“Tae-san. I think Mom got bewitched by a goblin. Right? Doesn’t it look like it?”
Mother, that goblin will later dazzle Kang Go-eun and the entire nation.
In 2006, Kang Go-eun is still a middle schooler.
Should I maybe snatch her up before the goblin gets to her?
Just imagining Kang Go-eun—who looks innocent but secretly overflows with explosive charm—made my heart feel warm.
Man, coming back to the past really is great.
Profiles of stars who will shine in the future rolled through my mind one after another.
Just thinking about it made my heart flutter.
“Mom. Does the coffee taste okay?”
“Yes. It’s good. Sitting here like this reminds me of the old days.”
Mom, who graduated from Hongik University’s College of Fine Arts, drank only cheap instant coffee like this.
My memory of Mom holding a cup of coffee on a rainy day, looking outside, remained faint but vivid.
My art-major sister became a farmer.
When I was in school, Mom hung around Hongik University all the time, but now she was just a rural housewife.
I never understood why she followed Dad out to the countryside.
Mom had a lot of secrets.
As if the melting ice in the coffee was precious, Mom sipped it slowly.
For Mom, even a single cup of coffee was an expensive luxury.
“Let’s go out and have dates often now, okay~?”
“Yes. Son. Thank you……”
Hearing my words, Mom’s eyes grew moist.
A gentle mother who could be moved by a single cup of coffee.
Her eyes, living life fueled entirely by sacrifices made for her child, pierced my heart.
Until the moment I died, I lived trying to repay those eyes with whatever effort I could manage.
But an unprepared youth is not forgiven even by society.
‘It should be about time for their reaction now.’
While CEO Choi and Editor-in-Chief Hwang flipped through the manuscript up to volume 5 beside us, I drank coffee with Mom.
From the seats where they had first sat down, the two men leaned closer together and stared only at the screen.
They were reading the manuscript quickly.
If they were professionals, then they would be able to pull out a rough evaluation at a glance.
Which is why I relaxed.
“Hoo.”
“Haah……”
The two long sighs that followed shortly told me the waiting had ended.
‘What sigh! If it’s good, just say it’s good!’
A few minor typos and lines had been fixed.
It was the copy of <Cloud Warrior> I had quickly read back in the future.
If it wasn’t fun, their eyes would have reddened.
“Writer Jang……”
CEO Choi approached me and spoke, his voice trembling.
I even felt respect toward me from him.
“We’ll sign the contract. We’ll pay 20 million won as the advance!”
‘CEO, you beast!’
The fate of a work guaranteed by the times was decided just like that.
CEO Choi handed over the revised contract.
He was afraid I might change my mind.
The moment both parties were on the same page always came quickly.
“Please sign the contract.”
The CEO, handing me the pen, looked tense.
“Tae-san……”
When the 20 million won was confirmed, Mom was startled once again.
Mom still couldn’t understand it.
If an ordinary person hesitated at the idea that a manuscript stored on a USB could be worth that much money, that was normal.
Back then, our household’s total annual income didn’t even reach 20 million won.
I had obtained that amount in one go.
“Please issue the tax invoice accurately. And at the time of publication, please make the payment immediately according to the contract.”
“Of course. I don’t know about other things, but I’m an honest businessman even in this industry.”
That I wasn’t sure about.
How could I trust someone I’d only met today?
The only thing I trusted was the money that would be deposited into my bank account.
Rustle.
I signed the confirmed contract with a flourish.
A writer with no flair anywhere else became a writer with flair in this moment.
Mom also signed as my legal guardian.
“The funds have been transferred to your account.”
The moment the contract ended, CEO Choi sent the money to my account.
My account, which had only ever had a maximum of 2 million won in it before I died.
Suddenly, tears welled up.
Ah! My bank account! The days when you starved are over now.
Don’t make hyung carry all the responsibility forever just because he got successful, you brat!
“Please take good care of me. Writer Jang.”
CEO Choi pushed the documents together and extended his hand.
I extended my hand as well.
I was now, in some small way, a member of society who earned money.
My main job was student, my side job was writer.
“Thank you. You really are a beast of a businessman.”
“Yes. I think that may be true.”
CEO Choi was honest.
The sincere young man spoke up again.
“Writer. How many volumes are you planning for the full series? Judging from the content, I think it’ll easily go over at least ten volumes.”
The editor’s eyes shone.
Honestly, I wanted to finish it all within twenty volumes, but that was not respectful to the readers(?).
