EP 4: The Blacksmith Hides His Identity
A large TV in the hospital lobby was broadcasting an entertainment program. [Interview with an S-Rank Hunter]
[“Today’s guest is Song Hye-na, the new S-rank hunter from Samjin!”]
Song Hye-na, dressed in a black corrupted magical girl outfit, sat on the studio set. Her expression and gestures appeared calm yet carried a deep melancholy, exuding a charm that drew viewers in.
[“Wow. Just sitting next to her makes my heart race. She’s rising as the most stunning visual even among S-rank hunters. How do you feel about that?”]
[“I’m happy. Extremely so.”]
A short answer. Yet there was no rudeness in it—only a sense of dignity. The conversation continued in a talk-show style, questions and answers flowing back and forth. Then, when Song Hye-na offered a cold smile, the camera zoomed in tightly, filling the screen with her face.
[“If there’s someone you’re most grateful to for your promotion to S-rank?”]
The host had asked expecting the usual “my fans” answer. Song Hye-na clasped both hands and drew them to her chest.
[“There is someone. Though I can’t say their name.”]
She smiled with an innocent expression she had never shown before, as if thinking of that person.
[“They’re the one who made me who I am today.”]
The gazes of everyone in the hospital lobby turned toward Song Hye-na on the screen. Not even a national actress could command this level of attention. If someone this captivating suddenly died, even Wolgeuk Seongun would struggle to cover it up. The plan was drifting further from success. Wolgeuk Seongun let out a sigh.
‘If things had gone according to plan, she should already be in my hands by now.’
A call came in for Wolgeuk Seongun.
“Have you found the producer?”
-“I’m sorry. We couldn’t find them.”
“...Hmm.”
After a moment of deep thought, Wolgeuk Seongun snapped her fingers.
“We gave the producer 400 million won in exchange for accepting the proposal. Can’t we trace it from there?”
-“Well… it seems they received it through someone else’s account.”
“Someone else?”
-“Yes. There’s a maid who protects Lee Ah-rang of the Samjin family. It looks like the money was routed through her account.”
Wolgeuk Seongun fell silent. Yoo Jin-ah trembled violently on the other end, unable to even respond.
Failure of the plan was something that should never exist in Wolgeuk Seongun’s life. A plan she had spent so long perfecting would never collapse. That was Yoo Sun-ah—Wolgeuk Seongun’s creed. Just as she said, her entire life had been one long plan. Even her marriage to her husband had been the result of meticulous calculation. From the very first meeting, everything had been planned. She learned his return times and arranged “chance” encounters every day. On their 34th meeting, she played the role of a flustered woman and successfully obtained his phone number. After that, she monitored his 24 hours, rushing to help whenever he was in trouble, even working 18 hours a day to pay off his gambling debts—all part of a calculated devotion that won his favor.
Once she received permission to live together, Wolgeuk Seongun became even more thorough. Every morning she gave him pocket money, adding, “If it’s not enough, just tell me. Your happiness is what matters most.” She even investigated his desktop, discovered the ASMR he frequently listened to, studied it thoroughly, and used it to draw him into her embrace every night.
When her husband, lulled by such relentless advances, finally confessed his trauma, Wolgeuk Seongun did not miss the opportunity.
-“I see… I’m sorry… I didn’t notice… And thank you so much for telling me. I love you. From now on, I’ll do better…”
She wept profusely, empathizing so deeply that her husband felt embarrassed, completely seizing control of his heart. She even obtained a psychological counseling certification to freely manipulate his weaknesses. Having dominated both his body and mind, Yoo Sun-ah drove in the final nail.
-“I’m so busy with work that I can’t manage these things. Would you take care of my hospital shares for me?”
She transferred all shares of Wolgeuk General Hospital—everything she had built over her lifetime—to her husband. Through this series of ruthless, calculated actions, Yoo Sun-ah had conditioned her husband so he could no longer live without her. She had monopolized him for life. In the face of such meticulous planning and cruelty, other women could do nothing but tremble.
This incident was the first failure Wolgeuk Seongun had ever tasted in her life.
“Yoo Jin-ah.”
-“Yes! Wolgeuk Seongun-nim!”
“I’m taking back everything I lent you.”
A scream echoed from the other end of the line.
-“P-Please stop! Mercy! Seongun-nim! Mercy! Mercy! Forgiveness! Please show mercy!!!”
