Became the Transcendent Monarch of the Corner of the Room - Chapter 39
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Episode 39
“Father, what is this place for?”
“This place? This room is an office reserved only for the Master of Manwol.”
“An office?”
“That’s right. The fate of our Manwol is decided here… It’s an incredibly important and secret place.”
“Is, is it okay for me to come to such a place?”
“Don’t worry. As long as your father is here, you’ll be able to go anywhere.”
As soon as the door opened, a desk and chair came into view.
And the smell of books reached his nose.
Suddenly, memories from the past surfaced in Choi Hyun-min’s mind.
‘The first and last time I came here was… when I was seven years old.’
Father—
That is, when Chairman Choi Seung-hyun had shown Choi Hyun-min around the office.
Without knowing anything, he had held his hand and wandered around here and there.
But now he knew all too well what this place meant.
Gulp.
He slowly raised his head and looked straight ahead.
Leather sofas spread out to the left and right.
In the middle, Chairman Choi was sitting half-reclined.
‘Father.’
Was it because of the place?
Or was it because of Chairman Choi?
He felt his heart pounding as if it would burst.
Naturally, the muscles in his legs stiffened, and his gaze tried to fall downward.
But…
‘I can’t always show the same old appearance, get it together.’
Choi Hyun-min bit his lower lip hard.
If he had been in his own room, he would have slapped himself.
Slowly.
But at a pace that wasn’t too slow, he walked toward where Chairman Choi was.
“Sit down.”
“Yes, yes…”
Chairman Choi lightly extended his hand, pointing to the sofa across from him.
Following his instruction, Choi Hyun-min carefully sat down.
Though he had said he wouldn’t be nervous.
It seemed unavoidable that his words came out a little shaky.
“Have you been… doing well all this time?”
The two didn’t make eye contact.
Just as if passing by, casually—
A single word popped out of Choi Seung-hyun’s mouth.
What should he answer?
Choi Hyun-min pondered for a moment.
He answered resolutely.
“Yes.”
Though many things happened.
Of course, he didn’t answer that far.
Whether it was a question about his ten years of seclusion.
Or whether he was asking about his changed life after awakening, he didn’t know.
Either way, he didn’t want to show his old self.
“I see… As long as you’ve been doing well, that’s what matters.”
Choi Seung-hyun took out a cigarette from his jacket with a bitter smile.
Then he lightly held it between his lips.
He didn’t light it.
That was as far as Choi Seung-hyun’s habit went.
A moment of silence.
The two men’s gazes seemed about to collide, then not collide, repeating this several times.
“The reason you called me here… is there something important?”
And surprisingly, it was Choi Hyun-min who broke the silence first.
“Why do you think that?”
“Fath— No, because the Chairman explained it to me that way.”
At those words, Choi Seung-hyun’s thick eyebrows shot up and then came down.
Was there something that came to mind?
He put down the cigarette he had only been holding in his mouth.
“…That’s right. Calling someone to this place… certainly isn’t to ask about lunch menus or such.”
Chairman Choi nodded slightly and picked up a document that had been placed beside him.
“As you said, I called you because of an ‘important matter.'”
“When you say important matter—”
“And I intend to entrust you with that task.”
At those words, Choi Hyun-min’s eyes sparkled.
Thump thump thump.
He thought it would calm down since some time had passed.
But with Choi Seung-hyun’s few words, his heart was beating like a drum again.
“Why… is that?”
Even so, he couldn’t nod his head with confidence.
Instead, a cautious step.
He asked back with words mixed with doubt and concern.
“Because I saw potential in you.”
“Potential…”
“As a Hunter myself, and as the leader who guides the Hunter Guild. There was a time when I thought those who couldn’t awaken would be of no help to Manwol. Just like… you in the past.”
“…”
At those words, Choi Hyun-min couldn’t give any answer.
What had kept him locked in his room for 10 years wasn’t anyone’s pointing fingers or criticism.
It was because of that very feeling of his own.
“But you magnificently shattered that notion. Of course, you don’t have powerful strength like your other brothers… but there’s more than one way to work hard for Manwol.”
…What does this mean?
Choi Hyun-min tilted his head slightly at those words.
“I realized that talent isn’t just about qualifications as a Hunter. That’s not all there is to it. Like you.”
Something’s strange.
Choi Hyun-min felt something odd about Chairman Choi’s words.
“Of course, since Manwol is a guild of Hunters, military power would be the foremost talent… but borrowing other people’s strength, gaining profit, planning for the future. Those are also important qualities.”
Um… I think there’s some big misunderstanding here.
Choi Seung-hyun’s face showed not just determination, but even pride.
He was definitely speaking for Choi Hyun-min to hear…
The problem was that not a single one of those things applied to him.
‘Why is he saying such things…?’
His expression changed strangely.
However, Chairman Choi didn’t seem to notice his change in expression.
“This weekend, a raid is scheduled.”
“A raid…!”
Choi Hyun-min, who had been quietly listening.
At the word “raid” that Choi Seung-hyun threw out, he jerked his head up.
“That’s right. And it’s not just a raid for our guild alone, but one that four guilds will jointly tackle together.”
Usually, hunting monsters only takes place inside the maze.
But there were exceptional cases as well.
For instance, using special items or skills to create a space outside that resembles the special rooms of the maze.
It was a method of summoning only boss monsters separately.
Since it involved summoning unknown boss monsters in unknown spaces, the risk was great.
