08. Bad Friend
08. Bad Friend
A provocation that was literally staking her life.
Even in front of the furious Ha family, doing that was no different from begging to be killed, yet she didn't stop.
Instead, she met Yeonseo's gaze head-on and even sneered at her.
"What are you gonna do, just staring like that? Tryna do something to me now? Eyy~ Stop it, you're being pathetic~."
"Who are you?"
"Huh?"
"Who did this."
Yeonseo said that while tearing the two letters.
There's no way a mere 3rd-rank commissioner like Eun-jeong did all this.
Clearly, a higher-up behind her targeted Yeonseo and pulled the strings.
In truth, what happened at the Academy was just a minor kerfuffle, nothing major.
Yet she clung to it tooth and nail until it forced a dismissal.
"Oh my. Are you pinning my achievements on someone else? That's too much, really. How could you? I thought we were friends, sort of."
"Yeah. Figured you wouldn't spill."
She flung the torn letters right into Eun-jeong's face.
"I'll spare you, so scram. Tell that bitch she fucked with the wrong person."
"This is for real!"
Yeonseo barely caught her breath and slumped onto the sofa.
But her rage was still pouring out.
Cold and icy.
But ferocious.
Deep down, she wanted to rip that irritating face off her body, but pulling that now would advertise that she'd touched Eun-jeong, making it damn tough for even the Ha family to cover up.
"What're you waiting for? Run from me. Huh?"
She twitched the tip of her crossed leg's foot.
Like she was timing it with a fuse.
"Prideful little shit."
Eun-jeong spat that and turned tail without a goodbye.
Yeonseo's words stabbed into her back.
"Eun-jeong-ssi, watch out. Security's been kinda shitty lately."
Eun-jeong ignored her.
.
.
After Eun-jeong left, the room's vibe plunged hard.
Yeonseo's mood was in the gutter, and Yu Ina felt like this mess was her fault, shrinking back for no good reason.
"But what's that chick's deal?"
Only Sihwan kept his poker face.
"...No clue on my end either. Why she's flipping out like that. Guess she sees me as a rival or something."
"She came off super clueless too."
"......You're one to talk... Anyway, you came for the contract, right?"
"Yeah."
"You? Anything left to say?"
"Ah...I came 'cause a commissioner showed up over Jin Seong-hyeon..."
"Hmm..."
Then her business was wrapped.
At least the Committee unilaterally dumped everything on Yeonseo and called it case closed.
"Then mind stepping aside? Your face is bumming me out."
"...Sorry."
Yu Ina made a complicated face, lips twitching before she bowed her head quietly and stood.
"You too. You're Yu family too. Would love not seeing you for a bit~."
"No, I..."
"Yeah. All you lot head out. What danger's gonna hit here. Got Bari right here."
"But our guard duty's 24/7 young master protection."
"If that's the hang-up, drag him back tomorrow morning. Like hell something big goes down at my place?"
"Pardon?"
Yeonseo dropped a bombshell out of nowhere.
"If safety's got you spooked, let him crash here tonight and pick him up yourself tomorrow."
"What the..."
Even that twisted Yu Ina's face.
Married man overnighting here?
That fly?
"What's with the stare? Super gross."
"Um...Chief...Instructor-nim, even so, that's..."
"No funny thoughts. If you're worried, do it."
"I'll head out soon."
Eun-hye eyed Bari quietly.
The chick who insta-took out the commissioner's escorts—way overkill for Academy turf.
With her around, danger odds near zero.
But the key reason for her guard gig was a human slave, not some big shot.
Guarantee no such trash here?
"...I'll stand guard outside."
"Just watch my wife."
"I'm the young master's guard."
Iron walls.
Steel resolve not to ditch Sihwan, even posted at the door.
Yeonseo finally sighed.
"Fine."
Eun-hye gave a quick bow and cracked the door with the beastkin guard.
Yu Ina followed, bowing with her complicated mug.
"Just to clear up misunderstandings, I know it's not your fault. Emotions don't bend to your will though, right? Cut me some slack on that. Just for now."
"...Yes."
With the three women gone, only Sihwan, Bari, and Yeonseo remained.
"But dismissed as Chief Instructor means no more seeing you at the Academy? Kinda sucks."
"Why? Gonna miss me?"
"Weirdo successor might show. You'd be better."
"Hmph. Total airhead."
"Huh?"
"Drop it. Contract time, quick. Your guard's eyes are popping out waiting."
"Ah...could loosen up a tad. Uncomfy as hell."
"Your karma. Shoulda played it cooler."
Yeonseo headed to the room's corner desk as she spoke.
Furniture matching the vibe perfectly.
Dense docs piled on top.
"That the contract?"
"Yeah. Read up."
Sihwan dove in.
Clauses dragging on forever.
Tons of crap.
"Why so much?"
"Thought borrowing cash was a breeze?"
Scrolling down, bam—interest clause: a fat 30%. Monthly compound.
"...Yo, interest too steep?"
"What? Friend premium makes it dirt cheap. Our Sihwan-ssi can handle it, that's why you wanted the loan, yeah?"
"..."
Sihwan's borrow ask: 100,000 gold.
30% monthly? First hit: 30k pure interest instant. Next: 36k.
Snowballs so after a year delay, payback tops 2.32 million gold. Insane.
That's 2320% yearly interest.
No braincell signs this hellscroll.
"No, didn't I say 1-year term? Interest yearly then?"
"Nope."
"..."
"Term's 1 year though. Check it."
"..."
Back to it: term existed.
Catch: weird wording.
No hard date—instead, fail principal payback over 12 interest cycles? Overdue. Hand B (Ryu Si-hwan) to A (Ha Yeon-seo).
Lip service 1 year, but monthly cliffs. Miss all? Final default.
"What the fuck?"
"Told ya. Can't pay? You're mine."
"..."
30% monthly compound, miss year? Body pawned.
No normal contract.
"You seem lost, so: usury kicks at 50% norm. This? Bargain."
"...Legal?"
"Duh."
"..."
Zero usury curbs here, looks like.
-Master, even so, that's too much...
Bari chimed in mentally, hating it.
Sihwan agreed: overkill.
"Sigh...Yu family loan it is."
115k gold interest-free, but better panhandle again than this.
"Oh, special service from here."
"?"
Yeonseo slid another doc.
Packed text: transfer contract.
Downtown hot spot building handover.
"Bail from me? You get this."
"...Straight up? Free?"
"Yup. Interest though."
"..."
Kickoff interest alone: 30k gold. Academy trainee's 84-year breath-savings.
Chump service.
"FYI, market alone 40k gold. My sell price. No sell? No dice."
"Hmm."
"Tenants hawking now, but whatevs. 'Out' means out. Dead center bustle—prime shop spot. Better digs exist tho..."
Thwap.
Another paper.
"Min payback 3 months out? That one's yours."
"This what."
"Bustle building too. 80k market."
"Better?"
"Yep, but pricy~."
Rolled sheet anyway.
No building.
City map chunk, boxed big.
"Usury me + 10% shares bump? Whole district yours."
"..."
Huge swath.
Roughly 1/10 city turf, slum shanties by randos.
"Illegal dumps all, unregistered squatters galore. Raze or slave 'em—your call."
Handing city chunk.
Pitied her Chief Instructor boot, but nah.
Titles or not, she's a super-ultra-rich bitch.