Chapter 49

Late one evening, inside Jang Han-bit’s mansion.

Park Jae-hyun, who had thought their business was finished for the day, was summoned again and returned to the mansion.

“You called for me.”

“Here. Take this.”

Jang Han-bit casually poured a drink—one of those million-won bottles.

As always, Park Jae-hyun accepted the glass, then set it down without drinking.

“The one we got this time is especially expensive. You can drink it.”

“I still have work to do.”

“Well, if that’s the case, I won’t force you.”

“Thank you.”

True to the man who loved his liquor, Jang Han-bit took a large gulp right away.

“Khaaa~”

A smile spread across his lips, as if it tasted good no matter how many times he drank it.

“Today’s my one day off. I called you because I plan to finish all our meetings today, so I hope you understand.”

“You can call me anytime.”

“The experiment. When will it be complete?”

“I believe we’ll have all the materials in about a week. Since we’re acquiring them according to progress, the experiment itself should be complete within a week at the latest.”

“Good! Very good!”

Perhaps because he’d been drinking since the afternoon, the redness in Jang Han-bit’s face hadn’t faded.

If anything, he looked far more intoxicated than he had during the day.

“Since the experiment is nearing completion, there’s something I’d like to ask.”

“What is it? Go on.”

“The experiment is scheduled to finish in about a week. I was wondering when we should have the current laborers and related personnel stop working.”

Park Jae-hyun was deeply involved in the experiment.

This experiment was meant to forcibly open a Dungeon.

If it failed, or if it succeeded and a Dungeon actually opened, ordinary civilians—people who had never set foot in a Dungeon or the Tower—would be placed in extreme danger.

It was a natural question born of that concern.

But the answer he received left him utterly bewildered.

“Stop the work? Huh? Why would we do that?”

“If it succeeds and a Dungeon opens, all the civilians will either die or suffer injuries equivalent to death.”

“Right. So I’m telling why we would stop.”

“Excuse me…?”

A look of genuine confusion appeared on Jang Han-bit’s face, his eyes slightly unfocused.

Park Jae-hyun’s eyebrows twitched.

He’d explained it in the clearest terms possible.

Yet Jang Han-bit’s expression still looked like he didn’t understand, so Park Jae-hyun assumed, ‘He must be drunk,’ and tried again.

“If it succeeds and a Dungeon opens—”

“You’re saying the laborers and personnel will die or get seriously injured. Why are you repeating yourself? You’re wasting your breath. I heard you.”

“…!?”

Park Jae-hyun’s expression darkened.

A dreadful suspicion crept into his mind.

“Then…”

“Right. I’m asking what that has to do with anything.”

The dread became reality.

Only then did he understand Jang Han-bit’s expression.

‘That look…’

Now that he saw it clearly, it wasn’t the look of someone who needed an explanation.

It was the look of someone wondering why he was being asked something so obvious.

‘He’s a demon…’

He knew people would die.

And yet he was annoyed, as if the question itself were trivial.

“Whether the experiment succeeds or fails, the work continues exactly as it is now. It’s my money running the experiment, and my money running the site. I don’t see why I should pay to give people a day off.”

“Is… that so.”

“Of course!”

Unseen by Jang Han-bit, Park Jae-hyun’s face contorted for a brief moment—then returned to normal.

“Excellent! One week, khuhuhu. Not much time left! I’m going to take a leap forward, too! I’m going to soar!”

“May I be excused now?”

Finding it difficult to remain beside the cheerfully intoxicated man any longer, Park Jae-hyun stood.

As he bowed ninety degrees, a wide-open briefcase slid into view.

“Th-this is…”

The amount inside was incomparable to what he’d received before.

Even a rough estimate put it somewhere between one and two billion won.

“I hear your guild’s membership and size have grown quite a bit, right? The Land Cleaning Guild is just as important as the Dungeons. The Dungeons are a leap of faith for the Azure Lake Guild and me, and the Land Cleaning Guild is the business card we’ll present to the Azure Lake Guild in the future.”

For a moment, Park Jae-hyun’s expression brightened at the sheer sum.

But perhaps because of their earlier exchange, concern quickly settled back into his face.

“Do a good job, Park Jae-hyun. The Azure Lake Guild will swallow Busan whole. And when it rises to the top, we’ll be right there beside it.”

“Yes… I understand.”

“Just think about yourself. This world is so harsh that if you think about others, you’ll be the one to fall. And if you fall, what happens then? Everything you’re carrying on your shoulders… would it be okay if all that came crashing down?”

Park Jae-hyun’s fists clenched.

The deliberation was short.

The action was swift.

Thump!

After finishing the bow, he lifted his head with the briefcase now neatly closed in his hand.

“Khukhuk. Well then, get to work.”

“I will proceed with what you’ve entrusted to me as quickly as possible.”

“See you in a week.”

Holding the briefcase, the look in Park Jae-hyun’s eyes shifted.