“Shut up. From now on, the moment you appear before my eyes, you die.”
-“......A-Ah…”
Wolgeuk Seongun hung up. A woman in black appeared behind her.
“Seongun-nim. What will you do now?”
“The second plan has already begun. I’ve cast the fishing rod, so a bite should come.”
“...I see. As expected of you, Seongun-nim. Do you have more work now? I found a good restaurant—”
“I do.”
Wolgeuk Seongun picked up her bag.
“It’s time to feed my husband lunch.”
“You truly are the perfect wife. Balancing management, political activities, and caring for your husband for eight years… I could never imagine doing something like that.”
“...You. Are you daring to interfere with our couple’s time?”
“I’m sorry. I’ll disappear.”
Once the woman vanished, Wolgeuk Seongun headed toward the VIP room. Inside, she saw her aged husband. Unlike herself, who maintained the appearance of someone in their twenties through realm advancement, her husband had grown old and frail under the weight of time. Wolgeuk Seongun fell into self-loathing.
‘Originally, you could have met a woman far superior to someone like me.’
Ever since the day she obtained her husband’s phone number, Wolgeuk Seongun had carried this guilt.
‘By all rights, a woman like me should never have been qualified to have a man like you.’
‘Yet I deceived you by pretending to be the perfect wife and received your love.’
Mistaking her tears for something else, her husband tried to lighten the mood.
“Don’t cry. At my age, this is normal.”
“...Hospitals exist so people don’t die and live long lives. Don’t say things like that. Live another two thousand years with me.”
“No. That’s a bit much.”
Her husband looked genuinely horrified. Wolgeuk Seongun barely managed to compose herself by feeding him his favorite side dishes. It was the most peaceful moment of her day. During this time, she could forget all her troubles.
“Huh? This is bland. Did you change the recipe?”
Her husband’s single comment while eating made Wolgeuk Seongun’s pupils contract and her mouth fall open.
“...I-I’m sorry.”
Her husband frantically patted her head and back in a panic.
“No. No no no. It’s not that bad. It’s edible. It goes well with the soup. Sorry. You must be tired. Complaining about the food. Don’t cry. Okay? I’m sorry. I’m really sorry! Don’t cry! Please!”
*****
It was Saturday. Which meant no work. It didn’t make sense to take a day off when she needed to earn a lot of money, but… there was no helping it. She couldn’t make Han Ye-jin and Lee Se-rin work seven days a week. Even the almighty Yahweh rested after six days of global civil engineering. For humans, a day off was only natural. And that applied to her as well.
‘Besides…’
She opened her banking app and checked her balance.
Samjin Bank: 531,738,500 won.
Nearly 500 million. Thanks to the money she received from cooperating with Wolgeuk Seongun or whoever, a few days off wouldn’t hurt.
‘......Though it seems Wolgeuk Seongun is after me now. Well. Can’t be helped.’
“I would’ve regretted it later if I’d just left Song Hye-na to die.”
It was 6 a.m. Sparrows chirped outside the window. Stretching, Yoo Ji-tae headed to the refrigerator.
‘I should eat breakfast and start training in the parking lot.’
He took out bread, butter, eggs, and jam from the fridge and finished setting up.
“Eat lightly and spend the whole day in training trance.”
While placing the frying pan on the induction stove to heat, the doorbell rang.
“......Who is it?”
How many people even knew his address? At most Han Ye-jin, Lee Ah-rang, and Yoo Hyun-ah. But if it were them, wouldn’t they call first?
‘...Is it that urgent?’
He put on the security chain and opened the door to see a familiar face. Lee Se-rin. He roughly understood the situation. She must have asked Han Ye-jin for the location. She wore the same knit sweater and long skirt from before, and behind her was a large suitcase.
“Yoo Ji-tae-nim. I hope I’m not intruding by visiting so early…”
“No. It’s not really an intrusion. But why?”
Lee Se-rin fiddled with her hair and stammered. After muttering for a while, she lowered her head deeply.
“...May I come inside?”
“No. If you have something to say, you can say it here.”
“R-Right.”
Lee Se-rin staggered as if struck by a hammer. After steadying herself, she dropped to her knees with a look of resolve. Their eyes met.
“Yoo Ji-tae-nim. May I humbly request permission to live with you?!”
“......Huh?”
“I want the chance to live with Yoo Ji-tae-nim and handle cooking, laundry, cleaning, and supporting you as a wife!”
