Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Otherworld Cheat Harem.

Episode 18: Thanksgiving Festival (1).

The bustling sounds echoed all the way into the room.

The sun had long since risen high in the sky, and the city was brimming with energy at its peak hour.

Amidst all this, I was lying in bed, checking the new ability I had acquired.

[Pain-Pleasure Conversion]

As the name suggests, it was the ability to convert pain into pleasure.

It was a new ability I gained after spending a night with Ilone. I didn’t know why she desired such an ability…

‘It’s not bad.’

Pain wasn’t entirely bad. Pain was also a signal that would send us warnings, and because of pain, humans could grow.

In fact, there were many tough individuals who found relief and enjoyment at the moment they escaped from pain.

But what I thought of after acquiring this ability was none other than Eunha. She was completely immune to pain.

‘Before she becomes immune to pain… what if I use my ability to convert it into pleasure?’

Pain was stimulation. Being immune to pain meant the absence of stimulation.

Her life without pain would probably be an empty one, feeling nothing at all.

I was thrilled at the thought of having the ability to gift her something.

“Umm… Did you sleep well?”

“You’re awake? Shall we have some breakfast?”

Just in time, Ilone stretched and got up. Having spent the entire morning under me, crying out, she seemed to have shaken off all her accumulated fatigue through our activity and rose effortlessly.

“I’ll wash up quickly and come out, so wait.”

“Want to wash together?”

“…Are you sure you can resist? I’m really exhausted. Look, can’t you see my legs shaking?”

Ilone pointed at her trembling legs, just standing there. Having overdone it myself, I nodded in agreement, not intending to push further.

“…You believe me?”

“I believe you, I do. It’s fine, really.”

Then, we only climaxed twice in the bathroom together.

“Ugh… Somehow it feels like it’s burning down there.”

A little while later, after finishing our shower, we went down to the dining hall, ordered the lunch special, and started chatting about various things.

“Anything special going on these days?”

“Something special?”

“Yeah, like an event.”

“An event… like Thanksgiving?”

“Oh, what’s that?”

“You don’t know Thanksgiving…? Are you sure you’re from this city?”

“Can’t you tell by my hair? Of course, I’m from another city.”

Ilone looked at my black hair and eyes and nodded as if that made sense.

I realized from her reaction that foreigners were not such a rare presence in this country, at least not in this city.

“Thanksgiving is… a day to give thanks to the gods for a year of prosperity. There’s a three-day festival, the Holy See sends a saint, and delegations come from other countries. It’s practically a national festival.”

“That sounds like a huge hassle.”

“That’s exactly it… Just because it’s a festival doesn’t mean nothing happens, right? Crime rates increase by at least 300% to 3000% during festivals… and guess who has to clean up that mess.”

Ilone started criticizing the festival, advocating for the burden it places on the guards. Indeed, even in modern times, whenever there was a festival, security and safety would bear the brunt of the work.

Sometimes festivals were halted due to incidents involving ordinary people, and if a dignitary was visiting, the problems would become even more significant.

In other words, the burden on Ilone, the captain of the city guard, would be incredibly heavy.

“Um, so… I won’t be able to meet you during the festival… but I’ll get a vacation after the festival is over.”

Ilone blushed, rubbing her fingers together. The meaning behind her words was very clear.

“So, after the festival… can we meet again?”

“After the festival, let’s go on a date.”

“Huh, what?”

“Isn’t that what you wanted to say?”

“No, yes! Let’s go on a date.”

She nodded enthusiastically, clearly excited at the prospect of having made a date with me. Her arousal level seemed to rise just from this.

“Work hard, and we might run into each other while you’re patrolling.”

“That’s true. Why didn’t I think of that…?”

“But as the captain, are you allowed to just wander around like that?”

“It’s fine! I’m the captain! What are they gonna do about it?”

“Alright, then.”

After that, I continued to have various conversations with Ilone. They were stories that we, as outsiders, could not easily hear.

There were many stories that even Deokgu’s abilities couldn’t easily uncover. Traditions known only to the locals…

I was pleased to have stories to pass on to the others, and parted ways with her as the sun began to set.

The last holiday. We decided to call this day Sunday. We all gathered in the dining hall to share the information we had gathered and to consult about what would happen tomorrow.

“They say a Grand Thanksgiving is going to be held next week.”

“Grand Thanksgiving? What’s that?”

“Deokgu.”

Deokgu used his abilities to relay information about Thanksgiving.

“Thanksgiving is… a festival celebrating the prosperity of the nation, a grand event blessed by the gods, and a public holiday enjoyed by all… Is it like Chuseok?”1

“A festival? A festival, you say? Then do they set up street stalls or something?”

“I guess so? That sounds fun!”

“What should we do for fun?”

The kids were already pondering what to do for fun during the festival. I frowned slightly at the sight.

‘It’s not even their money… or is it because it isn’t?’

