The Duke's Son :Re-Chapter 213

Chapter 213
“......”
The children oohed and awed at the views outside the car windows, only to fall silent.
Passersby holding their children’s hands, a part-time worker sweeping in front of a restaurant, a vendor setting up his stall, a businessman checking his wristwatch as he hurried along, elderly men sitting across from each other in front of a Go board...
Every single person on the street suddenly stopped what they were doing and stared at Jae-Hyeok’s car. It was as if they knew exactly who the incoming vans belonged to, and more specifically, which one carried Jae-Hyeok.
“Their speed of information sharing is extraordinary.”
Park Chang-Cheon sucked in his breath and checked Jae-Hyeok’s expression in the rearview mirror. There was a silent question in his eyes:
The Shinra family is so big and quick to respond. Will they really allow intruders inside?
Jae-Hyeok answered simply.
“The intruders are strong.”
The one to attack his own estate had been a three-tribulation transcendent, with a minimum level of 171. His mere clone, which he’d mistakenly taken for an illusion at first, had easily pushed Jae-Hyeok around and nearly killed his father.
I can’t believe that guy can pop out an offensive clone that gives off no sign of its presence.
It was almost a scam-like ability. And trying to understand what he was dealing with had left Jae-Hyeok in a bad position from the moment the mage had appeared.
He didn’t want the Shinra family to suffer a similar situation.
The Shinra family was very strict toward outsiders. They had the Rakshasa guarding White Jade Gate, and their city-sized territory consisted of all their own people. But that tight security could also lead to complacency.
If Shinra Kyeong dies...
Jae-Hyeok indeed disliked Shinra Kyeong.
He couldn’t agree with his attitude that the aristocracy was more important than the public. Moreover, the Shinras and the Kang had always chafed—despite both being ducal families, the Shinra family had always been more respected and received better treatment, which was a source of resentment for anyone surnamed Kang.
What’s more, the past heads of the Kang family had always been inferior to the heads of the Shinra family. The inferiority complex that stemmed from this had further strained the relationship between the two families.
Of course, there was an exception to the rule: the previous head of the Kang family, the Yaksha, had managed to surpass the head of the Shinra family and seemingly brought both families back to an equal standing. That balance was fleeting, and had collapsed alongside the entirety of the Kang family eight years ago.
Well, it didn’t matter now.
The Shinra family is the most important family in South Korea.
Jae-Hyeok wished the Shinra family well because, as it was, if the Shinra family were to fall, that would be no different from the fall of South Korea, both in a strategic sense and a symbolic sense.
“Why are you stepping up?” Do-Jin asked.
The others shared his question.
Why was Jae-Hyeok worrying about the Shinra family and trying to protect them?
Outsiders might even see his actions as presumptuous.
“If not me, then who?” Jae-Hyeok asked back.
He was right.
Who would dare to warn the Shinra family to be careful? Not even Ji Cheon-Myeong or the generals in the military would’ve dared to, the reason being that it was like a pitbull warning a dragon.
Jae-Hyeok exhaled slowly.
And that’s why I dislike them even more.
Had the Shinra family not ignored the Kang family's crisis, then things would have been different. And for every reason Shinras had not to, there was a reason to help. The two families were indeed rivals, but their founding ancestors had been close friends, and they were both ducal families charged with protecting the nation and its people. Yet when the Kang family collapsed, the Shinra family had forgotten greater duties in favor of personal gain.
Jae-Hyeok didn’t intend to make the same mistake.
My personal feelings don’t matter.
Jae-Hyeok gripped the green skull brooch tightly in his hand.
He was likely the only witness who could warn the Shinra family of the coming danger, and be taken seriously. Being a duke’s heir and a National Treasure candidate, only someone with his status would be allowed to visit the Shinra family without notice, without being turned away.
Some time later, a valet took their cars, while a guide led their group down a gated sideroad to a small hanok. The expressions of the Guardian Guild members and the children stiffened.
The guide gestured. “Please go inside.”
