When does a tenant’s heart sink the most?

It’s when the landlord contacts them even after they’ve paid the rent.

Yeon-jun answered the landlord’s call with a trembling heart.

“Right now?”

-Yeah, yeah. I’ll come to the store.

“Ah… Understood. I’ll see you at the store then.”

The landlord suddenly saying he had something to discuss without explaining why.

Yeon-jun waited anxiously.

And after a short while.

“Ah, Mr. Lee. Did I keep you waiting?”

“No, I just got here myself.”

“I heard business has been going well lately?”

Yeon-jun’s heart sank once again.

Was he planning to raise the rent?

Or was he going to ask for a bigger deposit?

“Well… it’s been okay.”

Trailing off, the landlord let out a hearty laugh.

“That’s great. That’s really great.”

It was better to get it over with quickly.

Yeon-jun asked about the reason for the meeting.

“I paid the rent yesterday, so… why did you want to see me?”

“Ah, it’s nothing big… Or maybe it is? I’m moving abroad.”

“Moving abroad? So suddenly?”

“You remember my son, the professor, right?”

Of course, he remembered. The landlord’s son who was a professor in the U.S. He never missed a chance to brag about him.

“Yes, I remember.”

“He wants me to come live with him. At first, I was worried about the language barrier, but these days, there are things like this.”

The landlord showed him a ring. It must have been an artifact imbued with translation magic.

“Ah… So that means you’re putting the building up for sale.”

Yeon-jun said bitterly.

Tenants need to have good landlords. In that sense, the current landlord was just average.

Neither too stingy nor too generous—just an ordinary landlord.

But there was no guarantee that the next owner of the building would be as fair.

They could demand he vacate the premises or raise the rent.

‘This is worrisome.’

How much would the next landlord increase the rent?

Would they even ask for a higher deposit?

As Yeon-jun anxiously worried about things that hadn’t even happened yet, the landlord said something completely unexpected.

“That’s right. So, I was thinking… why don’t you buy it?”

“Huh? Me?”

“Yeah. I’ve been tied to this building for a long time, and if I have to leave, I’d rather sell it to you than to a complete stranger.”

“But… I don’t have that kind of money…”

“I know your financial situation. Just take it for ten.”

Yeon-jun’s eyes widened in shock.

“T-ten million? Even in a rush sale, you could get at least two hundred million…”

The 12th District was indeed a slum.

Property and land values had dropped significantly compared to before.

But still, a building was a building.

It should be worth at least two hundred million.

Yet he was offering it for ten…

Was this a scam?

But why would the landlord do that?

Then again, you never truly knew what was in a person’s heart…

“What? Does it feel like a scam?”

Caught off guard, Yeon-jun laughed awkwardly.

“Sorry.”

“No need to apologize. Even I’d think that way if I were in your shoes. But it’s not a scam. Why would I do that? I just want to pass the building on to someone who’s worked hard for it. And that’s you. You’ve worked hard for years.”

‘You’ve worked hard.’

Those words nearly brought tears to Yeon-jun’s eyes.

Yes. He really had worked hard.

He had been punched by drunk customers. Gangs had shot up his store, and once, he even had a gun pointed at his head.

But he endured it all.

Because he had Seo-woo.

“…Thank you, sir. Truly, thank you.”

Yeon-jun choked up as he bowed repeatedly. The landlord chuckled and patted his shoulder.

“No need for thanks. You’ve worked hard, Mr. Lee. Do well from here on.”

“Yes! Thank you!”

Yeon-jun didn’t straighten his back until the landlord was completely out of sight.

Which was why he didn’t notice the landlord slipping into a side alley.

“Phew. That was nerve-wracking.”

“Boss, you could be an actor! You should go to Hollywood!”

“Hahaha. Really? I tried my best, but I’m not sure how good it was.”

“You did great. Too great.”

Clap, clap—!

“But, Hwang, did we really need to go through all this trouble? I mean, I appreciate the extra cash you’re giving me, but…”

Hwang Tae-su, who had been grinning, suddenly turned serious.

“If you know, you’re dead.”

“…Ah, hahaha! H-hwang, you sure like to joke! I-I wasn’t even that curious! A-anyway, I should get going.”

The landlord scurried away in a panic.

As he watched him flee, Hwang Tae-su scratched his cheek.

“…Honestly, I don’t even know why I’m doing all this either, damn it.”

A few days later.

“……”

In Yeon-jun’s hands was the property deed.

He rubbed his eyes. It was still there.

Slap!

A sharp pain ran through his cheek, but it was still there. It wasn’t a dream.

His name was clearly written on it.

“Dad, are you crying?”

Seo-woo looked up at him with concern. Yeon-jun quickly wiped the dampness from his eyes.

“Crying? I’m not crying. Have you ever seen your dad cry?”

“Nope! Hehehe!”

Seo-woo giggled as he hugged him, and Yeon-jun hugged him tightly in return.

He had believed there was no such thing as God.

First, his parents were taken away.

Then his grandmother.

And then… even his brother.

For the first time, he had briefly thought that maybe—just maybe—there was a God when he first held Seo-woo in his arms.

Back then, he had thought, ‘Maybe… maybe there really is a God…’

And now.

Now, that thought had changed to, ‘There might really be a God after all.’

It seems like God exists.

