DrinkyL C9

Chapter 9

Ban Dayeong, who had been quietly listening to the siblings’ argument, shifted his posture and leaned back casually in his chair, crossing one leg over the other. Despite his utterly relaxed attitude, the siblings stiffened, tension marking their expressions.

“So, you’re saying I got scammed too?”

“No! It’s not that…”

“That little scheme about ‘tricking those self-important elves and bringing one in’—so this is what you meant.”

Quoting Ban Jinyeong word for word, Ban Dayeong threw him a look that spoke volumes. Even though this sort of thing would usually be swept aside as inconsequential, Ban Jinyeong could only roll his eyes, finding himself utterly lost for words.

“So, what do you expect me to do?”

“We ought to send him back before the elves realize something’s amiss,” said Ban Haeyoung, proposing they undo the situation before the elves could latch onto the contract. If the elves later chose to contest it, the public opinion and the legal tide would inevitably turn against them. It was for this reason that she had come in person to see Ban Dayeong today.

Given Ban Dayeong’s aversion to anything bothersome, she assumed he would immediately agree.

“Boss?”

She realized her assumption was wrong only after several minutes. Unexpectedly, Ban Dayeong took quite some time to consider her suggestion.

Ban Haeyoung glanced at her brother in disbelief, who mirrored the same bewildered expression.

“Hey, you idiot. What’s gotten into you?”

Gritting her teeth, Ban Haeyoung pinched Ban Jinyeong’s side so hard he let out a silent scream, protesting with a look of indignation.

“It’s not like I meant for things to end up like this!”

Ban Jinyeong recalled the time he’d met Baekgu and the boss in the hospital. To say there was any real trust or camaraderie between them would have been a stretch.

Ban Dayeong’s feeding on the elf’s blood had been nothing but a sudden accident. Even the secretaries who witnessed the event predicted that the half-elf would soon be discarded. Now, it seemed, their prediction had missed the mark entirely.

“So, boss, what now?”

“What else? If it wasn’t a scam, we just make it real.”

“Huh? So you’re not sending him back?”

Ban Dayeong nodded at Ban Haeyoung’s question.

“He’s delicious.”

All doubts vanished. The siblings could offer no further comment. If the boss had tasted and liked him, nothing could be done about it. Vampires were a clan hardwired to absolute obedience toward their leader.

“Fine. Then let’s draw up a proper employment contract. If we pay the elf as an employee, nobody can claim the deal was unfair. It isn’t unethical or inhumane, since technically we aren’t human at all.”

Ban Haeyoung offered a pragmatic solution.

“Oh? That’s decent.”

“How about you shut up for once?”

At her brother’s annoying interjection, Ban Haeyoung raised her hand again. Ban Jinyeong dodged just in time, pulling an exaggerated face.

“So, what do we list in the contract? We can’t exactly say we’re exchanging blood.”

“And why, pray tell, does my dumb brother have to spell out the obvious?”

“No, seriously, I’m asking!”

“Forget it. He’s an elf—he must have some sort of talent. Can he do anything?”

Ban Haeyoung scribbled required details on her tablet as she spoke.

“Half-elf? Well, he’s good at growing bean sprouts!”

“What…?”

Her frown deepened at his naive answer. Bean sprouts only needed water to thrive; what skill did that require, really?

Ban Dayeong chimed in beside her.

“Baek Seolgu’s good at growing weeds, too.”

“…Really?”

“Yeah. Must be that fairy blood. He’s good with plants.”

“I see.”

Her skepticism faded, and she nodded thoughtfully.

“If he can use elemental magic, that’ll make things easier. We can say he handles landscape maintenance and condition care for the group.”

“What kind of bizarre job title is that…?”

“What do you want then? Are you going to take responsibility and give him a job at the construction firm?”

The sibling squabble resumed, but privately, Ban Dayeong found her manufactured role quite appealing and summoned his secretary.

Right then, a short knock sounded, and Secretary Yang entered the vice president’s office. Bowing to the bickering siblings, he quickly moved to the desk.

“You called?”

“Fetch Baek Seolgu.”

