Chapter 99 – Negotiating for the Bidet

“It’s not that my brother and I didn’t think about that either.”

However, that was an option when assuming the worst-case scenario.

Won Deok-sam was not as bad a person as they thought, and above all, he had the ability to prevent Hee-na and Hee-won’s information from leaking.

“Even if it might seem like a somewhat foolish choice to you, Jin-hyun, I want to let that person live. I think that would be much more comfortable for my peace of mind… and above all, that mister’s ability is quite useful.”

Hee-na spoke about the ability of Won Deok-sam, that was the information broker ‘Mr. Won’.

Won Deok-sam was someone who could control the information circulating among Hunters.

He had done additional work for the Hee-na and Hee-won siblings over the past few days.

To ensure that if any dangerous news related to Hee-na and Hee-won, not just the peanuts, circulated, contact would reach him immediately.

Of course, this was not out of pure goodwill. It was also mixed with calculations to ensure his own safety by having his usefulness recognized.

That scheme worked quite well. Hee-na would also be in a bind if he died and disappeared in this situation.

Hee-na was not unaware of Won Deok-sam’s calculations either.

‘But it doesn’t harm us, and it’s beneficial in the end anyway.’

Hee-won also agreed with Hee-na’s thoughts.

“Is there really a need to kill an innocent person?”

“Of course, if there is a better way, I am willing to follow it. That’s why we haven’t released Won Deok-sam yet and waited until you returned, Jin-hyun.”

“That…”

At the siblings’ persuasion, Kang Jin-hyun closed his mouth with a heavy expression.

“…”

The silence lasted for a while. Kang Jin-hyun stroked his smooth chin as if lost in deep thought.

It was after about a minute had passed that his mouth opened. In the meantime, Won Deok-sam’s face turned red and blue in anxiety, turning almost rainbow-colored.

“…Hee-na, Brother Hee-won, then let’s do this.”

“How?”

“What you two say is correct. There is no need to shed unnecessary blood, and above all, he is a person with sufficient utility value. I will let him live.”

“……!”

Won Deok-sam, who was held by Baduk-i, clenched his fist tightly. It was a gesture of joy and relief.

The siblings also happily accepted his choice.

“You thought well.”

“Yeah. Good thinking, Jin-hyun.”

However, Kang Jin-hyun’s words were not finished.

“Of course, it cannot be as it is now. We need to bind him with a stronger contract.”

He spoke flatly and took out a mana stone from his inventory. It was slightly larger than a quail’s egg.

Judging by its transparency with no impurities, it seemed to be a fairly high-grade mana stone.

“No, this is…!”

Won Deok-sam recognized the value of the mana stone and gaped his mouth wide.

“It’s not even a contract between nations or super-large guilds, so using this grade of mana stone for an individual is a bit of a waste, isn’t it…! Gasp!”

He only shut his wagging mouth tight after receiving Kang Jin-hyun’s murderous gaze.

“Indeed. Isn’t this a bit too much?”

At Won Deok-sam’s words, Hee-na looked at Kang Jin-hyun.

However, Kang Jin-hyun retorted nonchalantly.

“This much is an ordinary level. Above all, it is better to make promises certain.”

“…Is that so?”

“Yes.”

Because his response was so peaceful, Hee-na tilted her head but had no choice but to pass over the situation, thinking, ‘I guess so.’

If Kang Jin-hyun, an S-class Hunter, said so, who would raise questions about it?

While nodding and accepting his opinion, Kang Jin-hyun listed several conditions.

Not leaking Hee-na and Hee-won’s information to others, guaranteeing their mental and physical stability, not approaching the siblings in the future, and so on…

Except for adding a few matters meticulously, it was mostly no different from what Hee-na had proposed.

‘Apart from the cost of the mana stone, it is a bit of a waste to make another overlapping contract.’

Hee-na thought it was a waste to make another contract with similar content, but she did not voice that fact.

‘If this puts Jin-hyun’s mind at ease, then so be to it.’

Kang Jin-hyun was extremely firm when it came to Hee-na’s safety.

If she dissuaded him from this contract solely because the mana stone was a waste, he might choose to eliminate Won Deok-sam instead.

“Swear like this.”

Kang Jin-hyun dropped the mana stone in front of Won Deok-sam.

Won Deok-sam’s gaze wavered here and there. He seemed to be contemplating something.

He took a few deep breaths and carefully opened his mouth.

