Getting on Lee Hyun's Good Side
“Hoo…”
“Here, take this heart-calming pill.”
“Thank you…”
The elderly men with golden badges gleaming on their chests… Their deeply wrinkled faces carried the full weight of their hard years. They were the leaders who had protected South Korea from the very start of the Cataclysm.
Forming the main defensive line along the Han River, establishing a provincial communication system that bypassed dungeon interference fields, securing supply routes that connected the Eight Provinces of Joseon through the Honam region, and more… They were the central figures who had made the current Republic of Korea possible.
In recognition of their achievements, they occupied key positions in the Supernatural Ability Management Department—the second most powerful national administrative agency—and were spending their final years in comfortable retirement.
But flowers must wither. The fiery eyes that had once burned with patriotic duty had faded with time. The commanding generals and elite administrators who had willingly rushed to the front lines were now nowhere to be seen.
Their protruding bellies were now filled with a measure of greed and a hint of lust for power. Of course, that didn’t erase their past accomplishments, and their influence remained as strong as ever. In any government post stained by the nation’s grime, they could summon flocks of civil servants with a single “Ahem!” using large-scale summoning arts.
Today, however, was an exception.
“H-he’s here.”
“Attention! Attention! Hurry!”
The conference room door opened and a man stepped inside. After the previous head was removed for idiotic trolling, this was the man who had been unceremoniously shoved into the position. He was known as the “leftover tiger.” Yu Gang-hyeok.
Yet before long he would achieve feats that ranked among the greatest since the Cataclysm. The people present didn’t feel inferior when it came to protecting their country, but the world always favored the new over the old.
Click, click. The man’s dress shoes rang out as he sat down at the head of the table as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“Water.”
“…”
“Sigh. Is this not my seat…?”
“H-here you are.”
The congressman sitting next to the rising Yu Gang-hyeok quickly offered him a glass. Yu Gang-hyeok took it, then immediately set it down without drinking.
“It’s cold. Get me another.”
“…”
“Aigoo, it really seems this isn’t my place…”
“H-here…”
Only after receiving the new cup did Yu Gang-hyeok set it aside without drinking. He propped both feet up on the table.
“So why did you call me here?”
“Ah, well…”
The congressman stammered as he explained. Siren—Korea’s second archmage and the most overwhelmingly talented one. How could they make her feel genuine affection for South Korea? They had summoned Yu Gang-hyeok to ask for his advice on the matter. There was no one better suited.
After all, hadn’t he single-handedly transferred full authority over Avatar Casting to the Association? Thanks to that, Korea was expected to surpass even the magic powerhouses of America and China within three years. The number of international students would skyrocket, and investment would pour in. He had single-handedly elevated Korea’s economy and international standing for the next decade—an achievement that could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with any war hero’s.
Yu Gang-hyeok listened to the congressman’s half-praise, half-flattery and finally spoke.
“Yes. I’m aware.”
“…”
Then why the hell are you acting like this, you son of a bitch?
Saying that outright would have been difficult. Quite a few people in the room had skeletons in their closets. Yu Gang-hyeok’s gaze slid to the end of the table and fixed on a man who was subtly avoiding eye contact.
“Congressman Kim Mun-seok. It’s been a while.”
“Ah, yes, Director. It has.”
“You’re looking well.”
“Yes, thank y—”
“Of course you are. Someone else is warming the seat of Regional Defense and Safety Director that you nearly got kicked out of. Must feel great. Oh yes, it must!”
“…”
“Aigoo~ Just thinking about that time warms my heart. A rookie who had just come up to the capital, desperately trying to carve out a central government post, and you lured him in with talk of a ‘good position’ only to stab him in the back. Thank you so much for personally teaching me the truth that there’s no one in this world you can trust.”
“…”
Yu Gang-hyeok’s gaze whipped around. A faint ghostly aura clung to it. He smiled faintly.
“Congressman Park Cheol-jung?”
“…Yes.”
“You tried to separate the exclusive rights to dungeon loot trading and distribution from the Regional Defense and Safety Department to create an entirely new administrative agency, didn’t you? I still remember clearly how you scolded me, asking what the Association thought it was doing by standing in front.”
“T-that was because at the time the Association’s performance…”
“Yes, yes. I understand. I really do. The idea of shrinking the Association’s functions and creating a new specialized agency to handle trading rights in order to strengthen the nation’s Awakener influence—it wasn’t a bad suggestion.”
