“Overseas.”
That single word from Kang Geon dropped like a stone, and a deep silence settled over the inauguration hall.
Even the reporters who had been furiously snapping photos moments before stopped dead.
And the business titans, the government officials, even the Imperial Family.
Everyone was staring at Kang Geon as if they had all agreed to do so beforehand.
Some blinked, wondering if they had misheard. Others chewed on the meaning of his words.
And some, who grasped the hidden implication instantly, hardened their expressions.
Overseas.
Where Seonghwa Group was reaching out wasn’t the domestic market—it was overseas.
Taken at face value, there was nothing strange about it.
The Korean Empire’s greatest corporation setting its sights on the global market.
That could even be seen as natural and positive.
But where was this place?
The Imperial Palace.
Not just that—it was a stage the Emperor himself had prepared to celebrate the inauguration of Seonghwa Group’s 3rd Chairman.
And moments ago, Kang Geon had spoken with absolute clarity.
A new perspective, a new market, and partnership with new places.
Those words had naturally led everyone gathered here to the same misconception.
Everyone was certain that the young Chairman of Seonghwa Group needed an ally.
Just as nothing is thicker than blood, they firmly believed that a young Chairman, whose entire owner family had vanished, couldn’t possibly hold his ground alone.
So surely, he would now firmly join hands with someone in this room.
The Imperial Family thought the same.
As the Emperor himself had told Kang Geon, no one was unaware of the intent behind hosting the inauguration at the Imperial Palace.
The Imperial Family’s halo, the Imperial Family’s protection—a beautiful picture of the Imperial Family and Seonghwa truly sharing a destiny.
In return, Seonghwa Group simply needed to come under the Imperial Family’s wing.
What sweeter offer could there be for a young Chairman?
But Kang Geon shattered their delusions head-on.
Not domestically—overseas.
Those words meant he had no intention of joining hands with the business titans in this room, and absolutely no intention of stepping under the Imperial Family’s protection either.
Seonghwa Group would not seek allies within the Korean Empire.
Instead, it would carve a new path in the wider world beyond.
In a way, this was a declaration—practically a declaration of war against everyone in this room.
And so.
“……”
The smile that had lingered on the Emperor’s lips moments ago had already faded.
It was a change that lasted barely an instant, but anyone watching him closely couldn’t have missed it.
Kang Geon’s declaration had far exceeded the Emperor’s expectations.
The Crown Prince was the same.
He was staring at Kang Geon with his fist clenched so tightly that his nails must have been digging into his palm.
Lee Hwan was genuinely furious.
An illegitimate child.
A high school student.
A boy who had risen to the chairmanship of Seonghwa Group overnight.
He’d thought that a little goodwill would be enough to make the boy bow his head naturally.
No—he should have bowed.
Seonghwa Group was faltering, and Kang Geon needed a solid, dependable ally.
If that was the case, taking the hand of the Imperial Family—the most powerful ally in the Korean Empire—was the obvious move.
That was why the one-sided hit in the banquet hall could be forgiven with magnanimity.
The recklessness of an unlearned youth, or a naïve remark made without fully grasping the situation.
He could have taken it as that.
But now, the circumstances were completely different.
This was an official inauguration ceremony.
A stage where the Emperor himself had given a congratulatory address, watched by countless business elites, government officials, reporters, and the public.
And in that place, Kang Geon had refused the Imperial Family’s outstretched hand and slapped it away in front of everyone.
And with complete confidence.
As if he had never had any intention of joining hands with the Imperial Family from the very start.
‘…How dare he.’
Lee Hwan’s gaze turned icy cold.
A young Chairman of illegitimate birth…
Had the audacity to declare war on the Imperial Family from a stage the Imperial Family itself had set for him.
That single fact was enough to grind Lee Hwan’s pride into the dirt, and he wanted to demand an answer right then and there.
Whether Kang Geon could handle the consequences.
But Kang Geon didn’t waver in the slightest under those stares.
After a moment of silence, he brought his mouth back to the microphone.
“Seonghwa Group’s roots lie in the Korean Empire. Seonghwa was born in this nation and grew alongside its people.”
A calm voice.
Yet within it was a strange resolve.
“I have no intention of denying that fact. But putting down roots and being bound to them are two entirely different stories.”
The more Kang Geon spoke, the clearer it became.
He never directly mentioned the Imperial Family, but his words were aimed squarely at them.
The name of the Korean Empire.
The fence of the Imperial Family.
Against every hand trying to bind Seonghwa within that cage, Kang Geon was drawing a firm line.
“Being called the nation’s top corporation is certainly something to be proud of. But at the same time, it’s a dangerous title.”
Kang Geon’s words continued, crisp and clear.
But the business elites listening on-site were dying inside.
Most of them were probably feeling the same way.
They had also made a wasted trip to the Imperial Palace, but given the mood of the Imperial Family, this was no time to be worrying about that.
