The Estate of the Shadow Heiress
It was magnificent.
In sheer scale it could not match the Hero Academy or the Church, but those were institutional facilities. This place existed for a single individual, and that difference showed in every stone and every corridor.
The iron gates opened. We rode another ten minutes before the mansion’s entrance finally came into view.
“It’s enormous.”
“I had the exact same reaction the first time I came here.”
Heroes earned well and enjoyed high social standing, yet this was on another level entirely—the difference between a mid-sized company and a conglomerate.
I stepped out of the car with Seong Sua and walked toward the main gate, thinking.
At this level of wealth, maybe she’s just faking illness because life is too comfortable?
[Even so, if she were doing that well, I doubt she would bother faking illness in such a fashion.]
Graduating from the Hero Academy was the equivalent of finishing a top-tier university back where I came from. The diploma carried enormous weight. A child raised in a household like this would chase honor more fiercely than wealth or power. And looking purely at Seo Jieun’s ability, graduating at the top of the Academy would not have been difficult for her. The fact that she had previously shown a clear will to attend school suggested this was no simple act.
The enormous mansion drew closer until it filled the entire field of vision. We reached the main entrance.
A tall, refined-looking man of about one hundred eighty centimeters stood waiting in impeccable butler’s attire. He appeared to be in his late thirties or early forties—a handsome middle-aged man.
The moment I laid eyes on him I screamed inwardly.
I hope the day comes soon when every handsome bastard in the entire universe dies…
[….]
As I vented that rage, an unexpected voice came through the communication channel.
[Master. That is far too unjust a measure.]
Rena?
[Yes, it is me. I believe a being who possesses a beautiful form has value in that alone.]
Damn it… Rena had taken the side of good looks.
Her words wounded me, and through that wound the whisper of the void slipped in.
—Kill the handsome ones.—
Yet Rena’s voice over the channel rapidly sealed the wound.
[I have never seen anyone whose appearance rivals Master’s. I hope Master will cherish his own life as well.]
…If Rena says so, I’ll endure it.
I could not very well kill myself. Recalling the teachings of various saints, I resolved not to commit the dual atrocity of suicide and murder at the same time.
While I was embodying saintly forbearance, Armonia cut in with clear irritation.
[The two of you are greatly confusing me. Kindly focus on the present situation.]
Hmph!
Fine. Handsome people ought to be understanding. I snorted inwardly and approached the man with Seong Sua.
Only when we stood directly before him did he offer a gentle smile and speak.
“Welcome, Instructor Seong Sua.”
“Hello, Mr. Sehyeong.”
While the two exchanged brief greetings I spoke over the channel.
Traits~
[Understood.]
Armonia displayed the man’s traits before my eyes without a single complaint about my buttered pronunciation.
Hmm… hmm… hmm…
I carefully examined the traits floating above his head, then muttered through the channel.
What the hell is this guy?
On the surface he was the very picture of benevolence—a man whose dignified handsomeness could have served as the textbook example of a kind soul.
And yet…
Traits:
[Selfishness], [Swindler], [Cunning], [Perfectionist], [Coldness], [Restraint]…
Looking at the traits nested inside him, even a demon would have fried the bastard and eaten him with chopsticks. He was that grotesque.
Sensing my piercing stare, the man turned to Seong Sua with a question.
“And this gentleman is…?”
“Ah! This is Instructor Sung Suho. He and I are jointly responsible for Cadet Seo Jieun.”
“I see…. A pleasure to meet you. I am Lee Sehyeong.”
Well now… even the name was different.
I had not expected to run into another specimen like Go Chungshin so soon. Still, I would have to watch carefully whether this man belonged to the same category as Go Chungshin, or whether he simply hid his real name because he held a critical position in this household.
“Hello. I’m Sung Suho, assistant instructor for Cadet Seo Jieun.”
…
…
“If you will wait here, I shall bring the young lady.”
Lee Sehyeong—no, Gi Cheolho—bowed with perfect elegance and left the reception room.
Once he was gone I looked around. Given the size of the estate, the reception room alone was easily ten times larger than my own quarters. Every piece of furniture and every ornament looked so expensive that a single scratch would probably cost me an entire month’s salary.
Seong Sua and I sat alone in that lavish space, staring blankly at each other. She smiled and opened the conversation.
“Did you enjoy your time at the Church? Their facilities have quite the reputation.”
“Yes. It was tough, but the Church really is excellent.”
“…I see. So excellent that you never once contacted me.”
“Ah… well…”
She had cast the bait and I had swallowed it whole. Seong Sua pouted for a moment, then immediately smoothed her expression and pulled the hook free.
“I’m joking. Still, I thought you might call at least once.”
“I’m sorry. Things were hectic.”
“…They really were hectic, right?”
“…?”
What was this? I could not get a read on her at all. She had released the hook only to cast another line. Her expression cooled, and she spoke again.
“You seemed quite close with Senior Park Huiyeon…”
“Ah! Something difficult happened on the last day, so we ended up getting closer.”
“…And that means you ride in the same car together?”
She refused to let go of the suspicious thread, casting baited hooks one after another. I explained as calmly as I could.
“I was worried the incident that day might leak outside, so I suggested we leave together.”
“….”
Fortunately she did not dig any further. At the end of the day Seong Sua and I were colleagues—an unusual pair of colleagues, but colleagues nonetheless. Getting a little closer had only raised a new wall between us.
Just as the silence began to grow heavy, people entered the reception room.
It was not Seo Jieun alone. Several women in maid uniforms, the butler we had already met, and finally Seo Jieun herself stepped inside.
