WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Chen
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Our Precious Demon King ◈
Chapter 74: Transfer Student Kim Remi
──────
A suite at the Daesan Hotel.
Surrounded by aides, Japan’s prime minister, Mishima Masanobu, looked deeply disappointed.
“Haah. To think I’m here in Korea, yet all I can do is watch.”
“It seems they weren’t meant for us. Please don’t dwell on it.”
“That’s right. Several lobbyists are already trying to contact anyone they can in Korean politics.”
An item that could awaken ordinary people had appeared.
The news had already spread far and wide.
The whole world’s eyes and ears were focused on Korea.
The country’s political circles had plenty of weak spots. Get friendly enough with someone, and information was easy to obtain.
Just like the assembly member who had told the Japanese prime minister about the awakening tickets.
China and the United States surely had local sources like that, as did other countries.
“I expect China and the United States will take one ticket each.”
“They’d pay any fortune to get them.”
What a shame.
Being in Korea for the summit made it all the more disappointing. What would the president say if Mishima brought it up at their meeting tomorrow?
Negotiate directly with the special adviser, probably.
Korea’s current strategy was to slip out of the way like a crafty old snake.
Riiing.
Just then, the secretary answered a call and made a startled announcement.
“It’s the director of the Superhuman Awakening Agency.”
“Hmm? Put them through.”
It hadn’t even been thirty minutes since their last conversation. What could warrant another urgent call?
“This is the prime minister.”
[Prime Minister! We got them! Two of them!]
“Got what?”
[We’ve obtained two awakening tickets!]
“Wh-what? How?”
[Sasaki brought them back!]
“Good heavens! What sort of deal did he make?”
[There was no deal! They were given as a gesture of friendship!]
“Friendship?”
Prime Minister Mishima Masanobu was puzzled, then suddenly felt an electrifying thrill.
“D-don’t tell me!”
[Does something come to mind?]
“Oh, it certainly does.”
Prime Minister Mishima Masanobu slapped one knee.
“The Mad Sov... Ah, no. South Korea’s special adviser is sending us a message!”
[A-a message?]
“Yes!”
Now it made sense.
The Mad Sovereign’s intentions, that is.
He was a violent, radical man, but apparently, he also wanted others to pick up on his intentions without being told outright.
His first message had been a warning of assassination.
He had brutally slaughtered the yakuza to make an example of them.
Obey if you don’t want to die...
What he had said then was, “Dokdo is our territory.”
‘The message behind these tickets is clear.’
He was pleased.
They had satisfied him.
‘Which part was it? Seodaemun Prison? The comfort women statue? The three cries of “Manse”?’
At what point had the special adviser become satisfied?
Whatever the answer, he was clearly a man who gave definite feedback.
Please him, and you received a reward.
Displease him, and you were assassinated.
“Director, make a special effort to ensure Sasaki maintains his close relationship with the special adviser.”
[Leave it to me! Sasaki has always sincerely wished for our country’s safety and prosperity.]
“How reassuring! Very reassuring indeed!”
Prime Minister Mishima ended the call, thoroughly satisfied.
“What’s on tomorrow’s schedule?”
“A visit to the National Cemetery. You’ll pay your respects and give a short speech on North Korean issues.”
‘One of those tickets must be for me.’
How exciting.
Well, then. Time to move the special adviser’s heart!
Even a request to visit Dokdo would be welcome.
* * *
The world was thrown into an uproar once again.
Awakening tickets that could turn ordinary people into hunters had appeared.
“I don’t care what they cost! Get them!”
“Buy them! Buy them right now!”
“Send agents to Korea! The VIP ordered us to secure them, whatever it takes!”
The world’s wealthiest people could barely sit still at the news.
Their lobbying focused on South Korean politics. Requests to obtain awakening tickets poured in from every direction, targeting ruling and opposition parties alike.
One brave assembly member even visited Hansan 2-dong.