Instead of using the freely given funds to grow and prepare for the future, they were turning a blind eye to reality and wasting it on gambling and indulgence.

If Seoyoon were to abandon them, I doubt how they would survive.

‘Well, this is another world…’

If this were the modern world, it would have been different. Those who gained money would not just play but would have challenged themselves to do what they wanted.

Writing, drawing, making coffee, selling food—or, at the very least, they could have tried singing, dancing, or internet broadcasting.

Even if they failed, they wouldn’t have to worry about making a living, so they would keep trying, and if attempts increased infinitely, the probability of success would converge to infinity.

They would have eventually succeeded. And they would have become entities earning more money than the average office worker.

But here? A fantasy world not even as advanced as the 20th century. A primitive world without newspapers, let alone the internet.

All an outsider with money could do was indulge in luxury and pleasure in the city.

I pitied them for being unable to do anything and called Deokgu aside to talk.

“Hey.”

“Why? We’re talking about the festival right now.”

“What’s the range of your ability…?”

“Range? Well… I guess it’s worldwide?”

“Then… don’t you want to try something fun?”

“Something fun?”

“Yeah.”

I explained to Deokgu about the different races existing in this world.

The beastmen, elves, dwarves, and all sorts of demi-humans I heard about from Ilone. And the nations they created.

“…What are you planning to do with this?”

Deokgu, who confirmed their existence with his ability, couldn’t think of anything to do with it.

He seemed to have adapted to this world, but he was still living in seclusion here, so it was only natural.

“For example… what happened to those Blackjacks we caught last time?”

“What happened… [As of today, all members of the organization have been captured and purged.] That’s what it says.”

“How do you know that?”

“My ability is… ah.”

“Let’s create a newspaper. With your ability… we can make a newspaper of a quality that others can’t even copy.”

And that would be…

“…A monopoly on information.”

“And propaganda too.”

The monopoly on information and propaganda, how powerful this could be in such a medieval world. Even Deokgu, a fan of creative works, seemed to understand well.

“No, this is really… wow. I can use my ability like this?”

“It’s something I realized while working with Ilone this time. Surprisingly, your ability has a lot of versatility.”

“…What did you say?”

“Huh? I said your ability is good.”

“No, before that.”

“You mean when I said I realized it while working with Ilone?”

“Why are you casually calling her by name? Why? Have you already become that close? Huh? No way?”

“Ah, it just happened…”

“How did it happen? Wow… I thought we were friends… You’re such a social butterfly…”

I looked at the surprised Deokgu and offered him a drink. He drank it down as if he couldn’t help but drink.

“Anyway, get ready to make the newspaper from now. Isn’t there a girl with [Speedy Hands Ability] among the girls? Have her draw something like a seal…”

“What if they say they don’t want to work?”

“Tell them Seoyoon ordered it. Say she doesn’t want to see them slacking off. If they don’t work, she’ll cut off support.”

“No way, Seoyoon wouldn’t say such things.”

“It’s fine. There’s no way they’ll directly ask Seoyoon, right?”

If those kids had any conscience, and if they thought at all. They’d try not to upset Seoyoon, who served them.

And even if they were to directly ask Seoyoon, it wouldn’t matter. She and I were close enough to discuss pillow talk every night.

“Well, that’s true, but…”

“Deokgu, instead of just playing around. Don’t you think you should establish a harem like a real man?”

“…Harem.”

“That’s right, for a man, capability is everything. The world’s first and only newspaper president—how capable does that sound?”

As I watched him gulp nervously, I was certain he was completely sold.

“Then, shall we toast to our brilliant future?”

“…Cheers.”

“Cheers.”

That night.

Seoyoon came to my room.

I lightly smiled and pulled her onto the bed.

“Today is a day off, so you probably didn’t use your ability… What’s up?”

“…I used my ability. The kids said it was hot.”

“Ah, I see.”

Seoyoon began making a plausible excuse. Of course, it probably wasn’t a lie. She had likely used her ability to enjoy something like iced coffee. Even though she knew herself that it was an irrational thing to do.

Even if she made ice to cool down with her ability, she would only get hotter.

In the end, she just needed an excuse or justification to approach me.

“Yoon, I have a favor to ask.”

“…What is it?”

“If the girls ask you if it’s true, could you say yes?”

“…? What are you talking about?”

Seoyoon tilted her head at the unreasonable request. I laughed and buried my head in her collarbone.

“Just don’t ask and say okay.”

“Then, I have one condition too.”

“What is it?”

“During this festival, go on a date with me.”

“A date? That much is…”

“Just the two of us.”

Seoyoon met my eyes with a heavy sense of possessiveness. I could have refused, but instead, I smiled and kissed her lips.

“That’s an easy request, princess.”

Hearing that, Seoyoon began to smile bashfully.

Do all women like being called a princess?

Traditionally, princesses exist to be unveiled.

Following that formula, I began to strip away the glacier surrounding the ice princess.

ED/N: Korean Thanksgiving. ↩️