Even if Chairman On Suhyeong was a reasonable man you could talk to, On Jurim was the kind of bastard who lived like the rest of the world didn’t exist. The kind you couldn’t predict. The kind you feared just because you couldn’t guess what he might do.
Hunter Association President Ahn Seonyeong bit her lip, thinking of Jurim.
She remembered laughing way too loud not long ago when she heard the rumor that Gu Shinhoo, always such a smug little rat—careful where he sat and who he insulted—had said the wrong thing in front of Jurim’s adopted daughter and got absolutely humiliated by the On family.
It was just a rumor, sure...
But Jurim’s been quiet...
Contrary to her worries, he wasn’t even here. Maybe he didn’t really care about the adopted daughter after all?
Frankly, she couldn’t even imagine Jurim doting on a kid. Maybe that’s why Chairman On had stepped in personally.
That thought gave her some relief. If you had to choose between dealing with a terrifying man and a lunatic, you always chose the terrifying man.
“Chairman On, I’m terribly sorry, but if we can reach a settlement, we’re fully prepared to offer generous terms.”
The lawyer hired by Ahn Seonyeong wrote a number on a sheet of paper and showed it to her. She nodded.
Then the lawyer slid the paper across to Guru’s attorney.
After confirming the number, her attorney passed it to Suhyeong—but without even glancing at it, he slid it right back.
“I don’t know how many more times I need to say it. My granddaughter doesn’t want to settle.”
Everyone on the other side of the table turned to stare at Guru.
Suhyeong gave her shoulder a firm pat, as if to give her strength. Guru lifted her eyebrows and spoke bravely:
“Gwuu not gonna settow.”
They’d told her if you settled, the bad scammer wouldn’t be punished.
So it didn’t matter how much money they offered. From the moment that rotten scammer said two million won was chump change the second they met, Guru had already made up her mind.
It wasn’t just about the money—Guru wanted a real apology.
Gwuu worked so hawd to make dat money...
When they asked how much she could pay for the request, she’d dumped every last Onion Coin she’d saved.
That added up to two million won.
It wasn’t like the twenty billion she made out of nowhere at the auction.
She remembered every moment of scraping together that money.
The feeling of the tricycle pedals under her feet as seen through the monitor, the heat of the dungeon, the humidity inside a teddy bear...
She’d run away from nasty customers who tried to haggle her down by throwing tantrums, and even got shaken down when one grabbed her by the scruff, yelling, “Is this even a real doll?!”
Inside pitch-black dungeons, dealing with scary adults who kept their voices low hadn’t been easy either.
But she couldn’t give up.
Because someday, ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) she wanted to tell Mommy and Daddy to live together with her.
And that jerk just snatched it all away and had the nerve to say it was “nothing” and they’d just “throw in a bit more”?
It was wrong.
At the very least, he should’ve been bowing his head, begging for forgiveness!
Wotten viwwain!
As her anger steadily climbed, the sleazy-looking opposing lawyer offered a greasy smile.
“Miss Guru, if you take a look here, this amount is more than what was stolen. The Association President made sure to include extra, knowing how hurt you must’ve felt. Wouldn’t that ease your heart, just a little?”
As he tried to hand the sheet to Guru, Suhyeong blocked him with a firm hand.
“I’d advise against speaking to my granddaughter directly while offering her pocket change.”
“A-ah, of course. My apologies, Chairman On.”
Pocket change, he says... This was going to be rough.
The lawyer gave a slight nod and gestured toward Ham Honggi.
Honggi took out a card from his wallet and handed it over.
What’s that? Guru’s eyes widened. It looked familiar.
The lawyer placed the Hunter License card on the table and slid it forward.
“As you can see, Mr. Ham Honggi is a B-Rank Awakened and a member of the Brom Guild.”
The lawyer from Han River leaned toward Suhyeong and Guru, whispering quietly:
“Ham Honggi’s sister-in-law is Chun Gyuri.”
