Chapter 14 -
"I need power..."
Silian thought as he stepped outside. It was a weekday, so the streets were quieter than yesterday.
He recalled the passionate night he shared with Sojin.
"I definitely prefer taking charge over being the one overwhelmed."
When Sojin had slipped him an aphrodisiac and pinned him down, Silian had been powerless. Her relaxed expression, barely exerting effort as she held him down with both arms, drove him crazy with the urge to take control. The aphrodisiac had pushed him to the edge of reason, but the helplessness of being unable to act was maddening.
The memory of that reverse assault wasn’t entirely unpleasant, but Silian wanted to avoid ever feeling that powerless again. And when Sojin moved her hips for two hours straight, he could only manage thirty minutes before collapsing.
"A man who can’t outlast a woman? That’s practically a disgrace."
Of course, in this world, most men with their frail bodies could barely manage three minutes, let alone thirty. But Silian held himself to a higher standard.
That morning, he pulled up a system message he’d ignored earlier.
[You have elicited a large amount of awe from your partner!
[As a reward, the power of your curse has slightly weakened.]
A large amount of awe earned from his night with Sojin. Since the system was his ally, it wouldn’t lie about his status. Apparently, Sojin had enjoyed their time together enough to feel awe, which was a relief.
He checked his status to see the curse’s description.
[Curse: Half-Elf’s Curse]
[High Elves and Elves who envy you have placed a curse on you. It greatly reduces your potential, mana, and growth capabilities.]
The description hadn’t changed yet. Silian figured that if he kept earning awe through intimate encounters, the curse might eventually lift.
"But will Sojin and Sohye keep feeling awe every time we’re together?"
He doubted it. The more they got used to him, the less awe they’d feel. The greater their awe, the faster his curse would weaken but if they grew accustomed to him, that awe would fade, leaving only pleasure.
"If I want to gain power quickly..."
He’d need to be with women who hadn’t experienced him yet women who didn’t know the allure of his body. One-night stands would be ideal; he didn’t need more women obsessing over him. Sojin’s attachment was already enough.
Silian sat on a bench in a quiet park, letting out a sigh.
"Ha... Easier said than done. To think I’d have to approach women myself."*
His looks weren’t the kind that required him to make the first move. Women usually approached him, drawn to his charm. But flaunting his face to seduce them was risky his striking appearance made him too noticeable. If a woman he’d been with exposed his secret, it’d be disastrous.
He needed a way to have one-night stands without revealing his face. The thought made him feel like some sleazy playboy.
He abandoned the idea of approaching women openly and considered other options.
"There’s got to be an easier way to get close to women..."
Then it hit him.
"Wait! I have the Pheromone skill, don’t I?"
• [Skill: Pheromone (A)]
[Your body emits a scent that seduces women. The closer they are or the more physical contact they have with you, the more addicted they become to the scent. The taste and smell of your bodily fluids become irresistibly sweet.]
But after some thought, he dismissed the idea of using the Pheromone skill. It was too risky for gathering awe. He needed a long-term strategy for connecting with women. While the seductive scent was useful, the addiction it caused was a problem. If someone addicted to his scent spotted him on the street, things could spiral out of control.
"Imagine Sojin and Sohye by my side, and then running into a woman I had a one-night stand with who caught a whiff of me..."
The thought alone was chaos. His head spun. He desperately wanted to grow stronger quickly, but the options were limited. His good looks and pheromones made casual flings harder than they should be.
Lost in thought on the bench, he overheard voices nearby.
"Hey, doesn’t that guy on the bench look insanely hot?"
"Yeah, I’d bet my hand he’s gorgeous. Look at how small his face is smaller than mine!"
"Wow, and he’s so tall. Like a model! I’d love to take him home and have some fun... heh heh."
Three women were whispering about him from a distance. The park was so empty that a guy like Silian naturally stood out.
"Go talk to him!"
"What? No way! He looks like he wouldn’t even give us the time of day."
"Come on, if you smile and say hi, he’ll at least respond."
Silian hadn’t planned on women approaching him like this, but... their appearances were, frankly, far from appealing. Even a polite greeting wouldn’t change his mind.
"I want to grow stronger fast, but not like this."
His standards had been raised by the stunning Elves of Elysium and the captivating beauty of Sojin and Sohye. Even by objective standards, these women wouldn’t turn heads.
He quickly stood up, eager to escape.
"Hey, he’s getting up!"
"See? I told you we should’ve talked to him sooner!"
"Come on, let’s follow him!"
As Silian hurried away, the three women started chasing him. Fearing the hassle of getting caught, he picked up his pace, breaking into a run.
"Hey, he’s running!"
"Let’s go after him!"
One of them called him "oppa," which sent a chill down his spine, urging him to run faster.
"Hey! Oppa!!"
