Chapter 112:
“That’s right. I have something for you. I thought it would be better to give it to you somewhere more private.”
Seo Jae-yi pulled a fist-sized orb from her combat suit pocket. It was a Gatekeeper’s Magic Stone, radiating a vibrant violet light.
“Whoa!”
“I thought I sensed a strange magical energy around you.”
Airok gaped at the potent, pure magic stone, while Baek Joo-won chuckled.
“You knew?”
“Of course. I’m a dungeon master, after all.”
Baek Joo-won and Airok’s gazes were fixed on the magic stone. Airok was even drooling.
“No, Logi. This is for Baek Joo-won.”
“Yeah, that’s right. You already had one before, so this one’s mine.”
Baek Joo-won snatched the magic stone.
He had noticed an unsettling magical energy lingering around Seo Jae-yi and had planned to check it out as soon as they reached the flower shop, but he hadn’t expected such a gift.
Feeling the intense energy pulsating in his palm, Baek Joo-won licked his lips unconsciously. While he could obtain energy from human food, it couldn’t compare to the pure essence of a magic stone.
“What? Why are you looking at it like that?”
Seo Jae-yi asked hesitantly, observing Baek Joo-won’s intense stare at the magic stone.
“Like what?”
“Like when you Guide me.”
“You noticed. You’re not as slow as I thought.”
“What? What does that mean?”
Instead of answering, Baek Joo-won brought the magic stone to his lips. His canines, previously indistinguishable from a human’s, instantly sharpened and pierced the stone.
The burst of violet magic that erupted was slowly drawn into Baek Joo-won’s mouth. He savored and swallowed the magic as if enjoying the world’s finest banquet.
“…….”
Seo Jae-yi stared blankly at Baek Joo-won’s meal.
As he absorbed the magic, a look of satiation spread across his face, satisfaction settled on his lips, and his eyes, now tinged with green, glowed with a fervent light.
It suddenly struck her that his consumption of human food was merely sustenance.
‘The atmosphere while he’s eating… what’s up with that?’
When Airok munched on magic stones like candy, it was just cute.
Baek Joo-won’s meal, however, was strangely unsettling, making her wonder if she should even be watching.
The fact that he was staring intently at her while gulping down the magic made it even more peculiar.
“Is it good?”
Seo Jae-yi asked Baek Joo-won without thinking.
His eyes, engrossed in his meal, curved into a gentle smile.
“Incredibly.”
He certainly looked satisfied.
“Whew.”
His meal finally ended after he absorbed the last drop of magic.
Baek Joo-won licked his lips, still faintly flavored with the magic’s essence.
“Thanks for the meal.”
Then he tossed the now empty orb to Airok. Airok caught it as if it were expected and crunched it down.
The naturalness of the exchange suggested this was a common occurrence.
“You must have been envious when I gave Logi a magic stone as a bonus before.”
“I can’t deny that.”
“Hmm. I was originally planning to give all the magic stones to Logi, but…”
Seeing Baek Joo-won’s immense satisfaction made her reconsider. Should she share some with him too?
“Master! No, you can’t!”
Airok, immediately sensing her dilemma, pleaded with her.
“Of course I can. I have to Guide Seo Jae-yi, too.”
Baek Joo-won, his arm draped around Seo Jae-yi’s shoulders, grinned mischievously.
“To consistently Guide you, I need sufficient energy. So naturally, the magic stones should go to me, right?”
“B-But I also use my abilities to grow the flowers in the shop…!”
“Is that more important than Seo Jae-yi’s health?”
That single question silenced Airok.
“To think you’d both be fighting over it like this. Magic stones must be really important to monsters.”
“It’s like eating ginseng for humans.”
Baek Joo-won’s analogy made immediate sense to Seo Jae-yi.
“And as a dungeon master, my body is like centuries-old ginseng to monsters. That’s why they’re so eager to get their hands on me.”
“Even I’d be tempted by that.”
Nodding in agreement, Seo Jae-yi suddenly had a realization.
“Awakened individuals also possess strong energy, right? That’s why monsters try to devour Awakened individuals who enter dungeons.”
“That’s right.”
“Then, as an S-rank, I must be like a high-quality ginseng to you and Logi, too, right?”
“…….”
“…….”
What kind of crazy talk was this?
“So, think of it like donating blood. If I give you some of my blood every once in a while…”
“There you go with your crazy talk again.”
“Master, are you out of your mind?”
“Huh, why?”
Wasn’t sharing a good thing?
Baek Joo-won chuckled at Seo Jae-yi’s bewildered expression. His still-sharp canines flashed between his parted lips.
He glared at Seo Jae-yi for a moment before scooping her up and striding towards the greenhouse. He laid her down on the table where they often conducted their Guiding sessions.
