Bitter Solitude and Regret
In Yoo Hanbeom's office, he remained standing rather than taking a seat, organizing his thoughts.
'Lee Hyunseung....'
He had already known of Lee Hyunseung's exceptional abilities before going to meet him. Yet seeing the young man in person made him realize that what he had grasped was only the tiniest fraction of the truth.
The demand Lee Hyunseung had made in exchange for passing his test was remarkably simple.
"What I want is to confirm the reason I was suspended from the academy. President Choi Yi-seul isn't the kind of person who would hand down punishment on her own without clear evidence. Please look into whether there was any external pressure involved. I ask that you use your authority to verify it."
If someone had applied external pressure, confirm it. See it with your own eyes. He had asked for nothing more—no calls for punishment afterward, no specific demands for retribution. Lee Hyunseung had simply said it: Confirm whether there was external pressure.
He hadn't even added that the suspected parties were Kim Heera or Yoo Heeyeon. Nor had he instructed what action to take once the truth came out.
But even without saying it, his intention was crystal clear.
A test. In fact, it felt like the boy was testing him in return.
It was as if those unspoken words hung in the air.
Lee Hyunseung had reached out to Yoo Hanbeom and declared:
He had turned down billions in cash and the chance to become an Artemis Guild member. In other words, Lee Hyunseung had made it unmistakably clear—without any complicated explanations—that he could not be moved by money or power. He had expressed it in a way that let Yoo Hanbeom intuitively understand: the only thing that could move him was something far beyond mere wealth or authority.
It didn't feel unpleasant at all. Not even slightly irritating. That in itself was astonishing. To be rejected so one-sidedly and yet feel no displeasure? Instead, he could only admire the sheer audacity of the young man.
The more he learned about him, the more desirable he became. At first it had been his talent that caught Yoo Hanbeom's eye, but now it was the way he handled people. A completely different approach from his own method of subjugating others through raw power and authority.
He found himself genuinely curious just how far this man could rise.
—Swish.
As he recalled Lee Hyunseung, the image of his daughter screaming earlier resurfaced as well.
"What am I supposed to do then...? I only wanted to be acknowledged by you, Father...."
It was the first time he had ever seen his daughter cry. A wave of guilt washed over him—had his own shortcomings caused her to stray? Or perhaps it was the sense of responsibility that came with familial love. Similar emotions tangled together, complicating Yoo Hanbeom's heart.
But he quickly composed himself. The moment he allowed such feelings to take root, unnecessary turmoil would cloud his judgment. He might fail to handle the tasks ahead properly and make mistakes.
—Press.
He massaged his throbbing temples, forcing the emotions back down.
'As long as I am here, the Artemis Guild must maintain its public standing. Personal feelings are nothing but a luxury.'
When he first founded the Artemis Guild, it hadn't been for any other reason. He had simply wanted to climb higher. The nameless man who had beaten him half to death for stealing a single piece of bread. The vicious loan sharks who forced children to beg on the streets only to snatch every coin. The mining work in the Labyrinth where, despite risking his life, he received nothing because he was "too young."
The oppression, contempt, mockery, and disregard he had suffered for being powerless. The excruciating poverty and the humiliating life that came with it. No matter how hard he worked, he could never earn what was rightfully his. To him, the law had been nothing but a hollow fence. He had resented the world.
"I'm... I'm so hungry... Please... Please, just a little help..."
"Where do you think you're clinging to, you filthy beggar! You'll bring me bad luck, damn it. Get lost!"
"S-sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry...."
The pathetic memory of kneeling and begging in front of a complete stranger just to get enough money for a single loaf of bread. To escape that unreasonable life where no matter how much he worked, he never received his fair share, he had founded his own guild.
The only way to protect himself wasn't through laws or adults—it was through his own power. He had built a sandcastle that no one could dare challenge. A place where he would never be hurt again. A fortress where no one could look down on him.
That once-miserable sandcastle called Artemis had grown into a towering building. The guild he had poured his wretched childhood and youth into was now something no one could ignore.
But at the same time, it had begun to devour him.
'Someday... the Artemis Guild will crumble too.'
He felt uneasy. The guild that had protected him, that was practically his entire life, might disappear. He knew it. Nothing lasted forever. Once he stepped down, this organization held together only by his own strength might collapse. And if that happened, the sanctuary that had guarded both him and the people he cherished would vanish as well.