His mind went blank.
“...Uh. I—”
“Please. I-I can do it well! I’ll do my best to support you so you can live comfortably! I beg you! It’s the wish of a lifetime!”
With those words, Lee Se-rin began banging her forehead against the floor. Thud! Thud! Thud!
‘Dangerous. What are you doing? Look, the floor’s cracking. Wait, how is the floor cracking?’
Yoo Ji-tae looked at Lee Se-rin performing a full dogeza and recalled what he had said before.
‘...A wish, huh.’
He had indeed promised to grant one wish in exchange for subduing the rampaging Heo Shin-ah.
“Hey.”
“Yes!”
Lee Se-rin looked up at him with a bright smile.
“...Can’t I just pay you money or something instead?”
Lee Se-rin’s mouth fell open while her lips were still curved upward. A single tear rolled down her cheek.
“D-Does Yoo Ji-tae-nim hate me that much…?”
“......”
He closed the door.
He thought about many things. Lee Se-rin had helped him, and she was still doing all sorts of odd jobs at the restaurant. Besides, she wasn’t trying to touch his body—she just wanted to live together and handle the housework. If he rejected her and told her to leave, he would become trash who used a woman and threw her away.
“...I don’t want that.”
No matter how painful or frightening it was, he didn’t want to do something he couldn’t accept. He removed the security chain and opened the door.
“...Then. Come in.”
He gestured awkwardly toward the inside. Lee Se-rin dragged her suitcase in and sat in the center of the studio apartment. Sitting across from her and staring at the wall, something suddenly occurred to him.
“...Come to think of it, this is company dorms. Won’t they get mad if I bring a woman in? Though it’s treated like an abandoned building with no one around.”
“Who would get mad?”
“The company president.”
Lee Se-rin nodded and clenched her fist.
“I’ll go take care of it right away.”
“No. That’s a bit… I’ll handle it myself. That part.”
“I see. Understood. Then I’ll prepare the meal… Huh?”
Lee Se-rin nodded and headed toward the refrigerator. When she saw the bread, jam, and eggs laid out on top, she froze in place like someone facing cosmic horror, her body trembling.
“Have you… been eating meals like this every day…?”
“Ah. Yeah. It’s simple and nice, isn’t it?”
“...It’s not nice. So that’s how it was. In a place like this, eating food like this.”
Lee Se-rin clutched her chest with her hand, her face twisted in pain.
“From now on, I absolutely won’t leave you like this.”
Lee Se-rin took out an apron and lunchboxes from her suitcase and began setting up.
“Please wait. I’ll cook breakfast myself and feed you.”
“No. I’ll just eat something simple—”
“I’ll prepare the best meal for you!!”
“...Yeah. Okay.”
Tap tap tap tap tap!!
While Lee Se-rin made a racket chopping and stir-frying, Yoo Ji-tae lay on the bed and opened the Alchemist Community. He had nothing else to do, and watching TV while Lee Se-rin cooked would probably make even her feel bad. When he entered the casual chat board, there were strange posts on the concept posts.
- Didn’t Hermes write last time that Llywelyn was trash? Well, it’s a fact everyone knows except Llywelyn lol
“.......”
He looked at other posts.
Why was Llywelyn chasing him so much? So this kind of thing existed too.
‘These people…’
They were using his existence to mercilessly humiliate Llywelyn.
‘I need to correct that I have no particular feelings toward Llywelyn……’
The Alchemist Community was managed by the Grand Alchemist Karno, and personal information was absolutely secure. Even if he posted here, it was impossible for hunters or government agencies to find him.
‘But if I do this, something bigger might happen.’
While thinking that, a new post appeared before his eyes.
She seems to be installing tons of detection devices all over Daejeon looking for Hermes
‘...Good grief.’
After agonizing over it several times, he finally wrote a post. He kept it as short as possible to avoid misunderstandings and stuck to the main point.
People have been saying all sorts of things about me lately. Llywelyn is not my enemy. Please stop.
“......That should be fine, right?”
At that moment, recommendations flooded in—200 in an instant—and comment notifications rang nonstop.
- Well, they’re not even permitted to approach lol
- Llywelyn <<< A trash who couldn’t even win a Nobel Prize
- lololololololol
- Wow, Llywelyn must be pissed as hell lolololol
- So she’s not even a match?
“...Huh.”
He was screwed.