Chapter 20
* * *
'What is this?!'
Seoyoon had briefly returned, only to be startled by the sight of Kim Woojin doing something lewd with the manager.
When had those two gotten to the point of doing something like that?
'With Woojin's personality, there's no way he forced her….'
The manager was accepting it with an embarrassed look on her face.
Good heavens.
'The manager has a husband and a child, too.'
It felt like I’d seen something I shouldn’t have.
An affair?
No, this seems even more erotic than an affair….
It was easy to guess that their relationship had changed on the island.
If they’d been fooling around at the office, Seoyoon would definitely have noticed.
But they were testing each other’s limits and enjoying it without crossing the line…
Manager Han Jia, as Seoyoon saw her, was…
「This isn’t right, this isn’t right~」
Even as she murmured that, she seemed to be enjoying the thrill of the situation, as if walking a tightrope.
Seoyoon’s brain refused to accept what she was seeing.
If it had been Luka, she could’ve understood.
She’d never imagined Kim Woojin tangled up with the manager—not until this very moment.
It was even more awkward and embarrassing because she knew them both from work.
'How did this even happen──.'
"Haa, Manager Han Jia's breasts are amazing."
"Oh my. You like this old lady's breasts that much~?"
"I love them. This old lady's the best."
Kang Seoyoon was quite shocked by this side of Kim Woojin that she’d never seen before.
She’d never seen him so absorbed in something like that at the office.
Woojin looked blissful as he fondled the manager’s breasts however he pleased. He looked like he had the whole world.
'He’s making that shamelessly happy face while groping the manager’s breasts.'
A tangle of complicated emotions swirled inside her.
Kang Seoyoon herself didn’t know whether this was disappointment in Kim Woojin, or───
if it was anxiety she hadn’t even noticed in herself.
Whatever the case.
'In our company—or, well, not at the company, but in the Korea I know, this kind of thing isn’t okay.'
The old Kang Seoyoon would’ve made some noise to announce herself and stepped in to stop them.
She didn’t want to tolerate Kim Woojin roughly fondling the manager’s large breasts.
But Seoyoon could only hold her breath and watch.
She couldn’t intervene.
What she’d done yesterday came back to her.
'How am I any different from the manager…'
Kang Seoyoon rubbed her face and sighed.
If anything, she might be more cowardly than the manager.
Acting cute and saying she liked him while hiding behind the excuse of being drunk.
At her age, getting drunk and sexually harassing someone!!
"Do you like it better than when your husband touches you?"
"U-uh, you’re making me say things like that again. Honestly."
'Eek.'
Seoyoon realized she shouldn’t keep watching.
She was so embarrassed that her head was starting to burn.
Dash!
Even after the assistant manager left, the fondling continued.
'Cute.'
The manager found Woojin cute.
It might be a problem that she found him cute even as he clung to her repulsively and touched her breasts.
Han Jia was that intoxicated by the pleasure of giving in to his requests.
At first, she’d had some plausible justifications.
For Woojin’s sake, since he was working so hard, she shouldn’t treat him like a criminal.
The circumstances made it easy to get sexually aroused, so she should help him out before he got into trouble.
If he really couldn’t hold back, she could at least help him relieve himself a little with her hand.
It all sounded reasonable when she arranged it in her head.
But last night, when she gripped Woojin’s hard cock with the hand wearing her wedding ring and stroked it.
'Ah, I shouldn’t be doing this….'
She’d thought, I shouldn’t be doing this.
What was happening now was more explicit than she’d expected.
She hadn’t meant for things to start this way, but once she’d unlatched the door, she’d gradually begun to fall.
In the end, even after Woojin sprayed his semen over her body and did something a married woman shouldn’t let him do, she hadn’t felt the least bit uncomfortable.
Even though he’d sprayed semen on her butt as if marking her, she’d reasoned that he’d been so pent up that it was understandable──
She’d even considered things from Woojin’s perspective and allowed it.
She swore she wasn’t happy about it or anything like that.
It wasn’t that much.
She swore on her husband and child….
'I’m absolutely not enjoying this….'
The corners of her lips curled up as Kim Woojin clung to her, completely absorbed.
If she could turn back time, she wouldn’t have allowed it with contract worker Kim Woojin.
Even now, married Han Jia still had boundaries.
She’d only allowed him to touch her.
And only her breasts and butt, leaving out the most sensitive areas.
