[ I’m a Landlord ]
So relaxing. The sound of rain hitting the windows is so soothing.
Lying long on the sofa, listening to Peace’s purring as he snuggles up against my side, my body feels both inside and out like it’s melting into relaxation.
Having nothing to do and enjoying leisure time is truly the best.
Yuhyun and Yerim both went into a dungeon. Kim Seonghan also participated in a raid on a new A-rank dungeon. I had been thinking about what kind of skill to use on him, but I decided to focus on increasing his stats first. It would be a waste to miss out on the bonus experience from the new dungeon. I tried focusing on stat growth, just in case, and as expected, it worked.
Myungwoo’s task of sharpening ten thousand knives was also going smoothly. He sharpened a thousand in one day, but then he couldn’t even get out of bed the next day. Now, he’s compromising by sharpening about four to five hundred a day.
Goblin hasn’t appeared since that day. Even if she’s an enigma, it wouldn’t be hard to track her down, since she works for other people. But for now, I didn’t feel like going out of my way to find her.
‘When will I get to laze around like this again?’
Things will get busy soon, so I need to rest while I can. Even this downtime will be over shortly.
It’s already been three days since Yuhyun started the dungeon raid. If nothing goes wrong, he should be back today or tomorrow.
Ah, I want to play more.
I want to play for the rest of my life.
I want to be Background Character #1, someone who doesn’t need to do anything.
‘I lived diligently before going back in time, so why do I have to live diligently again?’
I struggled to raise my younger brother, then the world changed, and I struggled some more. Should I just be thankful I’m not struggling anymore?
“Should I get something to eat?”
I used to haphazardly fill my stomach whenever, but these days I’ve been eating three square meals. The food is just too good.
I went to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator door. Stacked neatly inside were containers of side dishes.
That green onion kimchi was really delicious. I never knew how good spicy, tangy green onion kimchi could taste over white rice. I used to think vegetables needed to be paired with meat to be edible.
Of course, the meat dishes were nothing to scoff at either. The braised beef with shishito peppers was the best. The galbi stew that melted on my tongue was fantastic too. The stir-fried sausages were surprisingly good, to the point of being astonishing. They looked similar to the ones served in school lunches, but the taste was incomparable.
‘I’m already feeling down thinking about Myungwoo moving out.’
How did a guy who only knew how to cook instant ramen suddenly become such a culinary master? This really is a scam. Maybe Myungwoo is the real scam character here.
The soft tofu stew was so good it made me wonder if it had drugs in it. As I heated it up, set the table, and took a bite, I felt like crying.
He’s not going to keep living off me even after getting his SS-rank skill, is he? Of course not. Just three days ago, it wasn’t this bad. If his cooking skills keep improving at this rate, what the hell am I going to do? Maybe I should stop him now. Should I tell him to stop cooking? I guess it’s true what they say: good looks last three months, but good food lasts a lifetime.
“This is sad… Will I be able to get side dishes from him occasionally?”
After cleaning up the table, I fed Peace too. Despite growing larger, his food intake hadn’t changed much. He still ate only two mana stones, though he ate a bit more meat.
-Grrr, grrr
After eating, Peace turned his head toward the front door, whining. He’d been restless ever since he stopped going outside the day after his training ended. Being cooped up at home all day must be boring for him after having so much fun outside.
“Sorry, sorry. Once the negotiations are over, I’ll take you to the training room to play every day.”
-Grrr
I tried to soothe him, but Peace just turned his body and sat down in front of the inner door leading to the entrance. His tail thumped against the floor in displeasure.
“Is my Peace upset?”
-Grooow
“You’re mad because you can’t go out. I’m sorry.”
-Kyiiing
“Just hang in there a little longer, okay? Uncle Yuhyun will be back soon.”
-Kyiiing, grooow
Even though he responded to me, he wouldn’t look back. He was clearly sulking.
“Then how about we play with a ball?”
At the mention of playing with a ball, his thumping tail stopped. His previously flattened ears perked up, and he tilted his head toward me.
“But you can’t get too excited and break the TV like last time. We need to play carefully.”
-Kyang!
Peace answered confidently and leapt over. I don’t know if he really meant he’d be careful or if he was just excited. If he breaks it again, I’ll just buy another one. I still have plenty of money from selling mana stones.
Peace was busy chewing up the sofa instead of the TV when it happened.
Brrriiiing
The doorbell rang. Was Myungwoo already back? That was fast.
“Who is it?”
[It’s Seok Gimyeong!]
I heard a voice answer through the intercom. What’s he doing all the way out here? He sounded unusually unsettled.
“Peace, wait here for a moment.”
