Chapter 591 – The Crow May Be Black, But Its Flesh Is White (2)

A finely plaited ponytail adorned her head, a fur coat danced upon her shoulders.

Beneath the perilously high heels of her shoes, her feet encased in stockings moved delicately. The captivating allure of her revealed legs and the curve of her thighs commanded unyielding attention.

The crow may have black feathers, but its flesh is white.

Echoing the echoes of Lee Si-heon’s armor, her body was swathed in a stylish coat, under which a pair of white breasts curved gently.

Lee Se-young.

Before her transformation into the crow, she was a dishonored Korean businesswoman.

[Lee Se-young, aiding a heretic of the Woodman Sect… a shock.]

The day her face was sold to the press, and she was torn apart by the public gaze. Three years ago, when Lee Si-heon rescued Cornus, becoming a heretic, Lee Se-young was captured by Hanbyeol in her attempt to save Si-heon, leading to her imprisonment within the Thorn Crown.

The prestige she once held proved to be pointless. Se-young’s worth, which she considered luxurious, was utterly shattered.

She remembered the times when throngs of people would gather just by her mere stroll down the street. The masses had admired her, belonging to the orc lineage, and all envied her, the Woodwoman. Back then, if she desired something, it was hers, regardless of how misguided the means may have seemed.

She had started from the bottom and had come this far, she had overcome the treacherous and the greedy, and only then ascended to her current standing.

Se-young, though a master strategist and once the favored of the World Tree, held a high rank within the religious circles. But she could not possess people.

“I couldn’t do anything.”

When she was acquitted and released, the man who could have consoled her, Se-young, was nowhere to be found.

Everything she had considered her own had collapsed, and someone who meant more to her than any ostentation had passed away.

“Why?”

Was Lee Si-heon despised by the World Tree?

If no one had inflicted harm first, we could have remained as tender-hearted scoundrels.

All that remained after Lee Si-heon’s death was a potent thirst for revenge.

She had to obliterate all the bastards who stole people from her. She trained relentlessly, demolished dungeons, and accumulated experiences.

She cast aside her superficial honor and began to amass real power.

She gathered wealth.

She cultivated followers who would stand by her side.

The underworld was more perilous than expected, and Se-young, with her fair complexion, had nearly become livestock in a Woodman’s farm. There were several instances when she narrowly escaped being abused by those in power.

In the end, Se-young cleaned up the stench-ridden place and drew it into her fold. After meeting Baekyang and repeating the process, before long, people began to refer to her as ‘Crow’.

“Forget the dead, how about being with me?”

The Cain in the sky, beyond anyone’s reach.

The grand dame of the underworld, bedecked in large, iridescent feathers, cast an alluring gaze from beneath her veil.

At that moment, the man began to falter.

The accumulated power and Se-Young’s beauty were sufficient to ensnare the hearts of countless influential figures. Like a queue, individuals from the underworld would approach her.

Given that the ‘bog’ was a place unapproachable by most, and teeming with those who coveted everything within, there were frequent instances when those who lusted for Se-Young’s body would strike at midnight or slip drugs into her meals.

Sometimes, indeed.

– Hehehe, a sharp wench. Should’ve listened to me, shouldn’t you?

There were times when she was imprisoned in a dungeon rife with the stench of livestock.

While she wasn’t ridiculed per se, these experiences were traumatic enough for a woman.

‘It’s okay.’

Of course, the swine who dared utter those words to her was ultimately tortured to death.

Halting time meant the possibility of escaping from grave danger. Since she could imbibe the wisdom of a spirit known as Baekyang, she was able to gain an upper hand in various political skirmishes.

Now, Lee Se-Young is formidable.

She possesses ample power to protect him, and independent forces rally around her, sustaining a portion of the economic sphere alone.

There are numerous territories unnoticed by the stars and the moon.

Unlike the past, where she held merely a figurehead position, Lee Se-Young now sat far away, peering into the diplomatic landscape.

‘So…’

At last, she had become accessible.

‘It’s been three years. Three years.’

