Chapter 27
Chapter 27
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Translator: Silver Dragon
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Complaint!
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Wolfgard Tactical Solutions headquarters, nearby café. Ryu Seram and I sat facing each other.
Of course, since she was buying, I ordered one of those ridiculously long-named café drinks right away.
It's what Kim Yang always gets whenever someone covers the coffee. The smooth cream pairs surprisingly well with the sweet coffee.
'Not really my taste.'
"You dating someone?"
Ryu Seram crossed her legs and stared intently at me and my drink.
"What're you talking about?"
"Guys usually start drinking stuff like that once they get a girlfriend. Getting dragged around to cafés and all."
"......The staff drinks it all the time, so I figured I'd try it this time."
Embarrassing.
Felt like an adult caught red-handed buying kids' toys.
"Anyway, to the point. You didn't actually buy Wolfgard stock, did you?"
"Why rub salt in the wound?"
"Heh."
Ryu Seram chuckled, nudging my foot under the table with her toe.
"How much did you lose? Word is all stocks tanked from the disaster, right?"
"......It hurts, so quit with the salt already."
Wolfgard was the only one that tanked hard, but disasters like this usually drag the whole market down.
30 million won total.
That's how much I'd sunk into stocks.
Of that, how much went into Wolfgard Tactical Solutions?
A whopping 10 million won.
Now at -78.6%.
The miracle of 10 million turning into 2.14 million.
I thought putting it into Wolfgard made sense at the time.
"Damn it......Baekdu Pharmaceuticals spiked on beastkin safety and security gigs."
Baekdu Pharma's beastkin scandal.
As the guy who exposed it, I'd stashed some cash there expecting a sweet payout.
Then the baby blue dragon screwed everything up.
"At least the non-Wolfgard losses aren't that bad."
"Yeah, well. Disaster dips usually rebound quick."
Wolfgard's a special case—dunno if it'll recover.
"The real problem's payroll in a few days. Hate to dip into cash now."
"Sigh, idiot."
"Ahem......So, Seram—"
She flipped me the bird instantly.
"Nope, not lending."
"Really? Like I don't know you rake in at least 500 million a month?"
"Then work with me. I'll hire you on."
"Ugh, seriously......"
She's been tapping my foot under the table nonstop. Weirdly chipper today.
"Bearforce win or something?"
"How'd you guess? The twins finally pulled off a comeback after ages."
Ryu Seram, diehard Daeheung Bearforce fan.
Suit now since she's coming from work, but usually rocks a baseball jacket.
"You knew they'd win, huh."
"Wanna die?"
Bzzz! Bzzz!
Her phone went off like crazy.
Break's over—she stood up.
"Sigh, gotta head out."
"Singer bodyguard doesn't seem like you."
"Association begged. Good pay."
Not just the Association—Yoo Ye-na probably pulled strings.
Before leaving, she glanced back with one last jab.
"Hey, for real. When Meracle dries up, come do side gigs with us. I'll pay fat stacks."
"......Hourly rate?"
"How's 100,000 won sound?"
"Should I call you boss?"
100k an hour? That's a million in 10 hours!
"Hah, punk. You ain't coming anyway."
* * *
"I'm back."
Protest wrapped, back at the office—it was already 4 p.m.
One more hour till quitting time.
~Amid the quiet ringing bells~ Let today be our winter, just us two~
Inside, Kim Yang and Reneah were dancing with phones on stands.
Christmas carol. Fate? It was that "Owl" song from earlier.
"What're you two doing?"
"B-Boss is back!"
"Waaah! Nooo! The young kids do this stuff these days, so I thought maybe it'd make me feel younger—it's not like that!"
"Riiight."
I stared, baffled, and sat down. On my desk, a letter reeking of 5th Floor vibes.
"Haa, another one?"
Opened it since it was here.
Learned nothing useful from the blue dragon, huh? Kinda obsessive.
"Hm? Says photo enclosed, but no photo?"
"Uh, nope. Didn't come."
"Huh. Must've fallen out."
Neck prickled a bit.
