Chapter 48 - The Burden of Gratitude
I’m Dam Han-ul, the amateur fortune teller.
Now I’ve even gotten the label of being a superhuman.
…Although it’s a shape-losing title of F-rank.
Well, anyway, whether it’s F or whatever, I’m just an ordinary person, so it doesn’t really matter.
However, it is interesting that something else called superhuman has appeared in front of me. Although nothing will change because of it… Still, isn’t it interesting?
Ah, but come to think of it, it’s not that nothing has changed completely, is it?
“You’ve become a superhuman this time? That’s good.”
There was a time when Cheongsoha came to clean before, and something came up then.
“Uh… Am I really a superhuman? I’m F-rank and no different from an ordinary person…”
“That’s not important. What’s important now is that you’ve gained the status of a superhuman.”
“R-really?”
‘Hmm… I was originally planning to take a bit of a detour, but now there’s no need for that.’
“But what are you trying to do that makes it important that I’ve become a superhuman?”
“Ah, it’s simple. Now you’re also keeping various talents under you… and you’ve formed connections with three of Korea’s S-rank superhumans including me, so I want to put a good hat on you.”
“H-hat?”
The moment I heard these two characters for ‘hat’, I felt something go swoosh-
“Yes. I’m going to make you the owner of Korea’s underworld. For this, I’m thinking of creating a guild in your name.”
This ominous premonition did not miss the mark.
“M-make me what?! And what’s this about a guild…!”
“Ah, I’ve received a lot of favors from you… I thought that much should be done. I’ve already finished talking with Hwang Min-wook and Wi Jin-taek. Wi Jin-taek also said he would visit you with a gift soon.”
“No, it’s troublesome if you suddenly do this…!!”
No, you’re suddenly going to put such an obviously dangerous hat on me?!
Why are you so desperate to touch my mentality?! I just managed to calm it down recently, and now this is…!!
“I’ll take measures so that you won’t have any trouble. The Korean underworld itself isn’t that powerful and can’t unite. Still, since the money that comes out when they gather is quite large… You just need to wear the hat and take the monthly tribute and various benefits they’ll offer.”
“Things work out like that?!”
Damn it, Cheongsoha!! Why are you showcasing unnecessarily competent work handling here!! You should use that to grow the Cheongsung Guild!!
“I’ve already talked with all the superhumans under you. They welcomed it, saying they’re glad to be able to do something helpful for you by taking charge of management. It’s like you can just enjoy the pleasure without responsibility.”
Ugh… When did they seduce all of them?!
“Kuh, kuung…”
Now I can’t refute anything…
“If you want, I can make your guild one of the top 10 guilds. After all, it’s a guild with three S-rank superhumans, the first in Korean history, joining. The title of Korea’s number one guild should be simple too.”
“That’s really not necessary!!”
No, are you looking to put something more on me here?!
“…Hmm, it’s a shame, but if that’s your wish, there’s no helping it. Then I’ll proceed with just the underworld integration and guild building as I said at first.”
“…Actually, I’d prefer if you didn’t do that either…”
At my words, Cheongsoha turned his gaze and pretended not to hear.
Damn it…! Pretending not to hear… !! Are you saying you can’t yield on this?! Well, you’re doing it with good intentions, but still…
Anyway, so I was scheduled to become the owner of the first guild to integrate Korea’s underworld and the owner of Korea’s underworld within a few days. Hahaha…
Although Korea’s underworld power is significantly weaker compared to other countries and is controlled by S-rank superhumans and the top 10 guilds, still, isn’t it obvious that the burden will be enormous if an ordinary person like me, who’s just wearing the guise of a superhuman, takes it over?!
“Kuung… It’s already a huge burden just to have it… I’ll just have to pretend I don’t know and leave everything to those guys who said they liked it and accepted without me knowing…”
If they say they like it, well… I’m extremely unfamiliar with the superhuman industry anyway.
Anyway, why did this thought suddenly come up?
It’s simple. Because today was the day Wi Jin-taek, the S-rank superhuman Four Seas Dragon King who made me the owner of Korea’s dark side without my knowledge, said he would visit with a gift.
Moreover, the promised time wasn’t far off. Maybe that’s why I thought of it more?
Anyway, as I was sitting in my fortune-telling room sighing deeply like that, not long after, the door opened and Wi Jin-taek and one person entered. Lee Sujin, who came in together saying she wanted to watch, was a bonus.
That kid, is she excited about the thought of seeing me do fortune-telling for the first time…
“Uhaha! It’s been a long time, fortune teller! I’m sorry the greeting seems to have been delayed more than I thought!”
“Oh no, it’s fine. Hahaha… Long time… Yes, it’s been a long time, Mr. Wi Jin-taek.”
