When he left Choi WuJae’s room, Choi YuSeong felt questions.
Was it a success? Was it a failure?
In the car on the way home, Choi YuSeong finally knew the answer.
‘I can think of it as half a success.’
Anyway, he definitely got at least a little bit of expectation from Choi WuJae.
But then again, his last words were important.
‘Prove that it’s not just empty words.’
Maybe that was the true meaning of the gift that Choi WuJae gave.
‘No, it’s for sure.’
Show change through what was given and the received gift.
If he rejoiced just from the gift he received, the hard-earned Choi WuJae’s expectation would disappear in an instant like a lamp in front of the wind.
In other words, the gift was also Choi WuJae’s next test.
‘This can’t be the first and last gift.’
Of course, Choi YuSeong didn’t feel bad at all about Choi WuJae’s attitude.
It could be said as pushing the start button.
As there was a saying that starting was halfway to finishing something, the fact that he should go ahead first was also important.
‘Still, I shouldn’t be slowing down. From Choi WuJae’s personality, he won’t give the test directly. Kim PilDu… There is a high probability that he will move.’
The voices of the two siblings were heard toward Choi YuSeong, who was organizing his thoughts with both eyes frowned.
“It was very surprising. Young master.”
“It’s a gift from the Chairman! Amazing!”1
The two people’s facial expressions and eyes had a very similar feeling as if to assure that they were siblings.
The difference was that Jin YuRi’s cheeks turned red with excitement, and Jin DoYun went further to the point his shoulders were shaking slightly to see if he was thrilled.
His hand holding the steering wheel2 looks a little cute.
‘Delight… No, is it touched?’
It was not the moment when a baby just talked for the first time for them to felt that touched. But seeing that appearance, the stiff expression of Choi YuSeong melted like snows melting.
He thought about many things, that it was a new test, that he should do better in the future. But in the end, Choi YuSeong received a gift from Choi WuJae.
“Actually, when young master first came out of the room, I thought my heart would stop. Maybe you suffered something unexpected…”
The appearance of Choi YuSeong, who walked staggering as his complexion became pale and drenched in sweat, was a difficult situation to even speak to.
Because of this, Jin DoYun and Jin YuRi chose to go behind and supported him without any words.
Fortunately, Choi YuSeong’s breathing stabilized at a rapid pace and had the current face complexion even though he had a rather stiff face for about 30 minutes.
And when they about to left the house, Kim PilDu handed Choi WuJae’s gift to Choi YuSeong.
It was a feeling that what both were worried about came as a greater reward than their thought.
“If it doesn’t bother you, can I ask what conversation you have?”
Jin YuRi asked with sparkling curious eyes between her fluttering expressions.
‘She’s indeed different from her brother.’
She was inquisitive and tried to grasp the situation.
Thanks to her good insight, Jin YuRi had a high probability of becoming the most reliable ally in everything Choi YuSeong would do in the future.
“… I said I don’t want to die.”
Because of that, Choi YuSeong answered Jin YuRi honestly.
A sad look passed by briefly on the siblings’ somewhat excited expressions.
It was because they knew better than anyone else, the meaning contained in Choi YuSeong’s short words he just spoke was by no means simple.
The life of Choi YuSeong, who was no other than just a lucky, blessed, profligate good-for-nothing in the eyes of others, was not as sweet as it seems.
“I’m serious. So, both of you continue to help me out as before like now. I’ll entrust it to you.”3
Choi YuSeong showed a soft smile as he read the sincerity in the eyes of the two.
If Choi WuJae was still a distant ally, the Jin siblings were already close allies.
Because of this, Choi YuSeong thought that he should tell them his sincerity without hiding.
“… Absolutely.”
“I will risk my life and follow you.”
With that, the two showed a reliable look toward Choi YuSeong without much backlash.
‘What a relief.’
He fell into this strange faraway world, but he was not alone.
There was no need to carry all of the luggage by himself.
No matter how much Choi YuSeong was vicious and knows the contents of the original novel, he was not a perfect human.
‘It might not be a problem to rest a little.’
The tension suddenly relieved and unbearable drowsiness began to come to Choi YuSeong, who found relief in his heart.
“I’ll… have a nap. Wake me up when we arrive.”
With those words, Choi YuSeong fell into a deep sleep holding the wooden box, the gift from Choi WuJae, in both hands.