“Excuse me…”

His voice trembled naturally under the murderous intent and pressure Kang Jin-hyun exuded.

However, there was content Won Deok-sam absolutely had to say.

“Can I, by any chance, change one item in the contract?”

As soon as those words ended, black energy began to creep up again between Kang Jin-hyun’s fingers.

Won Deok-sam knew very well that if he was grazed by that energy, his body would explode without a trace.

“What do you mean by that?”

“I can accept the other demands as they are! But regarding the clause to never approach Lee Hee-na and Lee Hee-won, could you please delete it?”

“Why?”

At the cold question, Won Deok-sam swallowed hard. His earlobes also turned crimson in tandem.

The moment Kang Jin-hyun saw the reddening earlobes, the black energy in his hand grew even stronger.

“I-I-I have constipation… even after I leave here, I want to come use the A-rank bidet occasionally… Hee-na, would that be possible?”

He was truly sincere about constipation and the bidet.

“I will absolutely never bother you. If a fee is needed for using the restroom, I will pay that too.”

Having tasted the joy of a satisfying bowel movement once, Won Deok-sam had absolutely no confidence in returning to his former life.

That uncomfortable tightness in his lower abdomen, the worry of collapsing from high blood pressure if he strained like this, and even the miserable sense of defeat he felt every time he came out of the restroom…

Once his mouth opened, words poured out like a flowing stream.

“You may not know, but this constipation is a truly terrible illness. Constipation cannot even be cured with potions! If I live like this, I might die of fecal toxicity someday. My symptoms are that serious, is what I’m saying.”

Hee-na, Hee-won, and Kang Jin-hyun quietly looked at the middle-aged man begging with his hands clasped.

They didn’t know whether to feel empty or dumbfounded by this desperate confession.

The contract was finalized with a bright light.

“Thank you so much. I will go back inside now. I will absolutely never bother you. I will stay as quiet as a dead mouse, so please talk comfortably.”

“Ah, yes… Go on in, mister. I’ll bring dinner separately to your room tonight.”

“Thank you. I am always at a loss for how to express my gratitude when you care for me like this.”

Won Deok-sam bowed and retreated as if escaping back to the storage room.

Although he had been so eloquent in front of constipation, he seemed embarrassed once the contract was finished.

‘…Or it might be because of Jin-hyun.’

Hee-na glanced at Kang Jin-hyun.

He was looking at the door of the room Won Deok-sam had vanished into with an expressionless face. His aura was quite brutal.

‘Did I offend him by taking Won Deok-sam’s side?’

Even though he looked like that, Won Deok-sam was an information broker with prominent abilities. Thinking it would be helpful if such a person became an ally of the siblings, she had subtly sided with Won Deok-sam.

‘And begging because of constipation was also a bit embarrassing…’

It was also true that she felt a bit sorry for him, recalling how he kept talking about constipation and satisfying bowel movements all the time he was in the house.

“I was so flustered that I couldn’t even ask properly if you had a good trip. Was the dungeon subjugation okay? It wasn’t hard?”

Hee-na opened the conversation a bit awkwardly.

Kang Jin-hyun glared at the storage door displeasedly, then finally let out a sigh.

“You are too soft to a fault, Hee-na.”

At Kang Jin-hyun’s stern gaze piercing straight down onto her cheek, her body shrank on its own.

“But it wasn’t a bad deal. Isn’t it great that he offers information access or one item each time he uses the restroom?”

“What reason would you have to buy information from Mr. Won, Hee-na? If needed, the Blue Dragon Guild can handle everything.”

Hee-na scratched her head.

“Still, there’s no harm in building this kind of connection. He’s no ordinary person, but supposedly the top information broker in Asia.”

At that reply, Kang Jin-hyun fell silent for a moment, then slowly spoke.

“…Weren’t you uninterested in connections, honor, or power of this sort?”

Was it just Hee-na’s illusion that his voice sounded somewhat sulky?

“Even when I tempted you, you never once fell for it…”

At the embarrassing expression, Hee-na’s face flushed bright red.

“Ah, no! What do you mean temptation!”

“Didn’t you reject the much better job conditions I offered on the grounds of wanting a normal and stable life?”

…His wording was unusual, but it was a rather sharp point.

In fact, it was an unfitting choice for Hee-na, a safety-first person, to keep someone doing suspicious work like Won Deok-sam close just because of a ‘good connection’.

Hee-na bit the inside of her cheek before slowly opening her mouth.

The Homemaker of the Dungeon