A Date with the Grand Duchess
『The true charm of GM lies in its characters. That’s something I always emphasize. And by characters, I don’t just mean the hunters you can recruit. Supporting characters like Choi Yeosim, hidden characters like Akbong, even villains like Griff—they’re all indispensable parts of this world’s charm……
……
……The key is relationships. The way you set up your connections with characters completely changes the story. Since we’re dealing with a lot of Korean nationals here, let’s use Korea as an example. Depending on how you build your relationship with Lee Sang-byuk of the Ido Group, the difficulty can swing from the depths of hell to a penthouse in heaven……
……
……Evelyn Rothschild of Europe is the same type. Born a noble, this character despises vulgarity above all else. At the same time, she loves nobility so deeply that she feels a sense of duty to protect it for the sake of the world. This disposition is what makes opinions about Evelyn so divided—Europe’s Golden Goblin, Europe’s Treasure Chest…….』
The golden hair shone like sunlight, and her eyes held the calm depth of a lake. She carried an absolute nobility that only a true aristocrat could possess—one that favored tolerance over conversation and dominance over understanding.
Lee Shin felt the warmth of her hand once more and realized it again.
This is real……? Evelyn Rothschild?
“Oh my? How strange. Mr. Lee Shin, do you happen to know who this old lady is?”
“You’re the Grand Duchess Rothschild, aren’t you?”
“Oh my my?? I was only guessing, but you actually know? How could you possibly recognize me? I almost never show my face in public.”
It was indeed Evelyn.
Even while showing interest and goodwill, she never lost her sharpness.
But her opponent was Lee Shin. His knowledge was as thick as his shamelessness.
“I saw you in a magazine. You participated in the World Awakening Forum, didn’t you?”
“Hmm? Is that so? I did attend the Awakening Forum, but did I ever give an interview……?”
As Evelyn trailed off with a question mark, the elderly butler behind her bowed and whispered into her ear. Her eyes widened.
“Oh my? Surely not the interview from over forty years ago? The World Security Treaty? You saw that?”
“How could I not? ‘If those in authority abandon their responsibilities, who will bear them?’ It was the speech of the century.”
These days the Bureau showed little interest in anything outside gate-related matters, but in its early years it had been far more extreme. It didn’t just lack interest—it openly covered its ears and shut its eyes.
Various side effects had emerged from that situation. All sorts of violence and crime. That was how the organized “villains” we know today were born.
And the person who publicly condemned it was none other than Evelyn Rothschild—the heroine standing right in front of him.
“It was the first public statement denouncing the Bureau. If the Bureau created the rankers, then Lady Evelyn gave those rankers value. How could a guild representative not study something like that?”
“Oh my goodness! Amazing!”
“You were beautiful back then too, of course, but you’re even more beautiful now.”
“So lovely. This old lady is truly, truly moved.”
A past story buried and forgotten by time. Yet it was a story that had clearly shaped the present.
Evelyn Rothschild smiled as she recalled her own brilliant and singular self from those days.
At the same time, the young man who had given her an unexpected gift became even more endearing.
“Just as I thought.”
“Yes……?”
“There’s been a lot of talk about a genius representative, but By Jove! You’re not someone who should be called merely a genius, Mr. Lee Shin.”
“??”
“You are a treasure of mankind.”
“You flatter me.”
“It’s no exaggeration at all. If you have seen the tree, you have seen the wood. Live as long as this grandmother has and you’ll develop a certain insight. Remember that.”
An existence that held unique value in this world.
Just like Lee Sang-byuk, just like herself—she was looking at a treasure that could change the world.
That was why Evelyn once again confirmed that her decision to come here had been correct.
“The reason this grandmother moved Sang-byuk—your grandfather—to create this meeting is because I wanted to become close with you, Representative Lee Shin.”
Evelyn repeated the same words she had once spoken to Lee Sang-byuk.
She had watched his broadcasts. She had witnessed his insight in nurturing talent and reading the flow of matches, and the genius that shone even under the gaze of tens of millions.
That was why she wanted to entrust her family’s children to him.
Once again, the butler respectfully presented a document envelope bearing a formal seal.
“Ah, in case there’s any misunderstanding, I should mention that in Europe it’s quite common for families and nobles to sponsor hunters. There’s no other intention behind it.”
“I’m not misunderstanding. I’m familiar with European customs.”
“Oh my, what a clever young man! This will be easy to discuss.”
