## Chapter 60 – 06. Around Chuseok
+++
Never let your guard down.
People are beings who can always harbor a knife in their hearts.
There’s a saying, “You can know the depth of ten fathoms of water, but not the heart of one man.”
Just because someone seems amicable on the surface and treats me kindly doesn’t mean I can blindly believe it.
‘Get a grip. This is the Goryeo Group. It’s openly described as an evil corporation in the setting. The owner family of such a company being harmonious? Saying it’s impossible might be a hasty conclusion, but it’s hard to believe. I need to be careful.’
Didn’t they give me expensive gifts?
Well, in Hayan Noona’s case, she gifted me an AV under the pretense of not wanting me to crawl around. It’s worth about 30 billion won, making it twice as expensive as my mansion in Songdo, but the problem is that it’s nothing to a chaebol.
I’m grateful, but it’s not like it required a huge effort or sacrifice on her part. Trying to gauge her sincerity based on that is ridiculous.
“Oh my~. Now that you’ve become so handsome, Young Master, the Chairman must be so pleased!”
“Haha. Of course, he is!”
After finishing our meal and exchanging simple pleasantries, we went down to the first floor.
The extended family + @, who were in the middle of their own conversations, swarmed over to greet us.
‘There are so many. How many people is this….’
I heard that in terms of the direct line, my grandfather only has a few children and grandchildren, just four including me, but when it comes to the extended family, there are so many that you can’t even remember all their names.
First, there are four ladies recognized as my grandfather’s wives and about eight women he has more ambiguous relationships with.
And those 12 women have a total of 21 children, and those 21 children each married and had children, so the number of grandchildren, roughly the same generation as me, is over forty, close to fifty. And among those grandchildren, there are those who married early and had children, so that number is about five.
So, the direct line adds up to less than ten people, but the moment you include the extended family and their spouses, it gets close to 100.
“Young Master, it’s been a while. You look much better than I heard.”
“Oh…. Yes. Nice to see you too.”
One chilling thing is that if you’re not from the direct line, you can’t call my grandfather “Father” or “Grandfather.”
Everyone calls him “Chairman,” and they even have to use formal titles for the direct line, such as “Young Master,” “Young Lady,” or “Vice Chairman.”
‘At this point, aren’t they just treated like servants instead of family? Even though they’re the extended family….’
They may be treated poorly here, but when those people go outside, they’re all Goryeo Group’s young masters, young ladies, and presidents.
No one can look down on them, and if you really think about it, they’re in a position of complete dominance.
But even those people are clearly divided into lower ranks within this place and have to stay on the first floor.
It seems like my grandfather’s wives are treated a bit better… but would they be comfortable with that? Their children aren’t even treated like children.
“Bring this over there.”
“Ah, y-yes….”
The treatment of my aunts’ husbands was similar.
It seemed like the aunts themselves regarded their husbands as servants rather than equals, and they mostly ignored their daughters.
‘Wow…. Is this…. Is this right? What kind of people are they?’
The people who were so affectionate to me and chattering away like high school girls among themselves completely erased their expressions when they came down to the first floor with the extended family and became completely different people. It feels like the world has changed.
“Mu-yeol! Come over here for a moment.”
While I was marveling at their behavior, my grandfather called me.
When I went over, my grandfather put his arm around my shoulder and drew everyone’s attention.
“Everyone, look here!”
All eyes are on us.
The extended family of the Goryeo Group, which dominates Asia, all look at me at once.
“This is my eldest grandson! Mu-yeol.”
“…”
A heavy silence falls, and I’m shocked by an unknown thrill.
“He’s my eldest grandson who’s blown away all the worries and concerns you’ve had. He quit the drugs on his own, so what can’t he do? If you have something to say, say it.”
It seems that while Go Mu-yeol was living addicted to drugs, various things were said within the owner family.
The extended family members looked at each other, hesitated, and then lowered their heads, generally seeming to comply with my grandfather’s words.
“Worry about your own children. Don’t gossip unnecessarily!”
He’s saying it so refreshingly.
How much heartache must he have gone through because of Go Mu-yeol to say something like this in front of everyone?
I feel sorry for him for no reason.
“Now, Mu-yeol. If you have something to say, say it.”
“Pardon?”
Me?
“You’re a man, so you must have some ambition or something. Our eldest grandson.”
“…”
I don’t really have any ambition….
People are staring.
I feel pressured.
‘Ah…. I was hoping to stay out of the spotlight as much as possible….’
