I Become a Mafia in the Academy

Chapter 18

"B, Boss!"

The employee, startled by Lee Haru's bowing figure as she trailed off her words, tries to make her stand up.

"W, why are you doing this all of a sudden? Why to a new student...?"

"Miss Park Joo-Hyun."

"Yes?"

"Shut up and bow immediately. This is an important guest of our International Trade Club."

"T, this new student?!"

"Immediately."

"I, I'm terribly sorry for my rudeness!"

The employee quickly assesses the situation and bows deeply in our direction. I pat both their shoulders and say,

"Let's straighten up and talk for now. There are plenty of eyes watching, aren't there?"

"Yes. I'll do as you instruct."

Once Lee Haru stands up, the employee follows suit.

"Miss Park Joo-Hyun."

"Yes, yes!"

"I will guide our guests to the president's office. Please bring us something to drink."

"Yes!"

After sending the employee off, Lee Haru gives us a quick once-over before turning around.

"Please allow me to guide you."

"Thank you."

Following Lee Haru, we arrive at a luxurious black door. Lee Haru opens the door first, and as we follow her inside, the modernly designed president's office comes into view.

Unlike the rather plain exterior, the president's office is decorated with luxurious artworks and extravagances.

As we stand there looking around, Lee Haru points to the sofa in one corner of the room with both hands and says,

"Please, have a seat, Young Master."

Following her suggestion, I naturally take the seat that appears to be the main seat, and Jinwoo, Seah, and Youngje sit next to me on my right.

Meanwhile, Lee Haru begins filling a basket with snacks to prepare refreshments inside the room.

"B, Boss. What exactly is going on here? Isn't that person the club president?"

Thinking the situation doesn't make sense, Jinwoo leans toward me and starts whispering for clarification.

The others seem to agree, silently staring at me.

I then say what I had already thought out.

"Our family is the majority shareholder of this president's household. We've been close since we were young."

"M, majority shareholder?"

"Yes, it's not strange since we have a significant stake in this International Trade Club as well."

To be precise, this club and Lee Haru's family as president were established with the support of the Calione family, which is why this is possible.

While making plans for the club last night, the thought suddenly occurred to me.

'Now that I think about it, I remember there were a few clubs in the academy connected to Calione...?'

So I immediately asked Parnello, and...

- The daughter of the Inomiya Group is the president of an International Trade Club. I believe you've met her a few times during family events in the past. Her name was definitely... Lee Haru, wasn't it?

As expected from Asia's top mafia family, there were clubs within the academy associated with our family.

Moreover, it seems that when she founded the club, my father invested in it under my name.

No wonder I was wondering how they could obtain items that even external vendors in the game found difficult to procure—it was Calione's influence.

"To think your family has shares in the academy's clubs... What exactly does your family do?"

Youngje, who didn't expect that the academy itself would be directly invested in, asks while clicking his tongue.

"It's just a company that does various things. Just lucky, I guess."

Realizing I didn't want to say more, Youngje didn't ask further.

"You've waited long. It's been quite a while since I last saw you, Young Master."

"Yes, it has been a while. I was quite surprised when I heard you had founded a club in the academy."

"It's still a modest club, so I'm quite embarrassed. And I never dreamed that you, Young Master, would make such a request of me."

"Hmm, really?"

Lee Haru places the basket of refreshments in front of us and sits on the empty sofa. Her expression, saying she never dreamed of it, was as cold as ice.

"If the sudden contact was inconvenient, I apologize. Did it cause you any trouble?"

She shakes her head at my words.

"How could it? All of this was possible because of your investment, Young Master. But... Your demeanor seems to have changed a lot since the last time I saw you, Young Master."

Indeed, I wondered why I hadn't mentioned that.

"I suppose I've grown up. I can't stay protected under my father forever, can I?"

As I shrug with a smile, she nods.

"I see... By the way, I heard you are currently undergoing Successor Training. Congratulations, Young Master."

Glancing briefly at the ring on my finger, Lee Haru bows deeply to me. I stop her from showing me respect by placing my hands on her shoulders.

"This is the academy. Let's stop talking about family matters here."

At my words, Lee Haru looks up and checks my name tag.

Seemingly understanding the situation to some extent, she nods and says, "Excuse me."

- President, I've brought the tea.

"Yes, come in."

An employee, hearing Lee Haru's voice, enters carrying a tray with five cups of tea.

At the same time, I sense the fear coming from her. It's quite amusing that, unlike when she first saw me, she now feels fear toward me.

Quietly placing teacups in front of us, she bows deeply and silently leaves. After she exits, I pick up my coffee cup, sip it, and then decide to get straight to the point.

