‘What?’

Shin Youngwoo felt like he was being ignored when he saw his mother’s reaction.

He felt bad and questioned his mother, “Mother, why are you laughing? Why are you laughing when I said that I could have a girlfriend?”

His mother couldn’t stop laughing, “Hohohoho~! It's funny when a kid who’s lived for 26 years and never got a girlfriend speaks so proudly. You are my child, but you are really amazing! My be-lly hu-rts. Hohohohohoho~!”

“......”

This was obviously insensitive. Was there another son in the world who would be so insensitively ignored by his mother?

As Shin Youngwoo wobbled away in shock, his father backed up his wife instead of scolding her. “Son, please make sure to have a girlfriend by next year. Shouldn’t you be prepared? No, think about other things first. Shouldn’t you pay off your debt first? What type of woman would want to date you when you are like this? No matter how confident you are, it isn’t easy. Do you think a meager man like you can instill confidence in your lover? Just give up on having a girlfriend for a while.”

“......”

This was also obviously insensitive.

Moreover, on a morning when he felt better than ever...!! His heart, which was in the best condition, crumbled at his parents’ words.

“Both of you are too much! There is a reason why I haven’t had a girlfriend yet! My debt isn’t a problem. You two are the ones who made me like this!” Shin Youngwoo poured out the words that he had buried in his heart. “I don’t have a lover because of Mother and Father! If you two had made me like a movie star, I would be able to get a girlfriend. Dammit. The two of you made me ugly, so the girls don’t care about me.”

“Gosh, are you blaming us for being born this way? Look at your sister. She came out from the same belly as you, but she is so beautiful. Did you know that you were also born beautiful like Sehee?”

“People aren’t all about appearance… It is also about personality. Tsk, tsk. The more I look, the more pathetic you are.”

“Eek...”

Shin Youngwoo was being humiliated like this in the morning! Serious doubts revolved around his head.

‘Was I adopted as a child?’

Maybe his parents weren’t actually his parents.

‘My parents said I was a beautiful baby, but are they really my parents...? Am I just a kid they picked up?’

The two people who raised him for 26 years weren’t actually his parents...!! Then what about his real parents? Where were his parents? ...No, what was he doing now? It was almost time to go work. He couldn’t afford to play around like this.

Shin Youngwoo calmed down. Then he sat down at the table and turned to his father, changing the topic. “Father, how is Grandfather these days? Is he healthy as always?”

“Huh? Why are you suddenly asking about your grandfather?"

“There is an old NPC blacksmith in the game, and he reminded me of Grandfather. So I suddenly remembered Grandfather.”

...Would his father become angry again after hearing about the game? His father might even beat him up...

“You only just suddenly thought about him,” his father said in a flat voice. “Then you should come along when we visit your grandfather next month. Do you know how sorry you should be for not visiting your grandfather for one whole year?”

Shin Youngwoo’s family had been visiting his grandparents’ house every holiday since seven years ago. Seven years ago, his grandmother died, so these visits were an attempt to soothe his grandfather’s loneliness.

‘Mother and Father tried to persuade my grandfather to stay with us, but he firmly rejected. Perhaps he thought he would be a burden.’

Shin Youngwoo had been loved by his grandfather since he was young, so he had visited his grandfather every year until last year. He never once visited after starting Satisfy. This was because he wanted to play the game instead of taking time off to travel to his grandfather’s house.

‘I’m an unfilial bastard.’

Was his grandfather currently lonely, just like Khan? Shin Youngwoo was worried because he was able to get a glimpse through Khan about how lonely old men could act. In the future, he should try and visit his grandfather as frequently as possible.

“I ate well.”

After a while, he finished breakfast and immediately headed toward his workplace. The people who had already arrived filled the office with tobacco smoke. The cigarette smoke was causing Shin Youngwoo to get a headache.

‘Why do they like smoking, when cigarettes are a waste of effort and money? If I had the money they spent on buying cigarettes… Let’s endure it a little longer. Once the item manufacturing is in full swing, I will no longer have to come back here.’

He could make a large amount of money by making and selling items. From then on, Satisfy would become his job. He could lie in his capsule all day and not have to listen to his parents’ nagging. Nevertheless, for that to happen, he needed to win against the Mero Company.

‘I can use Khan’s smithy as a base. I must win the game and protect Khan’s smithy.’

***

At the Mero Company’s Winston branch, Valmont wasn’t feeling good. It was because he felt disappointed with his most trusted subordinate, Rabbit.

“Why did you do such an annoying thing?”

A production game over the smithy...? Valmont couldn’t understand Rabbit’s intentions.

