Translation Log: Raccoon Man Beginning

Okay, here we go. My primary goal here is to deliver a kickass translation of this "Raccoon Man Beginning" web novel chapter. It's got to be natural, funny, and read like it was written in English, with the right tone for each character. No omissions - 100% of the text has to make it in there. I need to nail the humor, which is key.

My focus is on capturing the nuance of the original Korean, which means keeping the honorifics (the nims, ssis, yangs, guns, isiyeos, and hasoseos) in ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Romanized form. I'll translate the terminology too, like "Demon King" and "magic" and so on. For pronouns, I'm sticking with "they/them" by default unless it's first-person or specific context, then it's "I/me". Profanity gets a direct English equivalent; no sugarcoating. I'm keeping the intent and the tone spot-on. Onomatopoeia stays in Romaji (that's how it's written in Korean, so I keep that). The original quote marks are staying put, too (" ", ' ', 「」, 『』). And most importantly, all Asian characters (Hanja, Hanzi, or Kanji) must be converted to English meanings; [Dormitory] instead of the original, for example. I'm going to make sure the line breaks, Markdown, and image tags are handled correctly, and I'm sticking to the glossary they provided.

So, here's the rundown of my key players:

Now for a quick mental run-through of the scenes:

I need to make sure I don't forget the honorifics: Lee Yoon-yang, Lee Gyeong-jin-ajeossi.

Key terminology: "Force User," "Master," "Enemy Species," "Powered Exoskeleton." Tone-wise, I'm going for casual (me), professional but stressed (Jason). I am making sure that I have no Asian characters.

Onomatopoeia? Got it: Kwa-ang! (door kicking).

[Raccoon Man Beginning]

Bianca Lowell is a Force User and, at the same time, Lee Yoon-yang's bodyguard. Therefore, her primary duty is to protect her charge while she lives in a foreign country.

The country known as the United States might look good on the surface, but inside, it has rotten parts just like any other nation. Above all, unlike Korea, it's a place where you can't just wander around at night.

Furthermore, if you go just a little bit north, you'll find the famous Harlem. Although it's said to have improved in modern times, it's definitely not a street a woman should walk alone.

For that reason, Bianca Lowell faithfully performed her duties as a bodyguard, but...

"Agent Lowell. Is the content of this report true?"

"......Yes."

In fact, her original profession wasn't a bodyguard, but an agent belonging to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

It might sound like a sudden story, but it was that way from the very beginning.

There's no way they would entrust the relative of a Master User from another country, who came to study in the United States, to a private security firm, right?

They had forged the documents for that side, but since her skills and career were actually much better, even if they found out, they wouldn't have any complaints.

"Severe injuries during the mission. That's entirely possible. Fractures in three ribs, including the right arm. Additionally, signs of internal bleeding and a concussion... This would be a serious injury even for a Master User. Naturally."

"......."

"I might have believed it if you weren't standing perfectly fine in front of me instead of being in a hospital bed."

Jason Bright. The fellow CIA agent who had met Raccoon Man as an ambassador with full authority spoke while looking at Bianca.

"A medicine that almost perfectly treats fractures and external trauma. Do you happen to have a sample?"

"I have already submitted it."

"Well done."

Jason let out a sigh. It wasn't the sigh of someone facing an unbelievable lie, but the frustrated sigh of someone who didn't know what to do.

"But honestly, it's only natural that it's absurd. I wouldn't have believed it myself until about ten minutes ago."

".......Pardon?"

"It's already appearing on the news. Whether it's Iron Raccoon or Flying Raccoon."

Bianca Lowell probably didn't know because she came to submit the report and the potion sample as soon as she regained consciousness, but Jason had already seen enough of the footage being broadcast.

A superhero in a full-body Powered Exoskeleton, moving unaffected by gravity, reaching estimated speeds of Mach 2 to 3, and equipped with weapons that deal effective blows even to Enemy Species.

"It's truly absurd. I'm not an expert in this field, but a Powered Exoskeleton that crams a power source into a machine barely the size of a human, flies easily at the speed of sound without propellant, and carries weapons capable of killing Enemy Species... Iron Man might be possible because it's a movie, but this is over-technology that defies common sense."

".....Is that so?"

The meaning of Bianca's words wasn't asking if Jason's self-muttering was true, but was closer to being surprised that Raccoon Man No. 2's technological prowess was at that level.

