Chapter 12
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: The Basics of Politics Are Bragging About Your Backing
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Aigoo, my fate! What sin did I commit in my past life to give birth to a burn like you!"
The day after their date.
In the shabby apartment living room in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province, where peace should have reigned, Mother's shouting echoed loudly.
Mother, who had been running the vacuum cleaner, kicked the back of Han Jaewoo sprawled on the sofa.
"The article said you're dating the Heavenly Demon? And she bought all your clothes at the department store! So why are you always lounging around the house like a bum? No dates?!"
Han Yujin, slurping cereal at the dining table, joined in the fact barrage.
"Mom, he's been dumped. Think about it. You think the Heavenly Demon unnie is crazy enough to keep meeting a kangaroo like him? I saw on the news yesterday she went into the Gangwon-do Gate. The academic consensus is she ghosted him and dipped."
It was the usual daily routine.
Normally, he would have whined, "I want to go out too, but it's only been a little while since the cast came off," or gotten into a hair-pulling fight with his sister.
But today's Han Jaewoo was different.
Lounging diagonally on the sofa, he savored the kicks from Mother's feet on his back and his sister's mockery like a beautiful classical symphony.
'Go ahead. Beat me all you want.'
A benevolent smile spread across his lips.
He didn't even feel the impacts.
Because in his right pocket sat the heavy red gem Baek Seorin had given him from the 'Black Forest' yesterday.
The heart of an S-rank boss monster.
A so-called 'top-grade mana stone.'
A quick internet search revealed it was a legendary item worth at least 1 billion won, potentially up to 2 billion at auction.
'This will be the last nagging I hear.'
By this afternoon, zeros would line up in neat rows in his empty bank account.
He was no longer a freeloading bum sucking off his mother's spine.
He was a self-made 2-billion-won asset holder. Young and rich. Tall and handsome. The epitome.
Han Jaewoo slowly rose from the sofa.
He washed his face, neatly combed back his black hair, and donned the Mithril Frock Coat.
Just putting on that one piece of clothing made the cramped living room feel like an audience chamber in a palace.
"...I'm off."
With the arrogant smile of the 'Northern Grand Duke,' he stepped out the front door.
Unaware of his mother and sister staring at his back in bewilderment, his steps were as light as feathers.
He had only one goal.
Cashing in the mana stone.
A smartphone search revealed three main paths for liquidating mana stones.
First, auction house consignment.
S-rank mana stones fetched whatever price they were bid, maximizing profit.
But the review period alone took over a month, and settlement was even slower. For Han Jaewoo, who needed chicken for dinner tonight, a month was an eon like ten years. Pass.
Second, Hunter Association buyback counter.
The state-run association bought at fixed market rates.
Less than auction, but safest, and deposits averaged under three hours.
Third, private guild buyback.
Major guilds offered higher than association prices to snag good mana stones, dealing under the table without provenance checks.
But shady guilds tied to the underworld existed, and naive newbies could get scammed, robbed, or even harvested for organs.
'No need to agonize.'
Han Jaewoo was a safety-first guy.
The fastest and surest way to cash: option two.
With dignified strides, he headed to the 'Mana Stone Buyback Counter' on the first floor of the Seoul Hunter Association headquarters.
"Here to register for buyback."
The female clerk greeted him with a professional smile.
She nearly lost herself gazing at his face but quickly regained composure and guided him.
"Yes, Hunter. Please place the byproducts or mana stone on the tray, and submit your ID and hunter registration."
Han Jaewoo pulled the fist-sized, glowing red mana stone from his pocket and set it on the tray.
Thud.
"...Gasp!"
A choked gasp escaped the clerk's lips.
It wasn't some common low-grade stone.
Before her eyes pulsed a flawless, perfect sphere emitting red waves that rippled the ambient mana.
No appraisal tool needed.
Her decade of association experience screamed it: at least top A-rank, maybe S-rank boss heart.
"Th-this... One moment! I'll get the appraisal supervisor!"
The clerk paled and grabbed the intercom.
Soon, a bespectacled middle-aged appraiser rushed out, and his face drained white upon seeing it.
"S-rank... An S-rank boss mana stone! Perfect top-grade with 0% demonic contamination!"
The counter area erupted in chaos.
Han Jaewoo propped his chin, leisurely enjoying the fuss.
Thrilling.
The sweetness of capitalism coursed through his veins.
'Yeah, wire 1 billion—no, 1.5 billion to my account right now.'
The appraiser shakily swiped Han Jaewoo's hunter registration on the reader.
His expression twisted oddly upon checking the monitor: from shock to puzzlement, then dismay.
"...Sir?"
"Speak."
"The Association cannot buy this mana stone."
"...What?"
Han Jaewoo's propped chin slipped.