“If Khan can’t pay me back, it is natural to use the smithy as collateral. Khan doesn’t have the ability to pay off the debt. In other words, the smithy is sure to enter my hands. Fast or slow, it is only a matter of time. I wanted to speed that up, which is why I let you handle the matter. Did you forget your mission?”

Bam!

Valmont threw the apple he was chewing against the wall, and the pieces of apple splattered against Rabbit’s face. Rabbit quietly took out his handkerchief and wiped his dirty face.

Seeing Rabbit’s dignified manner, Valmont huffed and shouted, “Why are you giving Khan hope by making a useless bet? Why? You opened up the opportunity that he might be able to keep the smithy. Have you been bribed by Khan?”

Rabbit was a person Valmont had trusted more than anyone before today. This was a simple example that revealed Valmont’s character, who didn’t trust people well.

Rabbit explained calmly, “Right now, our main base is in Winston. But unfortunately, the Winston residents have recognized the Mero Company as their enemy. Considering the long-term perspective of the Mero Company’s business development, it is best to be friendly with the Winston residents. They have to care about the Mero Company in order to help develop it. But the Mero Company has taken their property. It won’t be easy to appease them.”

“The company... took their property? Bah! Sophistry! The value of their land was shit. I paid for and bought the land legally. They also welcomed it. Now they regret it as the land develops and the prices rise? Truly treacherous guys!”

“They wouldn’t be so alarmed right now if you used some of the profits from the land to benefit them. Then they would’ve appreciated it and contributed to the development of the Mero Company in the long term.”

“In other words, I am the bad one? Bah! The residents of Winston are still criticizing all the work I have done.”

“‘Don’t look at the backs of people. You will succeed by following the money.’ My master had that type of strategy. But my opinion is a little different. It is important to catch the hearts of the people. Then the money will come naturally. People grateful to the Mero Company will develop into loyal customers.”

“You...!” Valmont looked at Rabbit in a menacing manner. ”Don’t try to teach me! Do I look like a child to you? You just have to do what I tell you to. And what is with this bullshit? Get to the point! Why did you make such a lousy bet with Khan?”

‘This is Valmont’s limit. It will be difficult to grow the Mero Company any further.’

The reason why the Mero Company could grow this big was that when Valmont was still young, he had listened to Rabbit’s advice and operated the business accordingly. However, Valmont was now filled with arrogance and egotism, and he didn’t listen to Rabbit’s advice anymore.

‘Once this business finishes, I need to leave.’ Rabbit made his decision and decided to explain his intentions to Valmont. “Khan’s position in Winston is very high. There are many people who consider him the hero who resists the Mero Company. In these circumstances, if the Mero Company takes Khan’s smithy in a nasty manner, the anger of the residents will go out of control and will likely lead to a rebellion. The residents will work as a group to hinder the Mero Company, ultimately dealing harm to it.”

Valmont started to listen.

Rabbit continued the explanation, “I am confident that I can reform the company’s image through this game. ‘Why did they give a chance to Khan, when they can just take his smithy?’ The residents will start having this suspicion. Then I will advertise that ‘we recognized Khan’s skill and want to give him a chance.’ This suggests that the Mero Company can be a friend rather than an enemy. Then the population’s perception of the company will change drastically. They will think that the Mero Company doesn’t only move for money and that it also cares for people.”

“...So we will gain loyal customers?”

“Yes.”

“Hrmm.”

Valmont still wasn’t convinced. Nonetheless, he didn’t feel the need to stop something that had already been started. In the end, Valmont decided to support Rabbit.

“If you hire an excellent blacksmith, we can win right?”

“Of course.”

“In addition, the opponent isn’t Khan?”

“According to my research, he is a young man whose reputation is so poor that it is doubtful he is even a blacksmith.”

“Okay. Hire the best blacksmith. Don’t worry about the money.”

Valmont was insufficient in many ways, but one of his positives was that he was quick to make decisions. Moreover, if he had no positive aspects, how could he become the master of a giant company in the first place?

Rabbit smiled with satisfaction. “I have already found a person.”

No matter how bad Khan’s condition was, he wasn’t stupid enough to entrust it to an unskilled person. So Rabbit wanted to watch out for the young man called Grid. Yet when Rabbit met Grid, he saw that Grid had no experience. Grid was a person whom Rabbit couldn’t feel alarmed to go against. Rabbit was convinced that if he chose a suitable blacksmith, they wouldn’t lose the game.

‘Regardless, I can’t be careless.’

Still, Rabbit had a cautious nature, and he tried to get the best results every time. So he would be vigilant this time. He was going to hire the best blacksmith.