Luxury Titans at the Door
Kim Jihun stared blankly at the man and woman sitting in front of him.
One was Camiel, the owner of the watch brand P.B, which boasted centuries of history. The other was Shallua, the founder of Shallu, the luxury accessory brand coveted by every woman. Two giants of the fashion world were right before his eyes.
"This is all I have to offer."
Kim Jihun said it a bit awkwardly as he poured cola into glass cups and handed one to each of them. His house didn't stock anything fancy like black tea. He might have some instant coffee if he dug around, but since he had no idea where it was, he couldn't offer it. So he'd just grabbed some cola from the fridge.
This is crazy. What the hell is going on? Jihun thought to himself.
He was flustered by the sudden situation. And who could blame him? The two people in front of him were insanely wealthy. Owners of luxury fashion brands that crafted and sold accessories for hundreds, thousands, even tens of millions of won apiece. They were undeniably top-tier elites, worlds apart from him.
Yet here they were, barging into his rundown home. Jihun had let them in out of sheer panic, but now he was starting to regret it.
Should've suggested a coffee shop instead.
He regretted it briefly, but for now, he decided to hear them out in the living room.
"To be honest, I'm a bit thrown off. I didn't expect you to show up out of the blue like this."
Kim Jihun addressed them. The middle-aged pair across from him looked startled. Shockingly, he'd spoken to them in fluent French.
They'd rushed over so hastily that they hadn't brought an interpreter. They'd been inwardly fretting about how to communicate after forcing their way in, only for the young man to converse in perfect French. They were stunned.
Camiel spoke, sounding impressed. "Remarkable. You speak French... and your pronunciation is impeccable."
"Oh, it's nothing. I just picked it up in my spare time."
Camiel and Shallua couldn't help but be amazed by Kim Jihun's pronunciation. It was precise and fluid enough to pass for a French broadcaster.
French was notoriously one of the hardest languages to pronounce—famous for twisting tongues with its silent letters, intricate verb conjugations, and deceptive elegance that hid its difficulty for non-natives.
Yet this young man before them wielded it with the accuracy and finesse of a native speaker.
Camiel and Shallua thought:
He crafts timepieces that precise, and at his age, he's mastered French to native level?
What a talented guy.
In truth, Kim Jihun hadn't known a lick of French until yesterday. The only phrase he knew was a basic "bonjour." So how had he mastered it overnight?
Analysis really is OP.
Exactly. He'd used one of his abilities, Matter Analysis, on French books.
The moment he heard Camiel and Shallua were coming, he'd bolted to Yelim Bookstore, bought a few French texts, rushed home, and analyzed them immediately. By dissecting the books completely, he'd memorized nearly every French word inside and could pronounce them perfectly according to the phonetic guides.
Maybe I should learn other languages later.
With Matter Analysis, picking up languages from books would be a breeze. As Jihun sat there musing, Camiel spoke up.
"I heard you crafted that timepiece, Master Artisan."
Kim Jihun was taken aback by Camiel calling him "Master Artisan."
Master Artisan? Me?
He'd only made one watch, and unlike real watchmakers, he'd whipped it up in seconds using his ability. It was basically cheating. He waved his hands modestly.
"Master Artisan? No way. I don't know much about watches at all. That one was just something I threw together on a whim."
"Pardon? You don't know much about watches?"
Camiel stared at him in disbelief. To his eyes, the watch Jihun had made was a masterpiece—elegant yet sturdy in design, with movements of divine precision. For its creator to claim ignorance?
That doesn't sound like mere humility.
Jihun's demeanor was utterly unlike that of typical artisans. Most would feign modesty outwardly while radiating pride in their craft inwardly. But Jihun seemed genuinely humbled by the praise, like a total newbie hearing it for the first time.
...Wait, his age?
Suddenly, Camiel focused on Jihun's youth. He's so young. Late teens, early twenties at most. And he made that?
Camiel felt his hair stand on end. The watch was one thing, but the flawless French... Kim Jihun wasn't ordinary. A genius, perhaps? Maybe crafting watches was just a hobby, and he hadn't realized his true potential because his real career lay elsewhere.
It was a ridiculous notion, but Camiel couldn't pinpoint why this young man was so excessively humble. So, risking rudeness, he asked:
"If I may, what do you do for a living, Master Artisan?"
"Oh, I'm a ronin—retaking my college entrance exams."
"..."
Camiel's face went slack. With talents like that, he's just grinding for college?
He couldn't comprehend the young man before him. Someone who could craft such exquisite luxury timepieces didn't need university. Camiel himself had skipped college in his youth, learning the trade in his family's workshop. For Jihun to waste his gifts chasing a degree felt criminal—especially to someone who ran a watch company.
Camiel began his pitch. "I'd like to scout you for my company. Your timepiece is the perfect fusion of beauty and craftsmanship. Please join us. Name your terms—we'll meet them all."
Come work for P.B directly. That was Camiel's desire.
Jihun was caught off guard by the abrupt offer. What's with this guy?
A white-haired Western gentleman in his middle years, calling him "Master Artisan" repeatedly—it was awkward enough. But to beg so earnestly and politely for his employment?
Flustered yet flattered, Jihun felt a twinge of temptation. It does sound appealing.
P.B was a luxury brand with centuries of prestige. A job there could mean serious money. But...
Using Creation Talent just to make cash doesn't sit right.
His stubborn principles held him back again. If he wanted, he could mass-produce peerless masterpieces with his unique gift, Creation Talent, and roll in wealth anytime.
Yet he restrained himself. Until he became a Creator God, he wouldn't chase money with his powers. It was self-discipline to avoid getting greedy and neglecting his growth, and also to honor the countless efforts from his talentless past.
So he started to refuse. "I'm sorry, but..."
Then, an idea flashed through his mind.
Wait. What if I just do the designs, not make the actual watches?
Designing objects didn't count as using his ability, right? Like when he'd earned cash as a gaming BJ. It'd be leveraging a side skill, not core creation.
Besides, P.B was a fashion behemoth with skilled artisans aplenty. They could fabricate from his designs—no need for him to create physically. Sure, the final products wouldn't match his originals' perfection, but still.
He sorted his thoughts. I could just hand over designs. They get my watch aesthetics; I get paid. Win-win.
And perks too. Plus, I could work from home.
It was the information age. With internet, he could design anywhere and email files. No need to leave the house to earn.
In other words, I could attend school and make money.
No draining his Creation Force, remote work from home, school-compatible. Seemed reasonable.
Time to negotiate.
So Jihun proposed: He'd join P.B but work remotely from Korea, sending designs digitally.
Camiel agreed readily. "Excellent, Master Artisan. What we need most is your design sense. Designs alone are a godsend. Remote work suits us fine—life abroad isn't easy, so we'll accommodate fully."
He even flashed a warm, affable smile.
Jihun nodded, dazed. Didn't expect him to accept so easily.
What company lets you design from home? Unfamiliar to Jihun, steeped in Korean corporate culture. He double-checked. "Are you sure? I suggested it, but won't remote work hinder things?"
"It's fine, Mr. Kim Jihun. Didn't I say we'd meet any terms? Remote work is trivial."
"Whoa..."
Jihun was genuinely impressed by Camiel's character and dedication to hiring talent, no matter the posture required.
Satisfied with securing steady income alongside school, Jihun grinned. "Looking forward to working with you."
"Likewise."
They shook hands. Jihun gained stable remote pay while attending school; Camiel snagged a stellar designer. A win for both.
It's about time the protagonist starts raking in the big bucks, right? Next chapter around lunchtime!