Glossy black hair, an ornate black dress, black eyes, an expressionless face. Because her power was shadow, she herself projected a dark, oppressive atmosphere that matched the concept perfectly. Yet even through that gloom her fair skin and striking beauty radiated outward.
The maids moved in perfect unison, setting tea and refreshments on the table before us, then withdrew a measured distance and stood waiting. Greetings followed.
“Hello, Instructors.”
“Have you been well?”
Seong Sua immediately hid whatever expression she had worn earlier, rose with a bright smile, and welcomed Seo Jieun. Jieun merely stared at me for a moment, then gave a slight nod of greeting.
…Still sulking about the time I watched her from behind?
[It would not have been a pleasant memory. More importantly, she has never spoken with you before, so she is even more reserved.]
Kids these days… no respect for their elders…
While I indulged in a private burst of old-man energy, Seo Jieun took her seat and began.
“Instructor… what brings you here?”
“We came to talk about the upcoming field trip.”
“….”
Seong Sua’s request was simple. She understood that Jieun could not attend regular Academy classes, but she wanted her to participate in the field trip. As an instructor there was no real need to make such a personal appeal, yet because Sua originally belonged to the Tower she threw herself into helping with Academy matters with genuine passion.
Seo Jieun closed her eyes, thought carefully, then spoke.
“But… if I cause trouble for everyone…”
“We’ll take full responsibility on our side…”
Just as Seong Sua opened her mouth to persuade with everything she had, Gi Cheolho—who until a moment ago had stood beside Jieun with a mild smile—cut her off.
“Instructor Seong Sua. How exactly do you intend to take responsibility?”
“If a problem arises, we will step in somehow and…”
“So in the end a problem will arise, is that what you’re saying?”
“That’s…”
The gentlemanly smile he had shown Seong Sua earlier vanished without a trace. He began pressing her hard. The warmth remained on his face, yet every word that left his mouth was a rough interrogation.
“If other people are injured, we can resolve that sufficiently. But… if the young lady herself is hurt, how do you propose to take responsibility for that?”
“….”
“Last time we trusted Instructor Seong Sua and allowed the young lady to attend school, yet the Hero Academy was attacked, was it not? Had the young lady been present…”
The pressure gradually turned into outright censure. Seo Jieun grew visibly restless at Gi Cheolho’s behavior. Seeing the usually calm, composed girl fidget was novel, but novelty was one thing—I was not about to sit quietly while Seong Sua was being scolded.
“That doesn’t mean she can spend her entire life curled up indoors, does it?”
“How dare you speak to the young lady in that tone—”
“Mr. Sehyeong…”
“Young lady, I will handle everything.”
“…Yes.”
Strange.
On the surface anyone could see that Seo Jieun was the mistress and that this Gi Cheolho was merely the butler who served her. Yet his current attitude made it feel as though he stood above her.
I set the dissonance aside and continued.
“Cowering inside out of fear won’t change a thing. If she stays locked away like this, Cadet Seo Jieun will simply wait by her bedside for the shadow that wants to kill her…”
“That is enough. This is not a place where someone of your standing is free to run his mouth.”
“….”
While everyone fell silent and the atmosphere sank, the one who spoke was none other than Seo Jieun.
“The instructor is right. Staying like this forever won’t solve anything.”
“Young lady. It is dangerous. I will resolve everything, so…”
“Father did not become the object of everyone’s admiration by prioritizing safety.”
“….”
With the single word “Father,” Seo Jieun sealed Gi Cheolho’s lips. Then she turned to Seong Sua and me with a humble gaze.
“I will attend school tomorrow on time so that the schedule is not disrupted.”
“Good. We’ll make every preparation so that nothing goes wrong.”
“….”
And so Seong Sua and I succeeded in persuading Seo Jieun and left the mansion.
After Seong Sua and Sung Suho departed, Gi Cheolho escorted Seo Jieun all the way to her room before speaking in a calm voice.
“Young lady, would you not reconsider once more?”
“What kind of person was Father?”
“…He was a hero who set a turbulent age back on its proper course.”
Seo Juho.
Seo Jieun’s father had not been merely a wealthy chaebol. He possessed talent in management, leadership, and business—and beyond that, the talent and sense of responsibility of a true hero. If one were asked to name the greatest hero of the present day, everyone would point to Cho Kang-hyun. Yet only ten years earlier, every person would have answered “Seo Juho.” He had died while Jieun was still young, leaving only his name in the history books.
And always at his side had been Gi Cheolho. Though he possessed no superhuman power, he had flawlessly performed the duties of secretary and butler, firmly guarding the empty space beside Seo Juho.
Hearing Gi Cheolho’s words, Seo Jieun smiled.
“I… want to become like Father too.”
“….”
Gi Cheolho closed his eyes, considered, then looked at her with a gentle smile.
“Very well. I shall prepare the cadet uniform and belongings you will need tomorrow.”
“Thank you, Mr. Sehyeong. I’ll leave it to you.”
“Yes. As you command…”
Seo Jieun softened her usual stiff expression, offered Gi Cheolho a smile, and entered her room.
Still wearing that mild smile, Gi Cheolho turned to the maid standing nearby and issued orders.
“Prepare the young lady’s cadet uniform. Include a spare set… and…”
The maid listened with complete concentration. He added a final few words.
“Bring the young lady’s cadet uniform to me without fail. Problems can arise during combat, so I will perform the final check myself.”
“Yes.”
The maid departed.
In the empty corridor Gi Cheolho took from his pocket a sparkling cubic no larger than a grain of rice. He turned it this way and that, his face twisting into a frown.
“So the child of a tiger is still a tiger… I thought she was nearly ready, but taming her is not so easy.”
Still scowling, he began walking toward his own room.