115.
However, not all family members could enter the conference room. Most people had returned to their homes after the party that had just ended. Those living in the capital could make it to the conference room, but those living far away had a difficult journey ahead. The remaining family members and a few elders occupied the conference room.
Among them were Azeth and Ahmed, with peculiar expressions. It hadn’t been long since they were under Ruhan’s oppression, and now they had received news of his death. Ahmed, upon learning of his father’s death, was initially excited.
“This is an opportunity!”
Perhaps it was a chance to overthrow Yu Jin, who had become the acting head. Although Ruhan had removed most of the elders supporting Pamina and Azeth, some still remained. They were those who weren’t a significant threat to the family head or heir, or who had given ambiguous help to Pamina and Azeth. They were kept alive because it was judged that they were likely to turn away from them. Ahmed thought he could escape this situation if he bribed them. But Azeth shook her head at Ahmed’s opinion.
“No. It’s dangerous.”
The Ruhan that Azeth knew was a cold man except when he was with Asha. Such a person wouldn’t have left the mansion without taking any measures. Azeth judged that if they failed in trying to bring down Yu Jin, they would be the ones to die.
“I can’t put you in danger. There will be other opportunities later.”
Ahmed couldn’t ignore his mother’s pleading. In the end, he sat quietly in a corner of the conference room.
“Oh, isn’t this Lady Azeth? Why are you sitting here?”
Elder Leion, entering the conference room belatedly, approached the two after spotting them.
“Why don’t you sit more towards the front?”
Ahmed’s brow twitched at Leion’s words. He must know that they couldn’t sit in front in the current situation, so uttering such words must be to insult them. He had apparently attached himself to Yu Jin, who had become the acting head.
Ahmed barely held back the harsh words that were about to burst out. Leion smiled, raising the corner of his mouth as he looked at Ahmed. But even if he openly mocked them, there was nothing Ahmed could do.
“Well then, I’ll go take my seat.”
Before Ahmed’s eyes, Leion took a seat at the front with the other elders. Only after everyone had taken their seats did Yu Jin make his appearance. He still had his angelic beautiful appearance, but the impression he gave off was somewhat different from before. In the past, there was a pitiful air about him, like an angel with broken wings fallen to earth, but now he seemed solid. Perhaps it was because of the man standing behind him, Jinhyeon.
Yu Jin, who had been nothing but fragile, had changed after buying Jinhyeon from the Colosseum.
“I’m a bit late.”
As Yu Jin spoke, Leion responded with a gentle smile.
“Late? You arrived just in time.”
“I’m glad to hear that. Then I’ll state today’s agenda. As you all already know, a sad event has occurred.”
Yu Jin put his hand on his chest and showed a sad expression. Someone unwittingly let out an exclamation of admiration at the sight, but Ahmed couldn’t. Because he knew that Yu Jin hated the family head more than anyone else. None of the children in the Lucid family would like Ruhan, but Yu Jin’s hatred was special among them. It might have been because he lost his mother at a young age. Anyway, for that reason, everything Yu Jin did standing there and speaking was an act, a pretense.
“We have confirmed the death of Lord Ruhan, the head of the Lucid family. Regarding the subsequent situation, we will hear from Sir Adan, who witnessed Lord Ruhan’s last moments.”
Adan briefly explained the final situation. He faithfully reported only what he had seen without adding any speculation, then stepped back. He didn’t mention those who had lured Ruhan into a trap and killed him. Yu Jin had discussed this with Adan beforehand and agreed to keep it confidential.
‘It would be better to conceal information about those who caused the family head’s death. That way, we can set traps using related information.’
‘Then I will not speak about it.’
Adan vowed on his knighthood to keep the secret. As there was no detailed explanation from Adan, some people expressed doubts, but they didn’t delve deeply into it at this meeting. There was no need to get on Yu Jin’s bad side now that the family head was dead and Leion had attached himself to Yu Jin. Thus, the meeting proceeded smoothly.
They decided to confirm the state of Ruhan’s body and to inform other families of this news.
“The funeral date should be a week from now.”
“Isn’t that preparation period too short?”