He understood better than anyone that the end awaiting someone who had climbed to the top by crushing others with power would ultimately be tragic. For now, the overwhelming gap in strength and authority kept people in line, but once he weakened, countless people would come for his throat.
That was why Yoo Hanbeom had wanted to make Yoo Heeyeon the next guild master. Because the guild master held absolute power. Even if he fell, the Artemis Guild could still serve as his daughter's shield.
But at the same time, the guild master of Artemis had to prove their worth every single moment. Conversely, if one possessed ability befitting the position, there would be no need to worry about uprisings.
'Heeyeon... you don't understand my heart either...'
Objectively speaking, Yoo Heeyeon was among the gifted. But from the perspective of an Artemis Guild master, she fell far short. If someone with only that level of ability took the seat, the power-hungry hyenas would devour her whole.
It was one of the problems that arose from recruiting talent based solely on ability. If her lack of strength were exposed, being removed from the position of guild master would be the least of her worries. The moment he could no longer protect her, Yoo Heeyeon might truly be swept up in a coup and killed.
That was precisely why Yoo Hanbeom had no choice but to be even stricter.
"You must be the best. That is the position of Artemis Guild master's daughter. You must become someone no one can dare challenge."
The words left unsaid lingered behind them.
'Only then... can you survive.'
She had to be overwhelming. She needed to possess strength so absolute that no one would even dream of climbing over her, and she had to appear perfect. Just like he did now.
The weight of the crown called Artemis was far too heavy for someone clumsy to bear. Heavy enough to crush the wearer to death.
Yoo Hanbeom knew this fact all too well. The greatest, richest, most powerful guild in the nation. There were countless people willing to risk their lives to seize it. After all, it was the organization he himself had built.
That was why he had done his utmost. He hadn't been able to spare time for Yoo Heeyeon, but he had assigned her countless private tutors, provided her with absurd amounts of money and artifacts on a regular basis. He had relentlessly strengthened his own position within the Artemis Guild and expanded his faction like a madman. Because his influence would naturally pass on to his daughter, Yoo Heeyeon.
The more people feared Yoo Hanbeom and the stronger his power grew, the more naturally his blood relative's authority would increase as well.
Yet the painful truth was that this very method had been eating away at his daughter.
'If only...'
If he had built the Artemis Guild the way Lee Hyunseung was doing now—creating allies based on trust—then he wouldn't have had to wrestle with these worries. A group founded on trust would protect its leader even if he grew weak, rather than betray him. They would want to repay the grace they had received.
For a moment, he let out a small chuckle and shook his head.
'I must be getting old. To be having regrets at this point in my life.'
The one thing Yoo Hanbeom considered the most pathetic was regret. No matter how much one regretted, nothing would change, and it only wasted emotional energy. Yet today, regret weighed especially heavily on him.
He gazed at one of the few photographs taken with Yoo Heeyeon when she was young and murmured softly.
"I only wanted the best for you, but it seems that only led you further astray."
He didn't know what to do in a situation like this. He had never received love or comfort from anyone. He had never hoped for someone to understand his feelings. He had no idea how to fix what had gone wrong. Because until now, he had solved everything with power.
'Tsk, I've wasted too much time without realizing it. There's so much work to do—this won't do.'
With an indifferent expression, he walked toward the desk in his office. In the cold, empty space, only thousands of documents greeted him.
Among them were official requests from Artemis to the nation for access to the Mana Database. Although he had acted otherwise, the thought that some unknown group might have been secretly stalking Yoo Heeyeon had left him inwardly anxious. He wanted to identify the culprit as quickly as possible.
Amusingly, after setting those worries aside, Yoo Hanbeom turned his attention back to the mountain of work-related documents. There were approval requests that needed to be completed by today, disputes that required mediation, and negotiations with the blacksmithing association regarding weapon payments and quality in preparation for the upcoming Labyrinth subjugation expedition.
He was far too busy to focus on any single matter. His daily life had always been like this. He wanted to pay attention to Yoo Heeyeon, but he was not a man who could afford to dwell on just one thing.
—Rustle.
In the silent room, only the sound of turning pages echoed. It was familiar. This was the solitude he had always endured, whether anyone acknowledged it or not. Those long hours of solitude were what had driven the Artemis Guild to its overwhelming position at the top.
Time passed, and the day before the Class Annihilation Match finally arrived. Already, the eyes of countless prominent figures were turning toward Broad Academy, and waves of reporters and camera crews began pouring in.