The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

Chapter 110: Bookstore (2)

Simply sitting wouldn’t protect the bookstore from the world, let alone its debts.

To shield the bookstore from the onslaught of debt repayment, one must confront the creditors directly.

“Please, have a seat.”

Following the general manager’s guidance, we were ushered into a room in the mansion of Tang Hwarin’s maternal grandfather, Baek Gajang.

The room, designed for hosting VIPs, was adorned with high-end furniture. Yet, signs of turmoil were evident, with some pieces of furniture broken and decorations missing.

“I apologize for only being able to offer such a modest Americano.”

As I traced the dust where a decoration once stood with my finger, the general manager, looking apologetic, brought over tea from somewhere.

Normally, it’s the host’s responsibility to serve tea, but the general manager’s action suggested that, aside from essential personnel, everyone else had left Baek Gajang.

“No, I appreciate you offering anything at all given the circumstances.”

The coffee had a sugary taste; the cost of the beans seemed irrelevant. I politely thanked the general manager and accepted the Americano.

“Ha. You’re a rare kind of young man these days.”

The general manager looked at me with an expression of admiration.

“I realized I hadn’t properly introduced myself yesterday. My name is Kang Yun-ho, a mediator from Joseon.”

“She’s my friend.”

Tang Hwarin introduced me with a triumphant smile on her face. Seeing her amusing expression made me want to tease her.

“A friend? I haven’t received this month’s friend fee yet.”

I jokingly asked her why she introduced me as her friend without paying a friend fee, feigning confusion.

“Friend fee? What’s that?”

“In Joseon, you have to pay each month to remain friends.”

“How much do I have to pay?”

“Do you really believe that?”

“Damn it! Are you trying to mess with me?”

Tang Hwarin’s face turned red with anger as she slapped my back with her palm.

“Ouch! Ouch! Hey, you’re spilling the coffee.”

I pleaded with her to stop hitting me as I attempted to catch the dripping coffee with my mouth, all the while maintaining a smile.

The Americano lacked sugar. My mouth tasted bitter, and my back ached.

“Ha-ha-ha. You two must be very close friends. Initially, I thought you were engaged, given how affectionately you spoke on your way here.”

The general manager looked at Tang Hwarin as if he were watching his grown-up granddaughter perform cute antics.

At his words, Tang Hwarin ceased her vigorous backslapping, moved away from me, and regarded me with something akin to shyness.

Why suddenly act so modestly out of place?

“General manager, could you update us on how the debt settlement is progressing? Are you overseeing it?”

Tang Hwarin, still trying to calm her anger from my teasing, inquired about the situation with a slightly flushed face.

“No, I am merely a representative. The responsibility and authority ultimately rest with the inheritor, her mother. Naturally, the inheritor’s absence complicates the debt settlement process.”

The general manager shook his head in response to Hwarin’s question.

“That damn woman.”

Tang Hwarin vented her frustration towards her mother, who always seemed to cause trouble.

“If you were younger, I would have advised you to watch your language, but now I feel tempted to join in.”

The general manager attempted to suppress his own curse and took a sip of the tea he had brought.

“Is there anything I can do to assist?”

Tang Hwarin cautiously asked the general manager.

“Actually, it’s I who should be offering assistance. Now that the lady has appeared, all authority does not lie with a representative like me but with the lady herself. It’s fortunate you’ve appeared, but I’m deeply concerned about what the debtors might do to you.”

The general manager looked at Tang Hwarin with a worried expression.

In this world, there’s no such thing as preferential repayment. Predicting what the creditors might do to Tang Hwarin to secure their money first is impossible.

Then, we needed to control the variables to make it predictable.

“Could you invite all the creditors to Baek Gajang at the same time?”

I put down my tea and spoke to the general manager with a serious expression, as if preparing a strategy in my heart.

“You seem to have a sharp plan in mind. However, creditors won’t easily comply.”

“Tell those gathered that day that we intend to repay the debt.”

“Ha-ha. Such a strategy…”

The general manager’s mouth fell open in amazement at my suggestion.

