Chapter 9: Today’s Agenda – Remarriage

Jin-yeop didn’t forget to add that he hoped So-yeon would be his salesperson when he visited again.

Now that he had registered as the original finder of the artifact, no matter what Soo-hyuk did behind the scenes, he couldn’t hide this fact.

But it wouldn’t hurt to drive the nail in deeper.

He still didn’t know how Soo-hyuk would report this to upper management.

There was also the option of publicizing this fact openly, but Jin-yeop had no intention of doing that.

It wasn’t time to blow everything up at once yet.

‘I’ll tighten the noose around his neck, very slowly and methodically.’

He planned to continuously throw problems at Kang Jung-hoon that he absolutely couldn’t solve on his own.

Only then, watching him helplessly crumble in the midst of the storm, would he feel satisfied.

A life where as soon as he blocked one thing, another problem would explode, and just when he barely managed to clean that up, he’d get blindsided from somewhere else.

Tifone would probably contact Jin-yeop without delay the moment they learned about today’s events.

They would try to scheme something before the fact that they had illegally restored the artifact was revealed.

“I wonder what that bastard is thinking right now.”

Jin-yeop muttered, tightening his grip on the steering wheel.

Jung-hoon had probably already learned through Soo-hyuk that Jin-yeop had visited.

Knowing Kang Jung-hoon, he wouldn’t throw a tantrum demanding the artifact back; instead, he’d use his pathetic little brain and, rather than quietly resolving this, would likely propose an uncontested divorce.

Because he still thought of Jin-yeop as a pushover.

He’d probably assume Jin-yeop’s heart would soften and he’d nod in agreement.

As if what happened at the restaurant was just a dream.

“How dare he talk about who’s the guilty party in front of me?”

If he could prove it, he felt like showing all the regressions he’d been through as evidence.

But he couldn’t even use that method.

No, even if he could present it as evidence, he might be the one who ended up getting criticized.

Because it was none other than himself who had begged, chaining his own feet, just to be allowed to stay by his side.

Jin-yeop let out a hollow laugh.

Just then, his phone rang.

It was a call from the matching planner at the matchmaking agency, Gaee.

***

“We are truly sorry about this incident.

We sincerely apologize.”

As he entered the cafe, someone spotted Jin-yeop and shot up from their seat, bowing their head.

As soon as Jin-yeop stepped into the strangely empty cafe, where the only customers seemed to be those two, they bowed and apologized.

It was an apology for inserting the advertisement during the broadcast announcing their divorce.

Jin-yeop barely listened to the apology.

“It was absolutely not intentional.

We had no idea that advertisement would be used as a commercial during that broadcast.”

“…..”

“We sincerely apologize from the bottom of our hearts.”

“Please, sit down.

How long do you plan to keep standing?”

At Jin-yeop’s words, the two quickly sat down and simultaneously pulled out their business cards, handing them over.

One was the matching planner who had called Jin-yeop, and the other was Gaee’s marketing director.

Jin-yeop glanced at the cards on the table and then looked up.

“I didn’t come here to hear an apology like this.

Rather than that…

I’d like to ask how the matching was arranged so quickly.”

The news the matching planner had delivered over the phone was unexpected.

Although he had turned the car around and come to the meeting place, honestly, he was half-doubting it.

The press conference announcing the divorce from Jung-hoon had been held just today.

Moreover, that was only about intending to divorce, not that they were actually divorced.

A matching, on top of being a remarriage, while he was in a pre-divorce state mired in scandal about forcing his spouse-Guide into harsh labor to make a living?

Given the situation, if Gaee had any sense, they wouldn’t be pushing to arrange a matching immediately.

Were they thinking of hastily shoving anyone at him to silence the critics through a quick remarriage?

Or if not that, were they planning to coin a slogan like ‘Remarriage is the fated meeting, at Gaee!’ and cash in?

Jin-yeop couldn’t easily shake off his uneasy feeling.

Deciding to hear what they were thinking, he crossed his arms and alternated his gaze between the two.

The planner quickly handed a file to Jin-yeop and spoke.

“As a gesture of apology, Gaee has decided to take responsibility for everything from matching to the wedding ceremony.

All advertisements related to you, Esper Cha Jin-yeop, have been stopped.”

“Don’t tell me you’re planning to use this remarriage for marketing too?”

“No, not at all.

That will absolutely not happen.”

“Yes, well, I’m sure it won’t.”

“Gaee provides the best treatment in the industry, without exception, to A-class and above Awakeners.

Need I say more for you, Esper Cha Jin-yeop?

Thank you for giving us a chance to make amends.”