“I judged that it would be possible if we mobilize Lucid’s resources.”
It would require manpower and a lot of money, but it wouldn’t be impossible.
“Is there a reason for doing it so quickly?”
“Everyone, we haven’t caught the culprit who harmed our family head yet. In this situation, if a second attack comes, what will happen? It will surely be a mess. I think we need to quickly hold the funeral and aim for stabilization before that happens.”
In simple terms, it meant settling Ruhan’s affairs through the funeral and Yu Jin inheriting Lucid. At that part, Azeth inadvertently made a sound, but Yu Jin ignored it.
“Then we’ll conclude the meeting here.”
Yu Jin withdrew first, and then Leion left with the others, leaving most of the conference room empty. Now only Azeth, Ahmed, and a few of their followers remained. But even that didn’t last long.
“I’m sorry.”
As one person left with words of apology, others also glanced around nervously before vacating their seats. Those who left after saying something were considered decent. Finally, Azeth and Ahmed were left alone. They sat there blankly, maintaining their positions.
Until the knight in charge of the conference room came to close the door.
Instead of returning to his room, Yu Jin headed to the temporary office he had set up.
“You could use the original office, you know.”
The butler suggested, but Yu Jin refused.
“It’s too early for me to use it. So please just deliver the urgent documents to me.”
“I will do so.”
Although he showed some distrust, the butler faithfully followed Yu Jin’s words. As the butler left, Haruna, who was sitting at a desk in a corner of the office, raised her head.
“Will you be alright?”
“I’ll be fine. This is what you and brother have been busy preparing for, right?”
Keith and Haruna had previously obtained and passed on a large amount of related information so that Yu Jin could easily take over the documents Ruhan had been handling. Yu Jin had classified and absorbed all this with Jinhyeon, completing all preparations.
“More importantly, isn’t it about time?”
“Time for what?”
Haruna, who had been burying her nose in papers, tilted her head.
“If Keith is my brother, then Haruna is my sister. I call him brother too.”
“Ah, if you mean that, forget it. I’m comfortable with this.”
Haruna waved her hand in refusal.
“It’s because you call that bastard ‘brother’ that he doesn’t know his place.”
“‘That bastard’?”
“Is ‘that bastard’ too much? Should I call him a son of a bitch instead?”
“…Why are you so harsh to brother, Haruna?”
“Because he’s making advances on my cute little brother, of course.”
The pen held in her small hand broke in half with a cracking sound.
“After how I raised Yu Jin!”
Haruna shouted, grinding her teeth in anger. Seeing this, Yu Jin rolled his eyes and quietly turned his gaze away. He knew that anything more said here wouldn’t get through.
“What?”
He turned to see Jinhyeon with a relaxed expression. But his face was too close. It was because he insisted on sharing a chair with Yu Jin despite other chairs being available.
“It’s cramped.”
“Then shall we change positions?”
Jinhyeon smiled brightly as he picked Yu Jin up. Then he sat in his chair first and placed Yu Jin on top of him. Seeing this, Haruna clenched her fist again, but Jinhyeon paid no attention.
“This position is good too. We should have sat like this earlier.”
As he said this, he gently touched Yu Jin’s bottom with his large hand.
“I like you any way, but I’d prefer if you gained a bit more weight.”
“I have gotten thinner, for sure. That’s why I ate more than usual for breakfast, right?”
“Yes, you did well. But you know you need to exercise when you increase your food intake, right?”
“…I know.”
Yu Jin couldn’t not know. Jinhyeon had put him on his waist and made him exercise, saying he needed to move his body even for a short while.
“How is that exercise!”
Yu Jin protested, panting, but lately Jinhyeon had become glib and deflected most comments.
“Moving your body is exercise. Didn’t you know? You can lose weight by having a lot of sex originally.”
Is that so? Was it like that? For a moment, Yu Jin almost fell for it, but he soon came to his senses. When it came to sexual relations, there was a difference between Jinhyeon’s ‘a lot’ and his own ‘a lot’. If he moved according to Jinhyeon’s thoughts, Yu Jin might soon wither away like a mummy.
