WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Chen
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Our Precious Demon King ◈
Chapter 72: Golden Ticket
──────
Vrooom.
“...”
Yu Jia was on her way home from the cram school, where the uncomfortable looks had all but driven her out.
Sitting in the car, she felt troubled.
“Please don't worry yourself, young miss.”
“I'm not in the mood for jokes.”
“Haha, I'm sorry.”
The man in the passenger seat was joking, but none of it registered.
There were two bodyguards in her car, one driving and one in the passenger seat.
The cars traveling ahead of and behind them carried four each.
Ten whole bodyguards were on the move just to protect her.
She'd known they were guarding her from a distance, but she hadn't realized there were so many.
‘Who am I to deserve all this?’
Just how important was her uncle for her to receive such excessive protection?
And why were her friends so interested?
Some were openly jealous. Others treated her like a monkey in a zoo.
Compared to the friends who felt betrayed and demanded to know why she hadn't told them, she was almost grateful to the ones who'd complained to the cram school about all the noise and disruption.
‘Is a normal life out of the question now?’
She'd spent the past few days thinking hard about it.
At first, she hadn't given her uncle's existence much thought.
They'd found a missing family member.
Her mom was really happy.
That was all she'd thought.
But then she'd learned that her uncle was a hunter.
An incredible one, at that...
He'd saved Seoul by defeating the devil in Yeouido, and now people treated him as one of the strongest hunters in the world.
He'd gone beyond the childish label of “national-level.” According to her little brother, he was world-authority-class.
And she was one of that uncle's only two nieces and nephews.
Honestly, how valuable would she be as a hostage?
Thinking of it that way, even ten bodyguards no longer seemed excessive.
‘Wanting a normal life is asking too much.’
She'd just wanted to study hard and become a wonderful doctor like her mom.
But her uncle was so extraordinary that even becoming a doctor seemed like a modest dream, and now even that didn't look easy.
“Haah.”
“Please don't be so upset, Miss Jia.”
“I'm not upset.”
She just felt frustrated.
Yu Jia took out her phone.
Should she at least be grateful for this?
Kim Junyong's name wasn't in the news.
He was only referred to as the special adviser, and there were absurdly few articles about him. Compared to his achievements and importance, he received very little coverage.
‘The whole country's really trying to protect him.’
As one blogger had said, hunters needed to be treated as secret weapons, not public figures.
But what good did it do for the media to keep quiet?
People's curiosity wasn't going anywhere, and online communities were still buzzing about him.
“Oh! Do you use Dungeon Forum too, Miss Jia?”
“...I found out about it through my brother. I only check it once in a while.”
“Hahaha. I see.”
Ugh, that smarmy bodyguard.
She ignored him and read the posts.
- Wow, one G-rank hunter changes our country's standing this much? Seeing Japan bow down like that feels fucking unreal.
- This is insane. They're admitting everything they always refused to acknowledge.
- Wow, he took them to Seodaemun Prison... President Kim Seungtae's no pushover either.
- Damn, that's ruthless. Absolutely ruthless.
- Look at the photo lol. Prime Minister Mishima looks like death lol
- Wow, never thought I'd live to see a Japanese prime minister giving three cheers in front of a comfort women statue.
- Is this real life?
- Kim Seungtae's on FIRE.
- This administration's actually crazy lol. Who invites a prime minister over and asks for all that? lol
Yu Jia chuckled despite herself.
The Korea-Japan summit had kept the whole school buzzing all day.
The teachers had been so excited that they'd barely managed to teach their classes. The Korean history teachers had even sought out Yu Jia, now known as “the special adviser's niece,” to thank her in person.
The strange mix of pride and loss she'd felt then still weighed on her.
Perhaps she'd already realized it at that moment.
She would be living as Kim Junyong's niece rather than as Yu Jia.
Neither the bulletproof car carrying her nor the ten bodyguards were there for an ordinary high school girl named Yu Jia.
They were there to protect Kim Junyong's niece, Yu Jia.
“Impressive, isn't it? The media hasn't announced the details, but this is all thanks to the special adviser.”
“My uncle? Oh, you mean the yakuza incident?”
