Saved a Heroine From the Brink of Death

65. Rejection

#65. Rejection

The place where Joo Se-rin was located was a quiet Korean restaurant.

A place that Joo Hyeon-o, the father and head of the Jeokryung family, mainly uses when entertaining important guests.

What’s important is that the stories we share here don’t get out.

And there are very few people with whom you can have such conversations. That means that the other person has a high social status or something comparable to that.

‘Why is this person here…?’

Joo Se-rin, who came here at her father’s call, stopped for a moment when she saw the man in front of her.

It was a guy I saw at the academy a while ago. We started talking because a match was scheduled, but it ended up fading away, and I intentionally didn’t contact him after that.

‘Could it be that everything you said last time was true?’

SJ Investment.co.

A supernova in the financial world who appeared like a comet. And a former representative of the place, and possibly the actual owner. If not, there would be no reason for my father to meet this person.

‘… I thought he was just someone with a lot of money. It was true.’

After meeting him, Joo Se-rin searched for information about him and when nothing came out, she just ignored him. She thought he was just another rich guy with a lot of money, and she ignored him.

I think it wasn’t a bad thing that the conversation was interrupted midway.

“… Heh heh. I’m sorry. My daughter is not used to this kind of situation, so she seems a little stiff.”

“Ah… I’m sorry.”

Joo Se-rin, who came to her senses at Joo Hyeon-oh’s words, bowed her head toward Han Seong-jin and sat down immediately.

“So what?”

“How is it?”

Han Seong-jin asked Joo Hyeon-o.

“My daughter. Not just because she’s my child, but objectively speaking, isn’t she a pretty girl?”

“…Father, that’s what I said.”

“Ah. It’s too late to tell you. It would be better to think of this as a blind date.”

“… A blind date?”

I thought he was just here to connect with people, but it was more serious than I thought. Joo Se-rin’s impression hardened for a moment at Joo Hyeon-oh’s words.

“You’re going on a blind date when you’re not even an adult yet?”

“I heard that the trend these days is to have a simple engagement ceremony first and then take your time getting married later. Why don’t you do that too?”

Suddenly, an engagement on a blind date… She didn’t like it. If Han Seong-jin had a lot of money, she would have thought of pursuing a marriage with someone from the family, but she never thought it would be her.

“Representative Han.”

“Yes, go ahead.”

“Can I tell you a little bit about myself to my daughter? I think that way the conversation will progress a little.”

“… I see.”

Han Seong-jin nodded awkwardly.

“The representative next to me is the actual owner of SJ Investment in New York. There is no one among the famous people in American politics and business who does not know his name.”

“… But I’ve never heard of the name Han Seong-jin?”

“That’s because one representative is extremely reluctant to be exposed to the media. He even used a different name when he lived abroad.”

“Another name…?”

“Steven Hahn. That’s Representative Hahn’s American name.”

“ah….”

If it was Stephen Han, then Joo Se-rin had heard of him. He was the former head of New York SJ and the person who created the current SJ… When I heard Joo Hyun-oh’s words, it felt like all the questions I had until then were resolved.

“And now he is also the secret power behind the Kwon Seong-shin family.”

“… You’re a non-resident?”

“Aren’t you a person of the highest status? If you put your mind to it, the Kwon Sung Shin family could be under your control within a few years.”

“How can I do that when the other six families are wide awake?”

“Isn’t that why I made this place for you? To give you strength.”

‘… So this was the original purpose.’

Only then did Han Seong-jin realize why Joo Hyeon-o had called him. He wanted to take over the Kwon Seong-shin family and see the synergy effect of becoming the Jeok Ryeong-ju family’s son-in-law.

If Jeokryungju helps me and Kwon Seong-shin’s family has power, I will be able to withstand the pressure from other noble families to some extent. If just one other noble family joins here, a huge force will be born that will not collapse even if the remaining noble families join forces.

‘… … Guo, you took over the Kwon Seong-shin family?’

Joo Se-rin felt dizzy after hearing Joo Hyun-oh’s words. Even the New York SJ was great, but now they’re taking over Kwon Seong-shin, one of the Seven Great Families?

It was such an unbelievable story that I wondered if my father was crazy.

‘If this story is true, then he is a man I must catch. There is no one with better conditions than him. The position of the head of the Jeokryung family is already gone. If I use this man to take over the Kwon Seong-shin family…’

Joo Se-rin didn’t have the confidence to beat her older sister and take the throne. However, if she married the man in front of her, she could gain power that was no less powerful.

…and the appearance was also quite good.

Joo Se-rin finished calculating in an instant and immediately took action.

