episode_0149

‘Ah… ugh… ‘

Five thick fingers digging into the upper part of the pelvis. A wide, firm chest that can be felt along the spine.

The strange sensation she felt for the first time in her life was enough to make Jin Ye-seo flustered.

She, who was using her dragon, looked up at the man wearing a gas mask in a hurry.

He was talking to the old man without even looking at Jin Ye-seo.

“Of course a man should do that. Shouldn’t he protect his own woman? ”

“… That’s what I mean.”

‘…?’

Jin Ye-seo tilted her head with a puzzled look.

An old saying that is extremely old-fashioned and has no meaning in wizarding society.

But the man’s answer somehow had a lonely ring to it.

“What a nice wife. To have a partner like that, how dependable he must be.”

Without even thinking about the reason, the old man’s pleased smile turned towards Jin Ye-seo again.

Jin Ye-seo thought about how to respond. Of course, at first, all she wanted to do was immediately refute that nonsense.

But what she heard from the man earlier holds her back.

‘Who is helping whom… They’re just getting in the way…’

He had already mentioned that she was his wife, and the old man naturally accepted it.

In this situation, it was obvious that if she denied him, the atmosphere would become strange.

On the other hand, you may be treated suspiciously.

I was thinking that even though she followed along with great enthusiasm, she wasn’t providing much help.

The level of knowledge about the heresy that he had revealed was something he could have easily found out with his own abilities.

In this situation, if you don’t help but hinder things…

“That… That’s what I mean… Ahaha… ”

In the end, Jin Ye-seo had no choice but to make an awkward expression that didn’t suit her.

“Right? But why is your expression like that? And why are you sweating so much? Is there something that hurts somewhere? Huh?”

The old man seemed to have misunderstood Jin Ye-seo’s forced smile as meaning something else.

“Oh, no… It doesn’t really hurt anywhere… ”

“Well, in this environment, it’s actually strange to be normal.”

Then he clicked his tongue and came to a conclusion on his own.

“Look at all this smoke and pollution. It seems like it’s getting worse day by day. These days, if I cough, blood comes out. Even if it’s an industrial city, there has to be a limit.”

He nodded and lamented the distance that was invisible to him as it was covered in orange pollution.

“Where are you from?”

“I came up from the south to look for work. There was no suitable place in the capital.”

“Tsk tsk, the situation is obvious. There are more than a few people who have fled because of the chaos in Jinling. You magicians, you only know how to brag, but what on earth do you do!”

“… ”

Unlike Jin Ye-seo, who was upset by the old man’s grumbling, the man still looked calm.

“Should I also join the Black Magic Association?”

-You’re too old, you idiot! What can you do when you have no energy…

“Hey! What kind of slander is that! If you knew how much my wife loves me, you wouldn’t say such things.”

The old man’s loud retort filled the cramped store with laughter.

“Ahem. Anyway, it’s good that you came. You won’t be staying here for long, so hurry up and earn some money and leave. If you go out to the square at dawn, you’ll be able to find work.”

The old man coughed a couple of times and then turned his gaze to the man again.

“Don’t go near the outskirts. Avoid walking around late at night if possible.”

“Why is that?”

“The city’s security is getting worse day by day. Behind the orange smog, all kinds of false rumors are floating around. There are more than a few people who got drunk and stepped into the fog and disappeared forever. There are also testimonies of hearing strange beast-like cries.”

The old man, who had kicked away his smile, spoke with a slightly more serious expression.

“Sometimes, red blood flows back out of the sewers. It’s already common to find corpses that have been eaten by something. Everyone says that there must be some kind of conspiracy going on down there, but no one has the courage to confirm it. What kind of power do insensitive people like us have? The security bureau doesn’t care about the affairs of the lower classes… ”

The old man, who had once started talking, only regained his composure after a few minutes.

“Ah, this is me again… Understand. As you get older, all you have to do is say things… ”

The conversation ended with the old man looking embarrassed.

The man in the gas mask who had sent out the letter first exchanged a few more words with the old man and then went outside.

“Why do you hate wizards so much? I’m disappointed. Even though they’re from the lower class, they don’t seem like bad people.”

Jin Ye-seo followed him as he walked ahead, speaking in a voice that contained a little resentment.

“If we weren’t here, this country would have perished long ago. Even now, our taking on this request is a sacrifice to the country. Even if it’s just a joke, how could he say he’d join the Dark Magic Association so casually… ”

“… It’s not that they’re particularly evil. Everyone desires what they don’t have. And even if you can’t become a wizard, you can still become a warlock by your own will… ”

The man’s voice was still subdued.

“… That’s quite generous. If the heir of the five families were to show such thoughts, it would be suspicious. So you’re saying that if that old man turns into a warlock, you’ll spare his life?”

“Of course I should kill him. But before that, I should torture him and get some information out of him.”

Jin Ye-seo was speechless at the answer that still couldn’t guess her mental state.

