Chapter 469: Assignment Check (1)

Gangnam District, AA Road, in a certain commercial alley.

The building housing the ‘Lakeside Pharmacy,’ a potion shop with erratic business hours.

On the second floor of the commercial building there, in the bedroom of a residential unit, Choi Hwayoung was finishing up the final stages of potion brewing with a slightly tired expression.

“Haaah…. Finally, it’s done….”

Choi Hwayoung, an S-class Hunter who came from the Union, now makes a living manufacturing potions and drugs after her retirement.

Characterized by her perpetual lack of stamina and constant exhaustion, she had been struggling to keep up with the recent influx of work.

Fortunately, the busiest period had passed not long ago, so according to the usual schedule, she should have been taking a break around this time.

However, this year, Choi Hwayoung was pushing through, squeezing out her remaining focus to voluntarily finish up some overtime work instead of resting.

It wasn’t like she was making potions for delivery to a company or the Union, or stocking them in her shop.

It was merely overtime work filled with selfish intentions, specifically, ‘fulfilling a request from someone she liked.’

“…I managed to make it, somehow.”

A set of six pills, encased in capsules, placed in a plastic case, and then foil-wrapped.

Choi Hwayoung placed the well-packaged six-pill plastic case into a paper box labeled ‘Male Enhancement Pills’ and then slumped forward onto the table, overcome by the fatigue from her overtime work.

The man she felt enough affection for to stay up all night making enhancement pills, despite hating bothersome tasks, and the man who would go all out with passionate sex, even needing enhancement pills to do so.

Among the people she knew, there was only one man who fit that description.

Thinking of Kim Sungchul, a B-class Hunter from the Union, Choi Hwayoung smiled faintly to herself.

“I hope he’s not going to ask for a new batch just three months later like last time. Thinking about it, maybe I should prepare a bit in advance…”

Truthfully, considering his overflowing libido and womanizing ways, even this six-pill box seemed woefully insufficient.

He’d never even taken one when he was with her, yet he’d somehow used up almost all of them and was asking for more.

Choi Hwayoung couldn’t even begin to imagine how many women he met and how much sex he had in places she didn’t know about.

“Here I am, losing sleep to make medicine for him while swamped with work, and that jerk is probably out there having a grand old time, meeting other women and having sex.”

Of course, as she wasn’t Kim Sungchul’s girlfriend, she couldn’t really point fingers. Honestly, she should be grateful just to be held by him, considering her own perceived lack of feminine charm.

Yet, whenever she thought about him sleeping with other women while she was busy making his pills, she couldn’t help but feel a petty jealousy.

“Ah, I could really go for a smoke….”

Choi Hwayoung, already stressed from meeting the potion purchase quotas from year-end into the new year, had accumulated quite a bit more stress making enhancement pills for her beloved student.

She took out the pipe tucked into the breast pocket of her gown and put it in her mouth.

Just as she was about to pack her tar-filled tobacco, steeped in the bodily fluids of a Black Slime, the face of her annoying student flashed before her eyes again.

‘Personally, I prefer it when there’s less cigarette smell during kisses.’

“….”

‘You’re going to cut back on smoking, right?’

“…Ah, crap, really.”

She had already been holding back for nearly a week, especially since she was meeting him tomorrow.

It would be too much of a shame to break her streak now.

Not wanting to give him a reason to nitpick when they met after so long, Choi Hwayoung pushed the pipe back into her breast pocket.

“…To think I’m looking out for the feelings of someone so much younger than me at this age. I really shouldn’t have given in to him that day.”

If only she hadn’t fallen for Kim Sungchul’s seduction that day, she wouldn’t have gotten so caught up in lewd things.

It reminded her of her own elf mother, who, unable to forget the pleasure-focused sex she had experienced once, had engaged in indiscriminate relationships with middle-aged human men after her father passed away.

Although her own situation was slightly different, as she was completely infatuated with just one person, Kim Sungchul, to the point of not even noticing other men, unlike her mother.

“…Speaking of which, what excuse should I use this time? It felt like I barely managed to coax him last time.”

Just like their last meeting where she claimed to be checking his magical progress, Choi Hwayoung’s primary purpose for meeting him this time was not sex.

It was a meeting to verify the results of the two fire magic improvements she had assigned as homework and to hand over the enhancement pills Kim Sungchul had requested.

Knowing his personality, he would likely suggest going to a hotel or somewhere similar, wanting to hold her after not seeing her for a while. However, it was also possible he might change his mind on a whim and just leave after they finished their business.

For Choi Hwayoung, whose sexual desire had been building up for a long time, such a development was something she absolutely did not want.

“But I don’t want to act like a pathetic fool like last time… Ah, this is driving me crazy….”

Choi Hwayoung tapped the box of enhancement pills with her fingers, her expression anxious.

How could she create an atmosphere where they could naturally spend more time together after their business was concluded when she met Kim Sungchul tomorrow?

She pondered and pondered how she could naturally create an opportunity to take him.

Of course, the one who would actually be ‘taken’ when they met tomorrow wasn’t Kim Sungchul, but Choi Hwayoung herself.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

The next morning.

