Party Prep Is a Pain (4)
"So good. So tasty. Good call ordering from here."
"Totally. Liliana really is the goddess of chicken. Impressive."
Honestly, it was just your average chicken, but Liliana was losing her mind over how delicious it was. Normally, Scarlett would've clapped along and played into it, but since Kang Hyolyn from the Iris Guild's Korean branch was on her way, she'd bowed out with a quick "I'll be going now." That left me to fill in for her.
While Liliana scarfed down her chicken in awe, I finished my meal in a flash and plopped onto the sofa. No telling when Kang Hyolyn might show, so someone had to keep watch.
"Hmm..."
I pulled up EveryDay on my smartwatch. Nothing beat it for gauging public opinion—I checked it pretty often.
I tapped into one of the top-recommended posts that mentioned my name.
[Video] No cap lol, this interview just dropped. A boyfriend for the Saintess... heartbreaking for real. But hey, rooting for 'em anyway, damn it. Lee Ho-yeon, you bastard.
"What a drag."
It was chaos, no doubt. But after skimming Baek Ayoung's interview and the various posts on my controversies, the overall vibe wasn't as bad as I'd feared. Interviews from the professors who'd been there started popping up yesterday, and even Professor Im Sol and Min Ye-ji jumped in to defend me hard. The academy's official stance was still MIA, which was weird, but they'd probably drop something next week.
"I haven't even made a move yet, and Cadet Ho-yeon's connections are already handling it so swiftly."
"Yeah. Professor Im Sol must've been working overtime... Huh?"
I figured it was Scarlett sliding into the spot next to me on the sofa, but the voice was all wrong. I glanced over, and there was Dr. Kang Hyolyn, smiling right back at me.
Whoa.
"Uh... wow. You startled me."
"That doesn't sound startled at all? You're the most boring reaction I've gotten from anyone I've sneaked up on."
I didn't show it, but I'd been freaked. Without my Clear Mind, I'd have yelped like an idiot.
Kang Hyolyn was cradling a girl in a princess carry.
"Nam Da-hee..."
"Yep. Rescued her. Not too late, right?"
She didn't show up much in the original story, but I knew that face. Cute kid, just like her big sis.
"Wh-what?! Who the hell are you?!"
Liliana, mid-chicken bite, went wide-eyed and glared at the sudden intruder.
"Who's she? This is the male dorms."
Kang Hyolyn tilted her head at Liliana right back.
"Special circumstances. You wouldn't rat us out to the academy, would you?"
"I'm famous for keeping my clients' privacy airtight. Anyway, I'll leave Da-hee here. She'll wake up in about thirty minutes."
"Won't she freak if she opens her eyes to strangers instead of a hospital room?"
Nam Da-hee had no clue she'd been locked up. Waking up in some random dorm? Recipe for panic.
"True... but that's on you guys."
"..."
Fair enough. Kang Hyolyn wasn't a babysitter—what was she gonna do, stick around?
"Nam Da-eun was holed up somewhere deep in Buyer Guild territory... no gaps anywhere. Nothing suspicious, though. Just chatted with the guild leader and headed back to her room."
"Good to hear. Thanks."
Maybe I should pick up some infiltration skills myself. Seemed handy as hell.
"I've got more investigating to do, so I'll head out. But we gathered a ton of evidence rescuing Da-hee. Should have results by next week."
"Got it. Thanks for the hard work."
"Hey! Hey! So who the heck is she?! And who's the kid?!"
"I'll explain. Hang on."
Dr. Kang Hyolyn melted into the sofa like smoke. Ghostly skills, for real. My Mana Resonance hadn't even pinged her approach... I had a long way to go.
"Who is she?! Who?! And the girl—is she your next girlfriend candidate?!"
"Shut it. She's a crazy succubus."
I calmed Liliana down and started explaining.
*
Thud. Thud. Thud.
A man strode into the mansion's drawing room. Two other guys were already seated in the lavish space.
"All here, huh."
"...Why'd you call us?"
"I'll explain. Just wait."
The one who'd summoned them took the head seat slowly. Student council VP Shin Dong-min.
"You've heard, right? Lee Ho-yeon’s joining tomorrow's networking party."
"Obviously."
"...Yes. We have."
Shin Dong-min eyed the men. Kim Hyun-do, heir to a massive mage guild, VP of the academy's magic research club. Buddy-buddy with Shin usually.
And A-class Do Jin-hyuk. Not quite Shin's level, but from a hefty guild family.
What tied the three? Rich kids, all nursing grudges against Lee Ho-yeon.