Ignoring their calls, he searched for a place to hide. He’d chosen this quiet park on purpose, but now it worked against him no crowds to blend into. He darted toward a secluded area.
"Hey! The guy hiding his face! Stop for a sec!"
Silian sprinted faster, ducking into a shadowy alley between buildings where sunlight barely reached. It was perfect for hiding, with plenty of cover. He slipped behind an obstacle and waited.
Soon, he heard the women’s footsteps.
"*Huff... huff...* He’s ridiculously fast..."
"*Huff...* Did he not hear us calling? *Huff...*"
The three women stopped to catch their breath, searched briefly for him, then gave up and left. As their footsteps faded, Silian cautiously peeked out.
"No one’s around... right?"
He scanned the area, confirming it was clear.
"Actually, there is."
*Thud—*
A playful voice answered, and Silian collapsed on the spot.
_______
Meanwhile, Sojin grabbed a quick breakfast at a convenience store and headed to the Arena Guild. As she walked, she thought back to her night with Silian.
"His face last night was so perfect... those eyes, so frustrated because he couldn’t take control... ♡"
Despite being a man, Silian had a feminine streak. He had a sex drive to rival any woman’s and wasn’t shy about showing his body. His charm lay in his kind, easygoing personality paired with the most striking face in the world. Sojin was thrilled that such a man had been her first.
"Come to think of it, when I saw him release inside me for the first time, I jokingly well, half-jokingly told him if I got pregnant, he’d have to take responsibility forever."
That comment was mostly serious. When she said it, she caught a fleeting look of hesitation in Silian’s eyes. Her heart sank. If he’d refused, their relationship would’ve been over. The thought of losing him terrified her she didn’t know what she’d do.
Panicking, she quickly laughed it off as a joke. Falling so hard for someone after just two days was shocking, especially for Sojin, who’d earned the nickname "Ice Queen" as an A-rank hunter for her cold demeanor.
"But... his scent is just so intoxicating."
......
Silian’s Pheromone skill had accelerated their connection. His looks and personality had struck her heart, but the scent sealed the deal. Without it, they wouldn’t have grown so close so fast. The same went for Sohye. But only Silian and the World Tree knew the truth behind it.
.....
Lost in thought, Sojin arrived at the Arena Guild. She hadn’t been there in a while. As she entered, a receptionist greeted her.
"Good day, miss. The Guild Master is waiting for you."
"I’ll be right there," Sojin replied, her tone and demeanor shifting to the icy professionalism that defined her Ice Queen persona.
The receptionist, unfazed, led her to the Guild Master’s office. At the door, the receptionist said, "You can go in, miss."
Sojin didn’t respond, staring at the door, sensing her mother the Guild Master beyond it.
Taking a deep breath, she grabbed the handle and stepped inside.
The moment she entered, an overwhelming presence hit her. The air vibrated with the Guild Master’s aura, making Sojin’s hands and feet tremble. She looked at the woman before her her mother, who had co-founded the guild with her father.
The Guild Master’s appearance was strikingly similar to Sojin’s: cold eyes, slightly upturned at the corners, a sharp nose, and lips that seemed incapable of smiling. She’d never been seen smiling at anyone.
“You’re here?” the Guild Master said in a voice as cold as ice.
“Yes, Guild Master,” Sojin replied.
“Stand there and listen. Jin Sojin, what are you doing with your life right now?”
Despite being family, their conversation was formal, devoid of warmth.
“I’m... assisting Sohye,” Sojin answered.
“You mean that goblin dungeon nonsense?”
“...”
Even an ordinary person could take down a single goblin, though a man might risk minor injuries.
The Guild Master sighed. “Get it together. Isn’t it time you returned as an A-rank hunter?”
“Guild Master, I—”
“No! Not that excuse again! Are you not tired of it?”
“...”
“How many times are you going to say you can’t trust people? That you’d rather go into dungeons alone? Stop with the nonsense.”
Uncharacteristically agitated, the Guild Master sighed and touched her forehead.
“Forget it. If you can’t trust anyone, don’t expect any more material support. That includes the house.”
Sojin’s eyes widened in panic. She opened her mouth to protest, but the Guild Master cut her off.
“Enough. I won’t hear more. We’ll keep supporting Sohye, so keep that in mind. If you want to stay in that house, come back to the guild tomorrow.”
With that, the Guild Master turned her chair to face the window, signaling the conversation was over.
Sojin clenched her fists, biting her lip until it nearly bled, but she knew arguing was pointless. Her mother never changed her mind in this state. Slowly, she calmed herself and spoke.
“Understood. I’ll return to the guild starting tomorrow.”
The Guild Master, slightly surprised, turned to look at her.
“But on one condition.”
“Name it.”
The Guild Master was ready to provide anything an A-rank weapon, armor, or a trusted dungeon party.
Sojin, resolute, spoke slowly. “Give me a tiny, remotely controlled camera. Then I’ll return tomorrow.”