Leveling Up Alone

Chapter 215: A Short Rest (1)

‘I really need to enjoy my break while it lasts,’?Han-Yeol thought after sending the Special S raid party away.

His schedule was jam-packed, even without needing to go on a hunt.

‘I have to deliver the ten monster pets to the Americans... Check out Yoo-Bi's new invention... Get ready to launch my own companies... Form my own raid party... Take the Master Rank test... Ugh... Why is my life so incredibly busy? So busy!’

Han-Yeol used to lead an incredibly busy life just to make ends meet, but now he stood as one of the wealthiest individuals in the world. Ironically, the nature of his work had changed, yet he remained immersed in ceaseless busyness. In fact, it seemed that his current workload might even surpass his past engagements, given the intricate and multifaceted tasks that now consumed him.

This turn of events had been predictable. The work that once consumed him during his earlier days was relatively straightforward and monotonous, but his present occupation involved intricate challenges from various directions.

As Han-Yeol returned home, he began to compile a list of tasks he needed to tackle moving forward.

"Welcome back, Han-Yeol, esteemed Hunter!"

Tak!

The mansion's staff had already formed a line to welcome his return. From the guards to the maids, everyone stood in two rows, bowing deeply at a ninety-degree angle to show their respect.

Among this group, the two leaders, Albert and Purva, were positioned at the forefront of the line.

"Excellent job, Han-Yeol-nim."

"We trust you didn't overexert yourself, Han-Yeol-nim."

"Thank you, Albert. Thank you, Purva."

Tak… Tak…

Han-Yeol gently tapped Purva on the shoulder. While Albert was an employee of his, he was significantly older, so Han-Yeol refrained from being overly casual in his interactions with him.

"We have prepared bath salts from Switzerland for your bathtub, Han-Yeol-nim. Please take a moment to relax and soak. It might not completely rejuvenate you before the arrival of the Americans, but it should help alleviate some of your fatigue," Albert suggested.

"Wow, that's a fantastic idea."

"Hoho! It's merely a simple trick I've picked up over the years."

Han-Yeol was feeling quite worn out due to lack of sleep and excessive use of his mana. While sleep could easily restore his energy, he couldn't afford to indulge in it with his guests set to arrive soon. Thankfully, Albert appeared to have anticipated this and had prepared ahead of time to help ease Han-Yeol's fatigue.

"Alright, please return to your tasks. I'll entrust the guests to you once they arrive, Purva."

"Yes, Han-Yeol-nim!"

Purva's loyalty and proficiency in Korean seemed to be growing day by day.

***

Plop…! Plop…! Plop…! Plop…!?

“Ahhh…?That hits the spot…” Han-Yeol moaned after getting in the bathtub.

The current residence Han-Yeol occupied appeared impressive from an exterior perspective. The principal structure was where his father resided, while Han-Yeol lived in the guest wing. Regrettably, the previous proprietor seemed to have neglected the mansion, leaving evident signs of wear and damage. Notably, the costly furniture and interior finishes had been replaced with cheaper alternatives.

In essence, the prior caretakers of the estate should consider themselves fortunate that Han-Yeol merely dismissed them without pursuing legal action. However, a significant transformation had taken place after Han-Yeol invested a substantial amount of money to renovate the entire property. Additionally, under Albert's guidance and the expertise of the other staff members accustomed to catering to affluent individuals, only the finest materials and resources were employed.

The mansion underwent a complete metamorphosis as Han-Yeol's financial resources merged with Albert's expertise and the Egyptian Worker's skill. One of the impressive results of their collective "talents" was the 1.2 billion won bathtub in which Han-Yeol was currently luxuriating.

The Egyptians had a particular affinity for gold, which was evident in the tub's real gold coating. Moreover, the primary tub was outfitted with mana stones for water heating, eschewing the need for a conventional water heater.

"Ah... This is truly delightful..."

"It's heartening that you find it pleasing, Han-Yeol-nim."

"Yes, I had heard about the bathtub's comprehensive renovation, but I hadn't anticipated it being this remarkable."

Albert and his team invested substantial effort into the thorough refurbishment of the bathtub, even though Han-Yeol hadn't had the leisure to enjoy it until now. In fact, he had previously been rather indifferent about taking hot baths, deeming them too bothersome and not to his preference.

Nonetheless, his perspective underwent a complete transformation after his dip in the bathtub. This marked Han-Yeol's first experience of soaking in a tub since his early days of accompanying his father to public bathhouses when he was young. As he grew older, he had abstained from indulging in hot baths due to the perceived effort involved and his lack of enthusiasm. Yet, his perception had undergone a profound shift following his current immersion.

Chwaaak… Plop!

“Wow… I never knew taking a bath can feel this heavenly… How come I never knew about it all my life?”

“Hoho! You still have a lot of time to enjoy it from now on, Han-Yeol-nim.”

“Ughhh…!”?Han-Yeol stretched and replied, “Yeah, I plan to do so from now on.”

“Hohoho!”

Albert's contentment grew as he witnessed Han-Yeol relishing his bath, yet he abruptly shifted to a somber smile.

‘If Kevin were still alive, he would have become a Hunter just like him…’?he recalled his son, who had once been a renowned S Rank Hunter in the United States.

Kevin had awoken with exceptional skills, and the family Albert served spared no effort in supporting him. Everything seemed promising for Kevin until the tragic day when he met his demise at the hands of monsters.

Albert's wife had been bedridden due to the shock, eventually succumbing to illness, leaving Albert suddenly and utterly alone. He relinquished his position as a butler and wandered aimlessly for a considerable time until Tayarana rescued him from his dire circumstances. Her visit to the United States, representing Egypt, had been marked by numerous events, and Albert had been by her side every step of the way.

