WeTried Translations

Translator: Yasi

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◈ The Precious Demon King

Chapter 85: A New Familiar

Presidential Office, South Korea. Early in the morning, requests for an audience arrived from the Italian and French embassies. The proper etiquette would be to meet with them in order, but Kim Seungtae said he would agree if meeting them together was acceptable. To his surprise, they quickly agreed.

"Thank you for graciously overlooking the rudeness of our sudden request."

"It is an honor to be granted an audience with you, President."

Hearing the cautious, deferential words of the French and Italian ambassadors–the heads of their respective embassies dispatched to South Korea–Kim Seungtae felt slightly strange.

"Haha, please have a seat."

"Y-Yes."

"It's still early for breakfast. Let's have some tea."

"Thank you."

"It is an honor."

Their overly careful demeanor made Kim Seungtae chuckle wryly. Before meeting with them, he had already received a brief report on the Special Advisor's activities the previous night.

"Here is the official letter from the president of France."

"...?"

The Italian ambassador snickered briefly and pulled out a similar bundle of papers.

"Mine is a handwritten letter of thanks."

"Handwritten?"

"I took a private jet and flew all night to deliver it."

"..."

While flying a private jet just to deliver one letter might seem wasteful, the sentiment and sincerity behind such an action were beyond words. That was why the French ambassador's expression darkened.

"Hahaha, this is quite something."

The official letters from both countries contained nothing but thanks. To summarize:

Let's be friends from now on.

After a single night's sleep, the two countries came wagging their tails. It was all thanks to the Special Advisor's late-night sightseeing trip in Europe.

South Korea hadn't done anything, yet the whole world was beginning to take its side. Kim Seungtae could not conceal his delight.

So this is how a superpower's president must feel.

Could diplomacy really be this easy? He felt as if he were experiencing, albeit indirectly, how the thug-like American president must feel.

"Haha, very well. There's no harm in friendship. But you didn't honor us with your presence just to play postman, did you? What's your real business?"

The two ambassadors tensed and exchanged glances. Kim Seungtae already had a rough idea.

"We would like to establish an alliance between France and South Korea against dimensional invasions."

"Italy seeks the same."

"Haha, well now."

Kim Seungtae smiled. He could clearly see the two ambassadors' hearts pounding in response to his smile.

So this was what it felt like to look down from a position where nothing was lacking.

"There's no reason to refuse. But Europe is geographically distant. Will such an alliance be effective?"

"..."

The Special Advisor could teleport. Despite knowing that, the two ambassadors' faces darkened at his sly evasiveness. Kim Seungtae decided to end the teasing here. Strutting arrogantly over a temporary advantage often led to humiliation later.

"I jest. But not entirely."

"...?"

"This proposal is surely with the Special Advisor in mind, yes?"

"Indeed! If he could provide support in the event of a high-level dungeon occurence...France is willing to pay any price."

"Italy already considers South Korea a brother. We can offer even more than France."

"Haha, and that's the crux of it."

"...?"

"No matter what the price is, it should go directly to the Special Advisor. He's under our Hunter Management Bureau, but he can't be considered our agent. Frankly, he is a world-power-level hunter."

"..."

It was true.

The term was first used when Logan Hayes signed a "treaty" with the United States. It referred to individuals who were on equal footing with nations.

"Korea and the Special Advisor should be regarded as being in a cooperative relationship. If you need his help, negotiate with him directly."

"..."

It was bleak. Would they have to beg over and over again whenever an incident arose? South Korea seemed to be taking a step back.

"Of course, the capabilities of our Hunter Management Bureau's hunters have grown noticeably recently."

"Ah! Our congratulations are belated–congratulations on the birth of your new SR-rank hunters."

"South Korea's momentum is remarkable. Congratulations, President."

"Hahaha. In any case, that is our stance. Whether it's a contract or an alliance, we cannot order the Special Advisor around."

They could not force him. However, they wouldn't obstruct negotiations either.

The ambassadors knew that Kim Seungtae's stance would not change.

Still, better to secure a future alliance.

South Korea is a rising power. Its strength will only grow.

The two ambassadors offered polite, superficial words, and agreed that working-level staff would sort out the details later.

After seeing the ambassadors out, Kim Seungtae called for his chief manager.

"What is the Special Advisor doing right now?"

"He's sightseeing in Rome."

"When will he be back?"

"That's unknown. Since it happens to be the weekend, even his niece and nephew don't have school."

"Hmm. Then if he's delayed, perhaps Sunday."

"Yes."

Kim Seungtae tapped the armrest of his chair, then suddenly gave a start.

"D-Don't tell me..."

"Sir?"

"He isn't thinking of emigrating, is he?"

"What?"

"Just think! If he travels the world and finds a place he likes..."

"Ah, he might want to settle down there."

"That's exactly it!"

Kim Seungtae was suddenly seized by a surge of anxiety. Wherever the Special Advisor went, countries scrambled to shower him with special treatment. If their efforts to win his favor succeeded and he settled down in their country...

"But he has family here. Surely he wouldn't actually leave Korea."

"What if it's for study abroad?"

"Ahh!"

South Korea was a country with an exceptional zeal for education. If he wanted to send his niece and nephew to school abroad, emigration would become an even easier choice.