Chun Gyuri—Rank 2 Hunter. She was the Guildmaster of Brom, one of the three major guilds, and daughter-in-law to the President of the Hunter Association.
The opposing lawyer continued.
“Since Mr. Ham is an Awakened, this case falls under the Special Law for Awakened. If we deposit a settlement and complete community service hours, this minor offense likely won’t even result in a fine. We have several options we can use, but this is our way of showing utmost sincerity.”
Suhyeong glanced at their attorney, silently asking if this was true.
She looked over the Hunter License card and whispered:
“The Special Law for Awakened is extremely favorable toward Awakened individuals. It offers a lot more leniency than for civilians...”
Only the Awakened could enter dungeons.
Because of their unique role, the special law had been designed to give where it had to give, and take where it could take.
That attitude he had—so smug—he clearly knew he had backup.
And that backup wasn’t just legal.
“Also, Mr. Ham Honggi’s father is Representative Ham Jinpyeong. Their family’s all in law. Ham Jinpyeong himself was a judge.”
What they were really saying: with that kind of network, pushing this all the way to court would just be a giant headache. Ham Jinpyeong’s friends would probably settle it behind the scenes.
Seeing Guru and Suhyeong’s faces harden, the lawyer backpedaled, trying to change the mood.
“But if you leave it to us, we could definitely negotiate a higher settlement. They don’t want to drag this out, especially not with Doan on the other side. It’s a reputation thing.”
That was probably why they’d begged through every channel to set up this settlement meeting in the first place.
They didn’t want to ruin their relationship with the On family.
Normally, even if the request was a bit much, most people would accept it just to avoid making a scene.
“Then what about da apowogy?”
Guru’s question made the attorney glance toward Ham Honggi.
Could a jerk like that even offer an apology? Still, she straightened her back and said,
“Thirty percent more than your offer. And we want a formal apology from Mr. Ham Honggi.”
Ahn Seonyeong jabbed Honggi in the ribs.
“Honggi, I’ll reactivate your card. Apologize.”
“Really? For real this time? You promise, right? Lawyer heard it too? Mom? Lawyer-nim, you all heard it, right? You can’t go back on this, okay?”
His lawyer bit his lip with a face like the room was spinning. Ahn Seonyeong looked just as dizzy.
Meanwhile, Honggi beamed and said,
“Hey, kiddo. Sorry ‘bout that~ Consider it your first time doing business in the real world.”
Everyone in the room turned to stare at Ham Honggi in stunned silence.
Guru felt like someone was tapping a spoon on her head—dong, dong, dong.
But even under all those glares, Honggi’s mouth just kept running.
“You just handed over two mil based on a few words? That’s on you too. Don’t trust people so easily, okay?”
Guru’s jaw dropped and her shoulders trembled. Even a kindergartener would apologize better than this.
Hfff. Her breath grew shaky. Her tiny fists trembled with rage.
Guru’s wide, round eyes narrowed into sharp crescents as she glared at Ham Honggi.
“Say sowwy again. Pwopew one. Dat one was fake.”
“Whaaat, I said sorry already. Once my card’s back, Oppa can even toss in some extra. That’d be better for you, right?”
“Not bettew at aww!”
“You’ll get it when you’re older. Gotta take money when it’s on the table. My apology? I’ll convert it to cash. In capitalism, everything’s money. That’s what settlement payments are for, right, Lawyer-nim? Am I wrong?”
Why is the gun suddenly pointed at me? his lawyer’s head was spinning.
“No settow!”
Every word out of that guy’s mouth was a nuke. Ahn Seonyeong jumped in quickly.
“Guru, was it? Miss Guru, he might not show it well, but he’s really sorry deep down. He just doesn’t know how to say it right.”
Sorry? The Guildmastuh who skipped kindergarten could say sorry with more sincerity than this clown.
She couldn’t take it anymore.
Guru unzipped her backpack.

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