268 – Seo Ye-rim, Losing the Flame!? #3
“Seo Ye-rim, you need to evaluate yourself more calmly about where you are and what kind of person you were born as. You are my daughter and part of the Telos family.”
At her father Seo Sang-yong’s words, Seo Ye-rim clicked her tongue silently.
She thought the nagging from her father would start as usual.
Seo Sang-yong, whom one could call the representative of a mega corporation, had never been fond of Seo Ye-rim working as an Awakened.
No parents would like their children to engage in dangerous jobs.
“Since it has come to this, I will look for a strategic marriage. You know how important strategic marriages are during mergers and acquisitions, right, Seo Ye-rim?”
“What? You want me to marry a man I don’t even know and have babies? Is that all you have to say to me now? To think your own child was just a tool for money! This is why corporate people…”
Seo Ye-rim was furious.
If it were any other time, she would have felt a boiling heat, like a forge, inside her chest, but now, having lost the flame along with the shadows, her anger felt clear and calm.
Only then could Seo Ye-rim think calmly about her emotions.
It was good to feel like the hot flames stirring various emotions within her had disappeared, allowing her to contemplate her own feelings.
‘Why am I so angry right now? Because someone made a fool of me? Because my father prioritizes the company’s well-being over his concerns for me? Or is it…’
“I have nothing more to say. Assistant Ahn, in two hours, take Ye-rim to the coordinates I’ll provide. Now everyone leave. Illinois, take Seo Ye-rim with you.”
“Muhuh, just leave it to me…! But don’t forget to fill up the Nymph Coins in Illinois’ account as usual…!”
Swish.
With those last words, Seo Sang-yong glanced at his watch.
He thought he had wasted too much time scolding his daughter.
Rumbling-.
With everyone gone, Seo Sang-yong let out a small sigh.
“Why aren’t you leaving?”
“Excuse me, may I say something for a moment?”
It was Haildo.
Seo Sang-yong knew well that this was a man Seo Ye-rim usually showed interest in.
Seo Sang-yong spoke.
“Talking to me comes at quite the price. Do you know how many tycoons and politicians want to reserve a lunch meeting just to say a word to me?”
Having lunch or conversing with Seo Sang-yong itself was a privilege and power large enough to influence the world.
When the reservation rights to have lunch with Seo Sang-yong went on auction, they sold for an incredibly high price, proving this point.
A man standing at the pinnacle could influence the world even with something as simple as a meal.
In that sense, it seemed Seo Ye-rim was completely unaware of what kind of privilege she possessed by being born as Seo Sang-yong’s daughter.
She didn’t seem to realize how significant it was to have the opportunity to eat and spend time with him every day.
Seo Sang-yong thought that this Haildo was─.
Honestly, he felt they weren’t on the same level.
Yet, even so, he let Haildo be because this man had risked himself several times for the citizens, and because his daughter, Seo Ye-rim, liked him.
So, Seo Sang-yong decided to overlook the man’s rudeness for once.
“Speak.”
“I believe Ye-rim has been working hard until now. And I think she can eventually resolve the issues she’s facing with her own strength.”
“Anyone can spout such idealism. Do you know the world is made up of the cold realities, not romantics? That’s why I’m here.”
“……”
Haildo fell silent.
He was probably carefully considering what to say next.
Having built an empire nearly from scratch, Seo Sang-yong prided himself on having an accurate eye for seeing people and assessing situations.
To Seo Sang-yong, Haildo was a man who proved himself through actions rather than words.
Swoop-.
Seo Sang-yong stood up and walked to the window.
The 100th floor.
Just looking down from a safe spot was a dizzying view.
Many people were probably bleeding and literally dying below just to see this view.
“Haildo. What do you see beyond this window?”
Standing at this pinnacle height, Seo Sang-yong could distinguish people by how they looked at such a breathtaking view. What kind of man was Haildo?
What kind of sights was he seeing while looking at this overwhelming scenery?
Was it ambition or longing to rise to a place like this?
Or was he going to spout some idealism?
“An owl. I can see an owl over there.”
“An owl?”
“Look, a tiger owl is flying. It’s called Kalilnoi. It’s one of my friends. It seems to be waiting for me.”
An owl.
This was a story Seo Sang-yong had never heard before.
Indeed, there was an owl flying around the building.
It looked quite large and its feathers appeared fluffy.
After a moment of contemplation, Seo Sang-yong reached a conclusion after about five seconds.
“I’ll give you a week. If all events are not resolved by then, I will make Seo Ye-rim marry anyone from the third generation of chaebols as the authority of a corporation’s head and as her father.”
“…Anyone?”
