The Duke's Son :Re-Chapter 224

“Does this make sense?”

Do-Jin rushed over after hearing the commotion—only to see Korea’s esteemed National Treasure, White Night herself, with her head tucked against Jae-Hyeok’s chest and hands wrapped around his back.

Do-Jin was stunned.

Already, he’d witnessed Jae-Hyeok stand up to the grand head of the Baus family and ally with the noble Saint. And now this?

Do-Jin was starting to doubt which generation Jae-Hyeok belonged to.

“Wow... I knew Jae-Hyeok was skilled in many ways. That’s why I listen to him so much. Still, isn’t this too much? Is this a hidden camera prank?”

“Haha...”

Butler Hwang was at a loss for words and could only force a laugh.

In fact, his shock was even greater than Do-Jin’s. Just four months ago, this reckless young master had been using his stipend on games. Now, he was acting like an adult in front of a National Treasure. It was one surprise after another.

As the murmurs grew louder, Kang Dae-Seong bit his lip and growled, “You crazy woman. Are you worthy? You actually dare to corrupt my brother.”

He didn’t raise his voice, but his neck veins bulged and his face was red. His eyes flickered with a ferocious light. He looked ready to stab Seol Su-Ah before forcefully dragging her out of Jae-Hyeok’s arms.

Seol Su-Ah looked up in dazed surprise. “Dae-Seong? How are you here?”

“Some outsider is pointing out the fact that I am in my own house? Have you started to lose your mind now that you are older? I shouldn’t have saved you. I should’ve let you rot in Europe.”

“Oh, so it is thanks to Jae-Hyeok becoming a National Treasure candidate that you could return home safely.”

Paying no heed to Kang Dae-Seong's crassness, Seol Su-Ah arrived at her own conclusion and nodded thoughtfully. Kang Dae-Seong’s return and her rescue both hinged on the premise that Jae-Hyeok had become a National Treasure candidate.

“Ji Cheon-Myeong must’ve used all sorts of dirty means, but you managed to succeed. You’re really something.”

“It was chaos. He cast a curse before the exam, positioned the master of Death God as the judge, and endlessly incited the public.”

Do-Jin still had a look of disbelief on his face, but when it came to Jae-Hyeok’s achievements, he rattled them off without blinking.

Ji Cheon-Myeong!

Seol Su-Ah’s face turned gloomy as she pictured the humiliation and hardships that Jae-Hyeok had been forced to endure in front of countless spectators. Mostly, she blamed herself for not being there to help when he needed it most.

“In any case, that guy deserved the death he got. With him as the president of Korea’s Association, it’s no wonder the country is in the state that it is.”

Seol Su-Ah froze in astonishment.

“Ji Cheon-Myeong is dead?”

“Super dead.” Do-Jin nodded as if it were last week’s news.

“Jae-Hyeok killed him, and he wasn’t gentle about it.”

Do-Jin’s face lit up while recalling Ji Cheon-Myeong’s gruesome end. The final fate of Ji Cheon-Myeong, whose sins had been unveiled to the world, felt like something out of a movie. He felt a surge of pleasure no matter how many times he thought about it.

Meanwhile, a look of shock appeared in Seol Su-Ah’s eyes as she stared at Jae-Hyeok.

He actually took down that old fox.

Ji Cheon-Myeong appeared to be no older than middle-aged, but he was actually a generation older than the Yaksha. As one of the few surviving veterans among the old players, he was among the most successful power brokers in Korea, having served multiple terms as the president of the Association.

In truth, as a newly risen National Treasure, Seol Su-Ah could not match his influence. While things might have been different in a wild world where strength determined everything, human society operated on money, power, connections, and justification.

Ji Cheon-Myeong had seized the wealth of the Kang family and redistributed it among his followers, while the only thing Seol Su-Ah had managed to protect was Lion’s Castle, and she barely accomplished even that.

He was a man that not even Kang Dae-Seong could touch without consequence, and yet Jae-Hyeok had actually smoothly killed him before the entire nation.

His impatience was his undoing.

