Man, this stuff is really bad for my heart.
"But this is less fun than I thought. Let's reset it for now and try something else."
"Huh? What?"
"Nothing much."
I thought I heard something bump into... something. Was it just my imagination?
"More importantly, you don't need to head out?"
"It's already 8 o'clock."
After tidying up the room she'd be staying in, moving her stuff over, and chatting about this and that, it was really time for me to go back.
I'd told her earlier that the Guild Master had called me back, but I'd completely forgotten. If I could have my way, I'd just call it a day, head home, and rest. Today had been exhausting, both physically and mentally, with so much happening. But since it was the Guild Master summoning me, I couldn't exactly say no.
"You're right. I should get going. I might be pretty late coming back."
"How late?"
"Maybe I won't even make it back tonight? Order some food with that card I gave you earlier. If you need anything else, just text me what you want, pay for it, and I'll cover it."
Lee Seo-woo had stockpiled so much cash that even blowing a few hundred million right now wouldn't make a dent. Thanks, Seo-woo. I'll put all that hard-earned money to good use.
"You'll be back by tomorrow at the latest, right?"
"Yeah, of course."
She'd seemed so composed even after I told her the truth, but now that I was saying I might not be back until tomorrow—the one who was supposed to protect her—worry and anxiety crept onto her face. Honestly, even if Seo Ji-hyun or Lee Seo-woo had no family and it was fine to bring her home, it felt wrong to drag her all the way here so impulsively and then just leave her alone like this. Which was all the more reason I couldn't let Yoo Soo-jung see anything suspicious from me.
Even if I planned to turn against the guild someday, I couldn't afford to secure solid leverage on their weaknesses first. Otherwise, Yoo Ji-hyeok, that Hunter Association executive, would step in, and it'd just screw over me and Seo Ji-hyun.
"If anything happens, contact me right away."
"I'm not a kid or anything."
"Still. You got it?"
"Okay, okay, I got it."
As I nagged her all the way to the front door to call if anything came up, she finally started looking annoyed but still promised she would, which eased my mind a bit. Once I had my shoes on and was ready to leave, there was Seo Ji-hyun staring at me intently, arms stretched straight out in front of her.
Suddenly, my head felt dizzy. I'd been hearing nonsense all day—was I actually sick? Then her words snapped me out of it.
"No goodbye?"
"Oh. Right."
I stepped closer to give her a hug, and she wrapped her arms around me just like that. With our faces close, I gave her a quick kiss on the lips. Then I tilted my head and kissed her neck once. Pulling back a little, I tugged down the collar of her T-shirt to expose her upper chest—one kiss on the left, one on the right. Finally, I dropped to my knees and pulled her pants and panties down together past her hips, right to her thighs. Burying my face in between, I found her slightly protruding clit with my tongue and sucked on it briefly.
"Nngh...!"
After that goodbye, I stood up to see Seo Ji-hyun's face flushed with satisfaction. She pulled her pants back up and hugged me tight, whispering in my ear.
"Now that was fun, Oppa."
-Click.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"Ow, my back."
I finally woke up after lunchtime, and my lower back was killing me. We'd gone at it until what you could practically call morning. Propping myself up, I glanced beside me to see Yoo Soo-jung still asleep in the nude.
Bad sleeping habits, huh? Arms and legs sprawled every which way, blankets kicked clean off. Good thing she'd had a king-sized bed brought into the Guild Master's office because she needed to be comfortable while sleeping—otherwise, her thrashing probably would've woken me up at least three times.
"Guild Master."
"Mmm..."
"It's already two. Time to get up."
"Already...?"
She finally rubbed her eyes and blinked awake. Still lying there, legs splayed wide, giving me a nice view between her thighs. Looked like she wasn't fully rousing yet, so I patted her stomach lightly and got out of bed.
"I'll wash up first and head out."
"Mm. Do whatever..."
The Guild Master's office took up more than half a floor, so even after setting aside space for reception and her desk, there was still room for a full one-room setup—bed, attached bathroom with a tub, the works. Thinking about it again, why did this woman even need a separate house outside of an office this massive? Her money, her call, I guess. Made for convenient sex, at least.
