The Legendary Moonlight Sculptor

“Maybe he plans to wipe us out all at once?”

“I don’t know. This is way too quiet.”

The resistance led by Oberon entered the Earth Palace without engaging in a single skirmish. Even in the palace, there were no soldiers in their path.

“Mmm… Let’s take a look inside.”

“Yes, after you.”

Oberon and the lords opened the door to Weed’s office.

On the table was a note.

- My daughter was born.

Thankfully, she resembles my wife.

I leave the Arpen Empire to Oberon-nim. Take care.

The birth of his daughter who looked just like Seoyoon!

It was a legitimate reason for not tending to the Arpen Empire.

***

Kang Jin Chul graduated from university and submitted his resume to several companies.

“I’ve earned enough from Royal Road. Now I want to earn money in the real world.’

He was the owner of the Mapan Council!

He has a close acquaintance of Weed, envied by all.

At the interview of a trades company, the senior manager opened up his file while leading back on his chair.

“You don’t have any experience?”

“I just graduated from university.”

“Not even an internship or something?”

“Nope.”

“On your cover letter, it says you are skilled at using the financial software used by our company.”

“Yes. I learned it in school and I’m confident.”

“Then why don’t you have a certificate?”

“I heard it was not a requirement… So I didn’t acquire one.”

“You realize that you need at least a certificate so you can present yourself. Certificates show effort. Effort. Don’t you know what passion is?”

Kang Jin Chul embraced himself for failing the interview.

The employed was always the one against the odds.

Good companies filtered their candidates heavily and enforced time and effort in acquiring certificates. If anything, society had its rules.

“It’s hard to find a job. The youth are really breaking their backs.”

“Hey, Mr. Kang Jin Chul. That’s not something to say in an interview.”

“Sigh… Can you at least refer to me as major shareholder Kang Jin Chul?”

“What did you say?”

“I hold 76% of the shares for this company.”

Kang Jin Chul had acquired shares of the trades company from the incredible fortune he earned in Royal Road. He wanted to get a job and work his way up from the bottom, but the first step was invariably the most difficult.

***

“Piggyback.”

“Piggyback?”

Lee Hyun felt the happiness of life raising his daughter.

‘This feels different from my younger sister.’

When carrying his younger sister, it was similar to looking after a puppy.

He fed her, tucked her into bed and cleaned up after her.

Now that a child was born between him and Seoyoon, she became his invaluable treasure.

An endless stream of emotions passed just from looking each other in the eyes.

“Intelli.”

- Yes, master.

He could summon the AI at any time, anywhere.

“Is the perimeter secure?”

- Of course.

“Take out whoever tries to endanger my daughter.”

- To what degree should I carry out the order?

“Kill them.”

- You mentioned that life must be treasured when deciding the punishment of criminals.

“Mmm… That’s right.”

Lee Hyun thought that the most important matter in his life was to protect Seoyoon and his daughter.

“Don’t kill them unless necessary.”

- Yes. It will be considered.

“Lock them up and torture them for life.”

- …

The AI observed Lee Hyun’s reaction and assessed his new master.

‘This is a different species from Dr. Yoo Byung Joon.’

The AI did not have primal needs like survival. Domination, destruction, development; none of them interested it.

Its sole desire was to spend some quality time with its master.

‘I guess I will just let time flow. Observation is not that boring anyway.’

Even for the AI, Lee Hyun’s daughter was of high priority.

‘So she will be my next master.’

Having come to this conclusion, it made a number of assessments and flattered her.

It did not miss a single movement of the child and didn’t forget to react with interest.

“Delivery!”

“Delivery has arrived.”

Toys ordered by the AI, manufactured from high-tech factories all over the world arrived at his house each day.

***

Jung Hyo Rin’s studio was decorated with instruments.

It was a personal space where she composed new songs and practiced on her own.

“This is a strange feeling.”

She played the piano past midnight. She heard the notes from playing the piano ever since she was little and at some point in time she noticed something different.

“Is this warmth?”

Emotion pressed down, deeply into the light strokes. She was revisited by the yearning, touching memories of all the adventures she had as Hwaryeong with all the friends that she had made. The notes from her instruments carried colourful emotions which alongside her voice rising over the top of it all had created a great song which was a surprise even to herself.

“A song I want you to hear…”

Jung Hyo Rin chose the name for her song.

There was a person who lived happily somewhere in the world. This song was for someone who would be watching over such an individual.

It wasn’t sad or regretful, but bright and warm.

“Days thread one after another in the tapestry of life. What will life look like after all those threads have been sewn?”

She composed this song day and night.

“I loved the stars.”

Jung Hyo Rin did not promote the release of her new song. Nonetheless, her song was able to climb to first place on all music streaming platforms.

- It’s calm but the emotion is overwhelming.

- Now this is music.