The Shinra family’s territory was akin to a city within a city—there were many elegant mansions and towering buildings all over, so the group was puzzled to be guided here, to a remote hanok.
It felt as if the Shinra family were disregarding the Kang family and the Guardian Guild.
“Let’s go.”
Only Jae-Hyeok and Park Chang-Cheon were calm. Although the hanok seemed shabby, they noticed that it was actually meticulously maintained. There wasn’t a single speck of dust on the window frames, and every blade of grass and flower seemed to have been pruned, clipped, and shaped with deliberate hands.
The guide slid open two wide doors, revealing a middle-aged man in white sitting on the floor.
Without exception, everyone gasped. Even Jae-Hyeok was shocked and froze for a moment.
The guide seemed to anticipate such a reaction; he smoothly announced, “The young master of the Kang family and the master of Guardian have arrived.”
The middle-aged man nodded. His gunmetal hair shimmered like liquid silver, and his clear, blue eyes glittered like twin sapphires in the natural sunlight streaming in.
“I am Shinra Hyeon. I welcome your visit.”
As everyone was mesmerized, Jae-Hyeok was the first to come to his senses and kneel on the grass.
“Jae-Hyeok of the Kang family greets the master of the Shinra family.”
“Raise your head.”
A gentle breeze circled around Jae-Hyeok, lifting him upright.
“A National Treasure candidate shouldn’t bow so easily.”
“Does a National Treasure candidate matter when facing a National Treasure?”
“That isn’t all. Now you bear the succession of your family on your shoulders. The Kang family is you, and you are the Kang family. I say again. You shouldn’t bow easily.”
“......”
Jae-Hyeok was silent. He had no words to refute him and was also quite taken aback.
Park Chang-Cheon asked a question on behalf of Jae-Hyeok. “Has Your Excellency also been watching the Kang family?”
Jae-Hyeok had declared himself as his family’s successor before the Kang estate’s front gate not long ago. From Shinra Hyeon’s response, Park Chang-Cheon was wondering if he’d somehow gotten news of it.
Shinra Hyeon explained, “I just received news that Young Master Kang excelled in his National Treasure candidate exam and restored much honor to his family. With such achievements, I assumed the title of successor would shift accordingly. I apologize if I spoke presumptuously.”
“Is that so?”
National Treasure Shinra Hyeon, known also as Saint, was famous for being indifferent to worldly affairs. It was to the point that some criticized him for his lack of involvement in national duties; his only concern was healing the sick, and, indeed, of those who sought his help, Shinra Hyeon treated them in strict order—regardless of status or affiliation. Of course, Shinra Hyeon’s rigid method gave rise to many cases like Park Chang-Cheon’s, who couldn’t receive timely help. But his even-handedness had also earned him much reverence among the public.
Was he really just indifferent even to the fall of the Kang family?
Perhaps he had unavoidable reasons to turn a blind eye, or perhaps he’d lent subtle help behind the scenes like Seol Su-Ah, or maybe he had a personal grudge against the Kang family...
Jae-Hyeok hoped there was an untold story. He would rather that than to learn his Kang family fell because Shinra Hyeon couldn’t have been bothered to lift a finger. However, judging from Shinra Hyeon’s attitude and expression, it seemed the latter was probably the case.
This is upsetting.
The tension in Jae-Hyeok’s face increased.
His lips went flat, and his eyelid twitched. For the first time in a while, Jae-Hyeok looked like a kid his age.
“E-endure it...” Surprisingly, Do-Jin was the one to notice the change in Jae-Hyeok. He tugged on Jae-Hyeok’s sleeve, worried Jae-Hyeok might charge over and challenge the head of the Shinra family.
Jae-Hyeok broke out in a cold sweat and collected himself.
That was close...
Shinra Hyeon said, “I’m receiving because it’s my mealtime. Please hurry and explain your business while I can listen.”
“......?”
He received us because it’s his mealtime?
The words made no sense to Jae-Hyeok. Before he could ponder further, two servants emerged from a side door carrying a low table. Another servant followed behind, carrying a platter with a single bowl of soup.
