Chapter 115: Changing Nationalities
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 115: Changing Nationalities
When the group gathered at Guseon, a restaurant on the second floor of the Shilla Hotel, an unfamiliar woman was already waiting for them.
“This is Karina Aguilar. She’s come all the way from Sweden.”
Juriel and Li Lingwei, not knowing the situation, instinctively grew wary at the sight of the attractive stranger. They offered nothing more than a curt, frosty nod by way of greeting.
Seeing the two women—whose presence was anything but ordinary—Karina quickly stood up and bowed.
“Please, call me Karina. It is a pleasure to meet you.”
Karina could sense an extraordinary pressure emanating from Li Lingwei. It was a natural instinct, one that told her this woman’s martial prowess was far beyond the norm.
“This is Kang Gi-chan. He’s in my squad. And these two… they’re also in the same squad. This is Juriel and Li Lingwei; they’ve recently arrived from the Otherworld.”
As Seo-un spoke after a brief hesitation, Karina’s eyes widened in shock.
“I—I see. I’ve heard the rumors. That Main Quests exist in high-tier games, and among them are items that allow one to travel from the Otherworld…”
“Ah, I suppose that rule doesn’t apply to every game,” Seo-un noted.
“Yes… I heard that Main Quests only trigger once you reach the games where the high-rankers gather.”
Seo-un nodded at this new piece of information, but Li Lingwei, her expression still guarded, spoke up.
“Seo-un. What is this woman doing here?”
Karina quickly interjected before he could answer.
“Ah, my apologies for the lack of explanation. I am here to offer you Swedish citizenship and various administrative conveniences.”
Her mind, working at high speed, had already reached a conclusion: she could not afford to lose a single person in this room, let alone Seo-un. She quickly picked up on the subtle tension between the two women and Seo-un, and she immediately grasped why they had crossed dimensions to come to Earth.
“If the two of you have only recently arrived on Earth, you must be facing many inconveniences. You can think of me as the person who handles all those troubles for you.”
By swiftly defining her role as a facilitator, the wariness remaining on Juriel and Li Lingwei’s faces melted away like snow. By stating that her connection to Seo-un was strictly professional, she successfully lowered their guard. Her social maneuvering was truly exceptional.
“It’s a bit awkward to mention, but officially, the two of you do not have a legal status here. To put it bluntly, you are in a situation similar to illegal immigrants. For the sake of your daily convenience, Sweden will guarantee your identities.”
“That is a very kind offer,” Juriel said. “Seo-un, does this mean we are going to a place called Sweden instead of Korea?”
Karina answered quickly on Seo-un’s behalf.
“Not necessarily. You are free to do as you please, but we will take measures so that you can stay in Korea and live a perfectly normal life.”
Once things were somewhat settled, Seo-un got down to business.
“Now that the introductions are out of the way, let’s talk about the support and the conditions.”
At those words, Karina’s expression turned serious. Seeing her straighten her posture in tension, Seo-un looked at her with deep, calm eyes.
“Last time, you mentioned specific conditions and said you would support me, right?”
“Yes. First, here… this is the contract regarding the conditions we are offering and guaranteeing.”
When Seo-un received the contract, he saw that it was thoughtfully written entirely in Korean. However, it was filled with difficult legal terminology, making it hard to grasp the exact meaning at a glance.
“To put it simply, it includes the legal immunity and tax exemptions I mentioned last time, as well as a clause stating we will purchase all Cloyd items from you at a 10% premium. If you turn to the next page…”
She trailed off, waiting for Seo-un to flip the page.
“That clause states you may use all public facilities in Sweden free of charge. And if you look at the following page, there is a list of private companies supported by Sweden. You will also be able to use their facilities and services for free.”
The conditions were far more extensive than expected. Even Seo-un, who had anticipated some level of exceptional treatment, found his eyes widening.
Gi-chan, who had received a copy of the contract as well, spoke up.
“ASB Airlines? We can use the airline for free too?”
“Yes. That airline is a state-owned carrier operated jointly by Sweden and several other nations.”
As she answered with a smile, Gi-chan was busy exclaiming in admiration while scanning the list of free services. After he finished looking through the long list, she continued.
“On the final page, you will find Sweden’s promises regarding your personal care. These are mostly benefits we can provide while you are residing in Korea.”
“This is incredible,” Gi-chan said, clearly pleased.
Seo-un nodded. “Fine. Let’s sign.”
“Yes. Then…”
Just as she was about to take something out of her bag, Gi-chan spoke up as if he had just remembered something.
