Chapter 687: I Changed Jobs (3)
Balloon dolls dressed up as gaudy as male peacocks gathered one by one into the wide banquet hall. Some were simple, with just a bit of frill, but there were also dolls whose tops and bottoms were puffed out so much you could not get within a meter of them. The more clownishly exaggerated the outfit, the more wonderful the clothes were considered. But if you waddled around in something like that, you would become a laughingstock, so there were more dolls dressed at a reasonable level.
The recent fashion was to attach waterfall–like frills and ribbons from the nape of the neck down the back, and to hang all sorts of tail–like decorations trailing behind. Thanks to that, every kind of lace, fur, and feather was polishing the marble floor to a shine as it swept over it.
“I have not seen that young man before, his circumstances must not be very good.”
“Even so, that is way too half–hearted.”
Amid all that splendor, I could hear the whispers aimed at me. Hey, come on, I was at least wearing a frilled shirt with embroidered pants. There was a strip of cloth at my waist with pleats and lace dangling all over it, too. The dress Yerim picked out for me was absolutely impossible to wear. I do respect the culture of another world, but this was the best I could do. They said back decorations were in fashion, so I even put ribbons on the back of my head and at my lower back!
At that moment, the mayor took the mic.
“Politicians of Miranglune, and challengers! Thank you for gathering like this. Then from now on, we will begin the Quarter 2 political war!”
“Councilor 31! I challenge you to a duel!”
Before the words were even finished, one balloon doll hopped up onto the platform. Then they put up their achievements for this quarter on the monitor.
“Repaired the old road in West District 2, district citizen satisfaction 95 percent!”
Councilor 51, who had received the challenge, gracefully pulled in their rainbow–colored decorative tail and stepped forward.
“So you only fixed a road. I passed the council bill for the bridge construction that had been the long–held wish of the citizens at the mouth of the Semol River! Here is the growth forecast report for that!”
At Councilor 51’s gesture, an aide quickly unfurled a large sheet of paper. Written in big letters on the paper were the contents of the forecast.
“To get that bridge built, I had to persuade so many people and resolve all the issues with the surrounding facilities!”
“Now then, the review of the duel between Councilors 67 and 51 will be held in an hour! As always, you may direct your questions about their accomplishments to each councilor and their aides.”
Miranglune City’s political system was based on performance. Every quarter, the city council members competed on their results and ranked themselves, and once every three years, any councilor whose comprehensive rank fell outside the top 300 was expelled. If a councilor made it into the top 10 even once in those three years, they were exempt from expulsion, so there were also councilors who gave up on quarterly rankings and instead aimed for one huge result.
“I have newly set foot in the office of city councilor!”
A young balloon doll shouted energetically. Any citizen could become a councilor at the quarterly political war.
“I am a new member of the Progressive Peace Party!”
If you were entering an existing party as a newcomer, all you needed was the recommendation of at least three current party members or city councilors. But the conditions were different for a new city councilor without recommendations. Without recommendations, you had to prove your abilities by engaging in political war with incumbent councilors. And founding a party of your own was even more difficult.
“Is there no new party this time?”
“They failed again last year.”
“Founding a new party is no easy feat.”
Founding a new party. To do that…
“I challenge Councilor 1 with a new party.”
I quietly raised my hand. The councilors’ gazes shot toward me all at once. Under those stares, I put on a bright smile.
“I am Han Yujin of the Family Love Party, who treats citizens like family.”
You had to surpass the achievements of a councilor who had ranked within the existing top 10 over the past five years. That was the condition for founding a new party. Not just one quarter, but five whole years. And it had to be a top–10 performance. In reality, founding a completely new party was close to impossible, and most so–called new parties were created with investment from existing parties.
“A new party? Looking like that?”
“And challenging Councilor 1, no less. Young people these days…”
“He is bold! I will at least cheer him on!”
Laughter broke out. A few people shook their heads. Councilor 1 was also laughing. The mayor cleared his throat, composed his expression, and spoke.
