The Morning Tuna Tribute
In a pink-hued space, minotaurs wearing yellow tights danced around a round table.
They were practically gentlemen compared to what came next.
The Gujiga spirits were still dancing completely naked atop the table.
Looking around, unidentifiable silhouettes twirled around the table as well…
Ah. This is a dream.
I swear I will wake up.
Slap!
Kim Hwang-je struck his right cheek with every ounce of strength he possessed.
“Ughhhhhhh!”
He snapped awake.
He checked the clock at once. The one on the wall read 5:59 a.m.
Having jolted himself out of sleep through self-inflicted pain, Kim Hwang-je spent a full five seconds wondering whether this was actually reality.
Then he opened the window and leaped out.
Benedict screamed.
“No! This is the second floor!”
“Ah! I forgot!”
It wasn’t his old one-room studio after all.
Damn those spirits!
Thud!
“Ughhh…”
The barrier saved him.
His face was planted squarely in the yard.
A once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Kim Hwang-je scrambled to his feet.
Benedict fluttered around his head like a fairy.
“What is happening! Are we under attack?!”
“Get out of the way!”
“Get out of the way?”
“Anti-demon…”
Thud!
A gold coin dropped squarely onto Benedict’s head as he caught Kim Hwang-je.
“Gack!”
“Oh dear. You must be careful with the anti-demon gold coins…”
It was Benedict’s first morning tribute.
The falling anti-demon gold had struck him on the head and knocked him out.
To Kim Hwang-je it was merely a coin, but to Benedict it was a metal mass as large as his own skull.
Kim Hwang-je caught the tumbling Benedict in his hand.
“Ah, that hurts more than I expected…”
Benedict’s face flushed red.
It was an excuse for his undignified scream.
“It’s because these coins scatter magic power.”
Kim Hwang-je snatched the falling gold coins and tossed them straight into the trading window.
Collecting gold coins had become completely routine.
Then an alarm appeared.
Your Great Majesty. The fish tribute is coming!
It was a report from Sirius, not Bahu.
“It’s coming…!”
Tense, he looked up at the sky.
A vivid blue portal opened. The cries of seagulls over a blue sea rang out, and then—
Whoosh!
Flop! Flop! Flop!
Splash!
Seawater thick with fishy stench and countless fish poured into the safe house yard.
Crash!
At the sudden bluefin tuna uproar, Seo Jun-seo burst from the kitchen in a panic.
He was still wearing his suit, an apron tied over it, and holding a kitchen knife.
Was he making breakfast?
“Boss! Are you all right?”
“Seawater is splashing onto your suit. Step back a little.”
Kim Hwang-je remained unusually calm.
He covered his nose with his cloak and retreated slightly.
The yard where lush grass had grown moments earlier turned into a muddy swamp of seawater in seconds.
Aigo, all that precious grass is going to die.
“Your Majesty. Are those… fish?”
Seo Jun-seo’s mouth hung open.
With only a little exaggeration, a mountain of fish had formed.
Poyu fluttered upward, snatched one fish in its mouth, and flew off.
“Heheheng~”
Poyu landed on a nearby rock and began nibbling at the fish.
“It’s the morning tribute. And Mr. Seo Jun-seo, there is absolutely no need for you to cook. Please stop.”
“Ah, I was only reheating simple dishes available in the safe house. It isn’t really cooking.”
There was clearly something on that knife.
Kim Hwang-je decided to ignore it.
“Anyway, we’re far too busy for that, so please don’t. I can just summon meals.”
“Yes, understood.”
He was far too valuable a resource to waste on cooking.
Why didn’t the resident summoning system offer something like [Proper Chef]?
Please, anything but the one that eats shit. Give me a normal cook.
Kim Hwang-je sent every wriggling fish on the ground, the occasional tuna, and the barrel of salted fish that had landed softly beside them straight to the royal castle.
Ugh, the horrible fishy smell.
He dug up a little more ground and sent everything away.
“Mr. Seo Jun-seo, if there’s any salt left, could you bring the whole box?”
“Yes!”
Kim Hwang-je sent the entire box of salt Seo Jun-seo fetched to the royal castle as well.
This should be enough for quite a few people to eat their fill.
He had ordered Bahu to catch tuna as punishment, but it seemed the royal castle would now enjoy a hearty meal thanks to it.
When he checked with World Observation, Dave and Gemini were once again waiting in the castle yard for the bestowed goods this morning.
Rumble—!
Splash, splash!
Flop, flop!
The faces of everyone witnessing the bluefin tuna rampage brightened at once.
Your Majesty.
Bluefin tuna is love.
Please savor the flavor that melts tenderly on the tongue.
The royal chef from Sinal Port has prepared the finest sashimi, steamed dishes, and grilled fare.
Kim Hwang-je scratched the back of his head.
Well, if they’re offering, there’s no reason to refuse.
