Chapter 195 – Conflict (1)
ck38AjKang Geom-Ma, bewildered, looked at the Swordmaster and Media. His eyes were wide open. Upon seeing him, the Swordmaster let out a warm laugh.zcumS1
GDf“Hahaha. Judging by your reaction, you must’ve completely forgotten.”j4qzzG
6iLDf“……”bqK7s0
Tofab“In times like this, you should celebrate like someone your age! No need to hold back just because adults are around!”thUseS
SdibKang Geom-Ma’s silence mingled with the Swordmaster’s laughter in the director’s office. That peculiar contrast filled the room for a moment, until the laughter slowly faded.Q7qH
nM4“…Ha ha.”bshw7
KdUA thick silence gently settled in the room. The Swordmaster looked at him with calm eyes. His face didn’t seem forced. In fact, it looked so sincere it almost seemed innocent.rQ5w0Xq
vOmIYyWith a hint of suspicion, the Swordmaster spoke.TlrN5DX
ElS5H“Kang Geom-Ma… don’t tell me… you really forgot about the Seven Stars succession?”990la7
U455wp“……”Mh7PT9G
nBkInstead of answering, Kang Geom-Ma stayed silent. Anything he said would only make things more awkward. Fortunately, the Swordmaster seemed to grasp the meaning behind his silence. His sincere laughter turned nervous.Utn
kWQeT“Ha… So you really did forget.”c0Exse
ydjR6w“…I’m sorry.”QTGaUry
RwsL“No need to apologize. Come to think of it, it makes sense. You’ve been through a lot lately. Since the Joaquin incident, and according to Altair, you also did a lot at the auction house. After so much, it’s only natural you forgot.”Qtmwy
vUnThe Swordmaster rubbed his brow with his thumb. He’d known for a while that Kang Geom-Ma had no interest in fame or glory.xDSbi
EzyqBut to forget something as significant as the Seven Stars succession ceremony… That only proved that, for him, helping others took precedence over titles.2enTt
m05WOUIn the few months he hadn’t seen him, the young man had ascended to a whole new dimension. The Swordmaster’s eyes were filled with respect.EwCvDes
BlVC‘For a transcendent hero like him, the title of Seven Stars must feel insignificant.’o2eTR
AghKang Geom-Ma’s divinity had already far surpassed his own. He might even be on par with the founding heroes. For someone like that, the title of Hero of the Seven Stars was like a firefly before the sun.rhtw
90zwcGIt was simply the position that best fit this era’s Kang Geom-Ma. There were no “what ifs,” but if he had been born in a time of war…Vmop8k
zaGpMeanwhile, Kang Geom-Ma, seated across from him, swallowed uncomfortably.Rupak
UwZC‘It looks like the Swordmaster is disappointed…’47yVe
S5K0U6CThat deep gaze was a clear sign of regret. And the reason was just what he’d said. So much had happened lately, he simply hadn’t had the time to think about the succession.u28RcT
0tq‘Come to think of it, I even stayed at his house during the break because of it.’Cd8Hg
Bn6RLAQAnd that was also why he had been absent from the academy, running around to prepare for the succession.mg7
PSbX6XxLooking back, he could understand the Swordmaster’s tired expression. After all that effort, the main figure had completely forgotten.a8U
vHJVd5GHe tried to find words to explain himself, but couldn’t bring himself to speak. Lying now would only make him feel terribly guilty.Pjug
eXcYfhThus, misunderstandings between the two men tangled in the air. And just when the atmosphere in the office was about to grow even heavier…0kvcbFk
yrN9Clap!5QFQoJ
1sjtyRMedia clapped her hands, drawing all eyes to her. With that motion, the tension in the room dispersed like wind. After refreshing the atmosphere, she quickly addressed the Swordmaster.xQh8w8
26TzZv“Whether or not our Kang Geom-Ma forgot isn’t the important part. The main reason for this meeting wasn’t just to announce the succession ceremony, right?”7WbBVq
5qwh7xA“Was there something else? I thought I already said everything I needed to… Argh!”aTj
Q7SA sound of flesh being pinched rang out from under the table. Media, still smiling, had grabbed his thigh tightly. Her eyes, curved like crescent moons, glared at him.R6ZNL
1ri‘Still planning to keep embarrassing our Kang Geom-Ma with your comments? Want to die?’BM6Nz
8zt6WA silent but clearly violent pressure to take the hint. From the muscular pain, the Swordmaster quickly corrected himself.DwNOp6
