The Yee Family's Ambition
The Yee family was filled with tension. "Who would have thought Yee Eun-chae would succeed to this extent?" "This is excellent! If the heir of Yucheon Group, Seo Moon-jin, visits our family today and we manage to persuade him, the prestige of the Yee family will rise dramatically."
On the surface, it was an occasion worthy of celebration. Yet the family had only extended an invitation to Seo Moon-jin; nothing was confirmed yet. Until the matter was settled, they could not afford to relax, and the air remained thick with tension.
"How much do you think Seo Moon-jin likes Eun-chae?" asked Yee Woo-jin, the head of the Yee family, turning to his secretary. It was the sixth time the secretary had heard this question, but he answered with the response his superior clearly wanted.
"Yes. Lady Eun-chae's beauty surpasses even the celebrities on television. Any man would desire a woman like her as his own. Given that the heir of Yucheon Group, Seo Moon-jin, has been spending time with her and accepted this introduction, he must want Lady Eun-chae as well."
The secretary's words were flattering, but they were also true. While the mistress of the Yee family, Kim Hyo-sun, possessed considerable beauty, Yee Eun-chae's looks were dazzling beyond measure, almost impossible to quantify. Even women like Arian Liberin, the princess of the Liberin Kingdom, who could rival her in appearance, were extremely rare.
"You're right. That's true. But unfortunately, there are three other girls in the same grade whose beauty matches Eun-chae's."
Among them, Lee Se-na seemed closer to Seo Moon-hyun, the heir of the Seo family, rather than Seo Moon-jin. However, Arian Liberin and Yoo Eun-chae were always by Seo Moon-jin's side. In Arian's case, the Liberin royal family would naturally be considering a marriage with Seo Moon-jin.
"The Liberin Kingdom allows polygamy, so Seo Moon-jin doesn't necessarily have to choose just one. Still, there's always a chance something unexpected could happen, so we should move quickly before someone else claims him. But I'm worried about how Eun-chae feels."
A political marriage would be difficult to force. Recognizing her extraordinary talent with the sword, the family had granted Yee Eun-chae considerable freedom and promised her the right to choose. Yet if genuine feelings developed between a man and a woman, the situation would change.
"In the end, what matters most is Eun-chae's heart." The promise made to Yee Eun-chae was not merely between father and daughter; it had been given alongside the family elders. As a vow made in the name of the family head and the elders, its credibility was paramount. Breaking it would damage their relationship with their talented daughter and destroy the family's reputation—an act of foolishness they would never commit.
However, if Yee Eun-chae wished to become Seo Moon-jin's woman, it would not be a forced political marriage. They could instead work together with the proactive Eun-chae to advance the matter.
"The key is how Eun-chae views that young man, Seo Moon-jin." For now, they needed to confirm her feelings first. That would become clear naturally once she returned.
'If not, we'll have to create an opportunity for feelings to develop naturally between them.'
* * *
"Cheon, over here." The Bukhansan before us looked nothing like the one from my previous life. The clearing had expanded significantly, and various facilities had been built, transforming the area entirely. The land surrounding it had belonged to the Yee family for nearly seventy years.
"So this is the Yee family estate..." As I stepped out of the portal, my eyes immediately fell upon the Yee family mansion standing in the clearing atop the mountain. I had opened the portal nearby on purpose.
'They've developed the entire mountain.' If this had happened in my previous life, it would have caused an uproar. Owning a mountain as private property and living on it instead of turning it into a tourist site? Yet in Korea, after Hero Island, the mountains were the best places to accumulate magic power within the body. The mountains of Korea, especially rich in mana compared to other countries, offered absurdly effective benefits for building magic power. It was no surprise that martial families like the Seo and Yee clans had established their main estates on mountaintops seventy years ago.
"Eun-chae, are you nervous?" "Hmm, no. We came back earlier than expected, but I'm fine."
Yee Eun-chae showed no signs of tension as she looked at the family estate. Holding my hand seemed to have calmed her further.
