The Snow Queen

He entered the torture chamber, slipping on his gloves. The faces of the journalists cowering in the corner were pale and haggard. For three days, they had not been given a drop of water or a moment of sleep. The fluorescent light in the sealed room had been switched on and off irregularly, driving their nerves to the brink of collapse.The chairman of East Eden stammered as he spoke.“W-what is going on here?”He was utterly intimidated by my menacing appearance, complete with a whip in hand. East Eden Newspaper was a private business. The kidnapped journalists included the chairman, president, vice president, assistant editor, and chief editor—a total of five men.Though they couldn’t see my face behind the mask, I habitually smiled.“No need to be frightened. I just gathered you gentlemen for a business talk. I hope the hospitality thus far has been to your satisfaction.”After the formal pleasantries, I got straight to the point.What I wanted was for the press to fulfill its role. If only you had done your job in the kingdom, there wouldn’t be a newspaper run by corrupt nobles leading the market in subscriptions. Look at Merlin, the labor activist who recently took his own life. Your newspaper’s labor correspondent covered the petition Merlin submitted, which caught the attention of Lord Wolfscott. However, the press controlled by the Manen family publicly exposed Merlin’s alcoholism and mental health history, cleverly discrediting him. Even corporate owners joined in to suppress Merlin, leading to his eventual suicide. This tragedy is all due to Manen’s media control. No matter how loudly you shout, with only 11% of the market, who will listen? We learned a lot from this ordeal. As you know, Lord Wolfscott isn’t particularly concerned with labor issues. Let’s have a serious talk. That’s the bottom line.That was my bluff.The trembling journalists, still shaken, finally spoke.“W-what kind of talk are you suggesting…?”“Oh, it’s nothing much. I’m just saying we should work together. You’ll get a chance to implement your policies, and your paper will soar to the top of the subscription rankings. We’ve got some interesting data. Everyone knows, but no one says aloud, that Manen’s newspaper is just a money-laundering front. Look at our records. Even the prosecutor’s office is investigating. The case goes public in two weeks. You just need to break the story. Also, our people will be stationed in your newsroom. Don’t worry, it’s just to prevent any potential terrorist attacks from Manen. You focus on fulfilling your journalistic role.”That was my threat.The chairman immediately exploded with rage.“What nonsense are you spewing? Today I finally see the ugly truth of Wolfscott, who fears neither man nor god! But we won’t stoop to being mere lapdogs! Even if our subscriptions fall to 1%, we’ll maintain our pride as a solid journal—”I snapped my fingers.“Bring them in.”The door opened, and a group of sturdy men entered, each holding a variety of torture tools. The pale faces of the journalists were quite a sight.“Spare the head but soften them up nicely. It wouldn’t do for these gentlemen to have bruised faces when they return to work.”Then I addressed the journalists.“See you in three days. I hope by then, you’ll have reconsidered.”As I left the chamber, screams and the hum of machines echoed behind me. It didn’t bother me. After all, giving the idle torturers a few days of work wasn’t a bad thing. If I weren’t so busy, I would have enjoyed disciplining the gentlemen myself.I didn’t trust bribes. People who accept bribes will always turn for a bigger one. Violence, on the other hand, was different. You don’t need to talk much to understand that, just look at Pavlov’s dogs. Plus, it’s efficient, achieving results in a short time without wasting resources. Three days from now, I would take pleasure in seeing these noble journalists transformed into docile slaves.I loosened my tie and refreshed myself with vodka. I had been frantically preparing for this after Lord Wolfscott’s visit to 42nd Street a week ago.Today, I visited the journalists. In just three days, their once-proud faces were battered and bruised beyond recognition. Their bodies and minds were equally shattered. They soiled themselves as they bowed and accepted my proposal with utmost humility. I sneered at their pitiful state. So much for a “solid” newspaper. Writers in this kingdom were in cahoots with the aristocracy anyway.Every time I witnessed scenes like this, I realized how ridiculous all that talk about the power of the mind was. There’s no standing up to the whip. The human soul, scientifically measured, weighs only 7 grams. What strength or virtue could possibly reside in something so insignificant? Ha!D-Day was a week away. According to our intel, Manen’s newspaper was founded for money laundering and tax evasion. In 35 years, 7 trillion Tarlans had been funneled through their media operations. That was more than enough to put Manen in prison.I took another sip of vodka. This time, I would crush them for good.Wait and see, you party animal.This wasn’t just about my loyalty to Lord Wolfscott. After this, I planned to demand a title. Lord Wolfscott, well