Perfect Plan
[Flutter flutter~]
"How much do they think they're raking in on a single concert ticket? Even scalping barely nets a 10% margin."
In the opulent mansion of Goryeo Group's chairman on the port side of the academy ship Argo, Shin Sua was glaring daggers at the console screen on the second floor, grumbling fiercely.
The game she was playing was the infamous Animal Crossing, where the player gets kidnapped by ruthless loan sharks and dumped on a deserted island to pay off debts. Every resident who washes up is a two-faced scumbag trying to scam or exploit the player, forcing them through grueling days of hard labor amid the backstabbing.
The reason Shin Sua stuck with Animal Crossing—enduring humiliations she'd never face in real life—was simple. Her father, Chairman Shin Man-eon, had ordered her, his heiress, to experience the life of an ordinary person, directly or indirectly.
But a chaebol heiress couldn't exactly go homeless. The mansion's butler had ordered the game so she could indirectly live as society's underdog.
"Yawn. Why'd that old man recommend this garbage..."
She grumbled, but her hands never stopped swinging the axe to chop wood. Even if it was just a game, she'd somehow grown to relish the near-abusive manual labor.
-Drip
But her masochistic enjoyment—unrecognized even by herself—lasted only a moment. Shin Sua shut off the game and headed to the mansion's basement training room (technically below the academy ship's deck).
Goryeo Group had poured massive funds into the academy fleet from day one. Building a grand mansion on the port side and a private gym underneath was no big deal.
[Verifying identity.]
When Shin Sua channeled spirit energy into the sensor, the AI finished its wave analysis and slid open the heavy alloy door.
It was 11 p.m. on a Sunday night—normally bedtime—but not tonight.
"That bastard..."
Shin Sua had a target in mind for tomorrow's interpersonal training starting Monday. Kim Taeyang—the insolent punk who'd dared humiliate her, the girl who'd never lost to anyone but that annoying Seol Romi since awakening as a Shangju in middle school.
Top scorers got one duel nomination right, but Shin Sua didn't regret using hers early in the semester. Sure, if it was just the placement exam, but in Jang Han-nam's first class, she'd shown her humiliating side to all of Class A while he casually racked up bonus points.
Twice, he'd snuck a cowardly win when she was off her game and couldn't perform. At least, that's what she believed.
She couldn't face her ancestors without crushing that rootless tanned blond delinquent in tomorrow's first duel and getting revenge.
"Begin."
[Training commencing.]
[Difficulty setting—Maximum]
The floor panels opened with the announcement, launching fifteen monster dolls upward.
"I'm not letting you off. Never."
Shin Sua pulled a brush from her pocket, her lips twisting into a sneer.
"Spirit Lord Transformation."
-Whoosh!
Her eyes blazed with iron determination as she swung the ancestor-possessed medium, vowing to twist Kim Taeyang's face in agony.
* * *
"I'm gonna drop dead from exhaustion."
<You did all the running, so why're you yawning like you're the tired one... yawn...>
On the way to school, Gemma and I rubbed our sleepy eyes and yawned nonstop.
Last night, using our freshly mastered Spirit Lord Transformation to exorcise the vengeful spirit had drained a ton of spirit energy.
Clearing the remnants and crashing right after restored my energy, but the mental fatigue lingered.
Still, sizing up Spirit Lord Transformation's powers against that thing was satisfying.
<Well, with skills like this, no worries. Starting today, offer three shine muscats to the beautiful phantom thief Gemma out of gratitude.>
"Too pricey—settle for seedless grapes."
"Seedless grapes are the same."
<They're not?!>
No other Class A kids knew my Spirit Lord Transformation yet, so I could catch them off-guard in duels and seize the advantage. They had no intel on me, but I'd scouted all their styles from the game.
Exploiting that info gap, I could go full Lü Bu for the day—limited time only. As long as the protagonist trio didn't nominate me, I could land a solid hit on anyone.
Not that they'd waste a nomination on me anyway—no worries there—
-Whirr
"Or maybe not..."
The classroom auto-door slid open, and a venomous glare stabbed right at me.
<Hey, that girl...>
Gemma, floating by my side, flinched at Shin Sua's predatory stare.
<She got a thing for you?>
"Nah."
Sure, interest aplenty. Problem was, it wasn't romantic—it was "squash him from duel one" vibes.
<What's so great about a scrawny guy with no meat on him... Sigh, rich girls fall for the weirdest dudes.>
"Meat? You blind? See what she's doing?"
Shin Sua was miming slitting her own throat with her thumb.
<Look at those dainty hands—so cute. Way out of your league, dude.>
Yeah. Out of my league entirely. No way I could beat her with my current skills.
