Chapter 14: Networks are assets to merchants(6)

Seoyeon never once lowered her guard from the moment the man entered her home.

‘This man…’

She was well aware that there were many people who targeted hunters or academy students.

From the perspective of an ordinary person, if they were lucky enough to meet a hunter’s eye and get married, it would be an enormous stroke of luck.

There were many women who targeted male hunters, and many men who targeted female hunters.

‘I need to get rid of him as gently as possible.’

In her mind, Isu was already labeled as a ‘shameless man who seduced her daughter with wicked words.’

She had no choice but to be wary.

‘…He’s quite handsome.’

They talked. After buying the item, she got to the point.

“Don’t see my daughter anymore.”

Of course, she didn’t think that this man would back down with just these words.

Yuhwa was a beautiful woman. In addition, she had the status of being ‘Lee Seoyeon’s daughter’, and it was almost certain that she would become a powerful hunter in the future.

‘I don’t know how much he makes as a salesman, but it’s probably insignificant compared to marrying my daughter.’

In addition, according to rumors, Yuhwa was indebted to this man.

Considering Shin Yuhwa’s kind personality, it would be difficult for her to coldly abandon this man.

If he just held on, a rosy future awaited him. Yuhwa would eventually become an adult, and Seoyeon couldn’t interfere in her life forever.

‘I have to separate them now. Whatever the cost-‘

Some powerful hunters used coercive methods to get rid of the flies that clung to their families.

But Seoyeon was the leader of an independent guild. She herself was powerful, but her guild lacked many things compared to other guilds sponsored by corporations.

Unlike other hunters of her rank, Seoyeon didn’t have the power to move the police or control the media.

If this man held a grudge and talked about a scandal with Yuhwa, Seoyeon herself might be fine, but Yuhwa’s hunter career would be ruined.

‘I’m okay with any demand. Just, make a demand. I’ll give you any amount of money. Just stay away from my daughter…!’

In that short time, many thoughts flashed through Seoyeon’s mind.

So for a moment, she didn’t hear his immediate answer.

“Brother! What are you saying!”

What Seoyeon heard was the voice of her daughter. Yuhwa’s voice.

“…I’m sorry. I was lost in thought for a moment and didn’t hear your answer.”

“Oh, I said… I understand. I won’t see your daughter again.”

‘Huh?’

Seoyeon couldn’t help but tilt her head.

She had many friends. They often struggled to deal with ‘troublesome people’ who clung to their daughters, sons, or themselves.

However, she didn’t expect him to accept Seoyeon’s, not even Yuhwa’s, breakup notice so easily.

‘…Is it because I’m Lee Seoyeon.’

If that was the case, it might be that he approached Yuhwa just because she was an ‘academy student’ without knowing that she was her daughter.

If he was thinking of marrying her, that might be one thing, but if he was just thinking of ‘playing and throwing away’, the status of being Lee Seoyeon’s daughter would be a bit burdensome.

‘I was lucky. I’ll have to make sure to keep his mouth shut…’

She thought it was over. But Yuhwa was yelling in the background.

“No, Brother! Are you serious? I know my mom is an amazing person, but how can you do this just because she glared at you a little!”

“Yuhwa. You should listen to your mother?”

“But I don’t want to.”

“I want to listen to your mother though?”

“Ugh… Really! Traitor!”

“I’m sorry.”

Looking at the two of them, Seoyeon bit her lip tightly.

‘It must have been… her first love.’

The man was too cruel. He could have tried to persuade Yuhwa with better words or said that it was unavoidable, but he pushed Yuhwa away without hesitation.

Of course, this was what Seoyeon wanted. It wasn’t appropriate for a student to be dating an adult when she should be studying and training hard at the academy.

‘But…’

She felt that Yuhwa’s emotions, which were initially like a joke, were gradually intensifying.

They must have been dating for a short time, but it felt cruel that he cut her off without even thinking about it.

She hated it. She wanted to be emotional and get angry at the man with her daughter.

She just held back because she knew it was an illogical act.

“And… in case you misunderstood, Yuhwa and I weren’t dating.”

“What?”

Seoyeon’s eyes widened.

‘They looked like they were dating…’

If they weren’t dating at all, if Yuhwa was unilaterally in love with him, this difference in attitude wouldn’t be incomprehensible.

“Can you prove it?”

It was a meaningless question. He had already declared that he would break up with Yuhwa.

Seoyeon knew that, but she couldn’t help it.

She just wanted to satisfy her curiosity. She wanted to know why her daughter had met him.

“…I have a recording. Would you like to hear it?”

“Yes.”

“Hey, Brother Brother! If you play that, I’ll really get mad. I said it was unavoidable last time, but now-“

He ignored Yuhwa’s screams and played the recording of their last meeting.

Yuhwa’s voice, full of energy and overflowing with vitality, could be heard.

‘My daughter…’

Guild life wasn’t easy. After her daughter entered the academy and moved into the dormitory, she felt like they were growing apart.