past sixty with no male heir except a married daughter, would lose power within a decade. And after being his closest confidant for so long, I could no longer stand his stupidity. Seven years of putting up with him had been its own form of suffering.Everything was nearly ready. I was starting to feel lonely. While scouting around 42nd Street today, I passed by Ray’s secondhand bookstore. It had been closed for over a week, which felt like a letdown. I ended up capturing a leopard but returned home.It seemed like Crookne from the next building over was hosting a party; the noise was deafening. After organizing my thoughts, I entered my study and reviewed the situation on my computer.Nothing would be a problem. We had secured a press outlet to counter Manen, and the police were on our side. Lord Wolfscott, a major shareholder in the national broadcasting network, had the television sector covered. Manen’s beloved cat, Emillen, had been captured that evening, so even if the judges whined, it wouldn’t matter. As for the protesters, we could simply crush them. All that was left was to celebrate.I leaned back in my chair with a sense of ease.It would have been the perfect day if only I could deal with my “loneliness.”The closed secondhand bookstore came to mind again, along with Ray’s empty apartment.Is he sick again?Hmm…Times like these made my position incredibly convenient. I accessed the social safety network on my computer. They called it the social safety network, but in truth, it was a data repository built for surveillance purposes. I entered Ray’s address and name, then hit Enter. In an instant, his entire life’s record scrolled down the monitor.Killer.Leaning back in my chair, I stared at the monitor and chuckled softly. It was genuinely amusing. An orphan with no basic education who lived on government subsidies until seven years ago. His used bookstore had been inherited from an old woman who lived next door. Apart from his good looks and body, he was trash—nothing more, nothing less. He wasn’t even good at sex. In fact, being a virgin at his age on 42nd Street suggested something seriously wrong. What was he living for?As I absentmindedly scrolled down with the mouse, I froze. A medical record caught my eye.Shock-induced heart attack.It was from when he was twelve. Chilling. From ages twelve to seventeen, his medical history was full of entries: depression, anorexia, gastritis, nervous disorders… I had to think for a moment about what kind of troubles a teenager could have to acquire so many psychological issues. Another notable thing stood out. Ray, who hadn’t been eligible for proper health insurance, somehow managed to pay for all these treatments.Except for the time I forcibly took him to the hospital two weeks ago, his hospital visits had abruptly stopped ten years ago. As if erased. I suddenly recalled how stubbornly Ray had refused to go to the hospital.I lit a cigarette. Something was off. If I were an investigator and Ray were a criminal, this would definitely catch my attention.But, well, what did I care? As long as I could take care of what I wanted between his legs, that was all that mattered.Tomorrow was Saturday. I decided to pay Ray a visit, under the guise of taking a break. The doorbell rang loudly. It was Mr. Kruk, shouting, “Hey! Why haven’t you come down yet? It’s my birthday, and we’re having a party!”“Oh, right. I’m coming.”I stood up, smiling. I had a strong belief that life should be enjoyed. Mr. Kruk, a diligent man in his fifties, would no doubt bring up the subject of marriage again, but I didn’t mind. It was all fun, and the cheerful demeanor I showed him was part of who I was, too.꙳•❅*ִ“Why are you so quiet?”Lord Manen urged, noticing my prolonged silence.“What’s the matter, man? Why aren’t you saying anything?”“…Just wait a moment.”“Haha.”Lord Manen was visibly confused. In the ten years I’d been consulting him, this had never happened, so it made sense that he was tense.Wolfscott, on the other hand, seemed to be in high spirits, glowing with joy from the Emillen affair. Lord Manen had mentioned how Wolfscott had been throwing wild parties day and night lately, completely carefree. There was nothing particularly noteworthy about Wolfscott’s behavior.Something else was nagging at me.“What’s going on?”“Well… Wolfscott is clearly in a very elated mood. I keep hearing his booming laughter. And I see a forest… a forest that starts with ‘TER…’ It seems he’s trying to urgently adopt the daughter of a military officer from that area, likely aiming to position her as a candidate for crown princess.”“Oh, is that all? That’s a common tactic. So, what should we do about it? Our candidate for the crown princess…”“Hold on a second.”