jnWw“Ha… I almost forgot the most important thing. My apologies. Ahem.”O7ZLr
KFW“See? That’s why I say old folks like you always forget what matters. Even now, hehe.”IMuZVy
7Dfy9At last, Media nodded in satisfaction. The Swordmaster ground his teeth, then let out a sigh of resignation.EzeBrE1
esI1hhoThanks to that, he remembered what he really wanted to warn Kang Geom-Ma about. While rubbing his surely bruised thigh, he resumed the conversation.RSjRo
Cvkg“To be honest, I hesitated to mention it, but I think it’s better that you know. The succession ceremony will go smoothly—unless there are variables.”J8Egz7Z
q1pHe placed special emphasis on the word “variables.” Seeing Kang Geom-Ma’s confused expression, the Swordmaster added.aTE8
FwiZGn“There are a few things I can say for sure. Regarding your succession as one of the Seven Stars, not many opposed it. Just a few puppets of the elders, and I’ve already dealt with them. It wasn’t pleasant… but Changseong helped.”uvwnnpn
RHRfLK7“Changseong… helped?”XiDkM
Nbs1s“Didn’t you notice? That guy supports anyone he acknowledges wholeheartedly. And he openly despises those he doesn’t. He’s always hounding those politicians and opportunists.”yPj
ss4smThis time was no different.zRUwkjz
kNaChangseong personally visited the opponents, spear in hand. The moment they saw the shining blade at their throats, they all surrendered. The corrupt can’t resist the strong. If they had guts, they wouldn’t be puppets of the elders.yIC
DTQDDThe Swordmaster clicked his tongue and frowned. In truth, Changseong’s intervention had been helpful. Sometimes, to those who won’t listen to reason, you have to speak through force. And Changseong was the best at that.aeM
LU93Not with words, but with fists. He’d always disliked that brutish style. That guy only knew how to solve things through raw power.cFGg
1BT2xMpBut the reason he now found it even more annoying was something else.c2h
0F5Eys‘Changseong… that guy has been watching Kang Geom-Ma very closely.’ZuzDHrp
M33He had anticipated it, but didn’t expect it to be this direct. Changseong, always so demanding, seemed to hold Kang Geom-Ma in very high regard.bVwb
rcq7yqi‘Damn meddler.’Eyxc
9eskThe Swordmaster felt an inexplicable sense of threat.2xZBajC
uwwHe wanted to remain the only “master” to Kang Geom-Ma. Assuming that peerless student even needed a master.aMu
o9AF9qAWas it just a selfish desire born of old age? But at the very least, he didn’t intend to give up that role to Changseong. Even if it meant crossing blades with him.tHg
puU1vp‘Man… I must’ve really gotten old.’VzOIkKC
kvpsHe used to frown at old men full of ambition. And without realizing it, he’d become one of them. He shook his head to dispel the thought.XQmTZ0T
WCyaIHJ“Anyway, with that, the number of opposing nobles has clearly dropped. The ceremony is progressing smoothly. But if there’s one single variable… it’s Saki Kojima, from House Zelkung.”K0sazs
iLZN4rKang Geom-Ma’s brows twitched slightly. He hadn’t expected that name to come up.3ffx
rorF“And there’s a reason for that, as the old man said.”25v3a
V4ZgJMedia took the floor right then. Her tone dropped, turning more serious.2amBDa
vgiL“Kang Geom-Ma, as you know, Kojima is also one of the Seven Stars. But on top of that, he’s the Prime Minister of Japan. That means his influence goes beyond the hero world. He holds sway in politics and economics too. The problem is… despite all that, he hasn’t said a word.”lMUeMa
ARFztMedia moistened her dry lips with water and raised her index finger to stress her next point.bAo
YffuFFO“I’ll be blunt, Kang Geom-Ma. You should avoid clashing with Kojima. If he decides to vote against you right before the ceremony… no one knows how it’ll shake things up. It’s not that the succession would be canceled, but rumors would spread fast.”o3k8CVv
UIDrv“…What kind of person is Kojima?”BXN
hdnVQ“If he were like the nobles or elders, you could handle him with pressure or force. But with him, that doesn’t work. He’d be more likely to commit seppuku than yield.”tON4
MCmRGbbHer expression darkened. Her heavy sigh said it all.YKm
RNu3hu“Honestly, Kojima wasn’t always like this. But after defeating the Sixth Corps Commander… he changed completely. Since then, he’s cut all contact, even with us—the other Seven Stars.”sGyuZt