It was a work worthy of defining an era.
“Sixty volumes.”
“What! S-sixty volumes?”
“Writer……”
At my words, CEO Choi and the editor fell into shock.
A book that would actually be published to that length was rare.
But what could I do— the manuscript up to volume 59 was already stored in my head.
I had no intention of cutting any of it.
I had been immersed in <Cloud Warrior> from beginning to end.
“Don’t worry about the manuscript. The story is already outlined up to sixty volumes. At the latest, I will publish one volume per month.”
If I just reproduced the content in my head as if I were a copy machine, it would be done.
Technically a plagiarist, but at least a diligent one.
I would push through and complete all sixty volumes.
It was my duty as a reader reborn into a new life.
“I will coordinate things while watching your manuscript progress.”
The editor exhaled.
Hmph, whatever you want.
This work was destined to become a long-running series.
Neither of the two men, who couldn’t see the future, was capable of imagining how massive this work would become later on.
“Yes. Understood. I will do that.”
Once it gets published, I become the king.
A few years later, if I said I was fine with even a hundred volumes, they would believe me.
“Mom, let’s go now.”
I stood up from my seat.
“No, at least join us for lunch.”
Eating with strangers was not an easy thing for Mom.
“I’ll join you next time.”
There was nothing to feel bad about.
I bowed politely.
The contract had ended properly, and the money had entered my account.
Since I had already received the advance, I felt absolutely no regret.
Being a writer was not the ultimate goal of my second life.
“How should we contact you?”
“For now, please contact me by email. I will open a phone line within a few days. I’ll inform you of the number then.”
It was a secret from my father and my two younger sisters.
There was nothing good that could come from them knowing.
Mom, who supported me unconditionally, was fine.
“Yes…… I’m not exactly sure what’s going on, but I feel like I’ve caused trouble today.”
“Trouble? No, ma’am. Meeting Writer Jang today is good fortune for me and the publishing house.”
It seemed Mom felt uneasy that I was soaring so high.
Mom, please don’t worry.
With this work alone, Nice Media will earn far more money than I will.
“I’ll see you next time.”
“T-then let’s do that next time.”
Holding Mom’s hand, I stepped outside.
There was a lot to do today.
I needed to make sure the advance money didn’t just sit in my bank account.
“Tae-san, where are we going?”
“I need to stop by the district office and then go to the bank.”
“Why? Is something going on?”
“Yes~ it’s important. It’s very important!”
My heart pounded.
Tomorrow afternoon was the official start of the operation.
I needed to complete the opening of my securities account today.
Even if I had money, as a minor I needed parental consent forms.
Returning to the past wasn’t without its inconveniences.
I couldn’t even buy alcohol whenever I wanted anymore.
The cool can of beer that always came to mind when I felt hot was off-limits for now.
“Tae-san. Shouldn’t we discuss something like this with your father first?”
Mom’s voice wavered, probably because I suddenly had so much money.
It seemed she couldn’t quite believe it.
I was someone who used 100,000 won a month for allowance including transportation costs.
Of course Mom would worry.
But that worry can be set aside now.
This is the miraculous comeback of a youth who had been thoroughly crushed in the mud of reality.
“Mom. You said you trust me, right?”
“Y-yes. I did.”
“Then please keep today a secret from Dad. For now, only you and I know about this.”
When I said that, Mom looked directly into my eyes.
“Yes. Since it’s money you earned with your own effort, Tae-san should manage it. I’m sorry, son.”
I knew exactly what Mom wanted to say.
With 20 million won, Dad could probably pay off some of the debt and interest he owed to Nonghyup.
But I could not give that money to Dad.
To Dad, I was nothing more than a seed-money machine.
“Please wait just one month. I’ll tell Dad then.”
“Alright, son. Mom believes in you.”
Mom smiled gently.
Even in my opinion, my mom was amazing.
Among all parents, how many would hand full financial authority to their underage son?
Our mom was different.
“For lunch, your son will treat you to jjajangmyeon!”
“Hey~ that’s too weak, isn’t it? Add tangsuyuk too.”
“Call!”
Lovely Seol-ran raised her arms in triumph.
Coming back to the past truly was wonderful.
I was still at an age where I could be openly childish.
‘Hush now, money. Just wait a little longer. Hyung is coming!’
Even while eating, there was a tactical map unfolding in my head.
Those shameless red-blooded market predators who lived off eating clueless retail investors alive.
They would soon find themselves being skinned down to the bone by me.