The Only Solution is Realm Ascension
Lee Ji-eun half-closed her eyes. There was Lee Ah-rang, proudly declaring that Yoo Ji-tae was her husband.
"I will never forgive her." She had reduced me to this state and stolen my precious husband. On top of that, she humiliated me in front of everyone. I'll kill her. I'll make her meet the most agonizing and miserable end possible. A plunder marriage promise? What does that matter? In the face of power and money, the Refined Realm is less than an insect. After dealing with her, I can simply take Yoo Ji-tae back at my leisure. Be happy. Laugh all you want. That laughter will be the last joy allowed to you.
As Lee Ji-eun thought this, women in black jackets had already grabbed both her arms and pulled her to her feet.
"...What is this? The police? K... kh... You. Do you know who I am? My mother is Lee Seon-hee, and my father is the chairman of Samjin.... Where do you bottom-feeders get the nerve... to... me..."
The women who had lifted Lee Ji-eun looked uneasy and turned toward a woman in a neat suit. It was Yoo Hyun-ah, a Grade 4 Secretary. Yoo Hyun-ah gestured reassuringly and smiled.
"It's fine. I'll handle this."
"K... kh.... What can you...? You're just a Grade 4."
Yoo Hyun-ah walked up to Lee Seon-hee.
"Greetings! I am Yoo Hyun-ah, a Grade 4 Secretary from the Male Management Department. I am honored to meet Taeguk Singun Lee Seon-hee and her husband, Samjin Group Chairman Han Sang-jin!"
Lee Ji-eun's pupils contracted.
"May I speak with you alone for a moment, Madam Lee Seon-hee!"
What is she doing? My mother would never abandon me. At worst, I'd spend a few days in detention or get demoted to another branch. But what is this stupid secretary trying to do?
Lee Ji-eun looked at Yoo Hyun-ah. Yoo Hyun-ah was smiling.
Yoo Hyun-ah showed Lee Seon-hee the public opinion. News broadcasts from the three major networks covering the current situation. Provocative internet articles. And the exploding internet reactions.
"Well then, Madam Lee Seon-hee? The three major networks are broadcasting this situation extensively right now. If you look at the economic indicators, public opinion isn't favorable. Other groups seem to be jumping in with negative tones toward Samjin. On top of that, our Minister—ah, my apologies, the Minister has expressed regret as well."
"It seems both our Minister and His Excellency would prefer to resolve this matter amicably without straining relations with Samjin. If both sides make a small concession, it would paint a rather pretty picture. Prisons aren't so bad these days. The food is decent. Besides, you're in the Condensing Realm, aren't you? Considering your lifespan, you'd still get to see sunlight after getting out. Hm? Did I mishear?"
Lee Seon-hee stared at Yoo Hyun-ah with cold eyes, as if she wanted to kill her.
"Was all of this your scheme? This farce too?"
"No, I wouldn't go so far as to call it a scheme. Though things became easier thanks to the young lady's rampage, that wasn't my doing. Hmm. Strictly speaking, what I prepared was an excuse."
Lee Seon-hee tilted her head at the last word. An excuse? What did she mean?
"Well, never mind. I'll talk to your mother about this matter. I'll let her know we should meet soon."
"No, that won't be possible. I received a direct request for help from a friend."
Lee Seon-hee, who had been wearing a displeased expression, let out a sigh.
"My child. No matter how disappointing a daughter she may be, she is still the child I personally fed and raised. Even my husband used to find her adorable when she was young. How could I show that child dying in prison? It's true she did something unforgivable to that boy, so I will personally go and apologize. I will also make sure our child properly reflects—"
"You raised her like your own daughter. But she isn't your real daughter, is she?"
Lee Seon-hee's words stopped. Her fingers trembled slowly.
"What?"
"Your real daughter was thrown into the sea in the first place. Ah, I suppose I should say the name. I'm talking about Lee Ji-an."
"......"
Yoo Hyun-ah shrugged her shoulders.
"You can tell your husband this: As a businesswoman, you endured the pain of cutting out a daughter who damaged Samjin's brand value. That is also the path for your daughter, and it would be good for Ah-rang as well. If you show him public opinion, he will understand."
Yoo Hyun-ah turned on her phone and showed the same things she had shown earlier.
