novelraw Chapter 60 : Chapter 60
Chapter 60 : Chapter 60
Chapter 60: Ryu Jeongyeol (Jack, 32 years old)
“Hey, hey, Jinwoo. Isn't that your uncle?”
“......What?”
The moment I turned around, the cafe door was pushed open, and a man entered.
A familiar face wearing a sleek black suit and thin glasses.
[Jack]
The crazy bastard who suddenly appeared one day and naturally claimed the position of my uncle.
Pretending not to see me, the guy nonchalantly ordered a drink with his smartphone to his ear and sat down.
Then, acting like an ordinary office worker, he opened his laptop and started diligently typing something.
‘......Is he telling me to initiate the conversation?’
It seemed he wanted to feign a coincidental meeting.
Since Do Haru had already recognized him, I couldn't pretend not to know him completely.
“Wait, I'll be right back.”
“Yeah, yeah, give him my regards! Hey, but your uncle is kinda cool? He was wearing a tracksuit last time so I didn't know, but in a suit...... Hmm, nice.”
Do Haru’s eyes sparkled.
I shook my head side to side and walked over.
Jack was engrossed in the screen with his laptop open.
To be precise, he was ‘pretending’ to be engrossed.
Watching the cursor tap on the white blank space on the empty document screen, I wondered what he was really doing.
“......What brings you here, uncle?”
“Hmm? What is it, kiddo. Playing hooky?”
“It’s outing time.”
The guy started acting on his own.
A guy who 100% came knowing I was here.
I sat on the chair opposite him and met his gaze.
“So what's the matter?”
“Tch, what matter? I just came to do my work.”
The guy kept feigning ignorance.
Meanwhile, he was tapping the laptop keyboard cheerfully.
Blending well with the noise filling the cafe, it surprisingly felt ordinary.
Although the scar crossing his right eye stood out too much to view him completely without prejudice.
A moment later, an employee approached and put down a coffee.
Picking up the coffee cup, Jack casually threw out a remark.
“One of my employees disappeared recently, so it's been hectic.”
The moment the coffee aroma spread, my heart sank with a thud.
Anyone could tell he was talking about me. To be precise, Balzac.
“A very impudent fellow. Going out on field duty and thinking he's on vacation. Tch.”
“......”
It sounded like an ordinary complaint, but the tone sent chills down the listener's spine.
He definitely came looking for me.
“Meanwhile, the company guys seem to believe he's doing well. Well, it seems he's producing some results in his own way.”
His gaze landed on where Seol Hayun and Do Haru were sitting.
He must be judging that Balzac has successfully blended in as ‘Ryu Jinwoo’ of Zero Academy.
“......If he's producing results, isn't it fine? Well, as long as he's doing well on his own.”
I spoke in line with Jack's words.
Towards defending the ‘disappeared employee.’
At that moment, Jack's brow twitched.
He didn't seem to like my words.
“Tch, but I just can't figure out what that guy is thinking these days.”
He opened his mouth again.
“He might suddenly say he's quitting.”
His sunken voice echoed quietly.
A momentary silence settled.
Feeling that something might happen if I said even a little wrong thing, I kept my silence.
It was Jack who broke the silence first.
“Tch, we met by chance today, but an uncle should still give some pocket money, right? Don't you think?”
He put his hand into his pocket.
A moment later, stiff bills, as if freshly withdrawn, were revealed.
‘Money?’
As I accepted the money he held out, an unfamiliar texture caught my fingertips.
‘......This is.’
A small metal piece cleverly hidden between the bills.
About the size of two finger joints.
At a glance, it looked like a high-end lighter, but faint patterns were engraved on the surface.
The eye pattern engraved on the surface reflected light as if piercing through me.
‘Communicator.’
I quickly grasped its identity.
A secure communicator connected to Bremen's independent network.
To ordinary people's eyes, it would just look like junk.
“Go now. Uncle has to work.”
He shooed me away with his hand and continued.
“Keep in touch sometimes.”
He put particular emphasis on those last words.
It was a short sentence, but the intention was clear.
Handing over a communication channel meant he would start interfering in earnest from now on.
‘I’m properly caught.’
I felt suffocated.
Academy life was already tough enough.
Now I had to consider my relationship with Bremen too.
“Alright. Uncle, work hard too.”
I nodded and replied as if nothing was wrong.
If I showed unnecessary concern now, he would find it strange.
I needed to consistently implant the perception that ‘I am thoroughly on Bremen’s side’ for now.
[Jack]
[Satisfaction, Ease, Superiority]
Jack seemed moderately satisfied with my reaction.
A face that looked like he was holding the leash firmly.
‘Until I can escape from these guys, I have no choice but to wear a mask thoroughly.’
Just as I was about to stand up after finishing the bizarre meeting.
“Wow~ I'm envious.”
Do Haru, holding a bubble tea cup, approached while making a fuss.
“What. Where's Seol Hayun?”
“Hayun left earlier. Her grandmother called her or something.”
At my question, Do Haru shrugged.
She immediately glanced at the bills in my hand, her eyes sparkling.
“Did you get pocket money? Jinwoo became rich? You can finally pay back all the meals you mooched off.”
With an uncanny sense for money, she naturally flopped down in the seat next to me.
“Hello! Jinwoo’s uncle!”
Do Haru bowed energetically.