“Ah! I looked it up on the internet, and it said Sweden brought back conscription…”
As his voice trailed off, Karina replied with a smile.
“Naturally, Jin Seo-un’s family and squad members are exempt from all mandatory service requirements.”
For the first time in his life, Gi-chan realized how beautiful the word 'exempt' could be.
Once the contracts were finalized, Karina made a phone call.
“Bring up the seven cases.”
Before long, seven men in blue suits arrived, carrying seven luxury briefcases that were handcuffed to their wrists. The men politely placed the cases on the round table, bowed, and departed.
“If you open them…” Karina prompted.
The four of them opened their respective cases. Inside each was a small booklet resembling a passport, a single black card, and an information manual.
“That booklet is a temporary ID that you can use immediately once you attach your name and photo. From this moment on, with Sweden guaranteeing your identity, you are not bound by the laws of any nation. Of course… there are a few exceptional countries… but I strongly advise you not to visit them.”
Seo-un nodded.
“That card is linked to an account provided by Sweden. As a signing bonus, each account has been credited with 10 million US dollars. When using that card, you can purchase goods and services at prices exempt from consumption tax and various other taxes, even here in Korea.”
Gi-chan tilted his head. “Is that even possible?”
“Yes. It is.”
Seeing her confident smile, Gi-chan toyed with the card, looking fascinated.
“But these other three cases…” Seo-un began.
“We took the liberty of looking into the families of Jin Seo-un and Kang Gi-chan,” Karina replied. “This is for their convenience, so we ask for your understanding. If there are any other family members you would like to add, please let us know at any time.”
“Ah… you’re giving my family the same conditions?” Gi-chan asked in surprise.
“It’s only natural. For Miss Ga-hee, we plan to provide free education and educational support funds for any university listed in that manual.”
At the mention of supporting his younger sister’s education, Gi-chan nodded vigorously.
“This really is an extraordinary level of support.”
“Sweden has promised you better conditions than any other nation,” Karina said. “If you encounter any inconveniences in your daily life in the future, just let us know, and we will do our best to provide maximum convenience.”
“Wow… this is actually a bit of a burden,” Gi-chan muttered. “It’ll be a disaster if we fail now.”
Seo-un furrowed his brow. “There you go running your mouth again. Words have power, you know.”
As Seo-un glanced at Juriel and Li Lingwei, Gi-chan quickly covered his mouth with his hand.
“You don’t need to worry about that,” Karina assured them. “Our conditions remain valid even if you no longer participate in Cloyd. It is clearly stated in the contract clauses.”
“It’s like an event promotion,” Seo-un remarked.
When Gi-chan looked puzzled, Karina nodded in agreement.
“You’re sharp. That’s correct. We are using you to advertise that we treat outstanding players this well. We expect that more players will seek out Sweden because of it.”
“Ah… so if you give the best treatment to talent, more talent will gather? Sweden is a great country.”
With the contracts concluded and the food beginning to arrive, the meal proceeded in a friendly atmosphere. Juriel and Li Lingwei peppered Karina with questions about Earth’s culture and lifestyle, satisfying their curiosity.
Once the meal was over, Seo-un spoke.
“I’m going to go train with Gi-chan. You two…”
“We have a lot to do,” Juriel said.
“Let’s do it together next time,” Li Lingwei added.
Letting out a sigh of relief inwardly, Seo-un left the hotel with Gi-chan.
“Hyung, we should deliver these cases, right?”
“I’m worried about that too. My parents are going to be shocked out of their wits.”
“My sister too. Things are already noisy lately with all this talk about Ability Users. They’ll be worried, right?”
“Probably. For now… let’s head to Wonju to clear our heads and figure it out. When your mind is cluttered, there’s nothing better than using your body.”
“Got it.”
*
The rumor that Jin Seo-un had signed an extraordinary contract with Sweden spread across the globe in an instant. Of course, it was merely a rumor circulating through informed circles rather than something the general public knew, but the impact was not small.
Many nations that had previously taken a passive stance toward Ability Users began to encourage them more actively, and this atmosphere began to spread to the general public.
“You’re going where?”
Seo-un’s eyes widened as he asked the question to Li Lingwei and Juriel, who had arrived in Wonju after finishing their business with Karina.
Juriel spoke as if it were nothing while using magic to level the uneven ground of the vacant lot. “We have to greet your parents.”
Li Lingwei also nodded as she pulled a towel from her subspace to wipe her sweat. “You said you were going anyway. There’s no need to feel burdened.”
Seeing the two women who still looked full of energy even after a 2-on-2 sparring session, Gi-chan shook his head. “You guys sure have a lot of stamina.”