"I will say it once more. This is an excuse I personally prepared. We still wish to maintain a good relationship with you, Madam. Furthermore, we will always support the amicable relationship between you and your husband."
Lee Seon-hee gave a detached smile.
"Right. You people were always like this."
Lee Ji-eun's gaze turned toward her mother. Her beautiful mother. My beautiful and strong mother. The mother who would protect me forever. The mother I respect.... There is still a chance. If I marry Yoo Ji-tae as my husband later, Mother will acknowledge me.
"Mother.... Do something about these people..."
Lee Seon-hee turned her head away from Lee Ji-eun.
"Mother?"
Lee Ji-eun was being dragged away by the women in black uniforms. Lee Ji-eun felt that something was going wrong.
"Mother? Mother! Mother! Let go! Wait a second! Mother!"
Lee Ji-eun, who was being dragged along, began to cry.
"Mom! Mom!!! Mom!!! Why are you doing this?! Mom!!! Why? Why?"
Why? Why on earth?
"Lee Ji-eun, please wake up."
Lee Ji-eun woke from her sleep and touched her throbbing forehead. What a terrible dream. Just as she was about to call a maid to bring tea, she noticed the atmosphere around her.
"...Ah."
It was a detention cell. Following the police officer's guidance to the interrogation room, Lee Ji-eun looked at the charges listed before her.
Male abuse
Male confinement
Forced marriage
Male intimidation
How diverse.
"The investigation is mostly complete, but we'll have you write a statement for confirmation. You should also write a reflection letter in your spare time. It's hard to say it has no effect at all."
"What about a lawyer?"
The police officer scratched his head.
"You can request a public defender now, and we'll call one for you."
"I have my own personal lawyer. Didn't you contact him?"
"There was no contact."
"...What about my mother? Didn't my mother send a lawyer?"
"We notified your family, but there was no separate contact."
Lee Ji-eun ran her hands through her hair.
"Let me make a phone call. To my mother. Just one call."
"...Alright. That much is fine."
Lee Ji-eun bit her nails anxiously as she called Lee Seon-hee.
-"Ji-eun?"
"Yes, Mom. When are you sending the lawyer?"
-"......."
"Mom. The daughter of the Samjin family is going to prison for male abuse and kidnapping. What will people say? The media will keep talking about it like crazy. Wouldn't it be better to just say there was no such incident and proceed as is..."
-"That won't happen."
"Then what about me? What if I scream and rampage like a madwoman and report it everywhere?"
-"Ji-eun."
"Yes, Mom."
-"Don't do anything. Understood?"
The call ended. Lee Ji-eun sniffled and wiped her tears.
"Excuse me."
"Yes, yes. Go ahead."
"I heard that higher cultivation ranks reduce sentences. Does that apply here too?"
"Ah, yes. It does."
"How much will I get?"
"Uh, well. I'm not a judge, so..."
"Just give me a rough estimate. There must be some standard value."
The police officer looked troubled before reluctantly speaking.
"Normally, an ordinary person who committed these crimes would get the death penalty... But Lee Ji-eun, you're now in the Condensing Realm, which is above the Refined Realm, so it should be more lenient."
"Nice!"
Lee Ji-eun's eyes sparkled.
"So! So! How much exactly?"
"Hmm. Probably around 80 years in prison and 200 years of electronic anklet monitoring. There would also be employment restrictions for about half that period after release."
"Hmm. I must have misheard. Please say it again."
"About 80 years in prison."
Lee Ji-eun scratched her head and shook her body. Cold sweat suddenly poured down her entire body.
"What?"
Lee Ji-eun. Ruined.
After spreading butter on bread and toasting it, Yoo Ji-tae made a sandwich with vegetables, jam, and grilled ham. Sitting at the table, he turned on the TV. Watching TV while eating breakfast had become almost a habit.
"...Nothing interesting is on. Might as well watch the news."
When he switched to the news channel, something suffocating appeared from the start.
[On the 14th, a woman A in Daejeon was arrested for kidnapping a man and threatening him into marriage. The police—]
The 14th? Same as me. Did something similar happen again? Or are they covering my case while hiding the information? I don't know. How does this world work?
'Should I check the status window?'
"Hmm."
His skills had increased, but both were at a basic level. While eating his toast, he also checked his points.
