Chapter 5
Hong Siyeon's face stiffened.
That made sense.
From the past I saw of her, he had served Hong Siyeon since she was a child and was someone she thought of like a father.
"H-how am I supposed to believe that?"
"There are many people who think fortune-telling is just the Barnum effect."
Honestly, I was no different.
If I didn't have the ability to see the past and future, I'd have called anyone who paid a fortune-teller an idiot.
"But fortune-telling, as centuries of statistics and scholarship have shown..."
So I spouted the internet nonsense I'd picked up.
Naturally, Hong Siyeon didn't even pretend to listen.
"I can't believe it... why, why would Managing Director Jang...?"
"There should be ledgers in Managing Director Jang Guhwan's safe."
"....."
"It's definitely locked. The password is 381127. The key is... unfortunately, Managing Director Jang Guhwan has it. It should be on the key ring with his car keys, so please try to get it."
"......"
"And please check the documents related to the Chinese company Taujing among the contracts President Hong Siyeon signed."
I told her exactly what I'd seen in her future.
As I went on, Hong Siyeon's eyes widened.
Her gaze shifted to Hong Suyeon.
Hong Suyeon also looked at me in surprise, then hurriedly shook her head.
"I didn't tell him that! Really!!"
"...I'll check. If what you said is true, Kang Noa... I'll repay you properly."
With her face as white as a sheet, Hong Siyeon rushed out.
Hong Suyeon looked back and forth between us, bowed, and hurried after her older sister.
All right. Then let's grab a coffee on the way and go crush some games again today.
***
Back at the company, Hong Siyeon ignored the employees greeting her and headed straight for the managing director's office.
A secretary was seated outside the managing director's office.
"Could you go buy me some coffee?"
"Yes. Understood."
The secretary left without suspecting anything.
As soon as she was gone, Hong Siyeon went into the managing director's office.
"Oh my. Our miss is here."
His friendly smile made her wonder whether Kang Noa's prophecy was really right.
More than ten years.
During that time, he had even acted as a father in place of her late father.
For someone like that to betray her was really...
'...Still.'
"I wanted to talk about the China matter."
"Sure. Uh... but what should I do? I have to go out on business today."
"What a shame. Then let's talk next time."
She casually moved toward the desk.
The car keys were on the desk.
Another key was lying beside the car keys.
She casually took it.
Without him noticing while he was focused on the documents.
"You have a meeting with Taeyoung Construction, right?"
"Yes. Haha. This time we have something to discuss about the materials we're bringing in from China."
"Then would you like to ride with me?"
"Oh? The president's Maybach?"
"Yes. When I came up, I noticed your car's tire was flat."
"...What? Really?"
"Yes."
"Heh. Good grief. All right. Works for me."
"I'll tell Driver Yang."
"Haha. Then I'll be off."
Jang Guhwan stood up.
As he looked around the desk as if searching for the key, Hong Siyeon smiled faintly.
"Are you looking for something?"
"I could've sworn I left my car keys here..."
"I'll tell the secretary to look for them. They must have fallen somewhere."
"Hmm. You think so?"
He scratched his head, still smiling gently, and left.
After going out with him and returning to her office, she only headed for the managing director's office after seeing her Maybach moving outside the window.
There was no one in the managing director's office.
"......"
The key was in her pocket.
She inserted the key into the safe.
Was it true?
Was that password correct?
With her mouth dry from nerves, Hong Siyeon barely wet her lips with sticky saliva and entered the password.
-Beep. Click.
It opened.
It really opened.
The more she realized Kang Noa's prophecy was real, the colder her heart grew.
"...It really was..."
It was real.
Jang Guhwan had been embezzling for a long time.
And not just bribes.
He had steadily siphoned off the company's assets, and this time he had even taken several million dollars from the Chinese company he had told her to trust.
Not only contracts related to the fake deal, but other evidence of corruption too.
Most of it was inside the safe.
"....Haa."
Her head was pounding.
She let out a heavy sigh and stood up.
"...Why did you do it..."
She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and picked up the phone.
"Yes. Prosecutor Yoo."
So what she chose was.
Getting rid of the traitor.
Unlike the future Kang Noa had seen, where she had given up everything.
***
Today was Dungeon Day.
It was raid reset day, so I was busy grinding with the guild slackers until raid party recruitment started.
-Ring-ring!!
There it is.
It was Hong Siyeon's phone number.
"Hello?"
-...Have you been well?
"Yes. I've been well. But from your voice, President Hong, it sounds like you're not doing so well."
Well, of course she wouldn't be.
She must have seen the ugly side of someone she'd followed like a father.
"Was it resolved well?"
-I'm still dealing with it.
I didn't really know how she was sorting it out.
But the future I saw was definitely one where the company would be shaken badly, so it probably couldn't be resolved quickly.
-Could we meet?
"Uh..."
I had to head to a raid soon.
After thinking for a moment, I turned my gaze to the computer.
"It's a bit difficult right now. How about we meet later tonight?"
