Chapter 705: Mask (9)

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Hearing Hwang Jiho’s answer, Ahn Dain nodded at me.

Then, the two started talking about the future.

Ahn Dain seems to be actively cooperating with becoming the tiger couple’s adoptive daughter.

“I want to sort out your family record before you become a sophomore. I need your consent.”

“Let me know when you have any documents I need to sign.”

I heard that while the couple and Ahn Dain were getting along well, her biological parents contacted her again about money.

The couple saw how their daughter was treated in real-time, making them furious and sad.

The vengeful couple tried to deal with them immediately, but Ahn Dain managed to stop them by convincing the tigers that it was a waste of time to deal with her biological parents.

“Leave the matter of your parents to me. They will never contact you about money again.”

“…Okay.”

Ahn Dain couldn’t hide her sadness at the mention of her parents, but she was determined to get out of her predicament until the end.

There are many parents in the world who treat their children harshly, but there are many children who can’t escape their parents even when they become adults.

Physical or psychological abuse, it’s not easy for a child to cut off their relationship with the people who they relied on during their childhood.

“Since you went to elementary school, no one has seen your parents face-to-face except a few of your relatives and Kim Yuri.”

What does he mean by that?

I asked as if I couldn’t believe what I heard.

“They didn’t make contact with her teachers?”

“No. They seem to have been there during her kindergarten, but there’s a record of Ahn Dain being hospitalized for a week on her own.”

Ahn Dain’s parents never showed up at school events.

There are parents who rarely see their children because they’re busy with work trying to earn double income, but Ahn Dain’s case is different.

In other words, Ahn Dain’s parents neglected her with the excuse that they were scared.

And neglect, in any way you frame it, is equivalent to abuse.

And now, they’re explicitly threatening her to give them money.

“Apart from my personal opinion, it’s become easier to sort out because information about your family hasn’t been available to the public. Few would question if the couple are Ahn Dain’s parents.”

Well, it’s unlikely that people would question it considering their uncanny similarities.

The problem is when people of royal lineage and descendants see it, but there’s no excuse.

It’s not the norm for people of royal lineage to have descendants, but there are cases where they adopt humans.

It would cause gossip if a star player like Ahn Dain is adopted by the Tiger Clan, but the adoption itself won’t be a problem.

‘Still, there are some problematic people.’

Some people would attack Ahn Dain to vent their stress.

Her fandom is well-established at this point, so, of course, she has malicious individuals as fans.

And these days, Ahn Dain and Joo Soohyuk are getting closer little by little, and it seems like some of their fans are grinding.

There’s a possibility of rumors catching fire if malicious people catch a whiff of this information.

Unlike in PMH, Ahn Dain will have her real family behind her, but I don’t want her to go through any trouble.

“Before sorting out the family register, I will pay back all the expenses they spent so far. Can you review if there are any problems?”

Ahn Dain floated a hologram showing a table with figures organized by year.

It summarized the costs incurred from the moment of her parents’ pregnancy.

“In addition to the actual funds, I see you put in the cost of labor they put into parenting me. Didn’t you set it too high?”

I agreed with Hwang Jiho.

Indeed, the time and energy required to raise a child is considerable, but those people haven’t assumed that responsibility at all.

The time from her elementary and middle school days was included, but it was clear that she was neglected from then on.

‘The table shows that she cooked or bought herself food when school meals weren’t available. Did they not even provide their child with a proper meal…’

No matter how precious and talented she was, it was a ridiculous excuse to leave her unattended.

Ahn Dain was honest, not having any intention of falsely covering for them.

“I calculated from a general standpoint.”

“It’s a lot even from a normal case. Well, if it makes you feel at ease, so be it. There seems to be no problem in my view, but I’ll review it again with a legal team.”

“Thanks.”

Hwang Jiho allowed Ahn Dain to pay.

Seeing that, I became sure.

‘Those two won’t live comfortably.’

Ahn Dain didn’t express resentment against them, but the Tiger Clan understood.

Ahn Dain never exchanged affection with her family.

The process of paying them is not filled with emotions, rather, a mandatory process to finally cut them off from her life.

I felt complicated at the thought of how Ahn Dain must’ve felt while calculating those numbers.

I couldn’t imagine how the Tiger Clan, especially the couple, would feel.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

The Tige Clan will drive them into pain for a period longer than they made Ahn Dain lonely as a child.

‘Not just the Tiger Clan, but those two angered superior beings as well. I wonder how long they’ll live.’