"As you know... I hate Lee Ho-yeon. Gonna get revenge, drag him to hell. Need your help for that. You'll all be at tomorrow's party."
"What's the party got to do with him? You wanna play politics there?"
Kim Hyun-do voiced the doubt. Ho-yeon had the edge in raw power and rep. Their combined networks might outnumber his, but would they ditch him for these guys? With his momentum, no guarantee.
"Nah, target isn't Ho-yeon. It's his partner."
"Partner... Baek Ayoung?"
Do Jin-hyuk chimed in.
"Yeah. Ho-yeon's tough—can protect himself. But Baek? Zero combat power, like everyone says. Without him around? Easy pickings."
"...Attacking his girl? Fine, that'd hurt. Tarnish his image too. But how? How you hitting her mid-party?"
Kim was getting fed up with Shin's vagueness. Why drag him here?
"Got some top-tier intel."
"Top-tier?"
"Pandemic's hitting tomorrow's party with a terror attack."
The two flinched at "Pandemic."
"...!"
"Pandemic? How the hell do you know?"
"Got sources. Don't worry."
"...Hell no. I'm out. If Pandemic's involved, it's not just her—collateral everywhere. Warn people, try again later..."
Kim knew the risks and tried to bail, but Shin's bloodshot glare screamed madman.
"Too late the second you showed."
Shin pressed on. "All the perks you got running that research club, the illegal pressure on rivals? I have the proof."
"...Blackmail? I know your student council dirt too."
"Wanna go down together? I'm already trash, but you? Still got a shiny rep. Throw that away?"
"..."
Kim's beef with Ho-yeon was personal—Im Sol snatched away. Not public humiliation like Shin's.
"Just stay quiet. Not asking you to kill. When terror hits, just track Baek Ayoung's position. Easy?"
Kim looked away, silent. Silence meant yes.
Shin locked eyes with Do next. "What about you, junior? Bailing like him?"
"Nah. I'm in."
Do still dreamed of Ho-yeon nightly—the shame, others praising him while shitting on Do. Inescapable hate.
"...Good. Now for the details."
Shin, eyes red-veined, laid out tomorrow's movements.
*
"When's she waking up?"
"Dunno..."
"Probably soon. Her movements are picking up."
Me, Liliana, and Scarlett—who'd popped back up—watched Nam Da-hee on the living room bed.
We'd already covered her being Nam Da-eun's kidnapped little sis, Da-eun's rough shape, Buyer Guild's scumminess. Even Liliana felt for her.
"Poor kid... Locked up at her age."
Scarlett had returned the second Kang vanished, caught the full rundown.
"But she doesn't know she was imprisoned. Might think we kidnapped her and freak."
That was the issue. No clue we'd saved her—could peg us as villains.
"Don't sweat it. When she wakes, I'll soothe her good."
Liliana puffed her chest with a grin.
"You? Sure?"
"Yup! Did a crying baby simulator once—viewers said I crushed it."
One line, and my expectations hit rock bottom. Talent.
"I have experience with children too, Master Ho-yeon."
Thank god for do-it-all Scarlett.
"Oh... Scarlett, you're my rock."
"I got this too!"
"Nngh..."
Too loud? Da-hee stirred.
"Shh."
Too late. She stretched, eyes fluttering open.
"Haaah... Huh?"
Panic hit as she scanned the strange room. Eyes met ours, darted around.
"Da-hee, I know it's a shock, but stay calm and hear us out. We brought you here at Da-eun's request."
Scarlett smiled faintly, holding eye contact, guiding her.
"Jingle jingle~ Look here~."
And Liliana—where'd she get that?—shook a baby rattle for attention.
Newborn sim? Kid looked middle-school age—what the rattle?
I trusted Scarlett from the back, but Da-hee's gaze hit me.
"Hot oppa... You're sis's friend, right?"
"Huh?"
How'd she know me?
"Sis talks about you tons. Cafe dates, meals, movies, sparring..."
Da-eun blabbing to her sis? Fine, but... sparring aside, first I'd heard of the rest?
What stories was she spreading?
"...Missed that angle. With your face, Master Ho-yeon, girls fall in line instantly."
"Not my face."
"Jingle jingle... Why ignore me?"
"Liliana, hold up."
Liliana chucked the rattle, pouted.
Da-hee first.
"Uh... Da-hee, yeah. Da-eun begged us to save you, so we did."
"Why save me? I just saw sis recently."
"We'll explain slow."
Da-eun was still in Buyer Guild HQ. Saved her sis, but no contact. Talk at tomorrow's party.
I started laying out the situation for Da-hee, nice and easy.
The networking party was just hours away.