noveldrama
Chapter 209
Chapter 209
Seo Yujin, caught in the chaos of the EX-rank gate, clung to one daring plan:
Step 1: Lift the Master.
—Hoist.
[“I love you, Master!! Please have sex with me!!!”]
“W-WHAT!?”
The subject of this declaration, Aika Ninomiya, froze in utter disbelief.
Hoisted into the air, her face burned with confusion and shock.
It wasn’t just her.
“...What the hell?”
“Yujin?!”
“What… is going on?”
The three S-rankers—Seol Hayeon, Sybilla, and Cong—stood in stunned silence.
After all, this wasn’t just anyone.
This was Aika Ninomiya, the undefeated sword saint up until yesterday.
And now, here she was, suddenly lifted into the air—her very obvious assets unabashedly groped by Seo Yujin.
Even Sybilla, who was relatively open about physical intimacy, couldn’t hide her surprise.
‘I mean, sure, I knew he liked her, but… to grope her chest this blatantly? In front of everyone?’
‘What kind of taste does this guy even have…?’
Meanwhile, Cong and Seol Hayeon stared with faces of utter exasperation for their own reasons.
“...Wait a minute!!!”
‘Yujin… he’s gripping that woman’s chest. Like, really gripping it! His fingers are practically sinking in!’
Sybilla’s renowned observation skills zeroed in on the details, while…
“Dad grabbed the squishy parts of that white-haired baby cow!!”
“WHAT?! Dad!! What the hell are you doing?! If you’re gonna touch something, touch my rice cakes instead!!”
Haru, in her usual unfiltered manner, shouted vulgarities at the top of her lungs.
Winterer, the narcissist, naturally inserted herself into the mix, casually aligning her assets with Aika’s.
Everyone was in shock.
It wasn’t surprising, given that most of the onlookers harbored some sort of feelings for Yujin.
And Yujin? He had anticipated this reaction perfectly.
—Sneaky glance.
‘Shia and Alice… Yup, I’m dead. It’s official.’
His eyes darted to Shia and Alice.
Alice was speechless, her fury visible in the way her lips trembled.
Shia, on the other hand, squinted at him with a sharp, annoyed expression.
Their reactions were completely justified.
After all, both women were his current secret girlfriends.
With one, he had already shared a bed.
With the other, plans were made to cross that line during the next break.
And now, here he was, openly groping another woman right in front of them.
Yujin sighed internally, knowing he had signed his own death warrant.
It reminded him of the time in the previous timeline when he had forgotten his wedding anniversary.
—Resolve.
‘I’m sorry, Shia. Alice. This is all for you… and for humanity…!!!’
But even so, he didn’t let go.
Bridging the gap with Aika was his priority.
Even if it meant angering his two wives.
“D-Disciple… This, uh, this is…”
“Excuse me, everyone! I need to discuss strategy with Master privately! It might take five hours, so please hold the line until then!”
“F-FIVE HOURS?!”
“Master, let’s move!”
—Flash.
“H-H-Hold on, wait…!!”
With that, Yujin executed Step 2 of his plan: Escape with Master.
Knowing full well that his other wives might flip and chase after him, he bolted.
“Yujin!! Are you seriously—”
—Grab.
“...Shia?”
“Fox-face, let it go.”
“BUT YOU SAW HIS HANDS! He’s clearly planning to… to…!!!”
“Then maybe you should’ve gone first.”
“...Wait, Shia! You didn’t just—”
“Humph.”
“YOU TRAITOR!!!!”
Alice, stunned by Shia’s sharp comment, turned her fury toward her fellow wife.
Meanwhile…
“I wanna go with Daddy!!!”
“Haru, hold still! Winterer, help me!”
“…Ugh, fine. Haru, just listen to Grandma for now. We’ll deal with Dad later.”
“Boo… I wanted to go too! Daddy’s being a total rice cake.”
Haru was swiftly stopped by a combination of Winterer and Seol Hayeon.
“Mr. Cong… what exactly is Yujin trying to do?”
“Plant seeds, probably. You know, like that quote—even if the world ends tomorrow, plant an apple tree today.”
“...Excuse me?”
“Something like that. Anyway, focus. We need to hold the line until he gets back.”
“Huh….”
Cong and Sybilla, meanwhile, returned their attention to their duties, leaving Yujin and Aika to their devices.
—Ding.
[‘???’ waves cheerfully, wishing you luck.]
[Chwimyeon-jjang bounces around excitedly, shouting, “Go for it, Master! This is your final mission!”]
[“We’ll have a long talk after this, okay?” she adds with a grin.]
With such encouragement, fate—or perhaps sheer determination—spurred Yujin onward.
—Darting away.
‘I’ll push forward with Master no matter what…!!’
‘Five hours? Do people even last that long?! I mean, judging by his size… once or twice might not be enough, but still….’
Even Aika’s flustered expression suggested she understood that this was inevitable.
***
Moments later, the two arrived at the underground storage facility of the Academy.
The vault, known for its strict security, was used to store critical materials, making it a perfect, secluded hideout.
Only once they arrived did Yujin finally…
“Master, I’m sorry for dragging you here so suddenly.”
“Uh, r-right. But, um, about earlier—”
—Squeeze.
“…I have something important to tell you.”
“…?”
‘Aren’t you going to let me down, Disciple?’
To Aika’s surprise, her feet never touched the ground.
