The Hunting Dog of the Prestigious Family Has Returned Chapter 3

People are the future.

If you said that in Joseon in 2224, you’d be called insane, but I agreed with it a hundred times over.

Why?

Just look at our Joseon citizens living in Hanseong’s lower residential districts.

You can make them do anything with just food, without needing expensive electricity.

Even street beggars become more efficient than decent precision machinery once you stick a data chip in their heads.

And if an arm or leg gets blown off? Even better.

They attach artificial bodies while going on about their children’s tuition or their sick parents’ medical bills, and work themselves to pieces for ten, twenty years.

True self-sacrifice, dedicating their entire bodies to feed Joseon.

These tens of millions of citizens living each day in suffering are the heroes of industrialization who revived Joseon despite not having a drop of oil, the future provisions that will save our great nation of noble scholars.

If there’s one tiny flaw, just one.

It’s that in about ten years, those future provisions are scheduled to throw all us power clan members straight into the fires of hell.

‘And in my case… that time is coming a bit earlier.’

The nightscape of Hanseong’s highest layer visible through the window.

I looked at the clean city like something out of a painting and its beautiful lights.

Not even a bastard but an illegitimate child—the lowest status.

I had ignoble blood born from beneath a commoner’s legs, yet despite that, my starting point was far better compared to ordinary citizens.

I might be disregarded, but never worried about starving.

I might be scorned, but received Joseon’s finest education.

I might be despised, but could do whatever I wanted.

But that dreamlike time ended on this day when I received the powerless judgment.

Without any power base or phase power, I was no longer a member of the Andong Kim household but a burden and trash.

This luxurious life I’m enjoying now.

The time remaining until it starts crumbling…

‘If my memory is correct, about a month.’

Along with that thought came memories of my past life.

The face of the guard Taewoong, struggling to speak while holding my young hand.

‘The imperial studies and sword training scheduled for today are no longer available.’

Using free time as an excuse, they gradually cut off the education the family provided to promising youth.

‘The servants who handled meals… they quit as of last week.’

Making various excuses, they gradually reduced the number of people attending me.

‘From today, you’ll be living in this annex instead of the main house. You’ll also be going to a different school.’

Then at some point, claiming it was a new home, they sent me to a school separated from the family’s other peers.

One floor down.

As time passed, another floor down.

Gradually distancing from the family, my life kept falling into deeper pits. By the time I reached adulthood, even the fact that someone like me existed would fade.

Only then would they erase even the evidence that I’d inherited their blood.

Like a frog in a heating pot.

Without even realizing I was being abandoned, slowly disappearing from the world like that.

The method power clans who disliked media exposure commonly used.

The product of a noble gentleman’s one-night fling would disappear without a sound like that.

‘And I hated that so much.’

I didn’t want to vanish emptily.

The honor of being a member of the nobles.

I didn’t want to give up this opportunity to do great things for Joseon.

Because I thought that way, I buried my head in the rain-soaked courtyard floor that day and claimed to be their dog.

But…

‘Not anymore.’

To me now, this nation of Joseon.

The Andong Kim clan and the title of noble were no longer honorable.

Rather, they were shackles I needed to shed as soon as possible.

Nothing more than a sandcastle before a massive wave.

‘If there’s one useful thing… it’s probably this overflowing rotten money.’

I looked at the bank account displayed in a corner of my visual interface.

Ones, tens, hundreds, thousands… whew, there’s a lot.

As expected of an Andong Kim descendant, even a fifteen-year-old brat’s account was thoroughly packed with money.

Of course, that didn’t mean this money was mine to use freely.

It was part of funds managed by the family, and this money’s flow would be reported to the relevant department without fail.

But there was no problem.

No, it was better if it got reported quickly.

Because…

“Young Master.”

“Hm?”

While I was lost in thought looking at the interface, the guard Taewoong who’d gone outside approached me.

“In addition to the person you mentioned before, I’ve compiled suitable candidates. Normally I would have brought them directly, but finding the exact location took time…”

“No, no. This is plenty.”

Saying that, I attached the data chip Taewoong handed me to the back of my neck.

What Taewoong gave me were new guard candidates.

A holographic interface appeared before me, filled with personal information on people who could become guards.

‘Huh.’

Hulking masses easily exceeding two meters in height and human weapons plastered with artificial bodies.

Every single one had menacing faces without exception.

‘I asked him to find one person, but how many did he actually find?’

It was good that he worked well, but working too hard was a problem in its own way.

After flipping past the miscellaneous candidates Taewoong recommended, I fixed my gaze on a corner of the list.

‘Found it.’

The appearance was a bit different from when I’d met them in my previous life, but I was certain.

A gaunt body. Hair roughly tied without care. And one-armed with no artificial body.

Among the burly guard candidates, a uniquely out-of-place figure.

This was definitely the person I was looking for.

