098 – Core VS Core & Nymph VS Nymph. # 1
“Ichido-san! Onegai! Please get engaged to me!”
The moment I heard that, Reiko grabbed my hand.
Tears were already welling up in her eyes.
Though she resembled Seo Ye-rim, her personality was distinctly different.
Seo Ye-rim would never show such vulnerability in front of others.
“What on earth is going on? Reiko-san. Please explain it step by step.”
Soon, Yu Ara jumped in between Reiko and me.
Ari hid behind me and confidently yelled at Reiko.
“That’s right! What kind of nerve do you have to ask Ichido-senpai for an engagement? You should be begging on your knees in apology to Ichido-senpai! Hurry and apologize! Do geza! Harakiri!”
Do geza and harakiri.
I felt dizzy in many ways.
It was also true that Reiko had lied to me.
But whether that warranted harakiri was a different question.
There were mistakes on my part as well.
I had drunk to the point where I couldn’t control myself and had made a big scene by confusing Reiko with Seo Ye-rim.
So, I felt a sense of responsibility for this incident.
Reiko then spoke.
“Telos Industries is a global megacorp. We’ve been trying to form alliances and partnerships around the world. And the daughters of the industry usually marry for political reasons…”
I had heard of rich second and third generations marrying the offspring of other companies for political reasons.
It was something often depicted in dramas, and in reality, many couples did indeed marry that way.
Just like ancient nobles and royalty who engaged their children for mutual benefit.
In other words, the people of the megacorp were the nobility of the 21st century!
“Wow, they really do engage in political marriages.”
At that moment, Yu Ara, who had confidently confronted Reiko until just a moment ago, adopted a calm expression and spoke.
“Is the other party from the Kanto Gekido Federation?”
Kanto Gekido Federation.
It was quite a complicated name.
Soon, Reiko was surprised.
“How did you know? Only a handful of people inside Telos Corporation are aware of this information…”
“I’m a public servant, you see.”
That was true. Ara was well-informed due to her job in the public sector.
Furthermore, Ara was also an exceptional doctor, which meant it wouldn’t be unusual for her to have insider information while tending to high-ranking chaebols.
Ara then said.
“The Kanto Gekido, abbreviated to Kangkugen, is an armed group consisting primarily of Awakened in Japan. Unlike Korea, where the government has managed to control the Awakened, Japan has failed in this regard. In fact, in a global context, Korean Awakened tend to be quite cooperative with the government.”
I had heard such stories too.
It was said that Koreans were less resistant to conscription and drafting because they had historically been conscripted by the state.
However, unlike the domestically managed Awakened in Korea, the Awakened in Japan had fought against the government after the rift and had largely aligned themselves with groups like the Yakuza or the Hangure.
“The Kanto Gekido primarily manages these Awakened in Japan. If you want to engage in business activities in Japan, you have no choice but to establish ties with the Kanto Gekido. Even ‘S. Ninja’ is affiliated with them.”
“S. Ninja.”
I knew about the cyborg ninja.
They were a substantial force, ranked 11th in the global S rank.
“If the Kanto Gekido’s ‘S. Ninja’ is sent as a participant in the internal meetings of Telos Corporation, it indicates that the Kanto Gekido is openly targeting Telos Corporation. They probably want to relocate the headquarters to Japan.”
I felt like I was hearing about a massive national political conspiracy.
Seo Ye-rim had just said we’d come here to play some soccer, play hide and seek, and check out the ocean.
Then Reiko said.
“The head of the Kanto Gekido said they would get one Awakened from within the family of Telos Corporation engaged to their child! Right now, if we consider the unmarried Awakened in Telos, it’s either me or Yelim-chan!”
“So, if I were to get engaged to you, Reiko-san, what would happen? Why should I engage with you in this situation?”
“They said they would not touch someone already taken! I can’t bear the thought of getting engaged to a person from the Kanto Gekido! Really, getting engaged to someone from the violent underworld…!”
Tears were streaming down Reiko’s face.
“I like gentlemen! Ichido-san, if it’s you, I’d be okay with an engagement! But is there perhaps a girl you’re already in a relationship with, or someone you like? It doesn’t seem like there is…!”
Indeed.
Even with the remnants of alcohol in my system, I understood the situation.
If we lost in the upcoming internal meeting, not only would the branch and headquarters swap places, but I’d also have to get engaged to the child of the kingpin of the Japanese underworld.
I certainly couldn’t lose.
However, Yu Ara seemed puzzled.
“Are you talking about the head of the Kanto Gekido, Yagami…? As far as I know, Yagami has only one child… There’s no way you could engage Reiko-san with him…”
Beep beep beep beep…
It was at that moment.
A strange sound echoed from somewhere.
“Oh. That’s my phone ringing.”
The sound was coming from Reiko’s small purse.
It seemed she was holding my phone, and she indeed was.
“Ya! Where are you? Why are you taking so long to answer the phone!”