After setting the table and soup before Shinra Hyeon, the servants quickly bowed and left.
Shinra Hyeon said nothing more. He spooned small sips of the broth while enjoying the chirping of birds and the rustling of trees. He seemed completely unbothered by the dozens of guests he’d left standing outside.
At this point, are we servants or guests?
Park Chang-Cheon felt humiliated, and his face turned red. His own status probably meant little in the Shinra family’s eyes. But he didn’t think Jae-Hyeok should also be treated this way.
Shinra Hyeon dabbed his lips with a napkin and said, “Please don’t misunderstand. You see, I must always tend to the sick except during meals, so I have little time for myself.”
Jae-Hyeok whispered some calming words to Park Chang-Cheon. Then he stepped forward and took out the green skull brooch from his pocket.
“Oh? This is a medal awarded to transcendents of the Baus family.”
“So you recognize it. Today, a powerful magician attacked the Kang family. Let me tell you what happened...”
Jae-Hyeok gave a concise explanation of the day’s events. He also included how he and Shinra Kyeong had interfered with Loren’s plan at Lion’s Castle, causing them to become the Baus family’s targets in the first place.
“I see. That makes sense, considering the tendencies of the Baus family.”
Shinra Hyeon neatly removed the thick fish meat from the bones and nodded.
Do-Jin’s stomach growled. That Baus mage had attacked Jae-Hyeok’s estate while they were in the middle of preparing a big barbecue. In the ensuing chaos, he’d never gotten the chance to eat.
“You rushed here out of concern for Kyeong. Thank you. The Shinra family will see to Kyeong’s safety, so please return and take care of yourselves first.”
Shinra Hyeon finished the last of his fish bone soup and stood up.
It was practically a dismissal.
How can a duke act like this?
They hadn’t expected to be treated to a meal. However, it was unbecoming of an aristocrat to openly neglect guests who came all the way to their house.
Moreover, Shinra Hyeon was called a Saint.
Shouldn’t he have at least offered a glass of water to the people who’d made the trip to warn him? It wasn’t just unpleasant; it was confusing.
Shinra Hyeon donned a blue robe. He looked up from tying the sash and questioned, “What are you still doing here?”
Jae-Hyeok and his companions shared dumbfounded looks with each other.
“It isn’t like we want to be here anyway,” Do-Jin muttered on behalf of the silent group.
Then—
“They came to see me, so I will see them off,” someone said.
Jae-Hyeok and the others looked back. Standing at the front yard’s fence gate was Shinra Kyeong.
The usually expressionless boy seemed even gloomier than normal today. His eyes were locked on his father, and there was resentment in their depths.
Shinra Hyeon told him, “Didn’t I tell you to stay with me and help take care of the people?”
“I don’t dare to do the head of the family’s mission... I’ll be back.”
It was clear he was holding back what he really wanted to say.
The silver-haired boy turned his back on his father and glanced at Jae-Hyeok.
“Let’s go.”
***
“It seems that things have become complicated. I shouldn’t have let them inside in the first place. I was too short-sighted.”
The man who’d led Jae-Hyeok’s group had a regretful expression. Seeing Shinra Hyeong staring in the direction Shinra Kyeong had left, he worried if he’d done the wrong thing.
“We can’t turn away the Kang family. Besides, it might be for the best since I now know that this child is a target.”
Of course, that meant there was one more thing he needed to protect; it was burdensome, but Shinra Hyeon was determined.
“Deploy the inescapable net as planned.”
Soon, the stench of death would taint his sacred territory. To the Bauses, it was a perfume, while to him, there was nothing more foul...
“I will kill all the intruders.”
Originally, he’d wanted to avoid a war as much as possible, intending to capture the invaders alive and send them back. Any aristocrat from a small country like Korea would’ve done the same; facing the massive Baus family, it was a matter of course.
However, now he’d learned the Yaksha’s son was going against the Baus family. Shinra Hyeon changed his plans.
Don’t worry, Yaksha.
I might not have been able to help you, but I will protect your son.