Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: It's Okay Because I'm a Genius with a Time Limit
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"But I'll trust the contract."
This is why you have to listen to the end with Korean.
"You mean you're accepting?"
"Yes. I'll draft and send over the details, including the profit-sharing terms."
If there had been glasses in front of us, we could've toasted.
Regrettable, but I just gave a sly grin.
With this, the commission and the investment.
Two rabbits caught with one stone.
If asked which was more profitable, obviously the 'investment.'
Joo Ah-rin's direct team.
The group that would later be called 'White Snow' and grow into the mainstay of the stock.
Having one foot in there meant I'd rake in dozens of times the investment, easy.
"Good. I'll wait for your call."
"And don't complain later—I'll make sure the contract states you won't meddle in team affairs."
"Of course."
They'd do fine on their own anyway. Why would I butt in?
I smiled in satisfaction and rose from my seat.
....
But maybe because we'd be in the same boat now?
A thought suddenly crossed my mind.
Wouldn't a small piece of advice be okay, as long as it didn't stray too far from the original story?
So, thinking of it as a modest gift, I casually spoke up.
"Oh, one more thing. The Brew Clan has a family tradition of doing divinations before big events, right?"
"So?"
"Whether you believe it or not is up to you, but there's a traitor lurking in your midst soon. Better watch out."
"A traitor?"
"A wolf slipped in among the dogs. Looks brave and tough, but it's biding its time to bite its master. Best to weed it out."
"What? That doesn't make any...."
Joo Ah-rin scowled and glared at me.
"Oh, and keep the investment quiet. I don't want rumors that I'm skipping studies for nonsense."
I said my piece and turned away. Whether she believed me was her call.
She'd learn the hard way anyway, even if I hadn't said anything.
* * *
Left alone again, Joo Ah-rin couldn't hold back a scoff.
"Who believes in divinations these days?"
Dismissing it as some annoying ploy, she called Old Butler first.
She relayed the contract details and asked him to prepare the fine print.
Then came Old Butler's worried voice.
- Miss, that guy... is his identity solid? Twenty percent stake is no small sum, and he wants no say in anything? Doesn't make sense.
"I'm not trusting him a hundred percent either, so don't worry too much."
The call ended after a few more questions.
With solid legal safeguards in the contract, she felt a bit relieved.
Catching her breath, Joo Ah-rin picked up her phone again for an important task.
She scrolled through her contacts and found the person: her senior by one year.
Jeong Ae-ri.
They'd bonded at the Lesser Heaven Society and stayed close, so asking a favor wouldn't be hard.
Still, relying on others didn't sit well.
Joo Ah-rin gnawed at her nails for a while before squeezing her eyes shut.
"Fine."
It wasn't direct investment, just a commission fee or so.
Given the circumstances, she'd shelve her pride for now.
Having mulled it over, she was just about to hit call.
Bzzz.
An uncanny timely ring.
"Whoa, scared me."
Joo Ah-rin jolted, shoulders jumping, then flinched again at the caller ID.
Caller: Jeong Ae-ri.
Telepathy? Or just lucky timing?
Either way, perfect.
She could ask more naturally than calling first.
Joo Ah-rin cleared her throat with a hem-hem and hit accept.
Putting on her best nasal whine to match Jeong Ae-ri's little-sister fetish....
- Ah-rin! Busy, so skipping greetings.
"Huh?"
But she got cut off.
- Sorry! It's urgent on my end. You're in Class A, right? Know Park Ha-yul?
What was this now?
* * *
These days, Cheon Seo-yun was in a great mood.
She'd gotten the long-awaited good news and rested up, so her condition and stamina were fully charged.
Sure, there'd been that little mishap with Lee Taek-jin, but holding back laughter was beyond her control, so whatever.
She'd even stayed awake through that dreadful Demonic Beast Studies class.
Taking notes in between!
Such amazing focus that she wondered if she had talent for theory after all.
That's why she woke early that morning.
Friday today. Special scholarship duty day.
She washed leisurely, headed to the office, and flung open the door energetically.
"TA hello...."
But the vibe was off.
No one around, just piles of documents and books everywhere.
Huh? Wrong place?
As she turned to check the sign....
"...you're here?"
Kim Mi-young peeked out with a belated greeting.
But why was the TA like that?
Cheon Seo-yun rubbed her eyes busily.
The usually pristine and stylish woman looked utterly disheveled today.
Skin dull and ashy, shirt buttons—perfectly done up before—now three undone.
"Been waiting since 2 a.m."
"Huh?"
"...wondering when you'd show."
Cheon Seo-yun felt a chill. She couldn't even admit she'd come twenty minutes early.
"Sudden conference came up, so today'll be busy. That okay?"
