Drawing a New Line (11)
"...You’re really transparent."
"Huh?"
"The clothes. You wanted me to put you in something like this?"
"Ah, no... I mean, yes. Kind of. But you’d be sticky, so I figured this would be better than pants..."
Inside the partition, I cracked the door open just enough to take the clothes Kang Juhyuk handed me and held them up.
A pure white dress.
It wasn’t especially revealing, but it did bare the shoulders—a sleeveless, long-skirted dress held up by thin shoulder straps.
The chest was decorated with a frilled panel, and a seam ran from the waist to mark where the skirt began.
Does he not like the way I look when I wear something slim, something that shows off my body lines?
Maybe he didn’t care in ordinary circumstances, but the moment sex came into the picture, he got weirdly possessive.
Still, this looked a little too loose.
Usually, you’d make the cleavage a point and let that do the talking...
No, no. I was thinking from the viewer’s perspective again. I was the one who was going to wear it.
Who cared? Whatever. It was only for once anyway.
First things first, I stripped off my clothes.
As the fabric slipped away with a rustle, I heard Kang Juhyuk swallow outside.
It was funny. If he was that turned on, he should’ve gone all the way. What kind of man bailed when the woman was asking for more?
And after making those weird threats, too. Who was supposed to fall for that crap?
Sure, after the fact, it would probably be pretty humiliating to have ended up clinging to him like that in the first place, but if I judged Kang Juhyuk as he was right now... well, he wasn’t exactly scoring high on the masculine scale Choi Eunho would’ve used, though from my point of view it was convenient.
With those thoughts in mind, I let out a sigh at the fact that I actually had to put this thing on.
A dress... huh.
Maybe it was easier as a first step... No, why was I even calling a skirt a first step? I didn’t know.
I’d only ever cared that the woman beside me wore miniskirts, skin-tight pants, or hot pants. That was it.
Since she wasn’t a lover but a toy, I’d stripped her down for display.
I’d never let her wear anything like a dress. If anything, maybe a mini dress that showed off every curve.
I guess it was a mistake not to specify the style.
And there wasn’t any underwear, either.
I hadn’t told him to bring any, but still—he could’ve used some sense. He’d seen how soaked I was.
Not that I didn’t understand.
It couldn’t have been easy for one man to go buy women’s panties.
Ugh... wet. My panties were completely drenched.
Between my pussy and the fabric, sticky moisture clung and dripped down.
My jeans were a mess, too... This body really did produce a ridiculous amount of fluids.
Good thing I’d bought an interdimensional bag. I shoved everything in there in a hurried wad.
Nothing had gotten on my T-shirt or bra.
I’d swallowed all the semen anyway, so it was only the drool and sweat that had spilled from my mouth.
Still, it felt gross, and wearing it with the dress would’ve been awkward.
The slim T-shirt was out, so I stuffed it away.
As for the bra... I was already wearing a sports bra, so it looked completely out of place anyway...
So in the end, this was the only thing I was putting on?
No panties, no bra, just a dress?
That was a challenge, all right.
Even if it was warm outside.
"Pervert."
"Pardon?"
I tossed out the insult for no reason, then wiped the moisture from my body with tissues and slipped the dress on.
Fortunately, it was a long-skirted dress, so nothing underneath could be seen, but if the wind blew even once, I had a feeling my ass crack would be on full display.
As for my nipples poking through... thankfully, the frill across the chest covered them enough that it wasn’t obvious.
Looking down, all I could really see was my chest, so I couldn’t judge by eye, but by touch, the waist still felt far too loose.
That was because the cloth dropped straight from the bust and became the skirt, which made the whole thing look so bulky.
No, seriously, the fabric hanging from the chest just fell straight down, making it way too roomy.
The waist was floating so much it was ridiculous.
Ah. There was an inner tie to cinch the waist, wasn’t there? Kang Juhyuk might’ve had no sense, but whoever made this dress did.
A little adjustment... good. Now the waist looked slim, and the lines actually showed.