Shin Sua was a brick wall in the game—even wins barely budged affinity. Blame my delinquent visuals pulling aggro again.
Rage bubbled from deep inside. Why's she so obsessed with crushing me? Her fragile ego bruise ain't my fault!
Fine—stubborn as hell, no dyeing this hair black. Roots every day if I must. Never!
I locked eyes with Shin Sua, staring her down. To build rapport later, no backing down now—cowardice was out. Even considering her hidden tastes, she'd never respect a guy taking hits like a punching bag.
-Flinch
For a split second, her pale cheek stiffened.
Extras got pride too, even if unglimpsed in the game. Time to show blond tanned punks squirm when stepped on.
"Yo, brother!"
Then someone slung an arm over my shoulder.
<This guy again?>
Gemma sighed in annoyance at the approaching guy and dove into my soul thread bracelet.
"Uh... yeah. Morning."
I forced a smile and greeted him. Glancing back, Shin Sua had averted her eyes.
Dodged the first intimidation round, at least.
"Somethin' up? You look off."
"Nah, not really."
Just couldn't smile naturally with that massive afro suddenly in my face.
"C'mon, sit. Saved 7th group seats."
U Hyo-chung dragged me to the seat next to Mun Hee-jeong. I'd helped him once in Jang Han-nam's class last week, and now he acted like best bros. Regretted forgetting his standout trait.
"Hi."
I greeted her, but Mun Hee-jeong stared coldly at her desk, mumbling inaudibly in a tiny voice.
<Move your face. You're scaring the girl.>
Gemma clung to my back, poking my shoulder with her sharp chin like acupressure, snarking away. I silently gathered spirit energy on my fingertip and flicked her forehead.
<Ow!!>
I looked away from Mun Hee-jeong for now. Hardest affinity grind in the original too. Not just androphobic—full social avoider—but dutifully attended thanks to obligations. Rural quota kid.
U Hyo-chung's bro-ing might bump his rank from zero soon, but her? Needed a trigger. Soon enough, opportunity'd come. Fingers crossed for the hoodie-off beauty reveal like in game playthroughs.
"Brought Mister Donuts—want some? For real."
As I pondered, U Hyo-chung plopped donuts on mine and Mun Hee-jeong's desks. Wanted to bond with groupmate Mun Hee-jeong but lacked guts or chance—waited for me instead.
"Thanks, digging in."
I bit into mine and fed the rest to Gemma.
<Aw, you do nice stuff sometimes?>
She scarfed it eagerly, then scowled.
<What the hell is this?>
What else? Mint choco donut.
"Perfect. Ancestor digs it too? Want another?"
U Hyo-chung chomped his own, talking with mouth full.
Game-accurate. He played normal first week, but one trigger and true colors showed—a total birdbrain.
<Clueless idiot, that look like enjoyment? Eugh?!>
Early semester mercy—he tried restraining himself. Later? Headache city. Look at Mun Hee-jeong's souring face already. Had to give her a donut?
-Rustle
-Munch munch
Mun Hee-jeong quietly picked hers up and devoured it fast.
"Ah..."
Clicked then. Country girl—first donut ever. Gobbled mint choco fine; snag her with cheap desserts like game strat.
Loosened up plotting affinity gains briefly.
Still, not my first match—win. Glanced forward: Seol Romi sneaking peeks at dozing Gong In-myeong in the back row.
If game-true, 90% chance she'd nominate him first interpersonal class. Pre-Argo, he was her insurmountable wall of tears.
With Shin Sua raring, my turn next match probably. Good chance to scout Seol Romi while warming up.
Issue: how much would unmotivated Gong In-myeong draw out from her.
'Decided. Shangju over guitarist. Music started too late—keep as hobby...'
His flustered ramble from before echoed. Hope my not-quite-threat about ruining life like mine worked.
Knew words alone wouldn't fix him, but advancing his wakeup from original timeline? Priceless.
<Trouble. Tough matchup right off bat.>
"Gotta see it play out."
Whatever. Better focus on outfoxing Shin Sua first.
"Today's topic: spirit energy transmission efficiency of Spirit Lord Transformation mediums. Page 197, second line—"
Jang Han-nam started class, but my brain endlessly simmed the Shin Sua fight—nothing registered.
"Win rate... under 10% huh."
Cold calc: no path to victory felt real. Even blind to my Spirit Lord Transformation, her fundamentals crushed mine.
"Winnable though."
Didn't matter. Perfect debut for the class's overlooked punk. Set the board right, flip 10% to 100% easy.
With my database and Gemma's kit, Shin Sua'd hit the floor before realizing what happened.
"Gamer's tricks are virtues."
Imagining her humiliation, I couldn't hold back a grin.
Perfect Plan End