Seol Su-Ah realized that as the depths of Jae-Hyeok’s talents came to light and his fame soared, Ji Cheon-Myeong must’ve grown increasingly anxious. After all, Jae-Hyeok was the last of the Yaksha’s blood with a real chance to revive the Kang family.

Unwilling to suffer future losses, Ji Cheon-Myeong had layered scheme upon scheme to deal with Jae-Hyeok immediately—but in the end, the more one schemes, the harder it is to keep those plans hidden.

Oh, Ji Cheon-Myeong. Tsk. Tsk. In the end, you screwed yourself.

Had Ji Cheon-Myeong been a bit more restrained, had he been as wary of Jae-Hyeok as he had been of Seol Su-Ah, and elected to use more indirect methods, he could’ve restrained Jae-Hyeok’s reputation, regardless of the exam’s results, before dealing with him slowly afterward—it wouldn’t have been strange if Jae-Hyeok were locked up in prison a few years later.

But instead, Ji Cheon-Myeong had underestimated Jae-Hyeok’s strength. Until the very end, he never thought he would lose to a sixteen-year-old youth.

In truth, Seol Su-Ah couldn’t blame him. Despite having watched over Jae-Hyeok for several months, not even she had expected this outcome.

He must’ve grown by leaps since the start of summer break.

Re-evaluating Jae-Hyeok’s growth, Seol Su-Ah’s eyes turned strange and she swallowed. His growth far exceeded her own in her prime.

Seol Su-Ah thought, Perhaps even the Yaksha never achieved this speed.

Jae-Hyeok explained, “It’s mostly thanks to the Thunder Emperor helping me. If it wasn’t for him, my revenge would’ve been postponed for a while longer.”

“Huh?”

Seol Su-Ah felt increasingly bewildered. Her usually sharp mind struggled to process the successive shocks.

“What do you mean it was thanks to the Thunder Emperor? All he did was talk!” Do-Jin exclaimed, stomping his foot in frustration. He insisted that it was Jae-Hyeok's actions that led to Ji Cheon-Myeong being brought to justice.

Despite being older, there were times when Do-Jin seemed like the younger one. Jae-Hyeok couldn’t help but smile.

“Do-Jin, the Thunder Emperor’s words were what gave me strong justification—stronger enough to kill the president of the Korean Players Association.”

“......”

Listening to the two’s conversation, Seol Su-Ah registered the truth of Jae-Hyeo’s words. But she remained incredulous.

The United States was the most powerful country in the world—to such a behemoth, anything that happened in Korea would be counted as small news. Why would the United States’ top National Treasure be attending a dinky candidate exam in Korea? Not to mention, the Thunder Emperor doesn’t have any good feelings toward the Yaksha.

Seol Su-Ah interrupted the two boys and spoke her thoughts, “Why would the Thunder Emperor be in Korea, and attending your candidate exam?”

Jae-Hyeok paused, unsure how to explain. Before he could even try, Kang Dae-Seong interjected.

“Do you even need to ask? It’s only natural to have a good eye for talent once you become a contender for the title of the world’s strongest.

“The Thunder Emperor knows that my younger brother will become his rival in the future, so he came to spy. Unable to watch a brilliant gem go to waste, he spoke up to defend Jae-Hyeok.”

Dae-Seong’s face was flushed as he interpreted things as he pleased. His ecstatic eyes made him look like a drug addict. But his expression abruptly sank.

“The Thunder Emperor is a true National Treasure. He’s on a different level from you, who clung to my father like a leech only to turn away when the Kang family needed you.”

Kang Dae-Seong was the epitome of a split personality—the same face that was smiling when speaking of Jae-Hyeok became as twisted as a demon’s when it came to others. Even Kang Dae-Seong’s subordinates couldn’t help averting their eyes.

“Stop.”

Jae-Hyeok stepped in to mediate just as the atmosphere started to turn hostile again. Kang Dae-Seong’s cruel eyes immediately softened under Jae-Hyeok’s stern look. He nodded meekly,

“Okay...”

Witnessing this, the others shared strange glances.

Seol Su-Ah coughed and asked politely, “By the way, it’s been a long time since I last visited. Since I’m here, can I see the Yaksha?”

