Chapter 34
Chapter 34
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: Mana Crystal Deal
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As soon as class ended, I stopped by the dorm and grabbed a single debit card.
It was the one from Park Ha-yul's wallet, but... what the hell is this?
It didn't look ordinary at a glance.
It was plated in real gold or something—pulling it out wrong nearly blinded me with the reflected sunlight.
And in the upper right corner, it was engraved with VIP, no less.
V.I.P.
Just how much money did you have to deposit to get a title like that?
An ordinary commoner like me couldn't even fathom it.
Anyway, I headed straight to the nearest ATM, reached out with trembling hands, and inserted the card.
Gulp.
The result...
[Checking balance.]
[Balance: 123,000 won]
"Huh?"
A weird noise leaked out.
I doubted my eyes first.
No way... Or maybe there were too many zeros, so it's displayed in tens of thousands?
No, looking again, it was still 120,000 won.
Precisely 123,000 won...
I blanked out for a moment before making a call.
Not long after the ringtone connected, an urgent voice burst out.
-Y-Young Master. This is Choi Jin-cheol. What happened?
Something happened. Something huge.
I cut straight to the chase without beating around the bush.
"It's a pretty serious situation. I just checked the Gungmin Bank account, and the amount is off. Where's the main bank again? I got confused since I used it without thinking. Haha..."
What kind of nonsense is not knowing your own account, but if it's Park Ha-yul, it makes sense.
At least it had minimal plausibility.
-Ah...
But right then, a sigh of regret came from Secretary Choi.
Something felt off.
Normally, wouldn't it be "Yes?" or "Ah!"?
The sudden ominous feeling soon became reality.
-Young Master. After the last drug abuse incident, the financial support from the main family was cut off. It's a punishment directly handed down by the Family Head. If you pretend not to know...
"P-Punishment?"
"Yes, you attended the family disciplinary committee yourself. I heard you received 50 million won as emergency funds, but surely you didn't blow through it in just two months?"
Me? 50 million won?
Wow.
I was so flabbergasted I couldn't even speak properly.
I was truly wronged.
I swear, I hadn't spent a single won of Park Ha-yul's money so far.
The only expenses were meals, but I was so busy I only managed one a day, and even that I handled for free at the student cafeteria.
-I'm sorry, Young Master. I have no way to help. If you just hold on a bit longer, the main family will...
Choi Jin-cheol repeated his apologies in a voice that grew smaller and smaller.
What could I do?
I had no choice but to try regaining my composure.
It was in the past anyway, and right now, that wasn't the priority.
To bid on the Lorelei Necklace, I had to secure funds somehow.
If the deposit wouldn't work, I'd sell what I had.
"Got it. Putting cash aside for now, the artifacts at home—are they okay for me to sell?"
-Ah, that... after the drug abuse incident, ownership transferred to the family...
But when that damn drug abuse incident came up again, I couldn't hold back.
"Fuck."
Why did this beggar-like fate stay the same even after the world changed?
-Pardon?
"Nothing. Hanging up now."
Click.
In the end, no hidden cash.
"Now what."
Just as I felt blocked with my immediate options invalidated, a forgotten bonus flashed in my mind.
"Mid-grade mana crystal."
A crystallization of magic power accumulated over hundreds of years—the cornerstone that ushered in the era of magic engineering, a gift from the gods.
...Or so they said.
"And it's supposed to be ridiculously expensive."
Not bothering to check the price turned out to be a stroke of luck.
Who knows.
It might fetch 100 million won if sold.
Thinking it was my last shot, I connected to the internet and searched for the price of a mid-grade mana crystal.
Click.
That's when the ordinary browser window suddenly felt alien.
"Huh?"
Another weird noise leaked out.
But the circumstances were completely different this time.
Unlike before, the number listed as the price had so many zeros trailing it that I couldn't count them at a glance.
...Jackpot.
I reached out with trembling hands and counted the digits.
Ten hundred thousand million... billion... t-ten billion?
It was this expensive?
Today alone, how many times had I gone between heaven and hell?
I stood dazed for a while before snapping back to reality.
"This isn't the time."
It was good, but I had to consider practical issues too.
Because mana crystals were physical items.
You had to sell them to get that much cash, and the process was pretty complicated.
Hard for individuals to dispose of; had to go through a dealer, and there were hefty fees.
Plus, dealers varied wildly, so selling blindly would make you a sucker.
Hmm.
I squatted down and weighed the options.
After some thought, one person came to mind.
"That person seems trustworthy."
If things went according to plan, it wouldn't just solve the fee issue but handle the remaining funds in one go.
"Somehow, I need to wrap this up today."
I started walking toward where she might be.
* * *
Taehak's hidden gem to the north, Jangsu Pond, was a small pond where even the wind lingered—a serene secret spot with a few golden carp swimming lazily.