She knew her strengths well, and she was the one who could use them. She smiled faintly at Han Sung-jin, gently running her hand through the red hair covering her ears.

“Last time, we couldn’t talk for long because of the situation, right? Let me say hello again. My name is Joo Se-rin, the second daughter of the Jeokryungju family.”

“…SJ Investman—.”

It was around the time when Han Seong-jin was trying to introduce himself to Joo Se-rin.

The door opened with a loud creaking sound. There, a girl with a familiar face was staring at him with an angry expression.

Han Seong-jin felt a chill down his spine at that gaze.

“…What are you doing there?”

The person who opened the door and appeared was Cynthia.

***

Everyone was taken aback by Cynthia’s sudden appearance.

“Cynthia?”

“… Sia, how are you here?”

Joo Se-rin spoke first with a question, and then I turned to Cynthia and asked her. Cynthia turned her head away without saying anything in response to my question, and then glared at Joo Se-rin.

‘But seriously, how did he know where this place was? He never told anyone else where the meeting place was? And how did he even get in here?’

The meeting place that Joo Hyun-oh had made was a place that strictly operated on a reservation basis. They never let just anyone in. Of course, Cynthia wasn’t just anyone… But anyway, there was no way she could have gotten in here…?

“Ahem… .”

While Joo Hyeon-oh was coughing awkwardly, Joo Se-rin asked Cynthia back.

“… How on earth did you end up here? From what I heard from Representative Han, he seems like an acquaintance of mine. Isn’t that too rude?”

“Did you come to a place where I shouldn’t have?”

“…Isn’t that obvious?”

“What’s so obvious? It would be better to ask someone other than you, Lord Ju Hyeon-o. Did I come to a place where I shouldn’t have come?”

“… No.”

“No? What is that…?”

Joo Se-rin seemed momentarily taken aback by Joo Hyeon-oh’s answer.

And Cynthia snorted at her reaction and continued.

“This is my first time introducing myself to you. I am Cynthia, the head of the Kwon Seong-shin family and the current head of the household.”

“You’re the head of the Kwon Seong-shin family?”

Joo Se-rin asked back in disbelief.

“Uh. And I have a favor to ask. This isn’t the academy, right? In a place like this, I feel like I’m above you… Should I call you Sogaju? Or should I call you Gaju Daeri? It’s a matter of family status.”

“… … .”

When Cynthia spoke coldly to Joo Se-rin, Joo Se-rin’s face instantly turned red. After a while of this situation, Joo Hyeon-oh quietly opened his mouth to Cynthia.

“…Cynthia Gaju, how about we sit down and talk about the details?” “Yes, I will do that.”

Cynthia answered Joo Hyun-oh’s words curtly and sat down next to Han Sung-jin.

The atmosphere that had been fine until just a moment ago froze in an instant.

‘Uh… what should I say?’

I felt like a sinner even though I hadn’t committed any sin. What was going on?

For now, I think Cynthia will have a conversation with Joo Hyun-oh, so I guess I should just stay still.

“Master Ju Hyeon-oh, let me get straight to the point. I thought this position was one where the stock price would lend its power to the new family, but in return, it would pay a price. Is that correct?”

“That’s right.”

“And wasn’t the price settled by giving me an artifact that belonged to my brother and a part of the Shinga’s vision art? Suddenly asking for a marriage proposal… I’m a little confused.”

Cynthia insisted on using the word ‘oppa’.

At those words, Joo Se-rin’s expression seemed to harden slightly.

“… If you can pay another price, wouldn’t it be better to resolve it with that? There’s no need to leak the artifact and the Shinga’s secret art to the outside. After all, wasn’t the reason we decided to share the Shinga art with other prestigious families to protect the Shinga from the Yun family? If you just accept the new offer, I’ll make sure to lend my Shinga proper power. I’ll also help you finish the art. I’ll also help you rise to the top of the family and maintain your position. At this level, Cynthia, the acting head of the family. I don’t think it’s a bad offer for you either.”

Joo Hyun-oh made a big deal with Cynthia, considering the considerable amount of bleeding. It was too much for Joo Hyun-oh, the head of the Jeokryung family, to confront Yoon-ga head-on. And he did so on the condition that he would not receive any of the Yeoncheol technique.

In that sense, the benefits Cynthia would gain by giving up on me were enormous, since I promised to solve the most important issue of the family.

“What do you think of my proposal?”

Joo Hyun-oh asked with a smile.

It was a voice filled with the confidence that there was no way this could be refused.

And to his question, Cynthia answered without any hesitation.

“I will refuse.”

Her answer was no.