The Duke's Son :Re-Chapter 197

In Gyeonggi Province, the city of Uijeongbu.

A red-haired boy appeared on one of the platforms at a local gate checkpoint. Judging from his height and face, he appeared to be in his early teens. However, the warp he’d appeared from led to an S-grade gate.

The boy threw up his arms and shouted.

“Bahaha! I’m getting stronger by the day!”

A few staff jumped at the boy’s cries. Some of the players—who’d been whispering among themselves in cliques—frowned.

“At this rate, I’m sure I’ve almost caught up with Jae-Hyeok! I, Do-Jin, will now be treated as a true senior!”

“With your personality?” Gu Suk-Jeong eyed Do-Jin up and down. “I doubt even a thousand levels will change how people treat you.”

“Ah? What’s wrong with my personality?—” Do-Jin suddenly snapped his head toward a group of whispering players. “Hey, hey I heard that! Whoever called me a child, step forward now! We’ll see who’s small after I break your legs!”

Da-Hee glanced around nervously.

“S-Senior Do-Jin! Be quiet!”

“Yeah for real, stop barking in my ear. No one said anything.”

“I’m telling you, someone called me a child! I heard it clearly!”

“So what if they did? Compared to them, aren’t we? Senior, please calm down!”

“Grrr... ”

... Wherever he went, Do-Jin was the sort who always stood out. He had blazing red hair and a conspicuously small stature; paired with his large eyes and dog-like growling, he was quite the spectacle.

“Who the hell is that noisy kid?”

“No clue. But isn’t that the entrance to the Void Swamp?”

“No way. Did a bunch of kids really just return from an S-grade gate?”

Just as the murmurs reached their peak, more figures appeared on the platform before approaching the kids. They belong to one of Korea’s top five guilds, the shield as their symbol—

“It’s Guardian!”

One man among them attracted the crowd's attention.

“You’ve all worked hard.”

Park Chang-Cheon, the master of Guardian and the number one tank in Korea, spoke gently as he patted the children on their shoulders.

“It’s Park Chang-Cheon... It’s really Park Chang-Cheon! The rumors about his recovery are true.”

“It looks like Guardian is on the rise again.”

“These kids are getting mentored by the guildmaster. They must be special.”

“Wait, now that I think about it, that girl looks familiar. Isn’t she this year’s runner-up freshman in Lion’s Castle?”

“Ah! The swordsmanship genius?”

“Wow, Guardian even recruited a sword genius! Elder Gu Suk’s grandson is also a great talent. With the two of them, Guardian Guild’s expanding skillset will definitely see great success in the years to come.”

“Rumor has it that Park Chang-Cheon’s daughter isn’t ordinary either. Guardian has always stuck to tradition. I didn’t expect it to adapt to the times, but it looks like it’s going to pay off. ”

At that moment, the checkpoint was full of whispered praises and excited speculations about the future of Guardian. Of course, a few were jealous and spiteful, but the vast majority of people were enthusiastic about Guardian’s prospects, and they started considering how to cultivate ties to the guild.

Meanwhile, Do-Jin blinked.

“Weird... Why isn’t anyone talking about me?”

Da-Hee’s forehead crinkled, but it was Gu Suk-Jeong who spoke.

“Obviously. The guildmaster has made a name for himself, unlike you. Who would pay attention to a nameless player?”

“Ah? Haven’t I made a name for myself? I even smashed the National Treasure candidate of Austria!”

“That was ninety percent Jae-Hyeok.”

“Well, he couldn’t have won without me!”

“... In any case, the Loren incident is confidential. Only a few know about that at school. How could these outsiders know?”

“Ugh.”

Do-Jin turned red with anger before suddenly relaxing. He glanced around shiftily. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

Catching his look, Da-Hee warned, “Senior, you can’t speak a word about that to anyone!”

Do-Jin replied, “I-I know that much, jeez. I’m not stupid. I won’t say a peep, okay?”

“... Are you sure? You do talk a lot. You were the one who told me about it in the first place.”

