Chapter 1173: Side Story – Dokyung Group (3)

The Queen of Severe Cold.

It was the name of Do Kyunghee’s awakened ability, which I heard from Sihee some time ago.

Was it an awakened ability that could turn the surroundings into midwinter in an instant if she willed it? I seem to recall hearing that during her prime, it was even possible to instantly freeze the inside of a dungeon in the middle of summer.

Of course, she had retired from active duty a long time ago, and had even changed husbands twice in the meantime, so she probably couldn’t display her abilities as she did back then, but it seemed she still had enough power left to freeze the entire chairman’s office.

“How… how could you tell such a shameless lie after forming a relationship with my daughters…?”

“It’s not a lie. I am seriously considering a relationship with both of them.”

“Cut the bullshit! You approached them with a calculated plan from the start, intending to use my daughters to get something out of Dokyung Group, and now you’re whining about it? It makes me sick.”

“I swear on the names of Sihee and Yehee, I have never once approached them with any calculation.”

“Shut that mouth of yours!”

-Fweeeeee!

Her cold expression contorted as a sharp ice pick grazed my face.

Since I knew it was coming via mind-reading, I wasn’t particularly scared. And of course, I had also known beforehand that this attack was merely a warning shot.

Seeing me meet her gaze seriously without any particular reaction, Do Kyunghee seemed rather flustered, and the hand that threw the ice pick slightly recoiled.

“I understand your suspicion, Chairman, but I’m not particularly ambitious. You mentioned I was trying to do something to Dokyung Group, but I know best that it’s something beyond my capabilities. I can’t even run one small guild by myself and always need others’ help.”

“…….”

“I simply want to share love sincerely with Sihee and Yehee. It just looks that way because they happen to be the two successors of Dokyung Group.”

“Shared love sincerely…? Are you telling me to believe that nonsensical crap right now?”

Although I tried to persuade her calmly, Do Kyunghee’s expression stiffened, as if she still couldn’t believe my words.

‘No matter how much I try to persuade her with words, it’ll be meaningless.’

It was the moment I realized I might have to use her ‘weakness’ soon, so I hurriedly began reading the contents of the sexual fetish I had checked just before, one by one from the top.

『Desire to be Dominated: Hunter Do Kyunghee, although usually the Chairman of the powerful Dokyung Group, secretly desires someone who can overwhelm and dominate her in bed. This stems from a desire to let go of the tension and burden she experiences in her authoritative position, at least during intimacy. Hunter Do Kyunghee, who has lived under responsibility and pressure since her youth, feels great pleasure at the moment she lets go of everything and is dominated by someone, shedding her responsibilities.』

…For starters, quite an incredible kink emerged right from the first one. In a sense, it was enough to be sure they were blood relatives of Sihee and Do Yehee.

Amidst the tense atmosphere, just as I was about to check the content of the second sexual fetish, Do Kyunghee’s voice rang coldly in my ears.

“The first time you came to greet me with Sihee, I thought you were quite a good person. After all, you were the world’s only ‘S-Class Male Hunter’ at the time, and I could feel your affection for Sihee from your gaze.”

“…….”

“But to betray me like this… it’s truly absurd. What was Sihee lacking that you had to go after Yehee as well? Was the image you showed me back then all a lie?”

“It’s not a lie. I know you won’t believe whatever I say, but I truly… both of them…”

“I told you to shut that mouth!”

Along with those words, Do Kyunghee threw a ball made of ice towards my face this time.

This time, it wasn’t a warning shot; it flew towards my face with the clear intention of shutting my mouth for good. Although making it spherical reduced its lethality, I couldn’t just take the hit, so I caught and blocked it with my hand.

“…….”

“…….”

“I suppose it’s understandable that you think that way, Mother-in-law.”

“…Who, who are you calling Mother-in-law?!”

“Since you’re the mother of Sihee and Yehee, you’re my Mother-in-law. At least, that’s how I see it.”

“I have no intention of accepting a man like you as my son-in-law. It’s quite the opposite, actually.”

“…….”

“Break up with both Yehee and Sihee right now. Because I can’t entrust the future of Dokyung Group to a slut like you.”