Using the little hand mirror I kept in my carry bag, which was inside the interdimensional bag, I fine-tuned the fit a bit more.
I didn’t have any real intention of dressing up hard, but I still didn’t want to look hideous.
I couldn’t stand the idea of someone looking at me and saying, Why is she dressed like that?
Being looked down on was the worst.
Well, it was cheap. Kinda country-looking. Not great... but still kind of fresh. I’d thought about wearing it once and throwing it away, but maybe I’d keep it for now.
I opened the door and stepped outside.
Kang Juhyuk, who’d been standing right in front of the door, took two steps forward at the sound and turned toward me.
"You... finished puttin’ it on?"
"Why."
"No, I mean. Yeah. Um... it looks pretty."
"Can you say anything else?"
I said it because he kept telling me I’d look pretty no matter what I wore, and I honestly didn’t know what to make of it.
I wasn’t saying it because I was waiting for some special answer. I was only half-laughing.
"I think everything you wear... looks pretty on you, Nuna."
He wasn’t just trying to flatter me.
Right. With a body like this, of course anything I wore would be provocative. If I’d slimmed the lines down like this, even more so.
But it would wear off eventually. If he kept looking, he’d get used to it. For now, I’d let him wallow in the excitement.
"Nobody’s around outside, right?"
"Yes."
"Let’s go."
Since there was no one around, I washed my hands in the men’s restroom, checked my reflection for a second, and came out at a leisurely pace.
All the while, Kang Juhyuk never took his eyes off me.
My philtrum is going to fall off. Disgusting.
Still... if he liked it, what could I do?
"Let’s head to the central market first. Walk ahead of me."
"Me? In front?"
"Yeah. I’ll follow behind."
This time, I walked with Kang Juhyuk in front of me. It couldn’t be helped.
Normally, with no bra and a chest this size, gravity should’ve dragged everything down and ruined the shape, but thanks to the blessing woven into this body by an outer god, my Cooper’s ligaments were holding my breasts up far too well.
So even without a bra, they stood up round and full; without the sports bra, they were even more prominent, and the sway was no joke.
It was enough to make me walk with my arms held close to my body.
I’d said I’d dress nicely because I didn’t want to be ignored, but I had no intention of becoming a spectacle.
Parading around with my tits bouncing and no bra like some cheap slut would’ve been embarrassing in a different way.
Besides, seeing a man get hard because of me made my own appetite stir, and I had no intention of encouraging that either.
"You said you found a weapon?"
"Ah, yes. A sword. Usually it’s a short sword for easy carrying, but when I use mana it forms a blade and takes on a greatsword shape so it can handle giant monsters..."
"Sounds decent. Why didn’t you buy it?"
"W-Well... it was four million won."
"Once magic’s attached, the price jumps three or four times. That’s normal. It sounds like they just coated a factory sword with magic. If they recommended it there, just buy it."
"Yes. I’ll do that."
"Pay in full."
"Yes!"
In the end, the sword wasn’t what mattered.
What mattered was the protective gear that would keep Kang Juhyuk from wandering off and getting himself killed.
If I went with him, it would just look like I was asking Mom if I could go out and then coming back with some guy in tow.
So I told him to go by himself, and I sat down halfway there at a drink stand and bought myself something to sip.
I’d already bought everything except his gear anyway.
I ignored the stares from people passing by and waited.
Did my nipples pop out or something?
No, that wasn’t it. I guess I was just standing out.
If a hunter came here to buy gear, shouldn’t they be looking at the gear and not me?
My appetite was at rock bottom, so even if I stood out, all it did was irritate me. It only made the hunger itch worse.
When are you coming back? Seriously.
Before long, I spotted Kang Juhyuk coming back down the street with the sword tucked inside a metal case so it wouldn’t be exposed.
He was hugging the case like it was a priceless treasure, which made him look awfully cute... no, like a damn dog.
