Chapter 328: A Twisted Future
It had been some time since I had given Baek Seoyeon the third stage of the black potion, the Potion of Pain, after the initial dose of the mind-altering drug.
The underground prison remained as dark as ever. Yet, the once unfamiliar surroundings now felt oddly familiar as I calmly crossed the space that used to be a training ground. My steps eventually led me to a multipurpose room. The door was already ajar, so I entered without hesitation.
Unlike the other cells, this room was dimly lit, casting a weak glow inside. A strange, hot wind swirled within, carrying with it a mix of scents—night-blooming flowers, sweat, filth, and the unmistakable odor of bodies. The source of these smells was a tangled mass of one woman and three men. I watched their one-sided act for a moment before stepping further inside.
I left the door open. Yet, one of the men, engrossed in the act, suddenly turned around, startled by my presence.
“Ah, uh!”
“It’s fine. Carry on.”
I gestured with my hand to reassure them, but the vagrants surrounding Baek Seoyeon hesitated and awkwardly pulled away from her. Hastily covering themselves with rags that barely qualified as clothing, they began to gauge my reaction.
“Has Vivian been here?”
“Yes, yes. She brought us food today and checked in briefly.”
“I see. No issues, then?”
“No! The meals have been regular lately, and, well…”
The vagrant closest to me glanced at Baek Seoyeon and answered cautiously.
‘They need the strength for that, after all.’
To be precise, I hadn’t starved the vagrants. I hadn’t pampered them either, but aside from Baek Seoyeon and her two close aides, I treated the rest as normal prisoners. Of course, those three were kept alive with just enough sustenance.
“Um… Mercenary Lord, if I may ask something?”
A vagrant who had been quietly observing spoke up.
I nodded for him to continue, and he spoke in a slightly rough voice.
“About what you mentioned last time… how is that progressing?”
“Ah, it’s set to happen soon. The trial will be held then as well.”
“I see. Thank you for letting us know.”
“No need to thank me. I intend to keep my promise regarding the testimony, so don’t worry about that. Just follow Vivian’s instructions for now. I won’t forget.”
The vagrant bowed deeply, as if to say he had no choice. I had already made it clear that I couldn’t guarantee their lives. Perhaps they thought this was their last chance, which might explain their beastly behavior towards Baek Seoyeon.
One by one, the vagrants began to leave the room. Though they seemed reluctant to end their enjoyment, they soon returned to their respective cells.
As the door closed, I clapped my hands lightly, infusing them with magic. The light stones in the multipurpose room illuminated, casting a stark light on Baek Seoyeon’s lifeless form sprawled on the floor.
Her body lay exposed, legs splayed, in a pitiful state. She had been tormented to the point where no part of her seemed unscathed. Her breasts were covered in bite marks and bruises, and her swollen, reddened private parts leaked a white fluid. The white and red stains covering her from head to toe hinted at the severity of her ordeal over the past few days.
“Ah… ah… sob… ugh… ah…”
The sounds escaping her parted lips were indistinguishable—whether they were cries of pain, moans of pleasure, or sobs of despair. Perhaps it was all three. According to Vivian, the fruit of Yggdrasil was supposed to have permanent effects. However, the reversal of its effects and the potion-making process had stripped it of permanence, leaving only its persistence.
In other words, Baek Seoyeon was now experiencing heightened sensitivity, feeling both pleasure and pain simultaneously. I watched her silently for a while.
Even the strongest of women would become mentally unstable after being violated by multiple men. No matter how much of the mind-altering drug she had consumed, her mind wouldn’t change in just a few days. It merely forced her body to react, but true enjoyment was something out of a novel.
Moreover, Baek Seoyeon had been assaulted by her own cherished subordinates. She wasn’t a natural seductress, nor had she been trained over a long period like a fairy queen. She was likely in unbearable agony, wishing for death.
“Sniff… sob… sob… sob…”
Then, Baek Seoyeon’s voice filled the empty space again, this time clearly a sob. She had covered her eyes with her hand, her lips parted as she cried.
“……”
The sound of her sorrowful sobs echoed through the underground, amplifying the already heavy atmosphere. I watched her for a long time, tears streaming down her face, before quietly turning to leave the multipurpose room.
I didn’t feel pity. I didn’t feel sadness.
I closed my eyes, feeling a calm resolve. Others might see it differently, but I had never considered myself virtuous.
I’ve always believed that humans are inherently self-justifying, changeable depending on circumstances, and fundamentally selfish creatures.
