WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Chen
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◈ Our Precious Demon King ◈
Chapter 71: Automatic Clock-Out
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After visiting Seodaemun Prison, the prime minister also posed for photos in front of the comfort women statue.
Prime Minister Mishima Masanobu kept smiling like a seasoned politician, but inside, bitter tears flowed.
‘I'm ruining Japan's future.’
All of this was just to stay alive.
Faced with an outright assassination threat, there was little else to do.
Mishima Masanobu was old, but still wanted to live.
The stress of the past few days had been terrible.
There had even been nightmares of an assassin attacking during the night.
‘Isn't that hunter completely absurd?’
A true superhuman.
Impossible to stop or control.
"Prime Minister Mishima, please sit over here."
"Ah, yes."
Seated for the evening banquet, Mishima watched President Kim Seungtae smile warmly.
‘You crafty bastard.’
He must have put Korea's special adviser up to it.
Told him to go and give Japan a scare.
As if he'd been waiting for this chance, he'd won concessions on every issue that had caused conflict between the two countries.
After being dragged from place to place all day, Prime Minister Mishima felt utterly defeated.
It was a deep humiliation, like being the ruler of a defeated nation, hauled before the victors to be mocked.
‘My political career is over too.’
After returning to Japan, Mishima would apologize to the nation, then resign and spend the remaining years in peace.
After facing the threat of assassination, everything else felt pointless.
A brief check of Japanese public opinion earlier had shown that it was just as bad as expected.
If the prime minister felt this humiliated, the Japanese people must feel even worse.
‘Still, I have to stay alive.’
What other choice was there?
Someone had casually invaded another country's capital and beheaded more than six hundred people.
Mishima still trembled at the horrifying threat.
Still, this humiliating diplomacy hadn't been entirely fruitless. A great deal had been surrendered, but it would be enough if the threat of A-rank dungeons across the Japanese islands could be dealt with from now on.
There was no need to ask for much.
No intention of making unreasonable demands.
Just come and clear dungeons whenever Japan requested it, as Taiwan's Ryu Jai had done.
Just don't shut Japan out.
It was a pitiful achievement for an agreement the prime minister had flown all the way to Korea to sign, but there was no choice but to be satisfied.
"Hahaha, these ribs are delicious. Please, try some."
"Ah, yes."
Kim Seungtae!
That devious bastard.
A politician who sent an assassin behind the scenes, then smiled across the negotiating table as he took everything he wanted.
Of all people, why had Mishima become his target?
To Prime Minister Mishima Masanobu, it felt as though President Kim Seungtae were smiling while holding a knife to Mishima's throat.
"Oh, really?"
After hearing something from an aide, President Kim Seungtae spoke with a bright smile.
"Well, apparently our special adviser has already visited the Kobe dungeon. Haha, Japan certainly knows how to negotiate."
"...Pardon?"
What was he talking about?
"It seems your country's Superhuman Awakening Agency has quite a persuasive agent. We're fortunate that the special adviser lives in Seoul, but even we find it difficult to ask him for anything."
"...J-just a moment. Please excuse me."
"Of course. Take your time."
Prime Minister Mishima left the banquet hall, followed by the aides.
"What happened?"
"It's true. It seems the agency director sent Sasaki Yoichi as a messenger to ask for help."
"He agreed just like that? What was the price?"
"A Kobe beef gift set."
"...?"
"It appears he was returning a favor. The rumors about young Sasaki Yoichi being friends with the special adviser seem to be true."
"Huh."
Mishima Masanobu frowned.
"Sasaki Yoichi? Assemblyman Sasaki's son?"
"That's right."
"Hmm. I see."
The old politician's mind raced.
"What about public opinion?"
"It's favorable."
"Because the dungeon was cleared so quickly?"
"Every economic indicator is rising right now, including the Nikkei index."
"...Why?"
"Moody’s raised Japan's sovereign credit rating a little while ago."
"Huh."
One dungeon had disappeared, and suddenly everything about Japan was being viewed more favorably.