Right now, Baek Gajang’s inheritance was nothing but prey waiting to be devoured. But even prey has at least one right.

That was the right to choose who devoured it.

In a world without preferential repayment, with Tang Hwarin’s rights, she could dispose of the assets and feed whoever she chose first.

Of course, prey was still prey. Without action, the bookstore would be consumed by someone else.

We needed to strategize to protect the bookstore.

“I’ve thought of this method.”

“Huh! Such a method? But then, how will you address this issue?”

I shared my plan for debt settlement with the general manager and began planning for what lies ahead.

---

As I expected, mentioning preferential repayment gathered all creditors at Baek Gajang.

‘Let’s proceed as planned.’

This gathering shouldn’t become a mere plea for mercy or charity from the creditors. We cannot solely depend on others’ kindness to resolve this issue.

I, we, must take the lead in this negotiation.

“Good day. I am Kang Yun-ho, appointed spokesperson for Baek Gajang’s debt authority today. Before we begin our discussion, please welcome Miss Tang Hwarin, who organized today’s meeting, with applause.”

As I gestured towards Tang Hwarin standing beside me on the stage, she awkwardly greeted the creditors.

Naturally, the atmosphere wasn’t cordial, so the creditors didn’t applaud.

Just drawing attention to her as an important figure worthy of applause was enough.

“Miss Hwarin is the daughter of the absent Baek Gajang inheritor and represents full authority here.”

Tang Hwarin confidently faced the creditors following my introduction.

“When will you repay our money! Speak up! Don’t just stand there shamelessly!”

“To think you’d stand there boldly when you should be groveling! Drag that debtor woman here!”

“Is that woman going to repay me? Drag that insolent woman in front of me!”

A few creditors I had been observing ordered their guards to drag Tang Hwarin towards them.

Some creditors enjoyed beating up debtors first, then threatening them with a knife to extract their money.

‘Just as expected.’

Tang Hwarin appeared easy and vulnerable because she was young and a granddaughter. I simply observed, having been briefed by the general manager.

The guards, confused by the sudden order and seeing no one intervene, drew their swords and approached Tang Hwarin.

“Come any closer, and you’ll get hurt.”

Tang Hwarin’s voice carried a threatening tone, audible even to those seated.

“Presuming woman! Gah!”

A quick hidden weapon attack. Is it true that the hand is quicker than the eye? I couldn’t even see her hand move. Tang Hwarin’s hidden weapon struck the guard who crossed the line.

“This woman! Gerk…”

Other guards attempting to advance were similarly stunned. All were floored by a single hidden weapon attack, wetting themselves in fear.

“Couldn’t see the hand?”

“Instant paralytic poison? If a family deals with such poison in their hidden weapons…”

“The level of hidden weapon skill. And now that I think of it, the color of her hair?”

Tang Hwarin’s single action caused a stir among the creditors and guards.

“She inherits the blood of the Sichuan Tang Family! The disciple of the famous Tang Geoho and the daughter of the Sung Family! Please refrain from any overstepping remarks or rash actions towards Miss Tang Hwarin!”

I emphasized her lineage to confirm their suspicions and reintroduced her.

“Her hair is purple, and her eyes are green! It’s definitely the Sichuan Tang Family!”

“So, it was the Sichuan Tang Family!”

“I, I didn’t order the guards. They acted on their own!”

The creditors looked at Tang Hwarin with gazes mixed with fear.

‘In the world of martial arts, mutual respect often stems from fear of the other.’

In an overwhelming debtor-creditor relationship, only pleas for mercy could be made without mutual respect.

For dialogue to be effective, mutual respect must first be established. Hopefully, revealing Hwarin’s background and martial skills had instilled enough fear in them.

The first part of the plan had passed.

Now, let’s completely break away from the debtor-creditor relationship.

“Before we discuss the debt today, let me clarify that Miss Tang Hwarin is not a debtor but a full authority representative.”

I calmly declared a shocking fact they definitely didn’t want to hear.