“Take a rest. You’ve worked hard.”
Jin Yuri, who showed a soft smile while watching his appearance, covered the blanket she was holding on to Choi YuSeong.
“It’s so sudden. I don’t know what’s actually, but…”
“I think young master has changed.”
After taking her gaze away from Choi YuSeong, Jin YuRi looked at Jin DoYun and smiles.
“It feels so good, right?”
“… tell me, what to do.”
“Shall we have a celebration party later?”
“Nice. I’ll pay for it.”
“That’s cheap, gonna do it alone? It’s the same for me, being happy.”4
It would be nice if Choi YuSeong was exactly the same as today.
A thick smile appears on the lips of the Jin siblings, who similarly thought this way.
Until this time, the two had no idea.
Choi YuSeong’s change had just taken root.
***
The family home of the Choi family, where Choi YuSeong left.
Choi WuJae, who sat at the desk in the office where the quiet silence fell, brought his nose closer to the rising steam after receiving a teacup handed by the nearby Kim PilDu.
“The scent is not bad.”
“It’s a brewed tea from Altain tea leaves harvested in a 6th-grade dungeon. Both taste and scent should be good, but actually, it is below the standard compared to the price on the market.”
“It doesn’t need to have a good scent. Because the value of Altain tea leaves is that it’s rare. It’s obvious that’s the minds of those who buy something like this anyway.”
Choi WuJae, who drank tea to lighten his throat, frowned on the taste.
“Bitter. It’s better to just drink the citron tea available at home.”
“The older you are, the more sweets you seem to be looking for.”
“Thirty years ago, I believed that if you can enjoy bitter tastes, you can mature. But now I think a little differently. If I can only see sweet tastes, do I need to taste bitter?”
Choi WuJae, who laughed low, put the teacup down like throwing it.
“It’s a contradiction. Did not you just hand a present to YuSeong, sir?”
In response to the ensuing question from Kim PilDu, Choi WuJae’s lips and eyes soared profoundly.
At first glance he seemed angry, but it looked like a smiling expression in a way.
“Isn’t him my child?”5
“There are ten of the child.”
“It’s a boring story. No place doesn’t hurt because of a bite out of ten fingers.”
“It will only taste bitter in the end.”
Like Choi WuJae, Kim PilDu, who brought the brewed Altain tea, put his mouth on the teacup and tilted his head as if he did not understand.
“Do you want to enjoy the bitter taste again?”
“As I said, I like sweets.”
Choi WuJae shook his head and spoke firmly.
A faint light poured out of Kim PilDu’s eyes, covered with steam from the tea.
In fact, he just narrowly crossed the line by repeating and went back to the previous conversation.
The point of the question itself was a situation in which it could seem to be blaming the majority.
Choi WuJae did not get angry however.
Rather, it seemed quite enjoyable.
Kim PilDu was proud that he had watched Choi WuJae more than anyone else for a long time.
“… I think that kid will be going beyond my expectations.”
“Heheu…”
Choi WuJae smiled and feigned indifference.
“In the beginning, there can be no one who has no potential. He is a child of me and ‘her’. In terms of natural lineage, he is no less than JiHo. It’s just his deeds in the meantime are rather incomprehensible.”
It was a name that was mentioned after a long time.
Choi YuSeong’s mother and the eldest son, Choi JiHo.
Kim PilDu’s eyes sank coldly.
Among them, Kim PilDu knew only bits of Choi YuSeong’s mother, who had already left this world.
On the other hand, he knew quite well about Choi JiHo.
He was now lying in sickbed due to an accident, but if he had grown steadily, he would surely succeed Choi WuJae.
His natural character and charisma were so outstanding, that even until now there were quite a few people in the group who supported Choi JiHo when he had completely retired from the succession race.
Such Choi JiHo was compared to the good-for-nothing Choi YuSeong.
Actually, Kim PilDu thought it was stupid and did not make any sense.
Even though it was said that Choi YuSeong showed more than expected, it was impossible to mention Choi JiHo’s name.
There was only one thing that could be compared.
‘Is it lineage again…’
In particular, it might be the lineage-obsessed Choi WuJae’s selfishness.
“Be respectful. I can clearly see what you think.”
“…I am sorry, sir.”
