Leveling Up Alone

Chapter 187: After the Auction (3)

Secretary Kim’s shoulders slouched at Han-Yeol’s words.

Han-Yeol looked at the man with eyes full of pity, ‘I’m sorry, but I don’t have anything to tell them nor do I have a reason to meet them. It’s really obvious what they’re going to say, so I don’t have the time or energy to waste on them…’

“Ah… I understand. Then, I wish you a pleasant rest,” Secretary Kim said with a bow.

“Ah, you too.”

“Thank you, Han-Yeol-nim.”

Secretary Kim was going through the most difficult time of his life while working for Han-Yeol, but he knew that he did not deserve to be beside Han-Yeol if he could not overcome this tribulation.

Han-Yeol was paying his employees quite well, and he planned to give them bigger tasks in the future as well. Secretary Kim knew all of this, so he understood that he had to prove himself to gain even more trust from Han-Yeol in the future.

Moreover, the economy was in a bad state these days, and there were many people willing to work if given the chance. Secretary Kim couldn't afford to lose his position to them.

***

The next day, Han-Yeol enjoyed a simple breakfast of French toast and an Americano. Usually, he would have a standard Korean breakfast, but occasionally he craved a Western-style meal too.

As he savored his well-toasted French toast, a thought suddenly crossed his mind.

"Albert," he called out to his trusty old butler.

"Yes, Han-Yeol-nim?" Albert responded.

"We have quite a large number of people working in the mansion, don't we?"

"Ah, yes, you are correct. Initially, it was only me and five other Egyptians working here. However, due to the vastness of the mansion, we had to hire an additional ten people. On top of that, you hired mercenaries to guard the property, bringing the total count to forty-six. Furthermore, we are planning to recruit five more workers and thirty additional mercenaries next month, which will bring our total to over eighty."

Some might argue that there were too many people working in the mansion, and they would likely be correct.

Han-Yeol and his father were the only residents, each occupying a separate building. However, there were other structures on the mansion grounds, such as the workers' quarters, storage facilities, hangars, and garages. Hiring a considerable number of people was a necessary decision to effectively manage and safeguard the expansive estate.

After all, the mansion was simply too vast, and having more workers made the tasks easier, while additional guards enhanced security for the entire property.

“Hmm… I was just wondering how the workers and mercenaries were fitting inside the small accommodation.”

“Ah, that is…”

“…?”

Albert paused for a second before he looked at Han-Yeol with a strange look.

“Why are you hesitating? Is something wrong?” Han-Yeol asked.

"Actually... I should have informed you earlier, but the recently arrived mercenaries are not residing within the mansion grounds. We have rented an inn at some distance from here for their accommodation," Albert finally revealed.

"Huh? Don't tell me it's that inn...?" Han-Yeol muttered.

He could only think of one inn in the area, and it was a place he was quite familiar with. There was a single road connecting the mansion to Seoul, and on that road, there stood only one inn. Han-Yeol remembered it distinctly because despite being situated on the route to an area filled with luxurious mansions, the inn appeared run-down. In fact, it was so old and dilapidated that it felt like a ghost might emerge from it at night.

Han-Yeol recalled how he would click his tongue and shake his head whenever he passed the inn on his way to Seoul.

"That... Yes, it is that inn," Albert confirmed.

"ALBERT!" Han-Yeol shouted at the old butler, a rare display of anger.

Albert kept his head down, having no excuses to offer. He didn't want to find himself in a situation where he had to lower his head before Han-Yeol, but he knew he had no choice at the moment.

Nevertheless, Han-Yeol couldn't entirely blame Albert for the situation.

"You should have informed me if there was an issue," Han-Yeol stated.

"I apologize, but you appeared to be enjoying your rest, so I decided to postpone reporting it. Unfortunately, it got delayed repeatedly until it escalated to this extent," Albert replied.

"Sigh... no, it's fine. I know I don't have the right to be mad at you right now... I should have taken care of this myself since I hired them," Han-Yeol admitted.

"Not at all. Initially, I planned to inform you, but Purva mentioned that it was acceptable and suggested letting you rest for the time being. He explained that the houses in their hometown were even more run-down than the inn, so we agreed to postpone reporting it," Albert explained.