“So, what kind of results are you planning to produce?”
“A city development plan.”
I stepped up onto the platform. Taking the mic, I snapped my fingers. Flutter! From the high ceiling, golden wings spread wide. Two dazzling wings and a long swaying golden tail. Robes hanging down on both sides in layered waves, and sleeves full of frills as well. Noah, who had come up behind the wall with those heavy–looking robes fluttering lightly like butterfly wings, swished–shhh– and spread out a map.
Noah pinned the map to the wall, then landed lightly and greeted the councilors. The balloon dolls’ eyes went round as they stared at Noah, and then they all began to exclaim at once.
“To descend like a feather while wearing decorations that big and heavy!”
“The wings alone must cost as much as two decent suits!”
“Perfect!”
“At that level, the dignity alone is enough to make you a city councilor!”
Thinking the wings and tail were decorations, the balloon dolls applauded. And in the midst of that…
Bang!
A gunshot rang out. The applause and exclamations vanished all at once as if someone had dumped cold water over them.
“It is a rubber bullet. Look, the wall is fine, right?”
Only a neat round hole had been punched in the map, while the wall behind it remained unscathed. In the quiet that followed, I pointed the gun barrel at the hole and continued.
“The eastern edge. And…”
Bang again! Some people flinched reflexively.
“The northern edge. And next to that…”
Baang!
“The harbor. You all know what that means.”
“…It is Guinder territory.”
One of the city councilors spoke. I smiled at him.
“We are going to redevelop these three zones. Especially this northern sea is not being used properly. We will expand the harbor further north, and in the east we will build new streets that connect to the harbor. That eastern edge is also the passage to other cities.”
Which was why the eastern Guinders had done a lot of pillaging and smuggling there. Once we cleaned it up, it was a neighborhood that would develop fast.
“…If you could do that, the Family Love Party would become the number one party right away, but that is easier said than done.”
“We do not have the manpower to clean out the Guinders. Just guarding the borders is already a close thing.”
“It is not as if we leave them alone because we like it.”
“Polished face, but no substance.”
What face, now. Not my words, you know? At that moment, one councilor stared fixedly at me and muttered, Han Yujin? Then shouted.
“The King of the East!”
Ha ha, yes. I am that famous King of the Eastern District… It was embarrassing as hell inside, but outwardly I kept a relaxed expression. Then I spun the gun around again and fired at the map. Bang, bang, bang! The eastern edge was shredded to tatters.
“We finished the cleanup just two days ago.”
The councilors began murmuring. I could hear some of them asking what this King of the East thing was.
“And as of today. Come in.”
I pulled out my phone and spoke. Thud! At the far end of the hall, the large central doors swung open. Tense police officers stood lined up on both sides, and Yuhyun walked in at the head. Big balloon dolls trailed behind my brother in a row like fish strung on a line. Yerim walked next to them, and Liette bared her teeth at the very back.
“That is the boss of the Northern Bluegung!”
“And that bastard who blew up the Jaldeu Police Station!”
The Guinders stopped in the middle of the hall, and Yuhyun approached the platform. As he lightly jumped up, the many–tailed ends of his silver coat flared in a flashy arc. You could call it semi–formal wear. Yerim wore a frilled cape, and Liette had on a dress as well.
“We have taken care of all of them.”
Yuhyun bowed his head politely to me as he spoke. He still looked more like an organization boss than a politician, but he put the peace of the city first. Please trust him.
“Good work.”
Yuhyun moved to my side, standing slightly behind me, and I stepped forward to look down at the captured Guinders.
“From this moment on, they have all decided to live as upstanding citizens. Right?”
The Guinders nodded vigorously.
“Of course, they have to serve out their sentences first. Officers, please take them away~.”
I mean, I escaped from prison too, but that was because of the dice game. Luckily, the next dice roll went well, so we were able to pull the political war up to today, when it had originally been scheduled for a week later. Mini me and mini Seong Hyunjae had fought until they were exhausted and collapsed, and then mini Seong Hyunjae staggered while mini me practically crawled to move a space. See, you should have fought in moderation.
