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Chapter 308
How many times in my life would I have the chance to see Seo Dawon’s dumbfounded expression?
When I saw his face, I lowered my raised arms. His expression was cold–cold enough to scare my falling tears back into their tear ducts.
But…
[It seems our relationship is one-sided; you speak as if you know me.]
“…What?”
[Come to think of it, I didn’t ask you the basics. What’s your name?]
Seo Dawon asked as he lowered his hand into the cage and pressed at the area between my head and back.
Soon after, I felt something tickle the back of my neck; the bib’s strap tightened around my neck was loosened. When the bib slid down, I was able to relax a little; I realized that Seo Dawon wasn’t trying to crush me.
The same was true of the baby suit. With a soft touch and a little force, the zipper on the back descended.
I pulled my arms out of the sleeves in a hurry. Only then could I see the hoodie and jeans I always wore. Finally feeling refreshed, after a deep breath, I told the Mage, “Th-Thanks…”
[Then, you should answer now.]
“What?”
[Who are you?]
That was a problem–Seo Dawon didn’t seem to recognize me.
To be honest, I thought there was a trick hidden in the ring. Before light leaked from that accessory, Seo Dawon only saw me as a hamster, but after the light show, he perceived me as human. I thought the situation had been solved by some unknown skill–by the Mage’s skill.
However, Seo Dawon’s gaze still held a deeply entrenched vigilance.
‘…What should I do?’
Now that I had finally escaped the panic of becoming a hamster, anxiety related to Seo Dawon poured into my body. ‘Did I approach him too hastily?’
The reason why I came here was to sign a contract with Bang Eunji, but now I’m foolishly grappling with Seo Dawon… And, I didn’t even know where Bang Eunji was…
‘How should I explain this?’
Above all, I was at a loss for how I could ask Seo Dawon for his help and cooperation. After all, it would be impossible for me to escape this cage without his help.
However, this [Vengeful Ghost Memory] was a difficult skill to explain to anyone that wasn’t a Necromancer or their Servant.
Of course, Seo Dawon was a smart individual; if he believed my words held some value, he may believe me. But, I couldn’t afford to be optimistic about this situation–I haven’t figured out what clues this [Vengeful Ghost Memory] wanted to provide.
In the worst-case scenario, I may have to run away from Seo Dawon. At that thought, cold sweat ran down my back and hips.
[Don’t think too hard.]
However, my hesitation only seemed to instill suspicion in the Mage.
He pushed my head with a finger, though not hard enough to hurt, and then suddenly began to raise my hoodie. I had been absentminded, but I snapped to attention and screamed, “W-W-What are you doing?!”
[I thought you wanted me to take off your clothes?]
“Not these! These are my clothes!”
[……]
“I said, don’t take them off!!” I pushed at the Mage’s finger with all my might and shouted with a reddened, flushed face. However, Seo Dawon didn’t let me go; with a few fingers, he crushed me against the cage floor.
Moreover, he began to stick his fingernails into the waistband of my pants rather than the hoodie. I had no choice but to give in and answer his question because I was sure that I would really suffer the shame of having all my clothes peeled off.
“M-My name is Choi Lee-kyung!”
[It’s the first time I’ve heard that name.]
With that said, the Mage’s fingers were still trying to peel off my clothes.
I protested, crying out in shock, “H-Hold on! I answered you!”
[Are you so famous that people will recognize you with just your name?]
“What?”
[It’s not, right? This is the first time I’ve heard that name.]
“……”
[I asked ‘who’ you were.]
What a relentless, merciless attitude.
Only then did I realize that Seo Dawon had no goodwill for me; he treated me ruthlessly within this memory, as he might with others outside.
I closed my mouth, now even more afraid; however, my reluctance to speak must have been perceived as a rebellion.
Seo Dawon stopped lifting the hem of my clothes and began to press the fingers down on my front. In that instant, that force pressed on my organs; it felt like my ribs were being snapped from my spine.
“Hnnghh…” I struggled to breathe in.
The Mage continued to press until the point of pain and whispered quietly–
[If I press any harder, your stomach might burst.]
“D-Dawon-ah… Please.”
[How do you know my name, ‘Choi Lee-kyung?’]
“Ugh…Aghhhh…!”
Seo Dawon pressed sharply at my chest a few more times as if he were about to crush my lungs. And, when I couldn’t breathe, he picked up the water bowl Bang Eunji placed inside the cage and slowly poured the water over my head.
As the cold water flowed down my face, my oncoming blackout was chased away–not that it made me happy.
Seo Dawon, in a low tone, asked again–
[…I don’t think you made yourself like this.]
“Cough… Cough…”
[Then, who cast this skill on you? Or, is this an item?]
“……” Of course, I couldn’t answer. I was so afraid of this ‘Seo Dawon,’ my lips just wouldn’t open.
His eyes curved into a smile as he looked at my horrified expression.
[Ah, there’s something I’m most curious about. How do you know me?]
“……”
[It bothers me that you call my name as if we’re somehow close.]
“……”
[I must have been pretty nice to you, hm?]
Eventually, I couldn’t endure these questions and vomited a little.
Seo Dawon just observed me wheezing and coughing. Since I was lying face down, I felt as if the surging vomit blocked my airways. If Seo Dawon hadn’t lifted me up, I may have suffocated to death.
Seo Dawon lifted me up and placed me in the toy bathtub that Bang Eunji had placed in the cage.
“……”
Then, he began to undress me again. This time, I couldn’t even tell him to stop and simply closed my eyes. Rather than shame, fear and pain were weighing down my entire body. Once I stopped rebelling, Seo Dawon easily took off my clothes.
[Is he something similar to a Chimera?]
“……”
[I really don’t know.]
I lowered my head and looked down at my body; I only had a single piece of underwear left.
The stinging pain in my chest was more urgent than the humiliation I felt. Though my ribs may not have broken…they definitely cracked.
I worried that I would be tortured to death by the Mage if this continued. Then, I wouldn’t ever be able to return Bang Eunji back to life.
‘That’s not…the real Seo Dawon anyway…’
So, barely holding back the rising tears, I bowed obsequiously to the Mage. My trembling fingertips felt cold, but I judged the Mage would not inflict unnecessary pain if I looked cooperative enough.
No–I absolutely needed to look pitiful.
If I endure more torture, my mind won’t be able to endure. It would be better to suffer as a hamster in Bang Eunji’s possession.
If Seo Dawon continues to treat me as someone worthless, then I’ll…
“…I-I can’t really talk about it… Right now…”
[Speak louder, Lee-kyung-ah.]
“……”
However, when Seo Dawon called out to me in a friendly manner–as he usually did–tears leaked out of my eyes automatically.
Seo Dawon lifted my jaw with his finger; I was still mumbling while swallowing back my tears. He still stared at me with that brutally distant expression and asked deep questions I couldn’t exactly answer truthfully.
“Don’t… me…. Don’t hit me…”
[……]
“I… didn’t… come here with the intention of doing something bad to you…”
I gathered all my courage and began to speak, but whether or not my heart and emotions were properly conveyed to the Mage was questionable.
He stood still, staring at me, before pressing at my tear-stained cheeks.
[Why do you look so betrayed?]
“……”
My shoulders trembled at his mumbles; when our gazes locked, Seo Dawon’s eyes narrowed. Distrust and curiosity–he wavered between those two. Soon, as if he came to a decision, he took his hands off my body.