The Only Enhancer - Chapter 159

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 159
159 – Human Relations (1)
0.
“This is the room you’ll be using, Hong Myeong.”
“Wow. Wooow….”
Hong Myeong gazed around, uttering continuous exclamations of wonder.
Though they called it a room, it was spacious enough to be mistaken for an entire apartment unit, and every piece of furniture was already in place—all of the highest quality, no less.
After a brief inspection, he found himself sinking into the sofa without realizing it, and Hong Myeong felt a comfort as if he were sitting on clouds. What kind of softness was this?
He swallowed hard, wondering if he truly deserved to be in such a luxurious space, and stood there dazed.
Jung Ji-hwan, who had guided Hong Myeong in Min-jun’s stead, spoke to him.
“Simply present this card at any shop within the building, and we’ll charge everything to the Reinforce Guild account. Please keep the card with you.”
“Ah, ah? Yes, yes, thank you.”
So all he had to do was show a card and every store would extend credit to him.
Wondering if this was the prestige of the Reinforce Guild, Hong Myeong stood there bewildered when Jung Ji-hwan continued.
“Min-jun asked us to treat you with the utmost hospitality, so we will do our very best to serve you. If you need anything at all, please call upon us.”
“Eh? Ah, yes, yes, I understand.”
As Hong Myeong spoke and scratched his cheek in confusion, Jung Ji-hwan bowed with an emotionless gaze and left the room.
So this was how a major guild like the Reinforce Guild furnished their spaces.
Even staying here temporarily was quite something.
Though they’d arranged it like a single apartment unit, it was essentially no different from a top-tier hotel.
He couldn’t quite believe he was actually here, yet a creeping sense of inferiority began to bloom within him.
Min-jun was surely around the same age as him, wasn’t he?
Yet Min-jun wielded such wealth and power with natural ease, while what of himself?
He worked part-time at a Convenience Store, scraping by on discarded items for food.
It was pathetic—no, it was humiliating.
And to think Min-jun could even employ capable people like Jung Ji-hwan.
It would be a lie to say he wasn’t envious.
He wanted to possess such wealth and prestige too, but how could that ever happen?
It was obvious such an opportunity would never come his way.
“Sigh…”
He briefly considered asking for money in exchange for this opportunity, but he couldn’t even muster the courage to do so.
The internet was flooded with posts from people saying they’d beg for money if they ever met Min-jun.
Getting even 100 million won from a man whose net worth exceeded 100 trillion would be extraordinary.
But when Hong Myeong recalled those posts, he thought they were all fools without exception.
He was certain that actually meeting Min-jun would dispel any such thoughts entirely.
Because he felt the same way.
He couldn’t even bring himself to approach him, let alone beg.
There was an aura about Min-jun that seemed utterly unapproachable.
That was the impression he received.
In fact, Hong Myeong could say that Min-jun had approached him first with goodwill, allowing him to even speak.
There’s no way he could say something like that to someone he’d never met before, just passing by on the street.
No matter how foolish, that would be impossible.
In any case, Hong Myeong felt that even such inferiority was absurd, and tried to brush it off.
‘You only feel jealousy when the gap is manageable. When the difference is this vast, jealousy doesn’t even register.’
While I did feel some desire to possess what was here, could I ever become like Min-jun?
I couldn’t even imagine it.
Wasn’t he the man whose assets were so immeasurable that they estimated him at a minimum of 100 trillion won?
How could I possibly be jealous of a man who became the world’s richest overnight? It was utterly nonsensical.
Yet why did my insides churn with such turmoil?
When I think about it, people often say they don’t even envy those their age who are overwhelmingly successful. If the gap is that vast, you tell yourself it’s only natural. But Hong Myeong was different.
Beyond mere inferiority, what Min-jun possessed—wasn’t it simply obtained through sheer luck?
Such thoughts bloomed relentlessly within me.
After all, Min-jun himself awakened with the unusual trait of an Enhancement Mage and gained his power through fortunate circumstances, didn’t he?
Many people thought this way, but few genuinely believed it.
‘Sigh… if only I had such power…’
From Hong Myeong’s perspective, I could see no effort whatsoever from Min-jun, so it was understandable to think that way, but the inferiority blooming within me looked remarkably ugly.
Though I didn’t show it outwardly, it gradually began to provoke something within Hong Myeong.
I had clearly tried to brush it off just moments ago, so why? Anger and inferiority welled up inside me.
Something flickered in my shadow before vanishing—something Hong Myeong couldn’t perceive.
Such inferiority surged forth, but what could I do about it?
There was nothing I could accomplish.
‘Damn it, I wish I could just become an Enhancement Mage and live by mindlessly strengthening things.’
How wonderful it would be to live solely on ability, enjoying luxury and comfort like Min-jun.
How many monsters Min-jun has hunted, how much effort he’s invested, how much research he’s conducted.
What would Hong Myeong know? From my current perspective, Min-jun was merely a fortunate upstart who succeeded without merit.
I too wish to succeed without effort like that, so why don’t I have such luck?
After blaming only the heavens, I sighed and rose lightly from the sofa.
No one had told me not to leave.
With the vague intention of seeing just how impressive this Reinforce Guild building was, I headed outside.
‘Wow. It really is massive, absolutely massive.’
The mere fact that he purchased such a building in Seoul made it impossible to even fathom how much money he possessed. And it wasn’t even bought to conduct business or lease out—it was purchased simply as a hideout, wasn’t it?