"C-Conference?"
"Yeah, recent one in Busan...."
Kim Mi-young sighed shallowly and explained the situation.
In short: A new demonic beast species, never reported before, had appeared. Lee Taek-jin was swamped classifying it and gathering data.
"So, could you summarize these? Too much to read myself, as you see...."
Kim Mi-young smiled sweetly, pointing to the towering stack on the desk.
"...All of that?"
"Why? I already cut it down to this much.... Or is it too little?"
Meant as a joke, but to Cheon Seo-yun, it was terrifying enough to break a sweat.
"Haha... no. I can handle it."
"Right? Let's do our best."
"......Sure."
Kim Mi-young glanced at her watch and headed to her desk.
Cheon Seo-yun had no choice but to grab a few thick books and enter the adjacent scholarship room.
No wonder the past few days felt so good.
"But you said no work.... Just sit around till time's up and go home...."
That damned Baek Sa-young....
Totally different from what she'd heard, her temper flared.
She flipped a few pages in resignation....
Talent for theory my ass.
Scientific names blah blah.
Head-spinning nonsense everywhere.
"Did the necklace use up all my luck?"
Sighing deeply, she sensed someone approaching.
"Hello."
"Come on in. Been waiting since 2 a.m."
Eerily identical pattern.
Soon the scholarship room door opened, and Park Ha-yul walked in.
"Why force a two-month-early episode...."
Grumbling, her work buddy entered, and Cheon Seo-yun smirked, raising a hand.
"You made it? Congrats on task hell."
"...Yeah. Early bird, huh?"
"Yeah, but haven't touched a thing yet...."
"What a pain."
Thud.
Park Ha-yul plopped a book down loudly and sat across.
Cheon Seo-yun thought, at least that's something.
Misery loves company, right?
Even tough tasks could be tackled together. Her and Park Ha-yul teaming up, powering through those mountains of work....
......Hold up.
We have to do all that? Just us two?
Her, theory-dunce, and 700th-ranked Park Ha-yul?
Cheon Seo-yun sensed something was wrong.
Sure, Park Ha-yul had answered Lee Taek-jin's quizzes fine, but that's different....
Summarizing was another beast.
With half-baked trivia knowledge, no way to sort wheat from chaff.
......Can we finish by end of day?
If stuck like Kim Mi-young all day....
A flash of herself haggard and frantic made Cheon Seo-yun shake her head fast.
"No, snap out of it, Cheon Seo-yun."
Yeah! Too early to quit.
Dizzy from books and queasy inside, but grit it out—who knows.
Condition was peak anyway.
Steeled, Cheon Seo-yun rolled up her sleeves to take charge.
......But then,
"Might as well finish quick. I'll read aloud— just type."
"Me? Not you?"
"Report format over summary. Less volume that way."
What the hell is she saying?
Less disbelief than shock.
"Start with new species and border ones as examples. One: lung fluke. Genus Paragonimus, species Westermani. Invades human body...."
Alien words spilled out, and Cheon Seo-yun's jaw dropped.
......She memorized all that?
"What're you doing? Pulling an all-nighter?"
"N-No, not that."
"Reading again."
"Wait!"
She snapped to, scrambling straight.
Questions later.
Who leads doesn't matter. Finish fast, done.
Blank mind, ears perked, fingers flying.
Tap tap tap tap tap-
* * *
[Achievement-8: Human Demonic Beast Encyclopedia (Beginner)]
[You've acquired info on 100+ demonic beast species in this world.]
[Reward: +12 hours added.]
The report wrapped up around 2 p.m., with a minor achievement to boot.
Five hours total, insanely fast given the source material volume.
I rubbed my throbbing head; Cheon Seo-yun....
"Ah, fingers won't move."
She massaged her trembling hands nonstop.
Keyboard massacre meant numbness inevitable.
Truth was, Cheon Seo-yun's contribution was solid.
Blinding typing speed and zero-tolerance for typos—superhuman senses, no doubt.
We waited in the scholarship room for Kim Mi-young's review.
"Seriously, what are you?"
"Hm?"
"Demonic Beast dictionary or what? When'd you memorize all that."
"...Just my interest area."
I brushed it off casually.
Thanks to Appraisal, but no way she'd know or I could explain.
"Anyway, looked great. Finished super quick thanks to you."
"Did it?"
"Guess my luck's been good lately. Rode your lucky bus too~"
Cheon Seo-yun chattered on, face lit up.
Her good mood probably from the necklace.
Bad for me, knowing it'd shatter that, so I stuck to short replies.
Picked the wrong moment as she fiddled with her phone.
"Decided on a club yet?"
Tossing out a sensitive question.
I pondered how much to reveal, then tested the waters.