“Hm?”The crown princess wasn’t the issue right now. There was a dark mist swirling around Lord Manen. Someone was targeting him. I couldn’t make out any concrete shapes or even small details, which meant it was someone who hadn’t had direct contact with Lord Manen.This is going to be a hassle…My clairvoyance allowed me to read Lord Manen the clearest since he was the one I had a contract with. The next clearest would be the people he had direct contact with, known as secondary subjects. By focusing on anything related to Lord Manen, words and faint images would emerge from the person I was reading.It was a bit like collecting specific insects while walking through a forest. That’s why I liked to call my clairvoyance “gathering.” With Lord Manen, I could read every detail of his life, even his childhood memories, but for secondary subjects, it was different. If a memory was too old or had been completely forgotten, I couldn’t collect it.But this time, it was a third party—a person who hadn’t even had indirect contact with Lord Manen. In such cases, there was usually nothing to gather.After some thought, I made up my mind.“Please wait. This will take some time.”I closed my eyes and focused intensely. The hand holding my phone began to tremble, and I felt a rising sensation, as if my whole body was floating. In moments like this, I often felt as though I were soaring freely through the skies like an eagle. My consciousness flew fast, very fast, somewhere far away.I see it…In the dense darkness, a faint outline appeared. The long hem of Lord Manen’s robe came into view. A cold, dark chapel. Flickering candles, ominously casting shadows. Lord Manen praying beneath a cross, surrounded by the dark mist.From a third party, the only information I could gather was what they were deeply focused on, and even then, it would be fragmented. A mere sliver of a clue. But right now, I had to take whatever I could get.I glared at the dark mist. The murderous intent emanating from it was suffocating. As time passed, a vague shape began to emerge from within the mist.In the next moment, I almost dropped the phone. My body was drenched in cold sweat. An hour had already passed. I took a deep breath before plugging my phone into the charger.This call was going to take a while.“Is something going on with your newspaper company?”“Newspaper?”“I can see the sign of your newspaper company. Someone is targeting you.”“Someone who hasn’t had direct contact with me?”“Yes, but they aren’t under Wolfscott’s orders. There wasn’t any sign of your media company in relation to Wolfscott. This isn’t looking good. If such strong malice is coming through on a third-level vision, we can safely assume the enemy has severe ill intent. This isn’t just a minor issue they’re plotting.”A large shock reverberated through the phone.“…The media company, along with the Floreat estate, is one of my main sources of income. How could they possibly target it? For what reason?”“I can’t be certain from a third-level vision alone. Let’s take action. We’ll need to thoroughly review all your recent interactions. The one targeting you may have recruited someone from your inner circle. Let’s work our way up from the small fry. I’ll begin now, so please bear with me if it gets tedious.”“Understood.”Over the course of five hours, I investigated every person Lord Manen had been in contact with, from family and friends to even his pets.“There are three people. I’m seeing a name starting with ‘Q.’ They’re carrying large bags. K…kwa…inokoten. Then there’s Seiwan, and He…ro. They’ve been scheming to sell information about you. It’s been a while since they planned it. I can see something like numbers all over them.”Lord Manen spoke up abruptly.“They’re accountants. They always carry laptops and briefcases with them. I think I understand now.”“There’s no time to waste. We’ve found the rats, now it’s time to work our way up. Investigate the accountants. Arrange a casual meeting and shake hands with them. Do it as soon as possible.”“Got it. I’ll contact you by tonight.”“And I hope you won’t take this personally, but your youngest daughter is a lesbian, isn’t she? You’re aware of this, correct?”“…I had an inkling.”“Be careful. If word gets out that your youngest daughter is a lesbian, you could lose the Christian voters. I’ll be waiting for your call.”After the call ended, I collapsed onto the bed. My entire body was drenched in sweat, and my head spun. It was no surprise, considering how many hours I had been concentrating. My cold made the exhaustion even worse, and I kept coughing.I pulled the sheets up to my chin, staring at the pile of doll boxes in the room.When will I ever get through all of those…Ever since that day, whenever I saw a doll’s eyes, I remembered the corpse whose pupils had spilled out. I couldn’t focus on work at all. I felt pathetic.But no matter how much I thought about it, I was the one who would have had a bullet lodged in my head if Death had missed his mark. The more I recalled that moment, the more terrifying it became. Moments like this reminded me just how fearful I truly was. The only reason I could play the schemer was because I was hiding behind Lord Manen. The thought of facing off against someone as ruthless as Wolfscott directly sent shivers down my spine.I glanced at the birch trees outside the window. Birch trees, or white birch, carried a secondary meaning of punishment, like being whipped. Had I inherited that aspect of birch trees, I might have led a very different life. I gave a bitter laugh and looked away.Still, I couldn’t back down now.I’d already thrown down the gauntlet, and I was in a relationship with Lord Manen.Accountants