I Bought the Male Lead with Money

12.

When the door opened, Keith’s figure was visible through the gap.

“Why are you here?”

“I was just running an errand for the Master.”

“You? There should be a dedicated maid for this area.”

“It seems he had something he wanted to give me.”

Jinhyeon answered smoothly as he stepped forward.

“Insolent bastard.”

With those words, the door closed. There were sounds of conversation from outside, but they didn’t come back in. Only then did Yu Jin lower the hand that had been covering his mouth.

After taking a breath he’d been holding, regret washed over him.

“What on earth have I done?”

Thinking about what he had just done made him want to bang his head against something. When he stood up, leaning on the wall, his legs trembled. He picked up the simplest-looking clothes nearby and wiped between his legs.

Fortunately, there was also a mirror inside, so he could fix his disheveled clothes by himself. However, his flushed cheeks didn’t subside easily.

It seemed he would need to spend a bit more time before going out.

‘How am I supposed to face Jinhyeon now?’

He sighed involuntarily.

After spending more time inside, he went out, and a maid who had been moving urgently approached him.

“Master Yu Jin, a guest has arrived!”

She was restless, unlike her usual self. It seemed the visitor was no ordinary person.

After being labeled a good-for-nothing, the Lucid family had half-abandoned Yu Jin. His father was still supporting him out of some last bit of conscience, but that was all.

After realizing that Yu Jin would have difficulty becoming the family head, no one paid attention to him, and naturally, no one visited. So a guest at this time was unexpected.

“Who is it?”

The maid answered his question.

“It’s Lady Roena.”

The moment he heard the name, his heart sank.

She was Yu Jin’s sister, who would have bought Jinhyeon originally. Yu Jin moved quickly.

In the reception room were Roena, her guards, and Keith.

Roena was a radiant beauty. But as beautiful flowers have thorns, her personality was so bad that one couldn’t even compliment it out of politeness.

She had a personality that always got what she wanted, and she was a daughter of the Lucid family. With money and power at her disposal, she acted tyrannically as easily as breathing.

But was that a problem? Of course not. Roena chose her targets for tyranny well. She only bullied those who were weak or couldn’t resist, avoiding any issues.

‘The problem is that I’m in that position too.’

A good-for-nothing youngest child, half-abandoned by the family. Moreover, his mother had passed away, and he had no maternal family to back him up.

His mother had been an orphan to begin with. Because of this, there had been an uproar when the head of the Lucid family had taken Yu Jin’s mother as a wife.

Some said it was true love, but was it really? Yu Jin, who knew the hidden story through the novel, wore a cold expression.

“Hello, Yu Jin. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

Roena waved her hand lightly.

“When was the last time we saw each other? Ah, I remember. It was at a funeral, wasn’t it?”

To be precise, it was at Yu Jin’s mother’s funeral. After his mother died, Yu Jin didn’t participate in family events, and when his father told him to attend, he pretended to be sick.

He was severely scolded for it, but it didn’t matter. After all, what Yu Jin wanted wasn’t his father’s affection.

“Yes, sister. Have you been well?”

Yu Jin politely greeted her. Roena looked surprised. She must have expected him to cause a scene like the last time they met at the funeral.

“The youngest has grown a lot, hasn’t he?”

“You too, sister.”

Not causing a scene didn’t mean he would just quietly take it, so Yu Jin responded with a smile in his eyes.

“Hmm.”

Roena made an odd laughing sound and twirled her hair with her finger. It was a habit that even her mother couldn’t break.

“You’re a bit cheeky, aren’t you? Well, I guess there was no one to educate you after that woman died?”

Yu Jin held back Keith, who was leaning forward from behind. Yu Jin’s mother was precious to Keith too, so he understood his anger. But now wasn’t the time for that.

“Not ‘that woman’, but ‘mother’. Father would be sad if he heard you.”

It meant that if she kept insulting his mother like that, he would tell on her to their father.

“Can you contact Father?”

“There’s nothing stopping me.”

Roena narrowed her eyes. Her hand movements became rougher, as if she was irritated.

“Fine. Let’s say that’s true.”

Roena was the first to back down. No matter how willful Roena was, their father was still a fearsome figure to her. Yu Jin probably wouldn’t really contact their father, but there was always that possibility.

“I came today because of a battle slave.”

“A battle slave?”

“Don’t pretend you don’t know. A slave named Jinhyeon, you took him, didn’t you?”

It seems the Colosseum manager had told her everything. Well, that was to be expected from him.

