Chapter Index





    Chapter 84: New Life

    Guild Master Jang Jin-yu’s plan for Gyeonwoo was simple.

    Low self-esteem?

    Then show her how important her position is!

    Too mature to understand jealousy?

    Then teach her how to act like a child!

    Though it made no sense logically, the key point was that unlike normal children, Gyeonwoo was exceptionally bright.

    Hard to believe, but she’d said she was fifteen.

    And based on her past behavior, he was confident she wouldn’t easily go astray.

    He thought giving her a chance to reconsider this way would let her figure things out herself.

    So he first picked a suitable spot among nearby shops.

    “Gyeonwoo can’t resist sweet and sour things like lemonade and tanghulu. Remember that.”

    Following Lee Sunghwan’s advice, he found a dessert shop piled high with snacks.

    “Ah…”

    The sweet scents wafting through the door had Gyeonwoo drooling, her eyes darting around eagerly.

    Wondering what to eat, amazed at unfamiliar desserts.

    While also sneaking glances at him.

    Seeing her obvious thoughts, Jang Jin-yu smirked and headed straight for the dessert shop.

    Since they were playing, might as well do it somewhere she liked.

    “Let’s eat breakfast here.”

    Though she excitedly followed his lead…

    “M-monk said we shouldn’t eat sweets in the morning… But I want to… Oh no, being wasteful is bad… But I want it…”

    Her voice trembled as she muttered, clearly struggling internally.

    Good grief.

    She could just say “I want it!” but why all this unnecessary worry?

    No wonder she didn’t even realize she was jealous of her sister when she’s so busy considering others.

    “Kid.”

    “…Yes?”

    While others might have been considerate of this Gyeonwoo…

    “Be clear. If you want to eat, we’ll go. If not, we won’t. I’ll do whatever you say.”

    Jang Jin-yu knew being nice only got you treated like an idiot and ignored.

    So though he guessed her feelings, he deliberately acted firmly.

    “W-well, I’m fine with anything… What about you…?”

    “Hey. I asked for your opinion. Why are you asking me back?”

    He stopped in place, meeting her eyes, quietly waiting for an answer.

    Looking ready to stay put until she decided.

    This was unfamiliar to Gyeonwoo.

    “I…”

    From her time in the cult until now after escaping.

    Though her opinions sometimes carried weight, Gyeonwoo had never been the decision maker.

    Even when she did share opinions, they were mostly for others’ sake.

    It’s confusing.

    She wanted to eat the delicious food she couldn’t have in the cult.

    Wanted to taste that tingling sweetness that melted on her tongue again.

    But would the monks be disappointed?

    Was Guild Master Jang Jin-yu sacrificing what he wanted because of her?

    Why… why was he suddenly asking her?

    Her eyes wandered aimlessly, unable to find a focus.

    Left like this, she clearly wouldn’t decide even after a whole day.

    So Jang Jin-yu reluctantly decided to give her a little push.

    “How are you going to manage if you can’t even make one simple decision? Planning to follow brother and the sisters around begging them to do everything until you die of old age?”

    Of course, his version of a “little” push would horrify others with its brutality.

    “Ah…”

    But that shocking statement helped Gyeonwoo snap back to her senses.

    Right.

    I’m only four years from being an adult!

    Plus I need to protect Pureumi who thinks of me as her mom!

    I can’t keep pushing decisions onto others!

    “L-let’s go!”

    In this first moment of asserting her own opinion.

    Gyeonwoo clenched her fists to hide her trembling and marched forward decisively, breathing hard.

    “You want dessert, right?”

    “Yes! I’ll eat it! And I’ll buy more as gifts for uncle, Pureumi, and the sisters!”

    Though her walk was awkward with arms and legs moving stiffly…

    Even her tiny steps carried a determination never felt before.

    Yes, that’s it.

    Jang Jin-yu had worried about Gyeonwoo’s inherently kind nature.

    Worried she might be like his younger self – unable to refuse requests, getting dragged around and hurt.

    Until finally losing everything and becoming tainted by this filthy reality…

    “Well, if she keeps going like this, no need to worry anymore.”

    While Gyeonwoo led the way, Jang Jin-yu sent subordinates to buy off people in the dessert shop.

    This was the truly important moment.

    Now that Gyeonwoo had voiced her opinion and chosen to move forward.

    Time to make her realize her position being loved by the three Guild Masters, and teach her how to have fun spending money.

    Money was overflowing anyway.

    Getting Gyeonwoo’s confidence back for this little money was a bargain.