After all—
“Because the moment we settle for that title, Seonghwa can no longer move forward.”
Enough.
“I have absolutely no intention of leaving a great company like Seonghwa Group to compete only within the Korean Empire.”
Enough…!
“After all, Seonghwa’s next competitors aren’t in this room.”
Stop it!!!
…Wait, this bastard?
The business elites’ expressions shifted in an instant.
Was he openly provoking not just the Imperial Family but the entire domestic business community now?
But the reporters’ reactions were the exact opposite.
Having been holding their breath until now, they pressed their shutters like wild beasts spotting prey.
Had there been a more electrifying scene recently?
Actually, yes.
The poisoning of Seonghwa Group’s owner family, and the young Chairman confessing his true heart to the world at the center of that chaos.
And now that same young Chairman was stirring up another massive wave in the Korean Empire.
At the Imperial Palace, of all places.
At his own inauguration ceremony, with the Emperor watching.
When had it started, then?
“As the Chairman of Seonghwa Group, I will say this clearly.”
Apart from his insane remarks, people simply couldn’t tear their eyes away from Kang Geon.
That was only natural—the boy’s speech had an eerily captivating power.
His voice wasn’t overly loud.
His gestures weren’t exaggerated.
He wasn’t appealing to emotion or squeezing out tears.
Just calmly—
“Seonghwa Group will cooperate with global companies and compete against them.”
He paused at precisely the right moments and delivered his next words at the instant when the most people were holding their breath.
His timing was chillingly precise.
As if he had calculated every reaction of everyone in this room.
A high school student who had never received proper training was speaking on that podium like a politician or a businessman who had faced countless crowds his entire life.
Was that truly possible through talent alone?
And on top of that—
“And there, I will prove Seonghwa Group’s true worth.”
There was a burning sincerity in the boy’s words—no lies whatsoever.
Click.
The flashes went off again.
Within that sea of white light, Kang Geon slowly lowered his head.
And with that…
“I ask that you kindly watch over that journey.”
Seonghwa Group’s 3rd Chairman, Kang Geon’s inaugural speech was over.
Of course, applause should have followed in congratulations.
But no applause came.
An unnaturally deep silence settled over the hall instead.
It couldn’t be helped.
Kang Geon’s speech had just flipped off the board that the Imperial Family and the domestic business community had designed.
So no one could easily clap.
To clap now would be to acknowledge Kang Geon’s declaration outright.
But not clapping would make the atmosphere here spiral into unbearable awkwardness.
What made it worse was that this was being broadcast live to the nation.
Amid that confusion.
Clap.
Ironically, the first to applaud was the Emperor.
Maintaining a gentle smile, as if Kang Geon’s speech moments ago had been absolutely splendid.
As the Emperor’s applause rang out clearly, the frozen crowd began to clap one by one.
The sound quickly swelled.
But the emotion behind that applause was by no means congratulatory.
Embarrassment, fury, wariness.
Amid the noise of all those emotions tangled together—
“W-We will now conclude the main ceremony of the 3rd Chairman of Seonghwa Group’s inauguration. A reception will follow shortly—please proceed according to the guides.”
Kang Geon’s inauguration was over.
***
The moment I stepped down from the podium, Choi Yuna hurried over and whispered in my ear.
“Chairman, what do you plan to do about the reception?”
“I doubt I can skip it even if I wanted to.”
“Still, if you say you’re not feeling well…”
“Do you really think it’s right for the Chairman of Seonghwa Group to say what he needed to say and then run off?”
At my words, Choi Yuna fell silent.
Her expression was quite serious.
It was obvious to anyone that she was worried about me, which made me let out a small chuckle.
To be fair, skipping the reception would be easier on me.
But I had no intention of running just for that.
Because I didn’t believe for a second that what I’d declared was wrong.
Of course.
“…I still firmly trust your judgment, Chairman. But separate from that trust, I’m curious about the intent hidden behind it.”
That was only my own personal conviction, though.
Many people were probably questioning my choice—enough that even Choi Yuna, my closest aide, had doubts.
And then.
“Chairman Kang Geon.”
Someone called out to me.
The voice was laced with anger.
Turning toward the voice, there stood the Crown Prince, as expected.
……
The reason I’m not joining hands with the domestic business elites is simply that there’s no reason to.
Seonghwa Group is the nation’s top corporation.
Of course, it’s true that the poisoning case shook it severely, but that doesn’t mean it’s weakened enough to bow its head and beg for cooperation from domestic companies.
In fact, if I rashly joined hands now, they’d surely try to rip more out of Seonghwa while it was in turmoil.
And the Imperial Family—
‘There’s even less reason to join hands with them.’
Why?
Because why cling to a rope that will burn to ashes, no matter how splendid it looks on the outside?
Perhaps, in the near future, the Imperial Family…
Might vanish entirely.