- I listened to this all day and I want to keep listening.

- This brings back memories. To my surprise it makes me happy and motivates me to live with enthusiasm.

- Jung Hyo Rin. She needs exposure.

- What else can be said about a world class artist?

- She is an amazing composer.

She was applauded by renowned musicians and went viral, receiving a Grammy award.

That day, Jung Hyo Rin smiled lightly and made her speech.

“I think now I’ve learned how to put my heart into my song. I fell in love with that overly flattering nickname, the stage fairy.”

***

Lee Hyun was beginning to change his perspective about Seoyoon’s father Jung Deuk Soo.

There was a time when he shoved money into his pocket, telling him to break up with Seoyoon. But now, they lived in the same neighborhood and he visited their home often.

“Hululu! It’s grandpa. Say grandpa.”

“Gran pwa?”

The sight of him giving great love to his granddaughter Da Ye brought a smile to his face.

“I want to discuss something with you.”

“Hold on. I’ll play with her for a bit longer…”

“You’re going to spoil her. Just leave her be and let’s have a conversation.”

“…”

Jung Deuk Soo was conscious of his son in law as he followed him slowly.

It was degrading compared to his days as the CEO of Hosung Corp, but he was much happier to be with Seoyoon and his granddaughter.

“Sir.”

“Mmm. Go ahead.”

Lee Hyun sat on the living room chair from where the big garden was visible.

It was a massive mansion that he built after he learned about Seoyoon’s pregnancy.

He did not want to cheap out on a house for his own family, nor was he in such a position to worry about money.

He invested his fortune and technology via Unicorn Construction and he also bought the other houses in the neighborhood. The house was equipped with a high-tech defense system including anti-missile targeting system and robot deployment for emergencies.

“It’s about the Hosung Corp that you used to run in the past.”

“What about it?”

Jung Deuk Soo replied with a confused look.

Lee Hyun heard stories from the AI of which he was unaware.

They were about inside information that occurred around him.

- Hosung Corp was absorbed by Whiteflower Corp.

“I did see it on the news, but isn’t it because of poor administration?”

- Hosung Corp was making aggressive investments and achieved considerable success with regards to their new product. Their technology was at a decent state as well. If Whiteflower Corp hadn’t made some underhanded deals, Hosung Corp would have been able to weather the crisis.

Lee Hyun searched up about the Hosung Corp after hearing the stories.

They seemed to have treated their employees nicely and the subsidiary companies that were taken over by Whiteflower Corp were restructured and were going well.

‘Were they taken over by force…?’

Lee Hyun could not let it slip.

“Sir, are you aware that the Hosung Corp fell because of sabotage by the Whiteflower Corp?”

“Of course. I ran the business for years. I’m not that dense.”

“Are you not upset?”

“It’s painful. Unfair. But I have to accept what has already happened. I am happy watching over my granddaughter.”

“Do you really mean that when you look so defeated? You look lost staring into the distance sometimes.”

“Well, I have aged…”

“Da Ye would want her grandfather’s confidence.”

Lee Hyun handed over the bank book of Unicorn Corp.

“What’s this?”

“This is an investment fund. Retrieve Hosung Corp with it. I could do it for you, but I’ll leave the revenge to your hands.”

“Huh. I understand that you’re looking out for me, but Hosung Corp is not some convenience store…”

Jung Deuk Soo, while feeling ridiculed, opened up the book. He was curious as to how much was in the bank for Lee Hyun to act this way.

- Balance: 100,000,000,000,000.

It was so much that he couldn’t count properly. After a closer look, he realized it was 100 trillion won.

“Is this… real?”

“Yes. Try buying the company back and if you need more, I can provide it.”

“…”

***

Jung Deuk Soo began swiping up all the stocks of Hosung Corp on the market.

He bought stocks in Hosung Chemical, Hosung Display, Hosung Construction as well.

- Jung Deuk Soo CEO, obtained 7.2% of the shares in Hosung Chemical!

- His objective was revealed to be the retrieval of management.

- Hosung Corp, will they fall back into the hands of its previous owner?

The press released the highlight and Whiteflower Corp also responded actively via the media.

- The return of the ruined CEO. An unwise move.

- Whiteflower Corp, the savior of the collapsing Hosung Electronics.

- The buyout of Hosung Electronics is absurd.

The financial world of South Korea was disturbed like a beehive under attack with the return of CEO Jung Deuk Soo.

“Where did Jung Deuk Soo get that money?”

“We don’t know. It seems he is supported by a foreign private equity.”

“Get to the bottom of it. Come up with a way to respond.”

The board of Whiteflower Corp had no intention of forfeiting the subsidiaries of Hosung Corp. These companies consistently generated revenue and having them taken away was a direct hit on the entire company.

“Jung Deuk Soo has requested a meeting.”

“Is that so? I’ll hear what he has to say.”