Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 549

“A photo?”

[You’ll find out soon enough. Don’t ask annoying questions.]

“Ah… okay.”

She was full of questions, but she didn’t have the courage to ask for clarification, not with that woman’s irritated voice on the other end. If she could, she wanted to get through this as quickly as possible and hang up.

Lee Mi-yeon began to organize the situation.

“So, one person is coming for the first time?”

[Yes, that’s right. A full course, from skincare to massage. You better do it right.]

“Of course. Who recommended them?”

[Well, I’m sure you’ll take good care of them even if I don’t say so.]

Lee Mi-yeon didn’t respond.

There was something else hidden in that tone, not ‘I trust Niveo’s services.’

[Anyway, they’re my friend, so please take good care of them. I’m saying it again, please take good care of them.]

“Yes. Don’t worry, Choi Yeon-ha.”

If her friend received subpar service, it sounded like she was saying, ‘I’ll personally go to Korea and rip your director’s hair out.’

[They’ll be there in about 10 minutes. Then.]

Click.

As soon as the call ended, Lee Mi-yeon put the phone down with trembling hands. Then, with a practiced motion, she opened a drawer and took out a painkiller, swallowing it dry.

‘So, this was it.’

It was the moment she realized the cause of the headaches that had been plaguing her. Of course, now wasn’t the time to be happy about that realization.

Lee Mi-yeon gulped down the green tea in her tumbler to wash down the pill and rushed outside.

“Everyone! Get ready! A VVIP is coming!”

“Huh? A VVIP? W-who is it? Choi Yeon-ha? Jeon Song-mi? Or a CEO’s wife?”

“It’s someone coming for the first time!”

“A first-time VVIP?”

The staff’s faces were filled with tension.

A first-time VVIP didn’t just mean someone who had spent a lot of money to become a VVIP at Niveo, but someone with social prestige and influence that was obvious to anyone.

Those were the scariest kind of customers.

Since it was their first time, they would objectively evaluate the service, and if they weren’t planning on returning, they wouldn’t hesitate to spread bad reviews about the establishment.

The first customer was always the one who made them the most nervous.

Besides….

“They’re Choi Yeon-ha’s friend.”

“Oh my god.”

This was like saying a demon was coming, not just a VVIP. The staff’s faces became serious as they understood why Lee Mi-yeon was making such a fuss.

“Then we need to prepare.”

“Seon-yeong, turn up the heat in Room 1!”

“Yes, unnie!” [Unnie is a Korean term used by females to address an older sister or female friend.]

Everyone began to move quickly. If it was a VVIP and Choi Yeon-ha’s friend, they could anticipate how picky they would be. They couldn’t afford even the slightest mistake.

“Manager, when is the customer supposed to arrive?”

“They said they’d be here in 10 minutes?”

“U-um, someone’s coming towards the elevator now?”

“Already?”

“But…”

The staff member who was watching the monitor pointed at the screen with a slightly strange tone.

“Is this the right customer?”

“It must be.”

Lee Mi-yeon answered casually. After all, there was only one elevator in the building that Niveo occupied that went up to Niveo’s floor. From the time the building was constructed, a private elevator was installed for the sake of its membership-based operation.

This elevator could only be used by swiping a Niveo membership card or having someone open it from above. So, there was no reason for an ordinary person to approach it.

To confirm, Lee Mi-yeon walked quickly to the monitor and understood why the staff member had reacted that way.

“Is that a man?”

The person standing in front of the elevator, wearing a hat pulled low, was clearly a man. His build seemed a bit small, but his physique was slightly lean, the kind that looked good in clothes.

A typical celebrity physique.

Up to this point, it was obvious that this was the person Choi Yeon-ha was talking about, but the reason they couldn’t open the door right away was because of his clothes. Even on the screen, the clothes the man was wearing looked distinctly shabby.

“Hmm…”

Lee Mi-yeon frowned slightly.

“Maybe it’s street fashion?”

“…That’s more expensive, you little brat.”

“Yes.”

It didn’t feel like he was trying to look vintage on purpose. It was more like his clothes were really faded and stretched out.

The man on the screen seemed to be hesitating as he looked at the intercom installed in front of the elevator. Well, it was understandable that he would be confused since it was rare to see an intercom installed in an elevator in most places.

Lee Mi-yeon picked up the microphone and pressed the button.

“Hello. Are you perhaps here by referral?”

The man’s gaze turned towards the camera at the voice coming from the intercom.

[Yes.]

“I’ll open the door for you. Please come in.”

[Okay.]

Lee Mi-yeon sighed quietly as she opened the elevator door, and a staff member asked, looking flustered.

“C-can we just confirm that?”

“Yeah.”

“Still, we should at least ask who referred them…”

“It’s okay.”

“Huh?”

Lee Mi-yeon clicked her tongue.

‘They didn’t see it, did they?’

The moment his head turned towards the camera, Lee Mi-yeon had already seen his face. And that was enough.

‘It doesn’t matter if he’s a celebrity or not. He’s got a face that could eat a celebrity alive.’

He was no ordinary person.

That was enough qualification.

Kang Jin-ho opened his mouth slightly as he looked at the opening elevator door.

‘How fascinating.’

Technology doesn’t wait for humans, and it seemed like there were elevators like this too.

“Hmm.”

