WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Irevi
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ I Became the Upbeat Newbie the Infinite Regressors Are Obsessed With ◈
Chapter 27: Just Smiled
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The mysterious messenger sent by Infinity Difficulty took a Magic stone from their clothes and placed it beside the dagger.
“This is...”
Kwon Dojun narrowed their eyes.
The Management Bureau had been established, and they had recruited a fair number of Awakened.
Which meant that Awakened in crafting-related fields were cooperating with the Bureau as well.
That was why Kwon Dojun recognized at a glance that this was no ordinary Magic stone.
“This isn’t an ordinary Magic stone, is it?”
Lee Juhui, or rather, the Infinity Difficulty messenger disguised as Lee Juhui, nodded indifferently.
“It’s an A-rank Magic stone.”
“Hmm.”
What was a Magic stone?
Research was still underway, so it would take time before an exact definition could be established. Still, one thing was certain.
Was it not a miraculous material capable of overturning every principle of science in this world?
Naturally, research institutions around the world, including the Management Bureau, were buying Magic stones for enormous sums.
But Kwon Dojun had never seen one of this size, with such a clear color at a glance.
As expected of Infinity Difficulty.
Kwon Dojun stared at the A-rank Magic stone for a moment, then shifted their gaze to the disguised agent.
“My master said they would like to sell this Magic stone to the Management Bureau. If possible, they would like untraceable cash.”
At those words, Kwon Dojun’s eyes gleamed.
‘As expected...’
They felt as though they could vaguely see what kind of person the Infinity-Difficulty Challenger was.
‘They’re embarrassed.’
They found themself smiling for no reason.
Was this how the police chief of Goth*m City felt?
The feeling of an anonymous hero quietly offering help.
It was probably something ordinary people would never understand, even in a lifetime.
‘The entire world can barely conduct research because they lack Magic stones, yet they’re willingly coming to sell an A-rank one at just the right time. Really now.’
To Kwon Dojun, money could not have been all that important to the Infinity-Difficulty Challenger.
Had Kwon not already concluded that this person was an unimaginable giant?
It never occurred to them that they had come because they needed money.
Their request for untraceable cash was surely nothing more than an excuse to hand over the A-rank Magic stone.
“I understand. I believe I can now grasp, if only a little, the great intentions of the Infinity-Difficulty Challenger.”
Kwon Dojun grinned at the Magic stone.
This settled it.
Starting today, South Korea’s Magic stone research would advance to a level no other nation could dare match.
The messenger from Infinity Difficulty happened to speak.
“My master said 2-”
“2.5 billion won. Would that be enough to satisfy them?”
“...”
For the first time, the Infinity Difficulty messenger fell silent.
Kwon Dojun carefully watched the expression of the person who might have been a woman, or perhaps a man.
For some reason, their face was as unchanging as a doll’s.
Kwon could not tell whether they were pleased or displeased.
‘Agent Lee Juhui never has a reason to make a face like that, but if she did, she’d definitely be terrifying.’
They spent quite some time entertaining that pointless thought.
Tick, tick.
An uncomfortable silence settled over the dry Director’s office.
Kwon Dojun could not have known that Pinocchia was currently flustered.
Perhaps unable to endure the uncomfortable silence, Kwon Dojun spoke first.
“Um, is there some kind of problem...?”
“...”
Pinocchia thought.
‘Master told me to start at 2 billion won, lower it little by little, then sell at 1.5 billion...’
But now they were suddenly offering 2.5 billion won.
Was that not outside Master’s orders?
Still, she did not ponder it for long.
‘Getting more is a good thing, right?’
It was an obvious truth that even a fool could understand.
There was no reason to refuse when they were offering more.
Maybe Master would praise her for doing well when he learned Pinocchia had brought back extra?
Pinocchia imagined that moment and smiled happily.
Of course, she had scanned Agent Lee Juhui’s facial muscles, so the smile came out somewhat differently from Pinocchia’s usual innocent smile.
“...!”
Kwon Dojun swallowed dryly as they stared at the chilling, grotesque smile on Lee Juhui’s face.
Was that not the kind of smile human facial muscles could never make?
And judging by the sinister red light leaking from their chest, they did not seem to be an ordinary Awakened.
More than anything, Kwon Dojun was confused because they could not understand the messenger’s emotions.
‘Did I make some mistake?’
Just as Kwon pondered that, the messenger’s grotesque smile returned to normal.
“Good. I like it.”
Kwon Dojun was relieved to hear that.
“And one more thing. My master would like to maintain a relationship with the Management Bureau and continue trading Magic stones or items in the future.”
“Then...”
“I will visit the same way next time, so have an untraceable method of communication ready by then. That is the second message my master wished to deliver.”
“Understood. That will not be difficult.”
Kwon Dojun cheered inwardly.
Kwon’s prediction had been correct.
The Infinity-Difficulty Challenger would continue climbing the Tower.
That meant humanity could breathe a little easier about the threat of destruction.
“If you ever encounter any difficulties, please do not hesitate to call on us.”
Nod.
The messenger nodded indifferently.
“This is the last thing. Would it be alright if you did not look into where this cash is spent?”
It was what Master had told her to make sure of.
Master had said that suddenly buying a house with this much money could make them traceable, so she had to secure a promise on this point.
Since they supposedly could not lie, her work for today would be complete once she heard the answer.
“Of course. Please do not worry about that. The Management Bureau will not concern itself at all with who bought what, when, where, or for how much.”
Nod.
