Chapter 61
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 61
Chapter Title: The Plunderer
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People say that when you face something utterly ridiculous, it snaps you wide awake.
That was exactly the case with the Professor's overwhelming display of financial power.
"G-Goddess... let's head back and find another way... something else to catch Hubby's attention..."
"Eek...! Just you wait! I'm pulling back today, but don't think it'll be the same once the Blood Cult rises again!"
"...I am my Lord's sword. A sword earns its worth through sharpness alone, so henceforth I shall devote myself to training without a single stray thought."
In the end, the day's meeting—which had started as a joke—wrapped up in a hurry with the candidates withdrawing.
They all headed home, holding out hope for another possible gathering someday.
On the alleyway home with the Professor.
Professor: What? What about?
"Professor. Those things you said earlier were just jokes, right?"
"Giving away a building or company shares. For a second there, I thought it was real, but now that doesn't add up at all."
Professor: Ah... Did it come off like a joke?
"Yes?"
Professor: No, Rowoon, you're right. You can't just hand over building ownership or company shares that casually, can you?
Professor: Normally, it takes incredibly complex procedures—it's not something that happens overnight.
"Right? I was seriously shocked for a moment."
Professor: Yeah. So don't worry—just get some sleep. Oh, and heads-up: I won't be reachable tomorrow.
"Why?"
Professor: I'll pull an all-nighter today to prep, then drink the potion you gave me. Factoring in full absorption of its effects, it'll take about a day.
"Got it."
After chatting about this and that, we reached home and parted with a simple goodbye at the door.
But at the time, I had no idea.
Professor: Rowoon. No causing trouble while I'm gone—stay put, okay?
"I'm not a kid... Don't worry."
About the events from that joke of a meeting.
How they'd eventually boomerang back to me someday.
The next day.
Early morning, dew beading on the chill dawn air.
"...Now my eyes just pop open on their own..."
Whether from all the early wake-ups turning me into a full morning person, my eyes flew open automatically at this hour.
No helping it—I scratched my belly and started the day's routine by watering the persimmon tree.
Knock knock knock—!
"?"
A visitor at this hour?
Wait, who even knocks before entering our house...?
Come to think of it, folks around here don't bother with the doorbell—they treat the open gate as an invitation.
Knocking out of nowhere felt off.
"Who's there?"
I'd half-instinctively grabbed my Labrys—back in axe form—in one hand.
With a low, wary rumble in my voice, I called out to whoever was outside.
A beat later.
"I've come with a message for Benefactor. Mind if I take a moment of your time?"
A middle-aged man's voice filtered through the door.
He delivered shocking news with impeccable politeness.
"I'm Rowoon, but. What's this about?"
"I'm Kang Cheol-jung from Creston Group's Chairman Secretariat. I'm here to inform you that the 1% stake in Creston Electronics, gifted to you by Miss Halin, has been fully processed effective today."
"...Pardon?"
What in the world...?
Gifted to me?
"W-Wait a sec! What do you mean? A stake in Creston Electronics... Ah?"
Hold on. No way.
-[Ah... Did it come off like a joke?]
-"Yes?"
-[No, Rowoon, you're right. You can't just hand over building ownership or company shares that casually, can you?]
-[Normally, it takes incredibly complex procedures—it's not something that happens overnight.]
Professor... No wonder you were so vague...
You tricked me...!!!
Having pieced it together, I questioned the man outside.
"Wait, hold on. Can something like that really transfer so easily? No legal snags or anything?"
"No issues legally or internally with the procedures. The shares were a voluntary gift from Miss Halin, with no conditions or requests attached—already verified."
Incredibly, zero problems.
How the hell...? I pressed again.
"No issues...? That straightforward?"
"Depends on the gifter. Miss Halin, who's greatly favored by the Chairman, falls squarely on the 'easy' side. Anyway, to continue..."
Anyway, Professor made it happen because it was possible—just accept it.
The man continued calmly with only the essentials, as if my reaction meant nothing.
But whether he prattled on or not.
'Professor... why'd you trick me...? What for...?'
I just wished this surreal mess—getting slipped a 30-story building and 1% of Creston Electronics like pocket change—was all a dream.
"Ah, and one more thing."
"?"
The man beyond the door cleared his throat lightly after finishing his spiel.
Then, as casually as if it were nothing, he dropped a line that dwarfed even the building and shares.
"Chairman Kim Tae-san sends word: He's awfully curious about this distant relative's face he never knew about and wants to invite you to dinner soon."
"Tha... Kim Tae-san—the Creston Group Chairman, right?"
"Yes."
"A guy like that—with me? Dinner?"
"Yes."
"Ah, Professor—no, Miss Halin coming along?"
"Naturally, Miss Halin is excluded. Just the two of you, quietly."
"I see. Then obviously I'll decli—"
"For your reference, the Chairman said refusing would make life in Korea exceedingly difficult going forward."
"...No choice then! I've always wanted a rich sugar grandpa!"
"Excellent response. I'll relay that and be off."
The man departed after saying he'd contact me soon, nothing more to add.
I stood there, heart pounding at the thought of a dinner date with this mystery rich relative grandpa.
'Ahaha... I'm so screwed...'
Looks like I've been solidly marked by a chaebol kingpin.
How do I even salvage this...?
Reeling from the massive bomb the Professor had dropped, I fired off a 1:1 chat request right away.