“Well, I like that about you and so I hold you by my side. Do you still believe that you can beat my lineages and take this place?”
“I don’t think it is impossible if the chairman gives me a chance.”
“There’s nothing to do without giving it a chance. If there is something you can’t handle, you don’t even deserve this seat.”
Whether it was compliment or disregard, Kim PilDu smiled at the unknown words.
It was because he understood correctly the meaning of words that were not easily understood by others.
“You flatter me, sir.”
“Anyway, put a few people on YuSeong’s side.”
“Shall we watch him? Or protect him?”
Choi WuJae gave a gift.
The meaning was by no means small.
Besides the brothers and sisters of Choi YuSeong, who were paying a lot of attention to Choi WuJae’s actions, would soon get the news.
There was no way they could stay still.
Choi YuSeong, who had been looking funny and easy, received a gift.
Considering that some of the brothers and sisters had not yet received a gift even once, it was a surprise.
Of course, some of them wouldn’t just watch the situation.
“Protect? That’s ridiculous. His life is his responsibility. Unlike the old me, shouldn’t that young bastard know how to taste the bitterness of life.”
Choi WuJae, with a smirk, shook his head and got up from the seat.
***
He did not want to taste bitterness.
Choi YuSeong vowed as he put the gift from Choi WuJae in front of him after returning to his house and went to his room.
‘I want to live by sucking honey properly, an opportunity to reverse my entire life.’
If someone said that he must know hardships to experience real life, he would have raised a middle finger and shouted confidently.
‘You please work hard.6 Because I will live easily and comfortably all my life.’
Since he was an orphan, he had already experienced the hardship of hardships.
Even after possessed the body of Choi YuSeong, who was the third generation of a conglomerate, there were not just flower paths.
But what was the need to pledge to work hard?
“Really. I want to live easily.”
Choi YuSeong, who breathed lightly with the wind, opened the lid of the wooden box received from Choi WuJae.
A smile comes to his lips immediately after he checked the content.
“I knew it.”
The expected and desired gift was in it.
A stone with the size of a child’s palm that emitted a purple glow.
Choi YuSeong was already well aware of the stone’s identity, which was not normal just by looking at it.
“Awakening Stone.”
In this world, there was a type of crack that was called a dungeon.
And the creatures living in the dungeon were often called monsters, coexisted by bringing crises and opportunities to the Earth at the same time.
The reason why dungeons, where monsters that threatened the general human’s life, could be an opportunity was simple.
‘Because it contributes to the development of the earth.’
It was a miserable story, but wars brought progress.
The dungeons within the crack, the survival fights with monsters, and the resulting by-products completely changed the life paradigm of human civilization.
Those who existed at the center of the battlefield were often referred to as Awakeners.
‘Although the majority of cases were natural awakening.’
About 5 years before the starting story background of “The Master Who Returned To Modern Times”, Awakening Stone was discovered for the first time among dungeon by-products.
As the name suggests, this stone could make ordinary humans awakened.
It was a revolution.
Originally, awakened person was an existence who was suddenly born in an abnormal phenomenon that could not be understood after the crack appeared.
However, in this world where Awakeners were valued high, an object that could artificially create Awakeners was born.
Many research institutes in each country started the study of awakening stone.
The main purpose was clear.
Mass production of Awakening Stones that could artificially create Awakeners.
If they succeeded, they would be able to acquire military power that never existed until now, which was different from the Awakeners army.
From the standpoint of countries, it was a big event in which national power could be controlled.
However even now, 5 years later, there had been no progress in the study.
‘After about 5 years from now, at a research institute in the United States, some genius scientist eventually uncovered the mechanism of the Awakening Stone.’
And three years later, the United States produced the world’s first Awakening Stones, solidifying its position as the world’s most powerful nation.
But it was literally a story in the distant future.
‘That’s why it’s stupid to just keep watching.’
Crisis and opportunity came together.
There was nothing more appropriate than this expression in Choi YuSeong’s current situation.
‘It may seem a little bad, but if I can just improve, Choi YuSeong’s position is a good side.’
A third-generation conglomerate.
And again, Choi YuSeong knew the future.
‘That genius American scientist. Please wait a little bit.’
He would eat it as soon as he was ready.
Choi YuSeong’s tongue grazed over his lips.