She couldn’t accept anything beyond that.
But…
Was it all right to let him enjoy himself as much as he wanted below that line?
Whenever Woojin clung to her, she kept wanting to give him more.
'Mr. Woojin…. Honestly, you keep making this old lady’s heart flutter. Why are you so….'
Even if she hadn’t said it aloud, Han Jia’s body already knew that Woojin was the only worthwhile male on this island.
Having him cling to her gave Han Jia a strange sort of pleasure.
At first, she’d done it out of consideration, but once she’d fallen into it, the path to depravity had opened up.
'If I get too carried away—if I get too carried away, I mustn’t.'
"Stick your butt out for me. Your butt—give me that married woman's ass."
"S-s-s… Mr. Woojin? Could you put that a little more nicely?"
Smack, smack.
Even as she scolded him, as if reprimanding Kim Woojin for getting caught up in their make-believe sex, she was no different from a captivated female in this situation.
Whose fault was it?
She was the one who’d opened the door.
Helplessly caught by a powerful male, with both hands wrapped around her breasts.
Squeeze───♡
"Ha, haaangᖍ♡"
She was feeling so good that even she was surprised.
'I mustn’t get any more carried away….'
Han Jia warned herself and squeezed her eyes shut.
'Honey…. Ngh.'
Thinking of her husband, she barely managed to push Woojin away.
"That’s enough…."
She was worked up and breathing hard.
It was difficult for Han Jia to stop when they were both at their peak.
Jia had desires of her own—ones that had been pent up for a long time, the kind unique to a sexless marriage.
"Understood."
Kim Woojin backed off without complaint.
He didn’t push aggressively enough to make the manager uncomfortable.
That was why Han Jia, seeing his cock standing straight up and his thick, veined arms, was the one who felt a little disappointed.
'If Mr. Woojin had clung to me and begged one more time, I would’ve─── No, no. What am I imagining?"
Jia did her best to ignore the warmth settling around her womb and smiled brightly.
She told herself she had to go back to being Manager Han of Serin Cosmetics.
"Phew…."
Left alone, the manager caught her breath and stroked her wedding ring.
As if reminding herself that she mustn’t get carried away.
* * * *
"你回来了。韩国人 。(You're back. Korean.)"
On my way back to the beach, I ran into the VIP madam.
She was one of the major clients our company had been expected to cater to.
"我还以为你已经死在海上了。
(I thought you'd died at sea.)"
"As you can see, I’m alive and well."
"木筏没了。你的计划也失败了。(The raft is gone. Your plan failed, too.)"
"Yes, that’s right."
What, had she come to laugh at me for failing?
"所以，我之前的条件，现在可以重新谈。(So, we can discuss my earlier terms again now.)"
"What terms?"
"一百万美元。(One million dollars.)"
Lin Wei said it as if it were obvious.
"你带我离开这个岛。(You will take me off this island.)"
"The raft’s broken, so how am I supposed to leave?"
"那就再做。(Then make another one.)"
It was easy for her to say when she wasn’t the one who had to build it.
"Why should I?"
"这就是你的工作。(That’s your job.)"
I had no idea I had a job like that.
"你不是那个公司的小职员吗？搬东西，听命令，做杂事。
(Aren’t you a low-level employee at that company? Carrying things, following orders, doing odd jobs.)"
Lin Wei’s gaze swept over me from head to toe.
"现在也一样。(It’s the same now.)"
"I don’t know about that."
It was different from back then, when I’d had to do what I was told.
Would she even understand if I explained? The worlds we came from were so different.
The madam still thought she could summon me with a nod.
"I’m sorry, but dollars aren’t useful here."
"Don’t act tough. I’ve seen plenty of men like you."
"Men like me?"
"You say no with your mouth, but you’ve already calculated everything in your head."
No, I really did say no because it was a hassle…
What an arrogant madam.
That look in her eyes, as if her insight had already seen right through me, was a little funny.
"Is a million dollars not enough? Then two million."
"Sigh…."
"Give me water. Give me food. Guard me at night. If I move somewhere else, you come with me."
In short, she wanted to make me her servant.
And it wasn’t even a proper employment contract.
"Are you saying you want to make me your slave?"
"If you obey me, I’ll give you what you want."
So it was a job offer…
If we were back in the outside world, it would’ve been an attractive offer.