“Yes, anyone. It’s not really my place to say, but generally, the families of chaebols are overwhelmingly unpleasant. Most of them seem equally foolish, so there’s no need to carefully choose a partner at all.”
Haildo seemed greatly flustered.
However, perhaps thinking time was short, he said, “Then I’ll excuse myself for a moment,” and suddenly opened the window on the 100th floor.
Whoosh-.
As a strong wind blew in through the open window, Haildo climbed up the window ledge and jumped down from the height of the 100th floor.
There wasn’t even a moment for Seo Sang-yong to stop him.
Fwirrrr-!
Soon, the sharp cry of the tiger owl Kalilnoi swooped in and grabbed Haildo’s arm and shoulder, flying off into the skies with flapping wings.
“……”
Seeing the man disappearing toward the dazzling sun from above made Seo Sang-yong feel a mix of admiration and somewhere envy as he looked down from the window.
“Nobody has ever jumped down from here before.”
Seo Sang-yong realized that this high 100th floor was just a rooftop of a building attached to the ground compared to the sky where the owls were flying.
It was a moment when a smile crept onto his face.
“A dragon that can’t fly. How ridiculous.”
Thinking he might also climb up onto the ledge to feel the wind, Seo Sang-yong closed the window and sat back down at his desk.
# # #
Chatter, chatter, sea anemone-!
I relayed my conversation with Seo Sang-yong to the Nymphs who had been waiting for me at the Telos Café in Makcheon City.
After hearing this, Oinoi nodded as if understanding something.
“Strategic marriage is one of the important virtues of the Core…! Originally, Cores have marriages they don’t desire…!”
“Of course…! The original Core, Persephone, who’s also known as Core Origin, was also forcibly married against her will…! Many Cores like Helene and Psyche also faced unwanted marriages…!”
In the minds of the Nymphs, the forced marriages and strategic marriages of women seemed to be completely ordinary matters without anything special.
However, Seo Ye-rim frowned and got angry.
“Don’t joke around! Who do you think would do that? How dare they control my life? My life is mine! Nobody can put their stamp on it!”
“That’s a mistaken story…! Think about whether the food your father provides, the money your father gives, and living in the house your father gave you is genuinely your life…!”
Ding-.
Illinois’ words were profoundly philosophical and had an air of correctness.
Truly showing that the Nymph, who had wandered the world for years, was very insightful, I calmly spoke to Seo Ye-rim.
“The time is only a week. Honestly, catching a villain who can teleport in a week is nearly impossible. What are you going to do?”
“What am I going to do? It’s something I’ve been contemplating for a long time. Since it’s come to this, I have no choice. I’ll leave the Telos Company. And I’ll also step away from being Seo Sang-yong’s daughter.”
What?
I was taken aback as if I had lagged and my thoughts were stuttering due to the suddenness of her statement.
Tsukki, who had been quietly listening beside me, was also surprised.
“Seo Ye-rim, do you even realize what that means? Do you know what happens if you’re no longer part of a wealthy family? Let me tell you, you won’t even last a week.”
“That’s right…! This Illinois opposes the idea of the Core going broke…! That’s a crazy idea…!”
I thought the same way.
However, it seemed Seo Ye-rim was already resolute.
“No, I think I finally understand what I want to do. I’ve always hated the idea of being born as the daughter of a chaebol, enjoying the easy life. I want to stand on my own strength. Let’s go!”
Seo Ye-rim pushed her chair back and stood up.
“On the way out, just give me an Americano.”
She handed a black card to the café worker.
But the worker looked troubled.
“Ye-rim, it seems this card has been suspended?”
“What?”
Seo Ye-rim immediately handed over all the cards she had.
However, most of the cards were either suspended or had no balance.
Seo Ye-rim was shocked.
“Don’t joke! There should have been at least several hundred million in each account! The only person who could do this is… my dad! What on earth happened to An Young?”
Seo Ye-rim asked her secretary An Young.
Then An Young trembled and replied.
“I called your father… He said if you’re leaving the company, to give up all benefits and privileges…”
“Why did he take all my money?”
“T-that’s because all the damages you’ve caused to people and property have been covered by Telos Insurance. If all those costs are summed up, there’s about three hundred million in debt remaining…”
“I… have debt…? I have debt?”
Seo Ye-rim looked confused in a situation she had never encountered before.
Three hundred million.
It was an enormous amount of debt, and it made my head spin, but Seo Ye-rim quickly composed herself and slapped her cheek.
“Dad must have done this on purpose! To mess with me! Haildo, for a few days, I’ll need to stay at your place. Once I catch that thief, I can pay off the debt in no time!”