Eh, nothing important. Whatever.
Reneah staring hard at Kim Yang.
Why's this granny still here anyway?
"Reneah, why're you hanging around? Don't you go home?"
"H-Home's boring!"
"Think this is Tapgol Park? Go to the senior center, play some baduk."
"I am a guest. Premium, even."
"-I'll do a 22-syllable poem on 'Tower'."
"Go on, Tower."
Ahem. Awkward cough, then dug out a file right away.
"Oh, right. Found a guy to match you with."
"Tower."
"Wanna see? He's C-grade, but—"
"Tower."
"Bit older. But you fussing over age is kinda funny anyway—"
"Tower."
"......"
Grannies gonna granny—one bite and she won't let go.
"B-Boss. Here."
Perfect timing—Kim Yang sidled over, blocking Reneah. This is why we pay employees.
Post-it note. Phone number scribbled on it.
"What's this? Client contact?"
"Th-This lady."
Handed over the client file too.
Name: Seo Jinmi.
Age: 41.
Origin: 3rd Floor.
Job: Insurance agent.
Overall: E-grade.
"Why her?"
"Sh-She called, asked for the boss."
"......That's usually a complaint. Handle it yourself."
She still doesn't get the ecosystem here—
"I know."
"......"
"B-But I don't wanna."
"Hey."
"Th-That auntie's super loud."
"Haa, yeah, her vibe's a bit much."
Can't ignore a call though.
Hit dial—Reneah peeked over from the armrest.
"22-syllable poem. Tower."
Damn, this granny's persistent as hell.
Picked up quick.
"Yes, ma'am. Hello. Meracle president Kim Juseon here. Heard you were looking for me?"
-Finally call back? Can the president run things like this?
"What seems to be the issue?"
"Tower."
Signaled Kim Yang—she fetched the profile of the guy matched to Seo Jinmi.
Name: Bakelende.
Age: 43.
Origin: 4th Floor (Viking tribe warrior).
Job: Construction worker.
Overall: E-grade.
-Introduce me to trash like that? Know his worldview? Treats women like property!
"Ah, y-yes. Viking background, so—"
"Tower."
-Soaked in patriarchy! Bushy beard, older than me. What is this? Thought Meracle was different.
Running a marriage agency, toughest part? People lack self-awareness.
I tapped the notes section on Bakelende's file.
"But ma'am, when I talked to him, he's pretty soft for a Viking. Considerate even. Lived on 3rd Floor a long time."
-That's the problem! Pushing manual labor on me? Didn't record my income right? I make 7 million monthly!
"Yes, ma'am. That's 'peak' earnings. Average's around 2 million."
Average that low means lots of lean months.
"Bakelende's got 7 years on-site—5 million steady, 6 in busy seasons."
-Hah......Anyone can grind physical jobs for cash.
"Tower."
-Ugh! And who's chanting 'Tower' nonstop? You even the president?
"She doing that at me?"
Shit.
Her Majesty Elf Queen's ears are sharp, and at 1,901 years old, she's nimble as hell.
Leaned right in, yelling into the phone.
"Talking smack at me?! I'm a premium client here! You're the one interrupting, fool!"
-What? F-Fool? You bitch! How old are you?!
"1,901 years! Got a problem?!"
-1,901? Voice sounds young—don't mock your elders!
Hysterical screech from Seo Jinmi.
And then.
"Ehehe, s-see? I sound young, right?"
"......"
Fuck, dementia at this stage?
1,901 years old—dementia hits by the second?
Just grinning like an idiot, forgetting the fight the moment someone said she sounds young.
-Whatever! I'm done—cancel me.
"Then ma'am, will you pay this month's fee and extra matching costs?"
-......Didn't I pay?
Kim Yang fetched the ledger instantly.
"Not at all."
-Ahem, p-president. Money coming in two days—I'll pay then.
"No can do. Late payments mean we can't pay staff."
Wham! Wham!
Kim Yang started miming headbutts into the air.
"Sa-salary! Bee-beef! Pa-pasta! Pa-parkchigi!"