Chapter 20 : Mongma (2)

“Mongma…?”
*(TL Note: The Korean term Mongma (몽마) can refer to either incubus or succubus.)*

I tilted my head and asked Yulha again.

Yes, Mongma.

Does she mean succubus, that kind of thing?

“Yes. Unusually, it’s a Gate that doesn’t cause any particular harm, so its subjugation has been postponed. Gates that are safe yet continuously open are essential for Gate research.”

I frowned slightly.

Although I hadn’t been a Hunter for long, it was hard to believe that a Gate wouldn’t be harmful to humanity.

“Isn’t there some side effect? Like, if it stays open for a long time, it suddenly kills people who’ve become eroded.”

“Ah. The side effect has already been identified. It’s a bit… well. But it’s not a dangerous side effect.”

Seeing Yulha’s awkward smile, I pressed her.

“Given the name Succubus… it sounds suspicious. Tell me properly. What is it?”
“People affected tend to have somewhat… suggestive dreams. Some effects of increased or decreased libido have been observed, but that’s not the important part. What’s important is that this Gate is connected to an otherworld that governs dreams.”

Phew.

Somehow, a sigh of relief escaped me.

Right. There’s no way I’m that perverted. It was all because of the Gate.

“So it’s the kind that erodes people’s subconscious and increases libido. Hmm. But just hearing about it sounds quite dangerous. I resisted because my mental strength is strong, but looking nationwide, doesn’t the probability of s*x crimes increase?”

At my words, Yulha replied with a bewildered expression.

“Huh? Ah. It’s not to that extent. If it were a Gate with such widespread influence, it would have been designated A-rank and subjugated long ago. This Gate just affects dreams. When you wake up, you might feel slightly unpleasant, but that’s ultimately it.”

“…Huh?”

Then she carefully added.

“Besides, I heard you’re immune to most mental attacks, Hunter Agathe-nim. Um. Perhaps you just imagined it…”

“…”

No. That can’t be right.

That would just mean I’m a lewd person.

“Yulha. I think the rank assessment might be wrong. It seems like it should be designated as Mental A-rank. Actually, I think the Succubus visited my dream last night too.”

It was a rather serious opinion, but it wasn’t taken seriously at all.

“Yes. I will definitely relay your opinion to the Bizarre Records Compilation Department.”

…Gate rank assessment is done by the Abnormal Grade Management Department. The Bizarre Records Compilation Department… manages Hunter information.

Seeing that subtly suppressed smile, I got it. She’s just teasing me.

“…I might have been sexually frustrated for a long time, but I’m not *that* strange a person. Probably. And strictly speaking, it’s not mental immunity either.”

My face flushed slightly.
We weren’t close enough to talk about such personal things.

We did get a bit closer after raiding a Gate together recently, but still.

And, in the first place, who talks about this kind of… sexual private life with others?
Even if Caspar asked me to talk about it, I’d probably blush and barely manage to stammer it out.

“Hmm. Is that so? Dreams certainly have somewhat special properties. Perhaps they could bypass your immunity, Agathe-nim. Gates are originally like that, after all.”

“No, I said it’s not mental immunity.”

It’s just that after boosting my level immensely through dark magic and demonic arts, most trivial things don’t work on me.

“Yes. Let’s assume that for now. Anyway, this Gate isn’t the type that causes erosion. It’s just a common Gate that spits out monsters.”

Back in the day, damage from such miscellaneous things was reportedly frequent.
If goblins or orcs suddenly popped out in an apartment complex, civilian casualties would certainly be high.

But now, with a well-established defense system, it’s merely a C-rank to B-rank Gate at best.
The truly dangerous ones are the Gates that rewrite the laws of the world.

“Then it really is a succubus?”

“Yes. Well, since it includes incubi too, we call it by the collective term Mongma… but succubi are arguably more famous. So it seems to appear particularly often to men.”

Right. Since it’s heavily influenced by the subconscious, the frequency of appearance would vary based on fame.

“Currently, the Abnormal Grade Management Department and the Temporary Strategy Compilation Department are collaborating on an investigation, but for now, it’s understood that all Mongma from the Gate operate only within people’s dreams. They live by feeding on people’s vitality there.”

“…So that’s why it’s not dangerous. No erosion, just Mongma coming out means no danger other than having vitality drained.”

Among the few non-dangerous creatures emerging from Gates, some reportedly even integrated into the native ecosystem.
Meaning, Mongma could become such a case too.

