Chapter 66: Family Honor (1)
The Ex Machina Guild, having formed an alliance with the Sirens, planned to utilize them extensively.
Thanks to the Sirens’ protection, the Mir Trading Company’s merchant ships had never encountered any issues during their trade voyages.
However, relying on the Sirens’ help came with a critical problem.
To the residents of Wonsan, the Sirens were still a terrifying presence, feared as beings who could invade and attack their city at any moment.
Whenever the Sirens appeared nearby, the entire city would go on high alert, with hunters being dispatched immediately.
In reality, the Sirens were a gentle and peace-loving race.
The rumor that they lured humans with their songs to devour them was false. They were content with eating only fish.
Despite their efforts to spread this truth, it was all in vain.
Instead, they were ridiculed as lunatics.
While pondering over a solution, a brilliant idea suddenly came to mind.
[Why not turn the island into a tourist attraction?]
A revolutionary, if not crazy, thought.
Naturally, Nova initially opposed the idea.
[The residents see the Sirens as nothing less than demons with horns. Do you think they’ll come to visit?]
Nova’s concern was valid, but Hyun Suho was confident.
His confidence came from the Sirens’ beauty.
Each of the Sirens was stunning, with excellent figures.
Elves were also said to be incredibly handsome and beautiful, but the Sirens were on par with them.
[This is a winning business!]
It was a plan that could dispel the Sirens' notorious reputation while also making money.
They immediately deployed the Bipo personnel to start transforming the island into a tourist destination.
Before pushing the plan forward, Hyun Suho’s first step was to change the name of the Sirens.
No matter how beautiful they were, the name “Siren” was ingrained in people’s minds as a source of fear.
So, he changed it to “Mermaid.”
They also put up a large sign reading “Mermaid Island” at the temporary harbor.
As Nova feared, the initial reaction was not good.
On the historic first day of departure, no one boarded the ship, even though tickets were free.
That day, the Mermaids, who had prepared a grand welcome with eager hearts, had to clean up bitterly.
It seemed like the business would fail… but then, word of mouth truly began to spread.
A few brave or adventurous individuals eventually boarded the ship, toured the island, and spread the word.
[It’s paradise! A heaven of beauties!]
Once photos taken with the Mermaids started circulating on the internet, public response was overwhelming.
There were still those who claimed it was just another trick by the Sirens to lure and eat people, but the number of people wanting to visit the island increased steadily.
Now, there were so many tourists that some couldn’t get on the boat due to the lack of space.
The majority were men, but there were women as well.
Had it been the other way around, there might have been almost no male tourists.
Fortunately, it seemed that women also enjoyed looking at beautiful women.
As the number of tourists grew, they began to officially expand the tourism business.
They sold souvenirs made from shells or Mermaid scales and charged for commemorative photos.
Unexpectedly, the most profitable item was the shell tops worn by the Mermaids.
Who knows what people were planning to do with them?
Of course, the purpose of this business was not money, but to break the prejudices against the Mermaids.
Even without setting excessive prices, the profits were considerable.
Naturally, the Mermaids grew closer to the city.
Whereas in the past, the alarm would sound if a Mermaid appeared near the harbor, now the guards waved and greeted them.
The city also benefited.
With the threat gone, the funds used for city defenses could be drastically reduced.
"You’ve done well all this time."
Hyun Suho was well aware of Coral and the Mermaids’ efforts.
The Mermaids, for whom Korean was practically a foreign language, had to study it diligently, and quickly too.
Fortunately, the Mermaids approached this with enthusiasm.
They poured their hearts into learning the language and understanding humans, and the results were very successful.
Just as he was saying this, Coral made an odd remark.
“We’re all working hard because it’s time for us to get married.”
“Married? To whom? You don’t mean to humans, do you?”
“Huh? Of course, to humans.”
“But… you’re different species.”
Mermaids might be a similar race, or demi-humans, but they were still a different species.
Yet Coral spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Coral looked at Hyun Suho as if he were the strange one and said,
“Isn’t it obvious? There are no men in our species. We have to get our seed from another species.”
“And that’s going to be humans?”
“Well, there’s a species called the Fishmen in our original world, but they don’t exist here. So we pair with humans.”
Hyun Suho tilted his head and asked.
“Our original world? What do you mean by that?”
“What do you think? This world isn’t our original home. Grandma told us. One day, a light burst out, and we ended up in this world.”
Monsters that appeared on Earth after the Great Cataclysm.
The exact reason was still unknown, but were they summoned from another world?
[There’s no concrete evidence, but most scholars support this theory. Many have observed species in other worlds that closely resemble the monsters that appeared on Earth, often through dimensional gates.]
“Really?”
He wasn’t very interested in monster studies, so he didn’t know.
He’d been too busy just trying to survive.
After a moment’s thought, Hyun Suho asked.
“I’ve heard that in some foreign countries, it’s possible to marry a demi-human. But you know there’s no such law in Korea, right?”