It was a culture where families became guardians for hunters in need of support, and the hunters repaid that support through steady growth.
Though simply put, this patronage system was a major characteristic of the European market.
“Depending on how much the sponsored hunters accomplish, the family’s reputation rises or falls. Families can use that reputation in their businesses or exert influence in politics. And for the Rothschilds, this is an especially important matter. Because……”
“You’re Jewish.”
“Oh! This time I’m genuinely surprised. You really don’t miss a thing, Representative Lee Shin!”
The Rothschild family, hated beyond mere discrimination. That was why they had to demonstrate ability more than other noble houses. Even just to protect their wealth and family.
And the core of that was the patronage system.
“Raise the most hunters and become the backbone of the magic stone industry.”
Hunters were military power. Magic stones were financial power.
The two were inseparable, and the Rothschilds had seized enormous wealth and influence through them.
That was why the proposal made to Lee Shin was far more significant than it appeared. It was both the family’s core business and a request for the future.
“I already knew roughly, but I didn’t expect to hear this story from the Grand Duchess herself.”
“I hadn’t planned on saying this much either, but after seeing the vessel you possess, I judged that for the sake of future trust, I shouldn’t hide things clumsily.”
“Thank you.”
“I know you’re in the middle of the league and that the guild comes first. So I’m not asking you to pour all of your genius into our children. Just fragments—small pieces of inspiration—would be enough.”
And the price of that inspiration was—
“Anything. I’ll grant you whatever you desire.”
How about it?
Evelyn’s proposal remained dignified.
This was an offer that could never be refused. Where in the world was the fool who would turn down a deal that was nothing but pure profit?
But—
“I’m sorry.”
For the first time, Evelyn’s face crumpled.
* * *
After Evelyn left, Lee Shin and Chae Dong-ha moved to their usual restaurant.
An empty barbecue place. While the pork belly sizzled on the grill, only heavy silence hung between the two men.
“……”
“……”
“You look like you have a lot to say.”
“……Would it be all right if I speak bluntly, Rep-re-sen-ta-tive?”
“I’ll allow it.”
“Have you lost your mind! Are you insane! Why would you turn that down!”
Chae Dong-ha pounded his chest and unleashed the frustration he had been holding back.
“It’s the Rothschilds! The godfathers of the European hunter scene!! The rulers of European magic stones!!”
If in Lee Shin’s previous life the Rothschilds had controlled oil, here they controlled magic stones and hunters.
They were absolute beings who could be said to hold the entire European energy market in one hand.
“They’re figures that ordinary people could live their entire lives without even seeing their shadows! And they offered you a blank check!!”
“It’s not like I have to devote all my energy. It’s just giving occasional advice whenever I have time. I could just reduce my broadcasts a little! We did far worse things in America! Compared to back then, this is nothing!”
If he wanted money, he could have a mountain of gold. If he wanted honor, he could move nations.
Even if it was for the sake of the guild that Lee Shin loved more than life itself, legendary equipment would no longer be a dream.
Even a brief thought made the reward immeasurable, yet Lee Shin had rejected the offer outright.
How could Chae Dong-ha not foam at the mouth? But while the vice-leader was beside himself with frustration, Lee Shin remained perfectly relaxed.
“Dong-ha hyung, why don’t we calm down and think for a moment?”
“What is there to think about! It’s the Rothschilds! No matter what you imagine, they’re people who can make it reality!!”
“Hmm, Dong-ha hyung. I’ve already turned my imagination into reality, haven’t I?”
“……!!”
“Drink this and cool your head first.”
Glug glug glug.
Lee Shin poured soju into a glass and slid it over, then filled his own.
“Kuh……! That’s good. Nothing beats working hard and having a glass of soju with samgyeopsal, kuh!”
“Will you tell me now?”
“Head cooled off?”
“A little. Though I still don’t understand.”
“Heh. I like the honesty.”
Lee Shin chuckled and spoke while chewing meat.
“Hyung, what’s the virtue I always emphasize?”
“Be good to the fans?”
“That’s just breathing. The virtue. You know it.”
“Self-objectification.”
“Correct. You have to know yourself. Only when you understand your own limits can you know how far you can jump and how much you can handle.”
It was a virtue carved into Lee Shin’s bones and the guiding principle behind all his actions.
Self-objectification.
Yet some people misunderstood it. A prime example was being stingy with self-evaluation.