Albert served as the manager of the entire mansion and Han-Yeol's personal butler. With Han-Yeol being occupied with numerous construction projects on the mansion, Albert took charge of overseeing everything he initiated.

Moreover, Albert was facing the challenge of managing the workload with limited workers, and the hired workers weren't as skilled as the Egyptian ones, resulting in reduced efficiency.

However, regardless of the circumstances, Albert acknowledged his mistake regarding the mercenaries' accommodation issue. As a butler, his role was to handle minor matters on the mansion grounds and report them to the master once resolved. It was a mistake he probably wouldn't have made if he were a few years younger, but it seemed that time had taken a toll on him as well.

‘Hoho… I think the time for me to retire is getting near…’?Albert bitterly thought.

He hadn't felt the burden of time weighing on him all these years, but now he realized that it was time for him to retire, especially after making a mistake he wouldn't have made in his younger days.

"Albert..." Han-Yeol called out.

"Yes, Han-Yeol-nim?" Albert responded.

"You mentioned that the land adjacent to the mansion is empty, right?"

"Ah, yes, that's correct. The owner of D Group hastily fled overseas before an arrest warrant could be issued for tax evasion and embezzlement. The land is currently up for auction, but due to the unfavorable economic conditions, it has failed to sell three times. It will probably be auctioned off after the fifth attempt or so."

While Han-Yeol was busy gaining all the attention in South Korea, there was another piece of news regarding the arrests of the owners of D Group for tax evasion and embezzlement. However, the news about D Group was overshadowed by Han-Yeol's path to international fame. Despite the public's lack of interest, the media continued reporting on the matter.

It appeared that the owners of D Group had incurred the wrath of the current government. The media, prosecution, tax office, and even other conglomerates relentlessly attacked D Group in an attempt to completely dismantle them. As a result, some of the owners managed to escape overseas before they could be arrested.

The news of the D Group owners evading capture and the prosecution's failure to bring them to justice caused some public outcry. However, a few individuals in the business world welcomed the news with open arms. Since the owners of D Group were now technically fugitives, influential figures were eager to divide the company's assets among themselves.

The companies and subsidiaries of D Group were absorbed by other conglomerates, and the owners' assets were put up for auction. The land beside Han-Yeol's mansion belonged to the second daughter of the D Group's chairman, who had plans to construct a beautiful Versace-style grand mansion with a large garden and fountain. However, her plans were abruptly halted due to the ongoing issue.

"That place is quite ugly and is getting on my nerves. It's great news that it's up for auction this time. What do you think if we purchase it and convert it into accommodations for our workers and mercenaries?" Han-Yeol suggested.

"Are you sure about that?" Albert asked cautiously.

Han-Yeol had earned a substantial amount of money from his recent monster pet auction, but that didn't mean his employees were entitled to his wealth. Many employers believed that paying salaries was already a significant contribution to their employees' well-being.

"Why not? I actually feel bad for not being able to take care of this earlier," Han-Yeol replied nonchalantly.

These individuals were working for him, and he felt a sense of responsibility towards them. He wasn't the kind of person who would spend without thought for others, but he was certainly someone who generously invested in his people.

Albert's face brightened with a smile as Han-Yeol reaffirmed his decision and gave him the green light to proceed with the project. Bowing respectfully, Albert said, "I understand. I will immediately take the necessary steps to purchase the land and develop accommodations on it."

"I leave it in your hands, Albert. Oh, and please feel free to make decisions regarding our mansion employees. I regret not being able to take care of them personally this time, but I won't have the time to attend to their welfare," Han-Yeol added.

“Yes, please leave it to me, Han-Yeol-nim!”

Once they finished their conversation, Han-Yeol went back to enjoying his breakfast, but…

Woooong!

‘Hmm? Is it Mujahid?”?Han-Yeol sensed Mujahid’s mana fast approaching him.

Mujahid disregarded the main gates and simply leaped over the mansion walls, causing chaos among the security team.

Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!?

Naturally, the alarm was triggered as soon as the intruder vaulted over the walls, and the blaring alerts echoed throughout the entire mansion grounds.

Han-Yeol swiftly grabbed his walkie-talkie and urgently transmitted a message to the security team.

Pssht!

“The infiltrator is Mujahid. Turn off the alarm and go back to your posts.”

Pssht!

[Yes, I understand.]

