A Showcase of True Value
I checked the expressions of the people visible through the closing door.
Just as I'd expected.
A few looked regretful, but most wore satisfied faces. The brighter the expression, the more likely they came from massive corporations swimming in cash. A few others hurriedly placed phone calls — probably ringing their companies to ask how much they were authorized to spend.
But it was all pointless.
Whatever sum they were thinking of would be laughably insufficient. Of course it would be — they still knew nothing about my true value.
Thud.
The door sealed completely. I went to the prepared sofa and leaned back against it. Hong Eunyoung sat right beside me, while the girls she'd brought stood looking anxious. Across from us, the two from Diamond Guild took their seats.
"Those girls?"
"Ah, no need to worry about them. Let's just talk comfortably."
"This is the official sponsorship contract. Please confirm the amounts match what you wanted. Compensation for our rudeness: a lump sum of two billion won. For restoring mana: one billion. And an additional one billion won every day whenever our people visit. No other conditions."
"Hmm... Fine."
I handed the contract to Hong Eunyoung — meaning she should check it. While she reviewed the papers, I called one of the girls over.
"You don't have to be scared. What year are you?"
"Second year..."
"Can I borrow your hand for a second?"
Maybe because of Hong Eunyoung, she saw me as an instructor. The girl readily held out her hand. I gently took that slender little hand.
The Diamond Guild guys watched my every move with extremely serious expressions. They must have been wondering what I was up to.
"Your mana's low. How many times can you heal?"
"Three times..."
Same amount of mana Lee Donggeul used to have, but one more heal available. Probably different mana consumption per skill use. Looking purely at healing power, Lee Donggeul's heal — usable only twice — would outclass this girl's.
"Instructor Hong Eunyoung was rough on you, wasn't she? As an apology for that, I want to give you a gift. Since Instructor Hong is basically my assistant, I'm apologizing on her behalf."
I'd almost called myself "oppa," then dropped it. Only a few years between us, but compared to these tender kids, I was basically an uncle.
As I held her hand longer, she grew uneasy and tried to pull away. So I immediately raised her mana by one rank, up to F-2.
"Kyaah—!"
A cute scream, and the girl sank to the floor. She carefully cradled the hand I'd gripped with her other hand and looked up at me.
"M-my mana... My mana just increased all of a sudden."
"What? Danbi, is that true? Hey, Kang Junghyeok. What did you just do to Danbi—"
Ah, so Hong Eunyoung still didn't know? That besides stripping or restoring mana, I had another ability entirely.
Fine. A freebie. She'd already finished the list I'd asked for, after all.
I snatched her hand and pulled her mana up one rank.
"Hwaaaah—! Mmph..."
I hurriedly clamped a hand over her mouth. What kind of noise was she making in a place like this? This crazy woman.
She was choking, so I lightly pulled my hand away.
"Mmph... mmph... haah, haah... Wh-what is this? My mana suddenly..."
"It's one of my abilities. I can just draw out a little of someone's potential."
I said it casually, as if it were nothing. Unlike me, Hong Eunyoung and the Diamond Guild guys sitting across had their expressions change dramatically — amazed, disbelieving.
I also raised the mana of the two girls standing behind me, looking over with full expectation. At first they had startled rabbit eyes; then they kept bowing and thanking me over and over.
Cute. So cute.
"Thank you, Teacher."
"Thank you... Thank you so much."
"This is a gift as an apology on behalf of Instructor Hong Eunyoung. So will you forgive her? She promised me she won't do that kind of thing again. Right, Hong Eunyoung?"
"Ah, yes... Yeah... I'm really sorry about everything. I'm sorry, girls. I won't do it again..."
"Yes..."
"Or you can report her to the police. I'm not forcing you, so do whatever you feel like."
"Yes."
Hong Eunyoung beside me grabbed my arm tight. Her expression looked like she wanted to murder me. Well, who told her to do that stuff?
But I couldn't just send the kids away like this either. Looking at how I planned to use these innocent girls, I was pretty trashy myself. Still, she'd already paid the price.
"Hong Eunyoung."
"Yes?"
"Take the kids outside and wait in the waiting room. Make sure they can answer questions from the people around them, and have them explain what happened in here. You keep your mouth shut — just stop anyone who tries to swarm the kids."
"Ah... Okay. Got it."
She caught on to my intent immediately. Convenient to use.
"Will you go outside and tell people what happened here? You can spread it to your friends too."
"Yes. Thank you so much."
Only one answered, but they all nodded. They even bowed politely on the way out.
So cute.
Watching Hong Eunyoung close the door after going out, I felt anew that there really were kind, adorable Awoken like that in the world.
Thud.
After the door closed, I immediately pulled out a cigarette and lit it. No ashtray, and this was a non-smoking space — but I was craving a smoke. Things were going according to plan, yet my mouth was bone-dry. This wasn't about a hundred million or two. We were talking units of a billion. A huge sum I'd never held in my hands was about to be mine. How could I not be tense?
"Hoo......"
I tapped ash into the potted plant on the table and said,
"Whose mana should I restore first?"
"...M-me first..."
How much did they distrust me? The first subject wasn't the executive, but a subordinate. Planning to test me with a minion first? Well, as long as I got paid, I didn't care.
"Give me your hand."
Another reason I had to smoke — having to hold a disgusting man's hand. Just a light brush would work, but then my ability would look cheap. I took my time, putting on a strained expression as I restored his mana.