    He’d already spent tens of millions of won bribing the shop owner and customers.

    After finishing all preparations, Jang Jin-yu put his hand on Gyeonwoo’s shoulder and whispered:

    “Oh right. Since this is a handmade specialty shop, they have limited desserts. With so many customers, there might not be any left to take home.”

    Complete lie, of course.

    Though it was handmade, with the money he’d spent they could bring the patissier to a hotel to make fresh desserts all day.

    But not knowing this, Gyeonwoo…

    “Th-that won’t do… What should we do?”

    Unable to choose not eating dessert, she started anxiously shifting from foot to foot.

    Left alone, she’d probably come to her senses soon?

    Jang Jin-yu kept whispering:

    “Why worry? I’m rich. We can just buy everything the customers ordered and what’s left.”

    “But that’s inconsiderate…”

    “Inconsiderate? How is it inconsiderate when we’re paying? They made it to sell anyway.”

    His voice was unprecedentedly sinister.

    A low murmur tickling Gyeonwoo’s ear like a demon’s whisper.

    The strange sensation made her shoulders tremble as she struggled to regain her composure.

    As Lee Sunghwan had noticed before, he was exploiting Gyeonwoo’s weakness with sudden situations.

    “It’s not even my money…”

    “Hey. Did I say I was lending you money? Consider it payment for counseling me earlier.”

    “…Payment for counseling?”

    “Well, you helped clear my mind. I’m rich. Richer than brother. If I wanted, I could buy you Chungseong Guild headquarters. Don’t worry and do what you want.”

    What ended Gyeonwoo’s hesitation was his next words:

    “Besides, you’re still a kid. Adults should handle things like this. I said I’d buy it. Is it okay to ignore my consideration?”

    Fifteen years old.

    Children that age in the cult met one of two fates.

    Died unable to endure the harsh brainwashing.

    Or became cult members after being brainwashed.

    So Gyeonwoo was especially fixated on thinking she was an adult.

    But…

    Right.

    Brother offered to buy it, so constantly refusing would be ignoring his feelings.

    Plus he said my counseling helped.

    Just this once… maybe I can be selfish?

    “Um… th-then please buy it!”

    “What should I buy? How much?”

    “Uuu… everything! I want to share with uncle, Pureumi, and the sisters!”

    Gyeonwoo squeezed her eyes shut and thought.

    Of that time everyone gathered at the temple sharing delicious food.

    When everyone laughed happily without worries.

    That happiness that felt like… heaven might be like this.

    If she could feel that happiness again, a request like this wasn’t difficult!

    “Good. Now do exactly as I say.”

    From then on, Jang Jin-yu kept pushing Gyeonwoo and…

    “Th-there!”

    “Right. Don’t stutter, be confident!”

    “W-we’ve rented this whole place so everyone please leave!”

    “Don’t be polite! Use informal speech!”

    “B-but being informal is bad…”

    This was how Gyeonwoo first attempted throwing her weight around backed by money.

    “O-our Gyeonwoo… has fallen to capitalism…”

    The sisters were shocked by Gyeonwoo’s overnight transformation.

    Though she still looked innocent nervously checking people’s reactions while trembling…

    “G-give me everything from here to there!”

    “Yes, thank you customer!”

    “And I’ll eat that here!”

    “We’ll prepare it right away!”

    “Um, do you have drinks…?”

    “Would you like drinks prepared?”

    “Give me all the drinks too!!”

    They’d never imagined Gyeonwoo like this even in dreams.

    Logically, it looked bad – like a lottery winner acting badly with newfound wealth.

    “And p-please charge this…”

    “Thank you, little customer!”

    Was it because Gyeonwoo was the one misbehaving?

    The dessert shop atmosphere stayed cheerful.

    The sisters focused on Gyeonwoo’s expressions and actions instead.

    Come to think of it… had Gyeonwoo ever expressed her own opinion this strongly before?

    Even with their fight, she’d only quietly said “Don’t acknowledge me until you make up!”

    Though she could have been forceful saying “Make up!” or “We’re strangers until you make up!”

    Maybe we protected Gyeonwoo too much and blocked her chances to express opinions?

    Even us coming to apologize was trying to use Gyeonwoo’s kind nature…

    They couldn’t approach and act familiar like usual.

    As the sisters hesitated…

    “Sisters.”

    Gyeonwoo turned to them with somehow upturned eyes full of confidence and said:

    “Come sit here.”

    The sisters couldn’t refuse that firm command.


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