Chapter 189
Chapter 189
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 189
Chapter Title: Jun-sama (3)
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“Oh man! Ma, Japan’s savior Chairman Han Seo-jun has arrived! I was waitin’ just for ya.”
The moment I stepped into the Blue House, Professor Kim’s voice—thick as if he’d boiled a train whistle in soup—pierced my ears.
It was still daytime, but he looked like he’d already knocked back a drink or two. A couple bottles of Japanese sake were rolling around on the table.
“The savior label feels a bit heavy. Ah, the hero one too, honestly…”
“Well, sure. You’ve already got the Jun-sama title locked down. Savior or hero would just be small change, right? Ain’t that so, Mr. President?”
Even when I said it was burdensome, Professor Kim—the drunken rambler—always dragged it out to the second verse.
The president, at least, seemed to have only sipped his as a chaser. He looked relatively composed, chiming in with the sly fox’s grin.
“That ‘sama’ stuff they slap on royalty over there? At this point, it feels like fate.”
“Keuheung, knew ya had some smarts. Good choice makin’ friends with me!”
I’d heard they were hometown buddies, but damn if they weren’t actually tight.
The two middle-aged guys laid it all out without a care, basking in their own cozy vibe right in front of me.
Once the laughter had bloomed just right, the president casually asked Professor Kim to give us some space.
“Hahaha. I’d love to chat longer, but my schedule’s tight. Professor Kim, mind stepping out for a bit?”
“Whoops, my bad on the timing. Then you two have a good talk.”
The man’s instincts were razor-sharp—he was gone in a flash.
As his footsteps faded, the president stood from his chair and pointed out the window toward me.
“Weather’s nice now. Shall we take a stroll?”
“Sounds good.”
This guy really loved the outdoors. How the hell did he survive last winter?
Cherry blossoms blanketing the lawn. He tossed a rubber ball for his fluffy dog to fetch, stretched, and turned to me.
“The more I chew on it, the more impressive it gets. Chairman Han.”
“Just heaven’s grace.”
“You’re too modest. Things went better than expected. With the Japan relations fix and that princess scandal.”
“Leave out the part after that, please…”
He knew it wasn’t true, but the president didn’t drop his mischievous smile.
“A man’s gotta brag sometimes. When you get older, you live off memories like that.”
“Ah, yes.”
“Oh, right. That’s actually why I wanted to talk.”
Instead of business, the president was nosing into this nonsense.
I was debating whether to give this sentimental uncle a piece of my mind when his tone shifted.
“Hmm, this is just personal curiosity, mind you.”
The mood changed subtly.
Like a kid handed a tricky puzzle for the first time, he furrowed his brow and tossed me a question.
“Any extra intel on Princess Hina and her entourage? Especially the female attendants.”
“What’s up?”
“Well, the thing is…”
The president trailed off.
What he told me next—I had no clue back then how it’d come back to bite me later.
* * * *
“Alright, everyone! Let’s head out!”
Incheon Airport. Princess Hina bounced off the plane, buzzing with excitement.
She felt free from the suffocating palace life, but traps lurked everywhere.
If there’s tension too wild to handle, there’s always something to rein it in.
“Princess Hina. Please stay calm. You must be extra careful with your behavior in Korea. Far more than now.”
The female attendant blasting a storm of nagging into the princess’s ears.
She looked just over thirty. Tall, with silver-rimmed glasses and a cold demeanor.
“You’re always like this, Maria. Way too strict.”
“For one living as the Lord’s little lamb, discipline is life itself.”
“Ugh, fanatic…”
Maria, a woman of devout faith.
In religion-weak Japan, she stood out, but she’d been selected as one of Princess Hina’s attendants. One of the few the princess actually listened to.
“No forgotten items, so we’re good to go, Your Highness.”
“See? You’re just overprotective, Maria.”
“I’ll protect you to the end, Princess. From worldly dangers or those beyond.”
“Huh? What’s that mean?”
Princess Hina tilted her head, a tiny question mark hovering above.
Maria didn’t answer directly—just fiddled with her rosary hidden in her sleeve.
She wore an enigmatic smile, her true thoughts unreadable.
“Maria?”
“Time to move. No dawdling—let’s go.”
“Fine, enough nagging already.”
Shaking her head like she was fed up, Princess Hina headed out of the airport.
Maria watched the princess’s back as she stepped into the new world’s embrace. Then, in a voice no one could hear, she added words she shouldn’t.
“Toward that promised day guided by the Lord. One step, one step.”
* * * *
Ammunition Group headquarters, chairman’s office.
I’d rushed back from the president, skipped the family home, and dove straight into work. Lately, work kept piling up—maybe this was fate too.
“Hmm… nothing special stands out.”
Earlier, on the Blue House lawn, the president had trailed off awkwardly.