“I do have him.”

“Then let me see him.”

As if she’d just look once. If she likes what she sees, she’ll snatch him away. Yu Jin twisted his lips. After enduring Jinhyeon’s mischief with such difficulty, he couldn’t just hand him over to Roena so easily.

“What if I refuse?”

“Why, are you afraid I’ll take him away?”

Roena laughed out loud.

“It seems the youngest has grown attached to a slave. But Yu Jin, slaves aren’t the same as us. Don’t you know they’re not worth giving affection to? I’ll give you twice what you paid for him.”

“Do I look like I need money?”

“That’s true. Then is there something else you want?”

If he refused, Roena would persist and act tyrannically until he gave in. That would make life tiresome. But if he really gave Jinhyeon up, he’d die before he had a chance to be tired.

Yu Jin blinked slowly.

“I’ll show you the slave. But there’s a condition.”

“What is it?”

“If the slave chooses me here, give up on him.”

“Give up?”

“Swear on the family name that you won’t use any tricks to get the slave. Actually, how about we draw up a contract?”

“Are you crazy? Drawing up a contract over one slave?”

“If you don’t like it, I can’t show him to you.”

“No matter what happens?”

“No matter what happens.”

Yu Jin clenched his fist, hardening his expression. Then Roena lowered the hand that had been twirling her hair and said:

“You seem to have changed a bit. Alright. Let’s do that. But don’t interfere no matter what I offer the slave.”

“Alright. Then I’ll bring him.”

As Yu Jin naturally stood up from his chair, Roena frowned.

“You’re going to bring the slave yourself? Why are you standing up?”

“He’s being punished right now. I told them not to take him out of solitary confinement until I went personally.”

It was a lie. He was doing this to buy time to make a different proposal to Jinhyeon.

“Hmm. Alright.”

Although Roena looked suspicious, she let Yu Jin go. She was confident that whatever he offered, it wouldn’t surpass her.

After leaving the room, Yu Jin sighed.

“Keith. Where is Jinhyeon now?”

“I hid him in my room.”

Thankfully, Keith was quick-witted. If Roena had seen Jinhyeon before Yu Jin, the situation would have become awkward. Usually, when visiting another noble family, one would give notice several days in advance. This showed how lightly Roena regarded Yu Jin.

“Good. Let’s go.”

This time, Keith didn’t block Yu Jin’s steps. Even without knowing the exact situation, he was on Yu Jin’s side and always moved as Yu Jin wanted.

‘Wait, Keith had a room too?’

He hadn’t thought about it because they were always together. Right, of course Keith would have a room.

His room was unexpectedly in a corner on the second floor. Given his behavior so far, Yu Jin had thought it would be right next to his own room. As if sensing his question, Keith spoke up.

“Haruna assigned it.”

Haruna wanted to foster Yu Jin’s independence. Even if he was broken by suffering now, she wanted him to overcome it and stand up someday. So when they moved into this mansion, she deliberately placed Keith’s room away from Yu Jin’s.

But Keith had exceeded Haruna’s expectations. He gave up his room to stay close to Yu Jin.

“Stubborn bastard.”

In the end, Haruna had thrown up her hands. Still, she didn’t move the room closer. It was her last act of mischief as a twin.

“It’s here.”

Keith went ahead of Yu Jin and opened the door. Then Jinhyeon could be seen standing in the center of the room. Remembering what had just happened made Yu Jin want to run away again, but he couldn’t.

Seeing Yu Jin, Jinhyeon smiled gently.

“Master.”

That cunning bastard. As if he hadn’t just been toying with him earlier. Yu Jin unknowingly clenched his fist. He’s someone he mustn’t let his guard down around.

“Jinhyeon.”

“Yes.”

From now on, he had to do this properly. Yu Jin took a deep breath. First, he tells the truth.

“I’ll tell you without hiding anything. My sister has come to the mansion now. And she wants you. She’s someone who will do anything to take you away. In return, she might give you freedom, or a lot of money.”

“Hmm. Can I choose?”

He’s quick-witted too. Yu Jin nodded.

“I see. Then what about you, Master? Do you want me to stay or leave?”

“I want you to stay.”

“Then what can you offer me?”

“I’ll give you anything you want.”

At Yu Jin’s words, Keith shouted.

“Master Yu Jin! This is absurd!”

Making such a promise just to keep one battle slave? It was an absurd idea. That is, if Jinhyeon didn’t have a promised brilliant future.