I returned to this second life with a purpose. I vowed to achieve that purpose by any means necessary. The memories of my first life were still vivid in my mind, preventing me from feeling sorrow over such a situation.
The days I had to endure, watch, and suffer through. Those searing memories remained deeply etched in my heart.
Yes. That was all there was to it.
“Su-hyun. Do you know how long it’s been since you last called for me?”
In the dead of night, as I descended the dark stairs, a sharp voice reached my ears. I turned my head slightly and replied indifferently.
“Is that so?”
“Yes, it is. Even though you came suddenly today, I was so happy inside. But then you told me to follow you without any explanation… Ha-yeon is sad too, you know.”
“I’ve been busy lately.”
Go Yeon-ju seemed ready to complain, but she fell silent at my mention of being busy. She had been by my side, witnessing how I’d been living, so she had nothing more to say.
Still, she pouted, dissatisfied at not hearing sweet words. I knew what she wanted to hear, but I chose to hold my tongue. We were on the brink of an important moment.
We reached the lobby and walked down the corridor to the stairs leading underground. As we descended in silence, Go Yeon-ju’s voice, now calmer, reached me.
“Su-hyun. Are you aware that the secret assembly is happening in three days?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Then what do you plan to do with the vagrants?”
“Well, I’ll know after today.”
Go Yeon-ju seemed lost in thought for a moment before speaking in a languid tone.
“I suppose I should prepare the Eyes of Temptation.”
As expected, Go Yeon-ju quickly grasped the situation. I nodded once and stopped in front of the underground prison. I didn’t open the door immediately. Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I knocked on the door three times, loud enough for those inside to hear.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
“Huh? Why aren’t you going in?”
Go Yeon-ju tilted her head in curiosity. At that moment, I felt a strong flow of magic from inside. Vivian’s illusion magic circle needed a bit more time to fully manifest. Sensing her awareness, I decided to explain a few things.
“Go Yeon-ju. Today, I plan to deliver the final blow to Baek Seoyeon.”
“The final blow… I see.”
“I’ve prepared a show fitting for the occasion. You won’t be part of it, but just in case, please wait here. When I bring Baek Seoyeon out, use the Eyes of Temptation as the situation demands.”
“Hmm… I’m not quite sure what you mean, but I’ll understand once I see it. Alright.”
Satisfied with Go Yeon-ju’s confident response, I focused my magic to sense the situation inside. Without further delay, I flung the door open. Unlike before, the room was now brightly lit by all the light stones.
The scene inside the underground prison would have seemed comical to an outsider. A large magic circle was drawn on the floor, glowing a soft green. Scattered across it were the vagrants, writhing slightly. The once tightly shut cell doors were now wide open.
I met Vivian’s gaze from where she stood. She nodded silently, her staff glowing with magic. We had already discussed everything. I took a step inside, accepting the magic flowing into me, and began walking towards the center of the magic circle where Baek Seoyeon lay.
As I finally reached the center of the camp, I saw Baek Seoyeon lying there as if dead. I calmly bent down and gently shook her awake.
“Ugh… huh… uh, huh!”
Baek Seoyeon let out a strained sound, her eyes fluttering open only to squint against the light she hadn’t seen in a while. I wrapped her bare body in a robe I had prepared and lifted her up gently, forcing her to look directly at me.
Her eyes were filled with despair and loss, like those of a dead person. But that was only for a moment. Her eyes widened suddenly, and her mouth opened as she stared at me in disbelief.
After about thirty seconds, a hoarse voice escaped her throat.
“Hyun…?”
”…”
“Hyun? Is it really you? It is, isn’t it?!”
Her eyes were still unfocused, but there was a faint, gradual change. Though negative emotions still dominated, a glimmer of hope was beginning to shine through.
“Why… why are you here? How can you be here…?”
”…”
“Why aren’t you answering me? Hyun? Hyun…”
She weakly raised a hand to touch my face, then suddenly dropped her gaze to my chest. I watched her expression closely and pretended to cover my chest with my hand.
Seoyeon must have drunk the purple potion that rapidly diminishes judgment and attention, leaving her in a daze. She was also under the influence of Vivian’s illusion magic.
Vivian’s skills weren’t perfect yet, so we had to resort to this theatrical charade. Still, it was one of the most effective methods according to Mavolo, so I was willing to go along with it once.
Seoyeon couldn’t tear her eyes away from my chest. She managed to push my hand aside with her remaining strength (though I let her do it intentionally) and took a deep breath, looking up at me with trembling eyes.