Subsequently, she summoned him to South Korea, where he now served Han-Yeol.

‘This must be my final work…’?he thought.

At over seventy years of age, the time had come for him to retire. He had already imparted his knowledge to his successor, leaving him with only one task remaining: to return to his hometown and peacefully begin his retirement.

‘I will be in your care until then, Han-Yeol-nim,’?he thought.

"This reminds me, Han-Yeol-nim, I have something to report."

"Ah, right. Was there anything noteworthy during my hunting absence?"

"Well, nothing particularly noteworthy. There were some issues involving corruption and chaebols, but none of those are of concern to us."

"True," Han-Yeol replied with a nod, agreeing with the butler's assessment.

Life had been harsh for Han-Yeol in the past, leading him to attribute his misfortunes to politics, the economy, society, and the government. While the country did indeed have its share of problems, Han-Yeol's perspective had shifted.

He no longer found himself bothered by such trivial matters; instead, he focused on creating a comfortable life for himself and his family. Even the social welfare project he was preparing was more of a fleeting idea than a grand undertaking.

"Lawyer Han called and wishes to inform you that everything is ready."

"Ah, I suppose it's time to appoint the new director of the foundation... Hmm... There's still so much on my plate..."

"Hohoho! Being busy is better than being bored, Han-Yeol-nim."

"Yes, that's true. I'll probably need to discuss this matter with Secretary Kim."

"I concur, Han-Yeol-nim. He's remarkably intelligent and quick-witted, so he'll undoubtedly provide you with sound advice... despite his busy schedule. Hohoho!"

"Hahaha, that does make me feel a bit guilty..."

Indeed, Secretary Kim was incredibly swamped. He had to manage the aftermath of the auction that raked in over fifty trillion won while simultaneously preparing for the Harvard alumni event.

‘I should hire more people as soon as possible to cut him some slack.’?Han-Yeol knew the only thing he could do to help his secretary was to hire more people and…

‘Secretary Kim will be better suited to manage things from now on,’?he thought as he was planning on promoting him.

Han-Yeol learned from Mujahid and devised plans to implement similar strategies once his own group was established. The Goblin Group's owner was Mujahid, but it was under the leadership of Shin Yoo-Kyung.

Observing Secretary Kim closely, Han-Yeol concluded that he was better suited to oversee the business operations—much like Mujahid delegated responsibilities to Shin Yoo-Kyung.

"Well, I'll talk to Secretary Kim about it, and... apologize for burdening him with the mansion issue."

"Hohoho! I was just about to brief you on that matter as well. Tina put in considerable effort during your absence, Han-Yeol-nim. She managed to fully restore the garden that had been ravaged. At the outset, she grumbled and voiced her frustrations toward you, but soon enough, she was all smiles, expressing her delight in having the opportunity to fix parts of the garden she had disliked."

"Haha... I see... That's also a great relief. It turned out that way as I was training, often unaware of my surroundings... My initial intention was to test the skill in a smaller area, but it spiraled out of control and became much larger."

"Hoho! It happens, but I hope you'll consider the children's discomfort before attempting something similar in the future."

"Haha, I will."

Albert's charismatic presence compelled Han-Yeol to listen, rather than dismiss or become defensive. He accepted the gentle 'reminder' without causing any commotion. Among the few individuals that earned Han-Yeol's respect, Albert held a significant place, and Han-Yeol made it a point to heed his advice.

Their conversation continued, with Albert providing various updates, and it was only thirty minutes later that they concluded their discussions on work-related matters.

Chwak!

Han-Yeol was almost done with his bath when Albert suddenly clapped his hands.

Clap! Clap!?

“You may now enter,” he said.

“Yes, head butler-nim.”

Creak…!

The door to the bathroom's side swung open, revealing two Egyptian beauties dressed in black bikinis and carrying shower kits. Ironically, Han-Yeol was quite familiar with these two women.

"Huh? Albert?"

"Hoho! I'm not entirely sure about the customs in South Korea, but it appears that the Egyptians have recently revived their ancient practice of attending to their masters' bathing needs. Besides, isn't it more pleasant to be bathed by beauties on both sides instead of doing it alone?" Albert explained.

"Huh...? I... I suppose...?" Han-Yeol was momentarily taken aback, yet he quickly acquiesced upon learning that this was a customary practice nowadays.

‘It’s nothing illegal and I’m just taking a bath so there should be no problem…’?he thought.

Also, Han-Yeol found the two maidservants to be quite the eye candies.

‘Wow... I never truly noticed before, but they are really beautiful,’ he thought.

“Hohoho!”

Albert may not have possessed telepathic abilities like Han-Yeol or Mariam, but his wealth of life experiences more than made up for it. With almost fifty years of service as a butler, he had attended to a multitude of individuals over the years.

Naturally, these experiences had transformed him into a master at deciphering people's facial expressions. Observing Han-Yeol's smile, he deduced that Han-Yeol was far from displeased with what he had arranged.

‘Yes, you can slowly grow up like that, Han-Yeol-nim. I will make sure to assist you to the best of my abilities,’?Albert thought of this as one of his final missions before retiring.

He desired to witness the new master he was serving to embody the mannerisms of a genuinely affluent individual. While some might contend that exuding class and wealth had become outdated, Albert held a divergent perspective.

‘The reason new money doesn't endure is due to the lack of class. They become so fixated on spending money that they fail to grasp how money should serve them.’

He held a firm belief in the distinct disparity between being rich and being truly wealthy. Albert was resolute in his determination to transform Han-Yeol into a refined and affluent individual before his retirement.

Indeed, the seasoned butler had an abundance of plans already formulated in his mind for his master.