episode_0073

Gulp.

The third elixir slid down my throat.

It was a medicine my wife had obtained by selling her talents, much like how she navigated through life.

A bitter taste lingered in my mouth.

But personal feelings like that were not important.

The only way to repay my wife’s sincerity was to take the elixir and recover.

There was no other option.

However.

I couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

“Anything unusual happen today?”

“No. Nothing out of the ordinary, Your Highness.”

Once again, Yang Yeon-hwi answered without a hint of hesitation.

There was no sign of struggle or pain in her demeanor.

Yet, something still bothered me.

“What kind of painting did you do today?”

As I asked, I carefully observed my wife’s expression once again.

“Oh, I painted a picture of herbs.”

A natural response.

There was no hint of anything strange.

It was probably just my imagination.

“Did you learn anything new today?”

“Yes, Your Highness. There are so many different types of herbs.”

I had heard that Guai had been planning to write a book summarizing the effects and side effects of various herbs.

Since he now had the opportunity to request paintings from his wife, he was carrying out that plan.

This, too, was not out of the ordinary.

In the end, I concluded that my unease was due to my own sharpness.

“It seems like your health is improving.”

I tried to steer the conversation towards a hopeful topic.

It was a fact as well.

I could feel Jin-gi’s movements improving.

“Ah, that’s a relief.”

Yang Yeon-hwi sighed with relief.

“My lady.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“I am always grateful.”

“What are you saying? I would gladly do anything for Your Highness’s recovery.”

Perhaps it was her attitude that awakened a dormant emotion within me.

I moved closer to Yang Yeon-hwi and embraced her.

As I reached out to undo her clothing, she grabbed my hand.

“Y-Your Highness. I’m sorry, but I don’t think it’s good for your health…”

It was the first time I had been rejected.

But I could tell from her eyes and expression that it was a genuine concern.

So, I obediently backed off.

“I’m sorry. I acted too impulsively.”

“No, Your Highness. Please recover first…”

“Yes, that day will come.”

Hope was already kindling in my heart.

Guai.

Surely, he would be able to fix me.

***

Nudity.

Would there be a female artist willing to paint her own nude self-portrait?

Highly unlikely.

It was almost taboo in societal norms.

And if that nude self-portrait was meant for a foreign man?

It would be even more absurd.

The natural aversion.

Yang Yeon-hwi, of course, felt it strongly.

To break through this aversion, a simple gesture of gratitude towards a benefactor was not enough.

A deeper level of hypnosis was needed to establish a new relationship.

Master and slave.

That was the key.

That’s why I had been gradually deepening the hypnosis, making the mind more susceptible.

As the hypnosis deepened and the implications were carried out, the mental barriers weakened and dulled.

What was once a light rain of hypnosis had turned into a downpour, completely submerging the mind in deep hypnosis.

“…Seven hundred seventy-nine… Seven hundred eighty… Seven hundred eighty-one… Seven hundred eighty-two…”

Kneeling with unfocused eyes, Yang Yeon-hwi muttered numbers.

The increasing numbers plunged her deeper into hypnosis.

What had started at a mere fifty on the first day was now nearing eight hundred.

A sign of being deeply hypnotized.

But.

It was still not enough.

Jang-il knew from experience.

The number must be four digits to be able to hypnotize the slave completely.

“…Seven hundred ninety-five… Seven hundred ninety-six… Seven hundred ninety-seven… Seven hundred ninety-eight… Seven hundred ninety-nine…….”

There, Yang Yeon-hwi’s muttering stopped.

It meant that her hypnotic depth had reached its limit.

“That’s right.”

Jang-il smirked and nodded his head once.

At the current pace, the easiest choice would be to leisurely spend another day here, but as he had clearly told Bang So-woon, he was looking forward to today.

And he was the type to try to keep his word as much as possible.

“Yang Yeon-hwi.”

Jang-il called out to Yang Yeon-hwi with a voice heavy with weight.

“…Yes…….”

“You must save your husband, right?”

“…Yes… I must… save him…….”

“To do that, you need to get the medicine from Goeui, right?”

“…Yes…….”

Logical inducement.

Even humans under hypnosis were more likely to respond well to words that fit logically.

“To get the medicine from Goeui, you have to meet his demands, right?”

“…Yes…….”

“And his demand is to draw a picture dedicated to Lord Geumryong, isn’t it?”

“…Yes… that’s correct…….”

“You’ve been doing well so far.”

“…Yes… thank you…….”

“But.”