But it’s already spilled milk.
I can’t just keep my mouth shut like a loser.
“I will make sure not to tarnish the name of the Goryeo Group. Please forget about the Go Mu-yeol of the past.”
I said something suitably plausible and bowed slightly, and some people started clapping, which spread like an epidemic.
I don’t know why they’re even clapping for something like this, but seeing my grandfather nodding, they’re starting to re-evaluate Go Mu-yeol.
‘He wasn’t just an idiot, he must have been a super idiot.’
To get applause for just saying something ordinary.
+++
The general event ended around evening.
But that doesn’t mean the gathering is over.
The direct family members gathered in one of the Tae Yang Palaces to chat, and they seem more harmonious than most ordinary families.
Whenever work comes up, they take care of each other, and if there’s something annoying or upsetting, they empathize with each other.
Even after drinking, nothing really changed.
Even though their faces were red with drunkenness, they didn’t say harsh words to each other and continued their conversations in a cozy way, making them look like a family that truly cares for and loves each other.
‘…Is this for real?’
Honestly, it’s a sight I can’t believe even while seeing it with my own eyes.
Do I have unnecessary prejudices about chaebols?
I can’t quite accept it as it is.
“Hey, what are you thinking so hard about?”
A thickly sliced steak plopped onto my plate.
Go Min-ji sliced it from her own plate and gave it to me.
“Ah…. Thank you.”
“Tch. You could have just asked for a new one. Why give him yours?”
Go Hayan, who was next to her, scoffed as if she was dumbfounded, then suddenly kicked the shin of the man waiting next to her. The man jumped momentarily, clutching the spot where he was hit and hiccupping.
“Why didn’t you bring it out in advance? Who told you to be thinking about other things?”
“I-I’m sorry!”
“Hey. Why are you tormenting an innocent person? I gave it to Mu-yeol as soon as he started eating. Are you okay?”
Go Min-ji looked at the man with a worried expression.
The man, with a touched expression, repeatedly said, “I-I’m okay.” and stood up again.
“Eat this and cheer up. This girl is so eccentric.”
Go Min-ji poked the remaining steak and held it out.
“Ah, I-I’m okay-,”
“Eat it.”
“…Thank you.”
As he bent down and opened his mouth to eat,
Thud.
Go Min-ji dropped the fork on the floor.
The steak fell as well.
“Ah. Sorry.”
“…”
“But it’s too wasteful to throw this away. It’ll be fine if you eat it quickly, don’t you think?”
“…”
As she looked up with a crazed expression, the man lowered himself with a humiliated expression.
“Who’s calling who eccentric? You’re the most psycho of them all.”
Go Min-ji giggled as she watched the man pick up the steak and eat it like a dog.
Seeing this, Go Min-ji definitely seems to be the psycho demon she’s rumored to be.
Go Min-ji, who quickly lost interest, made a sudden proposal.
“Mu-yeol has joined us, so should we get together sometime?”
“Just us?”
“Yeah. For us young and pretty youths to have fun. How about we meet at my villa?”
Go Hayan sighed.
“Ah. No thanks. I’ll pass.”
“You rude thing.”
“I’ll pass too.”
“Ah, why?”
“It’s annoying.”
“Tch.”
Go Hayan and Go Seon-yul quickly declared their pass, and Go Min-ji’s eyes turned to me.
“Then only Mu-yeol will come. Okay?”
“…I’ll have to pass too.”
There must be a reason why everyone else is saying no.
I have a bad feeling about this.
“Aish. You guys are really!”
“Min-ji.”
Just then.
The adults came.
“Get up. Let’s go.”
“Pardon? Already?”
“Already? The sun is already setting. We have things to do tomorrow.”
“Ah…. I really don’t want to.”
Go Min-ji whined, then flinched at her aunt’s gaze.
Then she reluctantly got up.
Go Min-yeong’s eyes turned to me.
“Nephew.”
“Yes?”
“I’ll contact you when your personal gear is complete, so come to the Militerris headquarters.”
“Oh….”
Go Min-ji said she would deliver it…?
“…I understand. I’ll see you then.”
“Okay.”
I couldn’t really say that to my aunt, who suppressed that psycho Go Min-ji with just a look, so I just said okay.
‘I might as well take a look while I’m there.’
Militerris, one of the places that supports the power of the Goryeo Group.
The media hasn’t properly revealed anything about its appearance, so I wanted to go there at least once.
‘The setting said there’s a giant underground city…. Is it real?’
