The Hunting Dog of the Prestigious Family Has Returned Chapter 18

Chapter 18

“So then.”

The next day, at the main residence of the Andong Kim clan.

Seated at the head of the table, Kim Junghun, the head of the Andong Kim clan, narrowed his eyes and looked down.

Inside a meeting room situated on one side of the main estate.

There stood Yu Sang-hyeon, his head bowed, while the high-ranking ministers and dignitaries of the royal court looked down on him in silence.

“That’s all you have to say?”

“Yes. Though my heart aches as a father to have lost my daughter in such a way… this is no one’s fault here but my own, for failing to protect her properly.”

Kim Junghun had summoned Yu Sang-hyeon to inform him of Arin’s death and to express his condolences.

If Yu had lost his mind in grief, it could’ve been used as an excuse to detain him.

If, in that process, he ended up killing a royal guard or another noble, he could’ve been branded a criminal, and his mind could be examined under the law.

But this man, Yu Sang-hyeon, hadn’t done any of that.

Quite the opposite.

He claimed that he had cooled down overnight, that he never expected his daughter to possess such power, sounding no different from a coward desperately trying to save face.

“Hah! His daughter has gone missing, and he doesn’t even seem suspicious about it...”

“Even if he’s from the provinces and ignorant, he’s still a noble. He knows how to follow the law of Hanseong.”

“If this is the kind of man commanding the Iron Tiger Corps, we can rest easy about Hamgyong Province for now.”

The surrounding nobles didn’t seem too displeased either.

Some ridiculed him.

Others looked on with disdain.

To them, it was comical—watching a man grovel to survive even after his own daughter’s death.

‘Even if they’re just lowborns from the frontier, they’re still the first line of defense against the beasts. Provoking them any further is unwise.’

In the end, Kim Junghun made his decision.

There was no benefit in escalating the situation any further. The matter was already concluded, and there was no need to stir it up again just to provoke them.

“…Since the Commander has spoken so, I, too, shall not pursue this matter further.”

The moment Kim Junghun spoke, the murmuring nobles all fell silent.

“The use of powers against Lord Kim Hyunwoo was a result of an uncontrolled outburst caused by sudden awakening. The individual responsible, Miss Yu Arin, died as a consequence of that outburst. Therefore, there is no further liability to be pursued.”

“……”

“And thus, as the representative of the victim, Kim Hyunwoo, I formally request leniency for the alleged perpetrator, Miss Yu Arin, and her father, Commander Yu Sang-hyeon.”

Leniency.

To the one hearing it, it was a word that could make one’s stomach turn.

Not only was his daughter framed as the perpetrator of the crime, now they were also pretending to be gracious by offering to forgive her.

Yet even after enduring such humiliation, Yu Sang-hyeon didn’t show a single reaction.

“I am deeply grateful for the Minister’s magnanimity.”

That was all he said as he lowered his head.

Watching him, Kim Junghun finally spoke again, his tone slightly softened.

“…And I extend my deepest condolences to Commander Yu for the unexpected tragedy of losing his daughter. The clan will provide a modest condolence payment on our behalf.”

“……”

“You may go now. I apologize for subjecting you to such misfortune after misfortune.”

As Yu Sang-hyeon turned around and walked out after offering one final bow, the rest of the gathered nobles began to disperse, breaking into small groups.

Their faces showed relief, as if a rotten tooth had finally been pulled.

But among them, there was one who did not look so relieved, Kim Junghun.

“Deok-hoon.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Assign someone to follow Yu Sang-hyeon. Until he leaves Hanseong.”

When Kim Junghun gave the order, his guard questioned him.

“You mean to continue surveilling him? But… the matter is already closed…”

“Yes, it’s over. Almost suspiciously cleanly, wouldn’t you say?”

As he said this, Kim Junghun looked into the distance, where Yu Sang-hyeon was vanishing from view.

“The central nobles often scoff at the frontier warriors as lowborns cast to the edges… but the Iron Tiger Corps are not so easily dismissed.”