When he left Choi WuJae’s room, Choi YuSeong felt questions.
Was it a success? Was it a failure?
In the car on the way home, Choi YuSeong finally knew the answer.
‘I can think of it as half a success.’
Anyway, he definitely got at least a little bit of expectation from Choi WuJae.
But then again, his last words were important.
‘Prove that it’s not just empty words.’
Maybe that was the true meaning of the gift that Choi WuJae gave.
‘No, it’s for sure.’
Show change through what was given and the received gift.
If he rejoiced just from the gift he received, the hard-earned Choi WuJae’s expectation would disappear in an instant like a lamp in front of the wind.
In other words, the gift was also Choi WuJae’s next test.
‘This can’t be the first and last gift.’
Of course, Choi YuSeong didn’t feel bad at all about Choi WuJae’s attitude.
It could be said as pushing the start button.
As there was a saying that starting was halfway to finishing something, the fact that he should go ahead first was also important.
‘Still, I shouldn’t be slowing down. From Choi WuJae’s personality, he won’t give the test directly. Kim PilDu… There is a high probability that he will move.’
The voices of the two siblings were heard toward Choi YuSeong, who was organizing his thoughts with both eyes frowned.
“It was very surprising. Young master.”
“It’s a gift from the Chairman! Amazing!”1
The two people’s facial expressions and eyes had a very similar feeling as if to assure that they were siblings.
The difference was that Jin YuRi’s cheeks turned red with excitement, and Jin DoYun went further to the point his shoulders were shaking slightly to see if he was thrilled.
His hand holding the steering wheel2 looks a little cute.
‘Delight… No, is it touched?’
It was not the moment when a baby just talked for the first time for them to felt that touched. But seeing that appearance, the stiff expression of Choi YuSeong melted like snows melting.
He thought about many things, that it was a new test, that he should do better in the future. But in the end, Choi YuSeong received a gift from Choi WuJae.
“Actually, when young master first came out of the room, I thought my heart would stop. Maybe you suffered something unexpected…”
The appearance of Choi YuSeong, who walked staggering as his complexion became pale and drenched in sweat, was a difficult situation to even speak to.
Because of this, Jin DoYun and Jin YuRi chose to go behind and supported him without any words.
Fortunately, Choi YuSeong’s breathing stabilized at a rapid pace and had the current face complexion even though he had a rather stiff face for about 30 minutes.
And when they about to left the house, Kim PilDu handed Choi WuJae’s gift to Choi YuSeong.
It was a feeling that what both were worried about came as a greater reward than their thought.
“If it doesn’t bother you, can I ask what conversation you have?”
Jin YuRi asked with sparkling curious eyes between her fluttering expressions.
‘She’s indeed different from her brother.’
She was inquisitive and tried to grasp the situation.
Thanks to her good insight, Jin YuRi had a high probability of becoming the most reliable ally in everything Choi YuSeong would do in the future.
“… I said I don’t want to die.”
Because of that, Choi YuSeong answered Jin YuRi honestly.
A sad look passed by briefly on the siblings’ somewhat excited expressions.
It was because they knew better than anyone else, the meaning contained in Choi YuSeong’s short words he just spoke was by no means simple.
The life of Choi YuSeong, who was no other than just a lucky, blessed, profligate good-for-nothing in the eyes of others, was not as sweet as it seems.
“I’m serious. So, both of you continue to help me out as before like now. I’ll entrust it to you.”3
Choi YuSeong showed a soft smile as he read the sincerity in the eyes of the two.
If Choi WuJae was still a distant ally, the Jin siblings were already close allies.
Because of this, Choi YuSeong thought that he should tell them his sincerity without hiding.
“… Absolutely.”
“I will risk my life and follow you.”
With that, the two showed a reliable look toward Choi YuSeong without much backlash.
‘What a relief.’
He fell into this strange faraway world, but he was not alone.
There was no need to carry all of the luggage by himself.
No matter how much Choi YuSeong was vicious and knows the contents of the original novel, he was not a perfect human.
‘It might not be a problem to rest a little.’
The tension suddenly relieved and unbearable drowsiness began to come to Choi YuSeong, who found relief in his heart.
“I’ll… have a nap. Wake me up when we arrive.”
With those words, Choi YuSeong fell into a deep sleep holding the wooden box, the gift from Choi WuJae, in both hands.
