“Then, let’s conclude the peace treaty with this!”

“Waaaaaah!!”

As the signatures of both family heads were placed on the document, a festival unfolded amidst the cheers of the family members.

The Seohwi family had returned immediately, so only the Baek family and the notaries were left.

“Raise a toast!”

Baek Tae-jung shouted after finishing a short toast to the family members.

Although he had been bedridden until just a while ago, his recovery seemed fast, perhaps because he was a martial artist.

Soon, after emptying his cup, he was the first to approach Baek Hasin and ask.

“I heard your contribution was great this time. I heard you worked hard for the family. Thank you.”

“It was something I had to do.”

“Is there anything you want?”

Baek Hasin, who had been silent for a moment, shifted his position slightly and then quietly opened his mouth.

“I want to get an answer to a certain question. It’s about my mother.”

“…I will. Come find me after the festival is over.”

Although he was speaking so that others couldn’t hear, it didn’t work on me, who could gather the scattering sound waves using wind magic and shields with my super-senses.

‘About his mother. Is he finally approaching the secret of his birth?’

It seemed I would have to watch his movements for a while.

Because Baek Hasin’s choice when he became aware of his own lineage was one of the important turning points in the original story.

“Were you waiting?”

A moment later, Baek Hasin approached this way, having managed to erase his dark expression.

“It can’t be helped if you have a lot to do. By the way, your family’s food is quite good.”

I handed him a lamb skewer. It was one of his favorite foods.

Baek Hasin, while tearing into it, finally relaxed his stiff expression.

“I’m glad I invited you.”

“Master Baek Hasin! Master Zhuge Cheonwu! Your martial prowess was amazing!”

Just then, a few of the Baek family’s martial artists approached us.

It seemed they had started to talk as they got a little drunk and their guard was lowered.

I threw a word or two of blessing to the guys who were looking this way with burdensome eyes and then picked up some food.

It was a lively feast. Everyone was talking, eating, boasting of their achievements, and honoring the victims.

‘Not bad.’

Just as I was thinking that this kind of small entertainment wasn’t bad, I felt an angry-like footstep.

It was Baek Do-gyeong.

“Baek Hasin, what did you say earlier?”

“It’s a personal matter.”

“Personal? Do you think I don’t know your scheme! You may have established merit by bringing your acquaintance, but don’t think that this victory is yours alone. It was achieved by all the members of our family.”

“Why are you being so pathetic?”

I couldn’t stand it and intervened.

“What?”

“Can’t you read the room? This is a place to honor the victims and celebrate. It’s not a time to be as narrow-minded as you.”

“I’m just telling him not to get the wrong idea.”

“Then I’ll tell you properly too. The achievements and skills Baek Hasin showed this time are not at a level to be belittled by someone like you. You must have seen it clearly, right? The gap between Baek Hasin and you.”

The guy who was grinding his teeth at the fact-bombing. It seemed he had come to have a battle of wills just for a warning. He was still making the worst moves.

Of course, he should have expected a counterattack like this.

“How incompetent. You’re narrow-minded, have no power, and you can’t even bring a super-master because you lack connections. That’s your position right now. Isn’t it?”

In an instant, Baek Do-gyeong’s face turns red. His pride must have been not just dented but crushed.

But he wouldn’t be able to attack. He couldn’t ruin the festival atmosphere, and in the first place, it was impossible for him to even win against me.

“This is a matter between family members. Don’t interfere! You have no manners.”

In the end, Baek Do-gyeong turned away. He might have tried to change the subject to fix the situation, but it was already too late.

‘Everyone in this place must have heard what I just said.’

A fight draws attention anywhere. Naturally, stimulating content is bound to spread.

And on top of that, words have considerable power.

As much as my opinion was sympathized with, there was bound to be a change in the thoughts of the surrounding family members.

In fact, conversations had started to become more frequent among the elders.

The most peculiar thing was Baek Tae-jung, who was still sitting at the head of the banquet despite being unwell, and the key figures of the family who were approaching him one by one as if to greet him and having conversations.