"Ugh, this won't do. Call the Mayor of Seoul."

"Why the Mayor of Seoul?"

"Tell him to bring every city development plan. Bring the working-level staff too!"

"W-Why so suddenly?"

"If Seoul isn't livable enough, the Special Advisor might think of leaving!"

"Ah, understood!"

Kim Seungtae was deeply anxious.

A country more livable than South Korea? They existed–many of them.

A city more comfortable than Seoul? Those existed too.

"Damn it! I was careless."

The Special Advisor's South Korean nationality no longer mattered. If they let their guard down, it could change in an instant.

Everything depended on Kim Junyong. Who could stop him if he chose to leave?

Kim Seungtae made a call.

[ This is Park Taejun, Bureau Director of the Hunter Management Bureau. ]

"Bureau Director Park! How is the construction of the Special Advisor's mansion going?"

[ Currently 49 percent complete. ]

"Speed it up! Throw in more men and machines if you have to–blow through the budget if need be!"

[ Huh? ]

"Make it a paradise! Make him say, 'My home is the best! Ah, home really is the best!'"

[ Yes, we are doing our utmost. ]

"Good, pay attention to it."

Even after hanging up, Kim Seungtae's anxiety hardly subsided.

"Hah, when will he be back..."

It seemed like the pounding in his chest would only ease once Kim Junyong returned to South Korea.

* * *

The Colosseum. Closed to tourists under the guise of maintenance, the Special family appeared there.

"Wow, amazing."

"Mhm."

Yu Jia and Yu Jihun marveled at the ancient relics they had only read about in books.

"Come on, children. Look here."

"Mom, you just took one."

"Pictures are all that last!"

"Ah, jeez."

Though grumbling, they positioned themselves so that the relic was clearly visible and took photos. Lorenzo, acting as both photographer and guide, broke into a broad smile.

"Splendid! Hahaha."

"Hoho, thank you."

"Italy is a country with a long history. To end it with just a day or two of sightseeing would be truly a pity."

"Indeed."

"Perhaps, while you are staying in Italy, may I provide you with a villa to live in?"

"W-What?"

When discomfort showed on Kim Jangmi's face, Lorenzo hurriedly offered an excuse.

"Oh, please don't feel burdened. It's just a small gift to honor the Special Advisor's visit."

"Hmm."

That only made it more burdensome.

"I'll accept the thought."

"Ah, forgive me. I was too hasty."

Seeing her discomfort, Lorenzo quickly apologized.

"Please consider it your home whenever you visit. You're welcome even without the Special Advisor."

"Haha, yes."

She replied unconvincingly. Thinking that Kim Jangmi would likely never visit Italy alone, Lorenzo reproached himself.

Too hasty. Damn!

He hadn't considered South Korean sensibilities. Others might have accepted it gladly, but South Koreans rarely accept anything for free unless they have earned it. Ultimately, he had only provoked her suspicion. It left him bitter.

"Junyong!"

"Hm? What?"

Kim Jangmi called out to Kim Junyong, who was standing on the arena floor below.

"When are we leaving?"

"Almost done!"

She didn't know what he was doing, but he had been talking there with Remi for some time.

At the very center of the Colosseum–this battlefield where gladiators once fought with their lives on the line–Kim Junyong was speaking.

His counterpart was not Remi, but the faint soul next to her.

[ ...No, my friends... ]

"So are you coming with me or not?"

[ Hhkk, I'm sorry, my friends. Sorry. ]

"Ah, damn. This bastard."

"Just cut it down."

At Remi's urging, Kim Junyong frowned.

"Wait. Do you think it's easy to save a soul this old?"

It was a soul filled with deep resentment. It must have been well over two thousand years old, yet it had not fallen into corruption.

"It's on the verge of corruption. Just cut it down."

"I only need the essence."

Communication was key, but this spirit only insisted on saying what it wanted. Most likely, guilt over its friends had kept it from falling into corruption for two thousand years, making it difficult to deal with rashly.

"Hey, this is really your last chance. If I don't take you in, you'll just keep going on about your friends, and then you'll fall and become an evil spirit."

[ I'm sorry. I'm sorry. My friends... ]

"Ugh, I'm really going."

[ Again... ]

"Hm?"

[ Can you...let me meet my friends again? ]

It answered for the first time. Kim Junyong's eyes sparkled.

"Come on. How can I reunite you with friends who died two thousand years ago? I don't lie."

One cannot make a "soul contract" on a lie.

[ ...Then...could you let me...make new friends? ]

What the hell? Was this spirit an outcast?

"Of course."

[ ...Can you promise not to send my friends into the arena? ]

"Uh, of course."

[ All right. I will become your servant. ]

Kim Junyong grinned. His first soul acquired on Earth. And it was one with tremendous potential.

If nurtured properly, it might one day show performance rivaling Remi's.

"Good, deal."

Fwoosh.

The soul shone brightly, then was absorbed into Kim Junyong and entered his void pouch. The new soul's consciousness and Kim Junyong's consciousness became connected.

Ferus.

Active in the Colosseum during the Roman era...

Wait–were his friends animals?

Hunting and training beasts, then sending them into the Colosseum...The new familiar, Ferus, was a beast tamer.

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