Chapter 14
Chapter 14
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Mentally and Physically Weakened
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"Puhahaha! Oh man, oh man, my stomach!"
So Seori, who had been watching the live broadcast from the sofa, clutched her belly in laughter and tumbled right over the back of it.
"Ah, that was the biggest laugh I've had in ages. Did you see that, Ri Ri? 'Eeeek! Chwi jwi mol!' Kekeke, puahaha!"
"Unnie, hngh, don't laugh so hard, hngh."
Iru Ri struggled to hold back her laughter, but Han Yu Seong's words kept replaying in her mind, making it impossible.
"Whish whish, whish whish whish!"
Wisph, excited along with them, was darting all over the guild master's office.
"Ah, I gotta watch it one more time."
So Seori grabbed the remote and rewound the video.
In the footage, Han Yu Seong fidgeted like a dog desperate to pee.
After a long awkward pause, as the mood turned weird, he shoved the Grimoire he was holding into the public briefcase his secretary was carrying.
Then he entered the tower with his party members.
"What? Did he just leave the Grimoire behind?"
"Why would he do that?"
The video captured the reporters' murmurs perfectly.
About 20 seconds of their confusion played out, then Han Yu Seong and his party returned to the exact same spot.
"This damn—!"
In a burst of rage, he hurled the now-dull escape magic stone with all his might.
Han Yu Seong's party had entered the tower... only to use an escape stone and bail right back out.
"What just happened?"
"Didn't they go into the tower? That thing that flew by looks like an escape stone."
"Guild Master Han Yu Seong! Did you just come back from the tower?"
Before the reporters could start firing questions, Han Yu Seong bellowed at a volume no one had ever heard from him before.
"Don't film!"
As his lion's roar echoed, the atmosphere shifted—you could feel it even through the screen.
His fury was... well, like a middle schooler dragged onstage for talent show time, standing there frozen under the pressure until they finally scream and bolt offstage.
If that had been at school, the girls probably would've whispered, "Who's that weirdo? Why's he acting like that?"
Having endured this public execution, Han Yu Seong snatched the bag with the Grimoire roughly and stormed into the guild building.
His guild members and secretary followed soon after, glancing around nervously.
"Puhahaha! Ah, seriously, our chairman's a total shaman."
So Seori got up and grabbed her coat.
"Unnie, where are you going all of a sudden?"
"Gonna buy a gift for our great chairman. He loves cognac. No schedule today, so I'm heading out early."
"Unnie! Wait. Look at this."
Iru Ri showed her the phone screen.
"What is it?"
📰 Breaking News Title: Han Yu Seong is Truly Legendary
> Author: Saintess Jo Ah
> (Screenshot: Han Yu Seong's face zoomed in the moment he yells "Don't film!")
"This has the biggest impact since 'Junah hyung, don't laugh!' Thought he'd drop a slick rap, but nope—total flop." — Anonymous I'm Han Yu Seong. Take this post down, please. — Anonymous Write your will quick. Han Yu Seong's coming for you lol. — Anonymous Give it a rest. Don't you feel bad for him? School talent show? He'd just transfer. This? He needs to leave Earth. — Anonymous The guy above is the worst. "Puhahaha! Ah, I'm dying! My S-rank abs are ripping apart! Puhahaha."
After laughing for a good while, So Seori hummed a tune as she left the guild master's office.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The internet was in chaos.
Posts and articles mocking Han Yu Seong proliferated. Memes started popping up everywhere.
Even fake news claiming the Grimoire was bogus, that he was a liar and a con artist.
Some even said it was a self-staged drama to manipulate his guild's stock prices.
Makes sense, since Meteor Guild had spread rumors about the 'Cosmic Grimoire's' owner appearing, and their stock hit record highs right up until the press conference flopped.
Of course, now it was crashing thanks to the guild master's clumsy outburst.
Meteor Guild had orchestrated the whole thing, they claimed. And Han Yu Seong never even used the Grimoire on camera.
Though, of course, he couldn't.
"Guild Master, the shareholders are threatening a class-action lawsuit..."
"Out!"
Han Yu Seong hurled the glasses he was wearing at his secretary and bellowed.
Dodging the flying glasses by a hair, the secretary shut the door and fled the guild master's office.
"Damn it! What a humiliating mess!"
Fuming mad, Han Yu Seong slammed the Grimoire onto his desk.
"Come out! You con artist bastard!"
He chucked it at the wall next, but it didn't smash—instead, it hovered midair.
"Come out, Moon Byul!"
The Grimoire froze in place, its cover slowly creaking open.
Moon Byul's dummy slowly emerged from the book.
But there was none of the overwhelming pressure from last time. Han Yu Seong almost thought he looked like a slightly pale human.
Maybe that's why he felt bolder.
"Moon Byul! I've kept every promise. So what the hell is this?!"
Han Yu Seong looked seriously worked up.
"You seem a bit agitated. You should calm down."
Moon Byul spoke in his usual calm tone.
"Calm down? I prepared the promised magic stones. A whopping 130 of them! So why didn't you keep your end?!"
As Moon Byul took a step forward, Han Yu Seong stepped back.
"I don't know much about the tower. You're the expert on it, Han Yu Seong."
Another step.
"Turns out the tower has rules. Naturally, I can't defy them."
Another.
"Seems you're upset because I couldn't enter."
One final step.
"Whose fault is that?"
"You playing word games with me?!"
"And one more thing."
In an instant, Moon Byul's demeanor shifted. His expression hardened slightly.
