Chapter 193: Chief Song (3)
I prefer comfortable clothes. Loose, slightly oversized ones without unnecessary embellishments. Light, soft materials are even better. In any case, I dislike restrictive outfits.
‘I hate suits.’
A custom-tailored suit designed to highlight the fit. Sure, it looked decent enough. But then they told me to coordinate all my everyday clothes too, ensuring they fit perfectly. Even if they wouldn’t meddle with what I wore at home, I was apparently supposed to look presentable even when going to the nearby grocery store.
I already wore snug clothes in dungeons to avoid getting caught or snagged, but I just wanted to live comfortably otherwise. Not to mention, even though it was already September, the weather was still hot. Dressing up properly in this heat felt exhausting for both body and mind.
‘The atmosphere is already draining.’
Sitting alone in the back seat of a heavy, formal car, I found my thoughts wandering. The driver and the escort in the passenger seat were both dressed in black suits. Both of them were A-Class hunters sent by Haeyeon.
I had initially planned to bring Noah with me, but Seok Gimyeong had advised against bringing an S-Class hunter to meet another S-Class hunter. He said it could look like I was provoking the other party, as if I were flaunting the ability to command S-Class hunters.
As a result, the car was shrouded in silence. It felt awkward to start a conversation.
I pulled out my phone and checked the time for no real reason. There were still over thirty minutes left until the appointment. Since I was young, low-ranked, and lacked social standing, I was told it was better to arrive early and wait.
‘Seong Hyunjae is the type to arrive exactly on time, isn’t he?’
Seok Gimyeong had mentioned that he wasn’t one to try asserting dominance through punctuality. Still, he warned me to be cautious—if Seong Hyunjae happened to arrive late, it would likely be a deliberate move to put me in my place.
Even as he taught me these various things, Seok Gimyeong seemed to think that Seong Hyunjae wouldn’t take me seriously. I somewhat agreed with that sentiment.
If he showed up only to say this was all just a whim and he was already bored, I wouldn’t be surprised. There was even a possibility he might not show up at all.
‘…This feels like going to a job interview.’
One where an underqualified high school graduate barely scraped through and had to stand before the CEO of a major corporation—not as a simple HR applicant, but for a higher position. …Now that I think about it, this situation isn’t all that different. Thinking about my pre-return life just made me feel more daunted.
When I arrived at the hotel, a staff member was waiting to greet me. The luxurious lobby was empty except for the perfectly aligned staff members. Surely he hadn’t booked the entire hotel, right? Even on a weekday, there had to be other guests.
However, as I was escorted toward the elevator, I saw no one who looked like a guest. Not in the halls, not in the restaurants—nothing. Was this really a full buyout?
‘…Then again, this is a man who’s sunk a cruise ship.’
Still, this was excessive. How much did this even cost? Can’t he act within the bounds of common sense?
“From here, only Han Yujin may proceed.”
When we reached the elevator’s destination, a Sesung guild member waiting at the corridor entrance addressed me.
“The escorts will remain here.”
Even Sesung’s own people weren’t allowed further in. Only a few thoroughly vetted non-awakened hotel staff were present inside. Feeling slightly nervous, I walked down the hallway alone. The dim lighting and soft carpet muffled my footsteps, making it almost eerily quiet. There were still about twenty minutes left until the meeting time.
‘Go in first, sit down, and wait. When Seong Hyunjae arrives, stand naturally and greet him.’
I mentally reviewed the instructions Seok Gimyeong had given me as I opened the door. A spacious and silent lounge stretched out before me, its far wall composed entirely of glass. Through it, the sky darkened as evening approached.
I took a few steps forward, then froze in place.
‘…This wasn’t part of the plan.’
A man was sitting by the wide-open windows. He leaned back casually against the chair’s backrest, his gaze already fixed on me. One leg rested lightly atop the other.
Unlike me, he seemed far too at ease, enough to be mildly irritating. But why was he here so early? I resumed walking, thinking furiously. Should I apologize for being late? But I wasn’t late. Should I ask if he’d been waiting long? But I wasn’t late—I was early.
I reached the table. Seong Hyunjae tilted his head slightly and looked up at me with a faint smile.
“You seem to have plenty of free time.”