For reference, Hyunjae rolled a 5, and I rolled a 6. Why did I not get that in the restaurant, and only now! Mini me had completely gone limp, but was still happy he had moved one more space.
“All that is left is the harbor. It is also the most important location.”
I swept my gaze slowly over the city councilors and continued.
“Would you evacuate the people?”
We would handle the cleanup. The councilors and the mayor nodded as if under a spell. Leave it to the Family Love Party, who treats citizens like family!
[New party, Family Love Party declares war on Guinders!]
[Han Yujin of the new Family Love Party, new city councilor, drives out the Guinders!]
[Will the eastern road finally open? Changing city trade]
[Northern new harbor development countdown begins!]
The city was turned on its head. Police were gathered at the harbor, and the market was temporarily closed.
“I heard you started with Yujin Freight and became the King of the East!”
The TV station cameras were pointed at me. There was more than one or two. Suppressing the instinct to look away, I nodded.
“Yes. I started with a single truck.”
If you want to get into politics, you also need a good public image. If all people hear is “he wiped out the Guinders,” it just sounds too violent. You have to show them something they can emotionally connect to.
“In fact, I lost my parents early. I became the head of the household young while taking care of my younger brother, who is now my aide.”
I looked fondly at Yuhyun, who was sitting next to me, as I spoke. As for the way he was looking at me, there was really no need to explain. It was the perfect scene to look good on camera.
“Then I met Yerim, Mr. Noah, and Ms. Liette, and we began working together.”
“My parents also passed away early.”
Yerim, sitting in the guest seats a bit away, raised her hand and said. Liette nodded along.
“We are more or less similar! Yeah.”
“…Yes. Something like that.”
In Noah and Liette’s case, it was closer to Liette having kicked their parents out.
“So that is why it is the Family Love Party!”
“Yes. We were all strangers, but we became like family together! And we want to treat the citizens like family as well!”
“I heard that even after becoming the King of the East and now a new city councilor, you still get around on an e–scooter and a truck. If your harbor campaign succeeds and you become the number one councilor, you will be given a luxury private car!”
City councilors not only received various benefits and high salaries according to their rank, but were also given a house and a car.
“I plan to keep riding my e–scooter and my truck. So I do not lose my original intention.”
Says who, it is because of the dice, the dice!
“I heard Chairman Seong Hyunjae also still gets around on a bicycle without losing his original intention. It seems to be a common trait among successful people.”
…He is a chairman now? So he really did get a ton of investment, slap down a bunch of branches, and blow up his business. What did the dice give him. Was it something good again?
“Ha ha, I see. Keeping your original intention is important.”
Maybe I should go eat dinner at Hyunjae’s restaurant. What the heck has he been up to in the meantime. Not that I am in any position to talk.
After we finished recording the broadcast, I changed clothes. The formalwear in this neighborhood was way too cumbersome.
“It would have been nicer if you had worn something flashier.”
The host who had recorded the show with me spoke regretfully.
“Is this not semi–formal enough?”
“Even so, compared to your looks… Oh! I am so sorry!”
The host apologized profusely, bowing his head. Flashy clothes really do not suit me that much. Even though I told him it was fine, he kept apologizing as if he had committed some huge offense, then suddenly went, ah, and began to explain.
“You said you were not originally a citizen of this place, right, Councilor?”
“Yes. I immigrated here a few years ago.”
In reality, it had not even been a week, but the people here seemed to feel differently. The trust I had built up in the shipping business thanks to the dice, and the fame I had gained among the Guinders, were being perceived as the result of a long time.
“In Miranglune, we consider it rude to evaluate people based on what they were born with. Things that cannot be changed through effort should not be judged by others. That is why we put more focus on clothes.”
Nice culture. Still, the clothes are way too flashy. It is not even “please dress neatly,” it is “please dress expensively.”
