Would it be possible to insert something into Kessler’s head as well? If so, it might help alleviate some of the fatigue and exhaustion he was experiencing.
‘He said it could be inserted into the body.’
And honestly… ever since I first saw that Kessler had no asshole, I had always been curious.
“…No matter how many times I think about it, there’s no way a person wouldn’t have an asshole.”
There could be some kind of entrance there. Something that might allow for insertion.
“And the Fox Marble might be an insertion-type item too.”
Maybe the Fox Marble functioned like a suppository.
I swear, this is not because I am bitter about being the only one with a hole after being possessed together. It is just better to keep all possibilities open.
As soon as I returned to Kessler’s room, I inspected the pot’s options again.
[Fox Marble: A marble that stores energy.]
I stared at it intently, then approached the sleeping Kessler.
“Kessler, you awake?”
Out cold.
“Lemme just check your butt real quick.”
Thankfully, he’d fallen asleep lying face down.
I gently pulled down his pants and spread the cleft of his buttocks wide. Then I pulled out a magnifying glass item and pressed it against him.
[System]: Would you like to observe this area in detail?
“Use.”
[System]: Item ‘Advanced Magnifying Glass’ has been consumed.
[System]: You see the shadow lord’s fine body hair. The roots appear healthy. Would you like to harvest them?
“…No.”
I pulled out another magnifying glass and examined the back of his head.
[System]: Item ‘Advanced Magnifying Glass’ has been consumed.
[System]: This is the hair of the Shadow Castle Lord. Recently treated—smooth and silky.
[System]: You’ve admired high-quality hair. Aesthetics +2.
This crazy bastard.
“Should I just ask Jung Da-hoon to check directly?”
I kissed the back of his head, nestled peacefully among his nine tails, and quietly left the room.
***
“Kessler’s body is unusual, but you’re saying it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what’s different?”
“Yes, even using the magnifying glass doesn’t help. The only system prompts I get are about harvesting hair roots.”
“The system tends to only highlight positives when observing the human body, out of bodily-respect protocols.”
It was true. When I tried it on Jung Da-hoon’s hair, all I got was:
[Though malnourishment has thinned the strands, the hair remains stylish.]
“Kessler is a castle lord and an ultimate being, so there’s a decent chance he has something like a shadow storage space… Have you checked places like the soles of his feet?”
“Yes, I’ve checked, but I couldn’t see anything with the naked eye.”
“There is a subtle texture, but that’s something I only began sensing once my dexterity reached a high level. I’d need to check myself to be sure. Have you noticed any shadow fluctuations—like appearing or disappearing?”
“Yes, I have.”
I had often seen shadows seeping out from Kessler’s body and merging back in.
“You mentioned he’s been sleeping constantly, right? If we can locate the fracture point, it might be possible to use it to treat his energy depletion.”
“That’s exactly it.”
If it was Jung Da-hoon, with his high dexterity, he would surely notice the body’s unique points.
So we entered Kessler’s room together. Jung Da-hoon swallowed nervously and glanced at Kessler.
“Alright, I’ll proceed now—excuse me.”
He hesitantly inspected Kessler’s head with careful hands, then frowned, uncertain.
“Nothing?”
“Seems like nothing.”
Calves, back of the neck, waist, and soles of the feet—none of them showed anything.
“No signs of anomalies. Doesn’t look like he has any internal storage space. Or maybe… maybe he’s so perfect that my dexterity needs to reach an even higher level to detect it…”
The mood turned serious. Sure, it was possible there really was nothing. But there was still that nagging feeling. Kessler’s ass. Why the hell didn’t he have an asshole?
“Um, excuse me, Jung Da-hoon, but… would you mind if I checked your butt real quick?”
“My butt? Why?”
“I just want to confirm if you’ve got a hole.”
“A hole? Do I…? I mean, since it’s a character, I guess there’s no issue checking but…”
“It’ll just take a second.”
I stared at him intently, and with an awkward air, he slowly stood up.
Even after coming this far, I still could not bring myself to say outright that Kessler had no hole.
Jung Da-hoon already knew that Kessler and I had engaged in sexual activity. If I told him Kessler had no hole, it would only prove that I was the one who got penetrated.
“Da-hoon, could you lean forward and place your hands on the table for a moment?”
“Y-Yes, understood.”