The United States' powered suits had reached a level where they were decent enough to be used in actual combat, but compared to what Raccoon Man No. 2 showed, they were like a newborn baby who had just started crawling.

If they possessed such technology, it wouldn't be strange even if they created and possessed a medicine extremely effective for external trauma.

"If it were just a weirdo with power, we might be wary, but if they also possess technology of a different dimension, we should strive to embrace them rather than be wary."

"Um, and also......"

"What is it?"

"I know the physical description of the man suspected to be Raccoon Man."

"What?!"

Jason shouted loud enough to make the office ring.

It had been quite a while since Raccoon Man appeared, yet they didn't know who he was. That was because he went around with his face covered. The fact that he strangely didn't even get caught on CCTV made it seem as if he was intentionally erasing the footage.

But if she said she knew Raccoon Man's face here, the value of that information would skyrocket.

"Can you draw a montage?"

"Yes, I can."

When collecting information, if there's a situation where they have to rely solely on memory, the only way is to draw it by hand, so CIA agents are equipped with basic art skills. They might not be at a professional level, but they can reach a level where the physical description is recognizable.

Bianca received paper and a pen and began drawing the montage of Raccoon Man on the spot. It didn't take as long as expected because Choi Ak's face was quite impressive and distinctive.

"I've finished drawing."

"Hmm..... He has a more vicious impression than I thought. He has the appearance of an ordinary Asian, but his impression changes drastically because of his eyes. Good work."

If they searched based on this montage, it would only be a matter of time before they found out where Raccoon Man lived and who he was.

But would that be enough?

"......Wait a minute."

Jason stopped his hand that was holding the montage. Should he really track him down like this?

A CIA that excessively interferes in incidents or ruins things with individual judgment is plenty in fiction. Furthermore, since it involves a Master User as well as technology of a different dimension, they must move more carefully.

"I'll keep this. I'll just leave it since it might be useful later."

"Pardon? But wouldn't it be better to find him?"

"What will you do once you find him?"

"That's......"

If they found him, information would surely leak from somewhere. And other countries would target Raccoon Man as well. Then friction would occur... and there's no guarantee that the impact wouldn't reach Raccoon Man.

"At most, it would be an recruitment attempt or an offer of immigration. But what if he refuses? In the end, that's it; there's nothing we can do. We shouldn't have to see blood by touching him for no reason, right?"

Know about him, but don't touch him.

That was exactly what Jason meant.

"According to what I heard personally, his wife was a US citizen."

"What?! Is that true?"

"Yes, that's probably why he smuggled himself all the way to America. Otherwise, how could he think of leaving even his homeland, Korea, behind?"

In fact, Sion was an alien before being a US citizen, but on paper, it was set up that way.

Even if it was fabricated, they would rather welcome it. It's better that she was a citizen, even if ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠fake, than having no connection at all.

"Right now, he has a favorable impression of America even if we leave him alone. He's on good terms with Thunderbolt, too. For now, the right move is to just leave him be without touching him, so keep your mouth shut about this montage."

"Do you intend to destroy it?"

"No, I'll keep it. Because we'll have to use it when we need to find him later."

Jason hid the montage inside a secret drawer at the very bottom of his desk.

Hoping that the day to use it would come eventually, he carefully closed the drawer.

When people think of American food, many have thought of it as fattening since a long time ago. But all of that is true.

They say everything is delicious if you fry it and add cheese, and it's relatively cheap and large in size. A hamburger that was the size of a fist in Korea is, with a bit of exaggeration, the size of a palm here in its birthplace.

Anyway, after the work was done, I came to the hotel they provided for a rest and slept comfortably for a night. Since business would be impossible anyway because Korea would be a mess as well if I went back right now, it's fine to stay for a day.

Because I exerted myself a bit, I slept more deeply than usual. Well, the only other time I exerted this much strength in this life was when I parried Mr. Lee Gyeong-jin's Gray Resonance Sword.

"Raccoon Man, can I come in?"

"Ah, wait a sec. I'm not wearing my mask."

"What!!!"

Kwa-ang! Along with the sound of the hotel door being kicked open, Jacob entered. No, don't use a Force User's physical strength for that kind of thing.

I was able to quickly put on the mask and hide my face. Lee Yoon-yang probably already knows, but from what I've seen, she's not the type to blabber about things that would harm someone she's indebted to. I, who have an eye for people, can guarantee that.

"Hey, I'm asking because I don't know, but is it normal in American culture to kick the door open after knocking?"

"Friends do that."