The time it took to realize his death, to struggle to revive him, to confirm his survival.

Her hands and feet trembled. Despite the fervor in her heart, her facial expression remained stoic.

“The time is almost up.”
“… I’ll go.”

Inside the office, hunters dressed in black suits await the orders of Lee Se-Young. As Se-Young rises from her seat, her coat flutters. A female bodyguard trails behind her.

“But, Madam.”
“Hmm?”
“What drives you to meet him to such an extent?”

Thud.

Se-Young, clutching the black pantyhose on her thighs, glanced back at the male bodyguard. A faint outline of her underwear could be seen inside her coat. The stockings enveloping her legs cost a small fortune.

She stretched the expensive nylon between her thumb and forefinger until her flesh peeked through the taut gap. As she let go, the resilient nylon snapped against her supple thighs.

This was a piece of lingerie that Lee Se-Young wouldn’t typically wear. But he had a liking for it.

“Do you really need to know?”
“…No, not at all.”

The bodyguard, taken aback by the sound emanating from Se-Young’s thigh, promptly retreated. Those who pledged their complete loyalty harbored no feelings towards her.

Se-Young smirked at the bashful bodyguard before replying,

“There are things that are better left unsaid.”

With a faint smile, Se-Young’s lips curled up at the corners.

No one could perceive it, but the subtle scent that embodied her emotions began to waft from Se-Young’s body.

It was the refreshing aroma of a verdant oak tree.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

This encounter was unaccompanied by Gu-seul.

The intent of Lee Se-Young was palpable, and it was an issue the two of them had to resolve.

A sudden gasp escaped her as the door swung open. The single-layered mask felt heavy, and the artifact that had confidently concealed my identity did not seem trustworthy today.

Two sofas, one table. And situated directly ahead, it was as if I had stepped into the office of a corporate CEO. Lee Se-Young, seated in an office chair reminiscent of our first encounter, awaited me, her legs crossed and her chest open.

“I’ve waited quite a while.”
“……”
“You left so abruptly last time, I was hoping we could extend our conversation.”

Her tone was significantly more relaxed than during our previous meeting.

And it was only natural. Lee Se-Young now knew my true identity. No matter how much I tried to live under threat, it would be futile now.

‘Can I avoid this?’

During our last ordeal in the Tower of Trials, I had confessed my identity. I had ordered Ebony to send Cornus and Lee Se-Young, down beneath the tower. It was a necessary revelation to convince Se-Young.

“I thought you said it wasn’t needed then.”
“……”

With a curt reply, I sank into the sofa. This petite single-seater sofa felt different than before, no longer a comfortable fit.

My physique, once plump, was now bloated. Now… should I just hand over the tree ring? The very place stirred up memories.

Once I accepted the situation and looked at Se-Young, I finally recognized her face. Until then, I had done my best to avoid her gaze. But now… Hm. I understood why I had been attracted to her.

Her thin neck exposed by a ponytail, her pale skin. Her slightly fierce and yet patient face stirred both the vulnerable and the beastly aspects within a man.

With no choice left, I heaved a short sigh and called out her name.

“…Lee Se-Young.”

No response came. The crow chief as she was, still with a captivating demeanor, looked down at me, her legs crossed.

Se-Young’s lips parted, and a cold voice emerged.

“Let’s move on to the main issue.”

Perhaps, our reunion was not to be today. Se-Young continued the discussion, her voice firm.

“The backing of forces, the authority to acquire dungeon resources. It allows you to exclusively obtain resources from certain dungeons instead of financial support. That was the initial agreement, wasn’t it?”
“…Indeed.”
“You fled as soon as you saw me.”

Indeed, that was what happened.

“Fleeing with a mask on?”

That had happened. Se-Young couldn’t perceive the transformation of my expression hidden behind the mask. However, for some reason, Lee Se-Young was grinning faintly, her eyes gleaming with a mischievous light.

“If we shatter a mutual agreement in such a manner… We can only indict you for reprehensible behavior.”
“……”
“If a stranger treats you like shit, would you feel good or bad?”