The two passionately declared they would spare no support until he met the desired partner.

But this was the same spiel they’d given when matching him with Jung-hoon.

Come to think of it, regret belatedly washed over him—why had he only met with Kang Jung-hoon back then when he heard this?

He vowed internally not to do that this time, but honestly, it was a meaningless resolution.

He hadn’t come to Gaee with the goal of meeting a good person in the first place.

“We fully understand that you might be concerned about future marketing use, or about the fact that you contacted us to proceed with matching, so we’ve prepared a contract.

Please open the file.”

Jin-yeop opened the file as instructed.

Inside was a single contract sheet gleaming with silver.

“This is…”

“Yes, it’s a special contract.

As you probably already know, it’s often used when agencies contract with Awakeners.

A contract stamped with the artifact Arcana.”

“…..”

“As you’ll see when you read it, this contract includes a special clause stipulating penalties if the matching fact is disclosed within the confidentiality period.”

He added that only a very few employees knew that Jin-yeop was proceeding with matching at Gaee, and they too had signed the confidentiality contract.

A stamp from Arcana was special.

Needless to say, it was trustworthy.

The mega-law firm Yeonseong was famously known for bidding an astronomical amount at public auction to acquire this artifact.

The artifact Arcana was used when contracting Awakeners, and even its rental fee was substantial.

Jin-yeop recognized it immediately since he had also signed a contract stamped with Arcana when contracting with Vibes.

“Are you saying you’ll rent Arcana’s stamp dozens of times?

And provide it without any compensation?

That seems a bit excessive for an apology.”

“…..”

“Do you have something else you’ve wronged me about, besides the advertisement issue?”

It was a reasonable suspicion.

Jin-yeop might, just to spite them, proceed with matching recklessly and make them waste dozens or hundreds of Arcana contracts.

But at Jin-yeop’s question, the director paled and shook his head.

“No, absolutely not.

Gaee has already benefited greatly from the previous matching result…

We did this to express just how sincere we are.”

“What’s the penalty?”

“Three-year prohibition from partner contracts.”

The moment he heard that answer, Jin-yeop immediately understood the situation.

Because the penalty was too severe.

Espers and Guides absolutely need each other.

Moreover, the person who would become Jin-yeop’s partner was a Guide.

One might think, well, if they don’t make a partner contract, it’s fine, but from what Jung-hoon said, that would be a mistake.

[For higher-grade Guides, it’s better to be married to their partner and active.

Working on dispatch from the Guide Center only increases workload and the pay is relatively low…]

Even if it meant being a show window couple.

In many respects, the benefits of being married were far greater than a regular partner relationship.

“As I mentioned on the phone, I don’t wish to be matched with anyone below A-class.

But is there any A-class or above Guide who would sign such a confidentiality contract and agree to be matched with me?”

Jin-yeop deliberately didn’t mention the negative rumors clinging to him.

But the implication was clear enough in his question.

Despite Jin-yeop’s somewhat sharp, skeptical question, the planner smiled brightly and nodded.

“Of course.

Because you’re Esper Cha Jin-yeop.”

At those words, Jin-yeop wore a somewhat dazed expression.

Is that so?

No, it was so.

The only person who didn’t know Cha Jin-yeop’s worth was Cha Jin-yeop himself.

All kinds of scandals didn’t matter in the slightest.

Not only did he have ample ability and wealth, but the sole fact that he was an A-class Esper made him a highly advantageous partner.

He had failed a dungeon raid only once, during his initial awakening.

He was one of the few Espers who could personally bid on B-class and above dungeons—which, if successfully cleared, allowed you to rake in money—without needing an agency.

Becoming Cha Jin-yeop’s partner Guide and spouse meant gaining the right to enter those dungeons together.

So why had he lived as if Kang Jung-hoon was his entire world…

“Esper Cha Jin-yeop?”

“…..”

“Are you feeling unwell?”

The planner asked worriedly as Jin-yeop silently pressed his forehead without a word.

Finally snapping out of it, Jin-yeop lifted his head and composed his twisted expression.

“So, who is this person willing to sign this insane contract and meet me today?”

“Ah, yes.

Let me explain.

Could you hand over the contract?”

As he turned over the gleaming silver contract, a man’s ID photo appeared along with brief personal information.

“This is Guide Lee Eun-ru.

His awakening grade is under review.”

“Under review means he’s A-class or above?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Usually, for Awakening grades A-class and above, they undergo the Awakening assessment twice.

“Then that means he awakened recently.

Just how old is he to…”

“Ah, well…”

“Is this correct?”

“Yes.

It’s correct.”

“…..”

“He’s twenty years old.”

This crazy…