Chapter 150. Weekend? (4)
A dark office.
It was a workshop infamous for taking on the dirty work of the elite.
Inside, a man sitting at a desk frowned at his smartwatch.
- Wh-What's going on here?! There's no heat! No response!
A youthful voice, probably early twenties, came through the smartwatch.
"...I apologize. But manipulating public opinion doesn't happen overnight. We're doing our best, so please calm—"
- Calm down?! You think I can calm down?! Do you know how much I paid for this crap?! What matters is results! Destroy him! Drag Lee Hoyeon so low he can't even lift his head!
"Yes, yes. Understood. We'll start acting more aggressively from today."
- Enough! If something like this happens again, handle it yourself! I'll contact my dad and make sure you're blacklisted from this industry!
Beep—beep—
"Haa... That little shit."
The man sitting in the chair shoved a cigarette into his mouth.
"Calm down."
Click—
The secretary standing nearby lit the cigarette, and the man exhaled a sigh of smoke before speaking.
"You heard him. Start contacting our connections at the Academy from the Shinyoung Guild tomorrow."
"Already? The public hasn't even reacted yet. If we just wait a little, we'll have the momentum…"
"Just do it. Let them deal with the consequences. Bunch of useless bastards."
"Yes. Understood. Things are about to get rough for the Shinyoung Guild."
"It's their fault for not managing their kids properly. We just do what we're paid to do. And if things go south, we'll leak evidence linking them to the Shinyoung Guild and bail."
Fwooo—
The man exhaled a puff of white smoke.
Sunday morning.
I forced myself out of bed, fighting off sleep.
Grabbed water from the fridge, then did shadowboxing in the living room to fully wake myself up.
"Hoo. Hoo."
A secret technique I've used for a while to wake up fast.
"Doing weird stuff again..."
Liliana mumbled while looking at me, but I ignored her.
Today's an important day.
It's the historic day I visit Elise's house.
The appointment was at 10 a.m.
I doubt she'll offer a meal, so I should eat a solid breakfast.
"Liliana. Breakfast is spicy pork stir-fry. We've got leftovers from yesterday."
I tried to make just three servings, but ended up with four.
Scarlett surprisingly didn't eat much, so there was plenty left.
"Do whatever. If it's not chicken, it's all the same."
"You damn chicken maniac."
She's been ordering nothing but chicken for a while now. She's a full-blown chicken addict.
This spicy pork stir-fry was made by your master with love. Tsk.
Guess I'll enjoy it myself.
Even though she said that, Liliana still ate breakfast with me.
"Now that I'm eating it, it's not bad. Tastes good."
"Thanks. I appreciate it."
After breakfast, it was 8:30 a.m.
The meeting time was getting close.
Elise's house wasn't far from the Academy, so I just needed to get ready and head out.
I wasn't planning to use it, but you never know, so I cleaned every part of my body, including my dick.
Used a ton of body wash to make sure there wasn't a hint of odor.
Feeling refreshed, I looked in the mirror and dried my hair. That's when Liliana approached me.
"By the way, that massage you gave me yesterday—could you do it again later?"
"Why?"
"I feel like my mana is circulating faster. It seems like getting them regularly would help."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Why would I lie?"
Honestly, I had thought about it before. Maybe my massages really were effective.
Elise's movements definitely became sharper after getting one.
I was planning to test it on myself at the training room this afternoon anyway. And now Liliana's confirming it. That's enough evidence.
I definitely need to try it.
"Have I become the God of Massage...?"
"Anyway, please~!"
I nodded while fixing my hair.
Giving a massage wasn't hard.
"Not bad. Looking sharp."
Ready to head out.
I looked up self-styling tips for men and combed my hair back. It turned out pretty good.
"Liliana, how's my hair?"
"It looks cool… but cheesy. Ew, chills."
Liliana rubbed her arms as if she got goosebumps.
Just say I look good. No need for extra comments.
"I'm heading out. Take care of the place. Hang out with Scarlett if she comes."
"Okay. Bye~"
I walked while checking the address Elise sent.
"203 Street... this way."
The area Elise mentioned screamed rich neighborhood.
The biggest, flashiest house there was the one Elise sent me to.
"And she told me to come quietly to that place?"
With someone as famous as Elise living in a house like that, there's no way people wouldn't notice me entering.
