Chapter 19
[ Yeon Harim ] : Mr. Yoo Hyun! Congratulations on winning the Cultivation Division! Korea is in complete chaos right now!! The first-ever double crown in the history of the Magitech Expo's magic beast production competition!!
[ Me ] : I was lucky.
[ Yeon Harim ] : Hehe… You don't have to be modest with me. I know your abilities better than anyone.
[ Me ] : Yes, then I'll take the triple crown.
[ Yeon Harim ] : Huh…? What does that mean…?
I finished today's regular report as well.
“Hmm… The Enhancement Division competition is in two days….”
“Huff, huff….”
Knead—knead—
I checked the reactions on Korean forums while kneading the Jelly Dog.
*
Yoo Hyun was the only Korean contestant, and his victory in the Design Division, along with the emergence of Duality, naturally drew Korea's attention to the Magitech Expo's magic beast production competition.
That alone would have been enough of an impact, but another bombshell exploded on top of it.
Yoo Hyun unveiled another new technology in the Cultivation Division and drove the point home by taking the double crown.
The emergence of an unprecedented genius alchemist from Korea drew the attention of the entire global magic beast and Hunter industries, and the resulting surge of national pride sent the public's dopamine levels through the roof.
Korea was showing more interest than ever in Yoo Hyun's next move.
【 Korean Hunter Gallery 】
- [ Free ] Kkeu—Boss!!! Pour me a bowl of Korean pride!!!!!
- [ Free ] Wow… But seriously, how did someone like that end up living in Korea while making Jellykkos…? Even thinking about it again gives me chills;;;
- [ Free ] For real;;; Kim Cheong-sik… no, Kim Fuck-up-sik… If he hadn't driven a wedge between us with magic beast regulations, wouldn't Korea have become a magic beast powerhouse too?
- [ Free ] Come to think of it, Korea has a crazy number of talented people for such a small country… They just don't show themselves on the surface.
- [ Free ] I want to say, “Enough with the national-pride bullshit,” but his achievements really are unbelievable… Two-time champion aside, they say the technologies he used in the competition were enough to change the paradigm of magic beast production lol
- [ Free ] No, seriously!!! Korea developed the technology, so why are overseas magic beast companies the ones skyrocketing!!!!!!!!!!!
- [ Free ] I really want to kill that fucking Kim Cheong-sik… Argh… How are there not even a single publicly traded magic beast company in Korea? Is this for real?
- [ Free ] I brought over a foreign article. Apparently, Yoo Hyun is the number-one scouting target for famous overseas magic beast companies.
Poster : ㅇㅇ(203.226)
(Screenshot of a translated foreign article)
Apparently, Lionel has practically brought out a blank check? There are even rumors that they'll hand over management rights depending on the contract terms. Isn't that basically the highest treatment in the industry?
[ Comments ]
ㅇㅇ (117.111) : The management-rights thing is honestly total bullshit… Realistically, they'd probably offer stock options… Maybe around 10%… Enough to exert powerful influence over voting rights as a single shareholder, and considering Lionel's size… Ah, I don't know! Fuck… I'm insanely jealous!!!
└ ㅇㅇ (203.226) : This is also total bullshit, isn't it? A global company giving up 10% of its shares just to bring in one technician? That's completely unrealistic.
└└ ㅇㅇ (117.111) : Yoo Hyun is at his cheapest right now, though? If they can bring him in by giving up some shares, that's a huge win. He produced two technologies that even major corporations couldn't create after investing capital and manpower for years??
Merry Panties : From the company's perspective, they'd use Yoo Hyun as a technician, not a manager. Using a brain like that for management would be a creative waste lol
JellyJellyMa : Hmm… If I put together all the rumors floating around, it sounds like they'll offer shares, fully fund his research, establish a research subsidiary and give him exclusive control over it, and pay him royalties, too?
└ Any Late-Night Meal Recommendations : Crazy… That gives him even less reason to return to Korea…
Of course, the fierce reaction wasn't limited to the online communities.
The ones sweating bullets more than anyone were the domestic politicians who had supported the magic beast regulations.
When they had supported the regulations, the usefulness of magic beast pets had not yet been properly proven, and it had been an ambiguous technology surrounded by claims that it would remain useless in the future. But recently, magic beast pets had suddenly skyrocketed in popularity, leaving them in an awkward position.
To make matters worse, a monstrous alchemist had appeared out of nowhere in Korea and was sweeping through the magic beast industry, making their situation even more precarious.
An anxious voice, desperately trying to conceal its unease, echoed through a private room at an upscale Korean restaurant.
“…What are the chances Yoo Hyun returns to Korea…?”
“…Even if we abolished all the regulations… it would be difficult… Korea's magic beast production infrastructure is in the lower ranks at best….”
Most of Korea's magic beast businesses had gone under. The country did not possess a single piece of technology capable of competing with overseas companies.
That was why, even if Yoo Hyun wanted to make magic beasts domestically, all the materials and equipment would have to be brought in from overseas.
Why? Because, naturally, every magic beast-related business in Korea had gone completely under…!! They had gone so overboard with regulations that they sold off even technologies still under development to overseas companies and withdrew from the field entirely.
