The Cursed Blacksmith Who Regressed - Chapter 13

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Episode 13

At those words, Jeong Cheol-min’s eyes widened.

“Me?”

“Yes, I heard from an acquaintance before. Among the civil servant hunters working at the Association, there’s no one who handles work as honestly and reliably as you do, Inspector.”

“Ah…”

Jeong Cheol-min coughed awkwardly at this unexpected reason.

But it was true.

In fact, Jeong Cheol-min would later rise to the position of Vice President of the Korean Hunter Association based on his characteristic integrity and excellent work processing abilities.

‘I need at least one person of mine in the Association for future matters. And it should be someone capable.’

And if he had to choose such a person, it had to be someone with proper convictions and deep roots.

That way there would be no bad variables.

“I understand for now. Then I’ll call those three separately and proceed with the examination right away.”

“Yes, thank you.”

After that, since there were no additional requests, the examinees were dismissed.

The three people Choi Hyun had requested were naturally called by Jeong Cheol-min and taken aside.

Anxiety flashed across their faces, but that wasn’t something Choi Hyun needed to worry about.

Right after leaving the examination hall, Choi Hyun’s phone rang as if it had been waiting.

It was Jang Hae-hyeon, the President of Daesan.

“Yes, President.”

– Hunter, did the exam go well?

“Yes, thanks to you, I was able to do well.”

– Then the top position is a sure thing this time too?

“It seems likely.”

– Haha!

He didn’t deliberately show modesty.

It was a result that would be announced soon anyway.

Jang Hae-hyeon said.

– You’re truly amazing. I thought you would take first place this time too, Hunter.

“Thank you.”

– Ah, I called not just about the exam, but also regarding the advice you gave me last time.

“Did you meet Shuzo?”

– Yes, I sent a friend who was dispatched to Japan to the tea house you mentioned, and there really was a man presumed to be Shuzo there. After we performed the act as you instructed, Inagawa contacted us with an apology like magic.

“That’s fortunate. Since Shuzo gave his word directly, there shouldn’t be any more bad entanglements with Inagawa.”

– Yes, in that sense, I’ll deposit the remaining balance right away. Are you busy today? Although the license hasn’t been issued yet, I’d like to treat you to a meal to celebrate your passing. If possible, I’d also like to discuss the proposal I mentioned before once more.

The previous proposal.

He was referring to the proposal to come to Daesan Guild.

“Let’s do that. But I have a prior appointment, so let me check that schedule first and contact you right away.”

– Understood. Then I’ll wait for your call.

After Jang Hae-hyeon politely hung up, Choi Hyun immediately hailed a taxi for his next schedule.

* * *

“What did you say?”

Han Yeong-min shot up from his seat.

Not only had the mercenary trio he had planted to catch Choi Hyun failed their mission, but they had just been taken for mana testing after having their identities suspected.

‘How can this be happening?’

The three people he had recruited this time were experts among experts in this field.

Because Han Yeong-min had occasionally manipulated practical exam top scorer results this way.

But that wasn’t what was important right now.

‘One hundred billion!’

If the trio was defeated, it meant Choi Hyun was the top scorer, and in that case, he would have no choice but to cough up one hundred billion.

He had even gotten it notarized by a lawyer, so there was no way out.

Of course, no matter how notarized, such gambling bets have no legal effect.

But legal validity wasn’t what mattered now.

‘…’

Cold sweat flowed.

Had he ever been this flustered in his life?

Han Yeong-min’s mind went completely blank.

At the same time, his thoughts converged in one direction.

At the end of that convergent thought was Choi Hyun’s death.

He thought he should hire real villains who kill people, not just send mercenaries for practical exams.

However.

‘He’s Daesan’s person, isn’t he?’

It was around the time when all sorts of thoughts were tangling in his head.

“President, you have a visitor.”

“A visitor? Who?”

“He said you’d know if he said Choi Hyun.”

“…!”

The grim reaper had come.

And directly to where he was.

In the end, he couldn’t pretend not to know and let Choi Hyun into the room.

Choi Hyun entered the president’s office, pulled out the notarized documents, waved them, and said.

“You heard the news, right? Don’t think about welching on the debt. Otherwise, I’ll spill everything about you planting mercenaries in the practical exam process during the top scorer interview.”

“…I understand.”

“Just some advice, but you’d better not try any useless tricks. Then I’ll collect the money from your father. Oh, I’ll give you plenty of time. I need to receive the money after the hunter license comes out so I can get income tax exemption.”

After finishing his words, Choi Hyun immediately left the room.

