The moment I asked what that oh-so-great advice of his actually was.
Kwak Daesu’s eyebrows twitched slightly.
He must have been a little flustered because I, who had only been smiling the whole time, suddenly spoke sharply.
Even so, Kwak Daesu quickly put on a fierce expression again and said to me.
“That little kid brought around a hundred songs she composed, right?”
“So what?”
“‘So what?’ You’re her dad, and you’re just letting that slide?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Sigh, this is so frustrating.”
Kwak Daesu shook his head with a sour face.
“I’ve been working as a professional composer for over fifteen years, and composing isn’t something you can do just by churning out sheer quantity. You have to focus on quality.”
“Quality, you say?”
“Yes. What’s the point of making a hundred trash-like melodies? You have to put your heart into even just one. Do you think composing is some kind of manual labor?”
“Please watch your words. Trash-like melodies?”
I narrowed my eyes and warned him.
“Well, fine, maybe not trash. Anyway, my point is that writing a ton doesn’t automatically make it good composition. Composing is about quality over quantity.”
“I know that too.”
“You know? And yet you’re still making her do that kind of grunt work?”
“It’s not grunt work. Our Eunbyeol is genuinely enjoying herself while making songs. And how would you even know, Daesu-ssi? How do you know whether Eunbyeol’s melodies are good or bad?”
“Well, don’t you have to listen to know? Do you think melodies churned out a hundred at a time over a few days could possibly be good? Of course the quality will suffer!”
Kwak Daesu said in an exasperated tone.
But I did not back down and replied.
“No. I guarantee it. The melodies my daughter made will be far better than the ones you make.”
“Pfft, what makes you so confident? Do you even know anything about composing?”
“If someone’s clueless about composing, does that mean they don’t have ears? It’s popular music, isn’t it? I’m part of the public too. Don’t you know the moment you hear it?”
“Hahaha, they say ignorance breeds courage. You think anything that comes out of your mouth is valid just because you said it. Father and daughter are exactly the same; neither of you listens to reason. Like father, like daughter.”
“You crazy…!”
I spat those words and took one step forward.
It was to drive my fist straight into the face of this barking Kwak Daesu.
That was the moment.
Grab.
I felt someone pulling the hem of my pants from behind.
When I quickly turned around, Eunbyeol was holding onto my trouser leg.
Shake shake.
Eunbyeol shook her head with a face full of worry.
I didn’t need words to understand.
She was telling me not to fight.
||
I looked at Eunbyeol’s face and bit my lower lip.
After somehow calming the rage boiling inside me, I spoke to Kwak Daesu.
“Shall we make a bet?”
“A bet?”
“Yes. Aside from the bet with Composer Nam Seungha, let’s make another one just between us.”
“Hahaha, you really love betting, don’t you. So, what are we betting?”
Kwak Daesu asked with great interest, arms crossed.
“The loser of this music chart battle kneels and apologizes.”
“Kneel and apologize?”
“Yes. The person who ranks lower in the final chart kneels and apologizes. Begging forgiveness for all the wrongs committed until now.”
“Hmm, that seems a bit weak.”
“Is that so? Then I’ll put up 100 million won. You don’t have to bet anything.”
“Oh ho, really? So if that little kid loses, you, Seo Juwon, will kneel, apologize, and give me 100 million won?”
“Yes.”
I glared at Kwak Daesu as I answered.
Kwak Daesu raised the corners of his mouth and said.
“Okay. Call. Let’s do it.”
“It’s a promise.”
“Kekekeke, that’s what I wanted to say. Since it’s a promise, make sure you keep it properly. Don’t come crying later that you don’t have the money.”
“Don’t worry about me; you make sure you keep your end.”
“Got it, so you go ahead and prepare that 100 million won. And don’t think about whining to that old man Nam Seungha to save money later. Anyway, I’m leaving. Keep working hard on that grunt-work composing. Not that it’ll turn out well. Kekekeke.”
Kwak Daesu left with a hyena-like laugh.
That bastard.
Utterly disgusting until the very end.
I glared at him until he disappeared, then turned around.
Because only then did I remember Eunbyeol.
Her face was still filled with worry.