and a media company—tax evasion was the obvious link. In a kingdom where winter lasted for more than half the year, the main entertainment for the populace was reading and media. Even someone like me, who had no real hobbies, had to pick up a book to get through the winter. According to the statistics, 45% of the population subscribed to more than ten magazines a month, and daily television viewing exceeded three hours. In this kingdom, the publishing and media industries were golden geese.Lord Manen owned the largest media company in the kingdom, publishing over forty magazines and eight newspapers. Even without advertising revenue, the yearly profit from just one daily newspaper, with its 8.5 million readers, was astronomical.Were they trying to bring down his media company over tax evasion? Whoever it was, they’d certainly set a well-laid trap for Lord Manen.I decided to wait for Lord Manen’s call. After one more glance at the pile of doll boxes, I fell asleep.The phone rang at 11 PM.“I’ve just returned from having dinner with the accountants. We shook hands. Hah, they looked visibly shocked when I suddenly called them out.”“Then let’s begin. I’m curious to see who’s behind all this.”Despite my worsening cold, I had no choice but to start gathering.“It was two months ago. Two men approached the accountants. They refused to disclose their identities and offered the accountants a large sum of money for information related to Lord Manen’s secrets. The accountants countered by demanding five times the amount. If the men paid that sum, the accountants agreed to hand over records of Lord Manen’s money laundering.”Lord Manen, who had been silent, spoke in a hoarse voice.“Two months ago… That’s when the accountants were pestering me to sell off part of the Floreat estate. I refused. They must be holding a grudge. Continue.”I took a deep breath and concentrated harder. Sweat was trickling down my hand, which was clutching a birch branch, and my eyelids twitched. The images coming from Lord Manen were faded, like old, colorless film. It felt like I was walking through a dark forest shrouded in fog. The people within it staggered around like eerie, ghostly figures.“I see the accountants holding shiny briefcases. Probably money. I see men in black handing them over. The accountants seem intimidated by their size. I’ll try to see through them. Give me a moment.”I focused all my energy. It was difficult due to the third-level vision.“The men are heading somewhere… but from a distance… something is…”The vision cut off. That was as far as I could go.After a long silence, Lord Manen spoke.“So, in summary, someone is preparing a case related to money laundering at my media company. What do you suggest I do about it?”I pondered. The men who had dealt with the accountants hadn’t revealed their identities. They had the resources to close the deal in one go, meaning they were well-funded and heavily guarded—definitely not an ordinary enemy.There was no way to avoid this. In that case, the only option was to face it head-on.“Let’s start by gathering some information. To expose money laundering, the prosecution will have to make the first move. You need to investigate their side and find out who’s targeting you.”“Understood. I’ll contact you soon.”Lord Manen moved swiftly, calling me back at dawn two days later.“The prosecution’s security was tight, but I managed to get some information.”“Who’s behind it?”“Wolfscott.”“That can’t be!”I unintentionally raised my voice. I had seen no such signs from Wolfscott. My findings had never been wrong.“An informant told me there’s a secret case being pushed by Guiger and some prosecution officials. If not Wolfscott, who else could it be? Something feels off. You looked into the accountants’ records from two months ago, yet missed Wolfscott’s movements? You haven’t been well lately—could that be why?”Suddenly, it hit me. A dark energy—sinister from the start. It’s been lurking behind Wolfscott, now moving on its own.Separate from Wolfscott.“Do you remember the dark energy that hovered around Wolfscott during the Marquis Cotbica case? I think it’s the same one. It seems to be acting independently of him, but it’s likely a close associate.”“And who exactly is this?”Ignoring his frustration, I began my search again, biting my lip.I won’t miss it this time.It was rare for me to feel anger like this. I pushed myself to focus, almost desperately. Slowly, letters began to emerge from the dark energy surrounding Wolfscott.“I see it. The letters are forming… S…”S…The scattered letters danced like broken dolls before aligning themselves.S… N…SNAKE.Snake?A chill ran through my body. Despite being just four letters, the word itself was unnerving.“Is there anyone close to Wolfscott by the name of Snake?”“Snake? There’s no noble with such a bizarre name… wait.”Lord Manen paused, deep in thought.“As you know, Guiger’s division heads are often called by nicknames based on predators. Snake, I’ve heard, is the traditional moniker for the head of Guiger. So, could this be a solo move by Guiger? Surely those brutes wouldn’t…”Suddenly, it all clicked. Snake was a term I had occasionally glimpsed in Wolfscott’s subconscious. I was now certain. This was the independent action of Guiger’s head.