"Urgh... M-my mana's back."
"Alright. Transfer it to the account within ten minutes. If you're too late, I won't restore anyone else's mana."
"Of course."
"Then that's it for today. There are so many people waiting outside."
"Um..."
"Yes."
"What was that earlier about?"
He took the bait.
"What about?"
"The mana increasing..."
"Ah, you saw that? That's another one of my abilities."
"How could I miss it right in front of me... No, I'd like to hear more about that..."
Shit.
My mouth corners kept curling up. I couldn't hold back this joy at all.
"Let's share that part with the people waiting outside. It's a separate matter."
"Excuse me?"
"I'm saying don't try to monopolize my ability for Diamond Guild alone."
"That wasn't our intention—"
"Anyway! I'm opening the door."
I stubbed the cigarette out in the potting soil and opened the door. At the same time, every waiting person's gaze turned to me. Hong Eunyoung nodded when she saw me, so things had gone as I expected.
Commotion started immediately.
"Kang Junghyeok! Is what those kids are saying true?"
"They're good kids. Would they lie?"
"How is that even possible?"
"It's a secret."
"I heard you only awakened recently — did the ability appear at the same time?"
"That's right."
Questions poured in. I needed to calm things down a bit.
"Alright, alright. Everyone quiet down, please. Shh! Quiet. Quiet!"
The waiting room finally settled. Then the two from Diamond Guild stepped out of the room behind me. They were also focused on what I was about to say.
"Academy students usually receive sponsorships. They weigh the conditions and take one, two, or three companies depending on their skill. Your goal is to bring those kids into your companies after graduation, right?"
A few people nodded.
"I'm sorry, but I have no intention of receiving that kind of sponsorship. I plan to start my own company."
Sighs erupted here and there. I wanted to ask how much money they'd prepared to snatch me up. But since I wasn't going to sign with them anyway, it didn't matter.
What mattered was what came next.
"But starting that company takes quite a bit of money. You all know, right? This industry makes good money, but the barrier to entry at the start is huge."
A few more nodded.
"So to you seniors in the same industry... I'd like to make a proposal to your companies."
I met the eyes of each face staring only at my mouth, one by one. Who would be the one who really clicked with me?
"Would you sponsor me? In return, I'll raise the mana of your companies' Awoken by one rank. The method is the same. No different from sponsoring other Academy students. Except after I graduate, I won't join your companies — instead, I'll use my ability for you."
Murmurs. It suddenly got noisy. What were they mumbling about? Do your monologues inside your heads?
"How much would we need to pay!"
"Right. That's the most important part. And we haven't even verified your ability yet — how can we be sure?"
I'd expected this reaction. Well, it was way too predictable.
I spread my fingers and pointed at the kids whose mana I'd just raised.
"You can't trust the words of those pure little kids? Are you serious?"
"Hmm... Even so..."
"With big money changing hands, we need verification!"
"Exactly. If what you're saying is true, our company would put up an enormous sum..."
I held up my palm toward the man who'd spoken last. Bringing up money here was amateur hour. Seemed like he was from a company with cash — he needed to hold back.
"Then I'll show you directly."
"How are you going to show that mana increased? You could have coordinated stories beforehand."
I closed the hand I'd extended, then pointed with my index finger at one spot. There stood the Diamond Guild executive and Kim Minchul, the Awoken whose mana I'd just restored. Receiving my point, he startled and pointed at himself as if to say, Me?
"That gentleman is Kim Minchul, one of Diamond Guild's elite members. I'll raise his mana by one rank."
"Diamond Guild?"
Everyone's gazes turned, and Kim Minchul, suddenly the center of attention, panicked and didn't know what to do.
"I already received three billion, so I'll do yours as a bonus."
Kim Minchul swallowed dryly, and the guild executive next to him furrowed his brow. But since he didn't say anything, he must have agreed.
"Th-three billion?"
"Diamond Guild paid three billion?"
"He said it's a bonus. There must have been some other deal."
"Didn't you arrange this inside beforehand? How can we trust this?"
That's why I prepared for this, you paranoid bastards.
"Everyone follow me. From now on, Kim Minchul will take a mana test."
People with various expressions. Others hurriedly making phone calls somewhere again. But everyone seemed fascinated enough that not a single person failed to follow me.
"Um, how did you know my name?"
"I have my ways. Just shut up and follow. Raising mana is hard work."
"What? But those girls..."
"They're weak in mana, so raising it is easy. A man like you should figure that out with a little thought."
"Ah, excuse me."
When I said his mana was strong so raising it wasn't easy, he scratched his head shyly. How amazing must I be, then, able to simply erase that strong mana of yours? I wish he'd think about that once.
We left the business building and headed for the mana testing building. As outsiders swarmed over, students' gazes gathered with interest. I looked back to check that Hong Eunyoung and the girls were following properly. They'd experienced it firsthand so they'd believe me, but having them confirm the numbers wouldn't hurt either.
Finally arrived!
"You're here? I was waiting, wondering when you'd come."
The doctor who'd handled my mana test was waiting. I'd told him he'd get an interesting show, and he'd readily agreed to my request.
"First, could you measure Kim Minchul's current mana level?"
"Of course. Not difficult. But you've got quite a few spectators? And outsiders at that."
I answered with a bright smile.
"Naturally. This is a kind of showcase, after all."