Chapter 76 - Chapter 74: Episode 73 - Regained Memories
Thinking back on my conversations with Yu-rin, we were actually quite similar.
We both wanted Seon-ah.
But Yu-rin wanted his body, and I wanted his heart.
I imagined a scenario where Yu-rin tormented Seon-ah while I soothed him, allowing us both to get what we wanted.
I thought it might be possible, so I intended to tell Yu-rin that we should share him once all of this was over.
Yu-rin likely knew we couldn't meet because of Seon-ah's mother, Min-ah.
But what if I manipulated Seon-ah's mind to make him come to us?
Min-ah wouldn't be able to stop him if he wanted it himself.
That's how it had always been.
However, that thought was short-lived.
Miel roughly guessed the situation by looking at Seon-ah now.
His hostile attitude, the final day we spent together.
The days he suddenly pushed his body to the breaking point, as if overworking it.
And the Yin Mark, carved in the same shape onto both his body and mine.
'She noticed I gave my body to Yu-rin.'
Miel had assumed he wouldn't remember because his mind was hazy that day.
She figured that because he'd been knocked out by an anesthetic-soaked handkerchief shortly after his blindfold was removed, the memories wouldn't stick.
But that wasn't the case.
Not only did he remember clearly, but he also seemed to have realized that his memories consisted only of the time spent with me.
He had seen right through the traces of my mental manipulation.
The situation was dire.
On top of that, my identity was exposed to Min-ah, and Seon-ah was doubting everything Yu-rin and I had said.
If this continued, we were both doomed.
"We only came to save Seon-ah. Please, believe me. I beg you."
Miel spoke, pouring her desperate heart into the plea.
In reality, however, Miel was frantically trying to figure out how to handle the situation.
She was just saying whatever would appeal to their emotions to buy herself time to think.
Everything from taking Seon-ah hostage to escape, to the shallow trick of pinning the blame entirely on Yu-rin, crossed her mind.
"I see. So you were the demon who kidnapped Yu-rin and Seon-ah."
Min-ah, quick-witted as ever, reached this conclusion after staring at Miel for a long time.
When Yu-rin had truly repented and cooperated with the sole intention of getting Seon-ah back, she had confessed everything they'd done to Min-ah.
Ironically, it was the old Yu-rin who had now blocked their chance to escape.
At Min-ah's words, Miel's face turned pale.
Min-ah had fully grasped Miel's identity, but Yu-rin couldn't pin it on her.
She had been with Miel ever since entering the gate, and she was defending her even now.
If she abandoned Miel, and Miel decided to return Seon-ah's mind...
There was a high possibility she would be buried herself, using the excuse that Seon-ah had returned here for a while.
Even though she'd kept him at home under the pretext of watching over them because their lives were shared, it didn't erase the things she had done to Seon-ah.
It was an act committed while intoxicated by the nostalgia of the old days, but it was undeniable that she, too, had done things worthy of death in the eyes of Min-ah and Seon-ah.
As Miel kept looking around nervously, the Lord, sensing a stalemate, spoke up.
"Seon-ah's family, please wait a moment. There is a better way. Miel, if things go on like this, you won't be restoring Seon-ah's memories. Fine, let's make a deal through a contract."
Because Min-ah was emitting such an ominous aura that she didn't know what might happen, the Lord spoke to Miel after calming Min-ah down.
"What kind of contract? I'm just trying to save Seon-ah..."
Min-ah's sixth sense reacted to that lie.
The non-existent sense created by sensory enhancement flared at the deception.
She raised her sword and slightly slashed Miel's neck, drawing blood.
"Hee-ik..."
Miel let out a short moan.
If this continues, I'll die.
What should I do?
But I can't give up on Seon-ah.
Should I threaten them using Seon-ah's mind now?
Countless thoughts raced through Miel's mind.
She thought about stabbing her throat in anger, but...
She didn't think killing her like this was right.
She felt it would be better to punish her as Seon-ah wanted after he properly regained his senses.
"I heard you are the Lord of this place. I am Seon-ah's mother. What is that deal?"
She responded to the Succubus Lord's proposal.
Her sixth sense tilted toward the idea that the Succubus Lord knew how to restore Seon-ah's mind.