“Yes, sir.”

Strike while the iron is hot, the saying goes, and Ban Dayeong was not about to miss the chance to legally keep Baek Seolgu close.

Just thinking of the half-elf’s stupid face made his mouth water. He’d never encountered anyone who stirred his appetite so, nor did he expect he ever would. Perhaps this was why ancestors advised not to get too fussy about taste from the start; but Ban Dayeong felt no such craving for the blood of other elves—only the sweetness of Baek Seolgu’s blood perfectly fit his palette.

While Ban Dayeong was lost in thoughts of Seolgu’s flavor, Ban Haeyoung posed another question.

“But boss, won’t he want to go back? Fairies are notoriously attached to their own kind.”

“No chance.”

Ban Dayeong was certain Baek Seolgu would gladly sign the contract. That half-elf had made it clear he’d rather die of blood loss than return to the forest.

The moment Seolgu stepped into VAN’s headquarters with Secretary Yang, only one thought filled his mind: It’s huge.

He’d been awed by the grandeur of VAN Construction when he’d followed the village chief there, but compared to headquarters, the construction branch was child’s play.

He tried not to act too much the bumpkin, but everything around was so dazzling, he couldn’t keep up the pretense.

“The vice president’s office is on the top floor. Please take this elevator.”

“Yes, sir.”

The elevator, carrying only the two of them, didn’t stop once all the way to the 76th floor. The sensation of rising left Seolgu slightly queasy, so he gripped the handrail tightly.

Secretary Yang glanced at Seolgu’s blanching face. Getting motion sickness in an elevator was wildly outdated, but somehow, almost endearingly cute. Hiding a smile, Yang cleared his throat and led him onward.

As they approached the vice president’s office, Seolgu’s shoulders grew increasingly tense.

Meanwhile, three vampires examined the draft contract with grim faces. It was a single page, full of suspicious terms.

“Would you sign this, if it were you?”

“Hmm.”

Not even Ban Jinyeong could offer false optimism.

“No matter how naive that kid is, this is a bit much.”

“We should definitely add more terms.”

As the siblings hurriedly called the labor attorney to rewrite the contract, Ban Dayeong simply stared at the door.

It should be time for him to arrive.

His long fingers tapped a steady rhythm on the table.

“He’s here.”

Even before the door opened, an unfamiliar presence was felt.

“Oh? Is that Baekgu?”

“Ah—Baek Seolgu?”

Three pairs of eyes locked onto the door. Soon, the door opened and, following Secretary Yang, Seolgu’s pale face appeared.

Even after a week, he looked just as wan as when he’d been in the hospital. Displeased, Ban Dayeong’s expression hardened.

By contrast, Seolgu didn’t have the nerve to meet the vampires’ eyes. Bowing his head, he rattled off the gratitude he’d rehearsed since leaving home.

He remembered that he’d forgotten to thank for the kiosks while eating, so he hurried to deliver all his thanks at once.

“Uh, Ban Dayeong. Thank you for giving me three good meals every day. Thank you for buying me clothes. Oh! And thank you for the underwear! Also, I’ve been practicing daily with the screens, and now I’m pretty good at ordering; thank you for that, too. Thanks… well, just—thank you for everything.”

Like a programmed robot, Seolgu bowed endlessly, listing everything he could think of. Yet, when it came to saying Ban Dayeong’s name, he spoke it so forthrightly it bordered on lunacy.

The overwhelming gratitude and the incongruously cocky delivery left Ban Jinyeong whispering to his boss.

“Boss, is he really okay? He’s a complete nutcase.”

In silent agreement, Ban Dayeong sighed quietly. He wasn’t certain if keeping this stupid, literal-minded elf around was the right thing to do.

Yet now that he’d tasted Seolgu’s blood, there was no way he was going to let him go.

“Baek Seolgu, that’s enough. I get that you’ve been well—come here.”

“Yes!”

Seolgu responded cheerfully and trotted toward the vampires’ large table.

How does someone even make that ticklish sound with their steps?

With identical quizzical looks, the siblings tilted their heads.