“Take a rest. You’ve worked hard.”
Jin Yuri, who showed a soft smile while watching his appearance, covered the blanket she was holding on to Choi YuSeong.
“It’s so sudden. I don’t know what’s actually, but…”
“I think young master has changed.”
After taking her gaze away from Choi YuSeong, Jin YuRi looked at Jin DoYun and smiles.
“It feels so good, right?”
“… tell me, what to do.”
“Shall we have a celebration party later?”
“Nice. I’ll pay for it.”
“That’s cheap, gonna do it alone? It’s the same for me, being happy.”4
It would be nice if Choi YuSeong was exactly the same as today.
A thick smile appears on the lips of the Jin siblings, who similarly thought this way.
Until this time, the two had no idea.
Choi YuSeong’s change had just taken root.
***
The family home of the Choi family, where Choi YuSeong left.
Choi WuJae, who sat at the desk in the office where the quiet silence fell, brought his nose closer to the rising steam after receiving a teacup handed by the nearby Kim PilDu.
“The scent is not bad.”
“It’s a brewed tea from Altain tea leaves harvested in a 6th-grade dungeon. Both taste and scent should be good, but actually, it is below the standard compared to the price on the market.”
“It doesn’t need to have a good scent. Because the value of Altain tea leaves is that it’s rare. It’s obvious that’s the minds of those who buy something like this anyway.”
Choi WuJae, who drank tea to lighten his throat, frowned on the taste.
“Bitter. It’s better to just drink the citron tea available at home.”
“The older you are, the more sweets you seem to be looking for.”
“Thirty years ago, I believed that if you can enjoy bitter tastes, you can mature. But now I think a little differently. If I can only see sweet tastes, do I need to taste bitter?”
Choi WuJae, who laughed low, put the teacup down like throwing it.
“It’s a contradiction. Did not you just hand a present to YuSeong, sir?”
In response to the ensuing question from Kim PilDu, Choi WuJae’s lips and eyes soared profoundly.
At first glance he seemed angry, but it looked like a smiling expression in a way.
“Isn’t him my child?”5
“There are ten of the child.”
“It’s a boring story. No place doesn’t hurt because of a bite out of ten fingers.”
“It will only taste bitter in the end.”
Like Choi WuJae, Kim PilDu, who brought the brewed Altain tea, put his mouth on the teacup and tilted his head as if he did not understand.
“Do you want to enjoy the bitter taste again?”
“As I said, I like sweets.”
Choi WuJae shook his head and spoke firmly.
A faint light poured out of Kim PilDu’s eyes, covered with steam from the tea.
In fact, he just narrowly crossed the line by repeating and went back to the previous conversation.
The point of the question itself was a situation in which it could seem to be blaming the majority.
Choi WuJae did not get angry however.
Rather, it seemed quite enjoyable.
Kim PilDu was proud that he had watched Choi WuJae more than anyone else for a long time.
“… I think that kid will be going beyond my expectations.”
“Heheu…”
Choi WuJae smiled and feigned indifference.
“In the beginning, there can be no one who has no potential. He is a child of me and ‘her’. In terms of natural lineage, he is no less than JiHo. It’s just his deeds in the meantime are rather incomprehensible.”
It was a name that was mentioned after a long time.
Choi YuSeong’s mother and the eldest son, Choi JiHo.
Kim PilDu’s eyes sank coldly.
Among them, Kim PilDu knew only bits of Choi YuSeong’s mother, who had already left this world.
On the other hand, he knew quite well about Choi JiHo.
He was now lying in sickbed due to an accident, but if he had grown steadily, he would surely succeed Choi WuJae.
His natural character and charisma were so outstanding, that even until now there were quite a few people in the group who supported Choi JiHo when he had completely retired from the succession race.
Such Choi JiHo was compared to the good-for-nothing Choi YuSeong.
Actually, Kim PilDu thought it was stupid and did not make any sense.
Even though it was said that Choi YuSeong showed more than expected, it was impossible to mention Choi JiHo’s name.
There was only one thing that could be compared.
‘Is it lineage again…’
In particular, it might be the lineage-obsessed Choi WuJae’s selfishness.
“Be respectful. I can clearly see what you think.”
“…I am sorry, sir.”