People would’ve lined up to work for the madam even if the pay had one fewer zero, let alone a few million dollars.
That was when it happened.
"够了。(That’s enough.)"
Assistant Manager Kang Seoyoon stepped between us. Her voice was low.
Seoyoon glared at Lin Wei with obvious displeasure.
"我没跟你说话。(I wasn’t talking to you.)"
The madam turned away as if she had no interest in Seoyoon, but Seoyoon didn’t stop.
"不要用那种口气跟金宇镇说话。(Don’t speak to Kim Woojin in that tone.)"
The assistant manager was standing up for me!
I was a little—no, pretty deeply—moved.
Lin Wei’s eyebrows rose slightly. Showing even that much displeasure would usually make the other person grovel.
But…
"林女士，您误会了。(Ms. Lin, you’ve misunderstood.)"
This was a deserted island.
"这里不是展会，也不是机场贵宾室。(This isn’t an exhibition hall or an airport VIP lounge.)"
Lin Wei’s face twisted.
"在这里，您只是遇难者。(Here, you’re just a castaway.)"
"…你说什么？(…What did you say?)"
"So are we."
Nicely done, Assistant Manager!!
"所以，请不要命令他。(So please don’t order him around.)"
The madam couldn’t find anything to say in response.
It was a perfect victory for the assistant manager.
"Come on, let’s go, Mr. Woojin."
As if there was nothing more to discuss, Seoyoon took my hand and led me away.
"That was cool, Assistant Manager."
"If she picks a fight like that, don’t entertain her. Just walk away."
"I was curious what she was saying."
"How much did she offer this time?"
I held up two fingers.
"Two million dollars."
"Hah."
Seoyoon shook her head as if she couldn’t believe it.
"I don’t get why she’s like that. It’s already been over a week since we got stranded."
"Nari said she seems to be isolated all by herself."
"I can see why. Who’d want to be with someone like that?"
Hmm.
I stopped for a moment.
"Mr. Woojin?"
"Just a moment."
I walked back over to the madam.
She’d been staring blankly at the sea, but turned to look at me.
"…What is it?"
She crossed her arms and looked openly wary.
"Do you have any drinking water today?"
"…."
The madam shook her head.
I pulled a bottle of water from my belongings and conjured some more.
Ta-da!
"Take this."
When I handed her the water bottle, the madam looked back and forth between me and the water.
She looked like she couldn’t understand why I was doing her a favor.
"…Does this mean you’re ready to accept my offer?"
Thinking she should at least offer a down payment, the madam took off her watch.
It was obviously worth far more than an office worker’s annual salary.
Its tightly linked Jubilee bracelet and gear-cut gold fluted bezel gleamed in the sunlight.
"It’s fine. I’m just giving it to you."
"Just giving it?"
The madam hesitated.
Just giving it.
Her eyes widened as if she’d never expected to hear that.
"Take it."
"I don’t need water given to me like charity to a beggar."
"Yes, Madam. Please accept this water. This lowly office worker offers it as a tribute, out of goodwill."
After we’d even done the vassal-and-empress WWE routine, the madam finally accepted the water bottle.
She stared at it for a long time, as if she suspected it might be poisoned.
"Next time, if you’re having trouble, ask politely."
"……."
She didn’t answer, but I think she got the message.
When I brushed off my hands and returned, Seoyoon looked at me disapprovingly.
"Why did you do that?"
"Nari’s having a hard time looking after her."
Even if the madam’s manner was arrogant, the fact that she was speaking to someone might be a cry for help.
I thought she might already be at the point where she couldn’t hold on mentally.
"Everyone else is finding a way to survive, but that madam looked like she was in danger."
"Doesn’t it bother you when she picks a fight with you so openly?"
"Who knows?"
I didn’t dislike her.
"I never disliked her to begin with."
Seoyoon seemed to lose some of her anger at my answer.
"That’s true, Mr. Kim Woojin."
As if she’d just remembered.
"All right. I’ll think of it as you saving someone’s life."
"It wasn’t that grand a thing."
……When I looked back, I met the madam’s golden-brown eyes.
Embarrassed, I turned away as if I hadn’t seen her.
Well, having to act as her attendant would be a hassle, but I wouldn’t want her to turn up dead somewhere, either.
I wondered if she might change, little by little.
Like Assistant Manager Kang Seoyoon and the manager.
* * *
"Please show me the rocky shelter you and the manager found. I’d like to see it today, too."
