Chapter 116: The Collapse of the Playground, the Investigation Begins

“Wh-why are you here…?”

Yoo Hee-yeon looked at Lee Hyun-seung with a surprised expression. She had just heard from her father that the incident had been resolved thanks to him, but she couldn’t understand why he was here right now.

Moreover, the association chairman seemed to be much friendlier toward Lee Hyun-seung than she had expected. Lee Hyun-seung, still just an academy student with no significant connections or assets, how on earth did he end up building such a close relationship with the notoriously strict and prideful Tak Woo-hyun? She couldn’t believe it.

Despite her confusion, Lee Hyun-seung casually spoke up.

“Why am I here? Well, that’s none of your business, is it?”

Recently, Lee Hyun-seung had been putting extra effort into getting closer to Tak Woo-hyun. It was an opportunity. Tak Woo-hyun firmly believed that it was thanks to Lee Hyun-seung that the problem with the Artemis Guild had been resolved. The likelihood of this lie being exposed was extremely low. After all, if it did come to light, Tak Woo-hyun would be disappointed in Lee Hyun-seung, but on the other hand, the Artemis Guild, having already insulted Tak Woo-hyun while holding a position as a successor, would find themselves in even worse conflict if the truth were revealed. The Artemis side wouldn’t correct the situation; if anything, they’d probably try to cover it up even more.

So, what Lee Hyun-seung needed to do in this situation was clear: he needed to get closer to Tak Woo-hyun by exploiting this situation, build true rapport with him. Tak Woo-hyun’s personality was difficult but simple. Lee Hyun-seung used his double crafting slot as bait, engaging in long talks with Tak Woo-hyun, strengthening their relationship.

A network with the chairman of the association who oversaw blacksmiths across the country was a significant advantage.

“Got something to say?” Lee Hyun-seung asked, looking down at her.

Yoo Hee-yeon could only lower her head in silence.

Yes, that was their relationship. They could barely stand to look at each other, let alone get close. That was the nature of the relationship between Lee Hyun-seung and Yoo Hee-yeon.

• Creak

Yoo Hee-yeon ground her teeth and clenched her fists. Ignoring Lee Hyun-seung, she turned her head toward Tak Woo-hyun.

“Chairman Tak Woo-hyun. The reason I’ve come here today is not to waste your time but to apologize. Although the issue between the guild and the association was resolved, I don’t think the disrespect I showed you back then can simply be forgotten. If you wish to punish me, I will accept it. However, I hope you can forgive me. I promise that nothing like this will ever happen again…”

As she spoke, her throat tightened.

In front of Lee Hyun-seung, whom she had belittled and looked down upon, she was now bowing her head and asking for forgiveness from someone whom she had once regarded as beneath her. She felt pathetic and shameful.

• Thud

• Thud

Tears fell from her eyes. Was it because she felt sorry? No. It was because of how pitiful her situation was. She was angry and frustrated.

But Tak Woo-hyun continued to listen to her.

“Never let something like this happen again… Please… please forgive me…”

“Hmm…”

Tak Woo-hyun was listening while thinking to himself.

‘There’s really no need for her to apologize this much.’

In fact, from Tak Woo-hyun’s perspective, the issue with the Artemis Guild had already been resolved thanks to Lee Hyun-seung. Previously, he had been worried about a potential war with the Artemis Guild, but now those worries had completely disappeared. From his point of view, there was no reason for him to be upset.

‘Seeing her cry like this, I guess she does feel some remorse. She’s begging for forgiveness while crying, so I can’t really ask for more punishment. The Artemis Guild has already stepped back, so I should show a mature attitude.’

Although her tears weren’t sincere, Tak Woo-hyun couldn’t help but feel that way given the timing.

Tak Woo-hyun, after making his decision, spoke.

“I don’t need you to be punished any further. The situation has already been resolved well, so there’s no need to stir up any trouble. As for the insults and disrespect from before, I forgive you. However, if something like this happens again, I won’t let it slide.”

Even though he was being lenient, he needed to make it clear. For a blacksmith, the weapons they forged were like their soul. Particularly for a master blacksmith, each weapon they made was infused with their essence. Disrespecting the spirit of a craftsman was like disrespecting their soul. He didn’t want to experience anything like this again.

Yoo Hee-yeon nodded. As she was about to leave the room:

“Wait a moment.”

Tak Woo-hyun stopped her.