A short while later, Kim Hwang-je and Seo Jun-seo sat at the table enjoying a luxurious bluefin tuna feast.
Poyu sat beside them, and Benedict took a seat as well.
Watching a chibi-style handsome man eat tuna sashimi was a strangely fascinating sight.
“Luxury like this from the crack of dawn is astonishing…”
“The aroma of the sea remains potent. I am most satisfied.”
“It’s really nothing special. Truly. So please stop cooking from now on.”
Kim Hwang-je repeated himself.
On the table lay not only tuna sashimi but an entire morning set the royal chef had sent as tribute.
Oil-rich tuna steak baked in the oven, fish stew loaded with cheese and milk.
And bread spread thick with a filling of mashed mayonnaise, potato, and fish.
The bread itself was mediocre, but the filling was excellent.
“…After eating nothing but gruel, a meal like this would naturally inspire loyalty.”
Seo Jun-seo’s eyes widened.
Kim Hwang-je felt a warm glow in his chest as well.
When he secretly checked, loyalty remained steady at 80/100.
Seo Jun-seo continued.
“Jung Jin-woo said he would arrive with the deputy team leader as soon as the commissioner’s meeting concludes this morning.”
“They’re coming early?”
“They say recovering the gold crown is their highest priority as well. We can expect favorable results.”
Kim Hwang-je nodded and dipped a piece of fatty tuna belly in soy sauce.
“Mmm!”
This was happiness.
Through World Observation he saw that Bahu was working extremely hard catching fresh bluefin tuna today as well.
Then the doorbell rang.
“People really can’t behave like gentlemen. I’ll tell them to send two more portions.”
* * *
He had only asked for two extra servings, but the chef must have been in a good mood; the table was now so loaded it looked ready to collapse.
“Wait, did that really happen?”
The narrow-eyed man—Monster Security Agency team leader Jung Jin-woo—spoke.
He sighed at Seo Jun-seo’s story, clapped, trembled his hands, looked skyward, kicked his feet, and uttered sounds like “Ugh, mm, aigo, oh dear,” listening with his entire body.
What is this guy even doing…
He didn’t act like this toward me before.
Oblivious to those thoughts, Jung Jin-woo went on.
“To threaten someone like Kim Hwang-je, our national hero—the fact that such a person sits as a standing director in the Hunter Association is a grave issue. Are you all right, Your Majesty? You must have been terribly shocked.”
It was awkward.
Kim Hwang-je scooped up some stew and ate it instead of answering.
Lee Min-ah spoke for him.
“Team Leader, the time has come where we truly cannot stand by. Not only did they dodge primary responsibility for the hotel collapse, they even demanded the Saint kill himself. Their shamelessness has reached its peak!”
Lee Min-ah’s reaction was far more restrained than Jung Jin-woo’s.
Yet Kim Hwang-je had already noticed how tightly she was clenching her fists—her hands had turned pure white.
Those hands were going to hurt tomorrow.
“So, is your body truly all right?”
“Ah, yes. I recovered thanks to everyone.”
Kim Hwang-je couldn’t admit he had fled because it was annoying, so he left it at that.
Lee Min-ah let out a heavy sigh.
“In the west, pirates are rising. The mood in Japan is ominous, and the northern front is in the worst state possible. Please take care of your health.”
“Did something happen in North Korea again?”
“Not exactly… More like there’s nothing left there that hasn’t happened.”
She was right.
But she also seemed reluctant to say more.
“No, you don’t have to tell me if it’s difficult.”
“This gate will be completely different from the previous ones.”
Jung Jin-woo took over.
“For reasons unknown, space across the entire world is fluctuating. An underwater giant rose from the sea all the way to Seoul, and no one noticed.”
Ah, that giant.
The moment he first blocked its breath flashed through his mind.
But what did that mean?
“Space is fluctuating?”
“I’m not certain. It may be the aftermath of some great magic. But whether it’s an organization or an individual, we will not let them escape once we find them.”
Grind.
Jung Jin-woo clenched his teeth.
“We’re mobilizing every resource, yet we still can’t locate them… This has never happened before. Still, Interpol and the United States have agreed to assist, so we should find them soon.”
“Is it that serious a problem?”
“Absolutely. The barrier overload became critical because of it, which allowed Howling’s intrusion.”
Kim Hwang-je hadn’t known, but eventually Commissioner Lee Cheong-jun would have to appear on television yet again to deliver a national apology.
And the more frequent such incidents became, the more the regime would shake. They had every reason to be sensitive.
“Ah… I hope you find them quickly.”
Kim Hwang-je offered the words with genuine feeling.
“Thank you, Your Majesty. That is why we predict the next incident will erupt in North Korea rather than in Korea, Japan, or China, where the barriers are stronger.”
“Ah… That is indeed a big problem.”
Kim Hwang-je sighed.
Lee Min-ah smiled.
