Chapter 20 - Knock, Knock, Knock
[ Knock, knock, knock ]
=== Knock, knock, knock ===
Morning sunlight filtered through the curtains.
The moment I opened my eyes, a curtain of silver hair was right in front of my nose.
Yoo Ra-eun was lying flat on top of me, staring down at my face.
"...?"
My mind went completely blank.
'...Whoa, what the... Why is she here?'
My brain stalled for a second before last night's memories came rushing back in a flood.
"...Ah."
Only then did I finally grasp the situation.
Yoo Ra-eun was still smiling, her face inches from mine.
"...You're awake."
"...Yeah."
...
Why was she staring so intently?
It felt a little intense, like I was some kind of specimen under a microscope.
So, I decided to take a more direct approach.
Mwah♡
"Mmph...?"
"......."
Clearly not expecting a surprise kiss, she stared down at me blankly, her brain temporarily short-circuiting.
Her lips were parted slightly.
She looked so cute I couldn't help but chuckle.
"Pfft..."
At the sound of my chuckle, Yoo Ra-eun's sly smile quickly returned.
The corners of her mouth curled up, a playful glint returning to her eyes.
"...Hehe... Pervert."
"...Hey, you were the one staring first."
"...S-so what?"
Looking a little coy, she buried her face in my chest, pressing her body even closer to mine.
Our naked bodies, pressed flush against each other, still burned with the lingering heat of last night.
"...Ra-eun."
"Hmm?"
"Remember when I told you I awakened?"
After a moment of hesitation, I finally decided to tell her.
The Snail Husband ability, the quests, the penalties.
The massages I'd given her, and... well, the fact that eating her out was all because of the quests.
And even the fact that I was in a similar situation with Han Cho-yeon.
I laid it all out.
Yoo Ra-eun listened quietly, nodding slowly once I finished.
"...So that's what happened."
"...You're... not mad?"
She tilted her head, seemingly lost in thought for a moment.
"It's okay...♡"
Yoo Ra-eun gently stroked my cheek.
The moment her soft fingertips brushed my skin, the sensations of last night came rushing back.
"I don't care about quests or anything like that. As long as you like me, Oppa, that's enough...♡"
It was a cheesy line straight out of a K-drama, but a warm feeling bloomed in my chest anyway.
Even though she loved me, the way she accepted this ridiculous situation just because of how I felt about her...
I felt incredibly grateful, but also deeply apologetic.
I only wished I had realized it sooner.
Mwah...♡
Filled with regret and affection, I pressed a kiss to her forehead.
When she looked up at me with a beaming smile, she was so beautiful my heart actually ached.
"...Oppa."
"Yeah?"
"Now that I think about it... if things work this way, won't a quest... won't one pop up for Sis soon too?"
"......"
A sudden chill ran down my spine. She was absolutely right.
Though I only had two cases to go on—Han Cho-yeon and Yoo Ra-eun—this bizarre ability clearly forced me into sexual relationships with my quest targets.
At this point, I had to face reality.
The theory that I would somehow end up entangled with Yoo Seo-rin was highly likely.
As I fell into silent contemplation over her theory, Ra-eun changed the subject.
"...But seriously... I'm really an S-class now..."
She stared into empty space, gesturing as if scrolling through her status window.
Thanks to yesterday's notification, I already knew my stamina had increased and her rank had jumped to S-class, but hearing her say it out loud made it feel real.
"...Congratulations."
"...Oppa...?"
Ah.
I tried to hide it, but my voice had dropped.
Ra-eun tilted her head, studying my face intently.
"...What's wrong? Are you feeling sick?"
No, that wasn't it.
I was happy for her.
Genuinely.
Ra-eun becoming an S-class meant her chances of survival would skyrocket, whether she was in a dungeon or anywhere else.
Even if she got caught in a crisis like she used to as a B-class hunter, she'd be far better equipped to survive.
But at the same time...
"...It also means you're much more likely to be deployed to high-risk missions."
With great power comes great responsibility.
That famous quote was no laughing matter in our current reality.
Ra-eun blinked, then let out a soft smile.
"...Are you worried about me, Oppa?"
"Of course I am."
I answered honestly.
"Just thinking about you entering high-rank dungeons, or getting scouted by some massive guild and dragged onto a battlefield..."
My stomach sank.
Ra-eun placed her hand over my heart.
As if feeling my racing pulse, she rubbed slow, soothing circles, calming my frantic heartbeat.
"...Oppa."
"...Yeah."
Ra-eun stared at me for a long moment.
Then, her lips curved into a gentle smile.
"...Don't worry."
"..."
"I'm not going to do any of that."
She dismissed it casually.
"Dangerous dungeons, big guilds... I hate all of it."
"...But you're an S-class now—"
"I won't do it."
She cut off my objection with firm resolve.
Then, she playfully poked my cheek.
"...After all..."
She paused, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"I belong to you, don't I, Oppa?"
"...What?"
"So..."
She giggled, draping herself over me.
I felt the soft weight of her breasts flattening against my chest.
"...I'm just going to stick right by your side."