"I intend to ask Miel to fully restore Seon-ah's mind through a contract that stakes her soul. The price is that I will not kill Miel."
Miel looked at her mother in surprise.
She was shocked that she wouldn't be killed when she had been certain of her death, but if she released Seon-ah's memories, his heart would return to normal. If that happened, she would no longer be able to be with him.
It was a contract that hit the core very sharply.
Since the words had already come out of the Lord's mouth, there was no way out.
She couldn't escape, and since her mother had already lowered the stakes, she couldn't demand anything more, even if she wanted to threaten them using Seon-ah's mind.
It meant she eventually had to let Seon-ah go.
But as long as she didn't die, there was a chance.
Since her Yin Mark was carved on Seon-ah, she believed that as long as she survived, she could one day bring him back into her arms.
Once she finished thinking, she felt willing to accept the deal.
"Then fine... You won't kill me on the condition that I return all of Seon-ah's memories and mind, right?"
"My heart wants to kill you right now, but if Seon-ah comes back safe and sound... I have the intention to let it slide once."
She spoke as if she knew Miel would return later.
Miel thought Min-ah was a woman with good intuition after all.
It wouldn't be easy to take Seon-ah away from such a woman's arms, but...
If she got out alive, there would be a chance.
"Then I will make the contract."
Miel decided to make a contract to fully restore Seon-ah's mind and memories.
Saving her life in exchange for returning even the memories of his parents.
She carefully contracted on the premise that Min-ah, the Succubus Lord, and the sisters present would not kill her for the day, as they were beings who posed a threat to her.
And everyone present agreed.
As Miel placed her hand on Seon-ah's head and began manipulating his memories, someone watching that scene looked on with an anxious heart.
That was Yu-rin.
It was clear that once Seon-ah regained his memories, he would tell his mother about everything she had done.
If he knew that she had done almost the same thing as what she did before the wedding right after returning from the Demon World, she would be killed.
Yu-rin looked at the sword she was holding.
Her face was visible on the blade, which she had cleaned thoroughly the day before for the rescue.
She looked anxious, with dark circles and dry lips.
The appearance of having come out as neatly as possible before meeting Seon-ah was already gone.
Only the appearance of a prisoner who would be executed when Seon-ah woke up was reflected.
She had thoughts of launching a surprise attack to kill Miel, but...
Min-ah looked at her side occasionally.
A surprise attack would not work on Min-ah, who possessed the ability of sensory enhancement.
It was clear that Min-ah, who was so close to Miel, could block even the attacks she made on her.
Along with her heart burning away...
The time of judgment was drawing near.
Seon-ah had a dream.
It was a dream where he looked back on everything he had done so far and poured out his honest heart.
The reason he first tried to make Yu-rin a woman to his liking.
It was because she was the daughter of his mother's boss, and he chose it because he wanted his mother to have a comfortable work life.
In this gender-reversed world, considering his appearance, it wouldn't have been difficult to meet a woman who was pretty and had a personality he liked.
The idea of "training" a woman into someone he wanted was actually closer to an excuse.
When Yu-rin first violated him...
He couldn't escape her.
He was afraid his parents would be sad if he told them he had been treated like that by a girlfriend he had been with for so long.
Even when he spent painful days being drugged and subjected to things he couldn't bear, he couldn't escape because he was afraid his parents would worry.
To me, my parents were that precious.
The unconditional affection I couldn't get in my previous life was my greatest treasure.
Even if he considered the 28 years he lived in his previous life as if they never existed, he couldn't do anything that would make his parents sad.
In his previous life, he was just sickly, but in this life, he had parents who worried about him. He realized before he was even five years old that what he needed—having died due to women problems in his previous life—was not romantic affection, but his parents' love.
Now, as he woke up from the dream, he felt like he had to tell his mother he was sorry.
Seon-ah felt sorry for treating her like a stranger just a moment ago as his memories aligned.
And he had to tell the truth.
Because he had already come close to the full truth, it was too much to keep lying and making them worry about everything he had suffered from Yu-rin.
He could keep it hidden if he wanted to, but it was clear that his mother's heart would be burning up.
Since his mother must have come to save him, it was obvious that his father would be waiting for him on Earth, worrying about him.
It was time to go back.
From the dream to reality...