The man who spoke to Jinseong had a peculiar appearance.
Dressed in a suit just like the busy people scurrying around Wall Street, his clothes seemed conspicuously luxurious. His suit pants and shirt gleamed with an almost polished sheen. The sleeves of his suit were slightly rolled up, revealing his skin. His right arm had a sunburned reddish hue.
But his left arm was shining in vibrant rainbow colors.
Have you ever seen a prism?
When sunlight hits an angular piece of glass, it refracts into a spectrum of colors, right?
That was precisely what the man’s left arm was doing.
The arm, which appeared to be a prosthetic made of crystal or something akin to it, refracted the sunlight into multiple colors as the light broke and scattered across its surface. With every breath the man took, with every step he made, and even when Jinseong slightly moved, the arm emitted a different spectrum of light.
A jewel.
Yes, the man’s arm looked like a jewel.
Maybe it even seemed more precious than one. While jewels the size of fingernails shine brilliantly and captivate people, this arm, retaining the shape and function of a typical human arm, mesmerized people in an entirely different way.
The transparent body of the arm held no visible color or metal. Clearly, it was a machine-made prosthetic, yet no internal components or framework could be seen. This suggested that it was crafted from crystal or a material of similar quality.
Perhaps it was made from diamond.
Or maybe it was a new substance created by an alchemist.
“Easterners, you know. They all seem to share a similar characteristic.”
The man, gripping his cane with his right hand, spun it into the ground for leverage. As he leaned on it, the jewels embedded in the cane began to glow faintly, not from the reflection of light, but due to some form of energy.
“They all lack assertiveness and have trouble expressing their opinions properly. Some might call it humility, but others might call it a lack of individuality.”
The artifact in the form of a cane.
Its long body housed a magical energy core that released power under specific conditions. This energy followed the designed pathways, heading towards the jewels, which acted as lenses to project the energy outward, scattering it to activate certain effects.
The effects vary depending on the combination.
And the effect currently being utilized by the man with the crystal arm was…
‘Cognitive Distortion.’
A magic category that alters the perception of its target.
This so-called “Cognitive Distortion Magic” literally distorts a person’s perception. It can emit sounds to disrupt balance, manipulate light to confuse vision, secrete hallucinogenic substances, emit certain frequencies to stimulate the brain and induce illusions. In some cases, it can even be combined with camouflage devices to disguise military facilities.
Certainly, the magic used by this man now wasn’t on such a grand scale. Each individual component required minimal magical energy and produced only subtle effects.
Mirage effects, odor particle absorption, soundproofing magic barriers, mild optical camouflage…
These so-called “Cognitive Distortions” might even elicit a chuckle at their seeming triviality.
Despite their individual weakness, when combined, they offered enough concealment to avoid catching the attention of casual passersby. However, anyone observing with clear intent might notice something peculiar.
Naturally, such an item wasn’t something just anyone could use. If a wizard hadn’t personally crafted the artifact, it would likely have been procured through custom spell crafting.
Given the fact that even mass-produced artifacts were expensive, obtaining custom-made artifacts required not just money, but connections.
“And cowering before older people? That’s another issue. Of course, respect is necessary, but listening to such nonsense quietly isn’t helpful.”
This meant that the man with the crystal arm possessed both wealth and connections.
But a question arises:
Why would such a capable individual approach Jinseong?
A single homeless person leaning against something, sleeping.
A seemingly ordinary Eastern man.
It’s a combination hardly noticeable to someone wealthy and capable.
‘He has a purpose.’
Jinseong scrutinized the man closely.
Even while speaking contemptuously about the homeless, his gaze remained fixed on Jinseong. Moreover, his body was subtly leaning towards Jinseong, both posture and incline subtly tilted in his direction.
Small but noticeable if examined carefully.
The man’s right hand firmly gripped the cane for support. The posture appeared natural, as if he was used to leaning on it. Additionally, his hand exhibited no signs of cold temperature or sweat, indicating no nervousness or discomfort. Moreover, the man tensed his arm consciously, which seemed intentional rather than subconscious.
In other words, it was a habitual act designed to avoid revealing signals from his body.
After all, a person’s hands and arms reveal as much information as their face.
When the man met Jinseong’s gaze, his nostrils flared slightly, a subtle yet significant signal. This reaction stemmed from the instinct to gather more information when encountering someone of interest.
Certainly, it could also be influenced by emotions or environmental changes, but Jinseong perceived it as a sign of interest directed towards him.
Other gestures were also visible.
Despite his conscious attempts to conceal them, some subtle signals slipped through.
These signals informed Jinseong:
This man was clearly interested in him and already knew something about him.
Jinseong interpreted these signs while staring at the man.
He leaned back slightly, tensed the muscles in his hand and arm, as if preparing to retreat. He wore a mask-like smile, tilted his head slightly, then stiffened his neck consciously, signaling curiosity with controlled eye movements.
These actions created an impression of Jinseong as a young professional who, while wary of a stranger’s approach, was simultaneously curious about their identity.
“So, Jin Seong Park, what do you think of the world’s greatest financial district?”
The man grinned at this display from Jinseong.
As his facial muscles moved, natural wrinkles appeared, giving him the appearance of a kind middle-aged man.
But his glistening snake-like eyes and emotionless smile created an impression akin to a predator, like a tiger or leopard pretending to smile.
“Are you familiar with my name?”
“Oh, certainly.”
The man glanced briefly at the homeless person.
“I’m not like this damn fool here.”
“I have a deep understanding of the importance of information.”
Having said that, the man straightened up, retrieved a business card from his pocket, and placed it between the index and middle fingers of his crystal arm, then sent it flying toward Jinseong.
The business card landed gracefully in Jinseong’s lap, as if it were a medal being awarded.
The card was extraordinary, bearing the name Lucas Metathronius Goldsmith.
A unique name indeed, with tiny diamonds embedded at each corner and the name adorned with gold leaf.
“Jinseong Park, welcome to Wall Street. I would like to offer you a meal.”
—
Translation completed as per the provided glossary with all names, terms, and context preserved accurately from the original Korean text without commentary or deviation.