Yujin continued holding her tightly while talking, his hands still firmly gripping inappropriate places.
‘Does he not realize… that he’s groping my chest?’
—Shift. Press.
‘…His fingers are sinking in. This is on purpose!’
Worse yet, his hand had slipped beneath her clothing, brushing her bare skin.
It was no longer subtle—it was outright sexual harassment.
‘Should I… pretend not to notice? Maybe he’s just… giving me a massage? Yes, let’s go with that.’
—Forced smile.
“So, Disciple? About that message from earlier—did I mishear it?”
Aika tried to keep her usual calm demeanor, pretending not to notice the obvious.
“You didn’t mishear it. I love you, Master.”
“Wh-what? I love you too! You’re my one and only Disciple, after all…”
“No. I mean, I love you as a woman.”
—Grip. Squeeze.
“...Huh!?”
“To the point where I want to make you mine right now.”
This time, there was no avoiding it.
Yujin wasn’t joking, and he wasn’t stopping.
Instead of backing down, he pushed forward with startling sincerity, leaving no room for their usual playful sparring.
‘This is… definitely harassment. If she gets mad at me and tells me to stop—if she hates me for this—what do I do?!’
Yujin’s nerves tightened, his mouth dry from tension.
Meanwhile, Aika…
—Heart pounding.
‘He’s actually serious? Did Cong put him up to this? If so… Good job, Cong!!!’
She wasn’t angry.
In fact, her heart swelled with happiness.
The so-called harassment felt more like genuine affection.
A soft smile spread across her lips.
“Oh? What do you like about me, exactly?”
“I like your kindness. I like how you act dignified and formal but avoid using words like ‘nya’ because you find it embarrassing—it's adorable. I love how you watch over me when I enjoy your cooking, resting your chin in your hands with a satisfied smile. And I love how elegant and graceful you are, like a true princess.”
Yujin’s confession spilled out without hesitation, a flood of compliments listing everything he adored about her.
‘This is something I used to tell her back in the first timeline. She’d ask me to repeat it when she couldn’t sleep.’
Though technically recycled material, his words were perfectly tailored to Aika.
Her vision blurred as her head grew light from the sheer overload of affection.
“B-but… I’m thirty-two… Is that okay? I’m twelve years older than you!”
“You look like you’re twenty. I couldn’t care less.”
“You idiot… In that case, does that mean you like Seol Hayeon too? She fits your type, doesn’t she?”
“No way. How could I compare you to that granny? You’re stronger, prettier, cuter, and far sweeter.”
“Hehe… Disciple, you’re too much~?”
Her insecurities melted away, replaced by a dreamy smile as she basked in his unwavering adoration.
“Well… If you like me that much, I suppose I could consider making you my husband~ But only if you promise to cherish me forever and beg for my hand in marriage!”
It was a clear acceptance.
Her feet dangled helplessly as she wavered, waiting for Yujin to make the next move.
But Yujin…
Sigh.
‘She’d really go through with it. I could take her here and now, and she wouldn’t resist. But…’
—Gentle embrace.
‘This isn’t love. She’s just being kind to me. Out of pity.’
Yujin understood Aika too well.
He knew she would do anything to help him—even if it meant giving herself to him.
But that wasn’t what he wanted.
‘No. If I asked her to help humanity, she’d strip without hesitation. This isn’t what I want.’
What he truly desired was her love.
Not as an obligation.
Not as a gesture of kindness.
He wanted her genuine feelings to match his own.
Sigh.
‘I can’t… I can’t hold her unless she loves me too. Guess I’ll have to wait.’
Yujin exhaled deeply before loosening his grip.
And then, he pulled her into a tight hug.
—Squeeze.
“...!? D-Disciple!?”
“I don’t want a one-night pity fling, Master. I want you to love me back.”
He pressed his face against her chest, golden eyes glowing softly.
“I understand you don’t see me as a man, and that’s okay. After all, I’m just a loser who uses hypnosis.”
“T-that’s not true! You’re the most amazing—”
“But I’ve tried so hard. I’ve done everything I could to become a man worthy of you.”
His voice, imbued with the power of his ability, resonated deeply within her.
“So please… Just be honest. Forget about being Master and Disciple for a moment and tell me—how much of me as a man are you willing to accept?”
—Ding.
[Skill ‘Complete Hypnosis’ is activated.]
Yujin gently lowered Aika to the ground, closing his eyes tightly.
‘I just need a sign… A kiss on the cheek will do. I just want her to see me as a man, even a little.’
Her feet finally touched the floor.
For a moment, there was silence, followed by faint footsteps.
She was walking away.
‘So that’s it… She can’t see me as anything but her Disciple…’
Tears welled in his tightly shut eyes.
But then, he heard something unexpected.
“H-hey… The one asking for permission… Shouldn’t it be me?”
“…Huh?”
The sound of fabric brushing against skin.
The quiet rustle of someone settling onto the floor.
And finally, her trembling voice.
Yujin’s eyes shot open, unable to comprehend what he was hearing.
‘Did she just… sit down? She didn’t leave?’
—Slide.
“...Then allow me, my husband… to ask permission to bear your child~?”
“W-WHAT?!”
Kneeling before him, her clothes slipping from her shoulders, Aika’s face radiated pure, unabashed love.
The mask of the dignified sword saint had melted away, revealing her raw, vulnerable self.
For someone so deeply insecure about their age, she had finally laid her heart bare.