"Insolent brat."

Baek Hyung-won, guildmaster of the Baekho Guild, muttered his anger in a quiet voice within his office.

The more he thought about Kim Ho-jun, the SSS-class mana awakener, the more furious he became.

He couldn’t believe how a mere fifteen-year-old boy dared to act so arrogantly toward him, the guildmaster of one of Korea’s top ten guilds.

This won’t do.

He had intended to approach the boy before other guilds could, but after witnessing his audacious attitude, Baek Hyung-won decided that recruiting him could wait. Even if another guild snatched him up, it would be better than bringing a potential troublemaker into the Baekho Guild, his personal kingdom.

The guild didn’t need someone who could threaten its hierarchy.

And then there was the girl—Seomun Ye-jin.

Despite being only fifteen, she possessed a level of beauty and a figure that were remarkable.

She looked like someone who could fetch an astronomical price if sold in one of those secret villain-run auctions.

Although Baek Hyung-won had never engaged in human trafficking due to the oversight of the Kangin Guild, he had researched the potential profits.

It’s a shame, but sacrifices must be made.

None of the top ten guilds were completely clean. Corruption existed in all of them to some degree. If not for the Kangin Guild’s watchful eye, guilds like the Chilseong Guild or the Taehan Guild, with their SSS-class guildmasters, would have likely caused outright chaos.

For Baek Hyung-won, an SS-class hunter, this balance of power was a relief.

Though he lamented missing out on the profits from ventures like human trafficking, the benefits of avoiding direct conflicts with the Kangin Guild far outweighed those losses.

For Seo-jin’s sake, the Baekho Guild must grow stronger.

He needed to ensure the guild’s growth so he could pass it on to his beloved son, Baek Seo-jin.

Baek Hyung-won prided himself on being a good father.

He considered the guild secondary to his son. Every bit of power he had accumulated was for the sole purpose of leaving it to Seo-jin.

Baek Seo-jun, his eldest son, was already considered dead and forgotten.

Not entirely forgotten, though.

To convincingly play the role of a grieving father, he and his wife, Kim Yoo-jung, had to remember enough details to keep their act believable.

In the beginning, pretending to mourn their son had been difficult, but over time, their performances had become seamless.

He served his purpose and was discarded. A sacrifice for Seo-jin’s future.

Baek Seo-jun had always been a disruption. He had been destined for elimination, but his talent had made him useful for a time.

Still, it had been unbearable to think that Seo-jun, as the eldest son, might inherit something meant for Seo-jin.

By handing Seo-jun over to villains, they had secured their younger son’s future.

With his beautiful wife, Kim Yoo-jung, and his talented, kind son, Baek Seo-jin, their perfect family brought him warmth and happiness.

"Seo-jin has taken an interest in Seomun Ye-jin, hasn’t he?"

This was not a matter to be taken lightly.

Seomun Ye-jin.

Even to Baek Hyung-won, she was an exceptionally beautiful girl. She was far too good for a brute like Kim Ho-jun, regardless of his strength.

Since she was only fifteen, it was likely she was still a virgin. She would need to be taught early—to become someone who would obey and serve Baek Seo-jin faithfully.

I’ll need to discuss this with my wife.

Forcing Seomun Ye-jin into submission wouldn’t be easy.

More importantly, kidnapping her outright would provoke a confrontation with Kim Ho-jun. Unfortunately, even with the Baekho Guild’s resources, they couldn’t guarantee victory against an SSS-class mana awakener.

And if the Kangin Guild caught wind of such a plan, it would spell disaster.

Even as one of Korea’s top ten guilds, the Baekho Guild ultimately answered to the Kangin Guild.

"Honey, come here for a moment," he called.

Not long after, his wife, Kim Yoo-jung, entered the office.

"What is it, dear?" she asked.

"There’s something important I need to discuss. It’s about Seo-jin."

"Something important? Is it about that girl, Seomun Ye-jin?" she replied knowingly.