"Yes, congratulations, Prime Minister. Your approval rating might not just recover, but even exceed what it was at the start of your term."
"...?"
"You're being portrayed as a politician who shouldered personal disgrace for Japan's future."
‘Me?’
‘But I gave everything away because I didn't want to be assassinated.’
"Ah, I'm ashamed of myself for briefly thinking you were a traitor."
‘This little bastard!’
"You're truly a beacon for Japan, Prime Minister! You don't care about personal disgrace when your country's future is at stake. You have my respect!"
"...Let's go back for now."
President Kim Seungtae welcomed the prime minister back to the banquet hall.
* * *
Kim Jangmi's new home had an outdoor kitchen for barbecue parties, and a feast was being laid out there.
Sizzzzz.
"Where's Jia?"
"Oh, she says she's on her way."
"Is she skipping cram school again today?"
"No, she quit."
"Huh? Why?"
His niece had been so serious about her studies, yet she'd quit cram school?
"Ugh, don't get me started."
Kim Jangmi shook her head.
"Even though the bodyguards kept their distance, having them follow her around seems to have gotten people talking."
"Talking?"
"You know how curious kids are at that age."
Some children were bound to be quick on the uptake. A few had noticed the ever-present bodyguards and Yu Jia now openly traveling to and from school in a black car.
They'd asked whether she was the daughter of some rich business family.
Yu Jia had told just one close friend the truth, but...
"As you know, nothing stays secret. Once one person knows, everyone knows."
The rumor had spread in an instant.
It had thrown not just Yu Jia's school, but her cram school into an uproar.
‘Jia's uncle is the special adviser!’
The bodyguards had immediately switched from watching at a distance to staying close, making things even worse.
"Those idiots. Can't they do their jobs properly?"
Kim Junyong scowled.
Yu Jia wasn't some accessory labeled "Kim Junyong's Niece No. 1."
She had her own life, and now she was suffering because of him.
What if some outside influence had intruded on Kim Junyong's life?
‘They'd all be dead.’
He would have been furious.
His niece's distress felt all too personal, and it made him angry.
"Should I go erase all the kids' memories? How many students are there in the whole school?"
Did he have enough mind slimes for that?
"Junyong."
"Hmm?"
"You can't change everyone around you just because the world won't go your way."
"..."
"Jia needs to learn to adjust too, doesn't she?"
"But..."
"It's not your fault."
"..."
Kim Junyong fell silent.
Even adults who thought highly of themselves became children before their mothers. In front of his older sister, he was always just her little brother.
Just look at that concern and affection.
As a dark mage, he could see those feelings in full, leaving him with little to say.
He knew she was saying this purely out of concern for him.
"For now, I've canceled all her cram school classes. I think private tutoring would be better."
In truth, the cram school had complained.
They'd asked whether Jia could leave because she was distracting the other students.
"Oh, really? Should I go grab a tutor?"
"Junyong. I'll take care of Jia, so you focus on serving the country."
"It's not like I'm really doing anything for the country..."
"Of course you are. Didn't you go to Japan earlier?"
"Oh, that."
Kim Junyong chuckled and looked at Sasaki Yoichi, who stood beside Ed, eagerly eating lettuce wraps.
Sasaki had gone with him to Kobe to clear the dungeon. Then, after receiving a housewarming invitation offered out of politeness, he'd actually accepted and come back to Korea with him.
"U-umai!"
"Meooow! My meat-grilling skills are the best in the world, meow."
"Isn't that because the meat is so good?"
"Meow! Whether it's Korean beef or Kobe beef, I can make it the best once it's in my hands, meow!"
"S-sugee!"
Another member of the family was watching them with shining eyes.
A young man going through the stormy years of adolescence.
Yu Jihun, an eighth grader.
‘Wow, he's fluent in Japanese.’
This was his first time being so close to a foreigner, let alone having one over for a party at home. Ever since his uncle had arrived, life felt a lot more exciting.
"Nephew."
"Oh! Yes, Uncle?"
"Why aren't you eating? Doesn't it taste good?"
"N-no. It's just amazing."