“Still, since you promised to donate the gold crown, we can breathe easier.”
“Does the government consider this extremely important?”
“Of course. As the first sorcery of the Korean Peninsula, simply having it condensed within our borders will drastically reduce gate occurrence rates. Economically, the benefit equals hosting the World Cup every single year.”
That was enormous.
If he ran off abroad with it, chaos would certainly follow.
“Usage rights remain permanently with you, Mr. Kim Hwang-je. Yet the mere fact that you will not take the artifact overseas is already an immense help. The regime’s approval rating will soar.”
That was impressive.
It seemed he had chosen the right rope to grab.
So this item was that valuable!
“You heard about the prosecution’s charges, correct?”
“Mr. Seo Jun-seo told me. Chief Prosecutor Jung Jin-seok is being used as Jo Chun-ki’s attack dog.”
“Correct. They’re talking about rebellion charges and worse. They even said they’d detain him, prosecute him, and kill him with a saw inside the detention center. Truly horrific.”
Jung Jin-woo gave a dry laugh.
“He’s a son of a bitch who doesn’t know his place and runs wild, just like his master.”
“Pardon?”
Wow, strong language.
Still, since he was on my side, it felt good.
“The Security Agency also has several cases tied to him regarding the department promotion issue. Dealing with the Hunter Association faction centered on Jo Chun-ki was always uncomfortable.”
Jung Jin-woo nodded.
“But once we bring this donation matter upward, the scales will tip decisively. The news tomorrow should be entertaining.”
“Upward meaning whom?”
Jung Jin-woo smiled with narrowed eyes.
“Who else? The highest place in this country. This gold crown carries exactly that much weight, Your Majesty. Right now you are putting the VIP in your debt.”
Simply possessing it was enough to put the president in his debt?
“Then, since I’m donating it anyway, there’s one more favor I’d like to ask.”
Kim Hwang-je glanced at Seo Jun-seo.
Seo Jun-seo produced the prepared file.
It concerned SOC investment.
Jung Jin-woo opened the documents with evident curiosity.
Kim Hwang-je said, “I want to build one port.”
“I see. A tax offset measure?”
Jung Jin-woo was clearly familiar with such deals.
Whether ports or mines, defense facilities built by hunters and hunter corporations in lieu of taxes dotted the country.
“Yes.”
“A port… I will also propose an additional SOC project permit for either Busan or Incheon. Which location would be more convenient?”
“I just want to build a regional port. A place crawling with monsters is fine.”
In fact, the more the better.
“Those are welcome words. I will do my utmost to ensure you have maximum freedom.”
Jung Jin-woo smiled meaningfully.
“Ah, and I also want to sell oil.”
“You mean the rights to sell monster heavy fuel? Hmm… That will be difficult to promise. The next bidding round for business rights is extremely competitive. Honestly, it’s beyond my authority.”
“No, I mean crude oil.”
“Crude… oil?”
Jung Jin-woo flinched in surprise.
He continued, “Will you use the Arctic route? Or the southern route?”
“That’s undecided. Does it matter?”
Jung Jin-woo interpreted the words as a polite refusal.
Don’t pry too deeply.
He shrugged.
“Well, it doesn’t matter. Southern route pirates or northern route pirates—they won’t pose much threat before you, Your Majesty. I will do my best to secure the import permit as well.”
Kim Hwang-je suddenly thought:
Money really does make things convenient.
It felt like only yesterday that this man had arrogantly told him to get lost at the mart.
* * *
Once Jung Jin-woo left, Seo Jun-seo spoke.
“While you were meeting, I received a message from Ms. Jung Da-yeon. She has rented a drillship that just finished operations at the Sakhalin trench oil field. The shipping company is bringing it to the East Sea.”
“You handle matters incredibly fast.”
“It is because we are Lost. However, she asked me to inform you that the FPSO will take additional time. There are currently no spare refining facilities available.”
Even so, Kim Hwang-je was impressed.
If he had tried to do this alone, it would have been impossible.
As expected, large-scale projects were never meant to be handled solo. When forces combined, work progressed smoothly.
“Let’s go see the drillship when it arrives. And once everything is ready, we need to call Jo Chun-ki’s people and prepare to fight.”
Kim Hwang-je observed Bahu catching fish through World Observation.
Then he issued a command.
Cease the fish hunting and increase our forces further. The time to rescue Teacher Labanus draws near.
[Understood…]
He had become noticeably obedient.
Bahu set down the slimy fish and looked around.
“This disgusting fish-catching duty is over…”
The ship, packed densely with evil spirit trees, raised roots that resembled fishing lines.
“Catch the orcs… I shall increase the undead…!”
The fleet unfurled its sails and raced across the sea in search of the orcs’ trade vessels.
Having watched the scene, Kim Hwang-je spoke to Seo Jun-seo.
“Let us head to the East Sea as well.”