The True Nature of Jeong Ah-reum's Fear

The true identity of Jeong Ah-reum's fear is...

A little accident dressed in a doctor's coat wheels in a blackboard and begins the explanation. Chalk scratches across the board, sketching out graphs.

The little accidents' eyes sparkle as they shoot their hands up.

"Whoa! Cosmic horror!"

"You know about cosmic horror!"

"Those monsters are insanely powerful!"

The little accidents, weirdly excited, dart around with one eye glowing blue.

Hmm. Anyway, if the throne usurpation succeeds, Mirae Group almost certainly falls into Leon Dusk's hands.

And if Mirae Group goes down like that—Korea won't be safe anymore. With Oseong and Mirae as the twin pillars holding up Korea's chaebol structure, if one crumbles, the other won't hold long. Then my small, cozy land of attachment humans turns into a playground for lion-like tech-feudal lords.

Ugh. That's a problem. A big problem.

Meanwhile, in the blood-soaked middle of the suite.

Sia, having heard Director Jeong's full confession, looked pretty dumbfounded. Staring down at Director Jeong spilling secrets like some cartoon villain, she let out a long sigh and rubbed her dry face.

"—Phew. Got the whole thing recorded, at least."

Sia gazed down at the trembling Director Jeong with complicated eyes.

"Thanks for cooperating and all, but... you really think you'll keep your head after spilling all this?"

"……."

The blood drained from Director Jeong's face in an instant. He couldn't even close his mouth, just leaking fluids from his eyes and nose. Pure panic.

His little accidents had gone on a field trip in his brain and come back, so this was his genuine reaction.

Sia clicked her tongue once and patted his cheek with her palm—smack smack.

"Hey, snap out of it and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠listen up. Pack your shit and vanish right now."

Hardboiled tone, but underneath, it's pretty kind advice.

"Take your family, hole up deep. Jeong Il-seok or Leon Dusk catches you? They won't let you die easy."

Director Jeong just flapped his lips in response. Like a goldfish pulled out of water.

Sia stepped back, shrugging her shoulders. Attitude of I've said my piece.

Then she turned and walked over to me.

"...Little miss."

Something about her eyes sharpened a bit.

Huh? Me?

"Figured the little miss did something to Director Jeong. Felt off since earlier."

Well... strictly speaking, I didn't do it myself. The little accidents did.

I turned my head to the suite's glass window, avoiding her gaze. She took my silence as confirmation and grumbled in disbelief.

"...Jeez. Looks cute, but way more ruthless than she seems."

Huh? Ruthless? That's a huge misunderstanding.

I just gave Director Jeong a gift. Think about it. Up until now, he was just a loyal bro-type guy. But thanks to my little nudge, he's upgraded to an honest and loyal bro-type.

Honesty's a virtue, right? Taught in elementary school morals class. Socially speaking, upgraded Director Jeong's value is way higher, obviously.

And if we're talking cute outside with scary inside reversed, that's Sia more than me. Loli maid with a hardboiled old-man mouth.

Anyway, job's done. Time to head back to Jeong Ah-reum.

Pat pat.

……

Back at Jeong Ah-reum's mansion, we faced almost the exact same tea spread as before. The only change: the 12-tier dessert tower was now 15 tiers.

This drill-hair girl has consistent hospitality. Outer God Girl favorability +1.

"My, you didn't just lure the rat into attacking—you grabbed it by the tail and dragged it in."

Jeong Ah-reum fanned her smile, eyes crinkling.

"Far better than expected. Maid fixer, I'm truly impressed, you see."

"Ah, yeah. It went smoother than thought... but you might not be laughing after seeing it all."

Sia tapped near her eye, and a hologram projected into the air.

Up to here, expected harvest. A satisfied smile spreads on Jeong Ah-reum's lips.

Then—the final confession in the hologram begins.

Executive VP Jeong Il-seok's coup plan. And Leon Dusk, promised 15% of Mirae Group's total shares in exchange for backing the forces.

The smile vanishes from Jeong Ah-reum's face.

Oh. She's majorly shaken. Not showing it outwardly, but that emotion—

Lick. Bitter taste of betrayal. Probably toward that Executive VP Jeong Il-seok.

And the other flavor: cold fear. Must be Leon Dusk scaring her. Or maybe including Jeong Il-seok.

After the video ends, Jeong Ah-reum stays silent for a while. But after a few deep breaths, she slips back into her bubbly drill-hair girl face.