I recalled that sly political demon’s face—his instincts screaming something was up—as we talked.
‘That princess of theirs, Hina. She’s a bit odd, y’know.’
‘That’s a given. Like an axiom in math or something.’
Hina being odd? What made that obvious?
He seemed to get it and quickly clarified.
‘No, no. Not that she’s a handful. It’s her people around her.’
‘Her entourage? The ones tagging along to Korea?’
‘Yeah. National Intelligence Service dug up zilch. But grilling a foreign VIP’s staff? That’s, well…’
‘Asking for a diplomatic brawl.’
The president nodded.
Riding the peace I’d engineered, he wanted to turn it into a legacy—no needless friction.
He hurled the rubber ball from his glove and laid his cards bare.
‘Japan ties improved, locked in my election theme. Don’t want hiccups. All thanks to Chairman Han’s causality.’
Of all things, blaming me?
Mouth agape in disbelief, he patted my shoulder as he approached.
Guess you need cheeks that thick to run a country.
‘So, Japan relations beachhead and savior, Jun-sama—keep an eye out.’
‘No. Why me?’
‘What those attendants are up to, any skeletons, etc. Just manage so no incidents pop.’
‘Mr. President. You’re asking me to surveil them…’
No reason for a civilian like me to shoulder spying on a foreign princess’s staff.
I was about to refuse with a solid excuse when—
‘Ah, nuclear regs lift and Export-Import Bank funding done by Q2. Han-Japan exchange fund approval’s already through.’
If no reason, he’d make one.
Too many perks to turn down.
Damn tanuki political beast.
‘Guess I’ll handle the surveillance.’
‘That’s Chairman Han. Even mangled words, you get the gist perfectly.’
Pushes a messy demand, gets it through, and pats himself on the back.
No point dwelling on this guy’s mind—headache city. I spun my chair toward the window and muttered.
“Damn raccoon.”
I’d planned to stash her in the entertainment dorms and forget it, but A/S requests kept flying in. Guess it’s my lot in life.
“Well… gotta check the entourage at least. Can’t just invite Hina to Korea and tune out completely.”
*Knock, knock, knock.*
Right on cue, as I steeled myself, a knock. With Assistant Yoo Se-na on vacation, another secretary office staffer spoke up.
“Chairman, madam is here. Shall I prepare?”
“Ah, yes—right away.”
Mom, soon to helm the new entertainment company.
First time in business for her—time to sit down and talk it through properly.
* * * *
Dim church interior, hazy smoke drifting.
In this quiet rural village chapel, an all-night prayer vigil raged.
“Brothers and sisters suffering in the devils’ world! I see what others can’t!”
“Amen.”
The cult [Garden of the Lord], expanding nationwide.
Its leader, Park Geum-deok, fleeced believers to own multiple record labels, posing publicly as a middle-aged businesswoman.
Though right now… she was just a heretic claiming to speak for God.
“With this holy eye in my palm, bestowed by the Lord! Judgment Day visible only to it! Now I’ll peer into your hearts!”
“Waaaaah! Hallelujah!”
Incense laced with some drug, no doubt. Hearts pounding to the music, they slipped into hypnosis-like trance.
Cult leader Park Geum-deok placed a hand on a man’s head and bellowed.
“Brother! Is the soul in your breast bold before judgment?”
“I believe! Lord!”
Tears streaming from the man.
She gripped a foaming woman’s shoulder tight and shouted.
“Sister! Have you bound Satan in your heart with gospel chains?”
“Amen! Amen! Amen! Amen!”
Believers sprawled on the floor in collective ecstasy.
Park Geum-deok towered amid them, burning the prayer vigil’s final flames with all her might.
“Soon! That day comes. Judgment Day, boarding the ark amid the perishing world! We [Garden of the Lord] faithful, starting anew atop it! Hallelujah!”
“Hallelujah! We believe!”
Even after she vanished behind the curtain, the cries lingered.
Only outside did Park Geum-deok show her true face.
“Phew, stupid livestock. Gotta train ’em like that every so often—such a chore.”
Lighting her cigarette.
As her first puff escaped, a man in his forties knelt before her.
“Um, Prophet Mother.”
“Ah, evangelist. What’s up?”
“From Japan… top believer contact.”
Top believer.
She stubbed out her smoke at the words.
“Top believer? Sister Maria? Hand it over!”
A short report, just a few sheets. Enough info to curl Park Geum-deok’s lips into a grin.
“Heh heh heh… So, Hina Princess is finally coming.”
Eyes blazing with greed.
She wanted it.
To surpass the World Church—a Japanese cult success envied by chaebol—with her own empire.
And the sacrificial lamb for that first button? Princess Hina.
“Alright then… Shall we get started? Operation Princess Recruitment.”