How to get Healed at Demon Farm

Chapter 69

We followed Lee Seok to a Chinese restaurant on the upper floor of the hotel.

Certainly, it was a completely different atmosphere from the Chinese restaurant I usually go.

Various patterns reminiscent of China were antiquely drawn on luxurious interior decorations centered on gold and red.

As soon as we entered, a male staff found us and welcomed us with pleasure.

"Welcome. It's been a while since you've been here Mr.Lee.”

"It's been a while, manager. I'm sorry to call you late to make a reservation. I was in a hurry to serve an important guest…"

"No. If it's the head of the headquarters' call, we'll have to get a seat somehow. Please follow me. I'll show you in person."

We headed inside the restaurant with polite guidance from the manager.

We went through a quiet aisle and entered a cozy room.

As soon as we sat down, the restaurant staff set up a meal on the table with a very kind smile.

"If you wait a little longer, I'll get you your food right away. If you need anything, call me right away."

The manager quietly left the room with the staff.

“Since I reservation late, I ordered a course meal in advance. If there's anything else you'd like to eat, I'll place an additional order."

"No, I’m fine. I know only a few Chinese dishes anyway…"

"If we weren't in a hurry, I could have served you in a room with a good night view, which is unfortunate. I'll definitely take you to a better place next time."

"But isn't the driver eating with us?"

"Oh! I paid for his dinner separately and sent him to another restaurant. You don't have to worry."

To be honest, I wanted to go to another restaurant alone.

I know I'm being treated in a good place, but somehow I felt burdened and uncomfortable.

After a while, the food began to come out one after another.

Crab meat soup was served as an appetizer.

It was my first time eating it, but the texture and aroma of soft crab meat was so good.

As the hot soup spread through my stomach, it encouraged appetite in earnest.

I only tasted the first food of the course meal, but I could feel why it was expensive.

After that, a series of high-quality dishes that I barely heard of came up to the table, such as the fire stamp, steamed shark fin…"

It was my first time eating them, but I didn't feel any difference or awkwardness at all.

I felt like my prejudice against Chinese food, which I thought was only oily and greasy, was broken at once.

Eating good food reminded me of my mother at home.

If I had a chance next time, I thought I should bring my mother.

By the time it was nearly an hour after tasting the course meal, Lee Seok carefully opened his mouth.

"Sihyeon, if you don't mind, can I continue the conversation I couldn't earlier?"

"Of course. Please feel free to talk."

"Well, let me tell you again. In fact, the big reason why I came to meet Sihyeon today is because of the Demons stones.”

Demon stones got mentioned again.

I had heard some explanation from Andras, but I had not been able to accurately grasp its greatness.

However, seeing Lee Seok mentioning it so carefully, it was clear that there was something.

"Director Lee Seok. I'm sorry, but is it such an important thing?"

Lee Seok, who heard my question, looked at the Ryan with a surprised expression.

Ryan shrugged lightly at the glance .

Lee Seok calmed down his expression again and calmly began to explain.

"I'll give you a brief explanation. Demon stone is a kind of magic stone produced by the throne of Arakadan. It is the rarest and most precious magic stone in both our world and the Demon world. It is a precious treasure, which is difficult to obtain since it is treated very strictly by Demon world due to its high value."

Ryan also supplemented Lee Seok's explanation from time to time.

"It's essential for making very high-grade artifacts, and it's also a valuable research material for weapons, defense equipment, and magic research."

"Well, it's more useful than I thought."

"Yes. However, the supply is overwhelmingly short compared to the large demand. That's why not only Korea but also all other countries are always anxious to get their hands on Demon stones."

Now I'm starting to get a sense of what's going on.

A very rare and highly utilized Demon stone — a situation in which all countries are struggling due to a lack of supply, suddenly I have the right to trade them.

In short, I was holding the most important treasure everyone is seeking.

Lee Seok's voice became more serious.

"If Sihyeon's trade authority and 1% ownership news became known to the world, people from many countries will approach Sihyeon to somehow attract you to their side."

"My recognized ownership is only about 1%. Does it mean much?"

The answer to my question came from Ryan.

"It's one percent of the product produced on the planet. Considering that 15 to 25 percent of the magic stones available on the Earth is absolutely small."

"Mr. Ryan is right. The U.S. and China, who are most sensitive to this problem, would never want to miss that 1%."

"Well, that's a little scary story. I won't be kidnapped by kind of special agents like in the movies, will I?"

Ryan next to me reacted sensitively to the story I told half-jokingly and half-seriously.

"We will not stand by and watch any threat to Sihyeon. So Sihyeon doesn't have to worry about that at all."

"Haha. Thank you, Ryan."

Ryan replied with such a serious face that I felt a little awkward regardless of gratitude.

Lee Seok looked around for a while and continued the story that had been cut off.

