Descent of the Demon Master

"Good morning, Miss Lee!"

"Hi. Good morning to you, too," said Lee Hyeon-Ju. Several familiar faces greeted her when she stepped inside the building's foyer.

Her subordinate raised his hand. "Would you like a cup of coffee? It's on me."

Lee Hyeon-Ju grimaced a little. "Coffee sounds good. But shouldn't I be the one buying it for you?"

"Eiii~, it's fine, ma'am. Let me."

Lee Hyeon-Ju's grimace was quickly replaced by a bright grin. Then she nodded as if she had no other choice. Of course, her actual thoughts were quite different from her actions.

'Nice! I just got me some free coffee!'

Considering her bank account had morphed from a place to accumulate wealth to a temporary stop in money's circulation, Lee Hyeon-Ju needed to conserve every penny!

They entered the Assembly HQ's cafe on the ground floor.

"Mm… Americano?"

"Warm or ice?"

"Warm, please. With syrup, too."

"Of course, ma'am."

Lee Hyeon-Ju sighed deeply while observing her subordinate head to the counter to order their coffee.

'I'm such an idiot.'

She swore to stop creating problems for herself.

Obviously, Lee Hyeon-Ju had a perfectly reasonable excuse for her current financial situation.

She liquidated her assets accrued while living under Lee Jung-Geol's roof and got a place to stay with her own money. But getting a new place meant she had so, so many things to buy.

As she didn't bother to salvage a single household item, her new home began sucking up her finances like a scary black hole!

Even so, that wasn't enough to fully excuse her overspending habits. For instance, there were always cheaper but better alternatives to choose from. And some items could be purchased at a later date, too. Would there be any appreciable difference between a spatula costing ten thousand won and another with a price tag of fifty thousand? No, not really.[1]

So, if buying a more expensive spatula—because it was cuter—could be labeled a crime, she definitely deserved to get locked up.

"Here's your coffee, ma'am," said the subordinate.

"Oh. Thanks."

"It's nothing, ma'am. I owe you a lot, after all."

Lee Hyeon-Ju grinned softly while scanning her vicinity. "I gotta say, a lot more people than I expected are drinking coffee here. And it's still early in the morning, too."

"Well, if you think about it, this place is a real golden spot, wouldn't you say?"

"Ng?" Lee Hyeon-Ju cocked her brow in slight confusion.

"I mean… There aren't any cafes in the Assembly's vicinity, right? At least within a five-kilometer radius, that is."

Lee Hyeon-Ju slowly nodded in agreement. Obviously, there wouldn't be any coffee-serving cafes nearby when the Martial Assembly HQ was located in the middle of a mountainside.

That was why people working here used to personally brew coffee beans or just go with the instant mix if and when the inevitable hankering for caffeine got the better of them. Some others would bring canisters of coffee they brewed at home in the morning.

The subordinate continued to speak. "No wonder everyone's happy to have a proper cafe here. We had money but couldn't drink the real coffee, you know? But now, we can do that whenever we want."

"Well, yeah. That's true," said Lee Hyeon-Ju while smiling wryly.

She didn't have much to add to this conversation. After all, she was also responsible for enhancing this cafe's morning revenue stream, wasn't she?

Lee Hyeon-Ju tilted her head. "Even then, why does it feel like there are more customers than before?"

The subordinate quickly explained. "It's the coffee, ma'am. It tastes really great, don't you think? Not too long ago, it tasted like something you'd get from a highway rest stop vending machine, but now? Everyone acknowledges this is some fine coffee."

Lee Hyeon-Ju cautiously took a small sip.

'...Hmm.'

For sure, this coffee's aroma was gentle yet enticing. In fact, it was better than brews offered by well-known cafes, or at least that was the impression Lee Hyeon-Ju got.

"You're right," said Lee Hyeon-Ju. "This is great."

"See? I told you."

