Crying people, those quietly shedding tears, and others sobbing into their arms.
You’d think someone pulled a tear gas canister in the guesthouse.
My head is spinning.
The president pulls a handkerchief from his suit pocket and wipes away his tears.
In a voice still damp with emotion, he says,
“······I sincerely congratulate Mr. Kim Deok-Sung on his return. I hope for endless development and glory in Mr. Kim’s future, so let’s raise a toast.”
The president raises his champagne glass high and shouts,
“To the hero of our nation, Kim Deok-Sung!”
““““To the hero of our nation, Kim Deok-Sung!””””
What the heck is going on? I’m seriously dying of embarrassment.
My face feels like it’s on fire.
I gulp down the cola in my glass.
Meanwhile, the main course is served on the table.
It’s a spread of rice, Korean beef galbi jjim, japchae, and kimchi.
I grab my chopsticks and try the galbi jjim.
Since this is a state dinner, they’ve really put thought into the flavor, and it tastes delicious.
“It’s tasty!”
“Hmm, so this is the flavor.”
Eri and Rin’s eyes sparkle.
At this moment, I’m even a bit jealous of them for just enjoying the meal without a care in the world.
Fortunately, it seems everyone knows the unwritten rule that no one bothers you while you’re eating, so nobody approached me during the meal.
A performance to celebrate my return is happening, with some idol singing, but that’s easy to ignore, so it’s fine.
I just want to finish this and quickly get back to my accommodation, or rather, my house in Seoul, and rest.
I heard from Han Seo-Jin that a new house was built in Hannam-dong, which is said to be the richest area in Korea; I’m a little curious about that.
Since there aren’t any official events after the dinner, I should have some time to relax.
As I was digging into raspberry ice cream for dessert, a voice broke through my thoughts.
“Mr. Kim Deok-Sung. Guests attending the dinner would like to greet you. It would be appreciated if you could welcome them.”
Sitting next to me, Han Seo-Jin whispers politely in my ear.
Yeah.
I knew I shouldn’t just let it go.
No sooner had Han Seo-Jin finished speaking than someone approached me first.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Mr. Kim Deok-Sung. I am… this kind of person.”
A handsome middle-aged man dressed in a sharp suit.
He hands me a business card.
What’s this? The face seems familiar? I check the card.
[Shin Jae-Hyuk, Chairman of Samjeong Group]
My body freezes.
Samjeong Group.
It’s the number one conglomerate in Korea, even in this world.
A global giant known for smartphones and semiconductors.
There are conspiracy theories out there calling it the “Samjeong Republic,” suggesting it practically rules South Korea.
The head of this overwhelming conglomerate is standing right in front of me.
“It’s truly an honor to meet you, hero Kim Deok-Sung!”
Chairman Shin bows to me at a 90-degree angle.
Who would have thought I’d see a conglomerate chairman bowing to me?
“Uh, yeah. Well….”
How am I supposed to respond to this?
I’m completely lost.
I mumble with a perplexed expression.
[Partner, at this time, try to say it’s nice to meet him and suggest a light handshake.]
“Nice to meet you!” I suggest a light handshake.
The Black Prince offers advice in my head.
Following his advice, I extend my right hand.
“Nice to meet you, Chairman Shin Jae-Hyuk.”
“It is my utmost honor to meet you, Kim Deok-Sung. Sigh.”
Chairman Shin bows deeply as he shakes my hand.
His shoulders tremble slightly.
Is this what it means to be a global conglomerate leader?
He wipes away tears and places a box on the table.
“This is a gift I prepared for you, Kim Deok-Sung. It’s the latest model of the Universe Phone set to release at the end of the year. I hope you like it.”
“Oh, yes. I will accept it.”
There’s no need to refuse a gift, so I decided to accept it.
“Thank you. And… um… this is a personal request…”
Chairman Shin’s face reddens like a teenage fan meeting an idol.
He fumbles around in his pocket and pulls something out.
“Could I… ask for your signature?”
My photo card and a marker come into view.
The chairman is asking for my signature on my merchandise?
If he were a cute girl fan, it would be charming, but seeing an old guy like that makes my stomach churn.
I don’t even have the energy to comment.
Swish swish.
I grab the marker and sign the photo card, handing it back.
“Thank you, Kim Deok-Sung! I’ll put this in a frame and hang it in my office!”
Chairman Shin beams with a wide smile as he walks away.
Naturally, I didn’t just have him as a guest; there were many others.
The heads of the Future Automotive Group, SH Group, and other well-known conglomerates all came to greet me, offering gifts and asking for autographs repeatedly.
But it didn’t stop there.