I texted Elise.
- Me: I'll come in under a perception-blocking barrier, so leave the door open.
I entered a side alley and cast a barrier using runes.
This one was stronger than the light barriers I usually use.
Someone like Scarlett might notice, but regular people would never detect it.
- Elise: I'll open it now. Come in.
Creak—
Right after the message, the mansion's gate opened slightly.
I slipped inside and quietly closed it behind me, heading toward the mansion.
*
"Haa..."
Elise sat on the sofa, waiting for Lee Hoyeon.
Even while texting with him, she kept wondering if this was the right choice, but in the end, there was no other option.
Elise wanted a massage that only Lee Hoyeon could give.
Sure, she could've asked which masseur he had used… but she was still a girl.
If she were going to get that kind of massage, she'd prefer it from a young, handsome peer rather than an older man.
And the guy was retired, so there was no need to track him down.
Ding—
- Lee Hoyeon: I'll come in under a perception-blocking barrier, so leave the door open.
'He's finally here.'
Elise unlocked the gate with the mansion's remote.
Aside from Sebas Chan and her father, this was the first time a man had entered her personal space.
Thump.
Maybe that's why—her heart was pounding.
It definitely wasn't because she was looking forward to the massage or remembering Lee Hoyeon having sex with other girls during the survival exam.
No, it was because this was her first time letting a man into her space.
Elise had put extra care into her outfit.
A black skirt she bought recently and her favorite white blouse.
Knock knock—
"Elise?"
Clack—
"Come in. Don't dispel the barrier."
Elise was pretty surprised when she saw Lee Hoyeon.
He looked just like he did when they first did PR for the student council.
That mature look perfectly matched her taste.
Lee Hoyeon, unaware of Elise's thoughts, gawked around the mansion like a country mouse in a big city.
"This house is insane… Can I drop the barrier now?"
"No. My assistant can't find out. He's asleep now, but if someone besides me enters the house, the alarm spell triggers and he'll come running."
Normally, Sebas Chan wouldn't be away this long, but Elise told him to rest today since she'd be home all day.
With the alarm spell in place, Sebas Chan should be resting easy.
"So I have to keep it up the whole time?"
"There's no alarm in my room, so just bear with it for a bit."
Thump.
Elise calmed her pounding heart and led him to her room.
"Mmm… Alright."
Lee Hoyeon didn't seem to question it.
He knew Elise's father was a huge doting dad.
He probably wouldn't like her being involved with any guy.
"...You brought the massage gear, right?"
"Yeah. But are you sure you're okay with me doing it?"
"I'm fine. I'll pay you the same as a pro masseur."
"Alright."
Refusing money now would only make her suspicious.
Lee Hoyeon didn't turn it down.
Soon they arrived at Elise's room.
It was a bright, spacious room.
With a few pinkish decorations, it gave off a distinctly feminine vibe.
A large bed stood in the center.
"Here's the contract. Read it outside while I get ready."
"Okay."
Lee Hoyeon stepped out to wait while Elise prepared.
Pressing his ear gently to the door, he heard the rustling of clothes being removed.
'...Let's stop listening.'
If he kept going, he'd start imagining weird things.
He stepped back and looked over the contract.
When he saw the down payment and massage fee, his jaw dropped.
'Guess I don't have to feel inferior to Liliana anymore.'
He could finally call himself a real provider.
One massage would earn more than Liliana's monthly income.
Meanwhile, inside, Elise had taken off her top.
"Massage..."
Was it too much to show bare skin on the first day?
Elise began to seriously contemplate.
During the survival exam, urgency had made her strip fast—but was that okay here too?
Then again, it's skin she's already shown. Was there a point in holding back?
As she mulled it over, she recalled the sensation of the massage she received on bare skin.
Thump.
The feeling of mana rushing through her expanded circuits.
The gentle touch of Lee Hoyeon's hands on her back.
The burning heat and thrilling excitement.
Gulp.
Elise swallowed and slowly began undressing.
"...Come in."
"Coming in."
The door opened, and Lee Hoyeon saw Elise sitting on the bed.
She was still wearing her black skirt, but the white blouse had been taken off and now draped over her chest.
Blushing slightly, Elise met his eyes, then lay down on the bed, pressing her chest down with both hands.