The warm morning sunlight gently colored the white comforter surrounded by the scent of fabric softener. Thanks to Choi Gang-hu, who had changed the sheets while Ryu Seo-ha was sound asleep.

“Hmm…”

As Ryu Seo-ha, still half-asleep, let out a faint moan, Choi Gang-hu, wearing a loosely draped bathrobe and holding him, slowly stroked his trembling lower back.

A beat later, Ryu Seo-ha came to his senses and shook his head slightly with a pale face. His hands pushing against his lover’s chest held a sense of desperation.

“Please stop…”

His usually pleasant voice was now dry and cracked like a wanderer who had long roamed the desert. Choi Gang-hu smiled like a devout believer encountering a sweet celestial melody.

“I’m not doing this to continue.”

“You said the same thing yesterday…”

Shaking his head again, Ryu Seo-ha shuddered and hunched his shoulders. He knew Choi Gang-hu had high stamina stats, but experiencing its intensity firsthand made him doubt if he was even human.

Any discomfort he felt about their relationship of mutual affection being entangled with business interests quickly evaporated under the relentless onslaught of actions.

What was the use of normalizing his body condition with [Sanctification] or [Healing Light] whenever it got tough? He would just pounce again with an expression asking if he was okay now. Even a puppy excited by first snow would have been more restrained.

Status: Remaining lifespan 99 days 22 hours 53 minutes

The greatly increased lifespan, as if reflecting the frenzied time, provided some consolation. Although the abnormal status itself hadn’t disappeared… As Ryu Seo-ha was lost in thought, eager kisses rained down on his face.

“Should I massage your waist?”

“…No.”

What trick are you trying to pull now? Ryu Seo-ha quickly shook his head at Choi Gang-hu’s gentle question. Yesterday, he had naively fallen for similar tricks several times, but today he couldn’t allow it.

“Then shall I feed you some porridge? Room service…”

“No.”

Cutting him off firmly before he could finish, Ryu Seo-ha groaned and sat up. The oversized shirt he was wearing without realizing slipped down, completely covering his fingers.

“I should wash up and go downstairs. You said the auntie came, right?”

As Choi Gang-hu sat up with him and habitually wrapped his arm around his waist, Ryu Seo-ha gently pushed it away. Recalling the written report from Secretary Jang that he had glanced at last night.

It contained information that Im Myung-hee, a former bathhouse owner, had requested help with housing defects and repairs. She must have learned that the two of them had visited Jeju Island from the news.

“It wasn’t a big deal. I’ll send someone to take care of it.”

“Still, she’s someone we owe… Ugh.”

Ryu Seo-ha tried to lower his legs off the bed but clutched his waist and groaned, overworked from the night before. As if he had expected this, Choi Gang-hu smirked and habitually extended his arm to support his waist.

“I can heal your body. I really won’t touch you this time.”

Ryu Seo-ha gave his lover, who spoke so nonchalantly it was annoying, a gentle glare and let out a low sigh.

Skill ‘Healing Light’ is cast.

The dull ache that had been spreading from his spine throughout his body subsided instantly with one use of the skill. As he stood on the floor with a much-improved complexion, this time Choi Gang-hu’s eyes narrowed.

“You said you wouldn’t act without my permission.”

At the accusing tone, Ryu Seo-ha hesitated. He had meant he wouldn’t mingle with dangerous men or get involved in their problems, not that he would turn a blind eye to acquaintances in need of help.

But he didn’t want to refute by bringing up such logic. He knew that after his escape incident, Choi Gang-hu’s nerves were on edge, even if he pretended otherwise. He wanted to comply with all his opinions as much as possible.

“I said I’d stay right by your side… Couldn’t you come with me?”

Choi Gang-hu swallowed dryly at his young lover’s request, pulling at his hand. He stared at the smooth knees and calves exposed below the white shirt covering his thighs.

“…Then let’s do this first.”

Barely suppressing the desire to push his appetizing lover back onto the bed and pounce on him like a beast, he pulled out a necklace from [Subspace]. It was a necklace with a teardrop-shaped diamond pendant on an extremely thin platinum chain.

“Okay.”

“…You’re okay with it without even knowing what it is?”

Ryu Seo-ha smiled brightly at Choi Gang-hu, who asked in a tone that seemed to scold his lack of caution, and showed his neckline.

“Whatever it is, it’s fine.”

It was an action he could take because he was firmly convinced that he would never harm him. He wanted to show complete trust, if only out of gratitude for his lover who, although reluctant, had eventually stepped back.