“Thank you for underst—”
“Then why did I keep hearing rumors that your eldest son was going to be placed at the head of that new agency?”
“…Those are baseless rumors.”
“And why did I also hear rumors that you were going to push me out and put your youngest son in instead?”
“…T-those are also baseless, I assure you.”
The congressman’s eyes trembled like aspen leaves before he quickly looked away from Yu Gang-hyeok’s gaze. The man smiled brightly again and slapped his own knee.
“Right? Of course! There’s no way our war hero congressman—who established the magnificent Han River defensive line—would do something so disgusting, right?!”
“…Of course not.”
“And the rumor that once you became Regional Defense and Safety Director you planned to create a succession cartel leading straight to the head position of the loot trading agency is also nonsense, right?!”
“W-who would say something so… r-ridiculous…”
Yu Gang-hyeok’s burning eyes swept over the entire room. Having risen to Association President without any major connections, he had plenty of pent-up resentment, and every bit of it originated from the people sitting here. It was no coincidence they had all been gathered. Yu Gang-hyeok had demanded the National Assembly bring every last one of them if they truly wanted his advice. That was how high his current standing was.
He continued, a faint sneer on his lips.
“Making Siren feel affection for the nation… I understand what you mean. You want her to voluntarily contribute to national defense. That’s what this is about, correct?”
A nearby congressman answered.
“…That’s right. We’d like you to act as a bridge so that Siren can form a mutually respectful relationship with the nation.”
“Mutually respectful. Hm, that has a nice ring to it. It seems you learned something after failing to put a dog collar on Archmage Lee Seon.”
“Haha…”
“And the fact that all you came up with after that realization is wordplay is the real comedy here.”
“…Wordplay? Don’t say such things. We respect Siren’s ability and talent. If she protects the nation, the nation will also stand up for her—”
Yu Gang-hyeok raised his hand, cutting the conversation off.
“Hold on. There’s one correction I need to make.”
“What is it?”
“You keep saying Siren, Siren… She isn’t your friend, is she, Congressman? That seems a little too casual for someone who just mentioned ‘mutual respect.’”
Doesn’t it? Yu Gang-hyeok smiled faintly.
“…My apologies.”
“This is why I called it wordplay. Look. You say all the right things, but you don’t actually respect her at all, do you? Honestly, you find it unfair, don’t you? You all had to roll around in blood and filth on the battlefield in your youth before anyone called you heroes, yet this girl gets worshipped just for doing a few magic tricks on stream?”
“…That’s not it.”
“Of course it is. That’s why things like this come out of your mouths. Mutual respect? Make her love the nation? You’re just dressing up unpaid passionate labor in pretty packaging.”
“How ridiculous.”
Yu Gang-hyeok stood up.
“Call me again when you’re ready to show real respect. Right now, this isn’t it.”
He turned to leave the conference room, then took one step back.
“Still, I acknowledge the judgment and decision to grant twelve special privileges and reclaimed land as compensation for Avatar Casting. Though most of you here opposed even that.”
Yu Gang-hyeok left the conference room completely. From behind came the sound of something shattering and angry shouts, but he ignored them cleanly.
His secretary asked with a worried expression, “Will this be all right?”
“What will?”
“Those… people.”
“They’re fine. They’re relics.”
“Still…”
Seeing his secretary still looking anxious, Yu Gang-hyeok spoke again.
“You’re afraid of their connections? Their foundation is on a completely different level from mine, after all.”
“To be honest… yes, that’s correct.”
“That’s exactly why it’s fine.”
“May I ask for your reasoning?”
“Siren.”
“…I know she’s incredible, but she doesn’t seem particularly interested in us.”
Because he worked directly beside Yu Gang-hyeok, the secretary knew the real reason Siren had handed Avatar Casting over to the Association was nothing more than a trivial rumor.
“You don’t know anything.”
“What don’t I know?”
“Siren’s personal relationships are extremely narrow.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. The only person in her circle is Lee Hyun. And the Association managed to squeeze its way in there. We created something from nothing.”
“But it’s still just squeezing in, isn’t it?”
“What matters is how we develop that shallow connection.”
“Hmm… I still don’t quite understand.”
Yu Gang-hyeok chuckled.
