Meeting the In-Laws

Utterly ridiculous. Who, saying what? Why on earth did ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Lee Seoha have to be undervalued like this? Seo Gayeon glared at her screen, eyes blazing, and threw up her shields.

Seoha, don't you worry. I'll protect you from these people.

Seated in the house Lee Seoha had purchased under the pretext of "support," typing away furiously on the computer he had paid for with his own money, Seo Gayeon went to work.

It was at that point that even Seo Gayeon paused, thinking, wait, this isn't right.

No, still — he's not the type to cycle through women. If he were, the rumors would have spread by now.

Had Hong Yuhwa been present, she would no doubt have remarked that a man who never dated yet philandered with such shameless flightiness was the most dangerous kind of all — but alas, Hong Yuhwa was not here.

The digital world was at peace again today.

Once we'd settled on the guild's name, Kim Ara and I headed outside. She took my hand almost casually, guiding me along — her fingers were a little cold.

"But there's one problem," she said.

"What kind of problem?"

"The place is cheap, and the location's great. It's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a one-minute walk from the warp gate."

So it comes with every advantage. Then the problem must be money — not that money was an issue. I had well over a hundred billion won to my name.

"Don't worry about the money. I've got it covered."

"Hmm……"

Kim Ara glanced up at me for a moment.

"It's less a money problem and more of a… different kind of problem."

"What kind?"

I tensed. If money wasn't the issue, then this problem could be a genuinely serious one. In a capitalist society, money was the resource that solved most problems, after all.

"The building's owner is my older brother. My eldest brother."

"……Ara's eldest brother?"

I gave it some thought, sifting through what I knew of Kim Ara's background, and remembered that the man called her eldest brother was the designated heir to the Paewang bloodline.

Why him?

Unlike the typical heir of a great family, he was famously kind to his younger siblings. If Kim Ara had ever vied for the succession, their relationship might have turned out differently — but she'd given that up partway through.

"Let's go inside and talk about it there."

We took a taxi to the address. It wasn't the modest building Ara had described — it was a massive corporate headquarters, nearly the size of a major conglomerate's. We headed in through the lobby toward the reception desk.

"Welcome. How may we help you today?"

"I'd like to see Kim Seong-ho."

"Do you have an appointment, by any chance?"

"No, but I'm his younger sister."

"……My apologies for not recognizing you. I'll contact his office right away."

The receptionist, her face drained of color, made a call somewhere. A moment later she bowed.

"You may go up right away."

"Thank you."

We rode the elevator to the upper floors.

Quite a crowd up there.

Stepping out into the building, I could feel numerous presences — around ten in all. Among them I sensed several auras at the Superior-rank, and one that felt like an Intermediate.

The Intermediate must be Ara's brother. Then the Superiors are his escorts?

I mused on this as we climbed higher. I knocked.

The men waiting outside the door flinched visibly at the sound.

"Enter."

"Okay."

Kim Ara opened the door and walked in. The office was spacious, occupied by several people — and at the desk sat a man with neatly pomaded hair. Unlike Ara's coloring, his hair was a violet so dark it read as black, and his eyes were a pale green. Sharp-featured, he radiated the aura of a cold, ruthless businessman.

"What brings you here, Kim Ara? I didn't expect you to storm in without so much as a call."

"I need to buy a building."

"A building? Which building do you mean?"

His hard expression melted into something gentle — gentle enough that he'd have plucked a star from the sky if Ara asked for one.

"Hmm, it's a bit awkward to discuss here. My friend needs it."

"A friend? Ah — right, you brought someone along."

Wearing a broad, genial expression, he rose from his desk and approached me.

"I'm Kim Seong-ho, Ara's older brother. Please take good care of our Ara."

"Not at all. Ara helps me constantly — I'm the one who owes her."

I applied a polite coat of varnish, and Kim Seong-ho's face split into a grin.

"Is that so? A friend of Ara's, hmm. Should I give you an allowance, then?"

"Oppa, Seoha earns plenty on his own."

"Seoha……?"

At the name Ara had spoken, he tilted his head, puzzled for a beat.