Points: 35
He had consumed quite a few making the Alkahest last time, but thanks to Lee Ah-rang, he had recovered significantly.
"...That aside, there's no reward."
Well, it was only natural since the client ended up like that.
"Aah. I really wanted to get at least 100 million won if possible."
He even voiced such complaints. Before he knew it, he had finished his meal.
"Alright. Time to look for work."
He entered Alchemist and opened his message inbox. Dozens of crafting requests appeared. He clicked on one.
[This is a crafting request. I have something I'd like to ask of Hermes-nim.]
[I obtained some good material this time. If you tell me your address, I'll send the material there, so could you do the primary refinement? I'll pay double the usual rate.]
Primary refinement of high-grade mithril material. Not bad. It was thanks to instantly making a name for himself as a world-class alchemist. Requests would pour in from all over from now on. He couldn't stop smiling.
Scrolling down, he checked the types of requests.
"Artifact appraisal, crafting requests, material refinement. Quite varied. Hmm."
Honestly, he wanted to focus on high-end requests. But every time he tried, Lee Ji-eun's face floated into his mind. The CEO of a major corporation and a direct descendant of a chaebol family. She had tried to forcibly keep him. Wouldn't the same apply to skilled craftsmen? Wouldn't they capture alchemists and confine them like slaves, forcing them to produce only what they wanted? And if his gender as a man was discovered in the process, how would those villains treat him....
"Ugh."
Suddenly, he recalled what Yoo Hyun-ah had said. Bodyguards, she had said. Whether male or female. This world, filled with ability users, was equally a dangerous wilderness. That must have been what she meant.
Ring ring ring ring.
Speak of the tiger and it comes—Yoo Hyun-ah was calling.
"Hello."
-"Yes. This is Secretary Yoo Hyun-ah. Have you had breakfast, Yoo Ji-tae-nim?"
"Yes, I have."
After that, he heard from Secretary Yoo Hyun-ah about what had happened to Lee Ji-eun. Honestly, he didn't feel any sense of satisfaction or relief.
'Ah, so that's how administration works here.'
Only a loose impression remained.
"Did you contact me because of that?"
-"No. That's just a bonus. The main point starts now."
A deep breath could be heard over the phone.
-"I was originally going to wait until you adapted to the outside world before explaining properly because I thought you'd be surprised, but with this incident, I think I need to explain as soon as possible."
"Ah, yes."
-"Our government maintains a basic stance of protecting men and not tolerating abuse. However, just as murders occur despite laws against them, male abuse continues without end. I wanted to tell you about those three types."
His body naturally tensed. What Yoo Hyun-ah was about to say from now on concerned his personal safety.
-"First, the Femi District. You probably know about this place, Yoo Ji-tae-nim. It's a sealed region of old ideologies that could be called a stain on our society. We, who operate according to the law, cannot intervene there. That's why it left you with painful memories. I apologize once again."
"...It's fine. It's in the past."
A pained groan could be heard from the other side.
-"...Next are those who don't have a single name, but are generally called the Dark Faction. We call those who hide in the shadows of society and take men to do as they please. The most famous is the Black Society. They have high-ranking ability users stationed there, and because they're spread widely across the world, eradication is difficult. Some have become corporate and large organizations, making them hard to touch. They are the targets Yoo Ji-tae-nim must be most wary of, and they are also the overthrow targets we will eventually bring down."
He had heard an enormous story. Like organized crime or the mafia. That was how he took it.
-"Next would be related to this incident."
"Ah. Chaebols?"
-"No. It's broader. They are women called Transcendents..."
"Excuse me?"
-"Hmm. Do you know the cultivation ranks of mages, Yoo Ji-tae-nim?"
"Ah, yes. I do. Refined, Condensing... and. What else was it..."
Ah. He had definitely heard it, but had already forgotten. Secretary Yoo Hyun-ah immediately answered.
-"Refined Realm, Condensing Realm, Sacred Lotus Realm, Deity Realm, Heaven and Earth Realm. There are corresponding ranks in superpowers and martial arts as well, but I'll omit those. Anyway, mages of the Deity Realm and above are called Transcendents. In reality, they don't transcend all natural laws. It's just the name."
Transcendents. Lee Ji-eun had been quite a frightening type, but not to the extent of being called a Transcendent. Besides, wasn't her rank the Condensing Realm?