“Yes. It seems he said something to the Japanese prime minister at the time. Haha, he's truly remarkable.”
“...”
Her uncle had influenced the Korea-Japan summit?
What on earth had he done to make them visit Seodaemun Prison and cheer in front of a comfort women statue?
“Isn't the president impressive too? Even with such a strong hand, it couldn't have been easy to push that hard.”
“My history teacher said that too.”
“Haha, I really think I voted well this time. His political instincts are something else.”
President Kim Seungtae's popularity was soaring.
A president with an approval rating of 85%!
Kim Junyong had threatened Japan, and the president had seized them by the throat in one move.
He'd used their advantage to get everything he wanted.
The public, who'd worried about his weak diplomatic skills at the start of his term, were now busy singing his praises.
* * *
President Kim Seungtae had had an exhausting day.
Relations between neighboring Korea and Japan were extremely complicated.
With so much tangled history between them, it was easy for tensions to deepen, but difficult to create a mood of reconciliation.
‘Fine. If Taiwan's out, then it's war with Japan!’
Those bastards.
He'd teach them a lesson.
‘The special adviser's practically declared war already!’
There had been a yakuza massacre in Tokyo.
It wasn't an incident that could simply be covered up, so President Kim Seungtae had soberly prepared for war.
“But then they covered it up themselves and asked to make peace?”
He'd thought the Japanese prime minister had some hidden motive.
So he'd deliberately brought up every sensitive issue.
“Dokdo is Korean territory, desu.”
“Huh?”
The provocation hadn't worked.
Japan had readily given in on everything, and the prime minister had immediately flown to Seoul to finalize the agreement.
“Hahaha, our next stop is Seodaemun Prison.”
He'd continued provoking them with a smile.
Could they put up with this too?
“Such tragic history must never be repeated. Our ancestors' sins were grave, and I once again pray for the souls of the departed on their behalf.”
The prime minister hadn't turned away from history.
Instead, they'd humbly accepted everything and asked forgiveness.
“What the comfort women suffered was a terrible crime that should never have happened. Before pledging to acknowledge everything and do our utmost to compensate the victims, I offer my deepest apologies...”
In front of the comfort women statue, the prime minister and the president had raised their hands high.
“Hurrah! Long live Korean independence!”
“...”
Was this right?
As he cheered for Korean independence alongside the Japanese prime minister, President Kim Seungtae had experienced a moment of mental confusion.
Was this some hidden-camera prank?
Was the prime minister immune to provocation? How could they agree to even this?
Didn't those Japanese bastards get angry?
“Check public opinion in Japan.”
As expected, Japan had erupted in anti-Korean sentiment.
People were cursing the prime minister, whose approval rating was plummeting.
“I knew it.”
No matter how readily the prime minister acknowledged everything, they'd soon be replaced.
Japan had its pride!
The far right would rise like wildfire and call for war!
Fine, he'd take them on!
War it was!
“Public opinion has taken a sharp turn after the special adviser cleared the dungeon in Kobe!”
“...?”
Everything had worked out well.
President Kim Seungtae had broken out in goosebumps.
‘Was all of this the special adviser's plan?’
Just how many moves ahead had he seen?
Had both the Japanese prime minister and the president himself been nothing more than pieces on the special adviser's board?
Somehow, he'd persuaded the prime minister after the Tokyo incident. There had been that unconditionally accepting attitude and a summit that had been like a gift to Korea.
Then he'd swiftly cleared Kobe's A-rank dungeon, calming the furious Japanese public.
‘The Mishima administration's approval rating is rising again.’
That made a fall from power unlikely.
If things continued like this...
Korea and Japan could develop an unprecedentedly close relationship. It was like an older guy from the neighborhood stepping in, smacking two quarreling friends once each, and making them get along!
‘So what the Adviser wanted was peace!’
President Kim Seungtae, who'd wanted to fight a war during his term, reflected deeply on himself.
“Whew. I mustn't forget to be grateful.”
The special adviser had given him his highest approval rating ever. He ought to send a gift.
To hell with the Kim Young-ran Act or whatever else.
This was practically defense spending for South Korea's national security.
* * *
At Kim Jangmi's new home.
“I'm home.”