Mermaids weren’t the only intelligent demi-humans in this world.
Most had distinctly non-human appearances, but some were very similar to humans.
Some of these races were recognized as demi-humans rather than monsters and interacted with people.
The Elves who appeared in the Amazon were a prime example.
Whether Coral knew this or not, she replied indifferently, as if it didn’t matter.
“Our species doesn’t have the concept of marriage anyway. After mating, we take care of the child.”
Given that they were an all-female species, this might be natural.
He had heard that Harpies, another monster species, had a similar situation.
"But your sister settled down with that man, didn’t she?"
Golden Tail, Aerin, was enjoying a blissful newlywed life with a man she had met at the City Hall. Unlike their species’ usual tendency to part ways after mating, they had promised to stay together for life.
Coral, well aware of this, nodded in agreement.
"I guess a lot of the others are envious of that. They also want to find a lifelong partner. So, the atmosphere is a bit... strange."
"I hope they find good men, but..."
Hearing that, Suho couldn’t help but worry. The mermaids could end up getting hurt by men who only approached them for their beauty.
"I guess I’ll have to educate the men as well."
This was one of the side effects of the collision of two worlds. Since he had decided to live alongside the mermaids, he would have to take responsibility for them until the end.
At that moment, Coral suddenly cleared her throat and glanced at Suho.
"What? Is there something you want to say?"
"I-I'm an adult now, too."
"So?"
Coral frowned slightly at Suho’s puzzled response and spoke up.
"I'm saying it’s time for me to mate too!"
"You?"
Coral still looked young compared to her mature sister Aerin. Suho could vividly recall how, when they first met, a light smack had made her cry. She still behaved in such a childish way that it was hard to believe she was now an adult.
Then again, it wasn’t fair to judge a mermaid by human standards.
Reading Suho’s thoughts, Coral pouted.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"No, it’s nothing."
"Anyway...!"
Coral crossed her arms, as if about to shout, but then suddenly blushed and stammered.
"I-I’m saying I need a man, too."
"Oh!"
Suho finally understood.
"You want me to introduce you to a guy?"
"Y-Yes, that’s right."
Coral’s expression seemed to say something was off.
Completely missing the point, Suho eagerly responded.
"You have a preference? Do you like handsome men? I’m not sure what mermaids’ sense of beauty is like."
Coral hesitated for a moment before shyly replying.
"I like strong men."
"Strong men?"
"Strong, smart, brave, good with machines..."
The last part was mumbled too quietly for Suho to hear clearly.
"Hmm! A strong man, huh?"
After pondering for a moment, Suho suddenly clapped his hands as if he had just thought of someone and opened his Hunter terminal to show a picture.
"Then this guy is perfect!"
The man in the picture was half-naked, showing off his bulging muscles. He was none other than Kwon Chul-jung, the head of the Wonsan Hunter branch.
For some reason, he occasionally sent photos like this, inviting Suho to work out together.
Seeing the picture, the veins on Coral’s forehead bulged.
"This... guy?"
"Yeah! I’ve heard he’s still single. Apparently, he’s so obsessed with working out that women run away from him. But if you’re looking for a strong guy, he’s the best!"
Seeing Suho’s bright smile, Coral almost exploded but managed to hold it in, calming herself down before speaking again.
"I’d prefer someone a bit younger. And someone who can see past our species and is strong enough to defeat a Kraken on his own..."
Coral shyly fiddled with her fingers as she spoke.
Finally understanding, Suho nodded.
"Oh!"
"How about it?"
Coral asked, blushing and glancing up at him.
Suho smiled warmly and said, "If I find a guy like that, I’ll definitely let you know."
"..."
Crack!
Something snapped in Coral’s mind.
Then...
"You idiot!!"
She burst out in anger and kicked Suho in the leg out of frustration.
Whack!
As Suho stumbled back, Coral snorted, glaring at him before storming off into the sea.
Splash!
"..."
Suho stood there, bewildered by Coral’s sudden outburst.
"What’s with her? Did I say something wrong?"
Nova then chimed in with amusement.
[Well done, Master. Just keep doing what you’re doing.]
With each of their reactions being so different, Suho could only blink in confusion.
* * *
The Jinryong Guild held a grand event.
Like many large corporations, they hosted one or two parties or banquets each year, inviting politicians, businesspeople, hunters, and celebrities to flaunt their wealth.
It was an annual event for the Jinryong Group.
For the first time in a long while, the heirs had all gathered, and of course, Jin Seo-yeon was among them.
She was strolling through the party venue, accompanied only by her bodyguard.
"Sigh~"
Wearing a fancy dress instead of her usual armor and holding a glass of wine instead of her sword felt incredibly awkward.
She hated coming to these events, but attendance was mandatory. With the heir competition in full swing, skipping such an important event would be akin to surrendering.
At that moment, someone familiar approached Seo-yeon.
"Hey, sis! It’s been a while!"
A boy with a youthful face beamed as he walked up to Seo-yeon.