"Ah, you bastard. I'll see you later. I'll do that to you when you're in the bathroom."

"Oh, that's scary."

"When you're done with your business, I'm going to run off with the toilet paper."

".......That really is scary."

A situation where you've finished your business but there's no toilet paper even in the trash can is one of the scariest things. Even more so if you only have ten-thousand-won bills in your wallet. Even more so if it's summer and you came out in slippers without socks.

"When do you plan to go back? Tomorrow? The day after?"

"Around tomorrow. I have things to do tomorrow."

I have to go back before morning. In fact, I'll have to leave this evening.

Is there something going on? Yejin is going to school. Rather than just going, I think it's better for a guardian to go with her on the first day. Besides, Yejin grew up without parents until now, so I think I should naturally do at least that much. For me, I've rarely had parents every time I reincarnated, and even if I did, they were people who didn't fulfill their parental roles properly, so I'm used to it, but it's different for a normal high school girl.

And you have to drop her off in something like a Lamborghini to establish dominance early on. I've seen how scary it is when girls form cliques and badmouth each other.

Rather than suffering through that, it's better to make it so they can't treat her lightly from the start. It's because I've experienced it. When you reincarnate as a woman, the clique among women is more important than anything else.

"Let's eat first. They said the medal they're giving you will be ready within today, so..... well, won't you be able to go back around evening? Since you're here, do some sightseeing in America before you go. There's more to see than you think."

"Even so, is there anything else to see besides the Statue of Liberty or Central Park?"

"Oh! That's what people who have never been to America say. There are so many other things to see."

"Forget it. Let's just eat. Even if I can't sightsee, I'm very picky about food."

"Force Users all have quite the stomach. You have to use as much power as you eat. Shall we have a light hamburger first? There's a handmade burger joint I know near here."

"Hibiki is like that too, is it natural for all Master Users to have at least one famous restaurant they know? I should ask Mr. Lee Gyeong-jin next time too."

Jacob and I came out of the hotel and walked the streets. Gazes gathered from around us, and cheers were heard.

"Thunderbolt! Raccoon Man! Wow!"

"Thank you for saving New York!"

"Please give me an autograph!"

As various people gathered, it even hindered our walking. When people of all kinds gather for one purpose, it's hard to control. It's not the military, so to move through such a crowd, it's faster to just push everyone aside or escape by going up to the roof of a nearby building.

But Jacob seemed used to this kind of thing; he signed a few autographs and waved his hand to gather people's attention.

"Citizens! I appreciate your interest and passion, but could you please clear the way for a moment? It's nothing else, but I want to show my friend Raccoon Man the taste of an authentic American hamburger! Even a hero needs to eat breakfast to have strength!! Please step back just a little! Thank you!"

"Thunderbolt! Thunderbolt!!!"

Along with the cheers of the people, a path was made. Walking along the path created by everyone yielding a little, we arrived at a nearby burger joint.

"Your skill in handling people is quite good? Does this happen often?"

"It happens once or twice even on the way from home to the mart. Because that's what it means to be a hero in this country."

With the appearance of Force Users, they were being treated on the same level as heroes. Warriors fighting against the enemy of humanity, the Enemy Species—honestly, it's a classic setting, but it works well with the public.

Among them, it's no exaggeration to say that Jacob, the only Master User in the United States, is popular regardless of religion or ideology. Before survival, everyone is equal, and the trust sent to the person who ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠supports that is only natural.

That's what a hero is.

"It's here. It's a shop run by someone I know, and they're very skilled. There are people who have never eaten here, but there's no one who has eaten here only once."

"I'm in the food service industry, so I'm picky in this field. You'd better pray that it can pass my standards."

"I'm sorry, but I'm an atheist, so I don't have a god to pray to."

"Ah, I like that."

As we entered the shop, a middle-aged white man with a pleasant impression welcomed us. He spread his arms wide, hugged Jacob, and patted his back.

"Bro! It's been a while. How have you been?"

"Of course. Otherwise, would I have come to eat a hamburger this early in the morning?"

"Behind you...... Ah! It's that Raccoon Man! I guess I should start business early this morning. You came to eat a burger, right? Then of course I should serve you!"

One is a middle-aged man and the other looks to be a man in his early 30s to late 20s at most, so it might seem a bit strange for them to be in a friendship, but since Force Users age slowly, it's a relationship that makes sense if you consider that.