But the security team from the Special Adviser Support Department stopped them outside.
“Please leave.”
“Now, now. Don’t you know who I am?”
“I said, leave.”
“What’s your name?”
“You don’t need to know. Please leave.”
“Listen here! I’m Jeong Jinsu! I’ve served four terms!”
“Four terms, five terms, I don’t care. Leave.”
“Well, honestly!”
The argument dragged on, but every security agent on the Special Adviser Support Team was a hunter.
An ordinary assembly member and a few aides couldn’t possibly force their way past them.
Unfortunately, the “power” that came with political office didn’t work on these people either. After a long argument, the visitors had no choice but to leave empty-handed.
“Haah. How many has it been now?”
“I’m sick of this.”
“So much for getting any sleep tonight.”
“Do you think they even know we just saved their lives?”
“Probably not. It’s strangely rewarding and exhausting at the same time.”
“Heh heh. Hang in there. This is all part of protecting our country.”
“Yes, sir!”
It would be a disaster if a news report came out saying an assembly member had been attacked in a residential neighborhood in Hansan 2-dong.
Once again, the Special Adviser Support Team worked through the night for Korea’s safety and prosperity.
It was past eleven at night, but President Kim Seungtae couldn’t sleep.
“Good grief. So he just handed them over to Japan?”
“Rather than giving them to Japan, he gave them to a hunter named Sasaki Yoichi.”
“That’s the same as giving them to Japan!”
“Considering the special adviser’s personality, he’s not the sort to send some message to a country. This was simply because of his personal friendship with Hunter Sasaki Yoichi.”
“Good grief. Something that precious.”
Kim Seungtae had no intention of becoming a hunter himself just because awakening tickets existed.
The problem was that several countries had made serious offers in exchange for them.
China had offered major concessions on North Korean issues in return for a ticket.
‘At this rate, reunification could happen during my term.’
China was saying it wouldn’t intervene even if South Korea sent tanks into Pyongyang. That was an enormous offer for a single ticket.
The United States had offered a tariff rate of 0%.
Since adopting protectionist policies, the United States had imposed tariffs averaging 30% on foreign goods.
Removing those would have an enormous economic impact.
Announce it now, and his approval rating would soar tomorrow.
‘My approval rating would shoot through the roof.’
An abuse of authority on this scale had to have been ordered directly by China’s president and the president of the United States.
The awakening tickets were immensely valuable bargaining chips.
And those precious things had ended up in Japan’s hands...
Even after everything Korea had taken from Japan, Japan had still gained something enormous. He could already picture Prime Minister Mishima’s approval rating soaring.
“Ugh, I’m so jealous it hurts.”
This wouldn’t do.
“Chief Kim.”
“Yes, Mr. President.”
“Let’s take the prime minister to Dokdo.”
“...The prime minister returns home tomorrow.”
“Tell them to stay another day.”
“...”
It was a rude change of schedule to impose on a national leader, but somehow, Chief Kim felt it might actually work.
* * *
While that storm of a day passed, Kim Junyong slept soundly. The next morning, he visited his sister’s house with Remi.
“Oh? Junyong. Remi. Did you sleep well?”
“Yeah.”
“What brings you here so early?”
Kim Jangmi grew nervous.
Had he come over for breakfast?
Did she need to make something?
But she had to leave for work.
“Where’s Jia?”
“Huh? She’s still in her room.”
“Really? Niece! My oldest niece!”
Footsteps sounded upstairs, and Yu Jia came down from the second floor.
“Yes?”
His niece looked hollow-eyed. Apparently, she hadn’t slept well.
“Hmm? Are you sick?”
“No.”
She had merely been unable to sleep because her head was full of worries: the feeling that all her hard work studying had been rendered meaningless, the meaning of her existence, her dream of becoming a doctor, her future career, the status window that had suddenly appeared, and the realization that she was now a hunter.
“Why did you call me?”
“Oh, you’re going to school with Remi.”