"...Truly beyond expectations. Thank you so much, fixer."

Expression and tone restored, but not perfectly. Sensing her agitation faintly, Sia cautiously broaches the next topic.

"So... what now? You gonna take on that famous Executive VP Jeong Il-seok yourself?"

"—On that note, I've already tallied the total damages from the Vicecam-O incident, you see."

Sharp topic cut-off and pivot. Sia freezes with her mouth half-open.

Ignoring it, Jeong Ah-reum barrels on unilaterally.

"Barely under 2 trillion won, so just pass the victim list to my secretary, and I'll cover it all from my personal funds. Principal plus interest."

"...Pardon?"

Sia stares at Jeong Ah-reum, speechless. Probably thinking: Personal funds for 2 trillion? Right here, right now? Not confiscating the side-branch rats' assets or something?

Jeong Ah-reum smiles sweetly.

"Why the long face? It's not a burden for me at all. No need to worry."

2 trillion isn't a burden. As expected from a three-comma billionaire on par with Lee Se-hee.

Sia flaps her mouth for a bit, then finally bows her head in surrender.

"Ah, yes. If you're covering it..."

And Jeong Ah-reum politely shows them out.

"You've done enough. We'll end here today. Come again if the chance arises."

Seated gracefully, she waves. Fan fluttering, drill-hair twintails swaying.

Hmm, different vibe from Jenica's twintails.

Sia stands without a word. I sneak some snacks from ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the 15-tier tower into my internal subspace, then trot after her.

……

Hmm. And that's it?

Great that Jenica's lost money's recovered. Her alien depression will clear up soon.

But Jeong Ah-reum's story ending here feels too out of left field.

Sticking close to Sia's back as we exit the mansion— I slyly shift to slime form.

My body turns to purple goo, flattening against the marble floor, and I slither back inside, slippery and slow.

That way, flowing along the entrance, hallway, reception room.

I evade all the security sensors installed in the mansion. Human security's calibrated for human height. Floor-crawling slime? They miss it.

No security can stop me.

Hehehe.

Deep in the mansion, I find a door leaking soft light. Private bar. Faint jazz melody seeps from under the door.

I slip through the gap and inside.

Wooden counter, wall full of liquor bottles. Hmm, the kind of place where suave guys order "the usual" from the master.

Jeong Ah-reum sits alone at the bar counter. Her hanbok front loosely undone, shoes kicked off haphazardly below.

Small cognac glass in hand. Smells like strong booze.

I reshape the goo into Outer God Girl form and plop into the empty stool right beside her.

She notices me but doesn't freak out.

"...Little Outer God, you've returned."

Yeah, back.

I nod slightly, and she tilts her cognac glass for another sip.

"I read in the Agency's internal docs that you often observe humans you're interested in."

She sets the empty glass down with a clink.

"Interested in me?"

Nod.

Staring at my nod, a wry smile tugs at her lips.

"What an honor."

She tilts the bottle to refill.

Hmm. Straight 70-proof on an empty stomach, no snacks? Her stomach lining might dissolve.

I pull an ice cream cone from my internal subspace and slide it over. Right after the casino mess, I snuck around back alleys without Sia noticing to snag it. Tofu ice cream flavor, no less.

"A... uniquely thoughtful gift. Thank you."

Jeong Ah-reum takes the ice cream carefully. Instead of unwrapping, she sighs and opens up.

"You're wondering why I didn't settle things with my uncle. The android maid fixer seemed curious too."

Uncle? Ah, Executive VP Jeong Il-seok's her uncle.

Nod. Super curious.

Finally, she starts spilling in a low, slow voice.

Jeong Il-seok wasn't born a Jeong. Early S-rank awakener, Korea's top fighter back then. Her grandfather, spotting ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠his overwhelming power and talent, adopted him, making him a Jeong.

Despite invisible rejection for not being blood, he devoted himself silently to Mirae Group.

Young Jeong Ah-reum followed him like a big brother. He taught her martial arts first, and his brute force was key in faction wars.

That's why she still fears and respects him.

"...I'd lose anyway if we fought."

Jeong Ah-reum mutters in resignation.

He's in his 50s now, but no weaker than his Mushin days. She's just got money and showmanship.

Hmm. If he's coming at her anyway, fighting back seems rational. And from my analysis so far, she's not weak. Superhuman pro wrestling world champ belt holder, even.

Got it. This girl needs a gift too. Like all my attachment humans so far.