But the rewards obtainable there were also beyond imagination, so many guilds joined forces to conduct ‘raids’.
The Golden Goblin strategy that Phoenix Union had recently carried out.
That too was one of the many forms of raids.
‘Raid… Raid…’
Lick.
Choi Hyun-min unconsciously licked his lips.
Fighting against powerful boss monsters to obtain treasure.
Wasn’t that one of the things every Hunter dreamed of?
‘Could it be… he’s going to give me that opportunity this time?’
He looked at Chairman Choi with tense eyes.
Chairman Choi held out the documents he had been holding.
“And I’m planning to put you in charge of supply management for this raid.”
“Me… me?”
“That’s right. It’s not simply about facing monsters, but coordinating between Manwol and the allied guilds and merchants. It’s difficult work that requires coordination among all of them, so I think there’s no one better suited than you.”
How should he react to this?
Choi Hyun-min’s emotions became complicated.
This was certainly important work at the guild level.
Coordination between Manwol and other guilds.
And liaison with merchants who would supply materials.
It was truly a mission equivalent to being a rear commander.
If it was honor, it was honor.
If it was importance, it was importance.
Since it lacked nothing in either aspect, from Choi Hyun-min’s perspective, it was something to be extremely grateful for.
However.
“Why… are you entrusting this work to me? I’ve never done anything like this before…”
“Like with the goblin leather incident before, you have commercial talent.”
“Commercial talent… you mean…”
At the mention of commercial talent, Choi Hyun-min blinked.
Qualifications as a merchant?
Why bring that up suddenly…
“I’m not just talking about buying and selling things. Coordinating between people, seeing broadly and far ahead. Calculating and preparing in advance for things that might not even happen. You have abilities that the other brothers don’t have, Choi Hyun-min.”
“Ah…!”
The moment he heard those words.
Choi Hyun-min recalled what Secretary Kim had said before.
“Oh right! If you ever need… business funds or… a factory or… funding for anything like that, please let us know anytime.”
At the time, he had passed it off as just casual conversation.
‘I never thought he was actually thinking that way…’
Now he understood why those words were said.
Why the current Chairman Choi had such thoughts.
A misunderstanding.
This was a misunderstanding.
In the first place, obtaining the goblin leather wasn’t through business dealings.
Or through connections, but purely spoils of war obtained by conquering the maze.
The Ridim matter was the same.
These weren’t things accomplished with others’ help or by pulling in someone else’s power.
They were things he had accomplished entirely through awakening as a Hunter, by himself.
“How about it? Do you feel like giving it a try?”
Should he correct this misunderstanding right now?
That he didn’t have such abilities.
Far from coordinating between others to create some grand design.
It hadn’t been that long since he could even go out to the convenience store outside his room.
Should he say that?
“…I want to do it.”
He lied.
He lied to Chairman Choi.
No, to his father.
‘It’s a lie, but… I want to succeed.’
How long had it been since such an opportunity came?
Choi Hyun-min didn’t want to reject the expectations placed on him.
Of course, it wasn’t the method of swinging a sword and directly plunging a blade into a monster’s body.
But wasn’t this also an opportunity to prove himself as a person of Manwol?
As Chairman Choi’s proud son?
He didn’t want to miss this chance no matter what.
Was his answer satisfactory?
Choi Seung-hyun’s eyes sparkled.
“Good, that’s the spirit I want to see. I’ll have Secretary Kim relay the details like date, time, and necessary supplies.”
“Understood.”
His face felt hot.
But this wasn’t from guilt or embarrassment.
‘Finally… I can move under Manwol’s name too.’
Anticipation, and aspiration.
A pleasant tension spread throughout his entire body.
“Well then, I’ll be looking forward to it.”
He gripped the paper handed to him like a treasure.
Then slowly.
He spoke calmly as if chewing and spitting out each word.
“Absolutely. I will absolutely not disappoint you.”
***
Choi Hyun-min returned to his room.
He read and reread the bundle of documents he received from Secretary Kim several times.
‘So… in a week, five guilds including Manwol will simultaneously conduct a raid, is that it?’
When he heard it from Chairman Choi, he wasn’t sure, but.
This raid seemed to be tremendously important for Manwol.
“The amount of money going in, and the personnel mobilization and scale suggest it’s at least medium-scale or above…”
The purpose of raids ultimately came down to two things.
The material rewards obtained by defeating the summoned boss monster.
And honor.
The material rewards would be shared fairly among the participating guilds.
The real prize was the latter.
From the raid preparation process, it would be featured prominently in the media.
How much each contributed.
Who performed the best would be broadcast hourly on the news and scattered everywhere.
‘Help the raid succeed, but make sure Manwol stands out the most among them… that’s what it means.’
If you were to ask who would be the hero of the raid.
It would probably be the Hunter who delivered the final blow to the boss monster.
“Manwol… And Cheongnok, Heukpung, Radiant, Veil… I need to stand out among these guilds…”
He looked over the names of the participating guilds once more.
Every single one of them was a formidable organization.
If you were to rank them, these were guilds that consistently made it into the top 10 or top 20.
Choi Hyun-min drew various scenarios in his mind.
Things like providing better equipment and items only to Manwol.
Or delivering information in a way that would be as advantageous as possible only to our side.
Only such petty thoughts came to mind.
‘Even so, they’re our allies, so I can’t really do that.’
Choi Hyun-min pondered for a long while.
Suddenly, one thought flashed through his mind.
‘What if… What if I participated in that raid directly… How would that be?’
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————