“We met last time, right? In that alley...... Ah, maybe I shouldn't talk about that. Anyway, long time no see.”
Jack stared for a moment at her as she quickly trailed off and laughed.
His gaze scanned back and forth between me and Do Haru.
A subtle wrinkle formed in his eyes as if an unexpected variable had intruded.
“I couldn't introduce myself properly back then. I'm Do Haru. Jinwoo's friend. I always play with him.”
“Hmm. Right, Haru.”
Replying briefly, wrinkles formed around Jack's mouth.
“Good name.”
A brief silence flowed.
The air felt unnecessarily heavy.
“Ahem.”
Jack broke the atmosphere with a cough, put his hand back into his pocket, took out a thin sheet of paper, and held it out to Do Haru.
“Ah, you don't have to give me money.”
Haha- Do Haru smiled and waved her hand, then suddenly froze.
“Ah.”
What she held in her hand was a business card.
[Ryu Jeongyeol]
[Beetle Comics Editorial Team]
Neatly printed name and position.
‘Ryu Jeongyeol? He created a new identity in that short time?’
At this point, my mind went blank.
I knew the company Beetle Comics itself.
A front company founded by a Bremen member.
Outwardly, a comic company publishing webtoons and magazines; behind the scenes, a place hiding lunatics who would do anything for money.
I knew he had a proper fake identity since he roamed around freely.
But to think he created a new shell to fit the concept of being my uncle in the meantime.
I hadn't expected this much.
“Huh? Beetle Comics?”
And an unexpected reaction came from Do Haru as well.
Do Haru’s eyes suddenly sparkled, she took out her phone, typed something furiously.
Soon, she shoved the screen alternately at me and Jack.
“It's here! 《There Are No Roses in the Imperial Princess's Garden》! Author Yu Nara's new work! It's my favorite these days!”
The comic cover floated brilliantly on the phone screen.
Do Haru's pupils had already turned into shining stars.
“Then by any chance, do you know Author Yu Nara too?”
At Do Haru’s cautious question, Jack nodded.
At that single short movement, Do Haru got excited like a puppy receiving a treat.
“Gasp! Amazing! Can I visit the company just once? Really, just once! It’s my lifelong wish!”
Do Haru shouted while tapping my shoulder as if asking me to back her up.
She wants to go to ‘Beetle Comics’? To my ears, it sounded like crazy talk.
From the perspective of not knowing its true identity, she might want to visit the place where her favorite comics are made.
But the reality of that company......
“If it's just for a moment, sure. I was about to stop by briefly before getting off work anyway.”
The corners of Jack's mouth rose subtly.
An expression like he had seized a good opportunity.
He was creating an atmosphere to head to the company together, responding to Do Haru’s words.
Entering Bremen’s lair right now? That was absurd.
“Shouldn't we return to the academy soon? Outing time is almost over......”
“We can extend it! I'll write the excuse note, let's go!”
“It would be a nuisance to uncle......”
“I don't mind. I'm going by car anyway.”
“......”
I tried to come up with reasons not to go, but nothing worked.
Do Haru looking at me pleadingly.
But that place was crawling with hyenas.
I desperately racked my brain.
Reasons not to go, excuses, pretexts...... I had to come up with something.
“Even if we go, it's not like we can see the author anyway. There will only be company employees, so why bother? Rather, let's make an appointment next time......”
It was an excuse I barely managed to find.
To at least delay the timing.
But Jack raised his palm and cut me off.
“Did you say Author Yu Nara? Wait a moment.”
He stood up, made a call, and came back shortly.
“They say she's there.”
“What?”
“Author Yu Nara. She's at the company right now.”
“Really? Hey, this is fate! We have to go right now!”
Explosive news burst out.
I looked at Jack.
The guy nodding triumphantly.
It was obvious what he had done.
‘This crazy bastard.’
He intentionally called Author Yu Nara to create a justification to drag me in.
He probably said he luckily caught a chance to bring me along.
Dozens of warning alarms were ringing in my head saying not to go.
But simultaneously, an alarm rang saying it would be more suspicious if I backed out here.
The answer was ultimately decided.
“Well, that's good. Let's go then.”
Since it has come to this, I have no choice.
Let's think from the perspective of being Balzac.
I caught a chance to make contact naturally through Do Haru, but I kick this away?
Bremen would naturally find it strange.
It was a checkmate.
‘Damn it......’
To think Do Haru's comic maniac tendency would work like this.
“Ah, what should I do? I'm so nervous. To see Author Yu Nara in person! I've been a fan since her work before last! I even bought all the goods! Do I look okay right now? Is my hair okay?”
Looking at Do Haru, excited alone without knowing my anxious heart, I had no choice but to rub my throbbing forehead.
***
A four-story building stood before my eyes.
Neither big nor small in scale, just looking at the exterior, it was a proper comic publishing company.
Comic characters and caricatures were drawn on every window.
On the signboard standing next to the building, along with the words [Beetle Comics], a brightly smiling beetle character was drawn.
“Wow, cute! There's a drawing of Beetley too!”
Do Haru exclaimed and started taking pictures.
I looked up at the signboard and muttered inwardly.
‘......That smiling bug bastard is the scariest.’
I stood in front of the entrance with the feeling of a prisoner awaiting a death sentence.
“Let's go in.”
Finally, the sentence was handed down from Jack's mouth.