Chapter 171

〈 Chapter 172 〉 Chapter 171 – We’re Being Raided at the Base.

*

I completely transformed Rick physically.

Looking at that scene, it seems I’ve crossed a point of no return.

All that’s left is the abyss.

[It’s a good thing, isn’t it?]

‘Nice, nice.’

Just then, I spotted the phone that Rick had dropped.

As soon as I picked up Rick’s phone, a piece warned me.

[Be careful. It is not a power granted to humans.]

‘Is it really that omnipotent?’

Even after turning on the hypnosis app and staring at it, I felt nothing extraordinary.

Then Elcia, seeing my appearance, muttered.

“That doesn’t seem to work. This is a big deal.”

I was curious about what was a big deal, but I didn’t want to ask.

I wasn’t feeling too good, after all.

Instead,

“Elcia.”

“Yes, Husband! What’s the matter?”

“Look!”

I brought the hypnosis app close to Elcia’s face.

She hesitated for a moment, then her expression slowly began to change.

From a bright smile to a dazed look.

[Stop using it!!!]

‘Well, that works.’

No matter how I saw it, it looked like hypnosis had taken effect.

In other words, it meant I could command her to say what I wanted.

But since I couldn’t be sure, I threw out a simple question for testing.

“Elcia, how should a chest be?”

“It should be bigger than the head.”

Correct answer.

She really fell under hypnosis.

So, I decided to ask Elcia the question I was most curious about.

“Elcia. I have something I want to ask.”

“Feel free to ask. You can ask about my chest anytime.”

“No, f*ck.”

I stared at Elcia seriously and bravely opened my mouth.

“Be honest. How old are you?”

“…….”

Elcia didn’t answer.

Had my command really failed?

I gave the order again.

“Tell me. You’re not 89 years old, right?”

“…….”

Elcia continued her silence.

Then suddenly, I recalled the unicorn that was executed by Elcia back at the unicorn sanctuary.

“Elcia, thinking back, that unicorn’s age was in triple digits—”

Crack!

Elcia’s thorny vine instantly pierced through Rick’s phone.

As I looked at Elcia, she was now grinning as if she had never been hypnotized.

“…….Fcking btch.”

“Oh my! Did you input the command wrong?”

“You’re not hypnotized, are you?”

“I don’t know! I don’t remember anything!”

I sighed and tossed aside Rick’s phone.

Despite being a man’s romantic dream, it seemed I couldn’t use the hypnosis app.

Suddenly, Hyeji started picking up the broken pieces of the phone.

“…Hyeji? What are you doing?”

“Collecting fragments.”

Hyeji was carefully gathering each piece of the phone as if they were precious.

She looked like an archaeologist carefully retrieving buried artifacts.

“It’s all shattered, why bother?”

“I’ll fix it and then analyze the hypnosis app to recreate it.”

“And who are you planning to use the hypnosis app on?”

“There’s someone I absolutely need to use it on.”

Hyeji suddenly locked eyes with me.

In her eyes resided a base, slimy, and endlessly dark ambition.

“Absolutely.”

“…….Okay, do your best.”

Her gaze frightened me so much that I subtly looked away.

Just then, Elcia approached Hyeji.

“Sister! If you let me use it, I’ll give you some Elf Coins as investment!”

“Shut up. Don’t bring that kind of dead coin here.”

“But Elf Coins can grow anytime! Unlike your chest!”

“F*ck you!”

Thus, Hyeji and Elcia began to bicker.

It was a rather awkward situation to interrupt.

At that moment.

“Would you come over here?”

Lilith suddenly waved and called for me.

Beside her, Jeong Ahyeon was urging me along with Lilith.

“Master, please come quickly.”

“Me?”

“Yes.”

Unable to resist the urging of Lilith and Jeong Ahyeon, I was half-forcefully dragged along.

Lilith was smiling with her eyes narrowed, while Jeong Ahyeon appeared to be rather fidgety.

As I approached, Lilith immediately reached out her hand to me.

“You’ve worked really hard. It must have been tough, right?”

“Well, it was a bit tough, but I’m okay.”

I took her hand and shook it in response.

Jeong Siwoo had escaped the hypnosis brainwashing.

Jeong Ahyeon had also broken free from Rick’s clutches.

In fact, Rick was in no position to act like a man.

Everything had definitely been resolved well.

“I’m really grateful. If it weren’t for you, I would have suffered forever.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Don’t worry too much. I just did what I had to do.”

Now, Lilith held my hand with both of hers.

Her gaze towards me was filled with gratitude, emotion, and joy.

“I’ll leave Ayeon in your care.”

“I’ll help as much as I can if I can be of assistance.”

Finally, Lilith beamed at me.

“Our son-in-law.”

“…………Huh?”

In an instant, my brain stopped.

My actions came to a halt as well.

I denied the situation in my head.

There’s no way.

I must have misheard.

As I stuttered and presented my confusion to Lilith.

“Uh… Mother? What does that… mean?”

“Oh my! Mother? Are you going to say it like that?”

Lilith spoke in an aggrieved tone.

Then she quickly changed her tone to a kind one.

