“You’re Going to Hit Japan?”

Kazuki’s eyes sparkled with excitement and thrill.

“Waaaoo... Hyeonak’s ambitions really are on another level... H-Heading for Japan...”

“Don’t take that seriously. It’s ridiculous. And you too, Guru. Stop letting your Oppaws fill your head with nonsense.”

'How dare dey say Gwuu’s bein’ howied!'

Guru puffed out her cheeks.

“Nooo, Gwuu is...!”

As Guru started swinging her legs wildly, Gidan lowered her down to the floor.

She toddled over, and Jurim scooped her up onto his lap.

“Wish da papap store couwd’ve gone smoofwy.”

“Yeah.”

“Bad peopow twyin’ to wuin it.”

Guru fiddled with the glove on Jurim’s left hand.

She remembered when they opened the snowy field in the dungeon and she couldn’t move at all.

Veilach had said that wouldn’t be enough. That she couldn’t even maintain the snowy field for long...

So she had to earn more money. Rack up more [Filial Piety Points].

That was the only way she could save her dad.

But Jurim had no idea what was going on inside Guru’s head and simply smiled.

“You don’t have to worry.”

He looked completely confident, like there was nothing to be concerned about.

“Chairman Nam will take care of everything.”

“Uuum?”

If it was Chairman Nam, he was definitely cooking up something fun.

* * *

“You must not be aware, but Gangnam is the heart of Korea. If this exhibition is going to be a success, it absolutely has to be held in Gangnam.”

The interpreter relayed Jeon Byeongho’s words with an awkward expression.

Yamauka Shun of the Public Security Bureau, seated in the hotel suite’s living room, let out a sigh and shrugged.

It was a gesture of disapproval.

He was currently insisting that they broaden their venue search across Seoul since they needed to book quickly.

'Acting like the host when he’s just surveillance, huh...'

Jeon Byeongho turned toward the real host.

A gloomy-faced girl sat by the window.

Inoue Haruna.

A nineteen-year-old girl and Japan’s rising star in S-Rank crafting.

In just three months since her Awakening, she had crafted ten A-Rank swords and eight S-Rank blades.

She was the future face of Japan.

No one knew why she’d insisted on coming to Korea during such a sensitive time, but she had been so adamant about it that the Japanese government assigned Yamauka Shun to her as escort.

“It’s Haruna’s special exhibition. Shouldn’t we ask what she wants?”

Hearing the interpreter, Inoue Haruna rolled her eyes.

She glanced at Yamauka Shun, then muttered softly.

[“I’m not sure... Mr. Jeon knows Korea better than I do.”]

Yamauka suddenly raised his voice.

[“Inoue-san. You understand how critical timing is, don’t you?”]

Startled, Haruna hunched her shoulders.

[“That’s...”]

[“Do you want to see your grandfather disappointed?”]

[“N-No... That’s not it...”]

Haruna lowered her head and shook it side to side.

Watching this, Jeon Byeongho clicked his tongue.

Even as an S-Rank, she was just a 19-year-old girl. And yet, being pushed around like that...

'What a charming display of control.'

Not that it was his problem.

Jeon Byeongho smoothed his lips into a slick smile, radiating the aura of a reliable businessman.

“Yamauka-san. I will meet the deadline. Just trust me. As you know, the more people meddle from above, the more delays there’ll be.”

His persuasion seemed to work. Yamauka just furrowed his brows instead of arguing further.

Not like the guy knew anything about Korea anyway.

Jeon Byeongho grinned smugly.

'He’s this obsessed with timing... must really want to sabotage that Korean crafter... Jjapso, or whatever.'

Jeon Byeongho had spent years bouncing around overseas since entering business. He couldn’t care less who Jjapso was. Didn’t even have a drop of patriotism.

His reason for investing in Inoue Haruna’s special exhibition was simple.

It was all because of his ex-wife, Nam Jiwon.

This Jjapso pop-up store was about to open the floodgates of public magi-tech.

And if that got disrupted? No way Nam Jiwon would be happy.

Jeon Byeongho smiled just imagining her face.

If he could just see that look of hers twisting in frustration, it’d be worth every penny lost.

Just then, his secretary leaned in and whispered while showing his phone.

“We’ve found a venue available within the timeframe.”

“Knew it.”

Jeon Byeongho sneered. Not even Chairman Nam could block off every building in Gangnam.

Meanwhile, as the meeting wrapped up, Inoue Haruna found a photo in her phone’s gallery.

Being around Yamauka Shun was terrifying, but would staying in Japan be any different? If anything, being around people who didn’t know her was easier.

And besides... she had a reason for coming to Korea.

'As long as I have this...'

Haruna clenched her phone tightly.

On the screen was a photo of an ugly teddy bear holding a transformation wand.