His arrogant facade cracked for 0.1 seconds, but he quickly furrowed his brow and maintained a cold tone.
"Are you doubting the value of my item?"
"No! The value is top-tier! 1.5 billion, no—even our max buyback of 2 billion!"
"Then why not?"
"Well..."
The appraiser wiped sweat, cautiously pointing at the monitor.
"You have zero official dungeon clears. No hunter special account opened."
"And?"
"Worst... You're an 'unregistered' with no stats or affiliation logged. By law, unclear provenance S-rank stones risk being deemed criminal proceeds or smuggled goods. Only licensed hunters qualify for Association buyback."
Bolt from the blue.
No thunderbolt like this.
On reflection, it made sense.
Right after returning from the 'rofan world,' he'd hidden all info to avoid proving his powers.
On paper, he was a just-returned missing freeloader, a transparent nobody unverified even for stats.
Of course the Association suspected money laundering.
Inside, he wanted to smash the counter glass and wail, 'My 2 billion!! My chicken money!!'
His legs shook; the world crumbled.
But he was the 'Northern Grand Duke.'
Dozens watched. Whining here would shatter a decade of poise.
He slowly retrieved the stone, pocketed it.
With icy eyes glaring down at the appraiser, he flicked his coat collar.
"...Rules can be foolish laws at times."
His voice echoed coldly through the lobby like ice.
"Your vessels are too small to hold this red heart's worth."
'Damn, they're strict. I'll sell elsewhere.'
Without looking back, he left the counter.
Overwhelmed by his charisma, the appraiser stared blankly, unable to apologize.
One option left.
Three. Private guild buyback.
As Han Jaewoo bitterly drew yulmu tea from the lobby vending machine.
"Excuse me, are you Hunter Han Jaewoo?"
Three suited men with oily smiles surrounded him.
Buyback reps from major guilds, badges gleaming on chests.
Hyenas loitering in the lobby to snag goods or talent.
Their eyes gleamed toward the red mana stone he'd flashed earlier.
But their smirks held a fishy edge.
They'd witnessed everything.
Han Jaewoo rejected by the Association.
A fatal weakness: 'paperwork incompetent' unable to offload the S-rank stone legally.
"We've heard of your fame. Quite the item."
The burliest, Black Tiger Guild's buyback manager, handed a card and slipped to the point.
"But Association rejection must pain you. Unregistered stones scream stolen goods. We'll safely handle your headache. Price... 40% of market? Fair, no?"
40%?
2 billion for 800 million? Free lunch?
The other two nodded in sync.
"Agreed. Can't go higher. Risk premium, you know."
"Step outside, black market scum swarm. Best to offload here safely."
Subtle threats and lowballs.
Different guilds, yet they eyed him as a mark, exchanging glances to collude instantly.
They knew this newbie couldn't sell elsewhere or the stone rotted in his pocket forever.
The moment he saw their petty deception.
Han Jaewoo's eyes chilled as he sipped the yulmu tea.
'Trying to fleece me with such shallow tricks.'
A forgotten sensation awakened in his mind.
He'd rolled in the rofan world's imperial court for ten years.
Survived poisoned teas sipped smilingly, noble ladies feigning friendship while plotting family annihilation.
Where one word beheaded, one glance branded treason—that hellish court politics.
What he'd honed to survive wasn't swordsmanship.
Reading psyches, sowing discord, hiding cards while shaking the board.
Turning holders of weaknesses' arrogance against them, leashing them with 'politics' and 'gaslighting.'
"...40 percent."
Han Jaewoo muttered, tossing the paper cup in the trash.
No anger. No haste. Petty rage was amateur in rofan nobility.
His blue eyes slowly scanned the Black Tiger manager from tie pin to shoe tips.
Like appraising, then scorning a bug.
"Black Tiger's funds must be dire. Or..."
His gaze slid smoothly to the Taesung Guild rep beside.
"Do you delude your paltry vaults can bear the weight of the 'backing' on my back?"
The guild reps flinched.
Seizing their staggered breaths, he drove the wedge.
"You all saw the article: Gangwon-do blockade cleared yesterday. The nation knows who I was with."
Han Jaewoo drew the red stone again, lightly pressing it to the Black Tiger manager's chest.
"Branding this red heart 'stolen'... Means treating 'her' spoils as illegal contraband, right?"
'Her.' Korea's top martial artist, the Heavenly Demon.
Her name implied, the three reps blanched.
Yes. Yesterday, Heavenly Demon entered the S-rank gate with this man; official clear plastered news.
If this stone was her trophy handed him? Lowballing it as stolen reaching her ears?
Guild vaporized on the spot.
Terror shook their pupils. Collusion cracked.
