Social Gathering (1)
A man strolled into the opulent reception room of the mansion, where two men were already seated.
“Everyone’s present.”
“Why did you call us?”
“Patience.”
The man who called them took a deliberate seat at the head of the room—Shin Dongmin, the vice president of the student council.
“You’ve probably heard. Lee Hoyeon is attending the social gathering tomorrow.”
“Naturally, we’ve heard.”
“Yes, we’re aware.”
Shin Dongmin scrutinized the expressions of the men in the room. Kim Hyundo, successor of a prominent mage guild, and head of the Magic Research Club at Victoria Academy, usually had a collaborative relationship with him. The other one was Do Jinhyuk, a Class A student, while not as influential, still hailed from a significant guild. The common thread uniting these three was their affluent backgrounds coupled with animosity towards Lee Hoyeon.
“As you know... I deeply despise Lee Hoyeon. I intend to seek revenge and bring him down into the abyss. In the process, I need your assistance. All of you will attend the social gathering tomorrow.”
“What does tomorrow’s gathering have to do with Lee Hoyeon? Are we planning some political maneuver at the party?” Kim Hyundo voiced his skepticism.
Lee Hoyeon’s advantage in strength and positive reputation made it uncertain if their connections would forsake him. Given Lee Hoyeon’s current ascent, it was difficult to guarantee that all connections would turn against him.
“No, the target is not Lee Hoyeon. It’s his partner.”
“Are you referring to Baek Ahyeong?” Do Jinhyuk interjected.
“Yes. Lee Hoyeon can undoubtedly protect himself. However, Baek Ahyeong is known for lacking combat abilities. If he’s not present, we can deal with her swiftly.”
“Attacking his partner is one thing. It will definitely have an impact and tarnish his image. But how exactly do you plan to attack Baek Ahyeong during the party tomorrow?” Kim Hyundo expressed his frustration, finding the discussion lacking substance.
“I’ve obtained classified information.”
“Classified information?”
“Pandemic plans to launch a terror attack at the party tomorrow.”
The revelation of “Pandemic” startled the two men.
“...!”
“Pandemic? How do you know about that?”n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om
“I have my means of acquiring information. Don’t worry about it.”
“This doesn’t feel right. I’m out. The Pandemic terror attack will not only harm Baek Ahyeong but also others. We should inform about the terror attack first and find the next opportunity...”
Understanding the risk posed by a pandemic, Kim Hyundo tried to withdraw from the operation. However, Shin Dongmin’s determined, bloodshot eyes conveyed a sense of madness.
“You’re already too late from the moment you arrived.” Shin Dongmin addressed Kim Hyundo with unwavering determination.
“I have evidence of the privileges you received while leading the Magic Research Club and the illegal pressure you exerted on other clubs. I possess all the proof.” Ꞧ
“Are you threatening me? I’m aware of the irregularities you committed in the student council.”
“Do you want to face ruin together? I’ve already fallen, but you still have a favorable image. Are you prepared to forfeit that?”
Kim Hyundo harbors resentment towards Lee Hoyeon, but it’s a personal grudge stemming from losing Professor Im Sol to him, not a public humiliation in front of many people like Shin Dongmin experienced.
“You just need to stay quiet. I didn’t ask you to kill anyone. Just help us locate Baek Ahyeong when the terror happens, okay?”
Kim Hyundo remained silent, but silence is an affirmative response. Shin Dongmin then locked eyes with the next person in line, Do Jinhyuk.
“What about you, junior? Will you reject like Kim Hyundo?”
“No, I agree.”
Do Jinhyuk still dreams of Lee Hoyeon every night. Moments when Lee Hoyeon embarrassed him or when others praised Lee Hoyeon while belittling him replay in his mind like a recurring nightmare. These emotions inevitably led him to hate Lee Hoyeon.
“All right. Now, let me explain the details.” Shin Dongmin, with eyes filled with determination, began outlining the plan for the next day.
Right now, Nam Dahee takes precedence.
“Uh... Dahee. Yeah, that’s right. We brought you out because Daeun asked us to save you.”
“Why did you rescue me? I met with my sister not long ago.”
“I’ll explain slowly.”
Nam Daeun is currently inside the Buyers Guild building. Although I managed to rescue Dahee, direct contact is impossible. I’ll need to talk to Daeun during tomorrow’s party to discuss everything.
I began slowly explaining the situation to Nam Dahee. The party is only a few hours away.
“Uh, eh... Uncle Mingyu...”
“Yeah, that’s not the end of it. Since you’re hospitalized, Daeun is...”
Because she’s still a kid, initially, I wanted to shield her from the ugly truth. But there’s no reason to rescue Nam Dahee from the hospital unless it carries the weight of the truth: Park Mingyu demands Nam Daeun’s body using you. If I don’t explain that properly, it might raise suspicions.
At first, she didn’t believe it, but when Scarlett brought evidence of the guild leader threatening Daeun, Dahee understood. In the end, after hearing everything, Dahee covered her mouth with her hands and started sobbing.
“Sis... sniff... I trusted Uncle Mingyu.... Huhuk...”
“Scarlett.”
Consoling a crying girl is tough. It’s not my forte, so I called in Scarlett, a master at taking care of kids.
“Dahee, it’s okay.”
Pat-pat—
“Wanna eat some chicken?” Liliana came over with a chicken leg and handed it to Nam Dahee.
Nom-Nom—
“It’s delicious...” With the chicken leg in hand, Dahee brightened up a bit.
“Right? This is the Renewal Chicken, after all.”
Thanks to the pretty sisters, she seemed a bit more at ease.
While Nam Dahee was calming down, Liliana looked at me and asked, “So, what are we gonna do with her?”
“She’ll stay here for a while.”
The Buyers Guild will soon notice Nam Dahee’s disappearance. Before that, I need to get Nam Daeun out of the guild and simultaneously expose the evidence that Kang Hyorin will bring.
After that... Honestly, I haven’t thought about it. Maybe I should let her stay with us? Of course, staying in my dorm would be safer, but... Liliana and Scarlett might not be the best fit for the child’s emotions.
Why does it feel like the dorm is getting more crowded?
I might need to find a new place. For now, with the biggest worry resolved, I prepared for the party tomorrow. A specially ordered suit for the party.
Since I’m going with Baek Ahyeong, I don’t want to look like a total scrub, so I went for a quite expensive outfit. Considering Moon Soorin is also coming, I need to step it up.
[Me: Ahyeong, where should we meet tomorrow?]
With everything ready, I just need to set up a meeting. I messaged Ahyeong.
[Baek Ahyeong: Let’s meet in front of the party venue. Tomorrow is going to be insanely hectic.]
[Me: Got it. See you tomorrow.]
Hmm...
With an appointment set with her, all that’s left is to wait for the party tomorrow. But I feel uneasy. I need to be prepared for anything.
“Scarlett, come over here.”
“Yes?”
I called Scarlett, who was playing with Dahee. I’ve thought about how to act, but just in case, I decided to have a contingency plan—an insurance.