“You’re aware that my findings are never wrong. And I did glimpse this in Wolfscott’s thoughts, mentioning a ‘snakehead’ and ‘that arrogant guy.’ Turns out it was the head of Guiger.”“So, what’s our move?”“We need to figure out Snake’s plans. Can you get close to him? Or possibly… an assassination?”“Both are difficult. Despite attending countless parties over the past decade, I’ve never seen a single hair of Guiger’s division heads. Just their ominous masks and fluttering coat tails are enough to scare anyone. If I knew their real names, I would’ve acted already.”“In that case, we’ll have to match their moves.”“Looks like we’re on the same page.”“They’re targeting your media company, so we’ll hit back by exposing the corruption at Wolfscott’s broadcasting station. You’ll need to make good use of your insiders at Wolfscott’s network. You mentioned he’s been hosting frequent parties? You must attend one soon, shake hands with Wolfscott, and contact me immediately. Ideally, we would confront Snake directly, but since that’s not possible, we need to at least find out when they’re planning to act. Once we know the date, we can threaten to bring them down with us. That should be enough to stop them from pushing too hard.”“This is turning into chaos. I’ll be in touch soon.”Two days later, Lord Manen contacted me again. Through Wolfscott, I peeked into Snake’s thoughts. This time, my search went smoothly. Snake was so excited about the plan that I was able to extract the D-day of the operation.It was nine days away.A shiver ran down my spine. Nine days. Even counting from the day I first detected their plan, it had been barely two weeks. To think they were planning to take down Lord Manen in such a short time—how bold. And meticulous. If I had been careless, Lord Manen would have been caught off guard. This was proof that Snake had been preparing for this meticulously from the start. He wasn’t just a brute after all.Why had Wolfscott underestimated someone like this while keeping him as a subordinate? Lord Manen and Wolfscott had been in open conflict for a year now. Before that, Wolfscott was never on my radar. If Lord Manen hadn’t allied with Wolfscott…? He might have ended up like the three big figures who disappeared two years ago.Anyway, we didn’t have time to thoroughly investigate Guiger. Handling the media company had to come first.Lord Manen was confident he could prepare a counterattack within a week. He mentioned that his media company already had a stockpile of dirt on Wolfscott’s broadcasting station. All we had to do was warn Guiger that if they pushed, Lord Manen would expose the station’s corruption.Both Lord Manen and Wolfscott were deeply corrupt, and no noble was untouched by their influence. If their dirty laundry were aired, it would throw the entire kingdom into chaos. A calculated, preemptive strike.After a twelve-hour conversation, I was completely exhausted, unable to even touch the box of dolls.“Pathetic, utterly pathetic.”I sewed the doll’s eyes on while muttering to myself in self-deprecation. After finishing my call with Lord Manen, I had tossed and turned all night. It wasn’t until the afternoon that I managed to pull myself together and return to sewing. As I attached the doll’s eyes, I repeatedly mumbled the same words, “Pathetic, really pathetic,” over and over again.All I had gained from my illness was a frail body, depression, and social anxiety. Other than crafting artificial flowers or sewing doll eyes, I had no other tasks to occupy myself with. Lord Manen would never imagine that his trusted advisor was, in reality, such a pathetic and incompetent person. If he ever found out about my promiscuous affairs with nameless men, that devout Catholic might even suffer a heart attack.“Like a tame colt climbing up onto the stove.”I chuckled to myself.Outside, there was a commotion. It seemed that with the heavy snowfall finally easing up, men had gathered on 42nd Street. I closed the curtains tightly and prepared some pear juice. Though my cold had subsided, the coughing persisted. The juice helped calm my cough a little.Today’s newspaper brought the unwelcome news that this winter was expected to last another month. How awful… The thought of seeing that wretched Snow Queen for another month was unbearable.To change my mood, I decided to take a bath. After being bedridden and drenched in sweat for days, I needed it. After the bath, I lay naked on my bed, letting my hair dry. I recalled a man once asking me if it wasn’t inconvenient to wash my hair. Of course, it was.It was more than just inconvenient. I had tried many times to cut it off, but I always failed. I had no patience to carefully dry that cursed hair. So, I simply lay on the bed, letting it hang loose like laundry until it dried. It added humidity to the dry room and gave my weary body a rest, a win-win. I hummed “pathetic” like a song under my breath, a habit of mine. Time passed swiftly like that. Pathetic indeed.Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. The only people who would come by were the landlord or the gas meter reader. But it was a Saturday night. Perhaps someone had come to the wrong address.There was another knock. Hastily, I got up and threw on a robe.