“…”

Yoo Hee-yeon looked at Tak Woo-hyun with uneasy eyes, and he spoke.

“Don’t you think you should apologize to Lee Hyun-seung as well? I remember how you disrespected him right in front of me.”

Her action of trying to take the weapon Lee Hyun-seung had ordered and steal it for money was not only disrespectful to Tak Woo-hyun as a blacksmith, but also a huge insult to Lee Hyun-seung himself. Tak Woo-hyun wanted to make sure to receive an apology for Lee Hyun-seung as well.

Lee Hyun-seung smiled slyly.

“You don’t have to go that far, but I appreciate the thought.”

“Thanks to him, this situation was resolved, so it’s the least I can do,” Tak Woo-hyun said, looking at Yoo Hee-yeon.

Yoo Hee-yeon trembled as she reluctantly spoke.

“I… I’m really sorry…”

However, she couldn’t finish her words and ran out.

• Bang!

“Hah… just when I thought she had come to her senses, she still acts like that… If it weren’t for the Guild Master of Artemis taking a step back, this could’ve turned into a major mess… Hah…”

Takk Woo-hyun shook his head and frowned, while Lee Hyun-seung smiled and spoke.

“That’s just how she is. Don’t mind it. After all, all that’s left for Yoo Hee-yeon now is her pathetic pride. What she had, it’s all coming to me one by one. She can’t take back the future she could’ve had, so I’ll accept her apology in her place.”

“You… you’re quite scary. I wouldn’t want to be your enemy. The truly frightening thing is not the barking dog in front, but the snake that tightens around your neck from behind. You’re young, yet you already control your emotions so well.”

“You’re overpraising me.”

From Takk Woo-hyun’s perspective, Yoo Hee-yeon had done a lot of things that were hard to forgive. Even just from a little investigation, she had falsely accused him of stalking, done vile things during the class extermination event, and repeatedly acted maliciously by belittling and attempting to overpower others with force and power.

But Lee Hyun-seung wasn’t deterred by that and had made it to where he was now. Sitting next to him, treated as his equal, he could make her lower her head.

Maybe… he could become the next successor of the Artemis Guild.

The successor position was currently vacant. Perhaps Lee Hyun-seung would end up filling that role, he thought.

It’s absurd. Just a few months ago, he was just a newly awakened rookie.

When they first made the scouting offer, Lee Hyun-seung was just a newly awakened kid with a special double crafting slot. Nothing more, nothing less. But now, no one could afford to ignore him.

In terms of power, connections, and even his social skills.

“Can you drink, by the way?”

“I’ve had quite a bit of wine.”

“Then let’s have a drink together. I have some wine made from high-quality grapes.”

For some reason, Takk Woo-hyun felt good. He felt like he was witnessing the growth of someone who would one day stand at the peak, someone who would become famous. And he was watching it up close.

Yoo Hee-yeon. She ran.

“Hah… huff….”

She ran madly toward the riverbank after leaving the Blacksmiths’ Guild.

“Why… why… this person…”

She kept being confused. He saved her life and helped her, but now he looked at her like trash, as if they were strangers.

The expression Lee Hyun-seung had when they met at the Blacksmiths’ Guild was like the one people would have when looking at a bug. He had no expectations, no desires, not even resentment.

It was as if he was just looking at a piece of trash discarded on the side of the road.

• Crack

She couldn’t understand it. His reasoning. What he wanted. Why he helped her, yet continued to look at her like trash. Was it all just to confuse her? If he had just hated her, he could have just blamed her. Why did he keep repeating both help and hatred?

• Thud

She slumped to the ground, her head hanging, blankly staring. She had no strength left to run. Mentally, and physically, she was exhausted.

She was slowly crumbling.

In Kim Hee-ra’s office, the secretary hurriedly spoke to her.

“Madam Kim Hee-ra! This is bad!”

Kim Hee-ra turned to the frantic secretary and asked.

“What… what did Yoo Hee-yeon do now? That useless girl. Because of her, my position is a mess. How could she have made such a mess of things…”

Kim Hee-ra sighed, pulling at her hair.

“I’m already getting a headache, don’t even mention that girl.”

“It… it’s not that!”

“Then what is it? Speak quickly.”

The secretary spoke in a rushed tone.

“They’ve sent the final acceptance signature for the Mana Database usage request to the Emperor from the Magic Research Institute.”

With a serious expression, the secretary added.

“The investigation will begin soon.”