The Duke's Son :Re-Chapter 249

“Welcome!”

Family was a strange thing for Jae-Hyeok. Having lost it once, just their presence felt like a daily miracle; it brought him a sense of gratitude and comfort that was hard to put into words.

“I’m back.”

Jae-Hyeok smiled as his sister came out to meet him at the front gate. But thinking of family, Jae-Hyeok thought of Kang Dae-Seong. He thought of Kang Dae-Seong’s torn jacket and shrinking back as he left the mansion following their last meeting.

At the very least, I should’ve seen him off at the airport... I’ll be sure to welcome him next time we meet.

Jae-Hyeok’s mood cooled, but his thoughts were interrupted as Butler Hwang handed him a fresh set of clothes.

“I’m glad that you are safe, Young Master.”

The Blue House had provided Jae-Hyeok with fine clothing upon seeing the ragged state of his own, but for an occasion such as this, Butler Hwang felt the Kang family’s ceremonial robe suited the boy best.

“Thank you.”

Jae-Hyeok regained his smile after seeing that Butler Hwang was safe.

Be it the Baus family, China, Japan, or the Korean military—in his absence, Jae-Hyeok couldn’t be sure what they might do to his family. Had it not been for Kang Hyeon-Ah’s watching over their father, Jae-Hyeok would’ve spent his days inside the Twilight Kingdom filled with dread.

“Thank you, Sister.”

“Huh? What?”

“Just... thank you for being here.”

“?”

Forced to repeat himself, Jae-Hyeok’s face turned red, but Hyeon-Ah only tilted her head in confusion.

When it comes to tender feelings, Eldest Sister is a bit indelicate. But she’s definitely the most reliable.

The blush faded from Jae-Hyeok’s cheeks and he shook his head with a smile.

“Come to think of it, didn’t you say that you served as an instructor in the army?”

“Yeah, I taught martial arts to the officers.”

The only woman in the Kang family to learn hand-to-hand combat... Kang Hyeon-Ah’s skillset had made her a prized instructor within the Kang family, even during its prime.

She’d taught swordsmen self-defense techniques that allowed them to protect themselves even without swords, and she’d freely shared the special mana-control breath technique that was the product of her own training experiences.

Thinking of it now, Jae-Hyeok faintly remembered the sight of hundreds of swordsmen filling the Kang family’s training grounds as his sister led them in exercises.

At that time, he’d longed to join those swordsmen under her lead, which had made his sister's capture and imprisonment for treason all the more crushing.

Jae-Hyeok’s smile shrank a little.

He asked, “Do you want to teach my friends too?”

“Friends? Those pretty girls?”

Da-Hee, Hae-Rin, Hye-Ji, and Yeon-Ju... thinking about them, Kang Hyeon-Ah’s eyes shone. She’d enjoyed herself last time they’d come by.

She especially liked Hye-Ji.

“I want my hair styled!”

“Uh... I’m sure they’ll be happy to hear it. You can ask them when there’s downtime.”

“Yes!”

Good.

Jae-Hyeok expected the Chinese investigation team to arrive in Korea soon.

They claimed to be investigating the truth behind Jiang Lei’s death, but in reality, he was sure their actions would amount to occupying the Twilight Kingdom first, followed by covertly searching his mansion.

They won’t find anything of value within the gate.

Of that, Jae-Hyeok was certain.

Prior to first clearance, a gate’s dimension could be quite different compared to the state it defaults to afterward—this was precisely the case for the Twilight Kingdom, and as a result, the gate had lost its greatest value for some time to come. After all, the secret requirement for meeting Twilight Orc Lord Teruchan was to defeat the lord candidates of each village—something which Jae-Hyeok had done, and, as of current, was impossible to replicate.

According to Teruchan, it’ll take ten years for the villages to give rise to new lord candidates. Until then, the gate is just an ordinary hunting ground. Let the Chinese have at it; even if they cling to Jiang Lei’s death for years, they won’t find anything special, and in ten years' time, I’ll monopolize the special request again regardless... I still have too much I want to ask.

