The subtle nerve war between the two lasted right up until Charles’s departure.
“Mr. Gray, was it? Nice to meet you. Hmm, honestly, our young miss isn’t exactly the sociable type... For you to get this close, that’s impressive.”
You didn’t approach her with some ulterior motive, did you?
“Oh, that’s not it. Miss Ji-yeon. ‘Ha-yeon’ actually approached me first. Haha, I was quite surprised at first. Ha-yeon is... bold. Then again, that’s probably how she climbed so high at such a young age.”
No, but seriously? Your girl’s the one who made the first move.
“Ah... is that so? But Mr. Gray, you call her by name? You must be pretty familiar with Korean customs.”
“Thanks to Ha-yeon explaining all sorts of things to me.”
“...”
Ji-yeon, not having gained anything from the exchange, bit her lip and turned back toward me.
–Tap tap.
I patted her shoulder comfortingly.
“Ahaha, our Ji-yeon looks pretty worn out, huh?”
“...I hate you, Young Miss.”
“Well, that’s what happens when you pick a fight with a real aristocrat.”
Age-wise and status-wise, Ji-yeon didn’t stand a chance—it couldn’t be helped.
Still, the fact that she’s been with me for so long is a powerful weapon.
‘Though I should probably stop things if they get overheated...’
This felt like something out of a rom-com or drama, and I was enjoying it.
Heart pounding, I threw more fuel on the fire.
“Anyway, we should probably head to the hotel soon, right? Don’t worry, I’ve already reserved the rooms.”
“Uh... Just checking, but it’s three rooms, right?”
“No, no. Do you really think I’d skimp on something like this? It’s four rooms.”
At that, Ji-yeon tilted her head slightly, as if she’d heard something odd.
“Really?”
“You know I’m not one to lie. We’ve got to give the bodyguards two rooms...”
“Wait, no! We should exclude the bodyguards!”
“Wow... I can’t believe our Ji-yeon grew up to be such a terrible adult. Are bodyguards not people now? You’re so cruel. Next thing I know, you’ll be slapping down flight attendants in airports just because they looked down on you.”
“Th-that’s not it! I’d never cause you trouble, Young Miss...”
“Well, and Seon-jun oppa should be with his wife, obviously.”
Upon hearing that, Ji-yeon fell silent and narrowed her eyes at me.
“...Then the remaining room, don’t tell me—”
“You know I can’t sleep alone, right? It’ll be more comfortable with you and Charles. And you’ll keep a good eye on things too.”
–Smack!
Thump.
“Aaagh! Seriously, what is wrong with you! Young Miss, we weren’t like this! Have some pity for my dignity! I mean, hasn’t that Charles guy tried anything with you yet, even after you’re tempting him like that? Is he made of stone?”
“You don’t see him crawling around missing limbs, do you? If he didn’t have basic manners, I would’ve separated him long ago.”
“...A guy and a girl sharing a room in their prime, and the girl’s the one making advances? Not acting on it isn’t manners—it’s rudeness!”
“Aha, so are you saying you’ll teach him some manners? How? Ahaha, scary. Our Ji-yeon had such dark thoughts hidden inside her. Do you want to walk around with a sign on your back that says ‘traitor’?”
“I think you’re scarier, honestly... In this ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) situation, even if someone said you were the one seducing him, no one would argue. I swear, if I were a man, I’d have lost my head already.”
Hearing that, I chuckled.
The fact that she was still misunderstanding was kind of cute—but if I kept teasing her, she’d probably get upset.
“Don’t worry too much. Even if it’s just one room, it’s not a normal hotel. Nothing you’re worrying about will happen.”
You know, those situations where the hotel shower has frosted glass and silhouettes show through while showering...
If we were alone, maybe, but in this situation, I’d turn it down without hesitation.
Because Seo Ji-yeon, as she says herself, is entirely ‘mine’. Just like I’d be displeased if someone touched or stared at something that belongs to me, my people must remain mine and mine alone.
“I mean, even if the room’s big, it’s still just one room...”
“Yeah, yeah. Let’s go talk after we get there. Your eyes are going to pop when you see it.”
.
.
.
And once we arrived at the hotel—
Even Ji-yeon, who had been blushing furiously and complaining nonstop, shut her mouth upon seeing the inside.
“...This huge space is one room? Really?”
Well, the room was absurdly huge.
“Ahaha! See? Told you it wouldn’t be a problem.”
Yoo Seon-jun leaned casually against the hotel wall and looked up at the ceiling.
“Land prices in Europe, especially here in Vienna... How much did this cost? It’s not dead center, but the real estate here is still insanely expensive.”
“Money? It cost a lot. Around 100 million dollars? With upkeep, maybe about 300 million. The reason we couldn’t build in the city center wasn’t money—it was due to space and security.”
After overhearing me and my brother’s conversation, Ji-yeon stood blankly for a moment. Then she processed the context and recoiled in shock.