"But wasn't Lee Ji-eun in the Condensing Realm?"
-"Lee Ji-eun's mother, Lee Seon-hee, the Taeguk Singun, is a Transcendent. That's why it's related to this incident."
"Aha."
-"...It would be quite shameful as a civil servant to say this, but... ugh..."
"?"
Yoo Hyun-ah continued in a drained voice.
-"Transcendents are extremely difficult to suppress with state power."
"Ah. That's...... Huh? But the authorities are conducting education to raise ability ranks while promoting the ideal wife ideology. Wouldn't education rather destroy social order?"
-"No! Not all of them are like that! The ideal wife ideology and cultivation level are proportional. If one reaches the Deity Realm, respect for men is engraved in their body as naturally as breathing. The fact that even Madam Lee Seon-hee trembles at a single word from her husband is proof of that!"
"...Hmm."
-"What I'm talking about now are the few Transcendents who became broken in that process. Of course, they are different from the Dark Faction I mentioned earlier. Their principle of action is solely goodwill. They never harbor malice. However, from the perspective of a man receiving a Transcendent's love, it could be a kind of horror. Even for Yoo Ji-tae-nim, you must be careful not to come into contact with them."
The sentence added at the end felt somewhat contradictory, but he let it pass. It probably wasn't important anyway.
He confirmed once more.
"If I come into contact, is it over?"
-"No. We can handle it up to once."
The judgment was surprisingly lenient.
"Then what about the Sacred Lotus Realm?"
-"Ah. The Sacred Lotus Realm isn't a problem. Very easy. Only Deity Realm and above apply. If a Sacred Lotus Realm mage causes trouble, we'll resolve it immediately."
"Understood."
After that, Secretary Yoo Hyun-ah told him to contact her anytime if he needed anything for his activities, gave him some advice about the grace period, and hung up.
Three years. That was the period he could survive without receiving state protection. Whether to accept state protection and that lifestyle. Or to live a free life left in the wilderness of ability users. Someday, he would have to decide.
"Transcendents, huh."
His current rank was the Refined Realm. To reach the Transcendent rank, he would have to surpass the Condensing and Sacred Lotus Realms. Transcendents were big shots that even state power couldn't handle. Even if a man became a Transcendent, his treatment would probably be similar.
"...Well, it's impossible."
He scratched his head and suddenly thought of Professor Llywelyn. The one who said she would kill Hermes, yet was still sending him messages like crazy... the world's strongest alchemist. What was her rank?
When he searched, he was speechless.
"Heaven and Earth Realm peak...?"
That's max level.
He checked the messages Llywelyn had sent.
[Let's meet and talk. Are you scared of me? Huh? Let's meet like adults and have an honest conversation.]
"...Hmm?"
The spacing was strange.
She wrote [Let's meet and talk.] as [Let's meet and. talk.] and [have a conversation.] as [have a. conversation.]. It was a typo often seen in older iPhone users.
Hmm. But I've seen this somewhere before.
"What was it."
He found the request messages and sorted them in order before reading.
[This is a crafting request. I have something I'd like to ask of Hermes-nim.]
[I obtained some good mithril ore this time. If you tell me your address, I'll send the material there, so could you do the primary mithril crafting? I'll pay double the usual rate.]
"......"
He exited the site.
"...I should take a break from alchemist activities for a while."
A Heaven and Earth Realm peak mage was chasing him. At least until her interest died down, he would rest. Then what about money? Alchemy and equipment crafting were almost monopolized by Alchemist. While he was worrying, a message came from Lee Ah-rang.
[Ji-tae-ya. Are you okay?]
[Ah, yes.]
[Yeah. You disappeared without a word, so I was really worried. Ah. Did you watch the broadcast? I won??]
[Congratulations.]
[So, you still haven't received the reward for the medicine, right?]
[No.]
[Now that I've taken my aunt's place, I'll give it to you instead. After all, you made it for me. Should I go there? Or will you come here.]
[I'd appreciate it if you came.]
[Okay! Send me the address and I'll come right away!]
"...Well, nothing bad will happen."
Even if something did happen, it would be better for it to happen in a place he knew well rather than someone else's house. He sent the address.
About 20 minutes later, five black luxury sedans appeared in front of the Chernics dormitory.