Orc Lord Teruchan was a being that was as large and majestic as a mountain. Rather than a monster or an otherworlder, it seemed like an existence one would only find written in myths and legends.

On meeting it, Jae-Hyeok had nearly felt himself crushed under its gaze. But when Orc Lord Teruchan had opened its cavernous mouth, its thunderous words were surprisingly gentle.

It recognized Iyarugt immediately and knew Peak Sword, the Kang family’s founder, by name.

From there, Jae-Hyeok quickly relaxed, and curiosity took over. However, no matter how he tried to steer the conversation, like an ant and an elephant, the difference in size and volume between him and Teruchan had been too vast. Most of Jae-Hyeok’s words went unheard, and their conversation amounted to little more than Teruchan speaking at him.

Ultimately, after showing Jae-Hyeok some goodwill, Orc Lord Teruchan sent Jae-Hyeok on his way, with not one of his questions having been answered.

I need to get stronger for when we meet again in ten years. With enough mana behind my words, let’s see if he still can’t hear me...

Jae-Hyeok paused then.

Uh, I guess I’m not saying anything new. My goal was always to become the strongest in the world, stronger even than father...

Shaking his head, Jae-Hyeok turned his thoughts to the issue of the Kang family’s mansion.

In any case... if I keep the mansion as crowded as possible, the mansion should also be safe.

Once the Chinese investigation team failed to gain anything from the Twilight Kingdom, they would naturally turn their efforts to Jae-Hyeok and the Kang mansion, wanting to take away the rewards that Jae-Hyeok had monopolized from the gate.

Knowing this, the best course of action was to portray the Kang family’s estate as an open and relaxed headquarters, with nothing to hide from visitors. After all, no one would hide their treasures in a place where many people were coming and going.

That, of course, left only Jae-Hyeok.

Indeed, Jae-Hyeok hoped China’s attention and subsequent schemes would fall solely on him. For one, it was only right that he bore the risks associated with monopolizing the first clearance reward. But more than anything else...

Father, I think I will probably reach the same level as you sooner than I thought.

Jae-Hyeok intended to fulfill the declaration he made to the president: soon, he would start gnawing on China’s foundation...

Though young, Jae-Hyeok had learned from experience the benefits that came with challenging and overcoming crises. Thus, he was not afraid of what came next.

He only felt ready.

“I will soon carry the same responsibilities Father carried.”

A duke of Korea and the strongest player... the burden on the Yaksha’s shoulders was too heavy. The fate of Korea had rested on him alone, and he’d upheld that glory year after year, all the way until his last waking moment.

Was he happy?

Jae-Hyeok was particularly curious about how his father had felt on that day—the day he’d participated in the gate conference while fully aware that it was a ploy.

He must’ve known that without him, the Kang family would fall. He knew, but he did it anyway... I wonder how he felt, knowing he was trading his family to win gains for his country.

Jae-Hyeok didn’t blame his father; his father had acted as an aristocrat should. Of course, Jae-Hyeok could also understand his siblings' resentment for that choice, but Jae-Hyeok personally didn’t think it was wrong, either.

He only hoped his father hadn’t been too afraid or too sad in those final moments before he’d closed his eyes.

“I will come see you again this evening, Father.”

Jae-Hyeok finished kneading his father's limp hand and set aside his melancholy before leaving the room.

In that dim room, only the whir of the ventilator and the beeps of the telemetry unit remained to keep the Yaksha company.

***

“Korea. It has been a long time...”

The person who spoke seemed no older than a teenage boy. However, he was in fact over eighty years old this year.

This facet of eternal youth was thanks to the unique nature of the boy’s mana, as well as his mastery over it, thereby allowing him to freely change his muscles and bones.

The boy’s name was Chen Dian, and he was one of China’s senior National Treasures, a high-level transcendent bearing the nickname Phoenix.

Phoenixes were considered the second most important symbol in China, second only to the yellow dragon. Only those with soaring power and status were bestowed such names.

And, indeed...