But hearing her daughter’s carefree voice made her feel a strange sense of happiness.

Her daughter was a child who could smile so brightly.

‘…This is dangerous.’

At the same time, her wariness towards the man in front of her rose.

‘This isn’t a relationship that can be resolved with words. Yuhwa is stubborn… Even if I tell her not to meet him, she’ll definitely try to see him…’

If he maintained the attitude of ‘I don’t want to see you, but I’m seeing you because you’re clinging to me,’ the problem could get bigger.

If he had been begging to see Yuhwa, she could have easily cut off the relationship.

But in this situation, no matter what he did, Yuhwa wouldn’t tell anyone. She would endure it alone.

He didn’t seem like a bad person, but that made him even more dangerous.

“Is the day you first met Yuhwa… also recorded?”

“Yes.”

“Play it.”

She wanted to know what kind of tricks he used to make Yuhwa fall for him so deeply.

She wanted to know what he said to Yuha to shake her heart like this.

“Brother. That… that’s really not okay.”

“As Yuhwa said, this contains some personal conversations, so it might be a bit difficult.”

Seoyeon bit her lip tightly.

“Play it.”

She had to know. Seoyeon wanted to know what kind of relationship the two had.

She could feel his eyes wavering.

****

‘Sigh, this is complicated.’

I bit my lip tightly.

‘The fact that Lee Seoyeon is more reasonable than I thought is definitely good news, but…’

If I only considered safety, what I had to do was clear.

‘Sigh…’

If I revealed that recording, Yuhwa would be genuinely angry with me.

She was a woman who valued her mother, so she wouldn’t be able to stand the fact that I, a third party, had revealed her weakness to her mother.

‘But… no matter how much potential Yuhwa has, she’s still a student, right?’

Even if she gets angry now and cuts off contact with me, it won’t be a big loss for me.

Lee Seoyeon in front of me was much scarier.

‘The rational choice is…’

Ignore Yuhwa’s opinion and reveal the recording to Lee Seoyeon to show that nothing happened between us.

Yuhwa, angry with me, would try to cut off contact, and things would naturally go according to Lee Seoyeon’s wishes.

That would be it. There’s no risk.

‘But that’s too much of a waste…!’

But the opportunity dangling in front of me was tempting me.

‘It’s Lee Seoyeon. It’s really Lee Seoyeon. I’m having a conversation with Lee Seoyeon in the same place, you know?’

The thought that I wouldn’t die made me start to feel greedy.

‘If I listen to her orders here, I’m just avoiding danger.’

My relationship with Yuhwa would end, and there would be no reason to talk to Seoyeon separately.

I would just be satisfied with the fact that I survived and quietly back down.

‘How could I do that!’

Normally, she’s not someone I could meet. There might never be another chance in my life to meet Lee Seoyeon personally at her house.

I can’t let such an opportunity slip away.

‘They love each other.’

I could tell by looking at their eyes. Seoyeon and Yuhwa aren’t hostile towards each other.

Rather, because they love and care for each other too much, misunderstandings and conflicts inevitably arise.

‘If I could just owe her, even a little-‘

Seoyeon’s cold eyes began to look down on me.

“I told you to play that recording. Is there something in it that I shouldn’t hear?”

“Oh, Mom! Don’t!”

“You stay out of this. So, Mr Isu. Your answer?”

I bit my lip tightly and glared at Lee Seoyeon.

“…Huh?”

She looked at me, slightly surprised, as if it were absurd. And then, she immediately showed her killing intent.

It’s scary. I’m scared. My hands and feet are trembling.

I felt like a rabbit standing proudly in front of a tiger. It’s painful. My survival instinct is screaming.

I wanted to give up everything right now, apologize, and comply with her demands.

‘But… if I was going to be satisfied with that… I wouldn’t have started in the first place!’

Calm down. I need to control my emotions.

That woman, Lee Seoyeon, doesn’t want to kill me. She’s just ‘a little’ wary of me.

It wasn’t different from how a rabbit’s flesh could be torn off by the innocent play of a bear or a large dog. She doesn’t want to kill me.

She loves her daughter. She acts for her daughter. Even if she doesn’t value my life, she will value her relationship with her daughter.

Then, she can’t ignore my words. She can’t ignore the advice of Jeong Isu, ‘the person who knows Yuhwa’, not the peddler Jeong Isu.

“Hunter Lee Seoyeon.”

“Speak.”

“Just once, just once is fine…!”

Fear makes my body tremble. My voice, my vocal cords, my teeth are shaking like a candle in the wind.

Human emotions and expressions have many intersections. It wasn’t difficult to make her misinterpret my expression.

“Please, I’m begging you…”

Reveal a fake emotion. Let my fear be swept away in the torrent of intense emotions.

To make her think that I’m trembling with anger and resentment, not fear-

“Can’t you try asking your daughter for a favor?”

I shot out my words like a bullet.