Chapter 96: Dawn of A New Era

"Thank you for your hard work, Chief Director Park," Counselor Choi said, his tone icy and precise.

"Y-Yes, sir. If there’s anything else, you can contact me directly, or... this esteemed guest?" Park stuttered, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. He desperately wanted to form some connection with Donape.

"You already know his name and face. There is no need for any unnecessary interaction," Choi intervened smoothly, shutting the man down.

Choi then turned toward Donape, shifting instantly into a respectful stance.

"Sir, here is the permit. I have personally verified the details, and everything is in order. Origins VR Cafe will face no legal hurdles moving forward. Should any further issues arise, you may contact me directly at any time. The Great Guardian instructed me to assist you fully, given the immense importance of your shop to the Baek Family."

"Alright. Thanks for your hard work," Donape said, taking the document.

This was the first time he had ever experienced the privileges of a high-status family firsthand.

Was it a bad thing? Of course not.

In fact, it felt great—even if it wasn’t entirely fair by conventional standards.

As the two walked out of the building, Counselor Choi offered to drive him back. "Young Master Baek Ji-Hong and the Great Guardian are currently at your shop, sir. It would be most convenient if we traveled together."

"Sure," Donape agreed, accepting the ride.

The drive back was mostly quiet since they weren’t close, but curiosity eventually got the better of Donape.

"Hypothetically speaking... if a dispute breaks out in a public space and the other party hits me first, so I retaliate using magic—what would happen to me? Would I be arrested for excessive self-defense, or detained because the magic itself isn’t normal?"

"Ahem." Counselor Choi cleared his throat softly.

"With all due respect, sir, I do not mean to undermine your question, but it is a rather absurd scenario to begin with. Magic does not exist—it is purely fictional. Unless you mean simple sleight-of-hand tricks, the authorities wouldn’t detain you over something like that. As for returning a blow, self-defense law generally permits reasonable retaliation."

Donape smiled helplessly, realizing that continuing to talk about magic wouldn’t lead anywhere. Deciding to drop the topic, he leaned back in his seat and looked out through the window at the passing city views.

His moment of peace was interrupted when his smartphone vibrated in his pocket.

He pulled out his phone and tapped open his messaging app.

—

|S University — Class of X662 Group Chat (118 Members)|

Class Rep - Go Youn-Jung: @Everyone Hey everyone! It’s already been four years since we graduated back in X662! Can you believe we’re already in Year X666?

Class Rep - Go Youn-Jung: A few of us on the committee were catching up, and we decided it’s high time we organized an official Class of ’62 Reunion here in S City!

Class Rep - Go Youn-Jung: Young Master Song has kindly offered to sponsor the private hall at The Celestial Pavilion in Sector 1! Food and drinks are completely covered, so no need to worry about splitting the bill! /Cheering Beer Glasses Emoji/

Location: The Celestial Pavilion (S City, Sector 1 VIP Hall)

Time: This Saturday @ 7:00 PM

RSVP: React with a /Thumbs Up Emoji/ if you’re coming so we can finalize the headcount by tomorrow noon!

Let’s see who made it big and who’s still grinding! See you all there!

—

Normally, notifications for the S University — Class of ’62 group were silenced, buried deep beneath spam and old college announcements. But a red @Everyone tag had managed to break through his settings.

Donape frowned. He hadn’t expected there to be a reunion after all these quiet years.

For him, anything related to college wasn’t particularly pleasant—even though he had casually mentioned graduating from S University before.

’Should I go?’ He weighed the option, despite having no fond memories of the place.

’Tsk! It’s 100% free high-end food and drinks paid for by those dandies. Why let a free luxury meal pass by out of petty pride?’

In the end, he decided to attend.

It wasn’t like he was a criminal in hiding; there was no actual reason to avoid going.

Although his past there was full of bruises, he didn’t suffer from any lasting trauma, and his mental fortitude was thankfully solid. Besides, there were still a few genuine friends worth seeing again.

Arriving back at Origins VR Cafe, Donape bowed politely toward Counselor Choi. "Thank you for your help today."

Counselor Choi didn’t reply immediately.

Instead, he stood frozen, staring at the shady ex-warehouse exterior tucked away in a narrow alley that seemed utterly unfit for any commercial business.

The small stalls he had passed while walking through this slum-like district were unpermitted local setups, operating on a scale so minor it made sense they never sought legal permits.

The question was... how could a place like this have the Baek Family—the absolute peak of S City—so thoroughly hooked?

Still, Choi was too much of a seasoned professional to let any open skepticism show on his face.

