Chapter 134. Christmas Is Coming
Chapter 134. Christmas Is Coming
David Lowell.
Scion of a storied European conglomerate family.
Born as heir to the house, he had never known what it meant to want for anything.
- So how much is that? Ah... that cheap?
Beyond mere lack, his wealth overflowed.
Few could speak to him while holding their heads high, and the seat of "Family Head" he was to inherit could sway the very finances of the Korean state. Yet even with all he possessed, he had a weakness.
- David...
- Yes, Mother.
- You're already losing your hair...
No matter how masterfully he styled it with the latest technology, he could not hide the despondency he felt every time he faced a mirror. As heir to the house, he spent hours laboring over his hair before attending society parties. He had to part his comb-over, meticulously fill in his strands, and receive every chemical and technological aid that made his hair appear fuller.
'But all that was meaningless now...'
David stared quietly at Song Hoon, who sat before him and spoke.
"Alright. Let's do this."
David watched him silently, afraid that even his own breathing might disturb him.
"You said you would invest 50 million euros every year, correct?"
At Song Hoon's question, David nodded. Casting aside his dignity as the face of the family, he spoke with desperation. He did not hesitate to reveal his situation frankly.
"Then continue that investment, and give half of that—20 million euros—to us every year."
He was surprised.
Because it was so cheap.
A cure with no side effects for only 20 million euros...?
If it were him, he would have raked in money from the world's wealthy.
"In that case, for how long...?"
"Until you no longer need this food's assistance."
'I see...'
David nodded.
"Do you perhaps think it's expensive?"
"Ha ha, it is expensive... but it's worth every penny."
All wealthy people like him had slush funds anyway. Whether legal or illegal... Considering that, 20 million euros a year?
'It meant not having to stress over money alone...'
Just then, Song Hoon spoke.
"I have no desire for money. I have enough to do everything I want. Most of this money will go to our foundation."
At those words, David narrowed his eyes. His wavelength was different from a businessman and family head like himself.
'All that money to charity...? He's an unusual person.'
Worried the deal might fall through, David quickly pulled a pen from his inner pocket.
"Then let us draft the contract..."
"No, there's no need for a contract."
Song Hoon waved his hand lightly. Then he placed a dish on the table. On it was a sea anemone of a peculiar color.
"Well, I trust you'll keep your word."
Was he trusting him? David shook his head and swallowed dryly.
'Confidence born from overwhelming power...'
A thought suddenly struck him.
Was this man, Song Hoon, perhaps waiting for someone to defy him? To make an example for the world.
'He's not just a brute with strength...'
A man who toyed with other S-rank Hunters like infants. To be blunt, even if he committed atrocities across the globe, there was nothing anyone could do. They could only pray that he respected humanity's laws and continued to abide by them.
He recalled an incident from his time in Mexico. A city erased from the map, land where everything vanished without leaving a single plume of smoke. All his family's intelligence network could confirm was that something none dared oppose had swept through.
'That woman...'
And the woman always at Song Hoon's side. A dignified woman with a pure smile on the surface. Within his family, it was already consensus that the cause of "that incident" was "magic from the woman named Laila."
'Well, that's not what's important now.'
David stopped further idle thoughts. He picked up the sea anemone and swallowed it in one bite. Even for a man who had lived for decades as one of the wealthy, he marveled at a taste he had never experienced before.
'They could sell this as a high-end dessert, not just medicine...'
He slowly rose from his seat and bowed his head to Song Hoon.
"Thanks to you, I feel I no longer have to be ashamed of myself."
He meant it. He bowed his head one last time to Song Hoon and turned away.
'To be bound by blood to a man like that... how wonderful would it be? If his power merged with our family's wealth...'
His beautiful daughters. Their faces flashed through his mind one by one.
---
Time flowed slowly but surely. The sensational "miracle hair-loss cure" gradually settled down through verification and balance. In fact, Song Hoon's viewers also kept journals, regularly informing the public of its stability.