Unlike wizards, who are often said to have been chosen by God and are born with innate talent, it is not difficult to become a warlock if you have the will.

All you have to do is forcefully inject magic into your body and then endure the recoil.

Of course, nine out of ten of those who are injected with magic end up meeting a miserable fate, such as becoming mutants, going mad, or having their bodies collapse because they cannot withstand the magic.

However, perhaps because their lives were becoming increasingly gloomy with each passing day, the number of black magicians was not decreasing, but rather increasing with each passing day.

“… ”

Jin Ye-seo, lost in thought, thought over the man’s words.

Even she, who was born into a noble family with nothing lacking, was dependent on the circulatory magic that she did not have.

So much so that she was willing to risk being exposed to the man in front of her.

“… Then is there something you don’t have?”

“… ”

He, who had been ahead of Jin Ye-seo’s question, suddenly stopped walking.

And then he turned his head slightly and looked at Jin Ye-seo.

“What, what is it… ”

Although she couldn’t see through the gas mask, it felt like her gaze was directed at her black-dyed hair rather than her eyes.

“… There is.”

‘also…’

The man gave a short answer after a long silence. Once again, his tone was filled with a sense of loneliness.

Somehow, Jin Ye-seo remembered the feeling the man’s hand had given her earlier.

That touch, which did not feel at all like its usual roughness, seemed rather to be filled with affection.

‘That’s what a man should do. Shouldn’t he at least protect his own woman, right?’

The voice of an old man with a warm smile.

It was the first time in my life that I felt like I was being protected by someone.

Even though it was injected arbitrarily.

‘…’

A strange feeling suddenly enveloped Jinyeseo. What was clear was that it was definitely not a negative feeling.

‘No, no! What am I thinking?’

However, Jin Ye-seo soon shook her head and hurriedly shook him off.

“You’re holding onto weight for no reason. And who told you to grab someone’s waist like that? Do you know how surprised I was just now?”

And then she continued her belated protest, glaring at the man with a pointed expression.

“You usually tell me not to touch it… ”

“I can endure it for a little while, so that’s okay.”

“Huh?”

Jin Ye-seo looked dumbfounded at his calm words that didn’t even sound like an excuse.

“That’s just the way it is. If we look like that, it’s a blessing. We’ll have to pretend to be a married couple while we’re in this city.”

“Who can do something like that… ”

Jin Ye-seo stopped talking and shut her mouth tightly.

It was because she remembered the words of the man who had been harassing her earlier.

And since he had already decided, Jin Ye-seo had no choice.

“Sigh… ”

She barely managed to suppress her complaints with a grumble and a sigh.

“… Okay. So where are you going now? Another store? ”

“There’s no need to go anywhere else. I’ve heard everything I need to hear from the old man.”

The man answered, walking ahead into the alley.

“I plan to focus on the places the old man mentioned earlier. It’s too late today, so I’ll start tomorrow.”

“I told you not to go because it was dangerous?”

“Uh. This feels weird. I hope it’s nothing serious… ”

The man stopped walking without saying a word.

He looked lost in thought, looking down the sewer manhole.

Then he raised his head and looked around.

The landscape was still obscured by orange smog. Only the shadows of huge factory chimneys belching smoke could be seen.

There is no sound of birds or wind here. Only the echoing metallic sounds of the factory and the sounds of machines create an eerie noise.

Listening to the old man’s words, it seemed to me that the sharp sound really did sound like the cry of an animal.

“… Okay. We can figure out the rest starting tomorrow.”

The man started walking again. He stopped in front of a cheap hotel with a flashing old neon sign.

I wondered if the reason she asked the old man a few more words was because she was looking for a place to stay. She had been worrying about him too.

However, Jin Ye-seo let out a deep sigh upon seeing the miserable appearance.

‘I’d rather be in the field…’

Lights emitting a red, dark light, shelves covered in dust, large, dead bugs scattered everywhere, and an unidentifiable bloody smell tickling your nose.

I could guarantee that even the quarters of the servants employed by the main house were several times better than this.

‘ha…’

However, it is not possible for a poor couple who came to Seoul to find work to stay in a luxury hotel.

Of course, such a place was not visible in the first place.

‘But I do have time to be alone…’

It was around the time when Jin Ye-seo was trying to regain her senses by thinking positively.

“You can return the key when you leave tomorrow morning… Then, have a good night.”

“Thank you.”

The voice of a man greeting the kind-looking hostess. And the sound of keys clinking.

“Hey. Give me my room key. I guess I chose the best room here… ”

However, Jin Ye-seo turned around and could not continue speaking.

She furrowed her eyebrows slightly in puzzlement.

For some reason, there was only one key in the man’s hand.

“… ?”

It took a few seconds for Jin Ye-seo to understand the meaning of the sight.

***

-Shoot… knock… knock…

The cramped, old bathroom was filled with steam.

The girl with black hair was sitting in the bathtub in a squatting position.

Perhaps because of the hot weather, her cheeks and ears had turned bright red.