After making sure the inner door was securely closed so Peace couldn’t run out, I opened the front door. Seok Gimyeong’s normally composed face was flushed with excitement, his usual calm demeanor nowhere to be seen. What’s going on?
“Why are you—”
“Han Yujin!”
Seok Gimyeong burst into the house and slammed the door behind him. Then he suddenly pulled me into a hug. Is this really Seok Gimyeong, or is it Myungwoo in disguise?
“It’s a slime!”
“What? Whoa!”
Seok Gimyeong picked me up like he was going to toss me in the air. Hey, wait. Calm down.
“Wait, let go of me—ah, don’t shake me! Stop spinning!”
Has he lost his mind?
“Wow! How did such a treasure appear!”
Seok Gimyeong kept laughing, completely ignoring my protests. Put me down, dammit. Is he trying to show off his B-rank strength? I can’t take this with my F-rank stats!
While I struggled in vain against Seok Gimyeong’s iron grip, shouting curses, there was a loud thud.
— Kyaaaang!
The inner door shook violently as a ferocious roar sounded from the other side.
“Was that—”
“Let me go now! Peace, it’s okay!”
This racket must have scared him! Seok Gimyeong hurriedly let me go. I opened the inner door, and Peace, with his fur standing on end, rushed out and wrapped his front paws around one of my legs. He then bared his fangs aggressively at Seok Gimyeong.
-Grrrr
“It’s okay, Peace! Calm down!”
I quickly picked him up and soothed his bristling mane.
-Groow, grrr
“Yes, yes, it’s okay. He’s not a bad person.”
He’s not exactly a good person either. He’s more of a grayish ally.
“I’d heard about it, but he really is attached to you, Han Yujin.”
Seok Gimyeong watched Peace and me with admiration. Has he finally calmed down a bit?
“So, you’re saying the new A-rank dungeon really was a slime dungeon?”
“Yes. Your prediction was spot on, Han Yujin.”
Seok Gimyeong’s eyes were starting to gleam with that manic light again. Stay calm, stay calm. Relax.
“Instead of standing here, why don’t you come inside?”
I should pour, no, let him drink some cold water.
“So, I guess the raid is over?”
I asked as I handed Seok Gimyeong, who was sitting at the dining table, a glass of ice water. My fridge even has an ice dispenser. I used to only use an old one with a single door.
“Yes, I just got word.”
Seok Gimyeong took a sip of water. Peace stuck close to my side, eyeing Seok Gimyeong warily. He seemed really displeased, occasionally wrinkling his nose and growling softly.
“They said it really was a slime dungeon.”
Of course, it was. As long as the future doesn’t change.
“Really, a slime dungeon…”
“Have some more water.”
Try to calm down. Seok Gimyeong downed half the glass in one gulp before speaking.
“Would you consider moving to a more secure location?”
“Pardon?”
“This area is mainly managed by A-rank hunters, so there are some shortcomings in security measures. The surveillance cameras are only at the entrances. It would also be best if you had a tracking device—”
“I refuse.”
One person obsessed with my safety is enough, and that’s my brother. I don’t have the patience or reason to listen to some stranger’s nonsense.
“But—”
“No buts. I don’t want to.”
What is this, a Han Yuhyun in a Seok Gimyeong mask? There it is again, that “but.” My firm words made Seok Gimyeong frown.
“You really don’t seem to understand your own value, Han Yujin.”
“I understand it well enough.”
My value, huh. Before I went back in time, it must have been like rock number 5,912.
“Raising high-grade Flame Horned Lions and predicting dungeons are both abilities that can create significant ripples.”
“This is more than just significant ripples. Especially in the case of the latter, it might even prompt national intervention.”
Just like those Americans did. If you could hold this information, you could practically manipulate the world. However,
“The dungeon prediction isn’t certain yet. I haven’t discovered a definitive pattern; it’s still a hypothesis that relies partly on luck.”
I didn’t actually calculate anything, and besides, if it’s not a well-known place like this slime dungeon, I don’t even remember it. There are so many dungeons; how could I remember them all?
“In the end, the only skill I truly possess is the Beast Tamer skill. So as long as the negotiations go well, there’s no need for excessive protection.”
Just raising Flame Horned Lions alone would already be valuable enough, but it’s still weaker compared to understanding dungeon generation patterns. With such knowledge, you could secure valuable dungeons, increase the stability of new dungeon raids, and prevent undiscovered dungeon breaks.
Most importantly, if you held this information, you could easily put every guild under your feet and stand tall. In a few years, when the number and ratio of high-level dungeons increase, it could even shake nations.
Seok Gimyeong, uncharacteristically, had a reason to be so excited.
“Even if it’s a hypothesis now, there’s still a chance it could become a definite rule in the future, right?”