The true meaning of such movements was revealed only when the banquet was about to end.

“Attention!”

At the voice of Baek Tae-jung’s guard, the attention of the area was focused there.

Then Baek Tae-jung, sitting at the head of the table, opened his mouth with a solemn face.

“I will discuss the matter of the heir.”

The atmosphere, which became quiet in an instant. Everyone had a hunch. That the fate of the family would change tonight.

“The two candidates, come forward.”

Baek Hasin and Baek Do-gyeong stepped forward to the head of the table.

“After talking with the retainers and contemplating in many ways, I have finally decided on the young master. I hope the two of you will not question any decision and will work hard for the family.”

“Yes.”

“…Yes.”

After the two people’s answers, amidst the tension, the family head’s voice finally spread throughout the venue.

“The next family head of the Baek family is Baek Hasin.”

“Waaaaaah!!”

The shouts of the Baeksadae martial artists, who burst out as if they had been waiting. Although it was a natural result, I felt a sense of wonder.

‘Was there such a development in the original story?’

It seemed to be because Baek Hasin’s performance was so great.

Just as I was thinking that it was a good thing.

“N-no way!”

Baek Do-gyeong, who was screaming as if he couldn’t believe it, raised his voice as if he had lost his reason.

“Impossible!”

At first, I thought it was just a pathetic struggle. But what came after that was a shocking revelation.

“Do you welcome him knowing who Baek Hasin is?! Get a grip! That guy is of the Demonic Cult’s bloodline! And also…!”

“You bastard!!!”

The family head’s roar, which fell like a thunderbolt. The shout, imbued with the internal energy of a master who had reached the proficient peak level, covered the venue.

“To speak such nonsense on this joyous day! Guards! Lock that guy in the discipline room!”

“Yes!”

“F-father!”

Baek Do-gyeong, who had been demoted from the acting family head overnight, was dragged away by the family’s martial artists.

In the midst of the unexpected slander and disturbance, the festival atmosphere froze in an instant, and only silence flowed in the banquet hall.

“I’ve ruined the mood on this good day. Forget what you just heard. It was the shameful nonsense of a drunkard.”

“Yes!”

At Baek Tae-jung’s declaration, the family members answered and started drinking again. But the atmosphere in the venue was not the same as before.

Especially in my case.

‘How did that bastard know that?’

In fact, this kind of thing doesn’t happen in the original story.

Perhaps due to the butterfly effect of the various variables that had occurred, the family head was seriously injured, and while the guy was acting as the family head, he had used his power to investigate Baek Hasin’s background.

Thanks to that, the guy had revealed Baek Hasin’s hidden truth.

The matter of the Seohwi family was something that would have blown up someday, so be it, but for Baek Hasin’s secret to be revealed by such a variable.

I looked at Baek Hasin standing next to me.

He had a very calm face. As if he had been anticipating this.

And so, in a strange atmosphere, the drinking party deepened.

***

The next afternoon, the appointment ceremony for the young master ended in a place where all the family members were gathered.

Baek Hasin came down from the stage, wearing the white clothes of the Baek family.

“Congratulations.”

“It’s thanks to you.”

He then disappeared to greet the executives and elders, including Baek Yu-hwan. If he wanted to act as the family head, he would have to build up his connections from now on.

It was around the time Baek Hasin returned after finishing all the miscellaneous greetings and formalities.

– I’ve found them.

A telepathic message came from the contact.

“Why are you all the way out here? You were inside.”

“Just getting some air. By the way, you said thank you earlier, right?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“You’ll have to do some work for me.”

As expected, the Manjeon Merchant Guild, which had noticed that the secret ledger of the Seohwi family had disappeared, had begun to cut its losses.

Thanks to gathering information through the mountain keepers, the location of the enemy’s main office was also known.

All that was left was to find the evidence that appeared in the original story.

After a simple explanation that the Manjeon Merchant Guild was bad, I took Baek Hasin and departed for the headquarters of the Manjeon Merchant Guild.

