Chapter 36
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: A Profitable Deal
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[Balance: 600,110,250 won]
Lee Se-hun let out an involuntary sigh of awe as he stared at the freshly updated balance in his account.
The first time he'd checked it after his regression, the pitiful sum of 110,250 won had stared back at him, leaving him breathless.
That suffocating figure had finally eased up.
'Where should I spend this first...'
The first things that came to mind were gathering materials to strengthen his Eternal Link Divine Demon Sword. He also needed to prepare for smelting the Dream Tusk, along with forging equipment like hammers and anvils.
Once he started thinking, the list of potential uses seemed endless. But as Lee Se-hun reviewed them, he quickly reached a decision.
'Investments, of course.'
Six hundred million won wasn't chump change, but it fell far short of covering everything he needed. For now, handling the urgent matters and growing his funds was the smart play.
Investments weren't guaranteed to pay off, of course—but with the foreknowledge from his regression, he could keep the risks relatively low.
'Rush in too hastily, though, and I'll blow it all like that old coot Ma Kwang-su.'
The memories were hazy anyway, and his own interference could alter the future. He couldn't just dump money blindly.
Profitability mattered too, so he'd have to carefully sift through his recollections and pick wisely. As Lee Se-hun mulled over his options...
"Have you confirmed it?"
Ryu Eun-ha, seated across from him, asked with an impassive expression.
"Ah, yes. It's all there."
"If you think it's short, just say the word. I believe the White Light Sword is worth it, so I'd pay more without hesitation."
Ryu Eun-ha glanced at the White Light Sword on the table as she spoke. She clearly liked it a lot—her eyes kept flicking toward it whenever she had a chance. Lee Se-hun shook his head at the sight.
"No, this is already more than generous. I couldn't ask for more."
"Is that so? I thought it was worth at least that much..."
Downplaying achievements wasn't ideal, but Lee Se-hun gave a cool assessment of the White Light Sword's value this time.
"Right now, there's only one—but it could be mass-produced later."
The White Light Sword was tough to make, but it didn't have any insurmountable 'conditions' that other blacksmiths couldn't replicate.
Anyone could craft it with the basic blueprint, and skilled artisans would probably reverse-engineer something similar just from hearing the specs.
'Not those two, maybe—but I need to play fair with Ryu Eun-ha.'
Whereas Erika and Jake's companies valued recruitment over the gear itself, Ryu Eun-ha was a pure critic buying it to evaluate and sample the craftsmanship.
Haggling too hard could lower her expectations and stall their bond level, so he had to tread carefully.
"Hmm. True, it's not impossible to copy. The tempering process won't be easy, though..."
"Even so, skilled craftsmen could whip one up without much trouble. That's why six hundred million feels a bit excessive. I'm not sure I even deserve it..."
As Lee Se-hun trailed off, Ryu Eun-ha responded with a firm look.
"You deserve it. Even if copies might appear later, right now there's only this one."
And who was to say any future ones would match the quality of the one Lee Se-hun had forged right here?
Without a shred of hesitation, she declared:
"The White Light Sword is worth every bit of six hundred million."
This wasn't empty encouragement for a promising student—it was the honest opinion of a buyer. Lee Se-hun met her gaze for a moment, then bowed his head slightly.
"Thank you. I'm glad I sold it to you, Department Head."
"......"
Ryu Eun-ha's eyes widened just a fraction at his words, then she murmured evenly:
"I see."
Her face remained stoic, giving little away, but Lee Se-hun could tell she'd warmed up a bit.
'Still weak to kindness, as always.'
Ryu Eun-ha was the blacksmiths' ultimate customer—and their most dreaded one.
Weapons gained fame through use, spreading the maker's name, but her unique skill, Dragon Soul Devourer, turned everything into a one-shot consumable.
'And her critiques are brutal. Who'd like that?'
The anecdote of a blacksmith scrambling to buy back his auction item when Ryu Eun-ha showed interest said it all about her reputation.
Yet here was a hot prospect who knew all that—and still thanked her for buying his work? Even Ryu Eun-ha was human; how could she not feel pleased?
'Bond level's still Lv. 1, but this vibe is promising.'
Eyeing her blank expression, Lee Se-hun ventured carefully:
"Department Head... Mind if I ask something?"
"Go ahead."
"What do you plan to do with the White Light Sword? Just curious."
Ryu Eun-ha pondered briefly before answering.
"I'll head to a danger zone when I have time. Too good to waste on training dummies."
He'd worried a rare-grade sword might end up as mere snack fodder, but it seemed to straddle the line as a consumable—barely.
"Got a spot in mind?"
"Not specifically..."
Trailing off, she picked up on his intent and asked first:
"Want to tag along?"
"...Yes. If you're okay with it, I'd like to join you at Silver Moon Mountain."
"Silver Moon Mountain... That's a D-rank danger zone."
Danger zones were areas corrupted by the Myriad Demons' Mire, their environments twisted.
Silver Moon Mountain was recommended for D-rank heroes and up—and one of the candidates for the first-years' inaugural subjugation exercise.
"What's your goal?"
"I want to see how the White Light Sword performs... And it'd help prep for the subjugation exercise."
Babel, true to its hero-training mission, ran regular field exercises into danger zones for hands-on monster hunts.
Aqar Quf and Ur made it count toward grades, so everyone joined; Borsippa accepted volunteers. Lee Se-hun was gearing up for it.
'Though that's just the excuse.'
He did plan to join the exercise, but the real aim was leveraging Ryu Eun-ha's strength to snag something valuable later.
And Silver Moon Mountain hid an item burned into his memory.