Before leaving, he glanced at the glass he’d set down earlier.

“May I drink this?”

As if it amused him, Jang Han-bit laughed heartily and gestured for him to go ahead.

Park Jae-hyun downed the strong liquor in one go, set the glass down, and bowed ninety degrees once more.

Then, without hesitation, he picked up the briefcase and walked out of the mansion.

“Putting on such noble airs.”

= = =

At the same time, Hyuk-min—having decided to share a rare dinner with his family—took out the Devil’s Haven.

“Son~ Hurry up and come out. Your father’s waiting.”

“Okay~ Just a second.”

At his mother’s call, Hyuk-min cracked his door open and began setting the territory.

[Territory has been set.]

[The passive Skill ‘Secret Space’ of ‘Devil’s Haven’ has been activated.]

[Permitted beings for ‘Devil’s Haven’ have been set.]

[Notifications have been turned OFF according to user settings.]

All settings complete.

The diamond, which had been a murky gray, turned as clear as an ordinary diamond.

It seemed the color reflected the activation state of the passive skill.

“Your sister’s out too~ Hurry up. We’re just waiting for you, son~”

“Sorry, just a moment.”

After confirming everything, Hyuk-min pushed the Devil’s Haven deep into a hollow he’d prepared inside his bed.

Then he opened the window and looked outside.

“Achoo!”

He faked a sneeze.

A passerby startled and looked around.

Hyuk-min waved and coughed louder.

But the territory had been set properly.

The passerby couldn’t spot him and hurried away in fright, as if they’d seen a ghost.

The Secret Space had been established successfully.

‘Good.’

Satisfied, Hyuk-min closed the window, straightened his clothes, and pulled a white envelope from his Inventory before heading to the living room.

===

“Wow, how long has it been since the whole family had dinner together?”

Throughout the meal, his father’s smile never faded.

His family seemed especially happy with Hyuk-min’s changed demeanor.

“Try this too. It’s delicious.”

“I can get it myself.”

“Hey, it tastes better when you eat it like this.”

His mother kept piling food onto him, so the rice in Hyuk-min’s bowl disappeared quickly while hers barely moved.

What did it feel like to be full just by watching someone else eat?

Hyuk-min didn’t know that feeling well, but judging by her untouched bowl, his mother seemed to be feeling it now.

“So! I hear our son’s been working lately. How is it?”

Hyuk-min often ate out and sometimes didn’t come home.

In most households, he’d have been scolded, but because his family had lived through something unusual, they were simply happy he had a life outside the home.

“Yes. It’s fun.”

“What kind of work is it? You didn’t even tell your mom.”

“It’s a company that does all sorts of on-site work. I’m learning as I go, and they pay a lot for overtime, so it’s fun.”

“It’s fun? Hohohoho.”

“Hahahaha.”

His parents were overjoyed at the simple words ‘it’s fun.’

Watching them, Hyuk-min felt happiness spread through him, and a smile formed naturally.

But as that happiness swelled, regret from his past life stabbed deeper.

‘Why couldn’t I have been like this back then…’

Just eating a meal together.

Going to work.

Saying work was fun.

These were the most ordinary parts of living in the world.

Yet his family drew such overwhelming joy from them.

That alone filled Hyuk-min with apology.

The brighter his happiness became, the heavier the guilt for his past mistakes grew.

Time he had thrown away—without even feeling the bare minimum happiness others took for granted—pounded against his chest.

‘I’m so sorry.’

His spoon stopped.

The warmth of his family laughing and chatting choked him, and tears spilled out.

“Oh? What’s wrong? Are you okay, son?”

“What is it? Is something wrong at work? You can quit if it’s too hard. It might be good to rest for a while.”

In the suddenly tense atmosphere, Hyuk-min forced a bright, blooming smile.

“No. I’m just happy. And I feel sorry too… wondering why I couldn’t be like this before.”

“Son…?”

“Are you sure you’re okay, son?”

“Ah. Right.”

Wiping his tears with his sleeve, Hyuk-min took out the white envelopes he’d hidden.

He handed one to his mother and one to his father.

“What’s this?”

With a proud smile, he declared to his curious parents.

“They say you’re supposed to give your first paycheck to your parents. It’s not a full paycheck yet, but I wanted to give it to the parents who gave birth to me and raised me.”

Each envelope held 800,000 won.

He wanted to stuff them with far more, but he didn’t want to worry them.

He knew that if he gave them too much, they’d be more anxious than happy.

“Why so much? No, it’s okay. I can’t accept this.”

“No way. That’s too much. Just give me half. Our son needs money too. This is money our son earned with hard work.”

As expected, they worried about their son more than they rejoiced.

Both parents waved their hands, trying to return the envelopes.

Considering how much he could make in a day…

These were people who fretted over a mere 800,000 won out of concern for him.

He didn’t want to give them another reason to worry.

“Please accept it without refusing. What are you going to do if you’re already like this? I’m going to keep giving you money from now on.”