I’m certain of it. Se-Young is brimming with intentions to cause me distress.

“…It’s unpleasant.”

At my terse response, Se-Young’s expression briefly contorted before returning to its usual state.

– Click, click.

Underneath the table, a pair of high-heeled feet were tapping rhythmically, betraying an uncontainable excitement. Despite the exterior indifference… the body language revealed a sense of elation.

“We’ll need to amend the terms of the agreement, Your Majesty?”
“……”
“Damn it, respond.”
“Uhm….”

Did Se-Young always have such a coarse tongue? Comparing it with my faint memories, it seemed like there were a lot… or perhaps there weren’t. It’s not unfamiliar, but perhaps it feels strange because it’s been a long time since we’ve interacted face-to-face.

“Then the dungeon resources will be mine.”
“…?”

In a contract to swap support and resources, Se-Young abruptly changes her words, as if she’s extracting resources from a colony. As my eyebrows twitch, Se-Young cheerfully murmurs.

“Someone has ruined the slave market and the drug dens, causing a significant decrease in profits.”

That was me.

“As the country collapses and the market is being rebuilt, monopolizing this side is not a dream to become a world-class asset holder… The person leading that power is Your Majesty.”

With China’s collapse, a multitude of resources poured out. Naturally, those numerous resources were mine by right of conquest, and China’s massive market rose as a new opportunity amidst the ruins.

In essence, Se-Young intends to consume the new continent, no different from America, all by herself without any compensation.

“……Isn’t this a bit too much?”
“Hand it over.”

Season 2 arboreal wreath. At my dumbfounded gesture, Se-Young stood up from her seat, walked over, and sat on the sofa.

“Hand it over.”

When she removes her coat, a white shirt and stockings are revealed. Soft flesh can be seen between the tautly stretched stockings.

No matter how I look at it, this time, it’s going to be tough. Upon saying that, Se-Young exploded in a fit of rage.

“Is it reasonable to abandon a woman and her daughter for three years?”

Se-Young, whose mask is gradually peeling off, spews out harsh curses.

“Remove your mask, you scoundrel.”

With a trembling hand, I placed my saggy Infine cotton ball on the floor and disabled the artifact. I wonder how long it’s been since I’ve shown my face properly to someone.

Se-Young’s pupils momentarily trembled as they fell upon my countenance.

“……”
“……”

The ensuing silence stretched out for three minutes. As if she were meticulously dissecting my visage, Se-Young studied my face. Bereft of breath, she closed her lips, and her head bowed down.

“Huuuh…”

Her sigh was more profound and extended than anticipated. Se-Young’s face was aflame with an intense blush.

It wasn’t a countenance marred by embarrassment or shame, but one that bore the sprinkling of wrath and sorrow.

“…Truly. The eyes. Why the fuck are they like this?”
“Why are the eyes?”
“They’re putrefying like a damned outcast… Fucking hell.”

Se-Young, in a torrent of fury, unleashed a volley of curses that I hadn’t heard from her in days. Fuck this, goddamn that. She spat out every conceivable slur, and soon enough, her eyes welled up with tears.

“What the fuck had he done…, ugh.”

An urge to offer comfort welled up within me, yet my hand was hesitant to reach out.

-Whack!

Suddenly, Se-Young, who had been weeping, extended her hand and dealt a solid blow to my cheek.

– Smack!

The cheek she’d struck with such force that it surely hurt her hand more than it did my face. I tilted my head slightly, and Se-Young, her hand reddened, sobbed and muttered.

“…more.”
“Huh…?”
“Hit the cheek again, you made me cry, you bastard. I haven’t hit you enough yet.”

As I gingerly offered my face, Se-Young clenched her fist. Could it be that she intended to strike me with that brutal hand? The knuckles on her fingers stood out sharply.

-Whoosh!

Se-Young’s fist came crashing down towards my face.

– Thud!

It was the bridge of the nose, not the cheek, that bore the brunt of her blow.