Chapter 8
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: [5] Prove Your Safety - 2
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"...First, sit down. Would you like a cup of coffee?"
"Oh? Is Father-in-Law making it himself? I'll gratefully accept."
"...I see."
The father let out a deep sigh as he walked toward the coffee machine.
I found the least damaged table available.
After clearing away the shattered glass shards, there was enough space to sit.
"Master, if I may."
Elisian sat down right next to me.
Practically pressed against me.
"Could you sit a little farther away?"
"No, Master."
"Elisian."
"You interrupted our date. Wasn't today supposed to be all about me?"
"Fine, whatever."
I gave up.
It was obvious trying to stop her would be pointless anyway.
Whirr...
The sound of the coffee machine echoed through the conference room.
As the father brewed the coffee, he turned to look at me.
"Gi-hyeon."
"Yes."
"Is it really true that this dragon came looking for you?"
I nodded.
"Yes, it's true."
"How?"
"When I got home, she was making stew."
"Stew?"
"Yes."
The father wore an incredulous expression.
It was only natural.
A dragon showing up uninvited? That didn't make any sense.
And cooking on top of that? Even more absurd.
Dragons were inherently arrogant and self-centered beings by nature.
That made them hard to summon in the first place, and once summoned, nearly impossible to control.
"My grandmother told me."
Elisian chimed in.
"She said she'd send a good man my way, so I should grab him."
"Your grandmother...?"
"You don't need to know."
The father picked up the coffee cups and came over to the table.
Three cups were placed on the table.
For a moment, Elisian's nose twitched as she sniffed, then she gave me a slight smile. A signal that there was no poison, I supposed.
"So she just followed you?"
"Yes. Because I like Master."
The father sipped his coffee silently.
I picked up mine as well.
Bitter taste spread through my mouth.
"A dragon with Number 7 mana."
The father muttered.
"Came on her own."
"Yes."
"Hard to believe."
"Even if it's hard to believe, it's the truth. Just like how you all couldn't believe I was talentless."
The father's hand paused.
"Gi-hyeon."
"What."
"That's—"
"It's the truth."
I stared straight at the father.
No, I glared at him.
"You said I was useless to the family because I had no talent."
"..."
"That's why you kicked me out."
The father said nothing.
Elisian gripped my hand tightly.
"Master."
"I'm fine."
I picked up my coffee again.
The bitterness felt even more intense now.
"Calling you 'Father' is the utmost respect I'm capable of right now. Don't expect anything more."
I said nothing further.
Silence fell.
The father swirled his coffee cup before finally speaking.
"Alright, I understand."
"..."
"Gi-hyeon-ah."
"..."
"No, Mr. Gi-hyeon."
I didn't respond.
The father pressed on.
"That dragon, Ms. Elisian."
"..."
"Have you considered registering her exclusively with the Association?"
Only then did I look at the father.
"What?"
"Registration. Officially."
The father glanced at Elisian.
Ah, that look. Pretending to be serious while hiding greedy intent.
"Any entity with mana level 6 or higher must be registered and managed by the Association. It's the law."
"..."
"Of course, it's not mandatory. But registration comes with benefits."
The father continued.
"Salary, equipment support. And above all."
"..."
"You'd be recognized as national combat power. Your status would change."
"..."
"Think about it. A summoner with a Number 7 dragon. That's above S-Rank."
His voice gained strength.
"The Association would welcome you. They'd treat you like VIP, support whatever you want."
"..."
"Ms. Elisian too. As an Association affiliate, she'd get protection. Safely."
I took a sip of coffee.
The father kept going.
"Dungeon raids with priority access, top-grade compensation. Honestly, this is an opportunity."
"..."
"Gi-hyeon-ah. No, Mr. Gi-hyeon. This is a proposal for your benefit."
The father leaned forward.
"You know what kind of treatment Association power gets. Even the family would change..."
"Father-in-Law."
Elisian's voice cut in.
"Yes? Ms. Elisian."
"Don't bother Master."
The air turned ice-cold.
A chilling aura filled the conference room.
Elisian was glaring at the father.