-Tonight...?
"Yes."
-What are you doing?
"DunSa."
-...Pardon?
"Don't you know Dungeon & Saga?"
-So... you're postponing our appointment because you're g-gaming?
"Yes."
-Is that... important?
DunSa was my only solace when I was under the orphanage director, who made us do nothing but play yutnori, alkkagi, baduk, and endlessly matgo, hwatu, and poker.
It had been with me for half my life, so of course it was important.
-I understand. Then I'll see you later.
"Yep."
Good. Then let's go into the raid.
Today's raid was fruitful too.
Other people would keep running it until their class gear dropped.
But by making a few moves, I could switch tables and go in when my item came up.
Phew.
I got the shoulder piece today, so next week I'll go for the boots.
"Get in."
Wow. Isn't that that car?
The one some delivery rider rear-ended and then freaked out and just sat there?
I heard it was worth over a billion won...
As expected of our President Hong!!
I knew I could count on you!!
"You didn't have to come pick me up in person."
"Because you're an important person. And my benefactor."
"Thank you for thinking of me that way. But where are we going?"
"Would you like to have a drink?"
Alcohol?
"I haven't really had much to drink."
When you're in an orphanage, you can see the older boys and girls sneaking drinks.
I was curious too, so I tried it a few times, but I didn't drink much because I couldn't see what the appeal was.
"You're still young."
"Well, I'm twenty."
I was a fresh-faced young man who had just come out of the orphanage.
"You really are very young."
"Are you saying I don't look young?"
"Of course not."
Hong Siyeon gave a faint, knowing smile.
"They say you're supposed to learn drinking from an adult. Let's go."
So she took me to a bar somewhere in Seoul.
It looked really expensive.
It felt awkward going into a bar I'd only seen in dramas.
"Welcome, President Hong. Huh? And this young man is..."
"He's my guest, Master."
That was all.
The bar's master, with his dignified aura, said nothing else, and we sat down right away.
"The usual... and please prepare a cocktail for him."
"Understood."
The middle-aged master immediately made the cocktail.
Wow. I was really seeing something I'd only seen on YouTube.
"This is a Kahlua milk. Even people who can't hold their liquor can enjoy it."
"Ooooh..."
After one sip, it was definitely good.
"Then... let me start by thanking you. Thank you, sir. Because of you, I was able to protect my company and my family."
"If you mean family..."
"The people at my company. And... my grandmother and my younger sibling too, I suppose."
"I see."
"Then let's get to the point."
She handed me the prepared documents.
It was complicated, but in short, it said I could move into the officetel in Jongno-gu whenever I wanted.
"And we'll handle the tax issues on our end. You just need to sign here."
"There's a tax issue too?"
Wasn't I just supposed to move in and live there?
Hong Siyeon smiled faintly when I asked.
"We're planning to register you as an outside director."
The signing bonus alone was a staggering one billion won.
On top of that, a hefty monthly salary, plus security and a car.
"Me? Why?"
"There's no problem with you simply living in my officetel. But I can't repay you with only that, can I?"
As an outside director, they'd pay me a salary regularly.
And I wouldn't really have to do anything in particular.
I didn't mind, but still, was this really okay?
"To be honest, it's also because I want to keep our connection."
"You're wise."
I know the value of my ability.
Being able to read the future.
Which meant I might even be able to rule the world.
But that alone wasn't enough.
To fly farther and higher, I needed money and power to protect myself.
"And the proper connections to go with it."
"I see."
"If you want, I can make those connections for you."
"Hmm..."
Not a bad deal.
The reason I'd used my ability so generously at the hotel was partly to find good clients.
I planned to get an introduction from Han Yuna too, but it wouldn't hurt to have multiple channels.
"Your offer isn't bad, President Hong, but I don't want my actions to be forced."
"Of course. This isn't a slave contract."
Honestly, at this price, people would probably be begging to be slaves.
Anyway, the important thing was that Hong Siyeon and I were now in the same boat.
"When can I move in?"
"You can go whenever it's convenient. The house is empty, but it does have furniture and such."
"That's a relief."
So it was fully furnished.
Then I only needed to bring my computer.
I could do it today if I wanted.
"If you need it, I can arrange a moving company too."
"No. I don't have much stuff."
"Oh? Really?"
"Yes. I only recently left the orphanage."
"You were an orphan?"
"Didn't you know?"
I thought you'd at least checked that much.
"Did you think I had done a background check or something?"
Instead of answering, I drank the Kahlua milk.
Wow. This is tasty!
"You're drinking well. How about trying another drink?"
"What kind of drink?"
A smile curled at her lips.
"It's called a Screwdriver..."
.
.
.
"This is good too."
"...I-is that so?"
The drinks were tastier than I'd expected.
Not just the cocktails, but also the whiskey Hong Siyeon was drinking.
The master was impressed enough to say that because I apparently didn't pair well with soju, I couldn't taste its flavor.
As expected of an elite orphan, even my palate is quite refined!!