Chapter 559: Rebellion (7)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 559: Rebellion (7)
About seventy years ago.
Mirae Corporation, the core affiliate and starting point of the Mirae Group, was founded.
Its founder was Im Jung-seop, the first chairman of the Mirae Group.
The company was established with the purpose of researching, developing, and selling products using magic engineering.
At the time, magic engineering was treated as an insignificant field of study.
With the theories of magic not yet clearly established, combining it with science was seen as no different from walking through a field densely packed with landmines.
But he was certain.
Magic engineering was the very innovation that would lead the future.
He believed that advanced magic engineering would guide his family down a path of prosperity and abundance for generations to come.
With that belief alone, Im Jung-seop dedicated his entire life and fortune to magic engineering.
It wasn't easy to devote everything to something everyone else pointed fingers at.
But he was not alone.
“I believe in you, hyung.”
His younger brother, two years his junior with whom he shared a strong bond since childhood, had his back.
That was enough.
If just one person believed in him, he could repay that faith.
The end of the lonely path he walked with that belief was a cliff.
He failed miserably.
It was true that magic engineering was an innovative technology that would lead the future.
But he had gotten his hands on it far, far too early.
He realized this only after losing everything, and as he fell from the cliff, he plunged into a pit of despair.
And he writhed in bitter regret.
He hadn't dreamed a grand dream of advancing the world.
He had simply wished for his family to be prosperous for generations.
The fact that this good intention had instead dragged his family into a deep abyss made it all the more miserable and tragic.
He couldn't even dare to think of dying.
To die after shattering his family to pieces would not be an apology, but merely an escape.
Of course, there was nothing he could do even while alive.
He had already squandered his fortune, and his aged body was too exhausted to attempt anything new.
Day by day, he floundered in the depths of despair, only able to wish earnestly.
For someone to take his hand and pull him out of this despair.
Amazingly, that futile wish came true.
As he wandered the night streets aimlessly, a rift suddenly appeared before him.
And from within it, a voice was heard.
-“Enter. I shall guide you out of despair.”
He couldn't refuse.
His body and mind were ravaged from wandering in despair for so long.
He threw himself into the rift.
And he came face to face with it.
An unknown being named Dantalion.
-“Tell me what you desire. I shall grant you any knowledge.”
A truly sweet question.
Before answering, he thought.
It doesn't look like an angel.
Then is it a devil?
He soon stopped thinking.
He realized such thoughts were utterly useless now.
‘It doesn't matter what it is.’
Devil or angel.
Or something else entirely. As long as it could pull him out of this despair.
Im Jung-seop confessed his desire.
A desperate, painful longing, like a lovesickness that began with his first love.
“Magic engineering. I want the knowledge of magic engineering.”
This was the beginning.
The true beginning of Mirae Corporation, which would soon be called the pioneer of magic engineering.
* * *
A giant figure, three meters tall.
A being with multiple heads, a massive book tucked under its arm, opened its mouth.
“Knowledge is power.”
A middle-aged man wearing a crown.
“The power to command this world.”
A young, handsome man.
“That is why it is dangerous, and alluring.”
A seductive woman.
Praising knowledge, the being took out the book from under its arm, showed it to Im Na-eun, and asked.
“Do you know what this is?”
She shook her head.
The cover was inscribed with something she couldn't tell was writing or a drawing, something she had never seen before.
The unknown being, Dantalion, answered.
“This is called the Tome of Dantalion.”
“Only I can open it.”
“In this world, only I can read it.”
“Here, one can see this world’s past, present, and even its future.”
Those words were no empty boast.
In the past, Im Jung-seop had desired the knowledge of magic engineering.
Not just at an ordinary level, but technology that was ahead of its time.
A vast amount, enough to revive his family that had fallen to the bottom of the abyss.
Dantalion granted his wish.
He opened the book that only he could open, brought forth knowledge from the future, and imparted it to him.
And with that, Mirae Corporation was miraculously revived, becoming what it is today.
“But did you know?”
“Knowledge is not something you can obtain for free.”
“You must pay a fair price for the knowledge you desire.”
To glimpse the future.
To convey the future one has seen to another is an act of twisting a set destiny.
Therefore, it should not be done, nor should it be allowed to be done, easily.
Thus, Dantalion spoke.
“Im Jung-seop wished for the magic engineering technology of the future.”