“From now on, you should call me mother-in-law.”

I had indeed heard correctly.

Something was wrong.

Something was very wrong.

I fumbled and began to speak urgently.

“Wait a minute! I only know Jeong Ahyeon a little!”

Just as I tried to pull away from Lilith’s grip on my hand, she tightened her hold.

As if she wouldn’t let go.

Did she catch on to my resistance?

Lilith suddenly opened her eyes wide and glared at me.

“Are you saying you don’t like our Ayeon?”

“It’s not that I don’t like her.”

“Tell me. What does our Ayeon lack?”

“No, f*ck.”

She definitely has no deficiencies.

I didn’t realize when she wore a dobok.

But in a wedding dress that accentuated her appearance and figure like this, Jeong Ahyeon was excellent enough not to lose to Lilith.

Meanwhile, Lilith shifted her gaze to Hyeji and Elcia, who were still bickering.

“Is it because of those kids?”

“Uh…”

“It doesn’t look like you have a relationship with anyone. Clearly, it’s just pity.”

“This is seriously painful.”

Then Lilith beamed brightly and said.

“Then is our Ayeon the first for you?”

“……Mother?”

“Originally, I wouldn’t have allowed anyone but Ayeon.”

Suddenly, a number above Lilith’s head increased by one.

Immediately, Lilith trembled in fear.

“That’s scary. Especially that red one. I can’t handle that.”

“Quite right.”

“If a charming man like a son-in-law is about, it’s only natural for women to flock around him.”

Lilith let out a big sigh.

A breath mixed with regret, worry, and a hint of lament.

“But.”

As if nothing had happened, she began to meet my gaze once more.

Finally, Lilith continued with a blissful smile.

“Our direct consort is Ayeon, right?”

“…….”

“Speak.”

Of course, that blissful smile turned cold in an instant.

My hand was nearly losing circulation.

Whether Lilith was holding too tightly or I was panicking, I couldn’t tell.

Not answering, Lilith’s icy voice began to attack me harshly.

“You aren’t going to ruin the bride’s marriage path and then refuse to take responsibility, right?”

“Mother? This conversation became too heavy! This is meant to be read lightly like a light novel!”

“Don’t tell me you’re planning to give Ayeon away just like that?”

“No! No! I never said that!”

The hand Lilith had on me screamed.

Her gaze was so sharp, it felt like she was peeling away my heart bit by bit.

In fear, my mind was on the verge of breaking down.

Since talking to Lilith was getting me nowhere, I urgently sought another opportunity to steer the situation.

“Father-in-law? Isn’t this a bit too soon?”

It was Jeong Siwoo.

Nothing is more frightening than a father with a daughter.

Especially to a man trying to snatch his daughter away.

Isn’t that why there’s a weapon called ‘shotgun for fathers with daughters’?

To fathers, this is a pretty sensitive issue.

If I get it wrong, I might die, but right now, there’s no room to think about that.

By now, Jeong Siwoo had dried his tears and was regaining his composure.

Then, after hearing my words, he began to glare at me intensely.

“……”

“Father-in-law?”

This was alarming.

Something felt seriously wrong.

As Jeong Siwoo continued gazing at me without a word, tears suddenly fell from his eyes.

How long did I wait? Finally, Jeong Siwoo opened his mouth.

“Our Ayeon. You must make her happy.”

“…….”

Now, I couldn’t even respond.

As I remained silent, Jeong Siwoo began to exude hostility toward me openly.

“On a day that you shed tears, I’ll make sure to kill you.”

That was scary.

Way too scary.

My consciousness faded far away.

Jeong Siwoo approached Lilith and started glaring at me alongside her.

Now, the couple was attacking me together.

“Surely you’re not thinking of tossing her away, are you, son-in-law?”

“You’ve got to answer properly.”

“Wait! The opinions of the person involved are the most important!”

I quickly composed myself and shouted towards Jeong Ahyeon.

“Hey! Jeong Ahyeon! You say it! Our relationship is just a casual acquaintance!”

“……”

Jeong Ahyeon fell silent for a while before quietly opening her mouth.

“I’m lacking, but please take care of me.”

“……Jeong Ahyeon?”

Jeong Ahyeon’s face turned even redder than before.

And then.

“Honey.”

That dealt a critical hit.

Directly deep.

Upon hearing that, Lilith smiled brightly at me.

“Oh my! Ayeon has already made up her mind!”

“Huh?”

“I’ll help with child-rearing as much as I can!”

“Eh?”

Now, all that came from my mouth were unarticulated, high-pitched groans.

As I stood there dumbfounded, Jeong Ahyeon gently tugged at my sleeve.

“Jeong Ahyeon? Why?”

“……It’s nothing, really.”

Jeong Ahyeon suddenly lowered her head.

She looked like she was determined to say something important.

Then she gripped my sleeve a little tighter and whispered quietly.

“How many children would be good?”

“……”

Once again, I was at a loss for words.

As I pondered over what to say, suddenly.

“F*ckers! I’ll kill you all if you bid higher than me!!!!!!”

“Stop, f*ck! How dare you raid our base secretly!!!”

Hyeji and Elcia crashed in.

*