“What?”
Yu Jia was startled.
“Going around with just Remi is much better than having a whole line of bodyguards trailing after you.”
Remi approached Yu Jia and planted a hand on her shoulder.
Pa-pa-pat.
Black smoke enveloped her, and her clothes changed into the same school uniform Jia wore.
Kim Jangmi was so amazed that she even clapped.
“Oh, my! Junyong! How did you think of this?”
A high school girl with a whole line of bodyguards in suits following her was bound to stand out. Two high school girls walking together, however, were perfectly ordinary.
“She should at least be able to finish school in peace.”
“...Junyong.”
Deeply moved, Kim Jangmi pulled her younger brother into a hug.
How had he come up with such a thoughtful idea?
She had been terribly worried about her daughter, whose daily life had been badly disrupted by the sudden appearance of her uncle. Having her brother step in and look after Jia made her both grateful and proud.
“Oh, it’s nothing. She should at least be able to go to school normally.”
“Jia, isn’t this wonderful?”
“H-huh?”
Yu Jia was overwhelmed by the sudden decision.
Looking at Kim Remi’s unreal beauty, set off perfectly by the school uniform, she thought:
‘I think we’ll stand out even more...’
Yu Jia shook her head to clear away the thought.
Still, it was better than having the other kids whisper about her and tease her as though she were the youngest daughter of some billionaire family.
“I’ll take responsibility for the young lady’s close protection.”
“Oh, Remi. I’m counting on you.”
Kim Jangmi clasped Kim Remi’s hand and shook it.
“‘Young lady’ is a bit much... Why don’t you just be my big sister?”
“Hmm? But we’re the same age.”
“You can be my older cousin.”
“Oh, my niece is smart.”
In Korea, even twins were assigned an older and younger sibling based on who had been born first.
Among cousins, being born a few months earlier could be enough to make someone the older sister.
“Oh, I’ll be late. We have to go.”
“All right. Have a good day.”
“Yes.”
As Yu Jia left for school, Kim Remi, a high school girl gripping a long sword, followed her.
“Um, uh... Sis.”
“Speak.”
“Can’t you hide that sword somewhere?”
Kim Remi nodded.
“Do you really have to bring it?”
“I do.”
“...”
Somehow, this seemed likely to give people even more to gossip about...
‘No, what normal life am I even talking about now...?’
She had spent all night thinking.
An ordinary life?
Being a high school senior preparing for the college entrance exam?
She had given up on that.
She would do her best, but she had now accepted her fate to some extent.
Suddenly becoming a hunter had played a part in that too.
Her lingering attachment to archery, which she had given up after middle school, had also begun to stir again.
If she couldn’t live an ordinary life, living an extraordinary one was another option.
Everything that had felt burdensome and uncomfortable now seemed a little different to Yu Jia.
“That’s our bus. But how did you get enrolled...?”
“The Bureau.”
“Oh!”
Yu Jia gave herself a little knock on the head.
A government agency was handling this, and she was worrying about transfer paperwork?
She still hadn’t shaken her ordinary citizen’s mindset.
They went to school under people’s curious glances. Remi headed for the faculty office, while Jia went to her classroom.
Soon, before first period began, Kim Remi arrived with the homeroom teacher, throwing the classroom into an uproar.
“All right, settle down! We have a new classmate joining us today. Help her settle in, everyone. Remi, would you introduce yourself?”
Kim Remi took a step forward and looked over her classmates. Her gaze settled on Yu Jia, who looked particularly nervous, and she spoke.
“Don’t cross the line, and I won’t kill you.”
“...”
At that chilling introduction, her classmates’ eyes turned toward the longsword in her hand.
Footnotes:
“Manse” is a Korean cheer meaning “hurrah” or “long live.” Three cries of it are common at patriotic ceremonies.
“Comfort women” refers to women and girls forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military.
Join our discord at https://dsc.gg/wetried