Having these thoughts made me realize just how quickly I'd adapted to this world. To Yoo Soo-jung, it was the same familiar face she'd always known, but to me, she might as well have been a stranger I met yesterday. Same with how I'd treated Seo Ji-hyun yesterday—the body's memories made it feel like I'd known them for years. Lucky break. That initial sense of wrongness from possessing this body had mostly faded. I'd been worried it'd feel weird dealing with novel characters, but...
Standing under the warm shower, my mind finally calmed down in that post-sex sage mode haze, hours later than expected.
Looking back, yesterday had been so frustrating. If I'd ever imagined getting isekai'd into a novel, this one never even crossed my mind. Why skip all the ones I'd been reading for years and drop me here? Was it just the most recent one?
If some author or god sent me here, I'd grab them by the collar. No note from a writer, no god introducing themselves—hell, no explanation from anyone. I just woke up watching Seo Ji-hyun get kicked out of the guild right in front of me. Felt too damn bad for myself.
Wait, how was I even standing when I woke up from lying down...?
More than that, when I got back to the guild alone yesterday, I tested things out—shouted "status window," tried calling up interfaces—but Heroine Revenge, the original novel, didn't use status screens. No windows, no hints on how to get home. Could I even return to my original world?
"Sigh..."
Frustrated, I sighed and ran my hand down my face, then up to slick back my bangs—but the shower spray knocked them right back down. Just like my mood.
In typical clichés, the story usually ends after the protagonist wraps up their tasks. But this was a revenge tale, not some kingly hunter story with a demon lord to slay or a first-or-last gate to close. No clue what to do here. The last I'd read was the end of part 1, killing the head of the World Hunter Organization. Did I really have to go that far?
Still, I figured I should stick close to Seo Ji-hyun for now. She was the only lead I had for getting back home. To do that, top priority was awakening her trait...
On the way back, I should get her a phone. Sorry, but I'd have her look up her knights while stirring up those negative emotions. In the original, the betrayal memories fueled her rapid growth, narrowing her emotional swings fast. But I'd twisted things from the start here. Old saying goes, slow and steady wins the race—might be complacent thinking, but I'd nurture it gradually.
Decision made, I finished showering and stepped out to find Yoo Soo-jung waiting by the door, so I gave her another goodbye.
"All slept off now? Sleep well?"
"Very satisfying. You?"
"My back's a little sore."
"Can't be helped. We went at it long and sticky for the first time in a while. Hehe."
She made a circle with her thumb and index finger on one hand, then slid her other finger in and out while grinning like a perv, drawing a dry laugh from me.
"You look young enough to pass for a student, but your actions..."
"What's wrong with that? I'm super baby-faced!"
Still naked, hands on her hips, chest thrust out proudly. Looked like an invitation, so I grabbed those breasts with both hands, kneading them and pinching her nipples lightly.
"Eek?! Hey! I didn't say grab them!"
"Surprisingly, they just barely fit in one hand."
They were soft and warm—just the right temperature, insanely addictive. Touching them melted away the lingering post-sex funk from earlier. No wonder they say a guy's anger fades if a girl lets him grope her chest.
"No one's ever called them small. Anyway, stop kneading! You're gonna get me going again."
"Even after all that?"
"Exactly! Hands off now! I need to wash up too."
"Got it. I'll head back to work then."
"Just handle the urgent stuff and clock out early. I'm letting you off special today."
"Sure, sure. Whatever you say, boss. See you."
Once the bathroom door closed, I turned and left the Guild Master's office, thinking.
Yoo Soo-jung was definitely a villain by the novel's standards. Lee Seo-woo was too competent to count against her, and I'd altered Seo Ji-hyun's path, but she'd recruited plenty of orphan Awakeners, used them up, and disposed of them. Morally indefensible.
But I'm no saintly gentleman. Far from the type who can't stand injustice. My brain's wired to avoid danger. Besides, none of that crap involved me directly.
So if I stuck by her side from now on and kept her from doing that stuff? No guilty conscience, and I'd gain Yoo Soo-jung as backing—maybe even her dad, Yoo Ji-hyeok.
Too opportunistic? One fuck and I'm whipped? Whatever. Call it rebellion against being dragged into this world clueless and desperate to survive. The story was already derailed saving Seo Ji-hyun anyway. Whatever.