Chapter 18
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: Persuasion (3)
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While Do Ji-hyeok was on his way to Jin Seo-won's place.
At Im A-rin's house.
"That was delicious."
"Same here. It's been a while since I ate something this good."
"Hehe... I'm glad you liked it!"
Im A-rin had invited Seol Ju-hee and Hong Yu-ra over and treated them to a home-cooked dinner. She even subtly brought out some wine, turning it into a casual drinking session.
"Mm... this has a nice aroma."
"Not bad."
"There's plenty, so drink up...!"
With their schedules ramping up lately and all sorts of stress piling on, Hong Yu-ra and Seol Ju-hee naturally fell into the alcohol.
"...Whew... I'm so tired today..."
"Already drunk? Seol Ju-hee, your tolerance has really gone down."
"Cover your own thighs first. They were so red, I thought it was your hair."
Before long, both of them had eyes glazed over with a solid buzz.
Truth be told, they weren't the type to get tipsy off just one or two bottles of wine...
But for some reason, tonight it hit them fast.
"Um... girls...!"
At that moment, Im A-rin—who was still perfectly sober—spoke up to the two of them.
"I... have something to say!"
"Something to say?"
"...What is it?"
Im A-rin set down her glass as if she'd made up her mind, alternating glances between Hong Yu-ra and Seol Ju-hee as she spoke.
"Actually... I met up with Ji-hyeok a while back."
"Who'd you meet?"
"...Really?"
Seol Ju-hee's face turned fierce in an instant, while Hong Yu-ra looked puzzled.
With a resolute expression, Im A-rin spilled the story of her meeting with Do Ji-hyeok.
He hadn't thought badly of them even after the slander.
On the contrary, he'd forgiven her and even comforted her.
Im A-rin's fervent insistence, eyes flashing, bordered on blind faith—like someone indoctrinated into a cult. Seol Ju-hee and Hong Yu-ra were startled by this unfamiliar side of her.
"I don't believe Ji-hyeok would ever do that...! That video was fabricated!"
"...Are you sane?"
"A-rin..."
"It's true! If you met Ji-hyeok yourselves...!"
"Cut it out, Im A-rin. Why would we meet that trash?"
"Please, Ju-hee... You're the one being fooled...!"
"Fooled? That's you! What the hell did that bastard say to make you like this?"
Seol Ju-hee was convinced Do Ji-hyeok must have done or said something to Im A-rin.
There was no other explanation for her sudden change.
"This won't do. You're never seeing that bastard again."
"...Huh?"
"I'm saying this for your sake! What did he do to you?!"
"Ji-hyeok didn't do anything...!"
"Didn't do anything, and you're acting like this? Huh?!"
As the mood between them grew increasingly hostile, Hong Yu-ra—who had been silently watching—hurriedly stepped in to intervene.
"Girls! Calm down for a sec!"
Truth be told, Hong Yu-ra was half-doubting deep down.
She already harbored suspicions about the video, given the inconsistencies and Gu Seok-il's odd behavior.
It wasn't strange to question if Do Ji-hyeok was really scum.
But...
It was just suspicion, nothing more.
Hong Yu-ra firmly believed the Do Ji-hyeok in that video was real.
As surely as the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
As spring gives way to summer,
summer ends and autumn arrives,
and after autumn, stark winter comes, dry leaves falling.
She accepted it as an undeniable truth.
"Both of you, drop the Do Ji-hyeok talk now!"
With that, Hong Yu-ra shut down the topic entirely to stop the fight.
"I told you. Don't meet that bastard anymore."
"Don't come crying to me later...!"
Seol Ju-hee and Im A-rin traded final barbs before the quarrel finally died down.
"Is this it?"
I parked appropriately in the narrow alley and followed Jin Seo-won, looking up at the small villa where she'd stopped.
The red brick walls were spotted here and there...
It looked rundown at a glance.
'Pretty old building.'
Jin Seo-won's place was on the lowest floor.
A semi-basement room where even the stairwell lights didn't reach.
"Pardon the intrusion."
I passed through the front door—without so much as a door lock—and entered. While she turned on the lights, I scanned the interior. I was slightly shocked by how even more wretched it was than expected.
'...She lived here with her grandma...?'
The layout itself was decent enough.
A small living room with an attached bathroom and one room.
Not spacious, but livable.
The problem was...
It was so neglected it barely looked inhabited.
"......"
I spent a moment gravely surveying the place alone.
I sat across from Jin Seo-won at a small table in the living room and got down to business about recruitment.
"First off, thank you so much for making time."
"...Sure."
"Have you heard anything about me from the cafe owner?"
She shook her head in lieu of an answer.
I handed her a prepared business card and calmly laid it out.