***

A few days later, inside the hotel elevator.

Dressed in a neatly pressed suit with his hair slicked back, Jeon Byeongho straightened his outfit.

As he stepped into the hotel lobby, he saw a black sedan stop just outside the revolving door.

Jeon Byeongho squinted to see who was getting out.

The secretary opened the door, and Chairman Nam stepped out of the car holding a little girl.

Why is she here?

A sharp crease formed in Jeon Byeongho’s brow.

Did she come to sabotage my deal?

Suppressing his unease, he greeted Chairman Nam as she entered the hotel.

“Jiwon.”

“Former Director.”

Jeon Byeongho greeted her with a smirk.

“What’s this about? You’re not trying to cheat, are you?”

“Cheat?”

Chairman Nam chuckled.

“You really don’t know why I’m here? I came to help you with your contract.”

“What are you talking about...?”

“Hewwooo. Dis is OnGwuu fwom Yustitchia Pweschoow, Chick Cwass!”

“Uh... right.”

Jeon Byeongho responded with a look of disgust.

Noticing his reluctance, Guru blinked shyly.

“Stiww hate wittwe kids, huh?”

Well, he’d never cared for his own children either.

Chairman Nam quietly muttered as she stroked Guru’s head.

“Our Guru greets so bravely. She’s such a good girl.”

Guru clung to Chairman Nam’s leg, smiling brightly.

Chairman Nam wrapped her arm around Guru’s back and snapped sharply at Jeon Byeongho.

“Former Director. You’re here to sign the special exhibition venue lease today, right?”

“I told you, Jiwon. When I say I’ll do something, I do it.”

Jeon Byeongho spoke with his signature smolder, and Chairman Nam’s eyebrow twitched.

Her ex-husband was a man who never acted his age.

Even during their marriage, she’d wanted to gouge out those ridiculous, bulging eyes of his. That urge hadn’t died with the divorce—it still nestled deep in a corner of her heart.

“Then come along. I know where the signing’s happening.”

“What?”

Jeon Byeongho muttered, confused, but followed her anyway.

He figured they were heading to the hotel restaurant—but when they arrived, it was the kids’ center inside the hotel.

“This’ll do. Right, Guru?”

“Yeeeesh~!”

Guru answered cheerfully with a grin.

It was Jeon Byeongho who looked stunned. Why was she talking to the kid, and why did the kid respond like it was completely normal?

Then, as if answering his unspoken question, Guru pulled her backpack around and took out a thick bundle of documents.

“Gwuu came to sign stead of Gwampa~ Push push~”

“...What?”

“Guess you didn’t know? Every building around here worth leasing belongs to Doan Group.”

“Doan...”

That man’s company. On Suhyeong. Chairman Nam’s college friend.

Only now did Jeon Byeongho realize what this absurd little stunt was about.

On Suhyeong had sent his granddaughter to see if he could even try to get the deal done.

They were setting him up to fail, to block the special exhibition entirely.

“Well then~ I’ww just have a coffee over dere. You and Guru have fun, kay~?”

Meanwhile, Guru had already sat at the child-sized table and was carefully folding the contract.

Jeon Byeongho jumped up in alarm and tried to stop her.

“No, don’t fold that! Sweetie, okay?”

“Gwuu wanna do papeh fowding~”

“Why that paper?!”

At that moment, Secretary Kim tapped Jeon Byeongho’s shoulder.

“Please watch your tone with Miss Guru. The Chairman asked me to inform you that if you mistreat the Hyeonak Princess, she takes no responsibility for what happens after.”

“Hyeonak...”

Jeon Byeongho’s mouth opened and closed like a fish.

Right. He did know the son of the Doan Group ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) chairman was the Guildmaster of Hyeonak.

Just then, Guru hugged the crumpled documents to her chest and looked up at him.

“Do you wanna pway wiff Gwuu too, Mistuh?”

“Y-Yep...!”

“Gwuu gonna pway hewo game~”

Jeon Byeongho forced a stiff smile, doing his best to hide his panic.

So this is how you’re humiliating me? You think I’ll take this lying down?

Granddaughter, daughter, whatever—she was just a preschooler.

How hard could it be to manipulate a kid? If he could just get that contract into his hands, the win was his.

“Alright... hero game. Let’s play. I’ll be the hero daddy.”

Guru put a finger to her lips.

“Mistuh not daddy. Yooou a howsie~”

“Huh?”

“A howsie.”

“What?”

I must’ve misheard...

Jeon Byeongho’s lips trembled as he asked again.

But the girl just giggled with a beaming, innocent face.

“Mistuh is da howsie~”

For a moment, it looked like she had devil wings and a tail.

In front of the little demon, Jeon Byeongho’s face twisted with confusion and humiliation.