Whatever Yoo Hyun wanted to do with alchemy, he would have to import proper equipment from overseas.
Few professions depended on equipment as much as alchemy, so Korea was practically the worst possible environment for a magic beast alchemist…
It would be far more advantageous to conduct research and production in a country with a well-established magic beast infrastructure, receiving supplies as needed.
Germany, for example, where he was currently located….
“Realistically speaking, there's no reason for him to continue working as an alchemist domestically… No wonder someone of that caliber was living in Korea while running a small pet shop….”
“I suppose so….”
Considering the abilities Yoo Hyun had displayed… This was not something that would end with merely hanging Kim Cheong-sik out to dry.
Judging by the public's reaction right now… It was not difficult to imagine that if Yoo Hyun truly cut ties with Korea completely, they would be next after Kim Cheong-sik.
Because the people would need someone to vent their anger on.
The Hunter industry was national power… And right now, the Hunter industry wanted magic beast pets.
The moment domestic Hunters fell behind overseas Hunters because of the difference in their magic beast pets, all the condemnation would be directed at them.
That was why they had no choice but to pray.
Please let Yoo Hyun continue working as an alchemist in Korea…
‘Please come back to Korea… We'll do everything we can…!!!’
*
I enjoyed the fifth day of the expo with the Hunter escorts.
And I happened to run into my alchemist acquaintance, Victor… no, Louise von Berg.
As always, dark circles hung beneath her eyes, making her look exhausted. When she spotted me, she approached.
“My dear friend Yoo Hyun…! Fancy meeting you here!”
I stretched out a hand toward the approaching woman and gestured for her to stop.
“Now, now, where do you think you're going when the competition isn't even over! Judges aren't allowed to meet contestants privately, you know? Can't you see the reporters over there?”
Louise raised one eyebrow as if asking whether I was being serious.
“To be honest, judging by how the competition has gone, I don't think there would be any problem with meeting you privately anymore… Considering the abilities you've displayed, is there anyone who could dispute the results?”
Yoo Hyun had certainly achieved astonishing results in such a short time. Even if a suspicious relationship between us were discovered now, it probably wouldn't cause much trouble.
In any case…
[ Name 》 Louise von Berg ]
[ Species 》 Human ]
[ Awakener Rank 》 A-Rank ]
[ Occupation 》 Magic Beast Alchemist ]
[ Area for Improvement 》 She is under constant stress due to the excessive expectations surrounding her. A state of psychological anxiety that does not show outwardly continues to persist. If it continues for a long time, serious problems may arise. She appears to need a stimulus to overcome her slump. ]
…Honestly, I thought I had given her enough stimulation in succession to overcome her slump during the competition, but there had been no change in the customer window at all.
‘Is her psychological problem still that severe?’
Louise was a talented alchemist who had given me the clue that solved the etherification problem.
‘Hmm… It would be a waste for someone with that much talent to break down like this….’
Lately, I had realized something: Even with the intuition of my EX-Rank ability, creativity was one area I could not do anything about.
When I saw a problem, a solution quickly came to mind, but I always had the feeling that there had to be better methods, you know?
It felt as though I lacked the idea or hint needed to reach them. To put it metaphorically, I was missing the right puzzle piece, which kept me from achieving a better result.
A talented alchemist like Louise was nothing less than a rare puzzle piece to me.
Even when I solved Yeon Harim's etherification problem, I could only do it after receiving a hint from Louise.
In other words, to make full use of my ability, I needed talented alchemists with a variety of perspectives.
Just as they drew inspiration from my techniques, I was influenced by them as well.
In that sense, Louise was a valuable asset to me. Letting her break down here would be a loss for me. There weren't many people with talent like hers.
“Louise, have you been pushing yourself too hard lately?”
“……? What a random thing to say all of a sudden. If you're worried because my dark circles are especially deep, there's no need. I've always been like this.”
I couldn't tell whether she was pretending not to notice or genuinely unaware of her own problem… Psychological matters weren't my area of expertise…
That didn't mean I could suddenly start counseling her, either…
“Well, then never mind. Don't push yourself. As you always say, it would be a loss for all humanity if intelligence comparable to mine were to collapse.”
At my words, Louise's tired-looking eyes suddenly opened wide.
“……Ah, yes… That's true… Hmm….”
I made some idle small talk with Louise before leaving.
Clara, her secretary and housekeeper, approached Louise, who remained standing there.
“Are you done talking with your friend?”
“Yes….”
“Then why do you look so drained?”
Even after Clara asked her, Louise merely stared in the direction Yoo Hyun had left.
“……Intelligence comparable to mine….”
In reality, all she had felt when she met him was the wall between them….
After standing there blankly for a long while, Louise turned around, and Clara followed her as she spoke.
“Are you going to look around the expo some more?”
“No, let's go back now… I suddenly feel tired.”
*
At last, the venue for the Enhancement Division competition on Day 6 of the Magitech Expo had been prepared.
More spectators than ever had gathered, and even major figures from the magic beast industry had arrived late and taken their seats.
Solely to see Korea's genius alchemist with their own eyes.
The Enhancement competition began, and…
[ Ah, aah…… Please, stop already……. ]
Thud—
The host sank to the floor as though he had given up on everything.