“……”

“They’re like untamed tigers. If Yu Sang-hyeon were truly a petty man who could laugh off his daughter’s death, the Iron Tiger Corps would’ve torn him apart by now.”

“Then… are you saying Commander Yu is acting?”

“Yes. Most likely.”

If only he had gotten angry.

If he had gone mad, demanding they bring his daughter back, this would’ve been so much easier.

They could’ve used that as a pretext to erase him entirely.

But instead, that man chose to bow.

Feigning stupidity, just like the bloated elders clogging up the royal court, pretending to be concerned only with self-preservation.

And behind that mask, he was sharpening his blade for revenge against those who took his daughter’s life.

“Burying the royal bloodline was a fortunate outcome… but now we’ve got an unexpected thorn stuck in our side. Still…”

Compared to what was at stake, maybe it was a small price to pay.

So muttered Kim Junghun, slowly rising from his seat.

There was no time to waste—not with the upcoming event to prepare for.

* * *

“Don’t make me laugh—!”

With a shout, the holographic message was hurled against the wall and shattered.

Sparks flickered from the broken shards of the transmission.

But Kim Hyunwoo didn’t even glance at the mess. He continued yelling into the empty air as if the world itself needed to hear him.

“Died from weakness caused by a power outburst?! Are you telling me that woman was killed off with such an absurd excuse?!”

What flashed through Kim Hyunwoo’s mind was the memory of that moment.

The girl who had caught up to him with nothing but a glance, Yu Arin.

That golden light that had flashed before his eyes, the moment his own Aura Force was shattered into pieces.

The gut-wrenching pain. The deep, humiliating sense of defeat.

And now she’s dead?

A power surge?

Lies. Utter nonsense.

That girl who had blasted him away.

The cold, disdainful gaze that looked at him like he was nothing more than a bug, how could that possibly belong to a frail, delicate woman?

“Isn’t it actually a good thing for you, Young Master?”

But his personal guard, Ho-chul, asked in a puzzled tone.

“That girl, Yu Arin, possessed power beyond yours. The Minister acted at the perfect time and removed her. I’d say this turned out to your advantage…”

“No. It’s the opposite!”

Kim Hyunwoo growled, gritting his teeth.

“Even with me—the strongest ability user wielder of my generation—standing right there, Father personally mobilized the Royal Investigative Bureau to have that girl killed. Don’t you get what that means?”

There was no need for an answer.

He wasn’t really asking.

“Father has already made his judgment. That I can’t beat that girl. That no matter how much I grow, defeating her was never an option from the start…!”

This ceremony was supposed to be the most important moment of Kim Hyunwoo’s life.

A chance to showcase his power to the nobles of Joseon, and to make it clear who the true ruler of this nation would be.

But that girl—

That lowborn girl from the frontier had ruined everything.

“That girl… shouldn’t have died like that.”

“……”

“I had to kill her myself. Rip her apart in front of everyone, for it to mean something!”

Yes, that’s how it should’ve been.

But now that she had died, collapsed like that, what did that make him?

“I’m left as nothing more than the one who lost… forever…!”

His furious cries gradually collapsed into a half-sobbed ramble.

It was the first defeat of his life.

A crushing, undeniable defeat, so complete he hadn’t even been able to resist. And it had twisted something inside Kim Hyunwoo.

For a moment, he trembled with helpless rage.

Then—

“So… losing to that girl bothers you that much, does it?”

“…!”

A voice from above made him snap his head upward.

It was the head of the house, Kim Junghun, his father.

Looking down on him with his usual cold, indifferent eyes.

“I came here out of concern, having heard you were unwell. But what a pitiful line of thought. Talking about who’s strong, who’s weak…”

Ho-chul, now already kneeling in a rigid stance, had tried to alert his master to the elder’s presence, but it seemed Kim Junghun had stopped him beforehand.

“If you intend to lead this clan someday, remember this: it doesn’t matter who has more power, or who is stronger or weaker.”