“But if someone is obviously good–looking at a glance, there is nothing you can do about it. So everyone thinks it to themselves. You must have been very popular, Councilor.”
“…Excuse me?”
“You are in the top three of the best–looking people I have ever seen.”
What? Me? Even with Yuhyun and Noah right here? Does he mean the three including them? But Hyunjae was on TV too. Flustered, I grabbed Yuhyun’s arm and pulled him closer as I asked.
“Is my brother not better looking? It is not rude if you say so to us.”
“Well… he is handsome, but you are more of a classic beauty, Councilor.”
So the standards of beauty in this world are a bit different from back home! My goodness! Culture really is diverse! No wonder the market vendors treated me so well. I was already pretty popular in places like that, but this city took it to another level. Work had been flooding in too. Anyway, since they said so…
“Let’s go eat dinner!”
We had to go confirm it.
[Closed temporarily due to supply issues with ingredients.]
Hyunjae’s restaurant was closed. Oh, right. If the market is closed, there is no fresh produce supply either. But the bar on the third floor was open. It was just before opening, so there were no customers yet, and we went up to the third floor. It was a no–minors–allowed establishment, but Yerim was an adult here, and we were not going to drink anyway.
“Welcome, hyung! I have been hearing a ruckus about you everywhere.”
Moon Hyunah, dressed like a prince out of a fairy tale, greeted us happily. Manager Song, who had been tidying up the bar, also greeted us. Unlike Mr. Moon, he was in the sleek black suit you normally imagine on a bartender, but in line with local fashion, there were layered frills attached at his lower back. In pale yellow. There was also a yellow ribbon prettily tied behind his head, catching the eye every time he turned. I was the one who had bought it for him, and he had accepted it with a stiff face, but it turned out he was wearing it well. I have worn a lot of ribbons too, you know. Around here this is normal, normal.
“Where is Seong Hyunjae?”
“Harsh, asking for that guy first.”
“Of course I am five times happier to see you, Mr. Moon, but I have business with him.”
“He dropped by when we opened, so he will be here soon. Eating?”
“Yes, please.”
They also sold food on the outdoor terrace, and since it was Hyunjae’s recipes as expected, it tasted good. Before long, customers began to trickle in. They greeted Mr. Moon and Manager Song familiarly, looking like regulars. The next customer, and the one after that, were the same.
‘The vibe really is completely different.’
Moon’s regulars lowered their voices, but chatted actively, while Manager Song’s regulars were comparatively quiet. In the midst of that, Hyunjae walked in.
“Mr. Seong~ Or should I say Chairman now.”
Hyunjae smiled at me.
“So you are Councilor Han now.”
“That is how it turned out. Come on, this way.”
I grabbed Hyunjae’s arm and pulled him toward where Moon was. The regulars who had been talking with Mr. Moon looked our way.
“Please answer honestly, you will not be rude to us.”
Hyunjae and Moon both turned to look at me, wondering what was going on. I swallowed dryly and asked the customers.
“Between me and this guy, who is better looking?”
The customers hesitated for a moment, then pointed at me in unison.
“He is handsome too, but the councilor.”
“Being honest, it is him.”
You live long enough and you really do see everything! Grinning weakly, I looked up at Hyunjae. Yeah, he was still ridiculously good–looking.
The next dawn, the dim harbor was quiet. Usually, fishing boats that had been hauling in nets all night would be moored in rows, and the heat of people hauling the catch would hang thick as fog. But today there was no one. The ships had also all taken shelter in some hidden corner.
“They have rammed into the warships.”
“Both of them, fortunately currently moored near the harbor.”
The police relayed the information. They could have taken the ships and run, but that would have been as good as surrender. They were the largest of the Guinder groups and even owned warships. So they were clearly going to fight it out.
“Keep the encirclement as it is, but stay as far back as possible.”
I said as I put my foot on the scooter. Chairman sounds nice. But it is not like this city has only one company. I am going to snag the number one councilor spot and aim for mayor after that!
–TL Notes–
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