“In exchange for telling him, I told him to offer a price.”
“Kekeke… Do you know what that price was?”
Im Na-eun’s face turned deathly pale.
Was it because the multiple voices echoed chaotically in her ears?
No.
‘I don't want to know.’
It was because of the past being ceaselessly carved into her and the longing for it.
Her grandfather had made a deal with the unknown being, Dantalion, for the knowledge of magic engineering.
So, what did her grandfather give up to obtain the priceless knowledge of the future?
She wasn't curious.
She didn't want to know.
But she kept longing for it.
Knowing a tragic truth awaited, she kept listening.
One of the heads, watching her with an amused smile, answered.
“I said this.”
“Offer me your younger brother, and I will tell you the knowledge of the future.”
“And your grandfather agreed without a moment’s hesitation!”
“Ah, the cruel Im Jung-seop…!”
Despair filled her ears, and the scene from that time replayed vividly in her mind.
The sensation of her grandfather in his youth plunging a knife into his brother’s heart flowed through her hands.
Even her grandfather’s tragic feelings at that moment, and the desire that surpassed them.
“Kyaaaaaak!”
It was disgusting.
Filthy.
Sinister.
She wanted to carve out her ears, split open her head, and cut off her hands.
Her legs gave out and she collapsed, pleading.
“Please, please stop… Just kill me quickly…! I don't want this, I don't want it!”
That was how the Mirae Group had grown.
Whenever the knowledge obtained from Dantalion ran out, they sacrificed someone to gain new knowledge.
And this time, it was her turn.
The sacrificial offering for the knowledge to sustain the Mirae Group for the next ten years.
That was her value, the reason she was born.
“Please, please…!”
Dantalion passed by the begging woman without a glance and approached Im Ji-hoon.
Caught in the unexpected situation, he hastily bowed his head.
The middle-aged head wearing the crown opened its mouth.
“It has been a while, vermin.”
Vermin.
Clenching his teeth at the contemptuous word, Im Ji-hoon forced a bright expression and answered.
“Yes, yes… Lord Dantalion. Have you been well?”
“Hehe… Must I even tell you how I feel?”
At the sharp-edged voice, Im Ji-hoon bowed his head even lower.
“I-I apologize…!”
He was reminded once again.
Of the dual nature of the unknown being called Dantalion.
Infinitely gentle to those who caught its interest, yet boundlessly cruel to those who did not.
Terrified that he might be killed, he asked in a trembling tone.
“I-If you have any orders, please tell me anything.”
The fact that it had come before him must mean there was something it wanted.
He knew it wouldn't even spare him a glance otherwise.
At that, its mood seemed to soften as it replied.
“An intruder will soon arrive.”
“A-An intruder…?!”
He jumped in surprise.
It was only natural.
Who would dare set foot in his mansion, a place no different from a dragon’s pond and tiger’s den?
“You will go up and greet him.”
And.
“Block him, and kill him.”
Feeling the piercing gaze on his back, he dared to surmise.
That Dantalion was enraged.
And that its rage was directed not at him, but at the intruder who would arrive in the foreseen future.
“Keep one thing in mind.”
A sunken voice warned him.
“Do not give him an opening.”
With that, all the heads began to cry out in a cacophony.
“You must not be careless!”
“If you let your guard down, you’ll be in for a world of hurt, you bastard!”
“Use every card you have.”
“You must not underestimate your opponent based on their appearance.”
Voices of different genders and ages rang out loudly.
Their tones and speech patterns were different, but the message they conveyed was clear.
Block and kill the intruder with all your might.
At this, he asked.
“To prepare thoroughly, could you perhaps tell me a little more about this man?”
After a moment of deep thought, the being took out the book tucked under its arm, opened it, and recited the phrase written on the revealed page.
“The man is a mistake.”
“Excuse me…?”
“A mistake born from the entanglement of two things that should never have mixed: all the vile emotions only a human can possess, and a vessel crafted by the heavens.”
So prepare yourselves.
“Otherwise, all of you will die.”
A chilling aura filled the air, as if a knife were pressed to his throat.
Terrified, he roughly loosened his tie, went up, and shouted irritably at his driver, who was standing guard in front of the stairs leading to the basement.
“Tell everyone to assemble.”
It was the signal to gather those who made this house a dragon’s pond and tiger’s den.