It was just a thing you used until it broke, then replaced. Why the hell was he cherishing it so much?
"That’s it?"
"Yes. Out of the ones they recommended, this one fit my hand the best."
"Then that’s settled. Don’t go getting yourself killed trying to act all brave inside a gate just because you’re holding it. Use it only to keep yourself alive."
"I’ll do that."
"Good. Let’s buy the last thing and get going."
Hmph.
Was this what it felt like to buy a toy for a nephew? It wasn’t bad.
I tossed my half-finished drink into a trash can and stood up to buy the last piece of equipment.
Protective gear... honestly, three years ago I couldn’t afford it, and after that I never needed it, so I’d never bought any.
Maybe it was time to take a look.
I led Kang Juhyuk straight to the largest store in the Hunter Market.
"Nuna... here?"
The largest company in the world among all hunter equipment manufacturers.
The official Korean branch of HCP Rynel, the American company that employed mages and artisans as researchers, industrialized equipment production, and even offered custom-made gear for private clients.
"What’s the matter? Rynel gear is common enough."
"But... this is the flagship store. Not even a basic supply outlet..."
Of course a big company couldn’t survive by selling only the expensive stuff.
Rynel didn’t make only luxury goods. They had plenty of mass-market gear too, but this place was their flagship, high-end store. In a way, it felt like a car dealership.
It was where they kept only the absolute best.
"Quiet. I told you not to chicken out. You’re embarrassing me."
With that, I brushed past Kang Juhyuk and went inside first.
Three years ago, getting into a place like this and buying gear had been my dream.
Now... it had become the place where I bought dildo toys.
"Welcome to HCP Rynel’s flagship store. Whether it’s weapons, armor, or any kind of equipment..."
"Ah... never mind that. Protective gear. Something easy to use. No limit on mana consumption, and give me the best possible protection. Don’t worry about the cost."
"I’ll show you to the appropriate selection."
As soon as we stepped in, an employee came over quietly and greeted us without making a fuss.
So this place must have one staff member assigned to each team.
Honestly, this store existed as much for the symbolism as for the sales. One transaction here probably covered months of labor costs.
HCP Rynel might be the largest of the companies, but this flagship really specialized in protection.
The weapons here were pretty ordinary compared to the other giants.
That was because weapons still depended heavily on cold steel like swords and spears. It was hard for a company to control every part of that. You needed the coordination of artisans and mages.
But magical protective gear could be completed by a mage alone.
That was part of how Rynel became the best in the field.
No matter how much hunters relied on cold weapons because of their matchups against monsters, they didn’t wear old iron armor for defense anymore.
Protective magic engraved with arrays—the exact form varied by company. There were clothing types, scroll types, accessory types.
The larger the surface, the more finely you could engrave the magic circles, so performance increased, but so did mana consumption.
"The product I recommend is the sixth-generation Rynel A-Class Bungie Protector. It’s an elastic clothing-type protector worn under your outfit to guard against surprise attacks. Its defensive capacity is..."
"Old model. Don’t you have the seventh generation?"
"The seventh-generation A-Class has only just entered Korea, so..."
"There’s even higher than that, isn’t there? S... or above that? SS?"
"Above S... there is the L-Class."
Whatever. It didn’t matter.
The employee started looking a little tense.
If I remembered correctly, the A-Class line had to be somewhere in the forty to sixty million won range.
It was expensive, sure, but if you took out a loan, most hunters could still buy one. That was how reliable the performance was.
For the shallow levels of the Great Rift, gear like this would make death a rarity.
But the place I was aiming for was the Void, where that thing was waiting. It probably wasn’t somewhere you could reach from the shallow layers at all.
A tomb where a god capable of bestowing a blessing like this had been imprisoned— I couldn’t even imagine how much deeper we’d have to go.
S-Class? Hell, even the top grade might not be enough.
"Then we’ll take that one."
"Understood. The L-Class line requires proof that the buyer is actual professional personnel. Please present your hunter ID."