"No excuse for rudeness just because you're angry. So."
He brushed back his black hair with a pale hand.
In Moon Byul's eyes, Han Yu Seong saw his reflection.
Not a proud wolf, but a shivering puppy soaked in the rain.
"Don't cross the line."
"......"
There was no otherworldly pressure like before, but Han Yu Seong felt a different kind of weight.
Unable to bear Moon Byul's piercing gaze, he averted his eyes, looking down slightly.
Only then did he realize: as Moon Byul approached, he'd backed away, putting distance between them.
That stung his pride. He'd never shown such a humiliated side to anyone.
Always acting like a noble wolf, now Han Yu Seong felt utterly broken.
He'd lived without ever knowing shame.
Never humiliated like today, always perfect and confident, never bowing his head.
The strong, gentlemanly Han Yu Seong that had always defined him was gone.
The ego he'd known had cracked.
"Y-You broke the promise. So you'll return the magic stones, right?"
"About thirty percent used, but the rest..."
"Used? You used them? Without keeping your promise?!"
Moon Byul was fed up with his childish whining.
The moment the human ideal he'd held for 118 years shattered.
He'd known a day like this would come, but the disgust of humanity felt fresh after so long.
To Moon Byul, Han Yu Seong seemed even less mature than Iru Ri, who looked far younger.
If he weren't trapped in the Grimoire, he'd have tossed some cash—"How much?"—and left.
The magic stones weren't even that pricey, judging by how he handled them.
A guild master should have plenty of money anyway.
"Talking now would just hurt us both. I'll return the remaining stones. Call me when you've calmed. We have unfinished business."
With a snap of his fingers, he vanished back into the Grimoire. No point in unproductive talk.
A flood of magic stones poured out from it.
Thud.
The Grimoire finally dropped to the floor, and the office fell silent.
"......"
Han Yu Seong collapsed right there.
A whirlwind of emotions he'd never felt before.
He couldn't contain the boiling rage.
"Uwaaaaaah!"
After screaming at the top of his lungs, he sat on the floor, staring blankly at the ceiling.
"I... I'm..."
It's all that damn Grimoire's fault. Selling the stones back changes nothing. Can't even cover the guild's debts.
"Right."
I did nothing wrong. That monster in the Grimoire deceived me, that's all.
"Monster. Never seeing you again."
No more playing the fool for that thing.
Magic stones? Money? I can get more anytime.
But a reputation in the gutter? That's gone forever.
Han Yu Seong wished he could turn back time.
"Hoo."
It's fine. He's still an S-rank climber at heart.
"I'll sell that useless book like you."
I'll use it to the end.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Isn't Han Yu Seong a total idiot?"
"It was funny, but it brought back bad memories, so it made me uncomfortable."
So Seori had dropped by the chairman's office with a gift and was sipping tea while chatting.
"Looks like the transcendent in the Grimoire had no authority to enter the tower. Han Yu Seong didn't realize."
Han Yu Seong had treated him like a tool. Tools have no tower entry limits, so it probably never crossed his mind.
"Or maybe he has to clear from floor one, like other climbers."
So Seori took a sip of tea and asked the chairman wistfully.
"I brought your favorite cognac, but we're just drinking tea?"
"Wolverine Guild Master, it's only 4 p.m."
"Booze you start early is the best..."
"4 p.m. is still work hours."
The chairman shut it down firmly, and So Seori smacked her lips, eyeing the bottle regretfully.
"So, when were you planning to get to the point?"
"Aw, what point? I just wanted to chat..."
"Work hours, again. You're busy too, Wolverine Guild Master."
Urged once more, she cleared her throat awkwardly.
"Wanted to take it easy a bit longer, but you're no fun, Chairman."
Finally, she caved to his beaming smile and got to it.
"As you know, Han Yu Seong's all pride. You saw the broadcast—he got humiliated today."
The chairman nodded in agreement.
"After that kind of mega-humiliation, he won't just sit still, right?"
"Same worry as me."
After a pause, So Seori took a sip and spoke.
"That's what I'm really curious about. The Grimoire and Han Yu Seong—do we leave them be?"
"Heh heh, I'm no shaman, Wolverine Guild Master."
"Aw, c'mon, just one coin flip..."
Unless Han Yu Seong breaks rules, the chairman can't intervene. This meant he'd step in preemptively if needed—and a signal to warn him of trouble ahead.
"I get your intent, but why not leave it to fate?"
"Leaving it be feels risky..."
Seeing her unease, the chairman poured fresh hot tea.
"My skill doesn't work that way to begin with."
"What do you mean?"
"I'll follow the coin's guidance to the end—no action. As long as he doesn't cross the line. But that doesn't mean you have to sit still."
So Seori looked puzzled, so he elaborated.
"The moment I flipped that coin, my fate was set. But it can't dictate yours."
"So that means..."
"Do as you will. That's the right path. Whether you sit tight or act, fate flows accordingly."
"Hmm, no clue."
"Haha, isn't not knowing fate half the fun?"
They shared a smile over their tea.
"Simply put: me sitting still doesn't mean you have to let him be. Even without us, someone will meddle with Han Yu Seong and the Grimoire. So."
The chairman wore a kind smile.
"Do as you will. That's the 'better' choice."
Probably not the clear directive So Seori wanted—those are easier to act on.
Still, her expression relaxed.
"Got it. Fun chat, Chairman."
"Off to work now?"
She grabbed her coat and grinned at him.
"Work hours, after all."