Han Jaewoo smiled softly, casting the deadliest bait.
"Fine. If fear trembles you, I won't force. Besides..."
Pretending to check his watch, he murmured low.
"Guardian Guild's vice-master just offered 120% in the elevator. I merely wished to see free market vigor, bestowing mercy on you. Mistaking my grace for weakness? Regrettable."
Perfect lie, masterful gaslighting.
But his icy arrogant face, plus Hero Cha Haewon—Guardian's guildmaster—personally carding him before, overlapped convincingly. They bought it hook, line, sinker.
'Crazy! Guardian at 120%?!'
'Lose him, head rolls!'
Collusion crumbled like sand.
Capital-rich Taesung struck first.
"Haha! Manager, too much joking. Hunter Han! Misunderstanding. Taesung offers 100% cash on the spot!"
"You bastard, no business ethics! Hunter! Black Tiger bids 110%!"
"These guys! We do 130%, guild covers all taxes!"
Lobby turned auction house.
Grabbing collars imminent as bids flew; Han Jaewoo elegantly crossed arms, overlooking.
'Yes. Bite harder. Call higher at my feet!'
After ten minutes of bloody mind games and ping-pong.
Taesung won at 150% market—staggering 3 billion.
Han Jaewoo feigned reluctant generosity, inking the e-contract.
"...Your zeal defeats me. Take the red heart."
Ding-.
[3,000,000,000 won deposited to your account.]
Seeing the phone screen, Han Jaewoo barely staved off heart attack.
Ten years rofan politics bloomed into capitalism's grand flower: 3 billion.
This fierce brain battle, the iridescent S-rank stone tossed on the desk.
Han Jaewoo toying guild execs with words—his overwhelming charisma witnessed by lobby crowds.
And human imagination weaves myths transcending facts from fragments.
Murmurs stirred in the lobby corner.
"Saw that stone? S-rank boss heart!"
"Article said he entered S-rank gate with Heavenly Demon yesterday? He pocketed the spoils?"
"But weird, right? The stone's condition. Flawless perfect sphere."
A hunter's sharp note hushed surroundings.
"Heavenly Demon's explosive sword qi usually leaves micro-scratches or cloudiness. But that? Too pristine. Like... someone delicately carved out the heart with soft mana."
"Insane... Not her kill? This guy...?"
Gazes pierced Han Jaewoo's stately (actually 3-billion high, steps light) back.
"Heavenly Demon just watched... He solo-sliced S-rank boss flawless?!"
"That poise. Crushing guild execs like a guildmaster. No power, how that grit?"
"Monster... Why Heavenly Demon can't touch him? Makes sense."
Overnight, Han Jaewoo became 'escorted Heavenly Demon, solo-shattered S-rank dungeon mad expert.'
Feeling awe, terror, blind reverence, he hummed inwardly.
Misunderstand whatever.
Tonight: chicken. No, hanwoo omakase.
Same time.
Deep underground VIP training hall.
Baek Seorin, in lotus meditation, slowly opened her eyes.
Her qi sense blanketed the building like a web.
Extended to the limit, awaiting one man.
Finally, the familiar, languid voice from first-floor lobby.
[Do you delude your paltry vaults can bear the weight of the 'backing' on my back?]
That voice hitting her ears, hot surge from her dantian.
Backing.
Clearly referring to her.
Others fear and shun her, yet before crowds, he boldly declared her his 'backing (my person).'
'Aah...'
Baek Seorin clutched her burning cheeks.
Heart raced like entranced.
All night pondering post-date expressions, approaches.
Overhearing that bold declaration blanked her mind white.
'No good. Facing him like this...'
Heavenly Demon's dignity ruined.
Or heart might burst.
She bolted up.
Instead of lobby, slipped unseen through back door, fleeing the Association like a mouse or bird.
The world's Heavenly Demon fled, overcome by shame.
Right after she blushed and retreated.
Back to first-floor lobby.
As Han Jaewoo smacked lips, stepping lightly toward hanwoo.
Right then.
Screeech-! Screeech-!
Association lobby emergency siren shredded eardrums.
Red beacons spun madly, dyeing lobby crimson.
"Wh-what?! Dungeon break?!"
"No, mana spiking in lobby center!"
Screams' gazes converged.
Marble floor center warped like heat haze.
Soon, massive blue portal yawned.
Not red ordinary gate spewing monsters.
Deep, rare blue—once-a-year maybe.
Path for otherworld-pulled humans returning.
A 'Returnee Gate.'
Han Jaewoo's chicken-and-hanwoo steps halted abruptly.
His blue eyes fixed on rippling portal.
Amid blinding blue radiance engulfing lobby.
From light's heart, silhouette of new returnee surviving another isekai hell slowly emerged.