If it were me, I would have rented out every floor.
Of course, the first and second floors, along with the basement, are configured like one massive shopping mall, but if the entire building had been leased out, the revenue generated would have been astronomical.
Walking around while contemplating how much monthly rent such a building would bring in.
I could see various shops in the First Floor lobby.
Naturally, there were several restaurants and cafes for the guild members’ convenience, and there was even a supermarket in the basement, so the scale was considerable.
This must be why Min-jun’s original Reinforce Guild building felt cramped, prompting the move to this one.
Viewing the various cafes and restaurants, Hong Myeong made a bitter expression and shook his head.
Well, since I’m already out, should I grab something to eat?
After coming all the way from Busan to Seoul, my stomach had fully digested the meal Min-jun bought me at that upscale restaurant in Busan.
Now that I think about it, Jung Ji-hwan had said I only needed to show the card if I wanted to use any of the restaurants in this building.
When I first heard it, I was surprised that I could show a card and put things on credit, but I figured that if you owned a building this size, it was certainly possible.
Even if that weren’t the case, I thought it would be profitable for the Reinforce Guild to provide it for free.
Weren’t they the organization that saved the nation and the world?
I felt that such benefits for those people were perhaps only natural.
In any case, Hong Myeong swallowed hard with such thoughts and headed toward a restaurant inside the building.
The atmosphere was so luxurious it felt like I’d walked into a high-end department store.
It was even more upscale than the restaurant I’d visited in Busan with Min-jun.
As Hong Myeong unconsciously swallowed and tried to enter, a staff member approached.
“Welcome. Do you have a reservation?”
Seeing the employee ask so cautiously, I flinched for a moment.
I wondered if this was a place where you needed a reservation to enter.
I could have just asked, but at the question about whether I had a reservation, my throat tightened involuntarily. Though I’d done nothing wrong, my head naturally bowed.
But Hong Myeong had a card, didn’t I!
Suddenly remembering that, I pulled out the card from my pocket.
The moment the employee saw the card, they smiled warmly with an “Ah!”
“You’re a member of the Reinforce Guild! How many are in your party?”
“Yes, yes?”
Rather than mentioning a reservation, the employee asked in a welcoming tone, and I, flustered and blushing, stared blankly for a moment before finally understanding and answering belatedly.
“Ah, ah, just me.”
“Just one person, then. This way, please.”
“Ah, yes.”
After answering and following the employee, several staff members lined up in front of me and bowed respectfully.
Very respectfully at that.
“Welcome! We welcome the Reinforce Guild!!!”
They greeted me loudly, and the other customers in the restaurant also looked my way, offering applause and cheers. I was being treated like a national hero—well, the Reinforce Guild truly was the nation’s hero, but I never expected to enjoy such luxury.
After nodding awkwardly and accepting their greetings with a silent bow, a staff member guided me to a pleasant private room and spoke.
“We offer our gratitude to the members of the Reinforce Guild who always protect us. Please call if you need anything. We’ll assist you as quickly as possible.”
Watching the employee leave the room after that greeting, I unknowingly furrowed my brow.
We lived in completely different worlds.
Everyone welcomed me, greeted me, and even showed me respect.
Though the greeting was directed at me now, I understood.
It was being done for the Reinforce Guild, not for me.
I was not the Reinforce Guild.
A desire to belong surged up wildly, then transformed into jealousy and inferiority.
It happened as Hong Myeong’s shadow flickered.
‘I want to have it too. I want to become one too.’
If I became a member of the Reinforce Guild, wouldn’t I be able to enjoy such luxury as well?
Online posts had one guild member complaining about how incredibly difficult it was, but to think they’d complain while enjoying such extravagance.
If it meant this level of luxury, even someone like me who dislikes effort would do it.
With such thoughts swirling in my mind, I opened my eyes to a petty, ugly jealousy.
Every single one of them had been fortunate enough to awaken and catch Min-jun’s eye, becoming guild members, yet they showed no gratitude and only whined and complained.
I should discard such guild members and have Min-jun choose me instead.
Of course, I wasn’t an Awakened One or a Hunter, but I was confident I could handle whatever tasks were given to me. Since things had come to this, why not just ask Min-jun for a position?
As I swallowed hard and thought of Min-jun, my head surprisingly cooled down.
Whenever I recalled meeting Min-jun, even now a chill ran through me.
His charisma and overwhelming presence were truly beyond words.
Even my shadow had faltered and withered in that moment, unable to exert its power.
‘What am I even saying?’
The moment I actually considered telling Min-jun, all my resolve vanished beneath his oppressive aura.
I simply didn’t have the courage for it.
Just as I decided to simply order something and reached for the menu, it happened.
A knock sounded—tap tap—followed by the server’s voice.
“Pardon the intrusion.”
“Yes, yes.”
As Hong Myeong answered, the server opened the door and entered. The smiling server spoke upon seeing Hong Myeong staring blankly ahead.
“We’re quite full at the moment, and since you appear to be a fellow Reinforce Guild member, I came to ask if you’d be willing to share a table.”
“Pardon?”
At the server’s words, a strikingly beautiful Russian Beauty appeared behind them, and as she blinked her large, luminous eyes, Hong Myeong found himself answering without thinking.
“O-of course, that’s fine.”
Men were indeed weak to beautiful women.

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