“Ah? I also heard about it from Do-Jin. He said to keep it a secret from others... ”

“Do-Jin, you bastard! How many people have you blabbed to? If a war breaks out with Austria, I’m holding you responsible!” Gu Suk-Jeong grabbed Do-Jin by the collar and shook him. Do-Jin made duck-like sounds while choking.

The people around murmured.

“Serves that kid right. He was throwing a fit earlier.”

“Indeed. Since he came to help his older brothers and sisters, he should be obedient instead of stirring trouble.”

“Kyaaaack! Who said that!? I’m the older brother! I am!”

Finally, Do-Jin snapped. He shook off Gu Suk-Jeong and bent low like a bull preparing to charge.

Sweat glistened on Da-Hee’s forehead while she said whatever she could to calm Do-Jin down. Inwardly, she cried, I miss you, Mr. Jae-Hyeok!

With Jae-Hyeok gone, handling her two teammates felt like herding cats.. Da-Hee glanced wearily at Hae-Rin.

As usual, Hae-Rin was staring into the distance with a blank expression.

“... Excuse me... Hello, you over there... ”

One of the staff had been attempting and failing to get Hae-Rin’s. Da-Hee stepped over and apologized to the teary-eyed employee. She grabbed Hae-Rin’s wrist and shook it.

“Hey, Hae-Rin! Submit your ID. We have to follow the procedures.”

“... Oh.”

Hae-Rin came to her senses and handed over her player card.

Beep.

The checkpoint staff member scanned the card’s barcode, and the information on it was updated.

Name: Park Hae-Rin.

Age: 16 years old.

Nationality: South Korean.

Gate entry history: 2 S-grade, 3 A-grade, 1 B-grade.

Her resume was as impressive as that of a newly promoted S-class player. Though it was strange that she lacked experience inside C-grade or lower gates, her achievements were without question on a completely different level from those of other students’.

Beep.

Beep.

Do-Jin and Da-Hee’s cards were the same. This was the result of the last ten days. After venturing inside the World Tree Outskirts with Jae-Hyeok and forming a relationship with Guardian, they had all been gaining invaluable experience and skills under the guild’s guidance.

“Do you need to know my level, too?”

Do-Jin smirked at the surprised checkpoint staff member. He couldn’t wait to see the staff members' reaction when he learned of his level. It would be priceless.

“N-no. The Association doesn’t ask for the player’s details.”

The checkpoint staff member politely refused. Asking active players for their level and Skill information? If such a thing happened, the country would be turned upside down. No one would believe that the Association wasn’t recording players’ weaknesses.

“Still, just listen. My level...!”

Unaware of the complicated situation, Do-Jin leaned in with a grin, only for the staff member to cover his mouth in a panic, afraid that the surrounding players would misunderstand the situation.

“Wow, he is a true idiot.”

Gu Suk-Jeong watched the exchange and clicked his tongue.

Having received his grandfather’s help from a young age, Gu Suk-Jeong’s player card was the best among all the kids. Although his experience inside S-grade and A-grade gates was similar to the others, he had rich experience inside gates below B-grade.

Meanwhile, Park Chang-Cheon’s heart was heavy. I should’ve given Hae-Rin some real experience before... If Hae-Rin caught sight of Gu Suk-Jeong’s card, wouldn’t she be reminded of her callous father, who hadn’t supported her properly? She’s probably resenting me right now... Sigh. I deserve it.

Park Chang-Cheon made up his mind then.

It isn’t too late. Hae-Rin, your father will give you all the love he owes you. I promise. I just want to see you heal from the past...

“Father.”

“Uh? Y-yes. What’s going on? What can I do for you?”

Park Chang-Cheon came to his senses. Before he realized it, Hae-Rin was staring straight at him. Her large eyes were so adorable that Park Chang-Cheon, despite his low mood moments earlier, had the sudden urge to smile..

“Jae-Hyeok,” Hae-Rin said.

Parh Chang-Cheon blinked.

“Huh?”

“When is Jae-Hyeok coming?”

Was she thinking about him all this time?