Kang Jin-ho cleared his throat lightly and stepped into the elevator. Then, the elevator closed and automatically began to ascend.

‘It’s really fascinating.’

How did he end up here?

It started with one sentence from Choi Yeon-ha.

[So, you need to rest, but you don’t know how to rest, so you’re asking me to teach you how to rest?]

“I guess that’s about it.”

[I didn’t mishear, did I?]

“Is there a problem?”

[No. It’s just that, how should I put it, it’s a very Kang Jin-ho thing to say. In that sense, I’m very grateful. If it weren’t for you, Kang Jin-ho, where else would I get to experience something like this?]

[Anyway, great. I’ll tell you the most sure way to rest and recharge. But first, promise me one thing.]

“A promise?”

[Yes. You’ll do as I say. And no asking me to tell you another way!]

Kang Jin-ho nodded without hesitation.

It didn’t seem like there was any harm in agreeing.

“Okay.”

[Good. Then I’ll send you the address via text later, so go there after lunch tomorrow.]

“…Where is it?”

[You’ll find out when you get there.]

Kang Jin-ho sighed quietly.

‘I should have thought about it more before answering.’

Just looking at the interior of the elevator, he had a strong feeling that this was no ordinary place.

And before he could even prepare himself, the elevator reached the top floor.

Ding— The doors opened, and women in suits were lined up on both sides.

“Welcome, customer.”

Kang Jin-ho stood still in his spot.

Then the staff also couldn’t move. Kang Jin-ho was flustered and couldn’t move, and the staff couldn’t move even more because Kang Jin-ho didn’t say anything.

A slight silence fell.

At that moment when they were all awkward, the elevator, oblivious to the atmosphere, closed its doors mercilessly.

“Oh my god…”

“Open the door! Open the door! Quickly!”

They frantically pressed the elevator button, and the doors opened again.

“C-customer, please come this way.”

“Ah… yes.”

Kang Jin-ho nodded with a bewildered expression.

‘Does this person not know where he’s come?’

Lee Mi-yeon was sure of it. If he had heard even a little bit of information about this place, he wouldn’t be so flustered. If it was anyone else, maybe not, but it was definitely possible for ‘Choi Yeon-ha’ to do this.

“I’ll guide you.”

Lee Mi-yeon put on a friendly smile.

No matter what the situation, they had to provide the best service. Lee Mi-yeon led Kang Jin-ho into the consultation room.

“I’ll prepare a drink for you. We have tea and coffee.”

As Lee Mi-yeon opened the menu, Kang Jin-ho asked without realizing it.

“Is this a cafe?”

“Pfft!”

Lee Mi-yeon covered her mouth with both hands.

She had burst out laughing at Kang Jin-ho’s genuinely bewildered face.

‘Is he really Choi Yeon-ha’s friend?’

He was too innocent to be Choi Yeon-ha’s friend.

“No, customer. This is a skincare salon that operates on a membership basis.”

“Skincare?”

“Yes. Skincare, comprehensive body care, and…”

Lee Mi-yeon stopped talking.

She seemed to understand why the handsome man in front of her had asked that question.

‘Skincare? Wait a minute.’

Lee Mi-yeon looked at Kang Jin-ho with a dumbfounded expression.

‘They want us to manage that?’

She was an employee of a top-tier membership-based skincare salon. She had seen the skin of countless people. The characteristic of those who frequented this place was that their skin was as white as jade, regardless of their age.

It couldn’t be helped.

Those who came here were people who could spend millions of won a month just on skincare.

If something was good for the skin, they would even apply cockroach juice, and the heavens couldn’t be indifferent to their determination. It was inevitable that they would all have very smooth skin for their age.

But the skin of the man sitting in front of her was on a different level.

Lee Mi-yeon now understood what it meant to have skin without a single blemish.

‘This is no joke.’

It was the kind of skin that anyone interested in skincare could only dream of.

Kang Jin-ho’s skin, which had been perfectly cleansed of impurities through martial arts, still retained the moisture of a child.

But what could they possibly do to manage this skin? They should be the ones learning skincare tips from Kang Jin-ho.

It was like a professional soccer player coming to a children’s soccer class to learn how to play soccer.

“Y-you came for skincare, right?”

Why else would someone come to a skincare salon if not for skincare, but Lee Mi-yeon couldn’t help but ask.

And his answer was also unusual.

“I just came because they told me to?”

“Huh?”

“They said if I came, they’d relieve my fatigue…”

“Ah…”

Lee Mi-yeon’s mind began to race.

“I understand, customer. I received a call from Choi Yeon-ha in advance. Today, we’ll just have you experience a simple treatment.”

“Okay. Please do.”

“However, before that, customer.”

“Yes?”

Lee Mi-yeon slyly took out a camera.

“C-can I take a photo?”

“Huh?”

“If you allow us to display your skin photo inside the salon, we’ll give you a free membership. You can use it for free for one year, no, three years. Just one photo! No! Two photos!”

“…Huh?”

“Choi Yeon-ha said one photo would be okay. I’m begging you. Please!”

Kang Jin-ho could only nod, speechless.

Thus, the Kang Jin-ho rest program that Choi Yeon-ha had carefully planned (?) began to operate.

Whether it would actually be a rest for Kang Jin-ho was questionable, though.