“Why are you so hurt…?”
”…”
“Did you get hurt because of me? To save me…?”
What kind of illusion was Seoyeon seeing right now? I was curious, but all I needed to do was play my part, so I nodded once.
“I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. I was stubborn… I shouldn’t have taken on the role of commander like you said…”
I slowly shook my head from side to side.
“But why haven’t you said anything since earlier? And how did you get here… This place is supposed to be…”
‘Hyun, huh. So the rumors from the vagrants were true.’
I thought it was a good thing I had gathered all those trivial details as I began to lead Seoyeon toward the door. If she realized it was all an illusion, all our efforts would be for nothing. Though it would be a setback, it wouldn’t be the end.
At first, Seoyeon stumbled hesitantly, but soon she leaned on me, taking one difficult step after another. She still looked at me with disbelief, then slowly began to take in her surroundings.
After about ten steps, she seemed to notice something and muttered quietly. Glancing down, I saw her gaze fixed on the fallen vagrants.
“Those idiots. I told them not to be fooled… and now they’re dead. Damn fools…!”
Were they really dead?
“Ah, Hyun! Wait a moment!”
”?”
“Ha-ein and Ga-in might be held here. You know them, right? Did you see them?”
Her voice was filled with desperation, but I didn’t answer. I focused on getting Seoyeon to the door. The distance to the door was steadily decreasing.
“Hyun? Hyun! Why can’t I see them? Are they dead? Please answer me! Ha-ein and Ga-in…”
I shook my head again, and Seoyeon finally stopped speaking, staring blankly at the prison.
“Dead…?”
Finally, with the door right in front of us, I stopped and turned to look back inside. The glowing green magic circle was slowly losing its light. Only then did I speak in my true voice.
“They’re not dead.”
“What? They’re not dead? Then why… why aren’t you bringing them out?”
Still dazed from the potion and magic, Seoyeon looked at me in confusion. I didn’t answer further. Instead, I clapped my hands lightly, infused with magic. The light stone that had been illuminating the room suddenly went out, and light and darkness swapped places in an instant. With just one clap, the underground prison returned to its former eerie state.
And at that moment, the vagrants who had been lying in the magic circle began to rise one by one.
“What, what, what is this? Hyun? Hyun?! Why are those who were dead suddenly…!”
Seoyeon screamed, clinging to me even tighter, unable to cross the boundary between dream and reality. The magic circle was already deactivated. I decided it was time to reveal the truth.
“My name is Suhyun. Don’t call me by a single name without permission.”
“Ah…?”
Finally sensing something was off, Seoyeon slowly, very slowly, turned to look at me.
“Hyun?”
And the moment she saw my face, the hopeful voice that had been calling for Hyun fell silent.
“Hyun…?”
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
It’s the weekend, everyone! The weekend! Haha! I’m planning to get up early and take a walk by the Han River. I really enjoy walking; it’s a great way to exercise and clear my thoughts. Two birds with one stone! :) By the way, how do you feel about the pacing today? The story mentions that the conscription order is approaching, which means over two weeks have passed in the novel’s timeline. If you like it, please give me some praise. :D
『 Reader Comments 』
Devaran: Congrats on being first! Haha. A male character poll sounds good. I’ll keep it in mind!
Bullet: Thank you! I’m always grateful for the overwhelming interest from readers in my humble novel. :) Oh, I’ve already planned the clear schedule. You’re close! Haha! And thanks for the coupon! (__)
Akleo: Haha, the one or two years refer to the time gap in the novel! I won’t take that long of a break~.
repairSEKAI: Yes! I’ll dedicate this to you! I’ve given up on being first. ㅜ.ㅠ
La_Emperor: Oh, I was having a tough day yesterday, but your comment made me laugh a lot. Thank you. Haha.
s25jin: Once the conscription order is quickly wrapped up, there will be a couple of relaxing chapters before the next arc. Hehe. :)
Pineiro: I thought explaining everything was necessary to make the next developments believable, but maybe it’s not always needed. There are ways to convey understanding through the situation, or I could save it for a big twist. :)
TigerKing: Haha. I’m a man. Not a woman. A man. (Emphasis.)
OffToLove19: I was startled by your comment. How did you know? ;ㅅ;
Rono: Hahaha. Why are you couples doing this! Hahaha. You lively people! (?)
Thank you always for reading. I hope you enjoy the story with a relaxed mind.