The words slipped out before I could stop them. Honestly, he looked like he had nothing better to do. Maybe I should’ve said something like, “You’re so diligent.” No, that also sounds a bit sarcastic. Perhaps, “You arrived early,” would’ve been safer. Actually, I should’ve just greeted him normally.
“Guild Leader Seong Hyunjae.”
Saying “How have you been?” felt strange since it hadn’t been that long. “I hope you’ve been well” sounded stiff. “Enjoying your suspension?” felt like too much of a jab. Stop just staring at me and say something already!
“I’d heard you don’t usually show up early. This is surprising.”
“I can’t afford to take a first meeting with my partner lightly.”
“So you rented out the entire hotel?”
“A small gesture of sincerity.”
It seemed my concept of “small” and his were worlds apart. I barely restrained myself from retorting. I’ve grown too used to speaking bluntly these days.
At least I hadn’t been stood up. In fact, him arriving before me could even be seen as a positive signal. Though, of course, I couldn’t afford to let my guard down. When I sat in the chair opposite him, Seong Hyunjae straightened his posture.
“Recently, I’ve been working on the breeding facility…”
Mid-sentence, I suddenly remembered my business card. I had planned to segue naturally into the breeding facility discussion while handing him the card. But for that plan to work, he should’ve arrived after me… Ugh, forget it. Renting out the entire hotel might’ve been his way of asserting dominance from the get-go.
“Let me give you my business card first.”
I retrieved the card from my inventory and handed it to him. Sorry, Seok Gimyeong, but I’m not cut out for this. Following your instructions to the letter is proving impossible. Honestly, there’s no way I can suddenly act like a competent and dignified businessman overnight.
“Director Han Yujin, I see.”
“And Guild Leader Seong, shouldn’t you give me one as well?”
Aren’t business cards supposed to be exchanged? Seong Hyunjae handed me his card in return. It was neat and elegant. The contact information on it differed from the number I already knew.
“As you may already know, I’m in the process of reorganizing the Mount Breeding Facility. As part of this, I’d like to revise some of the existing contract terms.”
There were no issues with Haeyeon, and Breaker’s Moon Hyunah had already responded positively. MKC was defunct, leaving Sesung and Hanshin. If I could get Sesung’s approval, Hanshin wouldn’t be able to object.
“There aren’t any major changes. The primary adjustment is shifting the security currently managed by each guild to be directly under the breeding facility.”
Although I framed it as a minor adjustment, it essentially meant reducing the guilds’ interference. With the security of the breeding facility currently handled by hunters from what used to be the five, now four major guilds, information leaks were inevitable. They would know exactly who I met with and what I was doing.
This adjustment was meant to prevent that.
“I decline.”
I nearly blurted out, Excuse me? but held it back. His relaxed voice continued.
“There’s no reason for me to agree to a disadvantageous revision to an already concluded contract.”
That’s true. The problem was, I didn’t have any compelling bait to make him accept the proposal. Even after brainstorming with Seok Gimyeong, we couldn’t come up with a good idea.
“Then tell me what you want.”
“As expected, you’re too hasty, Han Yujin.”
“…What?”
“Sit properly.”
At Seong Hyunjae’s words, I instinctively straightened my back. At some point, I’d been leaning forward toward the table.
“Once when you walked in, twice in front of the table, and three more times after sitting down—your expression has faltered a total of six times in this short span.”
I reflexively touched my cheek. I had been caught off guard a few times, but was it really that obvious?
“So, does that mean I’ve failed?”
“I’m not so cold-hearted as to toss an underdeveloped fledgling bird out of its nest. My partner is still young and inexperienced.”
He smiled generously, as if offering reassurance. Well, I guess I should be grateful he thinks of me that way.
“But listen, Han Yujin. It doesn’t matter what my belongings are like. They can be sloppy, they can be shabby—it doesn’t affect me. Even if I were holding a clumsily carved promotional pencil instead of an expensive pen, people’s perception of me wouldn’t change. Everyone knows that the Guild Leader of Sesung can afford dozens, even hundreds, of expensive pens. If anything, the value of the pencil might rise because I’m holding it.”
His hand moved gracefully, almost as if pointing at me.
“However, my partner is different.”
The chair slid back quietly as he stood. He was already tall, but seeing him rise from my seated perspective made him seem even more imposing.