# # #
“What? Eun-ja, you did that? How dare you take advantage of someone who is drunk to get engaged without permission and even match the engagement ring with a mana mark! That’s a crime!”
Seo Ye-rim was furious after hearing the whole story.
The temperature in the room felt like it shot up.
“It seems you can’t win fairly, so you’re resorting to all kinds of foul plays. If I tell my uncle about this, you won’t just be in for a scolding! You’ll be banned from going out for over a month!”
“Please don’t tell Dad…”
Thud.
Reiko suddenly knelt before Seo Ye-rim and me, placing her forehead flat against the ground.
It was a perfect yet utterly humiliating pose.
“…Yelim-chan, I’m sorry. But I think what matters more is Ichido-san’s feelings. Ichido-san… Please, let’s get engaged!”
Suddenly, all eyes were on me.
I became quite embarrassed, but my conclusion had actually been set long ago.
“Uh… I think this kind of talk is a bit much. Reiko-san, you’re truly beautiful and an amazing person, but I’m not interested in a loveless political marriage…”
“Ugh…! What a fool…! But we slept in the same bed for a day! We even kissed! We went to the amusement park and the zoo together!”
Reiko collapsed on the ground like a frog hit by lightning.
Seo Ye-rim soon burst into laughter.
“Haildo is too busy trying to move up from B rank to S rank! He doesn’t have the time or the inclination for romance! Do you think someone as stubby as you could seduce him? And what’s this about a kiss?”
In any case, that day, which had seemed entirely lost to me, ended with this amusing incident.
However, it couldn’t just be passed off as nothing; I seemed to have obtained the “condition” of the headquarters from Telos.
“So, it’s the right to choose a sport advantageous for the headquarters player? If they say to play rock-paper-scissors, you can do that with the opponent player?”
At my question, Seo Ye-rim nodded.
“That’s right. As long as you select the event well, it’s essentially a free victory. You should hold onto it and use it strategically. It’s a total gain. Like a free win.”
Seo Ye-rim chuckled.
However, Reiko seemed even more dejected.
“Damn it… What’s happening to me… It’s just like I’m being led to a slaughterhouse…”
Just then, Reiko regained her spirits.
“Damn it! Just wait! Our Japan branch will definitely win this showdown! Don’t you dare cry like a baby afterwards! There are plenty of truly incredible athletes who don’t even need to resort to underhanded tactics! Fool! Idiot!”
With those words, Reiko dashed off.
Watching her retreating figure, I couldn’t help but admire how different our personalities could be, even though we were cousins.
Reiko was an interesting person.
I wondered what it would have been like if we had met under normal circumstances and I’d been asked to date her instead of getting engaged politically.
In that case, I would have likely accepted with an 80% probability.
Soon, Illinois spoke up.
“Telos Industries is indeed a corporation of the Kore! Reiko from the Core is suitably foolish and aligns well with the standards of the Core! I feel very good today!”
“Core.”
It was the highest compliment referring to nymphs as beautiful women resembling spring goddesses.
However, it seemed that being somewhat foolish was necessary to be recognized as a Core.
“What? Illinois. You. Are you calling me a Core Yelim? Have you thought of me as foolish all this time?”
With a scowl, Seo Ye-rim exploded in anger.
“Hey! You! Illinois! Didn’t I tell you not to make any strange drugs? Did you make some weird alcohol again? If you keep causing trouble, I’ll cut your allowance back down to 20,000 won per day!”
Grabbing Illinois’ chubby cheeks, Seo Ye-rim stretched them like rice cakes.
“Hiieek…! I, Illinois, will never forget this violent movement! I have done nothing wrong! I am a perfectly organic nymph!”
I was amazed that Illinois’ daily allowance was 20,000 won.
Considering an average allowance of 600,000 won a month, it seemed like she was spending quite a bit more than I was.
Once Seo Ye-rim let go, Illinois said.
“Just wait and see…! Hasta la vista! Reducing my pocket money to 20,000 won…! This is an unforgivable act…! I will make you regret this for sure!”
With that, Illinois ran off in the same direction Reiko had fled.
I felt a slight worry when I saw Illinois.
“Is it okay to pinch the nymphs’ cheeks like that?”
Nymphs were kind friends.
The thought of pinching their cheeks was something I could never imagine.
However, Seo Ye-rim snickered.
“You say that because the nymph you’re with is a good and clever Inoi. But Illinois needs to be taught a lesson. Considering how she swipes with the black card I gave her…”
Seo Ye-rim shook with indignation.
Then she turned to me seriously.
“In any case, Haildo. You must absolutely not lose. Did you hear the reason?”
If I lost, the headquarters would change hands, and Seo Ye-rim would get engaged to the child of the kingpin of the Japanese Yakuza? It was an unfathomable scenario.
Seo Ye-rim said.
“Change your clothes, wash up, and pack your things. I’ll introduce you to the headquarters executives today. Well, they’re just my family, but it wouldn’t hurt to make a good impression. They’re all people of the ‘corporation’.”