"I guess the cafe manager is doing his best, then…" Lee Hyeon-Ju muttered while turning her head. She was planning to congratulate the manager on the success of his cafe. "Oh, there he is. Manager… Huh?"

Lee Hyeon-Ju hurriedly clamped her mouth shut. The manager was currently resting his chin on his elbow, his complexion gloomy. Even a blind could see that something had happened to him.

Lee Hyeon-Ju cautiously approached the cafe manager. "...Did something happen, Mister Manager?"

"...Oh, Miss Lee," the cafe manager sobered up, then forced a smile for Lee Hyeon-Ju's sake. "Ah, no, ma'am. Nothing happened. Business has been good, so I have nothing to complain about. We're looking at a pretty good month overall, sales-wise."

"I see. But that's not what your expression says."

"Oh, that. It's just, mm…" The cafe manager helplessly scratched his head. "The thing is, I didn't pass today, you see?"

"I'm sorry?" Lee Hyeon-Ju tilted her head. Didn't pass? Did the cafe manager take an exam or something?

"I was told I overdid the blending today. It's too bitter, apparently."

"Sorry? Bitter?"

What was he talking about? Lee Hyeon-Ju's confusion deepened as the coffee she drank just now was not bitter at all.

"...Well, he said it's bitter, Miss Lee. Since he said so, it must be true."

"Huh? Who said that?"

"The Assembly Master, of course."

"…!" Lee Hyeon-Ju clamped her mouth shut for the second time this morning.

The cafe manager continued to explain. "He's been inspecting our coffee every morning for a while now, you see? I got a passing grade for the last three days or so, but not today, ma'am. That's what I don't get, though. I haven't done anything differently, you know? So why…"

"W-why is our Assembly Master inspecting your coffee, though?"

"Oh, that…" The manager sighed deeply. "He said that since this cafe was meant to improve the working conditions of the Assembly's employees, the coffee must not taste bad. So he taught me things like roasting beans and blending techniques. I did as he told me, and the number of customers began shooting up next…"

"…"

"In a way, you could say I'm the Assembly Master's top disciple…"

Lee Hyeon-Ju's cheeks twitched slightly. That was because she belatedly remembered something.

Didn't the Assembly Master's family run a cafe? And the coffee there tasted absolutely remarkable, didn't it? So, it seemed Kang Jin-Ho was merely extending the family business.

The cafe manager groaned. "Urgh… I need to think about where I went wrong, ma'am. Anyways, have a great morning, Miss Lee."

"Oh, thank you. You too…" Lee Hyeon-Ju turned around to leave after receiving her 'marching orders.'

Now that was an unexpected reminder of how far and wide Kang Jin-Ho's influences could extend to!

Her subordinate quickly caught up to her. "Miss Lee! Are you heading upstairs?"

"Yeah," Lee Hyeon-Ju nodded back.

"Do you mind if I go with you?"

"Sure. It's fine." Lee Hyeon-Ju replied.

As they walked up the staircase, she glanced at her subordinate sticking very close to her while chatting away nonstop. A subtle grin formed on her lips.

'This isn't so bad.'

In the past, when people only viewed Lee Hyeon-Ju as Lee Jung-Geol's Granddaughter, things like this never happened to her. Everyone subtly shunned her and did their best not to cause trouble with her.

Of course, these people also respected her. But that respect was merely a by-product of their desire not to get tangled up in her business.

Compared to those days, it really felt like Lee Hyeon-Ju was a part of the team, a true employee of this large organization called the Martial Assembly.

After reaching the accounting department on the second floor, Lee Hyeon-Ju stood tall and proud.

"Nice."

The accounting department moved to a bigger office space after the number of workers increased by a lot. Seeing this wide-open office space did wonders in uplifting her mood.

...Although, it would have been even better without a few minor things cramping up the vibe!

'...The interior décor is still ghastly.'

The interior of this office was nightmarish, to say the least. The yellowing wallpaper surrounded a jumbled mixture of all types of desks. Worse still, this place resembled a barren wasteland because of the lack of decorations.