'An artifact from Summit Climber Jürgen Kruger.'
The supreme necromancer called the "Unclosing One" for defying death's veil over his eyes. Chairman of UD Group, the world's top conglomerate for decades.
One of the artifacts lost when demonkin from the Myriad Demons' Mire ambushed him was stashed somewhere in Silver Moon Mountain.
'Before my regression, I recovered some and got billions from UD Group.'
He could take cash—or demand something of equal value.
As a Summit Climber and one of the planet's richest, it'd prove useful in any pinch.
"Hmm..."
Ryu Eun-ha mulled his proposal at length before speaking slowly.
"Even so, considering my position, that might be..."
"I'll make you any gear you want as thanks."
"Let's schedule it. How's next week?"
Her eyes lit up as she flipped her stance. Lee Se-hun grinned at the familiar sight—same as ever.
"Sounds good."
"Hmmm..."
"......"
The irritated huff from across the table made the blond youth, Jake, flinch.
"So you couldn't get it in the end."
"...S-Sorry."
"No need to apologize. Anyone hearing might think I'm scolding you. Does your sister seem that petty?"
The fact he was saying it proved she was petty—and twisted—but Jake bit back the retort and erased the thought fast.
His monstrous sister could read him like a book.
"Still, I'm a bit disappointed. I told you to buy Lee Se-hun's weapon no matter the cost... but you gave up the second Department Head Ryu Eun-ha stepped in."
"......"
"Did I phrase it wrong? Or..."
...Do I seem that much of a pushover?
His near-whisper made Jake freeze solid. Even his one-on-one with Principal Ludwig hadn't felt this heavy.
Raised under the same roof, yet she felt more fearsome than close. As tension crushed him and he clenched his fist unconsciously...
"Ah, sorry, Jake. I've got something nagging at me lately, so I got snippy without meaning to..."
The pressure vanished like mist, replaced by her bright voice.
Good thing he'd kept his head down; eye contact might've made him pass out.
"Not upset, right?"
"...No. It was my fault for acting on my own."
"Glad you get it. But..."
Her hands laced together on the table, her sculpted chin resting atop them as her bland lips entered his peripheral vision.
"How long do you plan to keep your head down?"
Her warning disguised as a question made him snap his head up—to her usual radiant smile. His sister, Aria Myers.
"Look each other in the eye when talking. Right?"
"...Yes."
"Mm. What's done is done, so let's think about what comes next."
Aria propped her chin on one hand, pondering. Jake watched cautiously before speaking up.
"Sis... Can I ask something?"
"Sure."
"Why are you so interested in Lee Se-hun?"
Jake handled Aria's errands even back home, so he knew her obsessions well enough.
Legendary swords and the blacksmiths who forged them. The swordmaster Myers bloodline loved blades, but Aria fixated on 'famous swords' especially.
'But Lee Se-hun's nowhere near that level.'
Promising, sure—worth watching for the future. But his sister didn't bet on vague potentials.
So why this fascination with him?
"Hmm. Good question. Why am I so curious..."
Aria murmured thoughtfully, as if pondering it for the first time today.
Her baffling reaction left Jake puzzled—until:
"Maybe his face is my type?"
"Koff! Hack! Kek!"
Choking on air, Jake coughed dryly as Aria let out a soft laugh.
"Kidding. Kidding."
"R-Right?"
"Sure, the wild dog vibe is nice, but I wouldn't go this far for that. I know work from play."
"......"
Should warn Lee about this. As Jake seriously considered it...
"Just curious, that's all."
Aria continued evenly.
"What kind of sword he'll make."
On the boisterous stage of Cheonmu Hall, amid cheers and stares, her hypersensitive senses had latched onto that voice amid the din.
'Annoying, huh.'
To most ears, jealous trash talk.
But Aria sensed something else in those curt words.
A grasp of who she was... and empathy for her feelings, almost.
'No, too soon for that.'
High hopes bred deeper betrayals.
She'd been burned before, so she tamped down the budding anticipation and wrapped up.
"So handle it from here on. Got it?"
"...Yes."
"Mm. Now, about methods... Oh, right—you said you're in the same class? Professor Ma Kwang-su's Body Control."
Jake nodded at her question.
"Ah, yes. Together."
"Then ask him during a break. Tell him I'll pay properly."
"......"
Not a bad plan, but Jake's expression soured. He could ask—but Lee Se-hun wouldn't bite.
'If he doesn't mouth off about Sis, that'll be a win...'
He couldn't suggest she do it herself. She had a rare free moment today, but usually juggled graduation quests from Babel.
'And if she wanted to recruit directly, she wouldn't send me.'
What sin had he committed in his past life to suffer like this? As Jake inwardly grumbled...
"Solve this well, and I'll talk to Dad about the inheritance ceremony again."
He jolted at her smiling words.
"He banned it till graduation, but that's too harsh. And at this rate, you'll lose top spot in your department soon."
"......"
"You saw it coming, didn't you?"
Her words shook Jake's composure.
Exactly—he'd felt it after that humiliating loss to Lee Se-hun.
'My sword...'
Unlike family wielding their inherited blades via the ceremony, his hands were empty. Clenching his fists at the thought...
"I handled that headache for you recently, so he'll say yes if I push. So..."
"Understood."
Interrupting her, Jake met her eyes with resolve.
"Whatever it takes, I'll get a sword from Lee Se-hun."
From reluctant duty to personal drive. Aria smiled at his determination.
"Interrupting while your sister's talking?"
"...Sorry."
The siblings' awkward exchange dragged on a bit longer.