Episode 12: The Ordinary Person’s Press Conference [End]

“We’ve secured them.”

“Good work.”

“Still, we need to prepare thoroughly.”

“Of course, our preparations are perfect.”

After checking the footage of the journalists sent to my phone, I slipped the smartphone into my inner pocket.

Their faces covered with black sacks and limbs restrained… It looked somewhat pitiful, but since these two had so much to offer, I’d specifically told Deok-bae to transport them as safely as possible.

Judging by the radio transmissions, they might be a little scared, but they shouldn’t feel physically threatened. I’d even instructed them to use sleep gas if they caused too much trouble… So there’s no way they’d escape or anything like that.

“Hmm… I think we’ve covered enough about my hair and eye color…”

Originally, I’d never appeared at official events or such places with Yun Seong-ho. Before the Evil Eye was implanted, Seolhwa was at home, so she attended all official events, while I was being experimented on in the lab at the time.

After Seolhwa ran away and I had the Evil Eye implanted, I had to go around as Yun Seong-ho’s daughter—something Yun Se-ah found so repulsive that she holed up in the academy dormitory. I even searched online to see if I’d appeared at any recent official events, but not a single photo of me came up.

So, if someone like me—who looks like a complete outsider rather than Seolhwa—suddenly inherits 60% of the shares and becomes the new owner of Yuseong Group… Naturally, the journalists would have no choice but to be suspicious.

‘That girl isn’t really Yun Seong-ho’s daughter, is she?’

‘The DNA test results and my psychokinetic ability explaining my different hair and eye color should be enough.’

Most of the questions would be directed at Deok-bae about how the company will be run, but just in case, I had to prevent any journalists from asking the same questions the ones currently locked in the van might have asked.

‘Should I just dye my hair…?’

As for my eye color, I could always use colored lenses if needed…

‘…No, what am I thinking?’

Dyeing would mean having to keep dyeing it. Depending on a person’s mana, some naturally have red hair like Kang A-yul, and most people who manipulate psychokinesis like me have purple-toned hair.

‘Colored lenses would be a hassle to keep changing, so I’ll just leave things as they are.’

No need to ruin the image of the beautiful Yun Se-ah. If anything, suddenly changing from purple hair to white would just raise more suspicions about whether I dyed it.

“Alright, shall we go? Full speed ahead.”

[“First floor.”]

-Whoooosh…!

As soon as the elevator doors opened, countless camera flashes began to sparkle.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes, Miss.”

And so, walking confidently through those flashes, the interview began.

…

…

…

[Yuseong Group to Temporarily Operate Under Professional Management…]

[Sudden Death of Chairman Yun Seong-ho, Surprisingly Smooth Succession]

[Yun Seong-ho’s Daughter Was the Student Council President of Raon Academy?]

[Is Kim Deok-bae Merely a Figurehead While Yun Se-ah Holds Real Power?]

‘………Seems like we wrapped it up well.’

The press conference was a success—flawless.

Unexpectedly, there were many questions about my background early on, but after presenting the DNA test results and using psychokinesis to destroy the laptop of the journalist who asked, proving my ability, the questions about my origins ended there.

After that, Deok-bae announced that Yuseong Group would be managed by professional executives until I graduated from the academy… But apparently, some sharp journalists had already figured it out—that I’d already taken control of Yuseong Group.

‘Well, if even the journalists noticed… I can’t just slack off and hide at the academy.’

Guild leaders have extensive information networks, so I might get direct messages from them without even going through Kim Deok-bae.

And from the journalists sent by the Kim family, I obtained a USB containing their dirty secrets—peacefully, no less.

‘I didn’t expect them to hand over the USB begging for their lives before I even had to use brainwashing… Saved me from using the Evil Eye, so that’s good.’

The journalists knew that if they returned empty-handed after failing the interview and losing the USB with incriminating evidence, they’d be fired. So they said they wouldn’t go back to the Kim family’s broadcasting station.

They mentioned transferring to a station where they had connections, so it didn’t seem like I needed to bother helping them further.

-Ding!

[Greetings, Guild Master of Naseon Guild, Ryu Seong-ho here. First, regarding your father’s passing, I am deeply saddened…]

“How rude to start like this right off the bat.”

I expected it, but I hadn’t anticipated receiving a personal message from a guild leader immediately after the press conference.

‘Is it because I’m Yun Seong-ho’s daughter?’

To summarize, he wanted to continue trading at the same prices as before with my father—1,500 per high-grade potion, 500 per mid-grade.

“He even emphasized, ‘As a student of the academy protecting South Korea, I trust you won’t play money games with heroes’ lives’…”

A thinly veiled threat—if I refused, most guilds would boycott Yuseong Group’s potions.