If I were Choi Eunho, I’d show it and be done with it, but as Chae Eunha I wasn’t so sure. I was registered as A-class... maybe that would be enough.
Then again, there weren’t many S-class hunters in the first place, so they’d probably know my face...
I handed over the hunter ID. Chae Eunha’s photo was on it, along with the Hunter Association emblem and the mark showing A-class.
"A-class hunter Chae Eunha. You’re authenticated in the Association database as well. Verification complete. I’ll help you try on the actual product in the back room..."
"Skip that. Let’s just do the contract now. I don’t want to waste time."
It was their top-tier gear with the Rynel name stamped all over it. They’d have made it with pride.
I went into the back room and sat down at the table. Kang Juhyuk sat beside me. The employee said they’d bring the product, so we should wait a moment.
Then another employee brought out a protector that looked a little slimmer and lighter than the A-Class model we’d just seen, with more attention paid to the fabric and a far more complex magic circle woven into it.
"Automatic size adjustment, purification of ambient mana particles, automatic toxin removal inside the body, 133% the defensive power of an S-Class unit, automatic recognition of gate entrance direction, every option for survival..."
Kang Juhyuk was reading the list of protection features from the booklet on the table.
His hands were trembling a little. I was glad he didn’t blurt out, Are you sure you can even buy this?
There was nothing uglier than saying that kind of thing in front of the staff.
"For the purchase method..."
"In full."
"Oh."
Kang Juhyuk turned to stare at me in shock.
I let out a sigh because I’d told him not to make it obvious.
No matter how expensive this thing was, it still wasn’t equal to the value of a building in the capital.
Well, maybe the price of a building in a provincial city.
"I’ll pay with this card. Hunter Association guarantee card."
"Understood. The anti-theft system will be activated under the purchaser’s name at the time of contract, so for Chae Eunha Hunter..."
"Put it under him."
"That would be..."
This time, the employee looked a little startled.
An L-Class item cost more than my car.
Even if I was an A-class hunter, paying in full without a loan probably made it look like I was straining a little.
It had to be awkward, too, that I was the one buying it while not putting it under my own name.
But being professional, he didn’t ask any unnecessary questions. He just nodded and moved on.
"Understood. Before registration, I need the actual user’s identification information. Could you present your hunter ID?"
"Yes, yes. Here. Yes."
"...D-class. Mr. Kang Juhyuk. Yes."
But in the end, he failed to keep his expression under control.
A D-class hunter had no business going into deep layers, so the A-Class gear from earlier should’ve been more than enough.
His face said he didn’t know why I was buying this. Still, he wasn’t in a position to ask, so he shut his mouth and keyed Kang Juhyuk’s information into the contract on his own.
After that, it was easy.
There was talk about insurance, service plans, and a bunch of other things, but the basic gist was that if the guaranteed performance didn’t show up, they’d compensate us.
I told them I understood and walked out of the store right away. It wasn’t a bulky item, so I took it and stuffed it straight into the interdimensional bag.
Leaving the staff’s overblown thanks behind, I led Kang Juhyuk across the market.
"Finally got everything."
"Nuna... seriously, isn’t this too much?"
"What is?"
"I mean... when I said I’d buy one, I thought you meant something like a shield. Like the kind Mr. Geon uses."
"That cheap crap that costs a few hundred thousand? If you carry something like that, it won’t even last a few days."
"But..."
As we left the market and headed toward the parking lot, the moment there was no one around us, Kang Juhyuk spoke up at once.
He must have remembered what I’d told him about not making a fuss inside the store.
Still, asking whether it was really okay to buy this after it was already bought didn’t make him look any less clueless.
What, was he going to ask for a refund? After the contract was already signed?
I wasn’t doing something that embarrassing.
"Um... I’m sorry, Nuna. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to pay you back for this. Even now, I could just go by myself..."
"The second you do that, we’re done. I can just find another man."
"...Ugh."