Seeing her like that, I realized I had been too emotional.
“Eunbyeol-ah.”
I lowered myself to meet her eye level and continued.
“Daddy’s sorry. You were scared, right?”
“Nooo. I wasn’t scared…”
“No, you must have been really frightened thinking Daddy was going to fight. I’m sorry. And thank you—for stopping me.”
“Uung…”
I gently stroked the cheeks of Eunbyeol, who looked like she might burst into tears any second.
Then Eunbyeol looked up at me and said.
“Daddy, Eunbyeol won’t lose…”
“Hm?”
“I’ll absolutely not lose at composing. I’ll make the very best song and win the bet. So Daddy won’t have to apologize to that bad mister…”
Eunbyeol said with teary, glistening eyes.
I silently gazed at her for a moment, then hugged her tightly.
“Thank you, Eunbyeol. Really, thank you.”
I held little Eunbyeol close in my arms and repeated my thanks.
It wasn’t because she said she would win the composition battle.
I was simply grateful that she endured a father as inadequate as me.
After finishing the argument with Kwak Daesu.
I took Eunbyeol to the bathroom.
Then we returned to the recording studio where Ahn Hyeji was and continued working.
We had dinner and kept working late into the night.
At the end of that long session, Eunbyeol and Ahn Hyeji finally selected the melody to put on the track.
There were so many good melodies that choosing was difficult, but the two of them still managed to decide.
My opinion was reflected a little as well during the process.
Afterward, Ahn Hyeji narrowed down a few guide vocalists and consulted with Eunbyeol to make the final selection.
Once the guide vocalists were chosen, Ahn Hyeji said she would attach lyrics through a lyricist and contact us, then sent us home.
The top line was decided, guide vocalists selected, even a lyricist hired.
The feeling that a proper song was finally coming together made me strangely excited.
At the same time, I made up my mind.
I would definitely win against that obnoxious Kwak Daesu.
Anyway, after diligently doing my daddy duties, I returned to the Myth Guild.
Today was a gate raid day, after all.
“As I said earlier, today is a Silver Golem gate. Everyone remembers, right?”
Cha Jihye briefed us in front of the bluish gate.
As she said, today’s gate featured “Silver Golems.”
Golems, huh. Just the name sounds insanely tough.
Golems are famous for being sturdy.
And among them, ones made of silver no less.
Even before fighting, I could tell it wouldn’t be easy.
Still, I have something to rely on.
Yet I didn’t shrink back at all.
On the contrary, I felt anticipation.
There were two reasons for that anticipation.
I want to try using Blue Bones quickly.
The first reason was “Blue Bones.”
Thanks to the skill Skeleton Mastery I obtained after defeating the Siren and leveling up, I had acquired Blue Bones.
The deep blue skeletons—Blue Bones.
Just how strong were they?
The thought of seeing an army of Blue Bones in real combat made my heart race.
And while somehow calming the anger that had been boiling inside me, I had said to Kwak Daesu.
“Shall we make a bet?”
“A bet?”
“Yes. Aside from the bet with Composer Nam Seungha, let’s make another one just between us.”
“Hahaha, you really love betting, don’t you. So, what are we betting?”
Kwak Daesu asked with great interest, arms crossed.
“The loser of this music chart battle kneels and apologizes.”
“Kneel and apologize?”
“Yes. The person who ranks lower in the final chart kneels and apologizes. Begging forgiveness for all the wrongs committed until now.”
“Hmm, that seems a bit weak.”
Recalling Eunbyeol’s bright, innocent face, I stepped into the gate.
Another gate raid had begun.
The moment we entered the gate.
The team members looked around with puzzled expressions.
“Huh, where is this?”
“What the— isn’t this just a city?”
“It kinda feels cyberpunk.”
“Wow, I thought I walked into an apocalypse novel.”
“Ugh, why is the weather so gloomy? It feels depressing. There are so many factories too.”
The Nova team members were exactly right.
This place was, for starters, a city.
But not just any city—it felt like a heavily polluted one.
Factories everywhere.
Smoke pouring from chimneys.
Worn-out gray buildings.
And an overcast sky that looked ready to rain at any moment.
This place truly felt like a “bleak city.”