“…….”

Here comes the variation.

“Lord Geumryong clearly told me yesterday, didn’t he? If you don’t count to a thousand and fall deeper, don’t accept the picture.”

“…Lord Geumryong… but…….”

However, an instinctual resistance to falling into deep hypnosis was at work.

The trembling eyelids seemed to be telling him that.

But.

It was already expected.

Jang-il clapped his hands, made a sharp sound, and then spoke again.

“If Lord Geumryong refuses, your husband will die.”

The most shaking words for Yang Yeon-hwi.

There was no word that could have a stronger effect than this.

“…Uh…….”

“He will definitely die. You know very well what your husband’s condition is, don’t you?”

“…Uh…….”

A painful groan escaped.

Cold sweat even formed on her forehead.

“You must save your husband.”

“…Yes… I will save him… I must save him…….”

“To do that, you must not refuse Lord Geumryong. You must unconditionally accept his demands.”

Jang-il said firmly.

He even used the word ‘unconditionally’.

He was pushing hard here.

“If Lord Geumryong refuses… you must accept his demands…….”

“Yes, you must save your husband. It’s only natural, right?”

“…Yes… it’s only natural…….”

“Good, then start counting the numbers again and fall deeper.”

“…Yes… eight hundred… eight hundred one… eight hundred two…….”

Yang Yeon-hwi started counting the numbers again.

Jang-il waited for the right moment with a satisfied face.

And.

“…Nine hundred ninety-nine… One thousand…….”

Finally, she reached a thousand.

Now it was time to start the actual preparation.

***

Bang So-woon was leisurely sitting and drinking tea.

It was just ordinary white tea, but it tasted good today.

Because it was a day with something enjoyable.

“Hmm, she must be doing well.”

As he muttered to himself, the door opened with a thud.

Thud.

Just as Jang-il had said, when the tiger speaks, it comes.

“Oh, you’re here.”

Bang So-woon greeted Jang-il warmly.

“Haha, yes, my lord. The preparations are all done.”

Jang-il said with a smile.

Preparations.

Of course, it referred to Hwaseon Yang Yeon-hwi.

But why did he come to see Bang So-woon in the middle of the day today, unlike usual?

The reason was simple.

Jang-il had advised that the first moment of nudity would be especially enjoyable if experienced firsthand, and Bang So-woon naturally agreed.

He laughed, saying there was no one else like her.

And he added one more thing.

This time, I wanted to have some fun by making Yang Yeon-hwi draw a nude self-portrait.

It was definitely a special pleasure.

Jang-il nodded his head, having prepared for the special pleasure of the young master and calling him over.

And that moment was now.

“Thank you for your hard work. I should go now.”

Bang So-un chuckled and stood up.

“Haha, please go ahead.”

Jang-il turned around and took the lead.

***

Thud.

The door opened, and Bang So-un and Jang-il entered the room.

Inside, a woman stood alone.

It was Yang Yeon-hwi.

She clearly heard the sound of the door opening, but she didn’t react at all.

She just stood there, motionless like a statue.

Bang So-un slowly approached the motionless Yang Yeon-hwi.

It had only been a few days since he last saw her.

But in those few days, her appearance had changed significantly.

Eyes completely unfocused and vacant.

Lips weakly parted, revealing red lips.

Arms hanging limply by her sides.

The vitality that was present the last time he saw her was nowhere to be found.

A look of lost soul.

It reminded him of a doll made to look like a human.

Bang So-un playfully reached out his hand and waved it in front of Yang Yeon-hwi’s eyes.

But Yang Yeon-hwi couldn’t even muster the most basic human response of blinking.

Truly just a breathing doll.

“Well done.”

Bang So-un withdrew his hand, a satisfied smile on his face.

“Haha, whose creation do you think it is, of course it’s obvious.”

Jang-il said confidently.

It was a natural confidence.

In the world, he was the only one who could create such an artistic piece using a human as the subject.

“Yes, indeed.”

Bang So-un chuckled.

Then, he turned to Yang Yeon-hwi and spoke directly to her.

“Who are you?”

A question that should elicit a normal person’s name.

Yang Yeon-hwi would be no different.

However.

Bang So-un knew well that the name that would come out would not be the normal person’s name.

After all, a hypnotized slave had no right to use a human name.

Finally, from the frozen Yang Yeon-hwi, an emotionless voice began to flow.

“…I am a milk-sucking slave… Master….”

Pfft.

Laughter burst out of Bang So-un’s mouth.