"Now aren't all the hair-loss companies going bankrupt?"
The market's reaction was violent. Stock prices fluctuated wildly, and the tension in the pharmaceutical industry exceeded that of any new drug announcement. But one quiet shake of Serenia's head during a broadcast flipped the script.
"That food is very precious to begin with. It's something even nobles have trouble obtaining."
At that single line, the industry breathed a collective sigh of relief. And in the midst of it, Song Hoon extended a hand faster than expected. He proposed to various companies that they receive a small regular supply of the sea anemone from the kingdom and research it together.
"If their companies go bankrupt because of this, they'll get cursed out like crazy... Better to just take money and supply it."
And David. His quiet deal with that European conglomerate spread in secret, and other global tycoons quietly reached out one after another. Like David, they annually donated large sums to Song Hoon as royalties.
"How much is this... it's huge."
That money was entirely allocated to the Seonghwa Foundation.
---
Outside the window, a pale winter sunlight spread, and a brief tranquility settled indoors. Laila leaned against me as usual, sitting on the sofa.
"Hero, it's already the end of the year again, isn't it?"
At Laila's words, I looked outside. Thick snowflakes, announcing winter, were falling.
'Come to think of it... it's Christmas.'
The most important event for lovers. I stared quietly at Laila nestled in my arms. The second Christmas on Earth with her.
'Last year...'
Laila, who had followed me to Earth with eyes only for me. When I thought about it, I hadn't really done anything special for her last year. Even if I got slapped, I'd have nothing to say...
'I already posted a break notice, so...'
Actually, I was a little worried. No matter how calm I was, I was afraid of unnecessary gossip. Even so, the viewers' reactions were cool. So cool, in fact, that even I, who posted the notice, was flustered.
↳ Is there anyone whose neck broke from finding out they were a couple only after that post?
↳ All those cranes were already dead lol
↳ Lovers being together on Christmas was natural...
↳ For real, it's an event that happens once a year
↳ It's only natural to get dumped if you don't go on a date at Christmas
↳ Even I'd be super bummed if my girlfriend said she had something to do then, right?
↳ Do you have a girlfriend?
↳ You son of a bitch
I chuckled at the viewers' comments.
'Was our stream the only weird one?'
There used to be occasional rumors about streamers taking breaks. Some madman even compiled a whole list of streamers taking breaks on Christmas or Christmas Eve and wrote a post about it. I didn’t know why he did it, but the streamers who took breaks got cursed out.
'It was not about us, so I did not care... but what could I do to make Laila happy?'
Just as that thought crossed my mind, Laila spoke first.
"Hero, it's almost Christmas, right?"
"It is."
Doing a surprise event didn't suit my personality. So I was direct with Laila.
"Laila, is there something you want?"
"Hmm..."
She tilted her head and smiled softly. Then she glanced up slightly and met my eyes.
"On the contrary, Hero, is there something you want?"
I stared at her for a moment, then gave her a short kiss on the forehead.
"All I need is you."
A short and simple statement. But that single line resonated in Laila's heart. At my direct words, Laila's face instantly flushed red.
"A-again...! I told you not to go around saying things like that!"
"Huh? I'm just telling the truth."
"R-really...!"
She threw a light tantrum, clutched my collar slightly, and curled up as if shy.
"You mustn't unconsciously charm people like that!"
...? Who's charming who...
"Hero."
"Yeah?"
She narrowed her eyes playfully and slowly whispered.
"I don't think Santa will be coming this Christmas."
Santa, all of a sudden...? Did Laila actually believe in Santa?
"...What do you mean by that?"
Then Laila softly brought her lips to my ear. Her breath tickled my ear as she whispered.
"A pretty Santa with blue hair and golden eyes... will come to give a gift to the good Hero."
Her eyes slightly curved as she smiled bewitchingly.
Give... a gift? Not take "something" away...?