The youngest among the siblings, Jin Homin, had just entered high school. It was only natural that he had been left out of the succession war.
Despite being half-siblings, Jin Seo-yeon had a good relationship with him.
"It’s been a while. How have you been? How’s your studying going?"
Jin Homin, who had approached with a smile, made a face at the mention of studying and shouted, "You're still the same, sis. Can you please stop talking about studying?"
"What else would you talk to a student about?"
'Sigh'
"If you hadn’t moved out first, I would have. But... where’s Mr. Hong Chang-sik? I don’t see him around."
Hong Chang-sik had always shadowed Jin Seo-yeon like a protector. His absence was curious.
"He’s leading the guild members today."
There was an important expedition scheduled for today, one that couldn’t easily be abandoned, so Hong Chang-sik had taken charge.
"He’s got his hands full too, huh?"
"I’m always grateful."
The two siblings caught up, sharing stories that had piled up over time. It was a rare, heartwarming sight in this family.
But their pleasant conversation was interrupted by the approach of a man.
"It’s been a while, everyone."
The man approaching with a gentle smile was none other than Jin Sa-geol, the third brother. He was the one Jin Seo-yeon least wanted to see.
As soon as she saw him, Jin Seo-yeon’s expression soured as if she had just encountered something foul, while Jin Homin instinctively shrank back.
With Jin Seo-yeon staying silent, Jin Homin had no choice but to step up.
"It’s been a while, brother."
In response to Jin Homin’s greeting, Jin Sa-geol only nodded indifferently, showing little interest.
Jin Homin could only offer a bitter smile, thinking nothing had changed.
There were four competitors in the Jinryong Group's succession race, including these two. While the other two brothers were also power-hungry and had unpleasant personalities, Jin Sa-geol was by far the worst.
Unlike the others, who were openly authoritarian and brutal, Jin Sa-geol at least appeared soft and kind on the outside.
Which made him all the more terrifying.
The other siblings, well aware of his true nature, often found themselves chilled to the bone by his flawless act, even in the height of summer.
Ignoring Jin Homin, Jin Sa-geol addressed Jin Seo-yeon.
"Aren’t you going to greet your brother after so long?"
To an outsider, he would appear like a doting, caring older brother.
But Jin Seo-yeon, knowing his sinister nature, responded coldly.
"We were in the middle of an important conversation. Would you mind stepping aside?"
She loathed even sharing the same air with him, but she wasn’t foolish enough to let it show.
Jin Seo-yeon attempted to brush Jin Sa-geol off without batting an eye.
But Jin Sa-geol was not easy to shake. As if expecting rejection, he smiled gently and continued.
"Oh? Why don’t you tell me what you were talking about? Maybe I could help. Or should we move somewhere more private?"
Jin Sa-geol was being absurdly insistent.
Just as Jin Seo-yeon was about to snap, her bodyguard, who had been standing behind her, stepped forward.
"It’s time for your appointment. We need to leave now."
Jin Seo-yeon turned to him, momentarily surprised by the unexpected interruption.
There was no such appointment.
But then she quickly caught on to his intention and nodded in agreement.
"Has it already gotten that late? Well then, let’s go."
She had been given a perfect excuse to leave.
Naturally, Jin Sa-geol’s face contorted in displeasure.
Sensing his anger, the massive bodyguard who had been standing behind Jin Sa-geol like a wall stepped forward.
"The young master is speaking. It’s not your place to interrupt!"
The man was much larger than Jin Seo-yeon’s bodyguard. He wasn’t just any ordinary bodyguard.
This was Baek Sang-hyun, a Level 6 S-rank martial artist.
If he continued to develop at his current rate, he was expected to become a high-ranking Hunter with ease.
He moved to grab the other bodyguard’s collar using his signature technique, Geumnasu (Golden Snake Hands).
Whoosh!
His hand snaked forward like a viper.
If that hand caught its target, not only would the wrist be immobilized, but it could even be broken.
It was an attack that had to be avoided, yet Jin Seo-yeon’s bodyguard reached out anyway.
Baek Sang-hyun inwardly sneered at this.
‘What a fool.’
This was a technique that had once crushed the bones of an ogre. He was confident it could turn a human's bones to dust.
As the two hands met, the sound of a bone breaking echoed.
Crack!
"Urgh!"
But the outcome was unexpected.
The one who screamed and collapsed was Baek Sang-hyun.
He stared at his opponent in shock.
"Who... who are you?"
Not only had his Geumnasu been blocked, but his wrist had been caught and easily overpowered. With just a simple squeeze, his inner energy-protected arm had been broken.
This wasn’t the skill of a mere bodyguard. This level of ability was something only a renowned Hunter could possess.
Yet, no matter how hard he tried, Baek Sang-hyun couldn’t recall seeing this man before.
The man, who was standing guard over Jin Seoyeon today, slightly lowered his head, peering over his sunglasses, and said with a smirk:
"Why do you want to know?"