Actually, I didn’t particularly want to see him… but I didn’t say that out loud.
“You’re the benefactor who saved my life… You can speak comfortably.”
“Well, that’s… I’ll do that when I get used to it, haha…”
I had a feeling it would never happen in my lifetime, but judging from my experiences so far, I also felt like it might not take that long conversely.
“Anyway… Who is the person next to you…?”
“Uhahah! This friend is the gift I said I’d bring to you!”
“…Isn’t it a bit strange to call me a gift, bro? This feels a bit like I’m being sold??”
The man who had been sitting quietly next to Wi Jin-taek opened his mouth, laughing cheerfully as if joking.
Tall model-like firm build with dreadlocks reaching down to his shoulders, and a stylish beard and round red sunglasses he’s wearing even though we’re underground.
He seemed to be a person with clear individuality just by looking. Seeing that Wi Jin-taek came with him saying he’s a gift, he probably isn’t an ordinary person.
“Anyway, nice to meet you, fortune teller! It might not be much compared to you… but I’m Seo Il-ho, the Sword-Drawing Emperor (拔刀帝)!”
Wow… As expected, a big shot has come…
“Oh my, it’s not nothing! It’s burdensome…”
No, but if one of the only five S-ranks talks like that, what does that make me??
“Kuh! Even humble! I already know about your great ability from what I’ve heard, how could I speak empty words? Please treat me comfortably too!”
Sword-Drawing Emperor Seo Il-ho.
A superhuman with tremendous stubbornness, mental strength, and power who has stuck only to sword-drawing since becoming a superhuman. He’s also famous for being an extremely unique superhuman even globally.
When asked why he sticks to sword-drawing, which is actually lacking in power, he answers with a smile, “But it’s extremely cool, right?” and is an eccentric and master who sticks only to the path of sword-drawing techniques.
Yet he’s also the leader of a guild. Although the guild is a bit unusual so it’s not in the top 10 guilds.
How unusual is it… You can tell well what kind of place the guild is from its name.
‘Ilro (One Path)’ Guild! This guild is a place where only eccentrics among eccentrics who dig only one well join.
Just as Guild Master Seo Il-ho sticks only to sword-drawing, there are people who use only thrusting with a crescent blade, or mages who use only fireballs abandoning all other magic, or those who use only magic missile, or people who hit only areas with necks like wrists and ankles with a huge hammer, or those who don’t attack and just get hit with tremendous endurance to conversely exhaust the enemy and defeat them, and so on. It’s a guild where only eccentrics who dig only one well exist. That’s the Ilro Guild.
As such, it’s a guild where opinions are extremely divided, but it’s also a guild that people who match the taste immediately run to saying it’s stupid but cool, so it’s also the guild with the highest ratio of foreigners among our country’s guilds.
It’s not easy to treat such an eccentric comfortably from the first meeting…
“So, did you come today just for the purpose of greeting?”
“Ah! I came to greet and also to lend strength to you becoming the owner of Korea’s dark side… but after all, how could I meet a great fortune teller and not have my fortune told?”
…No, you’re going to lend strength to that thing about being the owner of the dark side or whatever?? You’re really eccentric…
Still, since you say you want your fortune told too… Should I act professionally like a pro amateur fortune teller for now?
…Hmm, come to think of it, the words pro and amateur that don’t go well together at all have come to coexist. Anyway!
“Then what kind of fortune do you want to see?”
“It’s nothing great, but… I’m curious if I’ll still be walking only the path of sword-drawing in the distant future! Whether my will can truly advance looking only at sword-drawing like steel! I’d like you to confirm that!”
“Hooh… I see.”
Haha, like an eccentric, what he wants is eccentric too…
But well, since you want it, I should see it for you, right? Don’t you think?
“I understand. I’ll check for you! Arin?”
Anyway, since I decided to do the fortune-telling, I called in my crystal ball Arin.
[I was waiting for those words.]
Until now, even though I obtained a crystal ball, I’ve never received a customer with crystal ball fortune-telling… So today is the first opening of crystal ball fortune-telling!
Woowoong!
Perhaps sensing my spirit that was suddenly fired up at that fact, Arin also showed her best performance.
Black mist that looked like it was modeled after a starry night sky spread thickly in the room, adding mysteriousness, and slightly covered my head as if it were a robe.
In addition to this, the brightness in the room was slightly lowered, and the crystal ball itself floated up slightly from the table while fully imbued with purple energy, focusing attention, and when I placed my hand slightly above the crystal ball, an effect was added as if purple lightning was stretching out from my hand and affecting the crystal ball.
“Ooh…!”
“As expected of the unprecedented great fortune teller…!!”
It was truly a perfect performance!
And after drawing exclamations and attention like that, an image-like form began to be drawn from the crystal ball connected to me.