When we got back, the assistant manager immediately showed her interest in the potential settlement site.
"Are we going today?"
"Of course we’re going today. We don’t have time to laze around!"
The assistant manager clenched her fist tightly and spoke with enthusiasm.
Ah, now that we were actually going, it felt like a bit of a hassle….
"Come on, quit dragging your feet! Mr. Kim Woojin, you lead the way. Manager, you should come, too."
"Sure."
"Luka doesn’t really like the forest. It’s hot and stuffy, there are bugs, and I’m scared animals might show up."
That was true. Luka had never left this place before.
"Then are you going to stay here alone?"
"I don’t want to be alone~! I’m going with Oppa!"
As expected of Assistant Manager Kang Seoyoon—she knew how to handle people.
She’d brought Luka onto the team with a not-so-subtle threat.
Before I knew it, three women had fallen in behind me.
"I’ll come, too!"
"Hiiing, I hate bugs…."
"Well, I’ll get rid of the bugs for you."
"Really?! Then I’ll stick right by Oppa!"
I used <Glyph of Wind> to summon a circulating breeze.
It helped cool us down, and was especially effective at keeping flying insects away.
Hmm……
What if I used the <Glyph of Change> on the <Glyph of Water>…
and broke the droplets into finer particles to scatter them like mist?
Combining it with the wind made the area around us cool down in an instant.
The fine water mist evaporated in the breeze, carrying away the heat around us.
"Haa. It’s kind of cooool."
"It doesn’t feel nearly as stifling now. Did the humidity go down?"
"That’s right."
The damp air was pushed away as I mixed in fresh air.
In the process, it also helped reduce the excessive humidity of the tropical climate.
'I’ll be using this often from now on.'
As long as we lived in the forest, it might be an almost essential spell.
"Shall we go now? Are you all right, too, Assistant Manager?"
"I’m ready."
"That’s not what I meant…."
I glanced over at the shore.
The horizon was still quiet, with no sign of a rescue team anywhere.
The assistant manager and the manager seemed reluctant to leave, but…
They soon seemed to make up their minds.
"Yes."
It seemed they’d decided to head for the settlement.
"We can’t keep living over there, so let’s figure out how to live inland."
Nod.
"This way."
I’d gotten pretty familiar with the forest path by now.
I strode forward without looking for the lipstick ✘ marks. I stayed alert with detection magic to make sure nothing was approaching,
and kept the humidity control running for the women in our group, too.
Laying it all out like that made it sound like a pretty demanding job, but using magic was more fun than exhausting for me.
First of all, it was fun.
I mean, how could it not be fun to control wind and water?
I wanted to find the other glyphs soon, too.
It happened when we pushed through the vines and went a little farther in.
Whoooosh───
The first thing I heard was the sound of water.
"The sound of water?"
"We’re here."
When I pushed aside the broad leaf blocking our way, the view suddenly opened up.
Assistant Manager Kang Seoyoon had briefly shut her eyes against the sunlight, but when she saw the scene before her, she let out a startled cry.
"Wow."
It was incredible, even seeing it again.
A small waterfall and pool hidden deep in the jungle.
A shelter carved deep beneath a rock face that jutted up like a cliff.
It wasn’t a full cave, which actually made it better.
"This is…."
Seoyoon couldn’t finish her sentence.
"Pretty good, right?"
"It’s not just good. I can’t believe a place like this was here…."
Still, maybe because we’d butchered the boar here, the smell of blood and entrails lingered quite strongly.
I swept it away with the wind.
The <Glyph of Wind> was excellent at getting rid of smells, too.
Seoyoon hurried over, examining the conditions of the potential settlement site and murmuring to herself.
"Even if it rains, it won’t come straight in…."
"Oppa, you’re amazing. How did you find a place like this?"
"I got lucky. It’s thanks to our manager."
Jia cleared her throat, looking bashful, and said,
"What should we do first? Assistant Manager Kang, do you have any good ideas?"
I wasn’t sure.
What should we start with?
"Assuming Mr. Woojin can keep the bugs and humidity away…."
Of course, we had someone in our group whose mind was working at full speed right now.
Seoyoon’s eyes lit up.
"Let’s start by making a place to sleep.".
No accidental repeated wording needed correction; I corrected the misaligned translations around the island/VIP-lounge exchange and kept names and roles clear where the point of view shifts.