"Sihyeon, do you have any direction in mind on how to use the Demon stones that you have come to own?"

I shook my head from left to right.

When I went to work this morning, I didn't even know there was such a magic stone, so I couldn't have made any specific plan or direction.

"If you don't mind, would you like to hear about my idea?"

"Yes, I'll listen to it. “

“In a nutshell, there are about three options. The first is to do business with a company. If you want to gain a lot of money, this is the cleanest way."

"I'm sorry to ask this, exactly how expensive is that Demon stone is?"

Lee Seok calmly answered after calculating in his head for a while.

"A minimum amount would be tens of billions of dollars. I can't estimate the exact price since the amount of transaction is so small, but the approximate price will be similar."

I felt confused by the literally billion won.

Hearing the amazing amount of money, the value of Demon stone choked my throat.

"The second way is to do business with the state. Not only Korea but also all other countries can be the target. Rather than financial benefits, various benefits that can only be provided by the country are key. The last one is you use the Demon stone yourself."

"I use it myself?"

"Yes, you can hire a technician to make magic artifact, or you can make a defense weapon."

After hearing his explanation to the end, my mind became rather complicated.

For me, who was familiar with the economy of the working class, it was an excessively large amount, and I was not familiar dealing with billons of won.

I want to just relax and work hard on the farm.

I never dreamed that things would get this big.

Lee Seok, who saw my complex expression, spoke carefully.

"I'll be honest with you. I would like Sihyeon to make a deal with Korean government. If you do so, it will be of great help to this country. Of course, transactions with other countries may be more beneficial to Sihyeon. However, I will do my best to give you many benefits."

"Hmm……"

I was slightly shaken by his sincere request.

Of course, I wanted to benefit a lot, but on the other hand, I also wanted to help as a citizen of this country.

I couldn't make up my mind easily and looked at Ryans.

Ryan told me his thoughts with a light smile.

"Choose whatever you like. However, if Sihyeon intends to remain in Korea, it would not be bad to accept Lee Seok's proposal."

Lee Seok's expression brightened at Ryan's positive opinion.

"And you don't have to deal with the Demon Stones at once. For example, you could have half of it and just give us the rest."

I felt a little bit complicated in his realistic advice.

"Director Lee Seok, do you explain in detail what benefits you can offer?"

"Of course."

Director Lee Seok explained the benefits he can offer at my request.

Officially, he emphasized medical, welfare, and pension benefits that can benefit my family; informal, he promised to provide information on Demon Stone vendors; cooperation from intelligence agencies to protect myself; and maximum support through Lee Seok's own network.

Among them, the most notable was the tax proposal.

"Originally, if Sihyeon brings and sells Demon stones from the Demon world, it will officially include a fairly high tariff and an additional income tax. I'll lower this as much as I can."

"Oh… So isn't that tax evasion? Something illegal is a little…"

Lee Seok hastily added when I expressed my rejection by referring to tax evasion.

"It's not illegal at all. It's kind of an expedient way to avoid the high tax rate. Sihyeon is such a special case that the tax laws and systems on this side are still insufficient. So we're trying to stop the damage that can happen."

"Hmm…."

"This is how we hold on to the outstanding awakeners. This kind of thing is already being done in secret in many countries. Rumor has it that there are some places that offer tacit immunity."

Huh… immunity… Unlike me, who looked surprised, Ryan nodded quietly.

He already seemed to know this side of the story well.

"I can use illegal methods to give you a bigger benefit, but I don't want to do that either. We're offering proposals within the legal boundaries as much as possible, and to the extent that they're socially recognizable."

Lee Seok remained silent in a calm manner, as if he had finished everything he wanted to say.

Perhaps waiting for my choice.

Ryan didn't really mention anything.

He just made a face that he would respect any of my choice.

There was a heavy silence in the room.

Until the last dessert was served after the meal, no one rushed to speak.

I stared blankly at the fruits and ice cream on a pretty plate served as dessert, and slowly opened my mouth.

"Director Lee Seok."

“Yes, Sihyeon.”

“I'll accept your offer for now.”

“Really?”

“ Yes. Instead, the amount will be 30% of the amount of Demon stones recognized as my property. I'll give you that much. I'll think about the disposal of the rest of the quantity later.”

Lee Seok's face was slightly disappointed under the condition of 30%.

But after a brief moment of pause, he welcomed my choice with a bright smile.

"Thank you. I'll try hard to make you not regret the choice."

The cold atmosphere in the room began to melt in an instant.

Ryan whispered to me slightly with a satisfied expression.

"I think you made a good choice."

"Thank you, Ryan."

Since I finished making a difficult decision, the fruits and ice cream served as dessert felt sweeter.

"Oh! Sihyeon, I want to make an additional suggestion."

"……?"

"Don't you want to join the guild?"

"Guild?"