The Founding of Seona Couture
Park Juhee hesitated for a moment.
He can bring in items like these every single day?
Just hearing it sounded like a jackpot, and of course her heart wavered. At the same time, instinctive suspicion crept in. Whether his words were true was one thing — but she couldn't tell if he genuinely wanted to scout her, or if he was scheming to steal the network and expertise she'd worked so hard to build.
Hmm.
The man in front of her certainly gave off a trustworthy impression. She wasn't the type to read faces, but he at least didn't seem like a bad person.
Still, this was far too weighty a matter to decide on a gut feeling alone.
“It's truly an honor that you'd even make me such an offer.”
Park Juhee deflected first, careful to stay polite. The offer was genuinely appreciated — and above all, he was currently her VVIP customer, a client she had to serve with loyalty.
“But... running a company together means a lot to think over. I have no track record of success yet, I'm still young, and I'm just someone running a little wholesale shop.”
“Ten percent.”
“I'm sorry?”
“I'll give you ten percent of the company's shares. And I'll cover the startup capital myself.”
Ten percent?
Had she misheard? Park Juhee's pupils trembled.
If he really could bring in items like this on a daily basis, that business would be a massive hit. She didn't even need to run the numbers to know that.
And if it were me...
She could probably steer it to success, too. The real question was whether that claim was actually true.
“Noona.”
Whip!
That was when Seo Hwarang turned his head.
“Uh, huh?”
Yoo Seon-ah answered in a fluster. She was just as surprised. The pacing was fast — way too fast. Bringing in a new hire out of nowhere... no, this wasn't even a hire. Wasn't this practically recruiting a co-founder?
“What was our company's name again?”
You absolute lunatic!
A guy who couldn't even remember his own company's name, talking about running it!
“Seoyu Couture, you brat.”
“Why is the name so hard to remember?”
“You said I could do whatever I wanted with it!”
“Just change it to Seona Couture. A little more Western-sounding — Seona Couture would be nice too.”
“...What?”
“Come to think of it, you're the CEO, noona. Why would I put my family name on it?”
Right. The company's representative was Yoo Seon-ah — the face of the business, the one who would personally secure every item they sold. On paper, I'm just an employee. That was how he'd be freed from all the tedious work. Wasn't that the whole deal in the first place — ten percent of the profits in exchange for handling every chore a CEO would otherwise have to do?
“Phew. CEO, my foot. She's a figurehead.”
“Anyway.”
Seo Hwarang turned back to Park Juhee.
“The company hasn't even started operations yet, and this money here will be its first revenue. I'm offering you an opportunity. If you join us now, I promise you an executive position and ten percent of the shares.”
“Uh...”
Park Juhee could only open and close her mouth, struck speechless.
“I'll give you plenty of time, so think it over. And—”
Seo Hwarang added,
“I'll bring you a new item by tomorrow as well. I need to show you I'm the real deal.”
The next day.
Park Juhee hadn't slept a wink. Her heart kept pounding no matter how hard she squeezed her eyes shut and tried to think of something else. Fourteen million won had appeared out of nowhere, overnight. 840, 1,160, then 2,000 — enough to pay back everything she'd borrowed from her parents and still have plenty left over.
And now what? He was bringing another item just like it tomorrow? Right away?
Park Juhee knew a thing or two about the drop rates awakened hunters got on their items. She'd worked in the industry for over five years — there was no way she wouldn't.
Abysmal.
The drop rates were, quite literally, the worst. You could grind dungeons all month and come out with barely one Rare item. High-difficulty dungeons were another story, but those weren't something your average awakened hunter could tackle anyway.
“Could it really be true?”
And if it was... should she accept that offer?
Honestly, she had nothing to lose. Even as an executive, the know-how would remain hers alone, and she'd already gotten explicit assurance that she wouldn't have to disclose it. Nothing to wager, top-tier treatment on the other side of the scale?
There was no reason not to.
But why?
Why was he being this generous to her? This Seo Hwarang, this enigmatic man. He knew nothing about her education, her career. They'd crossed paths a few times at the wholesale shop, exchanged a few words, and she'd sold his items well — that was it!
That alone had earned her an offer like this.
Her lips curled into a small smile. Honestly? She was happy. Wasn't he recognizing her ability purely on its own merits, without looking at a single credential?
There was a saying in Lü Buwei's Lüshi Chunqiu, from the old state of Qin: even with a legendary steed standing right before you, without a skilled appraiser it might as well not exist.
And if...
If he really does bring back that item tomorrow?
Park Juhee was ready to become that legendary steed. She was prepared to pledge her loyalty to Seo Hwarang, who had recognized her worth, and to run like a horse for him.
And the moment she arrived at work—
“Did you have time to think it over?”
Seo Hwarang approached her.
Thud!
At the same time, he dropped an item in front of her and smiled.
“Here. I kept my promise.”
The day before.
Using 5 coins, Seo Hwarang had crossed over to the Etherion Continent alone. He sent Bella back to the inn and ran all over the place by himself. About two hours of moving around? He'd barely managed to land a single quest.
It was simple. A D-rank difficulty quest from a peddler, asking him to fetch the fang of an Orc Warrior outside the city... He caught one easily enough. He simply waited in the orc spawning grounds until one came shambling out.
Whoosh!