“In our country where humility is considered a virtue, that’s often the case. Look, when people hear the phrase ‘know your place,’ they immediately frown. But if you break it down, it just means understanding your own position. There’s nothing negative about it at all.”
“Are you saying I was short-sighted?”
“You forgot how high we’ve climbed. More precisely, you were blinded by the enormous profit in front of you and lost sight of our position.”
“!!”
Of course, it wasn’t entirely Chae Dong-ha’s fault.
How many people could stay calm while staring at a golden tower stacked all the way to the clouds? Evelyn had clearly aimed for that reaction when she made the offer.
“……Wait a moment. Sorry to interrupt, but does that mean Lady Evelyn’s proposal was meant to shake us?”
“That’s her style. She presents benefits beyond anything you could imagine to dazzle you.”
Once you signed, you’d unconsciously feel you’d received a favor, and later you’d even feel obligated to repay that kindness.
“Remember this. Seizing the initiative through wealth and profit—that’s the Rothschild way of doing business.”
“……A transaction method that an ordinary person like me could never even imagine. Is this how the really big chaebols operate?”
“Heh heh, something like that.”
Well, he couldn’t exactly say he learned it from the game story.
Anyway, Lee Shin returned to the main point.
“All right, now that your head’s cooled down, let’s look at this calmly. What do we actually need?”
“Well……”
Money? They already had more than they could ever spend.
Power? At least within Korea, no one could interfere with Mir Guild’s affairs anymore.
Then what about ability? That didn’t even need to be said. It was Lee Shin’s ability that had achieved the first two things.
“Nothing, right?”
“Nothing at all.”
“Good. We don’t need anything.”
If they’d reached this point, the next question was obvious.
Then why had Evelyn come at this exact moment?
“It must be because of the broadcasts……”
“How many times have I gone live?”
“That’s…… true?”
“Is there anyone in Korea who doesn’t know that Representative Lee Shin is exceptional? Even that usually quiet King of All Kings wouldn’t deny my talent, would he? Am I wrong?”
“W-well, no.”
“Everyone already knows Lee Shin is a genius representative. Yet at this precise moment, Grand Duchess Evelyn Rothschild appears. Would someone of her caliber have ‘accidentally’ learned of my existence and come here?”
In the original GM, Evelyn Rothschild’s sphere of activity was Europe.
Her story was that after retirement she traveled across Europe with a backpack. During those travels, whenever she met someone with potential—someone she would call “a treasure of mankind”—she would spare no support.
Conversely, if she met someone lacking dignity, her benevolent expression would change.
『……If a guild lacks dignity, has moral flaws, or has used the “underworld” poorly enough to drop its morality stat into the negatives, then you should prepare for game over. That’s why her other nickname is “Europe’s Plague.”』
Her other alias. Europe’s Plague.
Yes—Evelyn Rothschild was never an easy opponent.
As expected, she was an extremely calculating and meticulous person. On par with Ido Group’s iron man, Lee Sang-byuk.
Someone like that didn’t know about Lee Shin? No. That was impossible.
Then why?
It was simple.
“Evelyn Rothschild, that grandmother, is afraid I might shatter Europe’s balance.”
“!!”
She wasn’t here for profit.
She had come to judge with her own eyes whether Lee Shin was a variable that could destroy the balance they had built—and if so, what to do about it.
Before he grew any larger.
“Then why did the chairman……”
“Grandfather? Of course he knew. You still don’t understand our grandfather? He wanted you to experience it yourself. Meeting someone of that caliber is probably an education in itself.”
“Huu…… That’s terrifying.”
“What’s terrifying about it? It’s fun, isn’t it? I’m so excited I can hardly stand it.”
In the game, this was a character who could never intervene at this point.
But Evelyn had come of her own accord and tested him.
Lee Shin found the situation rather enjoyable. This reality that deviated from data and predictions filled him with uncontainable delight.
Therefore—
“Well then, shall we dance?”
“Right now? Here?”
Chae Dong-ha instinctively tensed at the word “dance.”
Lee Shin laughed and patted his back.
This dance wasn’t that kind of dance.
* * *
The next day, Lee Shin arrived earlier than usual, radiating the maximum charm he could muster.
“Would you grant me the honor of escorting you today, Lady?”
Evelyn alternated between looking at the offered hand and his smiling face before bursting into bright laughter and taking his hand.
“Gladly.”