“Well, I like that about you and so I hold you by my side. Do you still believe that you can beat my lineages and take this place?”
“I don’t think it is impossible if the chairman gives me a chance.”
“There’s nothing to do without giving it a chance. If there is something you can’t handle, you don’t even deserve this seat.”
Whether it was compliment or disregard, Kim PilDu smiled at the unknown words.
It was because he understood correctly the meaning of words that were not easily understood by others.
“You flatter me, sir.”
“Anyway, put a few people on YuSeong’s side.”
“Shall we watch him? Or protect him?”
Choi WuJae gave a gift.
The meaning was by no means small.
Besides the brothers and sisters of Choi YuSeong, who were paying a lot of attention to Choi WuJae’s actions, would soon get the news.
There was no way they could stay still.
Choi YuSeong, who had been looking funny and easy, received a gift.
Considering that some of the brothers and sisters had not yet received a gift even once, it was a surprise.
Of course, some of them wouldn’t just watch the situation.
“Protect? That’s ridiculous. His life is his responsibility. Unlike the old me, shouldn’t that young bastard know how to taste the bitterness of life.”
Choi WuJae, with a smirk, shook his head and got up from the seat.
***
He did not want to taste bitterness.
Choi YuSeong vowed as he put the gift from Choi WuJae in front of him after returning to his house and went to his room.
‘I want to live by sucking honey properly, an opportunity to reverse my entire life.’
If someone said that he must know hardships to experience real life, he would have raised a middle finger and shouted confidently.
‘You please work hard.6 Because I will live easily and comfortably all my life.’
Since he was an orphan, he had already experienced the hardship of hardships.
Even after possessed the body of Choi YuSeong, who was the third generation of a conglomerate, there were not just flower paths.
But what was the need to pledge to work hard?
“Really. I want to live easily.”
Choi YuSeong, who breathed lightly with the wind, opened the lid of the wooden box received from Choi WuJae.
A smile comes to his lips immediately after he checked the content.
“I knew it.”
The expected and desired gift was in it.
A stone with the size of a child’s palm that emitted a purple glow.
Choi YuSeong was already well aware of the stone’s identity, which was not normal just by looking at it.
“Awakening Stone.”
In this world, there was a type of crack that was called a dungeon.
And the creatures living in the dungeon were often called monsters, coexisted by bringing crises and opportunities to the Earth at the same time.
The reason why dungeons, where monsters that threatened the general human’s life, could be an opportunity was simple.
‘Because it contributes to the development of the earth.’
It was a miserable story, but wars brought progress.
The dungeons within the crack, the survival fights with monsters, and the resulting by-products completely changed the life paradigm of human civilization.
Those who existed at the center of the battlefield were often referred to as Awakeners.
‘Although the majority of cases were natural awakening.’
About 5 years before the starting story background of “The Master Who Returned To Modern Times”, Awakening Stone was discovered for the first time among dungeon by-products.
As the name suggests, this stone could make ordinary humans awakened.
It was a revolution.
Originally, awakened person was an existence who was suddenly born in an abnormal phenomenon that could not be understood after the crack appeared.
However, in this world where Awakeners were valued high, an object that could artificially create Awakeners was born.
Many research institutes in each country started the study of awakening stone.
The main purpose was clear.
Mass production of Awakening Stones that could artificially create Awakeners.
If they succeeded, they would be able to acquire military power that never existed until now, which was different from the Awakeners army.
From the standpoint of countries, it was a big event in which national power could be controlled.
However even now, 5 years later, there had been no progress in the study.
‘After about 5 years from now, at a research institute in the United States, some genius scientist eventually uncovered the mechanism of the Awakening Stone.’
And three years later, the United States produced the world’s first Awakening Stones, solidifying its position as the world’s most powerful nation.
But it was literally a story in the distant future.
‘That’s why it’s stupid to just keep watching.’
Crisis and opportunity came together.
There was nothing more appropriate than this expression in Choi YuSeong’s current situation.
‘It may seem a little bad, but if I can just improve, Choi YuSeong’s position is a good side.’
A third-generation conglomerate.
And again, Choi YuSeong knew the future.
‘That genius American scientist. Please wait a little bit.’
He would eat it as soon as he was ready.
Choi YuSeong’s tongue grazed over his lips.