"Is that so?" I casually placed my hand on her waist and pulled her closer against me.
"Eek! Ch-Cheon, what are you doing?" "How about we enter like this? It will show the Yee family that I value you and that they shouldn't treat you carelessly. At the same time, you'll be using my position and background to prevent any unwanted interference. What do you think?"
"Ch-Cheon, c-could you at least remove your hand from my waist while we talk?"
Yee Eun-chae's face had turned bright red, and she was even stumbling over her words. I felt a surge of satisfaction at how easily she reacted to such simple contact now.
'At the latest, by tomorrow. Probably today.' A conclusion would be reached soon. With that thought, I suppressed the urge to grope her chest and hips, instead savoring the soft, elastic feel of her body as I spoke.
"Relax, Eun-chae. This isn't something to be so flustered about, is it?" "Ugh... well, I suppose you're right."
Though she agreed that there was no need to panic, she clearly couldn't calm herself. She had no idea how provocative her current appearance looked to others.
"Then let's go." With my hand still resting on her waist, I walked confidently toward the Yee family mansion. Dressed in a sharp black suit, I stood beside Yee Eun-chae, who wore a purple blouse and black hot pants while wearing an embarrassed expression. How would others see us?
'Like lovers, or something very close to it.' Honestly, I didn't care how they interpreted it. My actions were also meant to make it clear that I held deep affection for Yee Eun-chae.
'In other words, treat her well if you know what's good for you.'
As we approached the main gate of the Yee family estate, the guards bowed their heads. "Welcome, my lady, and Young Master Seo Moon-jin."
The guards were naturally familiar with Yee Eun-chae as the family head's daughter, and they recognized my face from television. They had already received direct orders from the family head to prepare for our visit, so they spoke immediately after greeting us.
"We will open the gates at once." With a creak, the gates swung open, revealing what lay beyond.
"Haha! Welcome! It is an honor to have you visit us!" Yee Woo-jin, the head of the Yee family, greeted us with a friendly smile, accompanied by the family elders. Beside him stood his wife, Kim Hyo-sun, who retained an elegant and beautiful presence despite her age, along with Yee Si-han, Yee Eun-chae's older brother and the heir to the Yee family.
'The entire family has turned out.' They were clearly putting on a show of hospitality for the heir of Yucheon Group. Most of them noticed my hand resting on Yee Eun-chae's waist and reacted with interest.
"Thank you for such a warm welcome." As I spoke, I removed my hand from her waist and extended my right hand for a handshake. Yee Woo-jin naturally took it.
"Haha, you look even better in person. Much more handsome than on television." He spoke without honorifics, likely because he believed that since I was friends with his daughter, I would treat him as a friend's father. Having seen my hand on her waist, he probably also expected me to become his future son-in-law.
"Thank you for your hospitality." I replied in a tone devoid of any warmth. Sensing this, Yee Woo-jin grew visibly tense.
"I came here at Eun-chae's request... but I would like to know why you summoned me so urgently while I was attending the academy." Though my words might have seemed arrogant, I had every right to question why they had called a student out of the National Hero Academy on a weekend. More importantly, my position was far above that of the Yee family, so Yee Woo-jin could not object. Instead, he let it pass and focused on the hidden meaning behind my words.
"At Eun-chae's request? You two seem quite close." Though he maintained his friendly smile, Yee Woo-jin's sharp gaze revealed the calculating nature of a family head pursuing his own interests.
'Unlike Seo Moon-kang-hyuk, he hasn't committed any wrongs severe enough to warrant punishment, and he knows where the line is. That doesn't make him a good person, though.' Not being a bad person didn't make someone good. Yee Woo-jin was the type who prioritized profit but stopped short of crossing dangerous lines.
What he would say next was obvious. "Judging from that intimate gesture earlier, I'm curious—have you and Eun-chae already started dating?"
By asking in this manner, he intended to gauge Yee Eun-chae's reaction. If it was positive, he planned to push for her to become my fiancée.