Thanks to the insect that Go Du-gyeong had attached, the location could be easily identified.

“This is it. The headquarters of the Manjeon Merchant Guild.”

As befitting one of the six great merchant guilds, a large pavilion was built high as if to pierce the sky.

Here, my goals were only two. The underground prison and the secret room in the opposite direction.

“I’ll help too.”

Just then, Go Du-gyeong joined as if he had come here by chance.

No matter how much the opponent was one of the six great merchant guilds, this side had three super-peak masters. It was worth a try.

Of course, since the surveillance was strict, it was close to impossible to infiltrate secretly, but it was possible for me, a mage.

After secretly knocking down the patrolling guy with magic, I entered through a crack in the wall where the surveillance had disappeared.

After moderately repairing the cut wall with psychokinesis and ice magic, I quickly headed for the basement.

Considering the patrol shift time that the King of Insects had told me and the time it would take for the wall repaired with ice magic to break, the remaining time was about 30 minutes.

During that time, I had to take control of the two main spaces in the basement.

After smashing a few more of the martial artists who were patrolling inside on the 1st floor, when I went in the direction guided by Go Du-gyeong’s servant bug, an empty wall that had been left in a corner of an abandoned room was revealed.

It was a secret passage that moved by a mechanism. I grasped the internal structure of the wall with psychokinesis and then unlocked the lock to open the wall-door.

“Huh? Is it already time for the shift change?”

“No! Who are you…!”

Baek Hasin and Go Du-gyeong immediately suppressed the two martial artists who were guarding the secret stairs leading to the basement.

The fact that I had momentarily restricted the movement of the two guys using psychokinesis was a big factor.

Although they were enemies of the upper-tier of the peak level, they were no match for the upper-tier of the super-peak level masters while being restricted by an unknown power.

I additionally disarmed the formation that was formed throughout the stairs and then headed for the basement.

The stairs ended, and the moment I finally entered the hallway where the glowing stones were embedded.

Swish-!

Two sword strikes were shot, aiming for my neck, which was leading the way at the entrance.

Simultaneously, two swords that were shot from both sides of this side deflected him.

Kaaaaang!

Baek Hasin and Go Du-gyeong had each deflected one attack.

Of course, I didn’t just stand still either, and I gave a stab to the abdomen of the opponent who was retreating.

“How quick.”

I expressed my impression, looking at the woman holding two daggers and the man holding a short spear.

The opponent who had deflected all of that while retreating after I had swung the Demon-Slaying Sword and immediately flew a spear of flame lightning.

It meant he was at least a super-peak level.

‘As expected of the wealth of one of the six great merchant guilds.’

To use a master of this level as a gatekeeper, the monthly amount to be paid would be considerable.

“Support will come soon.”

Since they were overflowing with money, there must be a security device in the basement. If we dawdled here, enemies would soon rush in like crazy from the outside.

I immediately flew a Flame Lightning First Blade Spear at the guy holding the short spear and then shot a Flame-Wind-Lightning at the other gatekeeper and then rushed forward.

“I’ll break through. I’ll leave the two to you.”

“Alright.”

“I will!”

The King of Insects and Baek Hasin began to face the two who had been pushed back by the magic, each taking one.

In the meantime, I first entered the underground prison, following the guidance of the bug that Go Du-gyeong had attached.

“Catch him!”

Of course, there were a few more peak-level martial artists inside, but they were no match for me.

Even more so in a narrow place like this. A Flame Lightning First Blade Spear that faced the enemy was shot with a flash.

And so, after cutting down the enemies and arriving at the underground prison, I was finally able to find a familiar face beyond the bars.

‘The man who must be recruited to take the great merchant guild route in the original story.’

A talent who had risen to the position of deputy general manager of the Manjeon Merchant Guild from a street background, and the core of the Manjeon Merchant Guild who was abandoned after knowing the guild leader’s secret.

The god of business, Ji Bok-hyeon.

(End of Chapter)

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep