WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Chen
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Our Precious Demon King ◈
Chapter 80: Europe Is Friendly
──────
South Korea's Hunter Management Bureau.
The Dungeon Management Department was checking information on newly appeared dungeons around the world, as it did every day.
“Huh? Three A-rank dungeons have appeared.”
“That's quite a few.”
An average of ten to fifteen A-rank dungeons appeared worldwide each month. Having three appear in a single day was rare, but the monthly average stayed about the same.
“Ten B-rank dungeons and twenty-one C-rank dungeons.”
“About the same as usual.”
“Yes, but...”
The employee updating the information on the new dungeons rubbed their eyes.
“Th-the time limits are shorter than usual.”
“How much shorter?”
“They're about half as long.”
“What?”
The head of the Dungeon Management Department jumped in alarm.
The time limit for clearing a dungeon varied according to its size.
An A-rank dungeon usually gave hunters about thirty days to clear it.
Yet every one of the new A-rank dungeons had a time limit of fifteen days, as if they had all agreed on it.
“Wh-what about the B-rank ones?”
“Ten days.”
“What!”
Those had been shortened too.
B-rank dungeons usually gave them twenty days.
Now they had half that.
“Check all the other dungeons! Every existing dungeon too!”
The Dungeon Management Department erupted into chaos.
Once known as one of the Bureau's cushiest departments, it had become extremely busy ever since dungeon time limits had started shrinking.
The days of simply looking at the dungeon map on the Demon Realm Forum and typing up information were gone!
The time limits were being shortened too often for them to trust only the displayed information. Worse, this time the dungeons had appeared with much shorter time limits from the start.
“There's no point in holding dungeon auctions anymore! We need to clear as many as we can before another disaster hits!”
“This is urgent. I'll report to the higher-ups.”
It wasn't just South Korea's Dungeon Management Department that was in an uproar.
Every hunter-related organization in the world took the matter seriously.
* * *
Italy's Supernatural Abilities Bureau.
Bureau Director Marco asked with a grave expression, “Who's here?”
“Korea's Special is here.”
“Haa...”
A deep sigh escaped.
“Alone?”
“Special One and Special Two are both here. Special One's family came with them too.”
Marco shook their head.
“This is driving me crazy.”
A G-rank hunter was also called a national-level hunter.
That wasn't simply a title used to show them respect.
They were irreplaceable human resources.
But that pool of resources had changed.
‘Four are out. Only three remain, and now two more have emerged.’
Special One and Special Two.
Special One referred to special adviser Kim Junyong.
Special Two was the code name for Kim Remi, who traveled with him.
Both were Korean.
Amazingly, both were returnees who had been back for less than a month.
And Special One was suspected to be the Mad Sovereign.
No, in truth, everyone thought he was the Mad Sovereign. Not a single country had officially acknowledged it, though.
A brave SR-rank hunter named Takahashi Kenchi had stepped forward, but as far as Marco knew, his own country had abandoned him, and he was now missing.
“They're letting a complete lunatic who hasn't even adjusted to society roam around the world without a passport!”
Just how irresponsible was Korea?
“This might be a deliberate ploy by Korea.”
“A ploy?”
“Yes. Japan fell for this trick and got crushed!”
“What?”
Marco beckoned the employee closer with a finger.
“Look at this. Korea's Hunter Management Bureau sent it.”
[Protect your citizens from a group of five Korean tourists.]
“I knew it! Isn't this less of a warning and more of an open declaration that they're looking for a fight?”
“That's how you read it too?”
“Yes!”
“They've come to pick a fight with Italy. What on earth do they want?”
“The problem is that we don't know.”
Marco drummed their fingers.
What could Korea possibly gain by deliberately creating tension with Italy?
‘Nothing, right?’
For a moment, Director Marco even entertained the absurd idea that they had come to Italy purely as tourists.
“How about trying this?”
“What?”
“Let's give them some pocket money before they can shake us down.”
“What do you mean?”
“May I have a word in your ear...?”
After hearing the employee out, Marco slapped their knee.
“You clever bastard! What's your name?”
“Lorenzo.”
“What have you been doing all this time without getting promoted? You're a team leader now!”
“I-I'll give you my absolute loyalty. But which team would I be leading...?”
“Go to that Korean hunter right now and put this plan into action!”
“...”
He'd only meant to offer a strategy. Now he had to carry it out too.
“Not confident?”
“O-of course I am!”
“Good! What authority do you need?”
“Give me temporary command over every department in the Bureau!”
“You cheeky bastard! You want the same authority as me! Fine! From this moment on, your word is mine. Requisition anything in the Bureau! Do whatever it takes to send that troublesome bunch to France!”
“Yes!”
Lorenzo answered at the top of his lungs.
He had majored in Korean history in college and remained deeply interested in Korean popular culture. He was confident this operation would succeed.
* * *
Naples, Italy.
A group of Korean tourists strolled through the city known as the birthplace of pizza.
“It's morning, so none of the restaurants are open yet.”
“Oh, I forgot about the time difference, Mom.”
They had left in the evening, but it was morning in Italy.
“Are you stupid?”
“Mom! She called me stupid!”
“You two! Are you going to fight even here in Italy?”
Kim Junyong laughed as his niece and nephew shrank under Kim Jangmi's scolding.
“Oh, someone's coming. Everyone, be quiet.”
Kim Jangmi tried a little too hard to look casual.
“Mom, come on! You're making us look even more suspicious.”
“Be quiet. We all entered the country illegally.”
“If we get caught, we can just go home.”
Traveling to other places was Kim Junyong's personal ability, so he had to either take them along or send them there. But they could return to their base in Korea on their own.
To put it bluntly, even if the police arrested them, they could be home in one second.
“Jihun's right about this one.”
When Jia joined in, Kim Jangmi glared at them.
Just then, Yu Jihun pointed at a shop.
“Oh! Mom, that place is open! Let's go there.”
“Hmm, all right. Let's eat something first.”
The party of five Koreans spent the morning walking until they finally found an open bar and sat down. It still wasn't lunchtime.
“Uh, Mom, you order.”
“Ugh, you idiot. Move.”
Yu Jia stepped forward and opened the translation app on her phone.
[Can we order?]
[Of course, young lady. Aren't you cute?]
“Blech.”
Pulling a playful face, Yu Jia turned to her uncle.
“Uncle, what should we order?”
“Everything.”
“Really?”
“Remi eats a lot.”
“Oh, right.”
[We'd like to try everything on the menu. Please give us one of each.]
[Really? For just five people?]
[We've got a competitive eater. Please go ahead.]
[Oh, my God.]
“Uncle, time to pay.”
“Here. Take the card.”
The black card Kim Junyong handed over went into the card reader.
Beep-beep. Beedle-beep.
Within moments, the payment information passed through Korea's Hunter Management Bureau to Italy's Supernatural Abilities Bureau.
[Please take a seat. I'll bring everything over.]
Kim Jangmi sat where she had a good view of the street and clapped like a little girl.
“Wow, I can't believe this.”
Just looking at the unfamiliar streets seemed to delight her. Her face was full of excitement.
“Mom, are you that happy?”
“Aren't you?”
Here they were, on a street in Italy, without passing through an airport, dragging heavy suitcases packed with everything, or even booking a hotel.
It was a surreal travel experience she had never imagined.
Apart from the slight worry about having entered the country illegally, everything was wonderful.
“Of cooourse.”
Yu Jihun simply grinned.
Yu Jia's expression, on the other hand, was a little more complicated.
“Jia, is something worrying you?”
“Oh, no.”
She was starting to suffer from an ailment common among teenagers growing up. She didn't know what it was herself, which only confused her more.
‘Is becoming a doctor really right for me?’
Yu Jia had begun to question her dream career.
She had suddenly become a hunter.
Perhaps her time in the archery club, which she'd loved in middle school, had left its mark on her. As it happened, she'd become an archer.
‘One click and I can master a language... One blink and I'm traveling the world...’
She began to question all the studying she'd worked so hard at.
Had the goal she'd been chasing really been her dream?
Yu Jia had a lot on her mind.
Sluuuuurp.
Meanwhile, after sampling the different coffees as they were brought out, Remi drained a glass of fruit juice in one go.
Sitting at an outdoor café made it easy to watch the street, but it also made it easy for passersby to watch them.
Remi's beauty stood out above all else. Not a single passerby failed to turn and look at her.
Whenever one of those humans winked as they passed, Remi thought the same thing.
‘Just give me the finger instead.’
Then wouldn't killing them count as self-defense?
‘Won't someone pick a fight with me?’
Among the pathetic men who merely winked or whistled as they passed, there was bound to be a real man.
A large Italian man approached.
Remi felt a little excited.
Was he going to pick a fight?
Would she get to draw her sword?
Sadly, however, the man wasn't there for Remi.
He abruptly bowed to Kim Junyong and introduced himself.
“My name is Lorenzo, from Italy's Supernatural Abilities Bureau.”
Fluent Korean came out of the mouth of a man who looked like a classic Italian macho type.
“Hmm? You know me?”
“Aren't you Korea's special adviser?”
“Oh, am I famous?”
“...”
Did he not know how famous he was?
Then again, Korea was doing everything it could to block information about Kim Junyong.
While the public was well aware of the “special adviser,” the man named “Kim Junyong” remained a mystery, an unfamiliar figure.
Still, anyone in an organization like the Supernatural Abilities Bureau who didn't know Kim Junyong would have to be an idiot. He was the hottest topic in hunter society right now.
“So, are you here to arrest us for entering the country illegally?”
“O-of course not! Italy always welcomes the Specials and their family.”
“Specials?”
“Wow, Uncle, that must be some kind of code name.”
“Don't interrupt when the adults are talking.”
“Oops.”
While Kim Jangmi kept Yu Jihun in line, Lorenzo offered a warm smile.
“What a bright nephew you have.”
“You're quick to gather information.”
“...I apologize if I've offended you.”
Lorenzo tensed up.
‘This is dangerous.’
These people had come looking for a fight.
They were here to sow the seeds of conflict between Italy and Korea.
He couldn't give them any excuse...
“Junyong, let's hear him out first.”
Kim Jangmi, who had been privately uneasy about their illegal entry, stepped into the awkward silence. From the look of things, if this conversation went well, they might be able to enjoy their trip without worrying.
“Well, all right. What do you want?”
“Would you be willing to accept a request to clear an A-rank dungeon?”
“Hmm.”
It wasn't a difficult request.
It was also a perfectly reasonable thing for Italy's Supernatural Abilities Bureau to seek Kim Junyong out for.
He glanced at his family, then readily nodded.
“Where is it?”
“Pardon?”
“Where's the dungeon?”
“Oh! You're accepting?”
That easily?
Lorenzo mentally crumpled up the twelve scripts he'd prepared.
“W-without even hearing what we're offering in return?”
“Pay me the usual rate.”
“Oh!”
Had he been wrong about him?
Was Korea's special adviser really not the Mad Sovereign?
What an easygoing fellow.
“Oh, there is one more thing I'd like to ask for.”
“Please, just say the word.”
“Get us the best meal in Italy.”
Lorenzo, who had been bracing himself, breathed an inward sigh of relief.
“We'll prepare the very best!”
“Good. So where's the dungeon?”
“Paris.”
“...?”
Wasn't Paris in France?
Italy was spending money to clear a French dungeon?
Everyone in the EU must be really close.
Join our discord at https://dsc.gg/wetried