Even the Billboard-chart-topping idol group that claimed to be my fans in interviews, the Oscar-winning movie director, and football players from the English Premier League.
All members of the so-called “Do You Know Club,” K-pop stars included, approached with wide, eager eyes like teenage fans asking for my autograph.
Countless requests for handshakes and tearful faces every time they got an autograph were just bonus.
Am I at a fan meeting, or have I been invited to a state dinner?
Being an idol truly seems like an extreme job.
“Master.”
As I just finished signing and let out a sigh, Eri’s voice reaches my ears.
“Uh-huh?”
“Everyone who came to see you is wearing the same badge.”
Eri speaks to me with a tone of curiosity.
I glance around.
Now that I look closely, everyone is indeed wearing the same badge.
A character badge that resembles the Black-haired Boy.
It looks a bit like me, or maybe not.
Just then, when a question began to spiral in my mind.
“You mean the badge of the Hero Kim Deok-Sung Foundation.”
Han Seo-Jin, who had been sitting next to me, remarked.
Wait, what?
“The Hero Kim Deok-Sung Foundation?”
What’s that?
The name of the foundation that I feared might pop up in my dreams?
Who’s using my name like that?
“Yes. It is. The foundation was established right after you signed the report about setting up a social contribution foundation that I submitted before.”
Han Seo-Jin explains with unwavering expression.
As she speaks, my memory suddenly resurfaces.
Back in the days when money was rolling in thanks to patriotic YouTube and merchandise sales.
Han Seo-Jin had submitted a report suggesting I establish a foundation for social contributions.
Since it wouldn’t cost much anyway, and being part of the upper class in this world of Korea, I figured I might as well do it for image management, so I remember signing it.
After that, I completely forgot about it because I didn’t think much of it.
I never thought it would be named the “Hero Kim Deok-Sung Foundation” in such a cringe-worthy manner.
If I had known, I would have vehemently opposed it.
Seriously, who names it like that? It’s honestly ridiculous.
Just when I was about to say something.
“Seo-Jin is right. And I’m currently the chairman of that foundation.”
“That’s true. And now I’m the chairperson of that foundation.”
A voice I had never heard before echoed in my ears.
I turned my head.
There stood a beautiful woman with long, beige-dyed hair and fair skin, clicking her high heels as she walked toward me.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Kim Deok-Sung.”
She bowed politely.
“I’m Yoo Se-Ra, the chairperson of the Hero Kim Deok-Sung Foundation and also a singer.”
Yoo Se-Ra, who had slightly blushed, revealed her white teeth in a smile.
Wait a minute.
Is this actually Yoo Se-Ra?
The K-pop idol who had been playing the media about being my ideal type every single day?
Not just patriotic pride, but pure faith.
I had never cared much about idols, both before and after being reincarnated.
Even though K-pop and the Korean Wave existed in this world, I barely paid any attention to it.
Surviving in this crappy light novel world was hard enough, so I had no reason to bother with fields that weren’t originally my interests.
But the woman in front of me, Yoo Se-Ra, is an exception.
She was the one who had constantly pointed out that I was her ideal type in interviews.
Even if I didn’t want to remember, I had no choice but to.
However, in my memory, Yoo Se-Ra’s role was strictly that.
Celebrities saying “so-and-so is my ideal type” is nothing new.
I had just brushed it off as usual.
But Yoo Se-Ra was the chairperson of the foundation set up in my name?
That wasn’t just media play, was it?
This is a bit startling.
“Ah, yes. Well. Nice to meet you.”
It wouldn’t do to not respond, so I held out my hand just as I had until now.
“I’m also honored to meet you.”
Yoo Se-Ra smiled and calmly took my hand.
Her beige hair sparkled under the lights.
Of all colors, it had to be Kotori beige.
Surprisingly calm demeanor.
I had expected her to be crying and wailing, but this is a bit unexpected.
No, isn’t this how it should be?
The chaebol heads, influential politicians, and Hallyu stars who had been crying and wailing in front of me were the abnormal ones.
Japan has light novels, and Korea has patriotism; this world has definitely lost its mind.
“I heard you are the chairperson of the Kim Deok-Sung Foundation, but what exactly does the foundation do?”
“We engage in various social contributions such as supporting orphanages and orphans, providing scholarships, and assisting low-income households and underprivileged neighbors, etc. And feel free to speak comfortably, Mr. Kim Deok-Sung.”
She winked at me with a smile.
The business activities aren’t bad.
Support for orphanages seems like something I—more accurately, this world’s ‘Kim Deok-Sung’—would have initiated given I was an orphan.
“You’re operating the foundation transparently, right?”
The issue isn’t the content of the business.
Korea is my biggest sponsor.