He roasted it with a proficiency-80 Fire Bolt. And what he got for it was the Orc Warrior's Greatsword (Rare)!
The problem was crossing back to the real world... that part took a bit of time. But so what? Earth's clocks didn't tick while he was staying over there anyway. After getting a full night's sleep in his room at the inn, Seo Hwarang visited the tailor's shop.
“What brings you here?”
As he stepped inside, a tailor in worn work clothes narrowed his eyes and asked.
“Here to have something fitted?”
“No, that's not it. I was wondering — is there anything I could help you with?”
“...”
The tailor's gaze swept up and down Seo Hwarang's frame in an instant. After sizing up his build, he let out a curious smile.
“Are you saying you want to join as an apprentice?”
Naturally, Seo Hwarang's eyes lit up.
An apprentice!
He needed to acquire tailoring-related skills, and this was an unexpected opportunity.
“Yes! I've come to learn! Put me to any task you like!”
The tailor nodded with a satisfied smile.
“I hate to say it, but tailoring isn't work just anyone can do. It takes patience, and a certain measure of talent too.”
He folded a piece of old cloth a few times beside the workbench, then pulled something out of a drawer.
Wool and spider silk.
“Bring me wool and spider silk. They're essential materials for weaving. That much, you can manage, surely?”
Ring!
A new quest has arrived!
Nice!
The Tailor's Path (E-Rank)
Objective: As the tailor's apprentice, prove your talent by gathering wool and spider silk. Use them to learn the Weaving skill and take your first steps in tailoring.
☐ Collect wool — 0/10
☐ Collect spider silk — 0/10
🎁 Reward: Weaving Skill Book, the Tailor's Trust
⏳ Time Limit: 2 days
The objective was simple. Seo Hwarang wandered here and there, gathering wool and spider silk.
“Heh heh, so it's true. You handle everything perfectly without a single lesson — you've got the makings of a proper apprentice! Now, with the materials in hand, it's time to weave. This book explains the method in detail, so go read it.”
Before long, he received the Weaving skill book.
A book?
Seo Hwarang could not resist. He read it cover to cover right there on the spot.
The skill Basic Weaving has been added to your skill window.
Thanks to that, he was able to cross back to the real world again.
◈ Description: A greatsword wielded by the warriors of orc tribes. It embodies the rough strength and savagery of the orcs, forged from steel tempered by the blood and sweat of orc warriors. Obtained as loot from slaying an Orc Warrior on the outskirts of the city, this blade is difficult to master — but its power is overwhelming.
◈ Effects: Attack power greatly increased, Strength +15, Vitality +5
◈ Skill — Berserker's Roar: When attacking in combat, has a chance to unleash the Orc Warrior's roar, increasing attack speed by 20% and reducing damage taken by 10%. (Duration: 10 seconds, Cooldown: 30 seconds)
Th-this is insane!
Checking the item, Park Juhee's hands trembled violently. It was real. He'd really brought one back in a single day. And a Rare item at that — one with a passive skill attached, no less!
“Sir, my dear cust— no, Mr. CEO!”
Park Juhee's posture transformed on the spot. Truthfully, she was restraining herself from calling him her master.
What kind of idiot would kick away an opportunity like this?
Someone once said that if you work hard and give it your all, opportunity comes knocking eventually. And that those who seize that opportunity are the ones who succeed.
That man is my opportunity!
The chance to turn her life around. Who said she had to found a company all by herself? Partnering with someone capable was even better! And the man in front of her didn't seem the least bit interested in running things himself — he kept a figurehead CEO out front while being the de facto owner anyway.
Which meant no friction. Ever.
“I'll take the job. That company — Seona Couture! I'll stake my life on growing it with you!”
“An excellent decision.”
Seo Hwarang grinned.
“By the way, what's your name?”
“Park Juhee! Park! As in a ball of beads — ju, and joy — hee! Ju is often used in Chinese to mean precious jewels, you see? Apparently my parents named me to mean 'gather up the sparkling things and be happy!'”
“I see.”
Seo Hwarang broke out in a nervous sweat. Something about this one was... not quite normal either.
“And your age?”
“Twenty-seven!”
“Then we're all around the same age.”
“Oh, really? Even better! Mr. CEO! I'll serve you with utmost sincerity!”
CEO? The CEO is Yoo Seon-ah. Let it slide today.
“I like you.”
She was eager and agreeable — good. She seemed like she'd handle office life well. Sales, too.
Seo Hwarang took down her number.
“For starters, I'll invite you to our chat room. The executive channel.”
Then he added her to the group chat he shared with Yoo Seon-ah.
“As you know, the CEO is Yoo Seon-ah. She's thirty, so don't go treating her like some old lady — get along with her.”
“Of course!”
“Talk to the CEO directly about the loan situation and the finances. The two of you can build this up together. As for me, like I said before, I'll just focus on sourcing the items.”
“That's the most valuable job of all!”
“Oh, and one more thing — as far as the public knows, the awakened hunter who sources our items is Yoo Seon-ah, and only Yoo Seon-ah.”
“Understood. I know exactly what you mean!”
Park Juhee was quick on the uptake. She'd already figured out, since their first meeting, that Seo Hwarang had no desire to get tangled up in troublesome affairs.
“Looking forward to working with you!”
“Likewise.”
And so, Seona Couture announced its new beginning through the hands of three people.