"I never said you had to pay me back. I’m paying because I can afford it, and I only care because if you die in the Great Rift, that means you died because of me. I don’t want the responsibility of your death."
I unloaded the things from the interdimensional bag into the trunk.
While the bag’s space was active, it kept consuming mana from the mana stones... so if I didn’t need it, I should empty it out.
The trunk was much roomier than the bag’s interior anyway, so simply taking things out was enough to fit them all in.
I climbed into the car right away. Drop him off, go in, and... take a shower.
"I... wanted to help you, Nuna. I didn’t want to be dead weight."
After getting into the car and starting the engine, Kang Juhyuk climbed into the passenger seat behind me.
As he buckled his seat belt, he said something unbelievably insolent.
So while he’d been helping silently the whole time we loaded everything, that was what he’d been thinking?
What a load of crap. It really made me sick.
He really doesn’t know his place.
Dead weight? What the hell did he think he was?
In battle, anyone below S-class was dead weight to me.
They were all people I had to protect in the end.
So stop talking like this was some flaw in you personally.
That A-class loser you were so wary of would’ve been treated exactly the same by me.
Don’t act like you’re on my level.
And...
Everyone has their role.
So don’t get so down about it.
"Kang Juhyuk."
"Yes."
"Don’t misunderstand. Just because you aren’t useful in battle... doesn’t mean you’re dead weight."
"...Huh?"
"If you hadn’t been there, I might still be in the gate jerking myself off right now. Even if I’d been rescued, I might’ve gotten caught by disgusting men and ended up as a sex slave."
Not that I’d really let that happen.
But I still had to say it like this if I wanted him to pull himself together.
"I do call you my dildo, sure... but I told you, didn’t I? Don’t get discouraged. Be confident."
"A dildo that doesn’t help at all... how am I supposed to do that?"
"Idiot... don’t you get it? Haa... do I really have to spell it out this far? Damn, this is humiliating... Haa. Look. Without that dildo, I’d just be a slut with nothing in her head. Because I have a dildo like you, I’m able to stay sane."
I didn’t want to admit it, but...
One way or another, Kang Juhyuk was what kept me sane.
If he wasn’t there, I couldn’t suppress this runaway Chae Haeun.
I needed a dildo to keep my daily life intact.
Right now... right now. One day I’d get out from under this curse, but for now.
"Anybody could do that. It doesn’t have to be me..."
"You’re so dense. You’re the one telling me to make you mine. Are you going to give yourself to someone else? Would it be fine if some other dildo took me?"
"That’s not... I wasn’t really trying to tell you to make me yours, I just... got too excited and didn’t filter myself..."
"Enough. Are you going to give me to someone else or not?"
"...No. I want you to make me yours. I don’t want you to do that stuff with anyone else."
There it was. That was what he really wanted after all.
That possessiveness, that sense of ownership, that disgusting greed.
Then he should have the guts to match it.
I had no intention of giving him away, of course, but if he wanted that, then he should at least work hard enough to earn the right to want it.
A man who whined that it was burdensome for a woman to buy him expensive things didn’t even meet the minimum requirements.
Better to be shameless. Better to have no conscience.
A man who accepted expensive gifts from his woman with a casual pat on the head and a “good job” was far better than that.
"Then tell me what I want to hear right now."
"...Huh? What do you want to hear?"
Thank you.
I’ll treat you better, Nuna.
I won’t act arrogant anymore.
I’ll do whatever you tell me to do.
That’s really you, Nuna. You can buy things like this right away. You’re amazing.
That kind of thing.
You know. Something that would make my pride swell a little.
"Guess. Hurry up."
"Uh, um... uh..."
Annoying.
As he took too long to answer, my gaze on him grew sharper and sharper.
Then Kang Juhyuk scratched at his left cheek—the one with the mole—and, looking a little embarrassed, finally opened his mouth.
"Thank you. I... won’t die. Until the day I become a man who can buy you things like this, too."
...Ah.
Well...
Yeah...
Not bad... that resolve.