Park Chang-Cheon felt relieved but also a bit sad. He laughed awkwardly. “The National Treasure candidate examination is in two days, so he should come back today or tomorrow.”

“Where is he?”

“That... ” Truth be told, Park Chang-Cheon didn’t know either. However, he’d received a request: Jae-Hyeok had asked him to explain on his behalf in a way that Butler Hwang and the others wouldn’t worry.

“As I explained before, Young Master Kang is practicing at a gate that is perfect for his level. You don’t have to worry.”

Park Chang-Cheon’s heart throbbed. Lying moments after he’d promised to be good to his daughter filled him with remorse. But...

I can’t break my promise to Young Master Kang.

Jae-Hyeok was the benefactor who’d saved and looked after his daughter. He didn’t like to lie, but he had to return Jae-Hyeok’s favor.

Suddenly, someone spoke.

“Who is this?”

Park Chang-Cheon came to his senses and recognized the speaker. The man was among the few S-class players in South Korea, and he was also the master of Death God, another one of South Korea’s top five guilds.

“Your complexion is so bad that I almost didn’t recognize you. I heard you were on the verge of dying due to Jeong Jae-Uk. Is that true?”

“Kim Byeok-Jae, why are you here in South Korea? Didn’t you say you would stay in China for at least two years?”

“I had a sudden change in schedule—putting that aside, I see you entered the Void Forest, huh? There are few places better than that to raise children. I just happened to be on the way back from watching my kids training.”

Compared to his earth-shaking reputation, Kim Byeok-Jae’s tone and expression were exceedingly casual. He always had a smile on his face, and his thin lips were so red that he almost looked as if he were wearing lipstick. Kim Byeok-Jae swept his gaze over Hae-Rin, Gu Suk-Jeong, and Da-Hee. “Speaking of kids, I don’t think your kids are pushovers, either.

Park Chang-Cheon’s daughter, Gu Suk’s grandson, and this year’s freshman runner-up—they were a dazzling lineup. There was no way Kim Byeok-Jae, the master of Death God, didn’t know who they were. “I can’t help but notice all of them are using swords. Are you planning to change the concept of “protection” you dreamed of by your answer?”

Kim Byeok-Jae’s eyes lingered on Da-Hee. “Young lady, hanging around with those who know nothing about swordsmanship will only hold you back. Why don’t you go on a field trip with Death God?”

A talent who placed second among Lion’s Castle’s first years was someone destined to create waves wherever they went; naturally, Da-Hee was highly sought after by the guilds.

Having experienced the guilds’ wooing multiple times, Da-Hee expertly changed the conversation. “I’ll visit you next time.”

“Next time, when is that? I need a proper date. How about right now? I just wrapped up clearing a gate, so my schedule is pretty open.”

Da-Hee flinched. She hadn’t expected Kim Byeok-Jae to press her for a clear date.

“N-not until the day after tomorrow.”

“Two days later?”

Kim Byeok-Jae’s eyes narrowed into amused crescents. Let alone him, who didn’t know the National Treasure Candidate Exam was in two days?

“Are you trying to focus on supporting your friend? Alas, that’s why I would prefer today or tomorrow. Two days from now, you might not be so fond of me, and by extension my Death God Guild.”

“Why would I...?”

What does he mean?

Da-Hee was confused, but Park Chang-Cheon immediately understood. His lip curled in disgust.

“Kim Byeok-Jae, are you the examiner this time?”

“Ahh.”

A guild’s name was usually suggestive of its inclination. Hence, Guardian was a guild focused on defense and tanking. As for Death God... it was a guild that inflicted death wherever they went

Kim Byeok-Jae shrugged. “Things just happened to turn out that way. I only accepted it because they said I could kill.” In other words, Death God was a guild that brought death. Kim Byeok-Jae, especially, was famous for his bloodlust.

“It’s rare to have a chance to kill someone in front of the entire nation, right? It was hard to refuse. Hmm, well... forget it.”

With the setting sun behind him, Kim Byeok-Jae’s face was cloaked in darkness as he said goodbye.

It was like staring into the abyss of chaos.