bg9M“Was there a reason…?”rFDjg
i0Gw“That’s…”MDCJkU
SmAhcHMedia moved her lips but didn’t speak. The Swordmaster placed a hand on her shoulder, stopping her. He was the one who closed the conversation.fR5
7d7pZl“When someone loses something too important, sometimes they completely lose their way.”FxxSFj
bO0***3Zp1L6F
P7yA traditional Japanese house steeped in silence.q6c
EtvPIn the meticulously maintained garden of an adjacent building, a man strolled slowly with his hands clasped behind his back.1RJz2X
i8CHis face bore a contradictory mix—sharp as a blade, yet exuding a serene air. As he walked, a woman dressed in a traditional Japanese kimono cautiously approached him.cbSx
0ry“Father, your preparations for leaving the country in a few hours are complete.”U7hu
hu0The woman had addressed him as “father.” However, her respectful tone and hunched posture made it seem more like she was speaking to a superior than to a family member.2nip
LnYThe man slowly turned and fixed his gaze on her. When he finally spoke, he posed a question so absurd it chilled the air.Xvt1lA
1Pou“Hina, why do you call me father?”TWUOd
dydIn that instant, the garden’s atmosphere turned glacial. Saki Hina, the eldest daughter, felt a stinging humiliation but still bowed and apologized without showing emotion.5uXQ5CW
tXpu9Na“Forgive me, Prime Minister. It was an old childhood habit that slipped out unintentionally. Please, I beg your pardon.”0Fosc
sPOLKWQ“…”7sDPrCL
ujSxMThe man stared at her in silence, then looked away, as if she wasn’t even worth responding to.Bxfqnpo
KL29Faced with such utter disdain, Hina pressed her lips tightly together. Even that slight show of resistance was completely ignored.2g6h
nc8lZelkung, Saki Kojima.OifC
WFkThis man did not permit a “useless” child to even call him father. There was only one exception his youngest daughter, who was currently attending the academy.DGTmc
xlQhSaki Ryozo.G2blk4I
RtHHe acknowledged only Ryozo as his daughter. All others were trash. Paradoxically, Ryozo, the one who bore all his expectations, was the one who despised him the most.T5ndkG
Rj0No one in the family understood why. No one spoke to her. Even the few servants Ryozo had been close to were dismissed.U0g1
IDxq‘While the rest of us received constant scorn… that wretch…’vZn
TrtIt was natural for her siblings to resent her. No, in truth, they hated her. She scorned the recognition everyone else craved.n5z
h4iY4AIf only that wretch didn’t exist… If only he didn’t fixate on her… Perhaps then, the others would have a chance to take her place.lKc
2f2gwIQFamily? That wretch never considered them as such. And in politics, there’s no room for blood or tears. Relatives must be watched and excluded even more.Ikv67
m67aRUAt that moment, Zelkung spoke without looking at her.eBdd
wmgJ“The most important objective of the trip to Korea—how is that progressing?”oOxKjpm
wTpSaki Hina quickly composed herself and replied.Awy7lDA
snTb8“I’ve contacted the third daughter, but since she hasn’t responded, it seems she’s decided to ignore it.”4JKM7L
Rjt“I see.”IekSn7
ug16jCWith just those two words, Hina’s eyes turned red. If it had been her, she would have already been erased from the family registry. And all he says is “I see”?qM4Q5
zjJ7fAs her jaw trembled with rage, a face came to mind. The target of her father’s trip to Korea the Saint of Sashimi.zMJ
hh67A name that’s been making waves lately. And that wretch Ryozo had already been toying with him for some time. According to her network of informants, they were as close as glue.Tku1
RjeDPvShe had a keen eye for detail. Perhaps it wasn’t intentional, but thanks to that, the Prime Minister of Japan himself had decided to go in person. It was detestable in every way.lwey
DNBD8‘Wait a moment.’30J
PpBp1Suddenly, her boiling rage cooled. A sinister idea had formed in her mind a way to completely destroy that wretch Ryozo.3i7zJQ
Xcby2nA spark of malice flashed in Saki Hina’s eyes, and a cold smile spread across her lips.9M8
WfUlkSAs she recalled someone’s black hair, she departed for Nagoya Airport alongside Kojima.k6fycxU
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Haimiya_cutie.
MahayanaTrouble ahead.
Haimiya_cutie.
MahayanaThis whole family is messed up.