After staring blankly for a while, she abruptly got up and got out of the bathtub.

“… I got hit.”

And then I stood in the middle of the steam and looked at myself in the mirror.

Eyes shaking violently as if an earthquake had occurred, a face filled with fear of what lay ahead.

“… I’m sure. It’s definitely on purpose. Definitely… ”

Jin Ye-seo recited in a confident tone.

The series of events fell into place perfectly.

Normally, she would never have exposed her naked body in such a shabby place.

However, because of the commotion that had occurred at the restaurant earlier, the pungent smell of alcohol and all kinds of cheap food had seeped into her body.

Resting with dirt all over her body is something she can never do.

Due to the man’s insistence that he would make concessions, she was forced into the bathroom.

And then the poor, lower-class couple started acting like water flowing.

Even the saying that it is natural for a couple to share a room is so convenient.

“… ”

Jin Ye-seo looked at herself in the mirror again.

Gradually, the steam cleared, revealing her naked body, completely naked.

She has milky white skin, is taller than her peers due to her Western blood, has a streamlined, curved waistline, and even has two flowers blooming in a light pink color.

A body that is not at all an exaggeration to call a beautiful work of art.

Although I find men’s lustful gazes absolutely disgusting, I can still guess their source.

And now.

There’s a man outside that door who desires that priceless piece of art.

“Ugh… ”

Jin Ye-seo carefully touched the dark red bruise below her belly button, which was revealed with her finger.

The part that he repeatedly hit in every fight.

No matter how much I rubbed it, it didn’t go away. Rather, the sensation just felt more vivid.

As if she had been branded a slave, as if she belonged to someone.

“I was so naive… ”

A female sorceress’s chastity is a major weapon and a valuable bargaining chip.

But in a man-woman relationship, these stereotypes are meaningless.

Right now, Jinyeseo was defenseless. There was no power of the family to protect her here, nor any rules of the cradle. What’s more, this was an opponent that even her own strength could not handle.

That means, it’s a golden opportunity to take her without anyone’s interference.

Jin Ye-seo was feeling fearful of the unknown sensation she was experiencing for the first time in her life.

Why did she follow him like that? Maybe even that firm rejection was a sinister plot to make her heart ache.

“Aren’t you waiting for me in front of the door? As soon as I come out… for me… ”

Jin Ye-seo tightly closed her eyes. However, there was no way to avoid the predetermined future.

Finally, she gave up and muttered in a voice that sounded empty.

“Then, at the very least… It would be a mess if it were all messed up… ”

No matter what, I absolutely did not want to be seen crying so viciously.

Jin Ye-seo desperately racked her brain. She was resentful of her past self who had shown no interest in this area.

She tried to think of a clue by recalling the dirty gossip her friends had been gossiping about.

Suddenly, something occurred to her, she lowered her head, and stared blankly down.

“Should I…organize…it seems a little messy…no, no no no… ”

But soon he came to his senses and stared at the mirror again with a fierce gaze.

“What are you worrying about… Come on, come to your senses. Jinyeseo… ”

Then he spoke to himself in a wet voice and made up his mind.

“I’m sorry, Seoyeon unnie… I guess this is it for me… ”

If it’s going to happen anyway, it’s better to do it quickly. Showing weakness is what that vicious man wants.

Thinking so, Jin Ye-seo grabbed the doorknob with trembling hands.

I closed my eyes tightly, wrapped a long towel around my body, and stepped outside.

“Hic… ”

Even the sensation of the rug touching her toes was painful to her.

The blocked view actually stimulates the imagination. It feels like something is going to rush in and tear you apart at any moment.

“… ?”

But no matter how much time passed, the things Jin Ye-seo had fantasized about never happened.

At this, Jin Ye-seo opens her tightly shut eyes and makes a puzzled expression.

There was no movement whatsoever in the dark room.

“Sigh… ”

Jin Ye-seo looked around and then turned her gaze toward the window, gasping for breath.

I could see the back of a man sitting on a chair by the window and looking outside.

“… Hey. What are you doing…?”

“… ”

Jin Ye-seo, who saw that sight, spoke in a trembling voice.

“Hey, hey… ”

“… ”

There was still no answer. Jin Ye-seo swallowed hard and slowly walked away, staring at him.

Even though she was right in front of him, he didn’t move an inch.

Jin Ye-seo squatted down and looked at him.

“… ”

His face, still tightly covered with a gas mask.

And the only sound that can be heard is… the steady, regular breathing of a man.

“Uh, uh… ?”

A look of confusion appeared on Jin Ye-seo’s face when she saw this.

“… ”

After a while.

Jin Ye-seo, who had been squatting, bowed her head deeply.

“Me, you’re making fun of me… How dare you… ”

A face flushed red with humiliation and shame. Hands trembling.

There were huge tears in the corners of her eyes.

It didn’t take long for Jin Ye-seo to realize the meaning of the breathing sound.

The man was already in a deep sleep.