"The consent form for the Silver Club we talked about yesterday. Is it ready?"

"Yes, I can bring it to you immediately if you say the word."

"You've worked hard."

"It's only natural that I repay my debt to you, Young Master, in this way."

I observe her face as she answers in an extremely businesslike tone.

Her pitch-black pupils are unwavering, her long hair neatly arranged, and her cadet uniform reminiscent of a suit.

Her expressionless face, so unreal it was hard to tell if she was human or a doll, was something else.

A thoroughly businesslike attitude.

Is she planning to end things just like this?

Well, considering Yoojin's usual personality, this attitude makes sense... but I had no intention of leaving satisfied with just this.

"Jinwoo."

"Yes, Boss?"

Jinwoo, munching on snacks and looking at his smartphone, glances up at me.

"Take the others outside. I think I need to have a private discussion with the International Trade Club president."

"Private discussion? What's that?"

"It means Yoojin and the club president will talk alone! Hurry up and get out!"

"Huh? What?! Oh! I'll go! I'll leave!"

It seems Seah, who was initially terrified of Jinwoo when she thought he was a member of Calione's organization, has now realized what kind of person he is after briefly interacting with him. She impatiently grabs Jinwoo and Youngje by the sleeves and drags them out of the room.

On the other hand, Kim Seah seems more reliable...

After confirming that all three have left, I turn my attention back to Lee Haru, who is sipping coffee.

Even though everyone who had been sitting across from her has left, she continues drinking her coffee as if nothing is wrong.

"Lee Haru."

"Yes, Young Master."

Lee Haru, putting down her cup at my call, looks at me.

"What kind of person was I in the past, from your perspective?"

"Do you mean... Young Master?"

"Yes."

After hearing my words, she gazes into the void, deep in thought. Then, as if she has finished thinking, she looks at me again and speaks very simply, as if introducing someone she knows.

"You were a little boy who liked me."

Hmm?

"During family events, you would always run to me and ask me to play with you, throwing tantrums. If I refused, you would cling to my skirt and not let go."

Wait a minute.

"Once, you asked me to be yours, and when I politely refused, you immediately lay on the floor, crying and saying you wouldn't get up until I became your girlfriend."

No.

"If the Young Master had no family influence, he would be nothing but a brat."

Lee Haru's statement was ruthless, yet her expression remained unchanged, not even a flicker.

Never would I have imagined that I did such things to Lee Haru since I was young.

I had no idea it was to this extent.......

It seems Yoojin Han Calione was an even bigger fool than I imagined.

"......There's no hope."

"What exactly do you mean?"

Lee Haru looks at me and asks, having heard my muttering.

"I originally had a proposal for you, but after hearing what you said, I realized it was practically impossible."

At my words, Haru tilts her head in confusion.

"If that's the case, why not just give an order?"

"Hmm?"

"You are not Yoojin Han Calione, but the successor of the Calione Family. If you order me as such, I cannot refuse. The Calione Family is the actual master of our group."

Her expression remains unchanged, but I could sense her sincerity in her words.

The moment she said that I should give an order, a faint fear arose within her.

But.

"I don't want to do that to you."

"What do you mean by that?"

She asks, still unable to understand.

"I don't understand what you mean when you say you don't want to do that to me."

"I simply don't want to create a situation where only I benefit."

Lee Haru stares at me blankly. I continue speaking without averting my gaze.

"I'm no longer that brat from the past. I'm now a freshman at the academy. It hasn't been long since I enrolled, so I can't just give orders to you, the president of the club. So, I want to make you a proposal. A proposal where all of us benefit."

"......A proposal where everyone benefits?"

"Is that reaction your way of saying you'll listen?"

Lee Haru nods at my question.

"Even before being a loyal servant of the Calione Family, I am the president of the International Trade Club and a merchant. If you say that you have a profitable deal to propose, and I refuse to listen, people will call me a merchant who forsakes profit for emotions."

As Lee Haru says she will listen, I barely suppress a burst of laughter.

Indeed, she is still Lee Haru.

The president of the International Trade Club.

A merchant who pursues realistic profits over emotions.

A loyal servant who serves the Calione Family because she views it as profitable.

In the unfolding story, she is the woman who will eventually dominate Seoul's commerce and be called the Golden Empress in the future.

To her, I slowly began to bring out the desires she had carefully hidden beneath her emotionless mask all this time.

"The promotion of the International Trade Club to Gold status."

"......Eh?"

"That promotion you've been longing for in the International Trade Club, I'll make it happen."

For the first time, her emotionless mask, as strong as steel, shattered completely.