Fortunately, it seemed things had wrapped up smoothly without any complications.
Kwon Dojun continued with a satisfied smile.
“I eagerly await your next visit, messenger of the Infinity-Difficulty Challenger.”
Hearing that, Pinocchia felt strangely pleased, as though she had heard something cool.
‘Messenger of the Infinity-Difficulty Challenger!’
Being recognized by someone else as her master’s messenger was exciting in its own way.
The red light from her chest shone even more brightly, but it was not a problem.
After all, only Master knew that her emotions showed through the color of her core in this world!
* * *
After gathering up the briefcases full of cash, Pinocchia spoke to the Management Bureau Director.
“One week.”
“Pardon?”
“My master said not to worry. Master will definitely clear a floor once every week.”
“I never doubted it from the start.”
Nod.
Apparently pleased with the situation, Pinocchia had seamlessly slipped into the role of a secret mastermind’s agent.
“For your information, I knocked Agent Lee Juhui unconscious and hid her in a cleaning supply cabinet, so do not scold her. Please compensate her appropriately instead.”
“Understood.”
“I will be leaving now.”
“Yes.”
Pinocchia confidently walked out of the Management Bureau with the briefcases.
No Management Bureau agent suspected Pinocchia, who was deliberately acting as Lee Juhui.
After leaving, Pinocchia headed somewhere deserted, changed clothes, and immediately flew into the sky.
All she wanted was to hurry back to the studio apartment where her master was waiting and receive praise.
Unlike the enclosed Ark, she happily flew through the open night sky above the city.
“I’m coming, Master!”
.
.
.
.
For reference, when Agent Lee Juhui put her Management Bureau suit back on again...
“I-I really don’t know anything! Do you think I’d be crazy enough to skip work in my underwear? And I was stuffed in a cleaning supply cabinet! It was that! That thing! A spy from Mission Imp*ssible! Director, we need to lock down the Management Bureau right now and...”
“Director, Lee Juhui is certainly an unreliable junior, but this incident is not something we should simply brush aside...”
She and her senior, Agent Park Junyoung, were busily making excuses in the Director’s office.
Management Bureau Director Kwon Dojun cut them both off.
“The Infinity Difficulty Awakened sent a messenger. The messenger was disguised as you, Agent Lee Juhui.”
“Gasp!”
“Phew. Things nearly became very complicated, but fortunately, they ended well.”
Agent Lee Juhui stared blankly before asking,
“D-does that mean I won’t be disciplined?”
“Disciplined? The Infinity-Difficulty Challenger’s messenger deliberately infiltrated the place. How could you have resisted? Take a day off and think about what you would like instead. I believe that person will disguise themselves as you again during their next visit.”
“W-wait a second! Does that mean they’ll knock me out again next time?”
“Most likely. However, the Infinity Difficulty Awakened must have been concerned for you as well, because they asked us to compensate you appropriately. So hurry and think of something you would like within reason.”
Agent Lee Juhui’s eyes lit up.
“Then! Could you use the Management Bureau’s ‘power’ to get me Lee Han-gyeol’s autograph...?”
That was when it happened.
Agent Park Junyoung covered Agent Lee Juhui’s mouth and stepped forward.
“W-wait, Director! Could I go next time instead? You know I haven’t had a vacation in ages! I’m going to forget what my daughter looks like! Please give me some time off too!”
“Pwah! Get lost, Senior! I’m the one who got knocked out, so why should you get the compensation...”
Yes. This was it.
This was Agent Lee Juhui and Agent Park Junyoung.
Management Bureau Director Kwon Dojun squeezed their eyes shut, feeling as though blood was trickling from their ears.
‘How nice would it be if our agents were as serious and charismatic as the Infinity-Difficulty Challenger’s messenger?’
In any case, Kwon Dojun kicked the two of them out so they could look through resale listings for Lee Han-gyeol’s autograph for Agent Lee Juhui.
* * *
ㄴVampire Princess) Is that not Excalibur? It feels like it has been nearly a thousand years since I last saw it.
ㄴDungeon Rogue) It has been ages since I saw Head Mod in serious mode
I was in the middle of listening to Head Mod’s swordsmanship lesson and Archmage’s magic lesson when Pinocchia came in through the balcony.
“Pinocchia, messenger of the Infinity-Difficulty Challenger! I have returned, Master!”
She shut the balcony door with a Snap! then proudly held out a stack of briefcases to me.
“They said it’s 2.5 billion won!”
“...?”
Had I heard wrong?
She had brought back 2.5 billion won instead of 1.5 billion?
When I stared at her in confusion, Pinocchia puffed out her chest proudly.
“Hehe! The Director looked scary, but I think the Director was a really good person!”
For a moment, I panicked, wondering whether Pinocchia had folded the Director’s spine in half.
Fortunately, the video she had recorded showed that the Director had simply added a generous amount.
I had worried about many things, but between the Director’s reaction and Pinocchia’s committed acting, everything had gone smoothly without much trouble.
I looked at the briefcases, stuffed so full they seemed ready to burst, and spoke.
“Good. We earned money, so shall we go spend it now?”
I had already found a house.
I had already corrupted Pinocchia’s taste buds with seasonings.
All that was left was to corrupt her with capitalism.
At the mention of going out to spend money, Pinocchia’s blue eyes sparkled.
“More ramen!”
Ramen with 2.5 billion won.
Your dream’s a small one, Pinocchia.
I simply narrowed my eyes and smiled.
“Ha ha.”
Footnotes:
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