“I felt it when Archmage Lee Seon left the Association, and I’ve been feeling it every day lately. The influence of true geniuses goes far beyond imagination.”
“Siren is certainly amazing.”
“From your reaction, it looks like you still don’t get it.”
“Do you understand something I don’t, Director?”
The secretary, slightly irritated from being told he didn’t understand, shot back. Yu Gang-hyeok answered with a question.
“As Siren’s influence grows, so will the Association’s. How high do you think the Association’s status will rise?”
“Well… we still won’t be able to touch the major guilds or the Tower.”
“Is that all?”
“Yes. In the end she’s still an individual.”
“Then what about my status as Association President?”
“I’m not sure.”
“I think I’ll end up like the association presidents in those raid novels that were popular during peacetime.”
“I don’t read genre fiction, so…”
“Look it up. The association presidents there are all impressive. At first I thought it was ridiculous, but after the privilege negotiations, I realized it will really turn out that way.”
“What, stronger than the President?”
“It could go even beyond that.”
“…You dream big. I respect it.”
The secretary, thinking it was a joke, nodded vaguely and looked away. Therefore he didn’t see the flames burning in Yu Gang-hyeok’s eyes.
“Anyway, to make that happen, I need to get along well with Siren.”
“Is that why you handed over the entire Association building? People are complaining a lot.”
“Hey. In a few years they’ll be thanking me.”
“But is there anything more you can do? You already gave her every possible reward for Avatar Casting.”
“That’s exactly it. What comes next is what matters. A sustainable relationship with Siren. Those thick-necked old men called me here because they wanted to know the know-how.”
“…Do you really have a plan?”
As far as the secretary knew, although Yu Gang-hyeok had scored points recently, he had previously been on Siren’s bad side for some reason.
“I realized it not long ago. It’s a simple but essential strategy. It’s so important I can’t even tell you.”
“…I only follow you, Director. Please soar as high as you can…”
Seeing that he had no intention of revealing it, the secretary didn’t press further. Yu Gang-hyeok got into the car. In the driver’s seat.
“You can go home for the day. I have somewhere to be, so I’ll drive myself.”
“Thank you…!”
It was only two in the afternoon. The secretary smiled brightly as a deep sense of trust suddenly welled up inside him. The engine started. Just before the car pulled away, Yu Gang-hyeok spoke.
“There’s been a rumor going around the Association lately. That I knelt before Archmage Lee Seon or something…”
“Ah, yes… We’re still trying to find out who started it.”
“I spread that rumor.”
“Pardon?”
Vroooom—the car drove off. Watching the secretary’s dazed expression in the side mirror, Yu Gang-hyeok burst into laughter.
Soon his phone rang. The moment he saw the caller, Yu Gang-hyeok’s face hardened. He cleared his throat—hem, hem, ahem—and answered the phone with the utmost deference, as if speaking to a vastly superior being. In a way, it wasn’t much different. This was the key figure who would fulfill his ambitions.
Yu Gang-hyeok’s recent realization about how to approach Siren was also connected to this person. And that realization was—
“Where are you?”
“Yes, Lee Hyun. I’m on my way right now.”
“You’re coming in person? There’s no need…”
“No, I want to escort you myself. It might be a bit presumptuous, but after the Dragon Horse War, I’ve come to deeply respect you from the bottom of my heart. The way you walked toward certain death was truly heroic—”
It was precisely “getting on Lee Hyun’s good side.”
“I’ll wait until you’re finished!”
“We can get back on our own.”
“No! I insist on escorting you!”
“If you insist…”
Watching Yu Gang-hyeok wait inside the car, Lee Hyun scratched his head.
Hmm. Is this really okay?
Yu Gang-hyeok was old enough to be his uncle, maybe even his father, yet here he was treating the man like a subordinate. It felt strange.
“It’s fine. He says he wants to do it.”
“If you say so.”
Siren linked her arm with the hesitant Lee Hyun and pulled him along. The moment they stepped through the orphanage gate—
“W-wow!”
“I-it’s the magical girl!”
“It’s Siren!”
Countless children rushed forward to greet them. The two had come to the orphanage where Lee Hyun had grown up.
“You turned down all the advertising and magic consultation requests, but the place you wanted to visit is here?”
“I was curious about where you lived when you were little.”
Siren smiled brightly as she answered.