“Alright then, excuse me.”
I deliberately sanitized my hands, then pulled down his pants and underwear in one swift motion. Carefully, I spread the cleft of his buttocks apart.
“Gasp! What the hell are you doing?!”
Startled, his butt clenched involuntarily. I immediately let go.
“…There it is.”
There was a hole.
“Of course, it’s just a character’s body!!”
Just as I was about to finally bring up the peculiar trait of Kessler’s body after finishing my inspection—
“What the hell are you guys doing?”
Kessler had woken up and spotted us.
“This is a misunderstanding… a huge misunderstanding!!”
“Why are you doing an ass show in someone else’s room?”
Flailing like a fish out of water, Jung Da-hoon hurriedly pulled up his underwear and pants, sweating bullets.
“It’s because Kessler doesn’t have a hole, so I checked someone else’s. I just wanted to make sure it wasn’t some kind of abnormality.”
“Yes!! I am… the sacrificial lamb for Kessler’s health…!”
A few shadows floating above Kessler’s head slowly settled down as he rubbed his eyes and approached us.
I blocked him to shield Jung Da-hoon.
“You two being close has been bothering me for a while. It’s seriously pissing me off.”
Dark shadows billowed behind him. This was dangerous…
“Kessler, love and friendship are totally different realms. Looking at your ass makes me so horny I could die, but when I see this husk’s ass, I feel nothing.”
“Really?”
At my desperate explanation, Kessler, still half-asleep, seemed convinced rather quickly. He scooped me up and laid me down on his bed.
“Fox takedown.”
“Argh!!”
“You are only allowed to like my ass.”
“Well, of course…”
Keeping me pinned face down on the bed, Kessler quickly drifted back to sleep.
Jung Da-hoon adjusted his pants, gave me a small nod, and cautiously backed away in a sideways crab-walk.
***
It was right then—just as Jung Da-hoon was hurrying down the corridor—that it happened. Shadows clinging to the hallway walls slithered up and swallowed him whole.
It happened in an instant. Jung Da-hoon didn’t even have time to scream before he was incinerated by shadowfire.
[System]: You have died. Reconnection is not possible.
His scorched body was devoured by the surrounding shadows. Soon, Jung Da-hoon became a soul. He rushed across the corridor, trying to alert someone, anyone—but Yeo Woo-rim had already fallen asleep beneath Kessler’s arm.
Pro…
Kessler turned to glance over his shoulder, sensing Jung Da-hoon’s presence. He smirked, twisting one corner of his mouth.
And then the shadow ghosts began to devour even Jung Da-hoon’s soul.
***
“Yaaaawn. That was a good nap.”
I gently freed myself from Kessler’s arms and stretched. Rubbing my eyes, I looked around.
‘Something feels different.’
Then I noticed. The string of Polaroid photos hanging in the room had grown considerably.
‘These are all the ones Da-hoon took recently…’
And at the very end of the string were pictures of me in human form rather than as a fox. Shots of me sound asleep with my cheeks all puffed out. Judging by the outfit, they were taken not long ago.
“……”
It was strange. I was sure the Polaroid camera was in Da-hoon’s possession.
I glanced at the sleeping Kessler, then quietly stepped out.
The ghostly figures clinging to the hallway walls burped contentedly, then cackled with satisfaction.
‘…What the hell?’
I stepped out and went to a quiet corner of the outdoor café. There, Jung Da-hoon’s belongings remained exactly as we had left them. Not even slightly tidied up. Frowning, I stared at the partially sanded bone fragments of a skeleton.
Da-hoon had still not returned.
I distinctly remembered seeing him leave Kessler’s room…
“Huff… Woo-rim. I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”
As I was walking down the stairs, suppressing the growing unease, Bori Noona appeared, panting as though she had been desperately searching for me.
In that moment, I had no choice but to acknowledge a possibility I had been avoiding.
“I waited for a while on the third floor hallway, but I think we missed each other.”
“Bori…”
“Da-hoon told me everything about you. What you said to him before—he shared it all. I still can’t quite believe it… but even if I don’t, he begged me to help you anyway, even if it was just on a hunch. The first thing he did after dying was try to persuade me.”
It was hard to accept. Even if this was just a game, it had started to feel like my real life. My greatest ally was dead. And so absurdly, at that.
“…Are you saying Kessler killed him?”