"I'm the producer for Team Seoul City Hall, under the Seoul city government. Not your typical guild—it's an actual government agency team. Here... see, there are articles about our team."
Jin Seo-won glanced at the news on my phone, and I continued.
"I'd like to bring you on as our main dealer. I'm confident your abilities will synergize perfectly with our team."
I started with praise for her.
Next, pitching the team.
"We recently met with Mayor Lee Sang-heum and secured full support. Thanks to that, we've built a system comparable to a Rank 3 team..."
Then, compensation.
"We're just starting out, but we'll guarantee the industry-standard minimum salary. Our other members are on similar contracts, and once results come in, we'll renegotiate higher than average. It's not my money, so no need to skimp."
After that lengthy pitch, I slid the prepared contract her way.
"This is our team's contract. I mentioned it to the cafe owner too, so feel free to review it together."
"......"
Jin Seo-won stared silently at the contract on the table.
I waited for her response, lost in thought.
'Not interested?'
I'd told her to take her time, but the situation was urgent.
If we didn't register team members by 6 PM the day after tomorrow, Team Seoul City Hall would dissolve for shortfall.
I couldn't force her signature, so all I could do was hope she'd come around.
'Please say yes...'
How long had she been staring holes through that contract?
Finally, she lifted her head slightly and spoke softly.
"...Sorry. I don't think I can."
The one answer I dreaded most.
"...If it's not too rude, could you tell me why?"
I pressed on, asking for the reason.
Jin Seo-won looked at me steadily, then unexpectedly opened up.
"...My grandma doesn't like it."
"Your grandmother...?"
Turned out, Jin Seo-won's parents had been a promising Hunter couple.
But they both died in a Gate accident, leaving her grandmother with a deep aversion to Hunters...
'...Huh?'
Recapping her story, I felt that odd dissonance again.
She'd refused recruitment solely because her grandma said no.
If I hadn't approached her, she'd likely have lived far from the Hunter life.
So how did she reach S-rank and become the Heavenly Demon?
'...Something happens in the future?'
As I pondered the inconsistency, right before I tried persuading her again with different words—
"!"
An old memory flashed back.
Dusty, forgotten depths of my mind.
"Seo-won, unrelated question: How long have you known the cafe owner?"
"...My sister?"
"Yes. She dotes on you so much, I thought you were actual sisters at first."
After staring at me, Jin Seo-won explained they'd been close since she was little...
And I finally pieced together how she became the Heavenly Demon.
The cafe owner, who treated her like a beloved little sister, dies in the second incident from the original novel.
'What a tragic backstory.'
The evidence was in the original novel.
Unlike the first incident, the second involves multiple Gates opening nationwide simultaneously.
The biggest hits Seoul, smaller ones various cities—including this one, Chuncheon in Gangwon Province.
This was a brief aside in the novel's epilogue for the second incident.
If I hadn't remembered and whisked her to Seoul by luck...
The owner, left alone, would've died in the incident,
and Jin Seo-won would've become the Heavenly Demon as in the original.
'Dodged a decade of aging.'
I let out a quiet sigh of relief, relaxing a bit. Then, remembering my top priority, I steeled myself and met Jin Seo-won's eyes.
"Seo-won. How about this?"
"...?"
"Just register your name with our team."
"...My name?"
"Exactly."
I laid out the real reason for recruiting her.
Jeong Su-in left, leaving us short; without members soon, the team vanishes.
Not something I had to share, but necessary to show sincerity.
"Just the name on paper—no actual Hunter duties. Visit the office once, maybe... That's it."
Of course, I wasn't just borrowing her name.
"100 million won. Lend it, and I'll pay you 100 million as thanks."
"...Pardon?"
At the money mention, Jin Seo-won's impassive gaze flickered for the first time.
"Purely from my own pocket. Just one month. Change your mind midway? Join actively. We'll contract separately for mutual protection."
I had no intention of letting her slip as a Hunter or molding her into the Heavenly Demon prematurely.
So, the surest bond: money.
"You'll get your salary too, of course... Oh, just take less from the cafe to avoid tax issues. I'll explain to the owner."
"...Uh..."
Flustered by the sudden offer, Jin Seo-won glanced around nervously.
I watched her a moment, then casually scanned the room.
She'd lived in poverty all this time.
The house proved it; worn furniture screamed it.
No matter her future as the ruthless Heavenly Demon, right now she was just a poor kid with a tough life.
"Might be rude, but... your grandma wouldn't want you to miss this chance, right?"
Caving to the temptation, Jin Seo-won swallowed hard and stared at me...
"...I'll talk it over with my sister."
She'd discuss it with the cafe owner.
The next day.
After handling lodging at a nearby hotel, I stopped by Jin Seo-won's cafe again to talk with the owner—practically her guardian.
And.
"Let's sign the contract right away."
Luckily, a positive response.