Li Lingwei looked down at Gi-chan, who was sprawled on the ground. “You tend to rely too much on magic. If you put in just a bit more effort, you could reach a decent level as a martial artist.”
“My main class is a Mage. Martial arts are just a supplement. Even Juriel-noona hasn't learned any martial arts except for basic Lightness Skills.”
Li Lingwei shook her head at his answer.
Seo-un glared at the sprawled Gi-chan, gritting his teeth. He had planned to give his parents the case from Sweden today and tell them the truth, but Gi-chan had blabbed about it, creating this awkward situation.
“Gi-chan. Lingwei is right. You hold an important position where you have to provide protection as a mage while also filling the role of a knight. It seems you really do need to hone your martial arts more. You’ll need some intensive training.”
Seeing the hint of murderous intent in Seo-un's eyes, Gi-chan scrambled to his feet.
“N-Next time! It’s almost time for my promise with Ga-hee. I’ll be going first!”
Lingwei shook her head as she watched him practically fly down the mountain. “His Lightness Skill is quite excellent, though.”
“Then let’s get ready and go,” Seo-un sighed. “I suppose I have to introduce you anyway.”
To be honest, with two such beauties making active advances, it wasn't as if Seo-un disliked it. It was just the fact that there were two of them that weighed on his mind. He was only twenty-four—an age where one would be more interested in dating than marriage.
“You bought a car?”
Seo-un’s eyes went wide as he saw a Bentley Continental GT parked at the foot of the mountain on an unpaved road, its undercarriage covered in dust.
“Karina said that in modern Earth, it’s inconvenient in many ways if you don’t have a car.”
It had been barely two weeks since they accepted Karina’s proposal.
“D-Did you already get your licenses?”
“Karina pulled some strings. Driving turned out to be more fun than I thought.”
Seo-un, who had been obsessed with bikes and rode a Hayabusa, hadn't really thought about cars, but looking at the Bentley, he was momentarily captivated by its seductive lines.
“Earth’s technology is amazing,” Juriel said. “Even without magic, if you just enter an address, it guides you through unknown roads. I’m surprised in many ways. Anyway, get in.”
The two women got into the front seats, and Seo-un climbed into the back. As he settled in, the comfortable ride welcomed him. Chatting about various things on the way to his parents’ house in Incheon, Seo-un’s mind was a mess of emotions.
Seeing his parents waiting in front of a restaurant they frequented, Seo-un hurried out of the car.
“Seo-un?”
His parents’ shock was palpable as they saw their son step out of a luxury foreign car.
“I’ll tell you everything once we go inside,” Seo-un said quickly.
“Mother, Father. I am Li Lingwei. It is a great honor to meet you.”
As Li Lingwei stepped out and bowed deeply, Juriel quickly followed. “I am Juriel. I hope you both have been well.”
Seo-un’s parents looked back and forth between the two women in confusion before turning their gaze to their son. Sensing his parents’ bewilderment, Seo-un ushered them inside.
“Let’s just go inside first.”
Once they were seated, Seo-un’s mother spoke first. “Are they… friends of yours, Seo-un?”
Seeing the two women who exuded a subtle air of nobility, Seo-un’s mother instinctively used polite speech.
“Mother. Please, speak comfortably to us,” Li Lingwei said.
“That’s right. Please, don't use formal speech,” Juriel added.
“O-Oh, alright. I didn’t know our Seo-un had such beautiful friends.”
While Seo-un’s mother was still flustered, his father was different. He had picked up on the subtle atmosphere between Seo-un and the women, and a knowing smile began to spread across his face.
*
“Jin Seo-un? Was he the one who was Crown Grade in Korea?”
“Yeah. The fact that the regular members who were with him came to Earth for the first time has become quite a topic of conversation.”
“I heard Subaru in Japan got crushed. He’s the hot topic lately.”
“Subaru was nothing more than a guy carried by his items. But doesn't this seem like it could be fun?”
A man curling a 200-kilogram barbell with one hand twisted his lips into a smirk.
“What are you thinking?”
“If we can steal the abilities of someone who’s such a hot topic… wouldn't all eyes turn to us?”
“Unless the guy is insane, would he really agree to a Guild War with us?”
“We just have to make him. Why don't we send Andrei?”
“…If things escalate, it could get noisy.”
“What does it matter? Weren't you itching for a fight anyway?”
“Hmm… Korea. He probably has Subaru’s items, so it wouldn't be bad…”
At Arseny’s words, the corners of the man’s mouth curled upward into a predatory grin.