"Exactly. The girl Seo-jin has taken such an interest in."

The fact that Baek Seo-jin had shown interest in Seomun Ye-jin was all the reason the couple needed to begin plotting.

***

“Tsk.”

Baek Hyung-won and Kim Yoo-jung.

These people were testing the absolute limits of my patience.

Simply because Baek Seo-jin had taken an interest in Seomun Ye-jin, they were plotting to bring her under their control. While I overheard them discussing how to assign the task to someone who specialized in such work, they conveniently left out the name of this individual.

Should I start tracking them?

As this thought crossed my mind, Seomun Ye-jin approached me.

Having finished her photoshoot and taken a light shower, she came over with her hair still slightly damp.

“Seo-jun, would you like a lap pillow?”

“Why the sudden offer of a lap pillow, Miss?”

Without any preamble, she was suggesting I rest my head on her lap. Her words made me chuckle, and she smiled back.

“It’s just... those so-called parents of yours—ugh, they’re the worst. I’d heard that the guildmasters of Korea’s top ten guilds were scary people, but your parents are outright repulsive.”

The guildmasters of the top ten guilds were rarely clean individuals, having risen to their positions through a combination of power and cunning. However, the Kangin Guild acted as a leash, ensuring they followed the established order and remained in check.

Even in the original story, it was hinted that if the Kangin Guild ever disappeared, Korea would devolve into chaos as the top ten guilds turned on each other, plunging the country into a hellish nightmare.

But as the parents of the protagonist, the darker deeds of Baek Hyung-won and Kim Yoo-jung were left largely unaddressed in the original story. They were simply portrayed as “not entirely clean.”

“So, you’re trying to console me because you feel bad for my situation?”

“Yes! Now, come on, lie down here. I’ll make you feel better.”

At her cheerful offer, I couldn’t help but smile.

Spending so much time together had brought us to the point where such conversations came naturally.

“Alright, Miss. Excuse me for a moment.”

I rested my head on her lap. The softness of her thighs, clad in short dolphin shorts, was a soothing sensation that stirred something inside me.

Her scent, close at hand, was intoxicating. Rather than becoming familiar over time, it seemed to grow more alluring.

As I lay there, Seomun Ye-jin gently ran her fingers through my hair, her touch soft and comforting.

“Miss, what are you doing?”

“I’m encouraging you! Seo-jun, you’re strong, but even you need someone to cheer you on, don’t you? Hehe~”

Looking up at her smiling face from my position, I found her large chest distracting, blocking much of my view. There was no need to voice this observation, though.

“Miss.”

While resting on her lap, I decided to tell her about what I had overheard.

“Baek Hyung-won and Kim Yoo-jung are targeting you.”

“Targeting me?”

“Yes. Baek Seo-jin seems to have taken a liking to you, so they’re planning to hand you over to him as a plaything.”

At my words, her expression darkened with disgust.

“They’re truly despicable.”

“They’ve likely abandoned the idea of kidnapping you by force because they’re afraid of me.”

“They were considering kidnapping? They’re no different from villains!”

“They probably would have gone through with it if not for the Kangin Guild. Anyway, should I deal with them before they have a chance to act?”

My suggestion hinted at abandoning part of my original plan for revenge. I was offering to cut the problem off at the root before they could harm her.

Hearing this, Seomun Ye-jin widened her eyes momentarily before breaking into a faint smile.

“This is because of me, isn’t it? You’re thinking of stepping in before they hurt me, right?”

“…Something like that.”

Satisfied with my answer, she smiled warmly.

“I’ll be fine. They might try something, but I know you’ll protect me, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then that’s enough. Please, don’t intervene on my account. If you do, your revenge won’t be complete. From what I saw earlier, those people aren’t the kind you can simply kill and be done with. They’re far worse.”

Her words made me close my eyes.

Listening to her voice as I rested my head on her lap, I felt a moment of tranquility.

But a few hours later, an article on a women’s online news site appeared, turning Seomun Ye-jin’s expression grim.