Intimidated by Baek Joo-won’s imposing aura, Airok didn’t follow.
In the quiet, plant-filled greenhouse, he looked down at Seo Jae-yi with an annoyed expression.
“You want me to drink your blood. Like I’m devouring prey.”
“Why are you getting angry? What’s wrong with taking a sip or two as a special treat sometimes?”
“Are you so worked up from the fight that you’ve lost your mind? Oh, right. We haven’t properly Guided yet, have we?”
Your levels must be off, that’s why you’re acting like this.
“Wait, Baek Joo-won!”
Baek Joo-won intertwined one of his hands with Seo Jae-yi’s and wrapped his other hand around her neck.
As if to express his displeasure, the Guiding that poured into her was more forceful than usual.
Seo Jae-yi bit her lip. She had become more accustomed to it and could now endure it without losing her senses, but this initial intensity made it difficult to bear.
Her mind grew hazy, and her heart pounded, just like the first time she received his Guiding.
She hurriedly grabbed Baek Joo-won’s arm with her free hand, but he didn’t budge.
‘But I can’t just throw him off.’
She knew he wouldn’t be hurt that easily since he wasn’t human, but she still couldn’t treat him carelessly.
He was too precious to her.
So, all she could do was grit her teeth and endure.
“Ugh, Joo-won…”
But that didn’t last long.
As his power within her resonated with the Guiding, her body began to tremble uncontrollably.
Seo Jae-yi unconsciously licked her lips, her gaze hazy as she looked at the man who had completely overtaken her. The warning not to hurt him rang in her head, yet her hands were clinging to him.
“Ah…”
More, just a little more…
Just as she parted her lips to plead for something, she snapped back to her senses.
“I-Is it really that bad?”
Seo Jae-yi whispered, her face contorted in frustration.
“You’re the reason I’m alive, and I can’t do anything for you, so I just wanted to give you that at least.”
“……That is somewhat admirable.”
The relentless surge of Guiding subsided slightly.
Finally able to breathe, Seo Jae-yi shuddered. As her mind cleared, she looked up at Baek Joo-won, who was completely covering her.
His green eyes and sharp canines made him seem unfamiliar. Her heart pounded.
“But Seo Jae-yi, if my blood, the magic within me, could help you, would you drink it?”
“……Huh?”
Seo Jae-yi froze. Her breath hitched.
Baek Joo-won sighed at her stunned expression.
“See? You make that face, yet you act like it’s natural for me to consume yours.”
Offering her own blood was nothing to her. Baek Joo-won and Airok were both precious, so she would willingly give a few drops of blood.
She had never considered the reverse.
“……I misspoke. I apologize.”
“Yes, you’re a good girl.”
A smile finally returned to Baek Joo-won’s face. The rough, invasive Guiding softened.
‘But this is even harder to bear!’
It felt as if a gentle breeze or soft feathers were tickling her all over. Her body squirmed, and her back arched.
Oh, this is killing me.
Trembling, Seo Jae-yi clung to Baek Joo-won even tighter.
“T-Then let’s do this. When you urgently need energy, you can drink a little of my blood.”
“……You still haven’t learned your lesson.”
Tsk! Clicking his tongue disapprovingly, Baek Joo-won’s Guiding became forceful once more. His pure energy tingled through her veins.
“Joo-won, Joo-won! Stop!”
Seo Jae-yi could no longer hold back her cries. When his lips brushed against the sensitive skin of her exposed neck, she felt like she was going to lose it.
‘Ugh, damn it!’
Just when she thought she couldn’t take any more, the image of him savoring the magic of the stone flashed through her mind.
Her heart hammered in her chest.
“I’ll make sure you never say that again.”
Baek Joo-won pulled Seo Jae-yi closer, embracing her waist. Enveloped in his arms, the Guiding intensified.
Oh god, damn it. She couldn’t win against Baek Joo-won.
Finally giving in, Seo Jae-yi frantically clutched his back and shoulders. Her legs were now entangled with his.
She didn’t care if his lips touched her vital points. On the contrary, she wanted him to touch the places where her life force flowed the strongest.
Tilting her head back as far as possible so he could have better access, she raked her nails down his back. Rip. His shirt tore, and his skin was scratched.
“Seo Jae-yi, do you like it that much?”
Baek Joo-won’s hot breath grazed her skin.
He encouraged her, implying that she could scratch him more, that he even preferred it.
Gasping at his strangely desirous tone, Seo Jae-yi managed to open her eyes and look at him. Meeting his gaze sent a jolt through her body.
Ah, that look. The same look he had when he was absorbing the magic from the stone.
The only time his usually calm eyes burned with such intensity.
Ah, Seo Jae-yi finally understood the meaning of that look, the emotion it held.
It was pure, unadulterated desire and satisfaction.
Joo-won wanted everything she had to offer.