<Currently unable to receive 1:1 chats.>
As the Professor had warned yesterday, no contact all day—not even the front gate was open.
Squatting by the persimmon tree lost in thought for a while...
Clunk—!
"Ow! This lady has arriv... Huh? Rowoon. Why are you sitting by the persimmon tree like some bankrupt bum?"
...The clueless Shabby True Ancestor breezed through the gate with a sunny grin.
She toddled over and asked.
"What happened?"
"...Something... happened..."
"...? Did it happen or not?"
"...It did... but didn't..."
"Rowoon, why are you this wrecked after just one day...?"
"Sigh... It's nothing. Just overthinking triggered some old ingrained habits on autopilot."
"Old habits...?"
"Anyway. Perfect timing. I wanted to talk to someone about this mess."
"Oh ho? Finally trusting and leaning on this lady? Great! Spill anything—I'll handle it!"
"You sure talk a big game... Anyway, here's what went down..."
.
.
.
After explaining the situation to the Shabby True Ancestor.
.
.
.
"Hmm... So. That smart kid caused the caravan boss to hold a grudge against you?"
"That's how it looks right now. Honestly, the vibe's all wrong."
"Mm... Fair. High odds he thinks you seduced the smart kid to pull this off. Power draws parasites like flies, after all."
As the Shabby True Ancestor said.
From Chairman Kim Tae-san's perspective: Some no-name guy pops up claiming distant kin, seduces his granddaughter, and swipes a skyscraper plus group shares.
I never asked for any of it.
"Hm...? But Rowoon. On second thought, it's not entirely off-base, is it?"
"What're you on about?"
"Think it through. You seduced the smart kid (with your alchemy skills), forged family ties through that connection, then flexed to snag building rights and caravan shares. Boom—every 'misunderstanding' turns real."
"?"
Sigh... Yeah...?
I wanted to shoot it down, but there wasn't a single hole in her logic—so all I could manage was...
Pull—!!!
"Eeeeng...!!! Why, whyyy! Pulling this lady's cheeeks—!!!"
"'Cause you're cheeky."
...Yank the cheeks of this impertinent Shabby True Ancestor who'd smugly shut me down.
But right then.
Pull—!!!
"Uweeeng...! S-Stop it—! Rin's watching; this'll ruin this lady's dignity—!!!"
"...Rin's watching?"
The heck? I let go of the squishy cheek.
The Shabby True Ancestor rubbed her reddened face and explained.
"Uuu... Didn't I tell you yesterday? I took that 'mental stabilizer' you gave me. Rin woke up safe and sound—that's why I came early to share the good news..."
"Ah, that was it?"
Explains why she showed up so early.
Should've led with something that big.
Typical scatterbrained Shabby True Ancestor.
"Eek...! Unfair! I was busy hearing the kid's pointless fretting—no room to mention it!"
"Pointless? Korea's top business titan pissed off looks trivial to you?"
"It's just one lousy caravan! Give us time, and Blood Cult followers wipe it off the map—what's the big worry?!"
"That's if we have time. Piss him off now, and we vanish."
"No worries! With Rin awake, Blood Cult revival's just a matter of time!"
"Always with the Rin bragging... So? When do I finally meet this Rin?"
"Hehehe... Feeling it? Craving my cute, adorable Rin? Then feast your eyes—right now! Got it, Rin? Just like this lady taught you!"
She'd show off Rin, awake thanks to the meds.
Holding her shoulders steady as she released the possession so Rin wouldn't topple.
Unlike the Shabby True Ancestor's haughty, brimming-with-confidence grin,
Rin emerged—blunt and faintly cynical—and spoke.
"......Ah. Hello. Rowoon oppa."
"Ro... 'Rowoon oppa'? Aren't you older than me? I heard you're three years my senior."
"True Lord said so. Rowoon oppa's on a higher plane than even her. By murim standards, that means greater seniority and strength—so oppa's fine."
Ah... Right, Karin mentioned Rin was a murim novel otaku.
"Uncomfortable?"
"Nah... Call me whatever feels right."
Never figured she'd apply that logic to real life, but whatever—let it slide.
Surviving that powder keg life probably warped normalcy anyway.
Rachel calls me 'Hubby'; 'oppa' at this point is tame...
Anyway.
Just as I reaffirmed there were no normal people around me,
"Rowoon oppa. Mind if I...?"
"?"
Suddenly Rin murmured an 'excuse me' and looped her arms around my neck, face closing in.
I figured, Ah, time for her daily suck—froze and watched.
"?"
...No clue why, but Rin went for my lips, not my nape.
I scrambled to block this unforeseen move, but...
"!!!"
...Too late. Rin's lips had already softly met mine.
For that first thrilling, vertigo-inducing touch, my brain short-circuited.
Snapping back, I shoved her shoulders apart. Rin gazed on mechanically.
"You... why the hell...?"
"True Lord said. I have to win Rowoon oppa's favor by any means. Ideally, claim all your firsts. Ah—was that your first kiss?"
"Yeah."
"Score one, then. Room for the next step?"
"...Think you can swing it? Anyway—switch back with Shabby True Ancestor."
"Mm... Sorry. True Lord's not responding. Now what?"
"...Right? Then for starters."
Pull—!!!!
"You. No touching without my say-so. Ever."
"Ouchies."
"Good—it's supposed to hurt. That's why I pinched."
I'd guarded that first kiss for 23 whole years,
and she snatched it.
She can damn well feel this much pain for it, right?