While Hwang Jiho and Ahn Dain were exchanging some documents, our meal was ready.

The food prepared by the couple was a normal homemade meal.

No, there was something that bothered me about calling it “normal.”

‘It’s a baby diet.’

There was no hard or salty food, the side dishes being minimally seasoned or not seasoned at all.

I don’t know what the couple referenced to make Ahn Dain’s meal, but what’s on the table could be consumed by a three or four-year-old child.

Perhaps they see her as a baby or it’s from guilt that they couldn’t take care of her from her childhood.

‘I don’t think I’m the only one who noticed.’

Ahn Dain and Hwang Jiho noticed it too, but no one expressed dissatisfaction.

Hwang Jiho is picky about gourmet food, but he quietly emptied his plate.

Instead, he suggested something to the couple.

“Thank you for the meal. If you’re going to keep cooking, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to increase your repertoire. I’ll recommend a recipe book.”

“Thank you, Hwangho-nim!”

“We heard that you’re good at cooking, Hwangho-nim. We’ll devote ourselves to it too.”

After Hwang Jiho recommended several cooking-related books, we left the family to bond on their own.

“I’ve got a lot of troublesome messages.”

“What kind of message?”

“Showing you will be faster.”

He wouldn’t have to show it if it’s unimportant, but Hwang Jiho floated a hologram.

The first one was from Seodol.

[Annoying Rat] Hwangho, I heard about what happened on Christmas.

Seodol’s use of formal language made me sympathize with Hwang Jiho.

I don’t think hes’ referring to the First Christmas scenario.

I wonder what he’s talking about.

[Annoying Rat] You sent your secretary to Neuru to buy clothes at that time, so it must’ve been an urgent situation.

[Annoying Rat] The staff in charge got a bonus thanks to Hwangho, but the amount was a bit big.

[Annoying Rat] It must’ve been necessary for something very important, right?

Come to think of it, Hwang Jiho sent his staff to Neuru on the night Ahn Dain met the couple.

Was he happy about the three’s reunion, or was he just considering Hwangmyeong Group’s prestige?

Hwang Jiho paid the staff greatly, and like a ghost, Chief Designer Seodol noticed it.

“It looks like that annoying rat noticed. It’ll be public once the couple starts moving after receiving their new identities, but what a nuisance.”

Aside from Seodol, there were more troublesome messages.

It was from an employee of Hwangmyeong Foundation in charge of security at Eungwang High.

“Jo Euishin. I left it alone because you said it’s okay, but is it really?”

Hwang Jiho showed traces left on recording devices in Eungwang High.

Traces left by the attention-seekers when they set up that announcement this morning.

“We’ll be on the lookout first of all, but what an amazing feat! If I hadn’t known in advance, I wouldn’t have noticed right away.”

I don’t know if Eungwang High’s security is poor or if the attention-seekers were outstanding, but the operation was brilliant.

I asked Hwang Jiho who also expressed admiration.

“I want to check the details of the records that those two stole.”

“…Alright.”

After checking the time and location, it became clear what the attention-seekers saw.

The attention-seekers checked Jin Jungmok’s activities.

I acted with care, but it was inferrable that I met with Jin Jungmok before the match.

‘Those attention-seekers managed to steal from Eungwang High. They’ll try to go against the Black Screen before I know it.’

I couldn’t let that happen.

Even if they find out who I am.

Although my hands are already shrinking, I decided to endure for my playable characters and the future.

“Next is what Class 3-0 did, so let’s head to the main house. It’ll be noisy if we’re late.”

“Don’t we have to stop by Eunho’s?”

“It’s alright. I sent an alter ego to him.”

We arrived at the main house and Hwang Jiho opened the door.

Eunho’s descendants would normally greet us as soon as the doors opened, but they were away.

They must’ve been ushered to their rooms or taken a walk in the garden so that they wouldn’t get caught up in important matters.

“Welcome.”

“…”

Instead of the descendants, Jeokho and Baekho-gun greeted us.

“You must’ve been waiting. Let’s go.”

Instead of heading to the living room, the tigers headed to the elevator installed in the center of the main house’s first floor.

Perhaps because we were about to deal with something important, the tigers seemed to get sharper as we approached the elevator.

Hwang Jiho was still wearing a school uniform, but he was nothing short of the Tiger Clan’s head.

In the elevator decorated with pure silver, followed by gold, red jade, and platinum, Hwang Jiho pressed a button to the underground.

“It’s the first 12-point alliance meeting since the traitor was caught. Try to pull yourselves together.”

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