There was no need to stay long, so he finished after saying what he needed to say.

Then he immediately called Jang Hae-hyeon.

It was to have the modest celebratory dinner party that had been proposed earlier.

The restaurant was prepared to be a fancy place.

Following the staff’s guidance, he opened the door to the annex and entered to find Jang Hae-hyeon, who had arrived first, waiting for Choi Hyun.

“You’ve arrived.”

“We could have eaten something simple, but you prepared such a nice place. Thank you.”

“Not at all. It’s a day when several good fortunes overlap, so naturally I should bring you to a good place.”

The meal was prepared immediately.

“How about it, would you like to have some drinks together?”

“I’d like that.”

“Is wine alright?”

“I’m not picky about anything. I’ll drink whatever you serve.”

Choi Hyun liked alcohol.

He really wasn’t picky about types either.

However, after the world’s end descended, he could hardly drink any.

Because almost everything had been lost to the monsters.

Soon a sommelier appeared with wine and poured it into glasses. When he tasted it, it had been so long since he’d had wine that thrills ran all the way to the top of his head.

‘Nice.’

There was no joy like reuniting with something he had loved.

Therefore, Choi Hyun made a resolution while drinking his first glass.

This time, he would definitely prevent everything in time and create a world where everyone could smile and drink together.

Soon the meal began.

For a while, the two didn’t talk about exams or work at all, only discussing the food that was served.

Rather than doing this consciously, Jang Hae-hyeon led the conversation that way.

Was that why?

He could feel once again that Jang Hae-hyeon was truly a good person.

‘Normally, anyone would be dying to get the urgent matters out of the way first.’

As they passed the main course and dessert was being served, the second bottle of wine was opened.

Jang Hae-hyeon personally poured the second wine and said.

“If you don’t mind me asking, could I inquire about your future plans?”

Choi Hyun took a sip of the wine Jang Hae-hyeon had poured and savored it.

Then he slowly provided an answer to the question.

“Before I begin hunter activities in earnest, I want to make various preparations.”

“Preparations?”

“Do you happen to know what my profession is?”

“I’m not sure.”

“The class I chose is blacksmith.”

“…What?”

Jang Hae-hyeon’s eyes widened.

Blacksmith?

Not a combat class?

However, when Choi Hyun summoned the Hammer of Repair and placed it on the table, Jang Hae-hyeon’s eyes widened even more as he recognized it.

That was understandable since Daesan had more production-type guild members than combat-type ones.

“I have a growth direction in mind. Even though I’m a blacksmith, I plan to directly conquer dungeons and gates, and rather than focusing on crafting, I intend to develop my characteristics in other directions.”

“Ah…”

An unconventional plan that defied common sense.

He decided not to ask why.

Even if he heard the answer, he probably wouldn’t understand it anyway.

Jang Hae-hyeon was an objective person.

In that sense, he knew well that he was just an ordinary person who was both non-awakened and not a genius.

So he was good at simply believing.

Especially when it came to the man before him, whatever choice he made, he would likely produce results that he himself couldn’t even imagine.

Jang Hae-hyeon said.

“That’s wonderful. But even so, my desire to bring you to our Daesan remains unchanged.”

At those words, Choi Hyun smiled faintly.

As expected of Jang Hae-hyeon.

Though he wasn’t an awakened one, he certainly wasn’t an ordinary person.

‘An ordinary person would have tried to persuade me by asking why I would bother taking such a path.’

But Jang Hae-hyeon didn’t do that.

He simply trusted his instincts and believed in the other person.

What he had done was merely this, but that small difference was a huge distinction that set him apart from others.

“Thank you. I originally had no plans, but thanks to your proposal, President, I’ve given it some thought. So I’d like to make a different proposal to you.”

“What kind of proposal?”

“Rather than hiring me as a guild member, I’d like you to employ me as an advisor to Daesan, forming a partnership where we help each other.”

“An advisor?”

“Yes, I’d like you to hire me as a partner advisor, not the usual guild member contract that hunters have or an internal executive like an outside director.”

Advisors are usually brought in from outside, though they can also be selected from within the company.

At the same time, they have no specific legal status within the company, and unlike outside directors who are appointed at shareholder meetings, they can be commissioned by the president or board of directors and cannot interfere in company management.

‘But there’s nothing to be responsible for either.’

That’s why he requested the advisor position.

Company advisors, especially in large listed corporations like Daesan, have to disclose various information, but advisor positions weren’t subject to disclosure requirements.

At this unexpected proposal, Jang Hae-hyeon’s eyes began to deepen.

“An advisor…”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————