Translator: Elisia
Editor/Proofreader: Wojo
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“Oh, well, so…….”
I had things I was planning to say, but now I couldn’t remember any of them.
I couldn’t focus on speaking because I kept thinking about what would happen after this moment was over.
My face felt hot, and my heart was racing.
It felt like my mind had gone completely blank.
Still, I resolved to properly finish the task at hand.
Otherwise, there would really be no end to it.
In front of me stood a group of students dressed in red.
Well, I knew they were students because I was told, but otherwise, I might have just thought they were young people.
They were people I had summoned.
I wasn’t sure how these kids viewed me, but at the very least, they knew that by participating in this event, they had become part of my group.
Of course, if any of them started causing trouble while dropping my name, I’d cut them off without hesitation, but for now, these kids were “on my side.”
As long as we were teenagers, we couldn’t do much more than flaunt our influence at school, but if these kids maintained good grades and developed their individual skills to become useful to me, we could continue to mutually benefit each other in the future.
I cleared my throat a few times and exhaled.
Thinking about it more clearly seemed to calm me down a bit.
“Everyone gathered here received my invitation. But I don’t yet know all of your faces and names. Some of you may have received the invitation directly from me, while others might have been invited by those who received an invitation from me.”
I glanced around at the students as I spoke.
“So, if possible, please don’t throw away those invitations. I’m not saying you have to carry them around like ID cards, but at least keep them as proof that you attended my party. Some of you may find yourselves in trouble because of your participation today, but if you bring that invitation to me, I’ll do my best to help.”
At the very least, I could provide financial assistance.
As long as they didn’t cross any lines, I wouldn’t hesitate to offer support.
‘Being close to Ye Sara will always be beneficial. And if you’re someone who’s useful to Ye Sara, you’ll receive even more help.’
That was the message I wanted to attach to the name “Ye Sara.”
They would all have understood what I meant.
They were all smart people.
Some nodded seriously with slightly stiff expressions, while others anxiously glanced around.
Though I couldn’t memorize all their names, I tried my best to remember their faces as I looked around at them again.
“Well, those of you who want to go home now may do so. Your work here is done. The clothes you changed into are where you left them, so please return what you wore and go home. I hope the memories you made today will last as pleasant ones for a long time.”
I wondered if any of them had managed to make a connection with the higher-ups of Eugene Group.
These were just high school students, so I didn’t expect too much, but…
You never know.
Maybe those “red clothes” had some effect.
Of course, anyone who thought wearing those clothes made them close to me would be mistaken, for now at least.
“Lastly, does anyone have anything they’d like to say?”
Since I was aware that there were probably students from other grades mixed in, I politely addressed them till the end.
Though some glanced around, no one raised their hand.
Well, in this kind of atmosphere, it wouldn’t be easy for anyone to ask questions.
…Still, it would’ve been nice if there had been some.
I thought that because I was a little afraid to go back to my room right away, but even so, no one raised their hand.
I shrugged my shoulders and said,
“Well then, we’ll dis—”
Just as I was about to say “disband,” someone timidly raised their hand.
As my gaze shifted toward the hand, the people around them followed my eyes and turned to look at the student.
It was someone I didn’t know.
They must have come after receiving a second-hand invitation.
The person sweating nervously next to them was someone whose face I did recognize.
It seemed they had invited the nervous one.
“Do you have a question?”
Since I couldn’t tell if they were in the same grade as me due to their casual clothes, I continued to speak politely.
“Ah, yes, I, um…….”
They stammered, as if they hadn’t expected me to respond right away.
As time passed, the eyes of the other students became more focused on them.
“Um, it’s a bit of a personal question……”
…Suddenly, I felt nervous.
Well, sure, it’s our first time meeting.
But no matter what, I wouldn’t be receiving another confession, right?
Even in a harem web novel, unless the protagonist has some kind of pheromone-spreading power, it’s not like a random extra would just confess out of nowhere.
But still, after being confessed to three times in a row, without much time in between, I had grown a little scared.
Seeing them say it was a personal question, the face of the person standing next to them turned pale.
Maybe they were worried the question would upset me.
“…Please come over here.”
At my words, the student cautiously approached me.
Up close, they seemed even more timid.
Their hair was long and fell below their eyebrows.
Judging by the slightly curled ends of their hair, they might have had a different hairstyle during the party, but right now, they looked like a gloomy character.
“What is it you want to say?”
I thought we were far enough from the others, so I asked in a quiet voice.
“Well, um…….”
But even after coming all the way up to me, they hesitated for a while.
It was a bit frustrating, but thanks to them, I was buying time.
So I waited anxiously.
“Well, if there’s any leftover food, could I take some with me?”
They said this while glancing around nervously, as if afraid someone else might hear.
Fortunately, no one seemed to have heard.
“Leftover food……?”
“Yes, um, it’s a little embarrassing, but……”
The student struggled to get the words out, clearly embarrassed.
“The food today was so delicious that I want to share it with my younger siblings.”
“….”
Hearing those words felt like I had been hit on the back of the head.
Ah, that’s right.
I had almost forgotten.
Right now, I was living an incredibly luxurious life.
No, even calling it “luxurious” didn’t fully capture it—I had an immense amount of wealth.
Though it hadn’t been a full year since I came to this world, I had started getting used to this wealthy lifestyle.
I could eat as much delicious food as I wanted without any restrictions.
In fact, there were times when I couldn’t finish and left food behind.
Come to think of it, even So-hee and Ha-neul had seemed surprised when they first had a meal at my house.
So…… it wasn’t strange for someone to think this way.
“…Yang Hye-in.”
I called out Yang Hye-in’s name in a quiet voice, and she seemed to think she had upset me.
But the words I wanted to say were different.
“Let’s prepare a gift for the guests to take home when they leave. There’s still plenty of food we haven’t brought out yet, right?”
“Yes, there’s more than enough.”
“Package it up nicely in gift boxes and give it to those wearing the red clothes.”
“Yes, I’ll get on it.”
It would take some time to pack everything up, so if anyone left without waiting, it couldn’t be helped.
As long as they had the option to take something with them, there would be no shame in it.
“Is this okay?”
“…Yes, yes, thank you so much….”
The student bowed to me several times.
Thinking “it’s nothing” would be rude.
If I had thought of this earlier, I would have prepared proper gifts instead of just leftover food.
Then again, is it strange for the host to give out gifts at their own birthday party?
Well, it didn’t matter.
Here, my word is law.
*
And just as I was about to finally wrap everything up and head toward the chaos—
“Sara!”
A voice called out to me.
It was Son A-reum.
She had already changed back into her school uniform and was handing me a small box.
“Here, a birthday gift.”
I reflexively took the box, looked at it in my hand, and then glanced at Son A-reum again.
“I didn’t get a chance to give it to you earlier. It’s nothing special, but I hope you’ll accept it.”
“….”
I stared at Son A-reum’s smiling face for a long moment without saying a word.
Oh.
Could it be?
“Why are you staring at my face like that?”
Seemingly startled by my intense gaze, Son A-reum asked, slightly flustered.
“…A-reum.”
“What?”
“I’m planning a party after this one. Wanna come?”
Yeah, maybe this—
This might just be a chance to delay the chaos a little longer!