“Then what does matter?”

“Survival.”

With that single word, Kim Junghun walked over to the window.

“To survive—and to always be watching what lies beneath your feet.”

This was the private ward at the Andong Kim clan’s main estate.

Beyond the window, the endless skyscrapers of Hanseong stretched out like a carpet beneath them.

“You must grab the legs of those standing above you and pull them down. And you must sever the arms of anyone climbing up from below so they can never rise again.”

“……”

“That is how our Andong Kim clan rose to this place.”

Finished with his speech, Kim Junghun turned back to look at Kim Hyunwoo.

Still too young to fully understand?

He took a quiet breath, then spoke again, his tone softened slightly.

“You’ve done your part. Though it was a surprise variable, you still succeeded in imprinting your power onto the minds of the elders.”

“In that case…!”

The words spilled out of Kim Hyunwoo’s mouth before he could stop himself, prompting his father to look straight at him.

Could he say this? He hesitated.

But in the end, he spoke.

“Then why must we remain on the same level as them?”

“Remain?”

Kim Junghun crossed his arms, silently urging him to continue.

“Did you not see them for yourself, Father? The way they couldn’t even match half my Aura Force!”

“……”

“And now that we’ve seized control of both the Royal Guard and the Investigative Bureau, the Andong Kim clan possesses power on a whole different level. Even if they all joined forces, they wouldn’t stand a chance against us!”

And yet, Kim Junghun continued to observe formality with those people.

As did he himself…

Though they possessed the greatest Aura Force of their generation…

Though they were beings fundamentally superior, transcendent in every sense, they were still abiding by outdated laws, standing on equal ground with them.

“But you lost, didn’t you? To a girl from the frontier.”

“…!”

“And you still dare call yourself a transcendent being?”

The words struck like a blow. Kim Hyunwoo seemed momentarily speechless, but he forced himself to speak.

“If I had been given more time… I could’ve killed her myself.”

“Kill her yourself? Then what you’re saying is—”

His voice, which had brimmed with conviction, faltered as his father interrupted him.

“Are you saying… you intend to become a king?”

From Kim Junghun’s lips came a statement so shocking it took Ho-chul, standing beside them, completely off guard, his breath caught in his throat.

He had just talked about replacing the royal bloodline.

“Father… What are you saying all of a sudden…?”

What could killing that girl possibly have to do with that?

But that confusion didn’t last long.

Kim Hyunwoo’s eyes widened as he slowly replayed the conversation in his head.

The power that girl, Yu Arin, had displayed.

The way the noblemen had reacted, unnaturally on edge.

And now, the word “king” coming out of Kim Junghun’s mouth.

As all those pieces clicked into place in his mind, a terrifying possibility emerged.

“That girl… was she…?”

“She was exactly what you’re thinking.”

Stunned, Kim Hyunwoo stood in silence, unable to speak for a long time.

But only for a moment.

“…I don’t believe she was more deserving than me.”

“Oh?”

Hearing that quiet but firm declaration, Kim Junghun turned toward his son and looked at him directly.

“Very well.”

Was it anger? No—it wasn’t that.

Yet his expression was unreadable.

He looked pleased. Or perhaps… amused.

“If that’s how you feel, then there’s something you need to see first.”

“Something I need to see?”

“Precisely. Or rather… someone you need to meet.”

And at that exact moment, someone knocked on the door to Kim Hyunwoo’s hospital room.

The one who entered was a court attendant belonging to the Department of the Royal Palace.

He bowed respectfully, clearly there to escort Kim Hyunwoo.

“Please dress in formal attire and proceed to the designated location. The other postulants will be waiting for you.”

“Formal attire? And I’m supposed to meet someone that important…? Who is it?”

“You truly don’t know?”

The event that had taken place earlier, why it had been called a Formal Assembly, he would soon understand.

Murmuring to himself, Kim Junghun finally spoke slowly.

“You are to have an audience with the Sovereign of this nation, His Majesty the King.”

---The End Of The Chapter---

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