“Should I start calling you landlord now?”

He had sent his brother back.

“But what’s that paper you’re holding?”

He had sent a good person.

“A deed. It’s the deed proving that this building is mine…”

And he had even given a small reward to someone who had fought tooth and nail to survive.

‘Thank you.’

Yeon-jun, now believing in a God that seemed to exist, expressed his gratitude.

“Why was Yeon-jun so moved by a certificate proving the building was his?”

“You wouldn’t understand it with your sensibilities.”

“That’s why I’m asking. It’s not like he earned a title through military achievements like a slave would, so what’s so special about a building…?”

“Think of it as something similar. Like a noble title certificate…”

“Is that so? Then what would Yeon-jun’s title be?”

Though it was absurd, Seo-jun thought about it. The value of ‘One Drink’ was two hundred million won.

Moreover, considering the twenty-pyeong lot behind the shop, which had previously been used as a parking lot, the total price would nearly reach three hundred million won.

Therefore…

“Viscount?”

“That’s it? He was moved by a mere viscount title? Unbelievable.”

“That’s why I said you wouldn’t understand it with your sensibilities.”

“At this rate, if I buy him a fortress, he might break down in tears.”

When Park Yeon spoke of a fortress, he was referring to a building. He often called buildings fortresses.

“Maybe… But.”

“……”

“Why are you sneakily taking out a cola? I remember you already had one earlier.”

Flinch!

“Did I? Hah, maybe it’s because I’m getting older, or perhaps I’ve gotten used to this different world and my memory is fading.”

As Park Yeon reluctantly put the cola back into the fridge, Seo-jun chuckled and continued preparing the Krexeg pork belly.

Park Yeon, resting his chin on his hand, simply watched.

And Seo-jun knew exactly why Park Yeon wasn’t leaving.

It was because…

Squeak—.

“Getting water? There’s a purifier right there.”

“Ahem! Oh, right. There is a purifier. Ah! Since we’re on the topic, I must say, these purifiers are fascinating no matter how many times I see them. They’re not water spirits, yet they keep spewing water. And not just any water—cold and hot! It’s truly astonishing.”

Silently floating—!

A cola levitating in midair.

Now he was not only spouting rapid-fire words to distract him, but also using magic to grab the cola.

Of course, it was pointless.

Whoosh!

The cola, which had been inching toward Park Yeon, suddenly flew into Seo-jun’s hand.

“Damn! I was so close to success!”

“So you’re outright resorting to theft now?”

“Ahem! Theft, you say! It’s not theft….”

“Not?”

“I-I’m borrowing it! Just for a little while.”

Seo-jun shrugged.

Well, if the great hero says so.

Clicking his tongue, Park Yeon stomped his foot in frustration before disappearing into his room.

He probably thought if he stormed off looking angry, Seo-jun would give him a can out of pity, but Seo-jun knew the truth.

He was just pretending to be mad while going off to watch a soap opera.

- How could you do this to me? How?!

- I had no choice. I got tired of you, what else?

“Wow, what a demon!”

- But… what about the promises you made back then? How can love change?

- It changes. Especially when you meet someone new. So go find someone good. Forget about me…

“Hah! Even the Demon King wouldn’t be this cruel!”

Seo-jun let out a sigh.

Then, using telekinesis, he sent a can of cola from the fridge to Park Yeon’s room.

Tap, tap—.

A rare sight—knocking with a cola.

Park Yeon opened the door, cleared his throat, and subtly grabbed the cola.

- Ah, Father-in-law… No, I mean, please thank your father for me. Thanks to him, I’ve come this far.

- You really…!

“Turns out he’s not a demon, just an orc. Damn, what an orc-like bastard!”

Swoooosh—!

The rain poured down.

As if a hole had been punched in the sky.

For Seo-jun, rain was a trigger for unpleasant memories.

He remembered when he lived in a semi-basement. Every time heavy rain fell, his home would flood.

With his tiny hands—his little, fragile hands—he scooped out water, but it was futile.

Eventually, the semi-basement would be submerged. And after a few days, when the water finally drained, he would return home to be greeted by muddy water, bugs, and insects.

But that was bearable.

The weather forecast hadn’t mentioned rain. So he hadn’t brought an umbrella. As school ended…

The rain began to fall.

Pouring.

As if a hole had been punched in the sky.

He stood under the eaves of the school entrance, waiting for the rain to stop with the other kids.

Five minutes, ten minutes, fifteen minutes…

As time passed, the kids gradually left, one by one. Their parents had come to pick them up with umbrellas.

And whenever it rained, Seo-jun was reminded of himself as a child, waiting under the eaves in solitude, hoping for the rain to stop.

That’s why he never welcomed the rain.

But today…

“You’re here?”

“Yes.”

“It’s like there’s a hole in the sky. What’s with this rain…?”

“I know, right? Where’s Seo-woo?”

“Over there. Seo-woo!”

At Lee Ra-hee’s call, Seo-woo came running over.

“Uncle—!”

“Did you wait long?”

“Nope!”

“Then shall we go?”

“Yes! Teacher, goodbye!”

“Alright, Seo-woo. Take care.”

Seo-jun placed an umbrella over Seo-woo’s head as he awkwardly bowed to his teacher.

Today, despite the rain, he didn’t feel bad.