“Hmm… Having experienced it, it was somewhat addictive… but it’s acceptable since they’ll dispose of it after the research is done.”

She then flipped through the report to show the research status.

There was a brief section on the dangers of Mongma, along with specific figures.

– Feels like having nocturnal emissions daily. Considering the origin of Mongma, it’s rather natural.
– Generally, one’s ideal type appears in their dream. Experimental results suggest it’s not an illusion, but actually a Mongma disguised as the ideal type.
– Subtle differences exist from the actual person. Typically horns or a tail. One doesn’t feel incongruity due to it being a dream, but if having a lucid dream, the incongruity is definitely felt.

“Is it okay to show this to me? Seems like classified information…”

“It’s fine. Since you’ll soon become an S-rank Hunter. At that level, you could probably kill someone and get away with it. Fortunately, in our country, everyone’s nice, so there’s no precedent.”

Reading it, it wasn’t a big deal.

Fortunately, the Caspar I saw in my dream wasn’t an incubus.
Hmm. Right.
We didn’t even go all the way in the dream anyway.

If I had been seduced by an incubus and lost my chastity… I might have actually committed suicide.

Well.
Realistically, even if they brought devils from hell, they couldn’t seduce me.
Come to think of it, isn’t calling it mental immunity also incorrect?

But.
There’s something that bothers me slightly.

“…Yulha. There’s something I want to ask.”

“Yes. Go ahead.”

Tap. Tap.

I tapped the hospital bed where Lee Yulha lay with my finger and continued speaking.

Not hiding my displeasure.

“This thing. Does it target everyone who’s sleeping? Even with thorough security measures?”

“…Probably? I don’t know if they’re in a completely different dimension. We haven’t experimented there. Ah, in the case of men, they say if you place milk by the bedside, the Mongma takes that instead.”

Alright.

First, buy lots of milk.

And……

“That research, tell them to cancel it. The research subject will disappear soon.”

Those damn Succubus bastards are all dead meat.

Yet.
Even *I* haven’t laid a hand on Caspar’s body since he resurrected, and some worthless harlot dares…

How dare they try to touch someone’s body.

Ah, well, I did touch him, and used some other parts besides hands, but still, I didn’t put it in.

Yes. Anyway, the Mongma are in the wrong.

That’s how it is.

***

A residential area not far from the Hunter Association.
I had arrived at Bari’s house.

The beauty with a cool impression, who suited a business suit well, was now wearing an apron and fully immersed in childcare.

I felt a bit sorry for disrupting the family peace, but it was a matter of grave importance.

“…So. Why did you come here again?”

Bari couldn’t hide her bewilderment and asked me again.

I just repeated what I said earlier.

“The Mongma Gate. Where is it?”

I didn’t take out my gun for the kids’ sake, but I was still a threatening presence.

Especially in front of kids.
Because I had perfectly mastered one of the 31 ways to make parenting difficult: ‘That lady played nicely with me, why don’t you tell her, Mom?’

In short. Bari was in a perfectly subordinate relationship to me.

“No, I am really sorry but… I’ve already retired… Honestly, It’s something I don’t know about either.”

“But you still have juniors who know the Gate locations, right?”

There’s no way someone like Bari wouldn’t have connections.
She was one of the few department chiefs at the Association.

“…That’s true, but. You can find it yourself if you want, Ms. Agathe, can’t you?”

“It feels wrong to ask Yulha for more favors while she’s lying in a hospital bed. And the others… Hmm. My network is a bit narrow.”

Gate analysis is a rather important business; trying to shut it down merely out of jealousy isn’t really a desirable attitude.

Mmmhmm. Right.
Though there were many succubi hitting on my husband, presumably because they probably had good taste in men, checking confirmed Caspar didn’t fall for any temptation.

No. Thinking about it makes me angry.
Why should my husband suffer because of those vulgar bitches?

Right. My mind has changed.
As a wife, providing a comfortable sleeping place for my husband is a natural duty.
There’s nothing to feel guilty about.

Hooo.
I didn’t want to bring this up.

“Alright. I’ll contact Association President Saradoryeong directly. Just as you said, Bari.”

The conditions certainly fit.
He has a connection with me, has the authority to access Gate information, and even the right to disclose information, doesn’t he?

“Agathe-nim. I’m sorry. Please refrain from doing that.”

In the end, Bari did tell me the Gate location.

See, you should have just told me earlier.