“No! No, then we’ll just say we received it. Save it, save it.”

His father tried to refuse until the end, but his quick-witted mother cut in.

“No. Just accept it.”

“Just accept it?”

“But son, let’s make one promise. I’ll take it this time. But from now on, don’t give it to us. Do as your father says and save it. Got it?”

Only then did his father nod firmly, as if agreeing.

Hyuk-min wanted to say, ‘No, I’ll keep giving it to you.’

But he knew his mother well, so he stepped back.

“Okay. But I can still give you spending money sometimes, right?”

“Not as much as this.”

“Okay.”

He smiled.

In that moment, he truly felt how wonderful his parents were.

He lifted his spoon again and ate the most delicious kimchi stew in the world.

“It’s so good. I want to eat this every day.”

“Oh my. I’m being sentimental too.”

His mother suddenly wiped her tears with her sleeve.

Her face was smiling brightly, but tears streamed down endlessly.

Having lived a long time, Hyuk-min knew what those were.

Tears of joy.

“It’s because I’m happy. So happy. My son is all grown up, working like everyone else, and giving me an allowance from his first paycheck. I’m so happy.”

“Mom…”

His sister, who must have been holding it in, wiped her tears as well.

“Why am I like this? It’s because Mom is crying.”

She was the younger sister who had tried to become the head of the family after their parents died.

Knowing better than anyone how much she cherished their family, Hyuk-min patted her back.

The dinner, suddenly a sea of tears, needed a change of mood.

Hyuk-min raised his hand to get everyone’s attention and made a fuss.

“Alright! That’s enough! If you keep going, it’s hard on me. It’ll look like my family is like this because of me.”

“That’s right. You stop too, and Sena, you stop as well. If we’re going to cry from happiness, we’ll have to cry every day now. Will we even have any tears left?”

His father’s single line changed the atmosphere more effectively than a hundred of Hyuk-min’s words.

“Hahahaha.”

Everyone laughed.

Hyuk-min was happy.

And for the first time—

He had spent time with his family, happily, without any worries.

‘I’m happy.’

Many people live while forgetting their family’s love.

Because family is there no matter what.

It feels comfortable. It feels obvious.

But people who take it for granted don’t know.

That what those who lose it truly want is the short time they once treated as nothing.

It’s a short time that doesn’t last forever.

So I… will do everything I can to protect this time.

And Hyuk-min made that promise again, deep in his heart.

===

The dinner, filled with both tears and laughter, finally came to an end.

Knock, knock, knock.

Hyuk-min went to his sister’s room and quietly closed the door behind him.

When the door clicked shut, she looked at him, curious.

“What’s up?”

“I came to give you an allowance too.”

“Really!?”

Sena, in this world, was still a young girl who hadn’t experienced unbearable pain.

Hyuk-min never wanted to see the version of her that matured too early, forced into acting like the head of the family again.

“Here.”

“Huh? What’s this?”

“A beautiful gift from an older brother to his little sister.”

“It’s a card?”

From now on, Sena would grow as she should.

Without want, in abundance.

“If there’s anything you need, use it freely.”

“Oooh~ Even college tuition?”

A smile formed naturally.

That was exactly what Hyuk-min wanted.

“Of course.”

“Hey, do you even know how much college costs?”

“No matter how much it is, it’ll go through. That’s why I’m telling you to spend without worrying.”

“Thanks, oppa~”

So happy that she rushed over and hugged him tightly.

It was the first time since she entered middle school.

Maybe because of that, Hyuk-min cleared his throat as she awkwardly pulled away.

“Ahem. College tuition is really fine, so swipe it. If there’s something you want, just swipe, swipe. Got it?”

“Okay. I’m really going to swipe it.”

“Good. I gave it to you to swipe. Anyway, I’m going. Swipe at least once a day. You’ll be in trouble if you don’t because you’re trying to save.”

“Okay~”

As he closed the door and stepped out, his parents were looking at him with fond smiles.

Embarrassed, Hyuk-min hurried back to his room and shut the door.

Lying on his bed, a smile spread naturally across his lips.

‘I wonder if Sena knows.’

That the check card he told her to use freely had over a hundred million won in it.

“Hmph.”

Not wanting to show the storm of joy rushing over him, he buried his face into his pillow.

(T/N: Why cant we get more of these kind of chapters, author-nim?)

===

Hyuk-min’s expression turned serious again.

‘This is the beginning. I’m going to turn everything back.’

Just because the regrets he carried toward his family had eased didn’t mean everything was over.

If anything, it meant the real beginning had arrived.

He opened his notebook.

On the first line, the key event was written clearly.

The name on his father’s work uniform at dinner.

[Jisu Construction]

Less than a week remained until the incident that had taken everything from Hyuk-min.

One of the last regrets tied to his family.

‘June 5th.’

Hyuk-min clenched his fist tightly and vowed.

No matter what.

Somehow.

He would resolve the regrets of that day.