“Oh, Jia, you're back?”
“Yes.”
Kim Jangmi looked at the boxes the bodyguards were carrying in one after another behind Yu Jia.
“Hm? What's all that?”
“Ah, they're thank-you gifts from the presidential office.”
“Thank-you gifts?”
“And this is a letter from the president expressing his deep gratitude for the special adviser's achievements.”
“Wow.”
Kim Jangmi was delighted by the fancy plaque-like object and the letter, but Kim Junyong was happier about the gifts that had come with them.
“Wow, this fruit looks amazing.”
“Meow! I'll go slice it up, meow!”
“Sure.”
“Since you're here, please have something to eat.”
“Oh, no, thank you. I'm only here to deliver these.”
The polite refusal was no match for a Korean woman's determination not to send a guest away without even a glass of water.
“Oh, come on. How could I do that? Stay and have something.”
“Well, if you insist... Haha.”
Several administrative officers from the presidential secretariat joined them, along with the bodyguards who'd accompanied Yu Jia.
The housewarming garden party became even livelier.
Yu Jia, however, wasn't particularly pleased.
The sensitive nineteen-year-old high school girl only wanted to fill up on beef and hurry to her room, but then...
“Hey, niece. Take this.”
“Huh? What's this?”
“A clock-out card.”
“What?”
The moment she accepted the golden ticket from Kim Junyong, a brilliant light flashed. A glow passed over Yu Jia's body, then vanished.
Pa-pat!
“Huh?”
<Yu Jia>
Class: Archer
Mana: 0
Skill: Focused Fire
“Wh-what is this? Did I just awaken?”
How was this possible?
“Hey, you're an archer.”
“Whoa, you're an archer?”
Yu Jihun stared at his sister in surprise.
“Wow! You were in the archery club in middle school!”
“Huh? What does that have to do with...”
“You must've been pretty serious about it! They say your class is based on whatever had a big influence on your life!”
“R-really?”
She'd enjoyed archery a little, but she'd quit when she entered high school so she could focus on studying.
“What are you?”
“Me? I... I'm, uh, a Student.”
“Pfft.”
“Why are you laughing?”
“Typical eighth grader.”
“...”
Yu Jihun had been pouting, but then something startled him.
“Huh? Has anyone ever awakened before eighteen?”
“...?”
Every case of acquired awakening had involved an adult aged eighteen or older.
Yu Jihun pressed a hand to his forehead.
He couldn't hold back the chuckle escaping his lips.
“Haah. Am I the world's first?”
Was his uncle a god?
Haah, this was fucking awesome.
“...!”
Yu Jia wasn't the only one who was shocked.
“Wh-what was that just now?”
“Did she just awaken?”
“How is this possible?”
“An item that makes acquired awakening possible!”
Countries around the world had researched the subject over and over without finding even a lead.
And now an item that enabled acquired awakening had appeared.
Just as everyone's curiosity reached its peak, Kim Junyong chuckled.
“Oh, this?”
“Gasp!”
“I-is that all of them?”
“Yeah, I've got two left.”
“...!”
The secretarial staff put down their chopsticks.
“Ah, I-I should be heading back now.”
“We'll be going too.”
“Huh? Why don't you stay and eat some more?”
“Haha, no, thank you.”
The people from the presidential office and the Bureau hurried out in a group, leaving only Kim Junyong's family and Sasaki.
The mood alone was enough for Kim Jangmi to realize the value of the tickets in Kim Junyong's hand.
“I don't think those are something you should be so careless with. Put them away.”
“These?”
Kim Junyong chuckled.
They were just like restaurant coupons handed out as flyers.
The kind that gave you a 10% discount.
‘Earth’s god would give me more if I asked.’
Anyway.
“Aren't you leaving?”
“Hahaha! I'm not quite full yet, desu.”
Sasaki Yoichi smiled brightly.
Footnotes:
Seodaemun Prison held Korean independence activists under Japanese colonial rule. The comfort women statues commemorate victims of Japanese military sexual slavery.
The Kim Young-ran Act is South Korea's anti-graft law, which restricts gifts to public officials.
“Desu” is a polite Japanese sentence ending, used here for comic effect.
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