Vol 6 Chapter 25

"So you created a virtual identity in preparation for when that man would contact you?"

Jin Je-hwan quietly nodded in agreement.

"I didn't arouse Yoon Seok-ho's suspicion. I posed as an ordinary user and conversed with Yoon Seok-ho, and that man promised to provide maximum convenience for main quest users in the future, and also gave me a direct contact route to him in case of any problems. After that, I continued to solve THE MIST's main quest and concluded that it seems to be more deeply related to our 'job' than we thought. That's where I am currently."

After Je-hwan finished speaking, Jin Jeon-seong remained silent for a while. However, based on his past experiences, Seo-hwan could deduce what kind of cold calculations were taking place behind his father's expressionless face without even looking.

Seo-hwan, who had both the task entrusted by his father and the task he had volunteered for overturned at once, and Je-hwan, who had produced results in an unexpected area.

A monster only raises the strong offspring. Until now, it had always been Jin Seo-hwan who was chosen by his father. When their weak mother threw down the divorce papers, it was he who remained by his father's side, and it was he who gained the rightful authority to understand the company's affairs at the age of 10.

While he grew into a power player within Mage Soft and learned the business while being called a genius, his younger brother had only been doing sports and tinkering with computers. He thought it would be fortunate if the kid just lived like that and inherited the family business.

No matter how you looked at it, Seo-hwan was someone who could show familial generosity first, but the opposite was impossible. He had thought that was all there was to it.

Just as Seo-hwan clenched his molars and was about to open his mouth, Jin Jeon-seong brushed back his graying hair and asked in a calm tone.

"Fath-"

"Team Leader Jin. How much did you know about the things Jin Je-hwan mentioned?"

For a moment, Seo-hwan's eyes trembled silently. The fact that Jin Jeon-seong, who had treated him as a son and tacitly allowed the use of 'father' until just now, called him 'Team Leader Jin' meant that from now on, they would be talking as president and team leader, not as father and son.

Once called team leader, no excuses would be accepted. All that remained was the cold judgment of the results he had achieved.

"...Regrettably, I was unaware of these facts, Mr. President."

"Is there anything else you've found out about Yoon Seok-ho besides this?"

"No, sir."

"What about the main quest I told you to investigate?"

Seo-hwan licked his dry lips with his tongue to ensure his voice wouldn't show any unsightly changes.

"I didn't investigate much because I judged that there wouldn't be anything more to gain midway and shifted to investigating Saturn's secret project."

"I see, then what results did you get from that secret project investigation that you carried out ignoring my words?"

Seo-hwan loosened and then clenched his stiffly frozen fist, lowering his gaze slightly.

"So far... I've only managed to narrow down a group of suspects by identifying and investigating those Yoon Seok-ho contacts."

"Nothing done here, everything left unfinished there, and then losing the target by acting on your own elsewhere. I wonder if Team Leader Jin understands at all why I assign him tasks."

No, he knew. Through constant tests, his father wanted to gauge his abilities and thereby find a crown prince to inherit his kingdom.

Although his official title was merely team leader of the game development department, the fact that he was actually in charge of investigating all matters related to the company's survival was for that very reason. But unlike how he had done relatively well until now, this time he had made a very big mistake.

"I apologize."

"No need for excuses. The important thing is that you haven't done anything properly this time."

"..."

"The Korean VG Conference from last time. You remember it, don't you?"

The moment he heard these words flowing out slowly, Seo-hwan abruptly raised his head that had been bowed. That humiliating day he couldn't forget even if he tried. What had happened at that glorious hall of fame where renowned Korean VT game companies gathered once a year?

Until now, Mage Soft had always been at the center of that conference. It was natural, as Jin Jeon-seong was a living legend, and Seo-hwan was known as his successor.

But how was it this year?

Saturn, a stranger, had newly appeared at the conference that had been full of familiar faces.

Those who came on behalf of Yoon Seok-ho from Saturn's game department announced to the world who the new emperor was. What angered Seo-hwan even more was the fact that Yoon Seok-ho himself hadn't even attended. Seeing the reverence that had been given as a matter of course go elsewhere was an unbearable humiliation.

His father, who must have felt that humiliation even more keenly than Seo-hwan, hadn't said a word about that gathering since that day, as if he had completely forgotten about it. Yet he was bringing up that sensitive topic right now, in this place.

"Of course I remember."

Jin Jeon-seong quietly looked at Seo-hwan's face, which had spat out those words while inwardly grinding his teeth, with an unreadable expression.

"Good. Don't forget that day. Now then, I should hand down the disposition for this matter."

It had come. Seo-hwan closed his eyes as he pushed up his silver-rimmed glasses. His father was not one to easily forgive mistakes. It was natural that mistakes should be paid for accordingly, and Seo-hwan had grown up understanding this. This time would be no exception.

"Step away from all the work you've been handling except for development until 'Filadia' is completed."

However, just as he thought he was prepared, Seo-hwan couldn't help but open his eyes wide at the thunderbolt-like words.

"...Pardon?"

"I'll personally oversee the tasks I've entrusted to you until now."

There was not even a sliver of room to wedge into the seemingly indifferent tone of reply. Seo-hwan couldn't dare to retort, but seeing his expression unable to answer, unable to accept the unacceptable punishment, Jin Jeon-seong coldly rebuked him.