“Who is it?”When I opened the door, there stood a man. As usual, he wore a bright smile.Ignoring my speechlessness, he confidently strode into the room. I was stunned. Reflexively, I asked, “What are you doing here?”He replied, “Why else? For this,” and pulled out an envelope from his bag.“What’s that?”“What do you think? It’s your STD test results. I ran into a nurse who recognized me at the hospital when I went with a friend. You didn’t pick them up, so I thought I’d deliver them.”My face flushed. I snatched the envelope from him. As I read the results, the man chuckled while glancing around the room.The results were negative. I wouldn’t be rotting away from some disease, and I sighed in relief, finding the thought a bit ridiculous.“I figure I’m involved too, seeing as I’ve eaten you up and filled you up. So, is it rude to ask how the results are?”His casual tone made my face burn even more.“…They came back clean.”“That’s good to hear. But what’s all this? Into doll-making, are you?”He gestured toward the box of dolls with a nod.“It’s not a hobby. It’s just work.”“Work? So, you make dolls too? Interesting…”Without warning, the man quickly moved and wrapped his arms around my waist.“Instead of asking questions, why don’t you leave?”I shoved him away, and he smiled slyly, maintaining his posture as if nothing had happened.“Isn’t it a bit harsh to turn away someone who traveled two hours just to deliver a piece of paper? At least let me have a cup of tea.”Without hesitation, he took off his coat, draped it over a chair, and sat down. Then, he drummed his fingers on the table, looking at me with a fixed gaze.Unbelievable.Sighing, I put the kettle on and added pear juice to a cup. I could already guess what was on his mind. No, I didn’t even need to guess—he was blatantly expressing it. He wanted to do that again. But to show up at my place for it?This is going to be a hassle…I poured water into the cup, my mind wandering. I didn’t despise sex. I often thought that since I was born into this world, I might as well experience everything people do. And, though that man had his way at the end, doing what he wanted, I didn’t entirely hate having sex with him. If I’d had more free time, I might’ve even enjoyed a one-night stand with him.But now I was busy sewing doll eyes, and my body was utterly exhausted. Remembering the cold I caught after that car sex made me furious. Sure, it was partly my fault for lingering in the alley instead of heading straight home, but still…“This smells interesting. What kind of tea is it?”“It’s pear juice. A poor person like me can’t afford the luxury of tea. Drink this and leave quickly.”I slammed the cup onto the table.The man grinned as he lifted it.“Funny, I hear pears are more expensive than tea these days.”“What can I do? It’s cheaper than going to the hospital… It’s great for calming a cough.”“I see… Are you very ill?”“That’s none of your concern.”I rummaged through the doll box. I had three days to finish attaching these wretched eyes and deliver them. The sight of the glittering eyes in the box gave me chills, but I had no choice. I had no intention of starving to death.Ignoring the man, who was staring at me, I focused on my work. I doubted he’d still ask for that after seeing this mess.The man slowly spoke as he sipped from his cup.“Do you have to attach the eyes to every single one of those dolls?”“Yes.”“Doesn’t it hurt your eyes? Staring at them for so long in such a dry room could give you dry eye syndrome. Working at the bookstore would be better.”“I can’t help it. I’m poor, and I have to work if I don’t want to starve. The shop closes early around this time of year anyway. There are barely any customers because of the recession.”“I see…”I heard the sound of him placing the cup down. Focused on sewing the doll’s eyes, I momentarily missed the sound of his footsteps coming closer.“Ah!”Suddenly, the man pulled down my robe from behind, exposing my waist. It happened in an instant, and I was startled.“I told you to leave once you finished your drink!” I raised my voice, but he just smiled pleasantly.“I don’t want to. Surely you know by now that I’m not the type to just drink tea and leave quietly.”“I’m busy. Can’t you see all these boxes piled up? I have to—ah…”I let out a moan as his fingers brushed against my chest.“Just stay still… You like it here, don’t you?” he said knowingly, as he gently fondled my chest and pressed his lips against my neck. Though he could be cruel and ruthless when he wanted to be rough, his caresses were soft and tender. I pushed him away with all my strength, clutching my robe tightly and shaking my head.“Not today. I have to finish these in three days. So please, just go. Come back in three days if you must.”“Hmmm…”He thought for a moment before grinning.