"It is no trouble at all. I was simply fulfilling my duty," Counselor Choi replied, maintaining his calm, composed expression.

After stepping inside the shop, Donape walked behind the counter and slid the new permit into the drawer. He instructed Ga-Eun that if any bureaucrats came by questioning the establishment while he was away, she could present the document to prove the legal legitimacy of their business.

Meanwhile, Counselor Choi stood utterly motionless in the lobby, his mind completely blank as he tried to comprehend how such a tiny building could possibly hold an interior exceeding 300 square meters.

Not only that, but despite the rundown exterior, the luxury inside surpassed even the grandest main estates of high noble families in S City.

He pinched the bridge of his nose and blinked repeatedly, wondering if sheer exhaustion was causing his eyes to play tricks on him.

"Counselor Choi, is something wrong?" Mareum’s voice cut through his thoughts.

The Great Guardian had just emerged from the gaming area after his playtime expired, flanked by the ten bodyguards who had accompanied him to the shop.

"Huh? Uh... Ah. G-Great Guardian?!" Choi stammered in horror, looking as though he had just been shaken awake from a bizarre nightmare.

Mareum chuckled at Choi’s reaction. Understanding his confusion completely, as this was the lawyer’s first visit to Origins VR Cafe, Mareum gestured toward a seat.

"Sit down and relax a little, will you?" Mareum said casually, his tone a far cry from the stern, corporate voice he usually used at the Baek Family’s main estate.

Turning toward the counter, Mareum called out, "Miss Ga-Eun, the Obsidian Roast Coffee for all of us, please."

Counselor Choi stared blankly at the steaming cup of Obsidian Roast Coffee placed before him. He glanced over at another table where the ten bodyguards were seated; every single one of them was sipping the same brew, their faces exuding absolute peace and bliss.

It was a rich, deeply aromatic dark roast with a smooth taste that instantly soothed the mind after a single sip.

Counselor Choi’s eyes widened. A soft sigh of sheer satisfaction escaped his lips as the rich liquid quenched his thirst.

"This... this is the best coffee I’ve ever had in my life!" he exclaimed, breaking his usual professional composure.

"Hahaha! Of course it is," Mareum laughed. "This place is extraordinary. The F&B and the service are top-notch. If it were just your run-of-the-mill internet cafe, do you really think our troublemaker Young Master Baek Ji-Hong would keep coming back every single day?"

"S-So... all of this is real? It’s not some elaborate trick on the eyes?" Counselor Choi asked, pointing toward the vast interior, still unable to wrap his mind around the concept of spatial expansion.

"It’s completely real! That’s why I asked you to come here and experience it for yourself—so you know exactly what kind of place you’re defending legally. We can’t have those bureaucrats mindlessly messing with this shop," Mareum said firmly.

"B-But isn’t this far too excessive?!" Counselor Choi protested logically, his mind struggling to process a fantasy phenomenon in serious legal terms. "An illogical anomaly like this isn’t mentioned in any municipal law or government regulation! S-So... if a real dispute occurs, defending this in court will be an ordeal !"

"It’s not over the top. So, from now on, you will come here every day and consult directly with that young man—the shopkeeper, Alexander Donape—on all matters regarding this establishment. Understand your problem first, and only then can you formulate a proper solution," Mareum said firmly.

He then added, "You will also accompany me tonight to meet with the Patriarch regarding this affair."

Counselor Choi could only gulp, his mind flooded with unnecessary worries about what lay ahead.

However, as time ticked by and he experienced Origins VR Cafe for himself—tasting the food, sipping the beverages, and testing the VR capsules—his deep-seated doubts gradually began to shrink against all odds.

By the time he entered Patriarch Baek’s private office that evening, his posture was noticeably more relaxed.

"So, how was it? What are your thoughts?" Patriarch Baek asked, sitting leisurely behind his grand mahogany desk.

"It’s... c-crazy, but possible. I can finally see why the Great Guardian insisted I experience it firsthand. I-If those petty bureaucrats ever realized what kind of place truly exists in that alley, they would nitpick everything to come up with any excuse to secure it for themselves," Counselor Choi stammered.

Patriarch Baek leaned back into his heavy leather chair, interlocking his fingers as he rested his elbows on the armrests, his eyes gleaming with quiet conviction.

"Do not worry. In time, you will come to accept that such wonders exist—and that our world is about to shift tremendously into a new era. Even I, who have yet to set foot inside the shop, came to believe it after reviewing the reports and witnessing the profound changes in the Great Guardian."