Chapter 205: Artemis's Silver Bow (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 205: Artemis's Silver Bow (5)
My ryokan…
So much for my plan of getting a room to myself.
The problem, as always, was that these women knew me far too well.
Knowing me so well is helpful in most situations.
But in moments like this, there was nothing more tragic than the fact that they could see right through my thoughts and intentions.
“First… as soon as we arrive in Japan, we’re heading straight for Tokyo.”
I sat them all down in a room at the Portal Clearance Office lounge and began the mission briefing.
Truthfully, there was no reason for any of the women other than Sion and me to be at the negotiation table.
In fact, the more influential figures present—like Cheon Yeo-wool, the Saintess of Arcadia; Kang A-rin, the successor to Maengju; and Yu Hana, the treasured daughter of the Yu Family—the more likely it was that our counterparts, the Yatagarasu, would feel pressured, perceiving it not as a negotiation but as a threat.
If I were in their shoes and suddenly a cabinet minister and a corporate chairman walked into a negotiation, I’d probably feel the same way.
And that would cause the negotiations to fall apart.
“So… until the talks are over, you all should go sightseeing. Do some shopping. Just relax and enjoy your freedom.”
Therefore, I told them to go be tourists.
Nope.
I fully expected a chorus of protests, of “No way.”
I especially thought Cheon Yeo-wool would throw a tantrum and tag along anyway, ignoring me completely…
“Okay, then let’s go shopping.”
To my surprise, Cheon Yeo-wool and the other women didn’t argue. They just nodded in agreement.
They even started chattering about which department store to visit.
What was going on?
Only Yoon Chae-ha looked conflicted, glancing uneasily at the older girls.
How should I put this?
Technically, there was no age difference between them.
But sometimes, it felt like Yoon Chae-ha was by far the youngest sister of the group.
Well, since Chae-ha was just a kid with no real influence… I figured it wouldn’t hurt to bring her along.
So, I spoke to her separately.
“You can come with me.”
“…Okay.”
Yoon Chae-ha’s expression brightened at my words.
And with that, the briefing was over.
I stood up from my seat.
It was almost time for our portal.
We headed straight for the portal entrance.
*
This world operated on the lore I had written for the original story.
While the basic geography and nations were taken directly from the 21st-century Earth I had lived on…
The relationships between countries and the balance of power flowed quite differently.
For starters, the main stage for this story was Korea.
And since I was Korean…
I had concentrated a lot of power in Korea.
From the Hero and the Saintess to an unusually high number of S-Class Heroes for its population, and even a team like the Vanquisher.
And crucially, the protagonist.
It was safe to say that its national standing was within the top three in the world.
Consequently, that power carried significant weight even in typical negotiations.
A few days before heading to Japan, I had sent a letter to the Yatagarasu.
I stated that I wished to negotiate for Iano’s lost legacy, and for an artifact of commensurate value.
The letter wasn’t an email or a digital message, but handwritten with a brush on traditional mulberry paper.
It was a gesture of respect for their long and storied culture.
And now, Yoon Chae-ha, Sion, and I had arrived at the shrine.
The Hanazono Shrine was surprisingly large, nestled right in the middle of the city.
The moment we passed through the massive, red main gate, it felt as if the city’s noise had faded away.
We crossed a wide, gravel-covered courtyard and headed toward a large structure that appeared to be the main building.
A man in traditional clothing stood before it, as if he had been waiting for us.
“I am Jung Hae-in.”
I approached him and stated my name in Korean.
“I have been awaiting you.”
His expression remained unchanged as he bowed deeply.
His Korean pronunciation was flawless.
He began to slowly guide us down a hallway inside the building.
As we walked along the creaking wooden corridor, the scenery of the adjacent courtyard came into view.
A three-legged crow.
A statue of a crow adorned the center of the courtyard’s fountain.
The symbol of the Yatagarasu.
Finally, we arrived at the very end of the hall, before an ornate door painted with a massive bird.
The man who had been guiding us knelt before the door and murmured something in Japanese in a low voice to whoever was inside.
A woman’s voice responded from within.
Not being fluent in Japanese, I remained silent.
After hearing the woman’s reply, the man bowed his head deeply once more, then quietly slid the door open.
Just then, Yoon Chae-ha, who was standing beside me, whispered in my ear.
“He asked if we could enter. She said to come in.”
She translated for me, but…
To be honest, given the context… I probably would have figured it out without her help.
Still, she looked like she was hoping for praise, so I gave her a nod and a quiet pat on the butt.
Then, I stepped inside.
It was a traditional Japanese house, exuding an ancient atmosphere. The rich scent of old wood filled my nostrils.
Unlike the creaking hallway, the tatami mat floor was impeccably maintained.