"Lee Seoha, is it?"

Earlier, climbing the stairs, a presence bearing a Superior-rank's aura had approached me and spoken — making no effort whatsoever to hide its pressure, and carrying something closer to intense competitive hunger ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠than hostility.

He's strong. Probably a notch below Harun.

And yet the Sword Demon's senses had remained utterly silent, as if to ask what there was to learn from a second-rate opponent like this.

It's not quite that bad — but I should stay a little wary.

"I'm Ah-ho. Family name Lee. Also, I believe, the man who until recently ranked fifth among the promising heroes."

Ah-ho extended his hand. In other words — the former fifth-ranked, the one I'd displaced.

I couldn't think of a reason to refuse a handshake, so I took it.

Why, you little—

I felt his mana climbing up my hand, attempting to sweep over my body. Every thread of it was flatly denied. Judging by his expression, he was visibly flustered.

"Ah-ho. What discourtesy are you showing my guest right now?"

"……My apologies."

"All's well that ends well. Soon our guild will have a place to call home."

Kim Ara smiled sweetly — the smile of a new bride setting up her first marital home. At the sight of it, something shifted in Kim Seong-ho's eyes.

It was the look of a man watching a thief.

"Seoha? Lee Seoha? Ah, right. So you're the punk— the friend our father mentioned."

Did he just call me a punk? Surely not.

I don't need anything but you.

The words Kim Ara had once said flashed through my mind — a memory I'd forcibly shoved into a corner of my head.

"Hmmm. Would you be willing to fight Ah-ho, by any chance?"

Kim Seong-ho asked, studying me.

"You mean, between me and Mr. Ah-ho?"

"That's right. A simple sparring match. Call it whatever you like — but in exchange, agreeing to this condition settles everything regarding the building, win or lose."

Kim Seong-ho said.

"And don't worry about safety. It's no Korea Hero Academy, but we have facilities of our own. Our uncle would be observing as a condition — but thinking of your safety, that's hardly a bad thing."

"Do it, Seoha. If it's Uncle, it's fine."

Kim Ara leaned lightly against my arm as she said it.

I recalled Kim Ara's uncle — currently at the very bottom edge of the Superior-rank, the man who would be promoted to the highest Superior tier right around the time we graduated the academy.

Should be no problem, right?

I considered it briefly, then found I had no reason to refuse. If anything, I wanted the uncle's involvement.

I've gotten too strong too fast.

I still couldn't control my strength properly.

"Then where should we hold this match?"

"There's a training hall in the basement— no, Superior-ranks going at it would be a problem down there. There's a facility nearby that works like a sparring ground. Any objection to media exposure?"

I thought for a moment. The news had already spread as far as it could spread; at this point, maybe it didn't matter anymore.

The Electronic Witch had sworn she'd contain it, but the attention had swelled to a level where even she was clearly straining.

"I don't mind."

"Then we'll rent out the athletic field nearby."

Kim Ara thought it over.

Lee Seoha could beat a man like Ah-ho. No — he would beat him, without question.

At that thought, she decided at once to call their uncle.

If Uncle comes, then maybe Mom will come too.

No — she would almost certainly come. The moment word arrived that a man her eldest son and her husband were both keeping a close watch on had appeared, there was no doubt about it.

And with Uncle thrown in on top, it was certain.

Sorry, but I'm overtaking you first.

A small pang of guilt did nag at her.

Seo Gayeon — that hamster-like, adorable girl.

But it couldn't be helped.

Competition, by its nature, was ruthless.

Kim Ara put on the smile of a winner.

"You… want to meet my parents?"

Seo Gayeon asked, blinking.

Kim Ara stared at Lee Seoha with a blank, stricken expression.

"Yep. When would that work?"

"T-today?"

Seo Gayeon thought hard about it.

Come to think of it, today's underwear wasn't one of the pretty ones.

"Perfect timing, then. Let's meet them today."

Lee Seoha spoke with the leisurely ease of a man suggesting an afternoon stroll.

He's already gone that far……?

Kim Ara despaired.