“Of course, but I don’t have the ability to figure it out. I’ve never properly studied that sort of thing. However, there’s always Seok Hayan.”
“You mean statistics?”
I like that there’s no need for a lengthy explanation. I nodded.
“If Seok Hayan takes on the research, I believe it could become a rule soon. It’d be even better if we could find a few more reliable researchers.”
I’ll leave that to Seok Gimyeong. I have no ability to track down non-awakened scholars.
“Are you saying the guild should support this?”
“That would be ideal, wouldn’t it? Thanks to the slime dungeon, there shouldn’t be a shortage of funds. Why not use this opportunity to create a research facility that includes not only dungeons but awakened individuals as well? I’ve agreed to provide information about dungeons as well.”
“Information?”
Seok Gimyeong started to say something but stopped. I must seem suspicious. But what can he do? I’m the guild leader’s older brother, I brought in an S-rank, and now I’m a useful special skill holder. He should overlook one or two suspicious things.
“I’ll consider establishing the research facility.”
“Don’t just consider it; go ahead and do it. Being first is best. The sooner we start, the quicker we’ll get results.”
Even if we start now, it’ll take years. Seok Gimyeong nodded at my words.
“We’ll try to get the larger guilds to contribute to the Flame Horned Lion project, and we can include the facility there.”
“Excuse me? Get them to contribute?”
“We can’t raise all those monsters here, can we? It’s not just one or two. I’m planning to demolish the adjacent building and put up a new one. Of course, we won’t be using our own money.”
The snake laughed slyly. There will indeed be multiple monsters to take care of, so it would be difficult to manage them here, but I thought they’d build it on the outskirts. You’ve got a bold vision, and you’re doing it with someone else’s money, too.
“Is that okay? What if there’s backlash…?”
“Of course, the landlord will be Han Yujin.”
“Yes, that’s perfectly fine.”
Wow, this is amazing. Getting unexpected extra income like this. Seok Gimyeong looks less like a snake and more like a gold digger right now. Still, a gold digger is still a snake.
“I plan to include it as one of the negotiation conditions. It’ll be easier to get the other guilds to agree since being closer would be better for them.”
Being a landlord, and for a new building, no less. Relax, don’t get too excited. Let’s not be too blatant about it.
Then I can have Myungwoo move to the new building as well. I’ll set up a large workshop for equipment production, with space for direct sales without needing to pay commissions to the Association.
“If we’re building a new building, it’ll take some time, so we should prepare a temporary location.”
“That’s not necessary. We have awakened individuals and equipment that can boost stats. Add support skills and dungeon byproducts to that, and we can shorten the construction period as much as we want.”
Using awakened individuals and dungeon items for simple construction—that’s a lot of money being thrown around. The construction costs will exceed the land and building costs.
It’s not my money, so it doesn’t matter to me.
What matters is that I’ll be a landlord. This will be a prime location, and the material costs for the special equipment will be astronomical, making it impossible for me to estimate the market value of the building alone. If I bring Myungwoo and Seok Hayan into the fold, the value would be insane. Not to mention my own value.
‘Actually, why not bring both Myungwoo and Seok Hayan under my wing rather than just relocating them?’
I originally planned to have them join Haeyeon once they got their skills, but if I’m going to have my own building and a place for a forge, there’s no need to do that. The same goes for Seok Hayan.
Seok Gimyeong might be frustrated, but I’ve been a bit worried about putting too much into Haeyeon, which isn’t fully grown yet. Nurturing Yerim and even Kim Seonghan is enough.
After all, Haeyeon is a Hunter guild focused on dungeon raids.
If we cram things like raising Flame Horned Lions, equipment production, and dungeon research into Haeyeon all at once, it might backfire.
‘No matter how good the food is, you should only eat as much as you can digest.’
It’s better to split the forces and cooperate rather than combine everything recklessly. Once everything is firmly established, we can merge then.
‘Alright, let’s split things up.’
I looked at Seok Gimyeong, who was enthusiastically discussing future plans, with a bit of pity. Sorry if it feels like I’m giving and then taking away, but be satisfied that Haeyeon is still my first priority.
“…What did you say?”
While the world was abuzz with the appearance of the slime dungeon, Haeyeon subtly informed the large guilds and the Hunter Association about the Beast Tamer skill.
Naturally, the reaction was explosive, and negotiations were proceeding smoothly, but—
“They’re coming here? To meet me?”
I stared in disbelief at my brother, who had brought me the news. Do these guild leaders have nothing better to do? Why do they need to come in person?
–TL Notes–
Hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you want to support me or give me feedback, you can do it at patreon.com/MattReading
Join my Discord! https://discord.gg/BWaP3AHHpt