"Oh, Sasaki?"
"Yeah. Haha, an R-rank ranker came over to our house."
"I know. Can't even say something just to be polite."
This was the problem with people who had pure souls.
Because they never lied, they assumed everyone else was honest too.
"Go talk to him."
"Oh, but I don't speak Japanese very well."
"Huh? You watch plenty of stuff in Japanese."
"What? Huh?"
Grinning at Yu Jihun's short-circuiting reaction, he called to Ed.
"Ed!"
"Meow! Did you call, meow?"
"Japanese for Jihun."
"Yes, sir!"
This was Japanese they'd learned at the cost of a precious luck stone.
If there was a copy function, they might as well put it to good use.
A cat's paw touched Yu Jihun's forehead.
Pa-pat.
"Huh?"
He'd suddenly learned Japanese!
"Whaaat?"
As Yu Jihun stood there in disbelief, Kim Jangmi looked startled.
"What did you do?"
"Gave him Japanese. Want it too, Sis?"
"Huh?"
"Meow! Here you go, meow."
Ed hopped over and copied the language for Kim Jangmi too.
Pa-pat.
"W-what on earth is this?"
"Language copying."
While Kim Jangmi and Yu Jihun stood bewildered by this absurd turn of events, Sasaki Yoichi exclaimed.
"Oh! Mr. Ed, your talents are truly remarkable. Copying a language!"
"Ahem."
The Japanese she'd previously understood only in a rough, awkward way now sounded like her native language.
"Wow."
Was this even possible?
Despite his cute cat appearance, she knew Ed was a devil. But wasn't this truly the sort of power only devils could have?
"Awesome!"
Unlike the slightly worried Kim Jangmi, Yu Jihun was thrilled.
"Wow, I think I've mastered Japanese!"
"Oh, that's wonderful, young Yu Jihun."
"S-Sasaki! I can understand you!"
Watching her excited son, Kim Jangmi called to Kim Junyong.
"Is this really okay?"
"There are no side effects."
The foundation of black magic might be equivalent exchange, but they'd already paid a luck stone for this. The Japanese woman who had lost her native language had probably found her life changed by now.
"Oh, right. The tickets."
Now that he remembered, Kim Junyong took out the tickets.
"You needed this to travel anyway. Jihun, come here too."
Kim Junyong brought out two Hunter Awakening Tickets.
"Here, take one each."
"What are these?"
"Whoa, Uncle!"
Yu Jihun's ticket activated the moment he received it.
The ticket in Kim Jangmi's hand also turned to light and was absorbed into her.
"Oh, a healer."
<Kim Jangmi>
Class: Healer
Mana: 0
Skill: Healing
<Yu Jihun>
Class: Student
Mana: 0
Skill: Studying
Honestly, Earth’s god.
The work was as slapdash as ever, but unlike with devils such as Remi and Ed, their skills and mana were properly displayed.
Perhaps because they were Earthlings, their awakening had worked properly.
"What on earth is this?"
"Mom! We're hunters now!"
"Be quiet for a moment."
Looking rather serious, Kim Jangmi asked Kim Junyong a question.
"Is this what they call an acquired awakening?"
"That's right."
"And those tickets made it possible?"
"Yeah. I've got three left now. I'll give Jia one later."
"..."
Kim Jangmi looked overwhelmed.
An item that made acquired awakening possible.
How much money had been poured into researching it all this time?
‘If people find out about this...’
Kim Jangmi looked toward Sasaki.
"Umaiii!"
He was enjoying the meat he'd brought as a gift more than anyone else.
‘He'll know to keep quiet without being asked.’
He and Junyong seemed close enough that he treated her brother like an older brother of his own.
Surely he wouldn't make trouble for Junyong.
"But why did you suddenly give us awakening tickets?"
"You need them to travel. Oh, you'll be able to get off work faster now too."
"...!"
Footnotes:
"Comfort women" is a euphemism for women and girls forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military before and during World War II.
Sasaki's Japanese exclamations "umai" and "sugee" mean "delicious" and, informally, "amazing."
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