…Right, that’s the typical reaction, usually. If I had to be strict, the partners I’d gotten permission from until now were all too easy. Most of the women I’d been involved with didn’t require parental approval. In Hye-eun’s case, even Eunyoung Noona had already become my wife; Min-ah and her younger sisters’ parents had already passed away; then there was Eunbyul, who had cut ties completely with her grandmother, or Hwayoung Sunbae, who barely kept contact with her mother. Or even President Seo Ok-hee, whose parents’ opposition held little meaning at this point given her age. Except for Cha Yuri, I hadn’t really had any conflicts with family members like this. In a sense, it was because she truly cared about the two of them that this situation arose.

“Mother-in-law, I know you won’t believe whatever I say, but I truly love both of them.”

“Seeing words like ‘love’ come out of your mouth… I’m utterly dumbfounded. Do you really think that’s possible?”

“I think it’s possible. At the very least, I cherish both Sihee and Yehee sincerely, and I have no intention of breaking up with either of them.”

“Ha, honestly. If you’re going to lie, at least make it believable.”

Do Kyunghee scoffed, denying my words. Then, seemingly convinced that my goal wasn’t the two women but something else, Do Kyunghee suddenly brought up a different offer.

“Ultimately, you want money, don’t you? Stop beating around the bush and speak honestly. I can easily give you that much in return for breaking up with them.”

“…….”

“Do you prefer cash? Or gold? If not that… shall I hand over one of the subsidiary companies?”

“If this is a problem that can be solved with money, I will pay you, Chairman. Will the value of one subsidiary company be enough?”

“…What?”

“I can’t give it right now, but I will pay it over the next several decades. If you’re still not convinced, I will prove my repayment ability with our guild’s current profit reports.”

Do Kyunghee looked at me with a flustered expression at the countered offer of bribery. I still met her gaze directly, with sincerity. It was also my honest feeling that if this was a problem money could solve, I’d rather solve it with money.

‘The Chairman of Dokyung Group probably isn’t someone swayed by mere money, but…’ If I really wanted to sway her, I’d have to hand over an entire subsidiary company of Geumhyang Group. If I had to do that, the burden on Eunbyul and No. 2 would increase significantly. Ultimately, it meant I’d have to repay personal debts while running the guild… and that method would take at least several decades. But at least, there was no better offer to show my sincerity. For one thing, as soon as the counter-offer came, Do Kyunghee suppressed her anger and was looking at me seriously.

“Anyone can say that with their mouth. But if you were to actually sign a contract…”

“I thought something like this might happen, so I brought my seal too.”

“…….”

“Whether you believe it or not, Chairman, I am sincere. Both Sihee and Yehee are precious people to me whom I cannot give up. It can’t be helped if you think it’s greed, but all I sincerely want is to continue sharing love with them in the future.”

“…Hoo.”

“I will not interfere in Dokyung Group’s internal affairs at all. Just being able to share love with them is enough.”

“…Really, your mouth is as smooth as flowing water. Did you start the same way when you charmed Yehee and Sihee?”

“Regarding that, I can tell you for certain. In the process of becoming involved with your two daughters, I proved myself not just through empty words, but also through actions.”

“…….”

Do Kyunghee shook her head, letting out a long sigh. Despite her expression of disbelief at my unyielding attitude, her reaction seemed slightly more open to conversation than her cold response earlier. Hope flickered that perhaps I could get the relationship recognized, or at least make her reserve judgment.

“Then, let’s do this. Prove that you can pay sufficient compensation for continuing to ‘play lovers’ with my daughters.”

“Understood. Then I’ll contact my secretary right now to get the guild’s profit report…”

“…No, that can be prepared later. More importantly, there’s something else I want from you as compensation.”

“Yes?”

Just as I wondered if the issue with Sihee and Do Yehee could really be solved with money, Do Kyunghee’s requested compensation was a proposal completely different from what I expected.

“I heard that recently, there have been many cases of retired hunters from the Hope City Guild regaining their awakened abilities and returning.”

“…That’s right.”

“If your guild isn’t running a scam, then perhaps your technology could restore my awakened ability to its prime.”

“…….”

“Prove your capability by restoring my awakened ability. Settling the issue regarding my daughters comes after that.”