Oh, and he even had the audacity to mention that his younger brother would be enrolling in the academy next year and offered to introduce us if I wanted.

“Haha, how shameless to talk like that while excluding labor costs and trying to buy potions at material prices. It’s not like we’re playing with employees’ lives either.”

The Naseon Guild leader—what a lunatic.

It’s like going to a ramen shop, throwing down an 850-won packet of instant noodles and a 500ml water bottle, and demanding a free bowl of ramen.

“Deok-bae.”

“Yes, Miss.”

“Did you look into overseas suppliers?”

As soon as I asked, Deok-bae pointed to a file folder in the backseat, as if he’d been waiting for the question.

“A list of companies interested in Yuseong Group’s potions. I only included those willing to handle transportation themselves if we prepare the goods.”

“Well done.”

I opened the folder and slowly read through the letters from overseas guilds.

They all started with condolences for my father’s passing and ended with requests for as many mid/high-grade potions as possible, regardless of price.

It was an attractive offer—even if the domestic media criticized selling potions overseas as a national loss, these guilds were willing to take the heat.

“Honestly, even the U.S. is barely using the lowest/low-grade potions after Yuseong Group gave up the patents under government pressure. How could we possibly be swayed by domestic guilds in this position?”

America’s Vultures, Britain’s Golden Lion, Japan’s Musashi—these were the most trustworthy guilds for now.

‘Those three are the strongest guilds in their respective countries. If we frame it as international cooperation, backlash should be minimal… And above all, even if South Korea is the world’s top superpower in this setting, the Vultures are an exception.’

The Vultures’ guild leader, Thomas Andrea, is the world’s strongest Defender. A madwoman who single-handedly cleared an X-rank gate like the Jeju Island Gate—which took three of South Korea’s S-rank Hunters to defeat.

‘Aside from her later descent into money-obsessed villainy… She’s practically perfect.’

There’s a reason Thomas Andrea becomes a money-crazed monster.

It’s because of Yun Seong-ho’s sheer inhumanity—when Andrea begged him in secret to supply potions to save her guild members in crisis, he said he’d only consider it at 100 times the price.

‘Yun Seong-ho, you absolute bastard.’

To build ties with an American guild—and to prevent Thomas Andrea, an otherwise principled S-rank hero, from falling into corruption—I had to trade with the Vultures.

“How much inventory do we have right now?”

“14,600 mid-grade potions and 3,000 high-grade potions in stock.”

‘More than I thought.’

Thanks to the guilds’ collusion, stock had piled up considerably.

“Prepare 8,000 mid-grade and 1,500 high-grade potions. Tell the Vultures to come inspect and pick them up at Incheon Port… For domestic guilds, ignore any offers below 30 million for high-grade and 16 million for mid-grade.”

“Are you sure? Our domestic reputation might take an irreversible hit.”

Deok-bae sounded slightly worried about such a drastic move.

“Not my problem. Worst case, we can just relocate to the U.S. Korean guilds make at least 1-3 billion per gate raid anyway. They might stagger for a bit, but that’s why we’re opening trade with the Vultures—to minimize the damage.”

“As expected, you’re wise.”

‘The government and domestic guilds keep trying to control us with price collusion… Time to show them who really holds the knife.’

Now, all that’s left… is investigating the lab, I guess.

“Ah, come to think of it… Deok-bae, you were one of Yun Seong-ho’s researchers, right?”

Deok-bae’s hands on the steering wheel trembled violently for a moment.

‘Does he think I’ll punish him?’

“Don’t worry. I don’t discard useful things. Just guide me through the lab. After that, you can keep working as Yuseong Group’s acting chairman.”

“Thank you for your mercy, Miss.”

After that, as soon as we arrived at the main house, Deok-bae gave me a detailed explanation of the lab’s structure.

‘The research material storage room, about the size of two soccer fields, was especially impressive.’

Almost every conceivable material was in storage. They’d even set up a farm so unmanned robots could automatically stock the warehouse without needing to purchase materials separately. Amazing, right?

‘Yun Seong-ho was really something. He even made the supply chain self-sufficient to avoid drawing attention.’

“Good work. Send me anything you think is important… Otherwise, handle things as you see fit.”

“Understood, Miss.”

Unless it was something critical, I told Deok-bae to handle company matters on his own.

‘Too much trouble.’

I even implanted suggestions to offload my workload—there’s no way I should be doing this myself.

‘Then, I’ll try getting a feel for potion-making in the lab.’

And so, until the day I was scheduled to meet Eve for research on my eyes…

I didn’t take a single step outside the lab.