You two come here too and lick the saliva off Eun-ah's face."

The two looked at each other's faces, then turned back to him and smiled.

'...Why do they like it?'

He didn't understand. Anyway, Lee Eun-ah knelt down ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠on the spot for the other two and looked up. Then Han Yoo-ra and Yoo Jin-sol each stuck out their tongues and shared his saliva.

"Haum. Hawup."

"Uum. Uum."

"Lick. Lick."

The three women entangled their tongues with each other and licked up his saliva. When it was over, the three stood up again and waited for his next command. Lee Eun-ah's face was covered in saliva, so he felt a bit sorry. He took out the handkerchief from his pocket and pressed it to Lee Eun-ah's face. Rub rub. After wiping off the saliva, her fair skin was clearly visible.

"Sorry. Thinking about it, that was too mean. Sorry, Eun-ah?"

Pat pat. He stroked Eun-ah's head, and a drop of blood fell from her nose. A nosebleed.

"Ah... I-I'm sorry. I...."

"No. Sorry. Wipe it with this. You can keep it."

"...Yoo Ji-tae oppa's handkerchief...?"

"I can just buy another one."

'Now I don't even know what it's saying.'

He could only resent Hephaestus for displaying incomprehensible messages.

"Then next. This one will hurt a bit."

At the word "hurt," the three women stood at attention and stared at him. It seemed they had made up their minds. The next comment he had seen was this one.

"From now on, I'm going to hit your butts with my hand. Every time you get hit, you have to repeat 'I'm sorry.' Got it?"

Even while thinking they would probably hate this, the point increase notification rang. At that moment, a thought occurred to him.

'...If they like it even though I'm punishing them, is it really punishment?'

*****

Llywelyn despaired as she looked at Paracelsus's punishment recommendation on the screen. Making them eat spit and spanking their butts.

'Surely... she wouldn't do something so shameless...?'

The punishment Paracelsus had written down was something women wanted to receive from men, and something far too humiliating for a man to do. Just imagining her beloved Yoo Ji-tae bestowing such acts on those worthless women made her insides twist.

'...No. Even if Ji-tae lacks common sense, he wouldn't do something like that....'

Even if his mind was broken from growing up in the Femi District, he was a man whose learning ability and moral values were within the normal range. He wouldn't... do something like this.

About ten minutes later, Llywelyn, who had been continuously refreshing the page, saw a new post from Hermes.

Llywelyn wailed and collapsed onto her desk.

"I... I can also take a spanking on the butt...!"

Llywelyn despaired. It was autumn.