Appearance aside, if you only consider age, the two are probably around the same age. Since he said he became an adult and just enlisted during the Great Depression, he'd be around 40 by now.

"Go ahead and sit down. I'll have it ready in no time."

"Give me a Coke first. I'll be waiting while drinking it."

"It's in the fridge, so take it and drink."

"The service is terrible."

Chuckling, Jacob took a Coke from the fridge and brought a cup from the kitchen.

The shop wasn't that large. Would it be a bit larger compared to our chicken shop? However, that's because there are inevitably many tables due to the nature of hamburgers.

There might be quite a few people who eat one chicken per person if you look for them, but honestly, chicken is eaten with others rather than alone. In contrast, one burger per person is natural for hamburgers, and if you go to a fast-food restaurant, the majority are people holding a burger alone.

If you think about which side needs more tables, it's naturally the burger joint. Besides, our shop's main menu is takeout rather than table turnover.

The oil is heated, and the French fries are fried first. And then, the patties divided into single portions are placed on the heated griddle.

They aren't frozen patties, but handmade patties suitable for a handmade burger. Placing the round patties on the griddle, he begins to flatten and grill them.

Just as delicious smoke rises morak-morak, he places yellow, square cheese on top and places another patty that was grilling next to it on top of that again.

Wait, I thought it was for two people, but it's for one? Even though the patties aren't thin?

The hamburger, which had two thick patties, was full of not only patties but also other contents. Including tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, onions, and even bacon. Even the thickness alone is enough to be burdensome to hold with one hand.

"Here, the burgers are out. Since one won't be enough, I'll grill more."

"Oh! Thanks!"

Coke, French fries, and a hamburger. It's a golden combination. The only things that can beat this combination ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠are chicken and beer or samgyeopsal and soju...... but those are double combinations, not triple combinations, right?

The bread isn't just bread; it's rye bread. As I held the thick burger with both hands, the cheese inside melted from the temperature of the patties and flowed out a bit, getting on my hands.

Without minding that, I took a bite. What I felt first was the bread, then the meat and lettuce. The taste of the patty comes after with the feeling of the pure, natural taste of meat seasoned. I think the patty alone would be quite delicious.

And as I chewed, I felt the sourness of the pickles and the taste of the sauce drizzled inside. Especially the sauce. This is a sauce made by mixing several things based on ketchup...... this is really quite good. It's sweet yet the sourness is exquisite. Maybe I should try making it once I go home.

Overall, it's harmonious. You might think that you can just make something like a hamburger haphazardly, but every hamburger has a sauce and combination that suits it. Just like how a shrimp burger has a tartar-based sauce instead of a general sauce.

Anyway, it's delicious. Taking a bite and a sip of Coke, the feeling of the greasiness being washed down is good.

The French fries are also Cajun-style fries with separate seasoning. For those who don't know what's what, look for a nearby Mom's Touch chain.

Overall, it feels salty, but if you think about the pure taste, it's actually better. Originally, you have to understand the taste of the region where you do business to sell well, and if this is the basic, it might mean that American tastes are a bit more accustomed to saltiness.

After quickly finishing one, another burger came out right after. Ah, this is good. Since I'm eating it with Coke, it goes down smoothly.

"It's good that you both eat well. Wait a moment. I'll fry some more French fries."

Even though the burgers weren't small, the meal finally ended only after each person had finished about five or six. I originally eat a lot, so this much is easy.

"It's delicious, right? That's why I'm a regular at this shop."

"Thanks to that, business is going well, so I'm letting this guy eat for free when he comes. Although it's annoying that he eats at least three or four every time he comes."

"Ah! Seriously! I said I'd pay!"

"If you pay, you're a legitimate customer, so I can't curse at you!"

Even though they said that, they chuckled and laughed it off. Just friends ask how each other is doing, but real friends are meant to curse at each other.

It felt a bit greasy and salty, but around the time the breakfast ended and I was rinsing my mouth with Coke, someone contacted Jacob on his phone.

"Hello?"

After receiving the call and having some conversation, he handed the phone to me.

"Who is it?"

"You'll know once you take it."

I took his phone. And from the other side, a voice I had never heard before reached me.

[Hello? Is this Raccoon Man?]

"That's right, who's this?"

It was a voice that felt relatively young. Early 30s at most? The voice was thick with the feeling of a typical researcher, with curiosity that couldn't be hidden.

He greeted me and introduced himself. Along with an invitation.

[My name is John Alian. Could we meet for a moment?]