“…It’s an item that prevents spatial movement.”

“Ah.”

It seemed to be an anti-item that prevents the use of scrolls and such. The purpose was obviously to prevent escape. As he nodded obediently, Choi Gang-hu reached from behind to put the necklace on him.

“It suits you well.”

As he smiled back at him who was grinning contentedly, lips descended on his nape with a kiss. And suddenly, his eye level changed dramatically. Choi Gang-hu had lifted him up in his arms. It was a pattern he had become somewhat accustomed to.

“Let’s eat breakfast, have some bead ice cream, and go out somewhere.”

Ryu Seo-ha nodded as he wrapped his arms around Choi Gang-hu’s neck, who was whispering and planting consecutive bird kisses on his lips. He felt a reassuring sense of stability from the arms supporting him as if restraining his body.

❖ ❖ ❖

Ryu Seo-ha tilted his head as he entered the small yard attached to the modest single-story detached house. Aren’t company-provided residences usually dormitories or villas near the company? Somehow, the scene was very different from what he had imagined.

“Thanks for coming, Seo-ha.”

Im Myung-hee, who had been pacing in front of the entrance, quickly opened the gate and greeted them with thanks. Her complexion was visibly poor. Seeing that haggard face, he thought it was good that he came in person.

-A plant-type monster appeared…

As they had been informed, thick stems were seen wrapping around the walls of the house. It was a D-class monster, Limestone Vine, which absorbs limestone components to gather nutrients necessary for growth.

Limestone is an essential component of cement in modern construction. As it’s often pointed to as the main culprit in turning dungeons with traces of civilization into ruins, it could potentially bring down the entire building before long.

-The company said they would repair it… but they keep putting it off.

Setting aside the question about the actual owner of the house, he couldn’t understand how this monster could have grown this much. Even if research seeds had leaked, Earth isn’t an environment where Limestone Vines can naturally germinate.

“Auntie, are you okay health-wise? What about Minji noona?”

It was also unexpected that Park Minji wasn’t visible. If such a major problem had occurred, shouldn’t she take time off work to be by her mother’s side?

“Mm, I guess she’s busy with work. Come in for now.”

Im Myung-hee, who had roughly brushed off his question, guided them towards the back door that hadn’t been overtaken by the Limestone Vine. She seemed to be hiding something.

As if sensing a similar feeling, Choi Gang-hu, who had narrowed his eyes, wrapped his arm around Ryu Seo-ha’s shoulder as they walked side by side. Even after they sat around the dining table pushed to one side of the living room, he didn’t remove his hand.

“Can you get rid of that?”

Im Myung-hee asked cautiously as she pushed over a glass of freshly poured water. She glanced nervously at the plant stems covering one side of the living room. The stems, which had easily penetrated the wall, were motionless as they were nocturnal.

“Removing it isn’t the problem… I think it’s more important to examine the cause of the situation.”

At Ryu Seo-ha’s words, Im Myung-hee visibly showed an anxious look and then moistened her lips with water. Ryu Seo-ha, who had been staring intently at her holding the water glass with both hands, calmly opened his lips.

“I’d like you to be honest.”

“W-what?”

“There’s another problem besides that monster, right?”

Im Myung-hee, who had been chewing on her lower lip and avoiding eye contact, gulped down the water and then nodded her head with difficulty.

“I’ve been… threatened.”

And she admitted the truth in a voice that sounded like her throat was completely blocked.

“By whom?”

“I don’t know. The day that plant wrapped around the house, it seems they took our Minji…”

Im Myung-hee, who had been sobbing as she spilled out the whole story, covered her face with both hands.

Trait ‘Sanctification’ is cast.

As soon as he heard the news of Park Minji’s disappearance, Ryu Seo-ha spread his trait to embrace all three people present. Of course, Choi Gang-hu would be more than capable of handling any intruders, but just in case.

“W-what is this?”

“It’s a means to protect everyone. More importantly, why did you lie to me earlier?”

As he gently asked the confused other party, Im Myung-hee’s eyes shook greatly.

“I’m sorry…”

“No. You don’t need to apologize, just tell me the situation…”

“Sob, Seo-ha. I’m really sorry…”

Sighing deeply at the sight of the suddenly crying auntie, he took a sip of water, feeling his throat dry up. At that very moment, he felt a sudden surge of heat in his body.

You are exposed to the range of item ‘Mental Regression Potion (S-grade)’.

Then his vision flickered slowly. It happened before he could apply the buff of the trait [Sanctification] to his own body.