The overall impression one got while looking at this office was that this place had been set up for work and not much else.

'I can gradually change that, though.'

The accounting department employees discovered Lee Hyeon-Ju and greeted her first.

"You're here, Miss Lee!"

"Good morning to you, ma'am!"

"Good to see you again!"

Lee Hyeon-Ju smiled and greeted them back. "Good morning to you all!"

Things weren't like this in the beginning. People didn't look at her favorably when she established a dedicated accounting department and began recruiting more employees. That didn't really surprise her, though.

For one, Lee Hyeon-Ju wasn't old or experienced enough to earn the 'head of a department' label just yet. And the enmity toward Lee Jung-Geol was at an all-time high back then.

So, the air exuded by the folks back then was like, 'I'll accept you since the higher-ups said so, but don't expect any cooperation from me, got that?'

The work she put in to change that atmosphere into the current friendly one was worthy of all the praises in the world. To explain what happened in simple terms… A person with capabilities doing her absolute best would naturally turn the skeptics around to her cause sooner or later.

Lee Hyeon-Ju glanced at one of the workers. "Did you finish the report we spoke about yesterday?"

"Yes, ma'am. I've finished preparing it as you told me to. It's on your desk."

"Okay. Thank you."

Lee Hyeon-Ju headed to her desk, then quickly perused the report on her desk before nodding in satisfaction.

"Nice. I got my ammunition, so…!" She stood tall and scanned her subordinates, her expression stiffening from heroic determination. "Okay, I'm off! Wish me luck."

"Good luck, ma'am!"

"We believe in you! Bring us another win, ma'am!"

"Mm! I will!" Lee Hyeon-Ju nodded, then headed upstairs, her steps moving with purpose and steadfast determination.

The accounting department employees watched her leave, then chuckled among themselves.

"She's still getting nervous, eh?"

"Come on, now. It's not just our director, though. It's the same story with other directors, you know?"

"Really?"

"Yeah, really. I heard that Chief Bak from the department next door was wondering if he should wear diapers the next time he's briefing the higher-ups."

"...Because he might wet himself?"

"Probably."

The workers slowly shook their heads in resignation and tutted away.

When one thought about it, though… That story of Chief Bak didn't sound so outrageous. The briefing in question was attended by not just Lee Hyeon-Su but also by Kang Jin-Ho, after all!

Although things were a lot less scary now, there once was a time when Lee Hyeon-Su glaring at someone was enough for them to wet their pants. And it wasn't even necessary to mention what it was like with Kang Jin-Ho.

"Other departments only need to submit reports every now and then, right? But our Miss Lee is frequently called in to explain what's what for some reason. Can you imagine how much of a burden that would be?"

"You're so right. Poor her…"

The employees got another reminder of how good Lee Hyeon-Ju was at her job.

"Oh, yeah. I almost forgot. Hey, did you hear the rumors?"

"What rumors?"

"The one about our director being an item with Chief Lee?"

"Chief Lee? You mean… Chief Lee Hyeon-Su?"

"Yeah, him."

"Hey, you. Stop it with such nonsense, okay?"

The sharp, rebuking response was countered by the urgent voice.

"No, no, hold on! Several people witnessed those two having dinner together. And even more people saw the two of them going home in the same car!"

"Hah! A superior can give a ride home to a junior, right? And it's the same story for supper, too. Those two things don't mean you're dating, you know? Besides, it doesn't make one iota of sense for those two to become an item, anyway."

"Well, I also think that way, but…"

Lee Jung-Geol's granddaughter dating Kim Seok-Il's former right-hand man? Common sense dictated that everyone should breathe a sigh of relief if the two of them didn't start strangling each other every time they met.

"You shouldn't go around spewing that nonsense, okay? You're gonna kick yourself if they start knifing each other one day."

"...Yeah, you have a point there."

The accounting department employees stared weirdly at the office's exit, then turned their attention back to their desks.

It was time to get back to work.