A scroll painting of a giant crow, rendered in ink, hung on the wall.
In the center of the room sat a woman in traditional attire.
As she saw us, she slowly bowed her head, her posture perfectly composed.
“I have been awaiting you.”
She, too, was fluent in Korean.
Her voice was as clear as rolling pearls.
“I am Kisaragi Rin, the head of the Yatagarasu.”
I bowed my head in return.
“I am Jung Hae-in,” I said in Japanese.
It was a phrase I had deliberately prepared, despite my lack of fluency. I had also prepared a few other basic conversational phrases.
I felt it was proper to introduce myself in their native language.
After my introduction, Ha Sion and Yoon Chae-ha took the cue and politely stated their names in Japanese as well.
In this world, the relationship between Japan and Korea was somewhat different from the one I knew.
Japanese was a language one didn’t necessarily need to learn, whereas Korean was one of the world’s common languages.
Perhaps because she hadn’t expected it, she seemed slightly flustered.
But Rin quickly composed herself and nodded.
“It is an honor to meet you. Please, feel free to speak in Korean for your comfort.”
From that point on, I didn’t hold back.
“I’ll get straight to the point.”
I had seen the bows on display as we crossed the shrine grounds.
“I want Artemis’s Bow… and Iano’s Ring.”
At my blunt words, Rin’s expression remained unchanged as she slowly closed her eyes.
Even Sion, standing beside me, shot me a surprised glance, as if she hadn’t expected me to get to business so quickly, before hastily looking forward again.
A moment later, Rin slowly opened her eyes.
“Both of those treasures… are things the Yatagarasu holds dear.”
“I am aware.”
I replied to her gentle refusal without wavering.
I had no intention of starting a fight here.
If the Yatagarasu were a malicious organization, it would be a different story. But ultimately, they were a group that followed Iano’s will, dedicated to eradicating the Demonic Force—a group walking the same path as us, in a way.
I believed the best method was to quickly provide what they wanted and receive what I wanted in return.
Without a word, I took a holographic photo and a keycard from my coat and slid them across the table in front of her.
Most transactions involving ultra-expensive artifacts were conducted by entrusting the items to national vaults and exchanging the keys to those vaults.
Understanding my intent, Rin slowly scanned the holographic photo I’d offered.
Her eyes, at first impassive, widened the moment she recognized the object in the picture.
“!?”
Her gaze was fixed on the pure white shrine maiden robes in the photo.
It was only natural.
It was the holy relic worn by Iano, the founder and symbol of the Yatagarasu.
Her head slowly lifted.
Seizing her moment of confusion, I pressed my advantage.
“If you wish to verify its authenticity… we can go to the vault.”
“That won’t be necessary.”
Before I could even finish, Rin shook her head urgently.
“I can tell just by looking. The aura of that holy relic… it cannot be faked. And… my apologies. Please give me… just a moment…”
Rin took a ragged breath, struggling to calm her racing heart.
I waited silently, giving her time to regain her composure.
After some time had passed, she finally spoke again.
“Allow me to give you my answer first. We, the Yatagarasu, would like to accept that trade.”
I nodded immediately.
“In that case…”
“However… there is… one… additional… condition…”
What now?
I hadn’t thought this wouldn’t be enough to satisfy them…
“To be honest, we did not anticipate you would offer such an incredible treasure… We had already prepared a condition from our side. It is something I must be so bold as to earnestly request…”
Whatever it was, I was willing to grant it, as long as it was within reason.
“Yes, please speak.”
I gestured for her to continue.
Rin slowly went on.
“Following the will of our founder, Iano, we have walked the path of eradicating the ‘Demonic Force’ for hundreds of years.”
“We are also well aware of the path you have walked, Sir Jung Hae-in. Your pure path of destroying the Apostles is without a single flaw.”
“As a human, I feel a sense of respect and… even awe…”
The praise continued.
It was enough to make me blush.
What could she possibly want that required such flattery?
“The Yatagarasu also wishes to lend its strength to your cause… but our power is dwindling, and I see no suitable successor to follow me.”
“I see.”
“This is the heart of the matter.”
As if she had finally made up her mind, she looked me straight in the eye.
“Sir Jung Hae-in.”
“To me, Kisaragi Rin, the head of the Yatagarasu…”
At that moment, Sion, standing beside me, narrowed her eyes.
“I ask that you bestow upon me… your seed.”
“…Excuse me?”
Thump.
I couldn’t believe my ears.
Before I could even answer, Rin broke her posture, prostrating herself so deeply that her forehead touched the floor.
“For the continuation of the Yatagarasu… I implore you.”
It was something I had not considered in the slightest…
A bewildering proposal.