“You crazy—”

Before the angry Kang Dae-Seong could speak more nonsense, Jae-Hyeok quickly nodded.

“You can. I’m sure Father will be glad to see you, too.”

Before entering Lion’s Castle and meeting Seol Su-Ah in person, Jae-Hyeok had doubted and resented her. However, after their meeting, he discovered that she was exceptionally kind to him in many ways. Additionally, Shinra Hyeon’s earlier words had shed light on the difficult position that those around his family had faced.

“Jae-Hyeok!”

But it was different for Kang Dae-Seong. Even now he was ignorant, not realizing that his own violent temperament had placed many people, including Seol Su-Ah, in difficult positions in the first place.

Jae-Hyeok felt his older brother was pathetic and to blame; he felt that, but at the same time...

“Brother, you should come in as well. You aren’t seriously thinking of not greeting Father after eight years, are you?”

Jae-Hyeok couldn't help but feel affection. Kang Dae-Seong's instinctive action of throwing himself forward to protect Jae-Hyeok came from a place of unconditional love, not from any calculations. It was the kind of instinct only blood relatives could possess.

“!”

He said it. He said “brother”...

All signs of resentment and bitterness vanished from Kang Dae-Seong’s face, replaced by immense joy. However—

“I’m grateful for the offer. But I’m too tired today. I should go back for now.”

He wasn't ready to face his father yet. In Kang Dae-Seong’s memory, his father had always been the strongest.

“You...”

Fury twisted Jae-Hyeok’s face.

The sight pained Kang Dae-Seong. He’d just slapped aside his brother’s outstretched hand. He knew it, but it was unavoidable.

“I’m sorry. But that sick man who will never open his eyes again isn’t my father—”

Kang Dae-Seong hardly finished his words when a red streak imbued with real killing intent flew toward his neck.

It was a sword.

But it wasn’t just any sword—the red-tinted, glass-like blade could only be Iyarugt, a sword said to have been wielded by the founder himself.

Nevertheless, in Kang Dae-Seong’s eyes, Jae-Hyeok’s swordsmanship was still immature. He read the path of Jae-Hyeok’s strike and easily moved aside.

“I’m sorry. I won’t concede when it comes to this.”

Dae-Seong wore a sad expression as he nodded to his subordinates.

“Let’s go.”

***

“How amazing. It’s exactly as I remember it.”

Seol Su-Ah walked down the corridor of the Kang family mansion, unable to hide her awe. The mansion, which once housed hundreds of people, was now empty, yet it remained ordered and pristine, without a single speck of dust.

“Butler Hwang takes care of it every day,” Jae-Hyeok explained, speaking on behalf of the embarrassed Butler Hwang.

Seol Su-Ah nodded. “I’ve always felt it, but he is a truly great person. Now I understand why you grew up so well, Jae-Hyeok.”

“Ahem, this old man doesn’t know how to respond.”

To Jae-Hyeok’s surprise, Seol Su-Ah treated Butler Hwang with great respect. Given their past working relationship, Seol Su-Ah’s treatment made Butler Hwang visibly uncomfortable. But the more that was the case, the wider Seol Su-Ah’s smile grew and the more formally she spoke. She seemed to relish making Butler Hwang squirm.

They really get along well.

They really get along well, Jae-Hyeok thought. He suddenly became anxious about the swordsmen who’d left the Kang family to avenge his father. If they cared for his family as much as Seol Su-Ah clearly did, then he hoped they were still alive and well.

The Saint was right. I should look for them. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Butler Hwang slowed to a stop before a certain door. He quietly opened it and gestured the other two in.

At some point, Seol Su-Ah’s previous smile had vanished. Her lips were flat and her eyes were glossy. With quiet steps, she sidled up to the Yaksha’s bedside.

A long silence followed. Seol Su-Ah seemed to have a lot to say in her heart, and it's unknown how long they remained thus.

Eventually, Seol Su-Ah wiped her eyes and turned to Jae-Hyeok.

“Dae-Seong seems to have acknowledged you as the successor. Please accept the item the Yaksha entrusted to me.”