‘Tsk tsk… This Mujahid… Why does he only do things that people hate?’?Han-Yeol could not help but wonder.

Mujahid was undeniably a mischievous troublemaker, but he likely had no comprehension of the extent of the troubles he caused for others. Well, he couldn't care less about whether the commoners liked him or not...

Bam!

Then, the doors to Han-Yeol’s dining room swung wide open.

“Hyung-nim! I’ve prepared the best schedule you have ever seen in your life!”

“How long will it be?”

“It will be for four nights and five days!”

“That sounds alright.”

Han-Yeol had promised to meet the Americans six days later, so there was not going to be any problems if he hunted for five days.

“Where is it?”

“I decided on Cheolwon!”

“Cheolwon?”

“Yes!”

“That’s quite random…”

“Haha! D-Do you really think so…?”

"Yeah...? I mean, it's rather peculiar that someone from a country with a year-round summer would opt for the coldest region in South Korea, renowned for its brutal winters, don't you think?"

Kwak!

Mujahid tightly clenched his fists in response to Han-Yeol's words. He declared, "That's precisely why I chose Cheolwon! I want to prove that the Prince of the Desert can conquer the frigid inferno of South Korea! Can you even fathom the magnitude of this accomplishment?!"

"Sure, sure... but Mujahid..."

"Yes, hyung-nim?"

"Are you aware that the monsters inhabiting the Cheolwon hunting grounds, such as Yetis and Ice Trolls, are impervious to physical damage...?"

"WHAT?!" Mujahid exclaimed in horror, his voice trembling. "A-Are you certain, hyung-nim?"

"Yes... It seems you had no knowledge of this. Despite assembling the best advisors, it appears they neglected to inform you. Or perhaps, after hearing that the Cheolwon hunting grounds were an icy hell, you chose to disregard everything else they said."

“…”

[You are indeed correct.]

.

Before Mujahid could respond, a voice in Arabic echoed from outside the dining room. The door opened, revealing a tall gentleman clad in a sleek black suit as he stepped into the room.

‘Wow… he’s huge…’?Han-Yeol muttered in amazement.

The man stood at an impressive height of approximately one hundred ninety centimeters, and his sharp eyes were accentuated by the frameless eyeglasses he wore. His long hair was neatly tied back in a ponytail, enhancing his already charismatic appearance tenfold.

Despite his striking looks, he displayed remarkable courtesy toward Han-Yeol.

"Oh! I had the impression you were of Asian descent for some reason. Are you Korean?" Han-Yeol inquired.

"Yes, I went to Egypt during the first Korea-Egypt Alliance and that's where I met Mujahid-nim. I worked closely with him during my time in Egypt, but... Sigh... I deeply regretted working for him. If I had known what a troublemaker he was, I would have declined his offer," the man lamented.

“Hahaha!”

‘I guess this employer and employee are quite alike,’ Han-Yeol thought while snickering.

"Hey! Yoo-Kyung! Is that something you should be saying about your master?!" Mujahid retorted, trying to defend himself against his employee's candid remarks.

However, his response proved to be ineffective.

"Please, Mujahid-nim, just be quiet. I explicitly informed you three times about the five monsters inhabiting the Cheolwon hunting grounds: the Snowman, Yeti, Ice Troll, Ice Goblin, and Ice Demon. I specifically emphasized that the Snowman, Yeti, and Ice Troll were impervious to physical attacks. But you completely disregarded my words after hearing that it was a snowy hunting ground year-round. Do you not remember?" Yoo-Kyung exclaimed in exasperation.

"Hahaha... Did you really say it three times? I don't quite recall..." Mujahid feigned ignorance in response.

“Yes!”

'Kekeke! He appears remarkably charismatic, especially when dealing with Mujahid. Yet, there's an endearing and comical element to their interactions. Well, I suppose an ordinary person wouldn't stand a chance in controlling that troublemaker, and they would likely have quit their job long, long ago...'?Han-Yeol thought while snickering.

He was indeed correct.

Shin Yoo-Kyung, the tall gentleman, proved to be a genuinely kind person despite his stern appearance. He took great care of Mujahid, treating him as if he were his doted-upon younger brother.

‘Snowman, Yeti, Ice Troll… and then the Ice Goblin and Ice Demon…’?Han-Yeol seemed to be thinking about something.