‘But still too young as expected. A bit burdensome to assign external activities or real combat…’

I was briefly lost in thought examining those characteristic eyes full of venom when—

“But are you really sure about this?”

“Hm?”

Taewoong spoke to me with a worried face.

“Sure about what?”

“The new guard. Hiring people without the family’s permission—if you make such impulsive moves at a time like this…”

“Why? Worried Father will scold me for that powerless trash doing foolish things?”

Taewoong closed his mouth at my blunt tone.

Why so scared? Making me feel awkward.

After shrugging once, I shook my head as if it was absurd.

“Don’t worry. Even if the sky splits in two, that won’t happen.”

“How can you be so sure…”

“How do I know? Obviously.”

Saying that, I recalled the face I saw at the testing hall—Lord Kim Jungheon.

Inorganic eyes containing not even a shred of emotion, let alone anger or disappointment.

Recalling those eyes I’d seen ad nauseam in my past life, I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Anyway, no matter what I do or where, that man won’t care at all.”

“Young Master. That’s…”

Hearing my words, Taewoong tried to offer some comfort, but I had no intention of listening.

Let’s see.

What else to spend money on… right.

“Oh, right. Taewoong.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

“Can you check your account?”

“My account?”

Taewoong, repeating my words, activated his interface and checked his account.

“Young Master. Wh-what is this?”

He froze on the spot.

Understandable.

Even now his account balance was shooting up moment by moment, so he’d wonder what was happening.

“It’s allowance. Other guards get this often, right? Just open a borrowed-name account and put it there. It’s not that much money, so if you divide it appropriately…”

“Stop the transfer, Young Master. Right now!”

Taewoong’s shout cut off my words mid-sentence.

His face dying moment by moment.

Soon he began stopping me while raising his voice unusually loudly.

“What on earth are you thinking?! Not only trying to bring in outsiders without the family’s permission, but directly touching public funds! If the main house’s financial team finds out about this…!”

“They won’t stay quiet. Right?”

While I was grinning at Taewoong’s pale face.

The quiet door burst open and suited men wearing black hats rushed in.

“Finance team. You are Young Master Kim Changwoon, correct?”

“Yeah. That’s me.”

“…”

I could see the eyes behind the sunglasses narrowing.

Why so confident?

Has the illegitimate bastard finally lost his mind?

Something like that, probably.

But that was brief.

Fixing their expressions, they spoke in their characteristic inorganic tone and grabbed my shoulder.

“We confirmed money was withdrawn from the family’s dedicated account. For confirmation, we ask—was this your doing, Young Master?”

“Right. So what?”

“No matter if you’re the Young Master, we cannot tolerate the arbitrary misappropriation of the family’s public funds. Pardon us, but you’ll need to come with us.”

How polite.

I just feel sorry for you having to bow your heads to a commoner bastard.

Sneering inwardly like that, I slowly rose from my seat.

Taewoong was covering his face as if this was inevitable, but what could he do? This was all part of the plan.

Vrrrrmm—

Suited men surrounding me on both sides and armed drones gathering around them like escorts.

Anyone watching would think the Royal Investigative Bureau was escorting a criminal.

When all I did was take some money from Dad’s wallet.

“Ah, wait, wait.”

Perhaps thinking I was deliberately stalling.

The suited men who stopped at my words looked slightly menacing.

“What is it?”

“I’m curious about something before we go.”

“Questions would be better asked after arrival. Right now…”

“No, it’s not a particularly serious question.”

Grinning like a madman, I narrowed my eyes and spoke.

“You coming to get me right now—was that directly ordered by the Lord?”

“…”

Brief silence.

But it didn’t last long.

Even if treated like trash and rolled around, I was still a member of the Andong Kim clan right now.

Meaning I wasn’t someone the ‘subordinate’ finance team could order around at will.

‘In this household, only two people can order me around. If it wasn’t Father, Lord Kim Jungheon, who summoned me… only one person remains.’

Kim Hyunwoo.

The eldest son of the Andong Kim clan and my half-brother.

I grinned, recalling that arrogant face.

“Hey. You need to answer.”

Seeing signs they’d try to dodge with silence, I prodded once more.

While the two on either side briefly exchanged glances, the one who seemed highest ranking among the three spoke reluctantly.

“The Lord did not directly order this… no.”

“However, Young Master. If you refuse the order, we will…”

“Yeah yeah, got it. Question over. I’m not planning to throw a tantrum about not going, so don’t worry.”

That one thing was enough to know.

Saying that, I shuffled in the direction the finance team employees indicated.

“Y-Young Master?”

“…?”

They seemed surprised by the unexpected response, but it didn’t matter.

No, I was rather pleased.

This situation where I tried to bring in outsiders without the family’s permission, used the family’s public funds as I pleased, and Kim Hyunwoo who noticed it summoned me.

Everything was going according to plan.