“W-wait. When you say land cost... don’t tell me—”
“The trip got delayed because of this. Buying the hotel was a more complicated process than I expected. Renovating it also took time.”
“...You really never stop blowing my mind. I’ve been with you nearly ten years, and you still surprise me.”
“Thanks for the compliment.”
I smiled sweetly and looked around the room.
–Bang!
I forcibly shooed Ji-yeon away from the dazzling hotel interior and slammed the door shut.
Only the faintest sound echoed from the side.
“Hmm, soundproofing’s solid. Good.”
Nod, nod.
That’s why I had to buy a hotel.
It’s something I’ve learned from experience—hotels usually don’t have good soundproofing. You can hear all sorts of stuff from the next room.
I only recently learned the reason: they deliberately avoid soundproofing to prevent accidents or crimes.
I think that’s a brilliant policy. Thanks to that, our organization can’t pull off various shady operations in hotels.
“...We’re not killing anyone, right?”
Ji-yeon asked with a sour expression after my explanation, but I didn’t answer.
It just felt more fun to leave her hanging.
***
Unfortunately, the tension between the two didn’t last long.
“...I apologize.”
First off, no matter how big the room was, Charles had an overwhelming aversion to sharing a space with two ladies and left to visit relatives in the Principality of Liechtenstein...
The second reason was Ji-yeon incessantly whispering about the dangers of murder right next to him.
“W-why not let me take care of it? Huh? That way, Young Miss won’t have to dirty her hands...”
Goodness.
Her teary-eyed devotion and loyalty were touching, but... hmm, Ji-yeon just wasn’t cut out for the shadows. I had no intention of putting her in charge of security.
“...That was a joke, I’m telling you. Cut it out.”
“A joke? Lies! Your face was totally serious!”
“I do send a team to deal with people who’ve stolen from me or tried something shady, but that hasn’t happened in Europe—yet. Besides, I can now swing state power like a club.”
Feeling proud for a moment, I tapped my chest.
Why bother lurking in the shadows when I’ve become the sun itself?
A person of power does not hide in the dark. Power is the light.
“State power... doesn’t sound that trustworthy to me.”
“That’s something only non-power-holders would say. Even if the country’s small compared to the U.S., state power is on a whole other level from regular influence. It gives you the legal right to control people. That kind of absurd authority isn’t something mere money can buy.”
“Is that so? Ugh, I really need to stop thinking like a commoner...”
“Hmm, well, I keep you around because I like that side of you. So don’t lose it completely.”
To put it simply, no matter how rich the U.S. or its government is, it can’t buy another country with money.
I only managed to seize national power thanks to an extremely rare opportunity like the foreign exchange crisis—and the background of the Daehwa Group.
And even that was only possible because of the president’s lame-duck status. In truth, I barely have even half of it.
–Tap, tap.
I drummed my fingers on the table.
Now that Charles was gone and it was just us Koreans again, I started thinking clearly and remembered another matter I had to handle.
“Ji-yeon, remember I said I’m going back to Korea? Unfortunately, I won’t be able to enjoy myself much. There’s a lot to take care of. I’ll be giving you a lot of work, so I’m letting you know in advance.”
“Just say the word. I’ll take care of anything.”
“The presidential election isn’t far off. You know that, right?”
“...I’m sorry. That... might be a bit too much.”
“It’s hard, but it has to be done. Our country’s president still holds a lot of power.”
One of the reasons I triggered the East Asian currency crisis early was exactly because of the election date. If a new president were already in place, it’d be much harder for me to steal power.
“But... you already have so much money and influence. Do you really need to take that risk?”
I let out a faint sigh.
“Ji-yeon, politics is a terrifying and sharp-edged blade. Not even J.P. Morgan or Rockefeller could overcome the living tide of power. Just having a lot of money isn’t enough.”
“...”
“Legitimacy. Yeah. Politics only provides legitimacy. I’ve become too powerful. But... that’s all I’ve got.”
Legitimacy might seem weak—but sometimes, it’s everything.
Let me give you an example. What’s the easiest way to gain wealth and power?
It’s not through schemes or fighting. It’s by being loved by someone who already has wealth and power.
That’s how people end up giving away what others desperately crave—just because they like you. Power can be cold, but the one who holds it doesn’t have to be.
That’s why we call the most common form of favoritism by the powerful “inheritance.”
But political theorists define power like this: the privilege to compel others to do things they do not want to do.
Of course, when you force people to do things against their will, there will be resistance. That resistance is precisely what power must overcome—and when you think about it that way, you realize how potent legitimacy is. It’s what makes people want to do those things.
“Put simply, a politician with legitimacy is like a department manager who can swipe the company credit card all they want.”
“That... was a very tacky analogy.”
“Ahaha, but at least it makes sense, right?”
That’s why persuasion through legitimacy... is stronger than anything. It’s power without cost or backlash.
“So, what’s the point?”
“I have legitimacy. In this situation, I hold the greatest legitimacy of all.”
I can save this country.
I—and only I—can save it.