-Knock, knock, knock.

“Master, it’s time to wake up.”

“…Yeah, I’m up now.”

Responding to Eunbyul’s wake-up call from beyond the door, I naturally sat up in bed.

Having someone wake me up in the morning felt strangely awkward yet nostalgic.

Except for the time in high school when Hye-eun and I grew distant, the last memory I had was of her occasionally barging into my house in the mornings during middle school.

“Breakfast is ready whenever you are. Or would you prefer to shower first?”

“I’ll eat first.”

“Yes, I’ll prepare it then.”

Responding to Eunbyul’s wake-up call from beyond the door, I naturally sat up in bed.

Dragging my slightly tired body, I headed downstairs towards the kitchen.

As soon as I descended the stairs leading to the first floor, Eunbyul’s back came into view as she filled a bowl with rice in the kitchen.

Her alluring yet cute attire made me chuckle unconsciously.

“Good morning, Eunbyul.”

“Yes, good morning.”

Although her tone lacked any sign of avoiding eye contact or shyness, her flushed face clearly indicated her embarrassment.

As expected, the naked apron outfit seemed to be quite stimulating not only for me but for Eunbyul herself.

“You look beautiful today, too. Including your outfit.”

“…Thank you.”

I gave her a compliment emphasizing her naked apron outfit, intentionally making her more aware of her appearance.

Sitting down at the table Eunbyul had set, I naturally began my meal.

“Let’s eat together this morning too, Eunbyul.”

“…Acknowledged.”

Eating alone felt a bit lacking, so of course, I called Eunbyul to join me.

Having breakfast across from a maid wearing only an apron was certainly a stimulating sight in many ways.

It felt like satisfying both appetite and desire in one sitting.

Even though Eunbyul didn’t seem to have much pent-up desire, having had sex twice in the bathroom last night.

Her mix of shame and excitement when engaging in lewd acts remained unchanged, which was somewhat reassuring.

Honestly, the naked apron wasn’t just about the outfit’s lewdness; it was more enjoyable when the person wearing it reacted to it.

“Oh, right, Eunbyul.”

“Yes?”

“I think I’ll be staying out tonight, so you’ll probably have to eat dinner alone.”

“…Is that so?”

“Yeah. I’ll probably be back around dinnertime tomorrow.”

Meeting with Hwayoung Sunbae, getting my fire magic improvement homework checked, and then a night of sex at a hotel – the day would fly by.

Tomorrow morning, I’ll head straight to work from the hotel without stopping home.

I felt a little bad about leaving Eunbyul alone at home for almost a day and a half, but…

My appointment with Hwayoung Sunbae was planned long before the incident where I rescued Eunbyul, so I couldn’t cancel it now.

Besides, given how often I stay out due to my awakening ability and my relationships, Eunbyul needs to get used to managing the house alone to some extent.

As I continued eating with these thoughts, Eunbyul’s cautious question came from across the table.

“Is it related to a female Hunter?”

“Huh?”

“…I apologize. You mentioned staying out and returning, so…”

It seemed Eunbyul was quite concerned about my other relationships.

I responded nonchalantly to put her mind at ease.

“It’s fine. There’s nothing to hide, and yes, it involves a female Hunter.”

“According to the servant’s code, I shouldn’t have asked about your personal life, Master…”

“Well, what does it matter? You and I aren’t just a typical maid and master, are we? It’s natural to be curious.”

“No, that was out of line. I’ll be more careful in the future.”

If it were something I truly needed to hide, I would have explicitly told her not to ask.

Of course, I understood that questions about a ‘master’s personal life’ could be sensitive.

Especially for a servant, inquiring about their master’s romantic relationships could be considered quite rude depending on the circumstances.

Still, it was intriguing that Eunbyul, a veteran maid in many respects, would slip up and break the servant’s code.

It was strangely enjoyable that she didn’t see me solely as ‘me,’ her Master.

“If Eunbyul-ssi can forget the servant’s code and ask me such personal questions, does that mean you’re still concerned about my relationships with other women?”

“…I am curious about which women you meet and associate with besides Do Sihee-nim, but I am aware that I am not qualified to comment on your romantic entanglements.”

“I don’t think that far.”

“However, I personally hope that you maintain only wholesome relationships, like the one with Do Sihee-nim.”

…Could the relationship between Sihee and me really be described as ‘wholesome’?

If viewed purely as human interaction, perhaps it could be considered quite wholesome.

We kept each other’s secrets, respected personal privacy, and always considered each other’s feelings without coercion or threats.

However, once the nighttime activities were included, whether it was ‘wholesome’ or not… was a matter requiring more careful consideration.

Did she conveniently exclude our unique sexual preferences?

Seeing this difference in perception, it was clear Eunbyul was indeed a woman from the Foundation.

“I’ll introduce you to one or two next time. Of course, only people trustworthy enough to keep Eunbyul-ssi’s secrets.”

“Understood.”

Even as we had this conversation, I still didn’t know.

That I would end up introducing my other women to Eunbyul so soon.