“Then let me help you with your work. I’ll finish two boxes, how about that? That should make up for the time I’m taking from you.”The man’s audacity was unbelievable, and I finally gave in with a sigh.He’s relentless, really relentless…I already knew his personality well from our previous encounters. His libido was overwhelming, and he had an incredible amount of patience. He would definitely get what he wanted again this time. The idea of physically resisting someone as tall and strong as him was laughable. There was no avoiding the situation.Besides, I was already sick of attaching these damn doll eyes. I wasn’t some saintly figure like the Virgin Mary, so I didn’t see any reason to stubbornly refuse his offer. It was better to get some help with the work and put up with his demands rather than be tormented by both the workload and him.I glanced gloomily at the pile of doll boxes and said, “Fine, I’ll show you once. But in return, you have to finish three boxes.”The man was a quick learner. In just a few tries, he had surpassed my pace. He was skilled with his hands, attaching the doll’s eyes in just a few seconds each.Meanwhile, I was busy trying to suppress my persistent cough. By the time he had finished one box, I had only completed twenty dolls. It was pathetic, really.He glanced at me and lightly patted my back.“You’re coughing a lot. Are you okay?”“Just focus on your work,” I replied curtly, and he chuckled.“Of course, I’ll finish quickly. That way, it benefits both of us, doesn’t it?”There was an unmistakable implication in his tone. What a tiresome man… I grumbled to myself and concentrated on my work. He continued attaching the doll’s eyes with swift movements, occasionally breaking into a laugh.It irritated me. I had always disliked that strange laughter of his.“What’s so funny?”“I just remembered something.”“What?”“Do you remember that time with the mackerel?”“Mackerel?”“You don’t remember? That time, you asked me if I liked mackerel. Then you brought me home, and what you said to me was… Haha. You were really bold back then.”“Oh, right.”I did vaguely remember that.Seeing that I didn’t react much, he shrugged. Then, out of nowhere, he said, “I’m surprised.”“Surprised?” I asked, still focused on the doll.“By what?”“To be honest, I thought you’d refuse my offer to help with the doll eyes. But you accepted so easily, it makes me wonder.”“Wonder about what?”“Just silly things. Like if it weren’t for the dolls, maybe you’d have come into my arms right away. Or maybe you were waiting for me. Or maybe you have feelings for me. Hahaha.”His tone was teasing. I couldn’t help but smile faintly as I continued attaching the doll’s eyes.“You really are full of delusions.”“Then what is it?”“Why, you ask? First, I’m utterly exhausted from handling these dolls for the past few days. I just want to finish quickly. Second, you’re the type who always gets what you want. When you put the first and second together, it’s clear that accepting your offer is the best option. And third…”꙳•❅*ִRay trailed off, his hand pausing as his blue eyes clouded over. Fear flickered across his face.What a person I am…Suppressing the growing tension in my lower body, I urged him on.“So, what’s the third reason?”“These doll eyes scare me.”“Scare you? Because you’ve handled them so much that you’re sick of them?”“That’s not it. About ten days ago, Wolfscott visited this town. It was a massive procession. The crowds, who were forcibly gathered, endured the cold and screamed. Wolfscott was surrounded by tall men wearing Grim Reaper masks, yelling through a microphone.”Intrigued, I asked, “And then?”“Something terrifying happened. As a trailer passed by, I threw a flower at it. The flower brushed against one of the Reapers’ shoulders. Suddenly, he pulled out a gun and aimed it at me.”“My goodness! Were you hurt?”Ignoring my feigned concern, Ray stared disgustedly at the doll eyes in his hand.“The muzzle flashed. For a moment, it felt like the bullet had pierced through me, and I couldn’t breathe. When I came to my senses, a man had collapsed right next to me. The Guiger officers were yelling, pushing me aside. As they lifted the body, the man’s eyes rolled out of his face. Since then, every time I look at these doll eyes, I think of those dead eyes.”“That must have been terrifying.”I nodded sympathetically, though inside, I was smirking. I wouldn’t make the mistake of shooting you, of course. I’m a sharpshooter…“This job is horrible. I’m only holding onto it because I need to make a living, but in truth, I want to burn these dolls right now.”Ray’s hands trembled slightly as he held the doll eyes. I watched his hand for a moment before speaking bluntly.“You’re quite the coward.”“Yes.”His admission was disarmingly straightforward. Haha, well, that caught me off guard. He’s surprisingly not easy to deal with.Which makes this even more interesting.I smiled slightly. The back-and-forth with Ray was immensely enjoyable. Who would have imagined? The feared leader of Guiger Headquarters, who even nobles tremble before, sitting in a poor man’s house, attaching doll eyes. I had originally offered to stay the night as an excuse, unable to bear watching Ray’s worsening cough, but now, this situation had turned into a perfect comedy. It was absurdly hilarious.The moment I entered the room, I was dumbfounded. Piles of doll boxes filled the room with hardly any space to step. And there was Ray, wearing nothing but a robe over his bare body. My purpose in coming here