"...Ra-eun..."
"I'm not going anywhere dangerous."
She emphasized, leaving no room for argument.
"...But in return..."
She narrowed her eyes and whispered playfully.
"You have to love me for the rest of your life, Oppa."
"..."
"Otherwise..."
She paused dramatically.
"...I'll run away."
"...Pfft. What is that even supposed to mean?"
When I gave her an incredulous look, she burst into a bright laugh.
"...Hehe."
"Are you joking?"
"I'm serious! Even if Eclipse tries to recruit me, I'll tell them I'm not going anywhere without you!"
She spoke of the world's number-one guild as if it were some neighborhood after-school program. Her playful bravado was so ridiculous I couldn't help but laugh.
"...Ra-eun."
"Hmm? What is it?"
"Earlier, I told you that the more we have sex, the more my stats go up, right?"
Her eyes sparkled as she waited for my next words like an eager puppy.
"I'll grow strong enough to stand up to Eclipse for you."
"...Gasp."
Ra-eun's eyes widened, her cheeks flushing a rosy pink.
I cupped her face in my hands.
The moment my palms touched her soft skin, her eyes trembled.
"...Oppa...♡"
Her soft whisper shook slightly.
I slowly leaned down.
Ra-eun closed her eyes.
Mwah...♡
I gently pressed my lips to hers.
At first, it was a light, brushing touch.
But soon, our tongues intertwined, and the kiss deepened.
Chu... slurp♡
Ra-eun's tongue wrapped around mine, sucking it deep into her mouth.
I pulled her waist tighter against me—
...
Knock, knock, knock!
"......"
"......"
...
At the sudden knock, we froze mid-kiss.
"...U-uh! Sis! I'll be out in a minute!"
"...Yeah. Be out by ten after."
Realizing it was Yoo Seo-rin outside, Ra-eun hurriedly shouted back.
Fortunately, we heard her footsteps fading down the hall.
"...Phew."
"Whew... That scared the life out of me."
I wasn't sure why I hadn't heard her approaching, but at least we hadn't been caught.
I quickly looked around.
The bed was a total disaster, covered in the messy evidence of last night.
"...Get dressed first. You have to go to work with your sister."
I gently nudged Ra-eun off me and sat up.
My cock swayed, still semi-erect, and Ra-eun giggled softly at the sight.
"...Still hard?♡"
"...We only have four minutes left."
Ra-eun pouted in disappointment.
"...I really don't want to go..."
She sat up and started gathering her clothes scattered across the floor.
Her hunter gear, her top, her pants, and her underwear.
The cold reality of having to get ready for work finally forced her to move.
Sitting on the bed, she slipped her underwear on first.
She scooped her breasts into her white bra, adjusting the fit.
As she parted her legs and lifted her hips to pull on her panties, I saw a bit of last night's semen still leaking out of her.
"...Ah, it's still leaking..."
She muttered softly, pulling the fabric up.
She threw on her activewear top, zipped it up, and looked back at me.
"...What about you, Oppa?"
"I'll use my skill to slip out."
"Aww... I want to stay with you longer."
I was fully dressed and ready to go, but Ra-eun clung to my sleeve, whining. I gently stroked her hair.
"I'll call you."
"...Okay. Get home safe."
Whoosh
My body grew weightless as I phased through the wall.
I quietly slipped out of her room, glided through the hallway and the front door, and stepped outside the apartment building.
The morning air was crisp and cold.
I let out a long sigh, walking down the path back to my studio.
'...This is absolutely insane.'
Memories of last night hit me like a tidal wave.
The moment her hymen tore... and the way her tight walls clamped down on me every time she climaxed. Even after I'd completely emptied myself, I'd gotten hard again, going back for round after round.
And then, the words she'd whispered.
-If we make a baby, I'll give birth to it...♡
'...This is going to drive me insane.'
I shook my head violently to clear my thoughts.
First Han Cho-yeon, and now Yoo Ra-eun.
To be honest, it was terrifying to think about where this ability would drag me next.
I unlocked the door to my studio and stepped inside, greeted by the familiar, quiet air.
I flopped onto my bed and stared blankly at the ceiling.
'...What about Seo-rin-noona?'
Just the thought of her sent a shiver down my spine.
Just as Ra-eun said, there was a very high chance a quest would pop up for her soon.
And if that quest followed the exact same pattern as the others...
"...Ha."
I rubbed my face with both hands.
This ability was dragging me deeper and deeper into a swamp.
And honestly...
That swamp was starting to feel incredibly sweet.
I muttered to the empty room.
"...What the hell is going to happen next?"
The future was completely unknown.
But one thing was certain.
There was no turning back.
And...
Honestly, I didn't even want to.
Regret was pointless now. I just had to focus on the present.
----------
[Yoo Ga-on]
Strength: A+
Agility: C-
Stamina: A
Mana: B+
Skills: Intangibility (A), Special Meal (SS), Good Job Today (S)
[Quest]
----------
Without a single day of training, my Snail Husband status window had already reached the level of a decent A-class hunter.
It was time to figure out how to put these stats to use.