“Everyone, stay sharp. We can’t lose to the rookie this time.”
That was when Team Leader Cha Jihye spoke.
At the words “we can’t lose to the rookie,” the team members raised their weapons and shouted.
“Yes, ma’am!”
“Yeah, we absolutely cannot lose to Seo Juwon this time!”
“Juwon oppa, I’m not losing to you today! I may be younger, but I’m your senior!”
“Let’s show him the dignity of seniors!”
“There’s no mental manipulation here, so let’s fight with everything we’ve got!”
The team members looked at me as they spoke.
It seemed they wanted to make up for barely fighting properly in the Harpy gate.
“Then let’s move out!”
With Cha Jihye’s shout, we began walking deeper into the bleak city.
The bleak city gate.
A field that felt like real people might live here.
A space where factory workers in uniforms might be chain-smoking.
Yet there wasn’t a single person here.
Of course there wasn’t.
This was a gate, after all.
An area where ordinary humans could not survive.
While wandering through this bleak city.
BOOM!
A loud noise came from not far away.
It sounded like a giant hammer slamming the ground.
The sound continued in succession, and then a massive figure emerged from an alley.
“Silver Golems! Everyone, prepare for combat!”
Just as Cha Jihye shouted, Silver Golems appeared.
Monsters roughly five meters tall, their entire bodies wrapped in solid silver.
“Charge!”
At Cha Jihye’s command, everyone rushed forward.
They immediately latched onto the Silver Golem and began fighting.
CLANG! CLANG! CLAAAANG!
Cha Jihye and the team members fiercely attacked a single Silver Golem.
But the fight did not look easy.
“Damn it! Why is it so tough?”
“My sword isn’t cutting through!”
“My axe either! What the hell is this thing made of?”
“Everyone get back! I’m casting Fire Spear!”
Even though Cha Jihye and all the team members threw everything they had, the Silver Golem refused to fall easily.
Even when a mage team member cast Fire Spear, the Silver Golem remained unscathed.
Still, thanks to the entire team attacking together, they eventually brought it down.
“Haa, haa…”
“This is insane. Why is taking down just one so hard?”
“That Silver Golem bastard is way too tough.”
“Damn it. I wanted to show senior dignity, but looks like that’s not happening again.”
Cha Jihye and the team members were panting heavily.
Even to me, the Silver Golem definitely did not look like an easy opponent.
Its overwhelming defense meant attacks barely did anything.
That was when it happened.
BOOM! THUD! BOOOOM! BOOM!
The sound of a hammer striking the ground rang out again.
Soon, even more Silver Golems appeared from farther away.
Ten of them, no less.
“Fck, how many is that?”
“Crap. Looks like beating that one drew aggro.”
“Team leader, what do we do? Should we retreat for now?”
“Ten is impossible! Let’s fall back for now!”
The team members shouted with panicked faces.
It was a natural reaction.
One Silver Golem was already hard; ten appearing at once would of course be shocking.
While Cha Jihye stood frozen, unable to decide as the Silver Golems approached.
“Team leader, let me try fighting them.”
I stepped forward and said.
That I would fight those things.
“Seo Juwon Hunter?”
“Yes.”
“W-will you be alright?”
“I don’t know. But I still want to try. I also want to test the power of Blue Bones.”
“Hmm, alright. But if Seo Juwon Hunter’s attacks don’t work either, we retreat immediately.”
Everyone, including me, agreed with Cha Jihye’s words.
Soon, I tossed bones from my inventory into the air and summoned skeletons.
Clack-clack! Clack-clack!
The bones rapidly grew and formed an army.
A full fifty skeletons.
Not only had the number increased, but there was another clear change.
It’s been a while, Blue Bones.
The skeletons filling the surroundings were a deep “blue” like the ocean.
They had evolved from white to blue after the previous gate.
“Uwoooh…”
“Uwoooh…”
“Uwoooh…”
At that moment, the Silver Golems clad entirely in silver closed the distance.
They were almost upon the Nova team.
Seeing that, I gave the skeletons my command.
Smash them all to pieces.
In that instant, the fifty Blue Bones began charging forward, the ground rumbling beneath their feet.