aside, he looked as if he had been waiting to seduce me.Despite the obvious tension in the lower half of his body, Ray kept attaching the doll eyes, diligently and seriously. Watching him like that made me want to laugh out loud. The absurdity of it all was overwhelming.Still, I didn’t mind. As ridiculous as this situation of attaching doll eyes was, it was unexpectedly fun and amusing in its own way.If I think of it as an investment, it’s worth it.Ray, ever the ascetic, had no idea, but I had a few discreet tools hidden in my bag. I had been stressed out for over a week, preparing for a big job. Tonight, I planned to release all that pent-up tension.It’s fine…I muttered silently to myself, a phrase I often repeated.At least in the beginning, I’ll make an effort for your sake.I laughed quietly as I continued to work quickly.The villain Snake sure has mellowed out…I barely managed to suppress the urge to throw Ray down right then and there. It had been a while since I’d seen him, and his illness-ridden appearance only added to the allure. His long, dripping hair suggested he’d just bathed, and the faint scent of soap lingered around him.Well, this is good.Since I’m taking care of three boxes, there’s no way I’ll let him off easily.I smiled knowingly.Only one box remained. I glanced at Ray. He kept alternating between looking at the box I had just finished and the still-large pile left for him.“Are you thinking you should’ve asked me to take on more boxes?” I teased.Ray’s face turned bright red.Hahaha, he’s really amusing.Well, if I’m satisfied tonight, I might help him finish a few more boxes afterward.Feeling pleased with my decision, I finished the last box in no time. While I completed three boxes, Ray barely managed to finish one and a half. Pretending not to notice, Ray continued working on his dolls.“It’s done. You should take a break too.”Still fiddling with the dolls, Ray muttered softly, “Just don’t be too rough. I still have work to do.”I smiled, amused.“Is that what you’re worried about? Hahaha. Well, there might be one thing you could find uncomfortable, but it won’t be too difficult. After all, it’s just me here tonight.”I grabbed the hesitant Ray and helped him up. The scent of soap still lingered. I buried my face in his amber hair, savoring the fragrance, then lifted him and headed toward the bed. This moment felt like something out of a cheap Hollywood movie, and I couldn’t help but smirk.Ray was small and frail. I found myself wondering if he’d been starving to the point of becoming like this. The room, packed with doll boxes, had gone from amusing to outright pitiful. It felt tragic that someone so beautiful was stuck in such poverty. And this wasn’t just any poverty—it was extreme, relentless poverty.Watching Ray, coughing constantly as he attached doll eyes in this bare room, tugged at an unfamiliar sense of sympathy within me. I even briefly considered offering him money, asking if he’d spend the night with me while I sipped on pear juice.But if Ray, who lived on 42nd Street, had ever intended to sell himself, he would have done so already. He was too prudish, too strict, hoping to live like a monk. Not selling his body could be his last shred of dignity in this miserable life. And yet, that brief sympathy quickly faded, and here I was, shamelessly laying this sick man down on the bed, driven by my own desire.That’s why I dedicated the beginning of this encounter to Ray’s satisfaction. As his blunt words often revealed, Ray was honest in his reactions. He didn’t hide his joy with every touch of mine. He wrapped his arms around my back and let out sweet sighs of pleasure.Honestly… moments like this are bittersweet.I let out a wry smile. Seeing Ray, so innocent and joyful, I briefly considered stopping here. But in the end, my instincts wouldn’t allow it. Like that old painter who, unable to hold a brush due to alcohol addiction, painted with his hands stained in pigment, my desire wasn’t something that would easily fade away.“Ah…”Ray rolled onto his side. His disheveled amber hair looked like a blooming flower. He seemed thoroughly satisfied. I waited until his lingering pleasure subsided.“Did you enjoy it?”I asked, still caressing him. Ray gave a slight nod. I toyed with his hair. Running my fingers through his amber locks seemed to clear my mind in a strange way. My thoughts drifted to the screening event looming ahead.Preparations were going smoothly, and the thought of it filled me with excitement. The plan was to first restrain Manen in a funeral shroud, then accuse the tattooed nobles of treason, using their ties to the far-left during the election as an excuse. I couldn’t help but laugh, thinking of Manen, unaware of his impending doom, sipping wine and enjoying the party.Apparently, I had made some noise.“Why are you laughing like that?”“Oh, it’s nothing.”I answered as I slid my fingers deeper below. I was quite satisfied by how my touch soaked into Ray. The sensation of his hot, tight body contracting around my fingers, still slick with fluids, was intensely stimulating. I explored him slowly, swirling my fingers inside as I licked his earlobe.“Does it feel good like this?”“Ah…”Ray’s lips trembled.