As seen during the Olivia engagement incident, their intelligence capabilities are quite sharp.
And the reason Korea is supporting me so thoroughly is that I’m performing decently at Shuo Hero Academy now.
It’s what they call nationalism marketing.
If I had become a laughingstock by losing to Yuji, who is an F-Rank like in the original story, I wouldn’t have dreamed of receiving such substantial support.
Thus, ironically, to maintain this support, I needed to manage my image.
In that sense, it would be troublesome if any corruption issues arose within a foundation bearing my name.
“Of course. It’s operated with voluntary donations from meaningful entrepreneurs and regular support from the citizens. Basically, I run the foundation and we undergo thorough external audits for transparency.”
Yoo Se-Ra explained to me with a blush on her cheeks while smiling.
The phrase “voluntary donations” felt a bit ominous.
Just as I thought that, she added,
“Oh right. The regular sponsors for the Hero Kim Deok-Sung Foundation recently surpassed ten million.”
Clap.
Yoo Se-Ra clapped her hands and smiled, leaving my head spinning.
What?
“Are there really ten million regular sponsors?”
The population of Korea is fifty million, so does this even make sense?
I’m stunned.
“This is completely ridiculous…”
“Her words are correct, Kim Deok-Sung. The actual number is eleven million four hundred forty thousand.”
Han Seo-Jin whispers calmly in my ear.
Though she’s high on national pride, she wouldn’t lie about something like this.
What that means is…
The outrageous figure of ten million regular sponsors is actually true.
My head hurts.
If the national pride is this insane, then the voluntary donations from entrepreneurs are probably not just some cliché trying to curry favor or launder black money, but rather genuine acts of goodwill.
No wonder everyone is wearing Kim Deok-Sung Foundation badges like they’re North Korean Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il badges.
Good heavens.
“Why in the world…”
At this point, isn’t it more of a faith than mere national pride?
I’m not some shady cult leader.
Or maybe this isn’t South Korea, but actually North Korea?
Why can’t they just leave me alone?
“To ensure that I don’t tarnish the name of Kim Deok-Sung, I am Yoo Se-Ra! I’m working hard. Do you have any more questions regarding the foundation’s operations?”
“I mean…”
Ten million regular sponsors, and genuine goodwill from entrepreneurs.
Just hearing this makes my mental strength wane.
“Then, could I please get your autograph?”
Yoo Se-Ra carefully pulls out something and spreads it across the table, her face flushed red.
Countless goods with my photo on them appear on the table, ranging from photo cards to acrylic stands, keychains, light sticks, fans, posters, and more.
I’ve signed countless items before.
But the amount of merchandise Yoo Se-Ra brought out was unprecedented.
“Why is there so much?”
“I’m the president of Deok-Sung Love, Kim Deok-Sung’s fan club! I even manage the minor gallery for Kim Deok-Sung!”
Before I could finish my thought, Yoo Se-Ra’s response comes back quickly.
What? The president of a fan club? A minor gallery manager?
Why on earth is a K-drama idol acting like she’s running someone else’s fan club?
This is ridiculous.
I sigh and sign each piece of merchandise with a name pen.
At first, it felt awkward, but I got the hang of it and finished relatively quickly.
“All done.”
“Thank you so much! Kim Deok-Sung! I’ll see you next time!”
With the goods in her hands, Yoo Se-Ra bows at a ninety-degree angle and leaves.
Her quick exit feels suspiciously hasty, but…
What’s the worst that could happen?
I sigh and shovel a spoonful of the refilled raspberry ice cream into my mouth.
At least the food tastes good.
*
As the state dinner gradually transitioned to a private event and final preparations began,
In the internal room of the state guesthouse,
Han Seo-Jin was meeting Yoo Se-Ra one-on-one.
“Yoo Se-Ra, why did you want to meet alone?”
Han Seo-Jin’s cheek twitches.
Yoo Se-Ra’s eyes widen as she sees her.
“Just. I wanted to spend time alone with a friend I haven’t seen in a while.”
A dimpled smile appears on Yoo Se-Ra’s pretty face.
“…Really?”
Han Seo-Jin’s brows twitch.
As Yoo Se-Ra said, the two of them had been childhood friends raised in the same orphanage.
Since they were both orphans, they relied on each other like family from a young age.
When Han Seo-Jin transitioned to a black ops agent, Yoo Se-Ra was the only one who revealed her identity, proving how close they were.
“But I’m busy right now with my duties as his aide…”
“You look happy these days, Seo-Jin. Your face shows it. You look radiant, and I think you’re even prettier than the last time we met…”
Yoo Se-Ra interrupts Han Seo-Jin.
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