Joo Ah-rin sat in a cafe overlooking the tranquil scenery, immersed in forming her direct team.
She had to submit the candidate list by tomorrow at the latest, so she was sharply evaluating people's worth.
The maximum number for formation was ten, based on Rank 8 awakeners.
Five for the combat team to tackle the nest, and five for the support intel team.
It was shabby compared to her half-brothers backed by unofficial maternal family support, but it was still something to be grateful for.
She'd scraped together every bit of her personal slush funds to barely make this size.
"The budget's so tight—it's not easy."
Taking a break from the monitor, Joo Ah-rin rubbed her stiff neck and leaned back in her chair.
To cool her complicated thoughts, she turned her head toward Jangsu Pond.
Splash.
At that moment, a golden carp surfaced and shook itself.
Ripples spread across the calm pond, lighting up Joo Ah-rin's eyes.
"Golden carp. Carp gold. Gold..."
How much would that be worth...? Huh?
Muttering like a spaced-out person, Joo Ah-rin cleared her throat awkwardly.
Ahem.
Embarrassed, she glanced around, and right on cue, the cafe door opened.
Blinding sunlight poured in, and a silhouette backed by that halo shimmered at the entrance.
Step step.
At first, she thought it was just a customer.
But the gradually clarifying appearance felt familiar.
Pale complexion and a slender yet tall build, sharp facial lines paired with navy blue hair.
Stylish looks and lousy rumors—two mismatched traits in one person...
"Why are you here?"
She reflexively acknowledged him, and he met her eyes.
Not only that, he approached without hesitation, like they'd planned it, and sat across from her.
"...What are you doing right now?"
"Thought we could talk."
"With me?"
While she stared in bewilderment, Park Ha-yul opened his mouth with a newly serious expression.
"Want to talk business? About the direct team you're planning..."
* * *
The approximate market price for a mid-grade mana crystal was a whopping 1.5 billion won.
Excluding the 200 million needed for the auction left 1.3 billion—a huge sum, but just simple math.
Entrusting it for sale meant a 20% fee alone.
Insurance, appraisal, whatever...
Converting to cash cost 300 million.
I hated that.
So what choice did I have?
We weren't close, but not total strangers—I had to use the Joo Ah-rin card.
"...Business, investment. I didn't mishear that, right?"
"If you're asking how I knew, it's simple. It's not a secret. As direct lineage of the Joo Clan, everyone worries about this around now."
With that, I pulled out the mana crystal and placed it on the table.
Joo Ah-rin squinted at it and asked me.
"...A mana crystal. Size-wise, at least mid-grade. But why this?"
"Conditions are simple. 5% fee, payment by next week. Do that, and I'll invest the rest—minus the 200 million—in your direct team."
"What? No, what do you..."
My curt notice furrowed her brow deeply.
But this was necessary tough love. A setup to make the carrot that followed shine brighter...
"Of course, no interference at all. You keep 100% of the rights. I'm just a pure investor."
"...Really? You'll invest on those terms?"
As her sharp tone softened, I nodded without hesitation.
...
A brief silence followed.
Short, but enough for sharp-minded Joo Ah-rin to weigh it all.
Finally, she seemed to decide, straightening slightly and continuing.
"...Fine. I'll acknowledge it's business. But I'm not accepting yet. Need to clarify a few things."
"Starting to make sense. Ask away."
"Then the most curious first. Investment's investment. Why leave the mana crystal disposal to me? What about your family?"
"That's..."
Of course, I'd considered the clan.
But the cons outweighed the pros, so I dropped it.
The clan had fierce succession battles rivaling the Joo Clan...
Right now, I was treated like an unwanted child with no eyes on me, but stirring things up would draw attention?
It'd backfire into a losing deal.
With my power still weak, better to delay standing out as long as possible.
So I spun it as needing secret funds and made her understand.
"Hmm, fine, I'll buy that. Then the fee?"
Next, Joo Ah-rin said even direct disposal topped at 15%, and 5% was impossible.
Not wrong.
But that was only for straight channels.
"Just dispose through somewhere other than the Joo Clan."
"Pardon?"
"You must know someone running an exchange directly."
Quick on the uptake, Joo Ah-rin got it right away.
"...You're asking me to call in a personal favor."
"Yeah, that's what connections are for. The lower the fee, the better for both of us."
"...Hmm."
Joo Ah-rin bit her lip, seemingly searching for someone who fit.
Well, she'd think of one soon.
I'd even seen her once.
Dodam's president, Jeong Ae-ri.
Thick ties, and her political exchange was one of Korea's best.
"I've laid out my plan, so now it's your decision..."
I broached to seal the deal.
Given the timing, she couldn't refuse.
The amount wasn't massive, but huge help when she was agonizing over funds.
Soon, Joo Ah-rin's full red lips parted.
"I don't trust others easily to begin with."