Her smile had vanished.
"Master wouldn't want success like that."
"Like that?"
"By borrowing the Association's power."
I nodded.
"That's right."
I set down my coffee cup and glared into the father's eyes.
"I plan to succeed and shove it in your faces."
"..."
"But if I borrow your power in the process, it means nothing."
The father's expression hardened.
"I'll do it with my own strength."
I grabbed Elisian's hand.
"Together with Elisian."
"Gi-hyeon."
"I don't need Association privileges or support."
"You're throwing away this golden opportunity?"
"You think it's reckless? Foolish?"
A scoff escaped me.
"Doesn't matter."
"..."
"I was the discarded child anyway. Don't play father now, and don't show up in front of me."
"..."
"I hope I never see you again."
I stood up from my seat.
Elisian rose with me.
"Then we'll be going."
"Take care, Father-in-Law."
We opened the conference room door and headed for the elevator.
I heard him calling from behind, but I ignored it.
Just leave like this, get back to our date, and it would all be over.
No more entanglements with this headache.
"Oh, wait!"
Then Elisian clapped her hands.
"I forgot my things. I'll be right back, so go ahead without me?"
"You know how to use the elevator?"
"Jumping down would be faster."
"True enough. See you on the first floor then."
"Yes, Master!"
Elisian walked slowly down the hallway.
Back toward the conference room.
'I need to make it crystal clear.'
The earlier warning didn't seem sufficient.
Because of Seo Won's gaze.
A gaze that wouldn't give up. Those types were tenacious.
The conference room drew near.
The area around was quiet, likely due to the earlier commotion.
A voice leaked through the cracked door.
"We have to bring him in somehow."
It was Seo Won's voice.
"A Number 7 dragon. We can't let this slip away."
He seemed to be on the phone with someone.
"Gi-hyeon? But he just refused."
"That's why we use other methods."
"What methods? Honestly, I'm not keen on this."
"We have to use whatever methods it takes."
Seo Won's voice lowered menacingly.
"We need some bait. Something he can't refuse."
"Money?"
"Money? No, he's not interested in that. Status neither."
"Then what?"
"The dragon."
"Pardon?"
"Use that dragon."
Elisian's eyes turned cold.
"Her name's Elisian, right? She was obsessed with Gi-hyeon. We can use that."
"How?"
"Threats or persuasion, doesn't matter. If we get that dragon into the Association, Gi-hyeon will follow automatically."
"But—"
"It's Number 7. Number 7 combat power."
Urgency mixed into Seo Won's voice.
"You think an opportunity like this comes again? Use any means necessary to bring him in."
"..."
"First, find his weaknesses. He seems naive, so if we play him right, it'll be easy—"
"That's enough scheming."
Elisian's eyes glowed golden.
"E-Elisian."
"Naive, you say?"
Light burst from her hand, shattering the cellphone to pieces.
"You think you can manipulate me? How amusing."
Mana exploded outward.
Number 7 mana.
The entire Association building began to shake.
"Urk!"
Seo Won's knees buckled.
From the sheer presence emanating from the woman before him.
"You should give that up. I'm the gentle type, you know?"
"Wh-what?"
"Two or three of them. My comrades are heading here."
"...!"
"Some would have torn you apart on the spot if they'd heard that."
S-Rank Awakener.
Korea's top combat power.
Association President.
"We're not in a position to take orders from you people."
Elisian took another step forward.
Seo Won's shoulder was pressed down, cracking the floor beneath him.
"Remember this properly so there's no more trouble."
"Guh..."
"Try to use Master? Try to pressure him?"
Elisian stood before Seo Won.
She lifted his chin with her hand.
"Use me as Association power?"
Elisian's voice was calm.
"Listen up, Father-in-Law."
"..."
"I belong to Master. Not to you pathetic insects. If."
She flung his face away, driving the point home definitively.
"If you ever try to harm Master again, even once more, I'll turn the Association and everything else to ash."
Elisian smiled brightly.
Her earlier killing intent completely gone from her expression.
"Just sit tight and wait for your grandchild, Father."