“You stand on equal ground with me. We are recognized as partners. Which means, if you appear lacking—”
He began walking, rounding the table toward me. I forced my gaze to stay steady, resisting the urge to track his every move. The hem of his suit disappeared from my field of view, and then a hand rested lightly on my shoulder.
“—it reflects on me as well. Most importantly, Yujin, you are my only partner. If the person I’ve acknowledged and accepted as my equal turns out to be inadequate, then my judgment will inevitably be called into question. As they say, like calls to like.”
A low chuckle scattered above my head. The thought of standing side by side with him in front of others made me feel dizzy. If I didn’t have resistance to fear, I might’ve yelled that I was quitting right then and there. Of course I seem inadequate—how could I not?
Whether he knew what I was thinking or not, he continued speaking.
“So, if you fail to even meet the bare minimum—”
The hand on my shoulder shifted, long fingers lightly brushing against my neck.
“I’ll have no choice but to remove you from an unbefitting position.”
I exhaled sharply, as if I’d been holding my breath. What an ominously heavy-handed way to apply pressure.
“Should I start worrying about my life from now on?”
“Oh my, have I caused a misunderstanding? Don’t worry—my care for you remains unchanged. It’s just your position that might shift.”
“Like before? Or even lower this time?”
“There will be some changes. I’d rather not deal with the hassle of another leash snapping.”
Ah, so he’s saying he’ll make sure to keep me firmly under control, ensuring I can’t resist. It seemed he still hadn’t fully accepted me. He’d merely granted me an opportunity.
That made sense. To him, it must be like a beloved pet suddenly claiming to be a person and demanding rights. The fact that he was offering even this much was already remarkable.
But still…
“I’m sorry, Seong Hyunjae.”
I tilted my head back slightly, leaning into the chair, and met his gaze head-on.
“Even if I may be lacking compared to you, there’s no going back to the way things were.”
His golden-hued eyes glinted, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips, as if encouraging me to continue.
“You see, I’m not alone. If you carelessly try to claim ownership over me, no matter how great you are as Sesung’s Guild Leader, you’ll find yourself painfully bitten. Maybe even fatally wounded.”
I didn’t want to hurt the people who cherished me. If I ended up clashing with Seong Hyunjae, whether I won or lost, there would be severe consequences. It would be a costly decision, especially when thinking about the future. Fighting amongst ourselves when there were external threats was foolish. Wasting strength on internal conflict was a losing strategy.
So the best course of action would be for me to bow my head. Giving Seong Hyunjae what he wanted while keeping the people around me appeased seemed like the smartest move. I’d been telling myself that over and over again.
‘But in the end, that’s just the easier path for me.’
I want to sacrifice myself—it feels easier that way. It’s the fastest solution.
But I’ve seen it too many times. The worry, the pain, the anguish of people clutching their hearts because of me. They’re people who, no matter the odds, would pick up weapons and wield them for me, or forge them for me. People who would feel more joy in standing by my side and fighting alongside me.
So what choice do I have? I can only hold their hands and struggle alongside them, thinking and fighting together until the very end. Maybe, at the final moment, when there’s truly no other option, I’ll falter. I’m not strong enough to guarantee I won’t. But for now, I’m okay.
“At the very least, it won’t be possible to get me without leaving a scratch. Whether it’s me—or you.”
“…It’s troubling when you tempt me like that.”
Seong Hyunjae muttered. What nonsense was this now? Don’t tell me he finds the idea of a big fight more appealing. …Should I take it back? Say I didn’t mean it like that? Peace is the best. Let’s resolve this through conversation.
“Dear Director Han, I recommend starting by enrolling in university.”
“Pardon?”
“I assume Seok Gimyeong suggested it. Reducing as many flaws as possible would be wise.”
Seong Hyunjae spoke as he began walking back toward the table.
“…It’s not like people will look kindly on me if I get in through a special admission.”
“Special privileges are a form of power. People might grumble, but being a high school graduate would result in harsher judgment. Whether through process or means, if it’s a position attained through one’s own power, people are surprisingly quick to accept it.”
He stood on the opposite side of the table and ran his gaze over me, as if observing me from head to toe.
“Then, let’s start simply by assessing your current state.”
He spoke like a teacher preparing to lecture a student. Can I opt out of this lesson? No? Didn’t think so.
–TL Notes–
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