Chen Dian sighed. “It evokes bad memories. Just thinking about being restrained by the Yaksha during the battle for Lion’s Castle still angers me.”

Apart from Chen Dian, the group standing several paces behind him was also impressive. They included two National Treasures and six talented candidates, all of whom were veterans. Unlike Jiang Lei’s group, who’d learned a distorted history and believed it to be true, they’d actually participated in certain historical battles and faced off against Korea’s past heroes—including the Yaksha and several others belonging to the previous generation; for them, dealing with a fresh-faced talent like Jae-Hyeok would be as easy as an adult wrestling a child.

“Aish, this is unpleasant. Why did they send us instead of our juniors?”

“They probably want to set an example. It’s important to be thorough when stepping on growing buds.”

“Even so, this is like using a dragon-slaying sword to kill a chicken...”

“Welcome to Korea.”

“It is nice to see you, Saint.”

Chen Dian and the Chinese investigation team had officially entered the country with permission from the Korean government. As such, as soon as they stepped from the airport, Shinra Hyeon was there to greet them.

Chen Dian had been frowning from the moment he’d stepped from the airport and was met with Korea’s land and sky, but now he smiled brightly, making his prior scowl seem as if it had been an illusion.

He held Shinra Hyeon’s hands firmly and asked in a friendly tone, “So when will you move to China?”

It was a question he had asked every time since his first meeting with Shinra Hyeon, back when Shinra Hyeon had still been a youth.

“I will never leave my country.”

Shinra Hyeon’s response was the same as ever. The other Chinese players frowned at his firm refusal, but Chen Dian just laughed.

“I see. You’re a wonderful display of patriotism, as always. Would you guide us to a restaurant before showing us to our accommodations? I’m curious about the Saint’s taste.”

“... Yes.”

Shinra Hyeon’s expression was gloomy.

There were people all over the country who needed the Saint’s help, yet here he was, serving as a tour guide for a group of Chinese players. Shinra Hyeon was displeased; however, he was well aware of the brutal nature of China’s National Treasures. He had learned it the hard way in the past.

They wielded immense power, and they would not hesitate to act tyrannically if they didn’t receive the highest honors and the best treatment from Korea.

In the end, Shinra Hyeon could only console himself with the thought that he was saving more people by serving as a guide—at least this way, he could watch over the Chinese players.

“Humph. You’re still as cheeky as ever, Saint. How dare you refuse the Phoenix’s offer every time? I think you need a beating, maybe then you’ll learn some gratitude—”

“Enough. It’s useless to threaten the Saint.” Chen Dian’s eyes became sharp as he calmed his companions. “On the contrary, I like that upright side. Think about it. If the country he’s loyal to disappears, where will that patriotism turn to?”

“Haha. I hadn’t thought about it like that. China would have itself a new hero.”

“Yes, a talent like no other.”

In truth, investigating Jiang Lei’s death was just the official purpose for Chen Dian and his group’s arrival in Korea. What the Communist Party really sought was for them to dominate the Twilight Kingdom’s gate.

Under the pretext of investigating, the six of them would repeatedly clear the gate while denying Korean players the chance. In this way, they would both nurture the growth of their own National Treasure candidates and also humiliate the Korean government in the process, stirring up domestic strife.

A gate with the “kingdom” qualifier is a rare thing that doesn’t even exist in China... Ah, I can’t wait. I’m going to savor every clear of this gate. The only thing I’ll savor more is watching the citizens slowly turn on their government.

Chen Dian’s sly smile sent shivers down the spines of those around him.

His calculating gaze was a strange mismatch to his young face, creating an unpleasant feeling.

***

Meanwhile, as Shinra Hyeon was dealing with the Chinese players at the airport, Jae-Hyeok paid a visit to Lion’s Castle.

It feels like it’s been a long time. Will he recognize me?

He’d come to gain the strength needed to deal with the Chinese investigation team. As for his target...

Theodore.

It was none other than the named Death Knight inhabiting Lion’s Castle, considered to be the only gate in the world that couldn’t be graded.