***

'That… is coffee.'

Lee Hyeon-Ju silently stared at a cup of now-cold coffee resting before Kang Jin-Ho. That must be the culprit responsible for the cafe manager failing to pass this morning's inspection.

'I guess that inspection story wasn't an exaggeration.'

Judging from how much coffee still remained in the cup, Lee Hyeon-Ju's guess seemed right on the money. Was Kang Jin-Ho trying to imply that he'd never touch a cup of failed coffee?

Which was funny, wasn't it? When considering Kang Jin-Ho had no issues with the hellish grub provided by the Assembly's cafeteria! One of his pet theories was that the taste shouldn't matter as long as the meal was nutritious enough.

Kang Jin-Ho, the Assembly Master, had no idea until recently that everyone else besides him had this thing called a tongue that allowed them to appreciate the taste of food entering their mouth. Only after people had managed to make him understand this anatomical difference did they manage to totally flip the cafeteria situation on its head.

This was how uninterested Kang Jin-Ho was in the matters of taste of food. So, wasn't it ironic to see someone like that be picky about his coffee? Was this a side effect of his family business being a cafe?

Lee Hyeon-Su suddenly called out. "Director Lee!"

"A-ah, yes, sir!" Lee Hyeon-Ju sobered up.

Lee Hyeon-Su's eyes narrowed to slits. "How about taking a seat?"

"Oh… My apologies."

Lee Hyeon-Ju realized her mind had wandered off. She bowed her head several times to apologize, then quickly found her seat.

Lee Hyeon-Su shifted his gaze to Kang Jin-Ho. "Sir, everyone is here."

"Okay. Let's begin," said Kang Jin-Ho.

"Thank you. Let's begin today's morning meeting with reports from each department. So, then…"

While listening, Lee Hyeon-Ju silently scanned the meeting avenue. Today was a regular meeting of the department heads. Held once a week, this meeting gave the department heads an opportunity to report what happened in the past few days and offer their opinions.

'...Uh?'

Lee Hyeon-Ju spotted an unfamiliar face that didn't seem to belong here. No, rather than unfamiliar, that face was…

'What is he doing here?'

Lee Hyeon-Su noticed the confusion in Lee Hyeon-Ju's expression and quickly addressed everyone in the meeting venue. "Oh, before we start. I need to introduce a new member of the team. This is Deputy Cheon Tae-Hun, who will be in charge of the department of online media and education."

People applauded, prompting Cheon Tae-Hun to nod back. But his expression was a bit stiff and unreadable. "...Thank you. I'll be in your care."

He was currently being reminded of the inalienable truth of this world, something he heard countless times before in his journey to reach this point in life.

'I shouldn't have acted like a know-it-all back then…'

It would've been fine if he stopped somewhere in the middle! Why did he stupidly say all those things and get himself dragged here against his will? And with an unwanted position, no less?

Even though a promotion to a deputy director position was worthy of celebration, Cheon Tae-Hun's mind was stuck in the state of perpetual gloomy rain instead!

Kang Jin-Ho nodded. "Okay. Let's resume the briefing."

"Yes, sir."

The department heads began their quick briefing. None of what they reported could be classified as concerning issues. Maybe because most of the focus was on the education of the Assembly members, it seemed there wasn't much to report on.

"Director of accounting. You're next."

"Yes, sir." Lee Hyeon-Ju replied, then sucked in a deep breath. It was her turn now. Even though this was not her first rodeo, she still got tense every single time. "I have something important to discuss with everyone."

"Sure, go ahead," said Kang Jin-Ho.

Lee Hyeon-Ju stared straight at Kang Jin-Ho, then cautiously raised her voice. "Assembly Master, sir…?"

"Mm?"

"Shouldn't we… pay taxes?"

"...Eh?"

This was the historic moment of a nuke called "tax" going off in the Martial Assembly without any warning whatsoever.

1. Ten thousand won is around $7.52 US at the time of TLing. ☜

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