Descent of The Demon Master [EN]: Chapter 856

“Did you come to work?”

“Good morning.”

As she entered through the main gate, familiar faces greeted her warmly.

“Would you like a cup of coffee? It’s on me.”

“Coffee sounds good. But shouldn’t I be the one buying?”

“Oh, it’s okay. Let me treat you.”

Lee Hyun-joo smiled faintly.

She nodded, feigning a helpless expression. But inside, she was thinking something else.

‘Nice. Saved on coffee expenses!’

Considering her bank account had become a mere stopover for money rather than a place where it accumulated, she had to save every penny.

“What would you like to drink?”

“Americano?”

“Hot or cold?”

“Hot, please. With syrup.”

“Okay.”

Watching her subordinate go to order the coffee, Lee Hyun-joo sighed deeply.

‘I’m hopeless.’

She needed to stop splurging so much.

Of course, she had excuses. She had moved out of Lee Joong-gul’s house and gotten a new place. And with a new home came endless things to buy. Since she hadn’t brought any household items with her, her house was sucking in money like a black hole.

But even so, it didn’t excuse her overspending. There were many cheaper and better products, and many things she didn’t need to buy right away.

How much difference could there be between a ten-thousand-won spatula and a fifty-thousand-won one? But if it was a sin to buy the slightly prettier fifty-thousand-won spatula, then she was guilty.

“Here you go.”

“Ah, thank you.”

“It’s nothing. I get way more from you anyway.”

Lee Hyun-joo chuckled and turned her head.

“There are a lot of people drinking coffee in the morning, huh?”

“When you think about it, this place is a real gold mine.”

“Huh?”

“There aren’t any cafes within a 5km radius of here, right?”

Lee Hyun-joo nodded. The headquarters was in the mountains, so there was no way there would be a cafe nearby. So, those working at the headquarters would either drink instant coffee or brew their own.

Some even brought coffee they had brewed at home.

“So, everyone has no choice but to like it. They couldn’t get it even if they had money, but now they can have as much as they want if they pay.”

“That’s true.”

Lee Hyun-joo smiled wryly.

She was hardly one to talk. She was also one of those who contributed to this cafe’s sales every morning.

“Even considering that, it seems like there are way more customers than when it first opened?”

“The coffee is delicious. It used to taste like something you’d get at a rest stop, but it’s really good now. Everyone agrees.”

Lee Hyun-joo took a sip of her coffee.

‘Hmm.’

The aroma was definitely good, and it was smooth. It was better than most coffee shops.

“It really is. It’s delicious.”

“Right?”

“It seems like the manager is working hard.”

Lee Hyun-joo turned her head. She was thinking of saying a word to the manager, congratulating them on the good business.

“Manager…”

Lee Hyun-joo stopped talking.

The manager, who was resting their chin on the counter, had a dark expression. It looked like something had happened.

“…Is something wrong?”

“Ah, Department Head.”

The manager looked at Lee Hyun-joo and gave a forced smile.

“No, nothing’s wrong. Business is good, everything’s fine. Sales have gone up a lot this month.”

“You don’t look okay.”

“No, it’s just…”

The manager scratched their head.

“I failed today.”

“Huh?”

Failed?

Were they taking some kind of test?

“The blending was too much. It was bitter.”

“What? Bitter?”

What were they talking about? It didn’t taste bitter at all.

“…It was bitter. And if that person says it’s bitter, then it’s bitter.”

“Huh? Who says that?”

“The Clan Lord.”

Lee Hyun-joo quietly closed her mouth.

“I get it checked every morning these days. I passed for about three days, but I failed today. It’s strange. I did it the same way…”

“Why is the, the Clan Lord checking it?”

“Ah, that’s…”

The manager sighed.

“They said they opened the cafe for employee welfare, but they couldn’t stand the coffee being bad. So, they taught me everything again, from roasting to blending. When I did as they said, the number of customers increased.”

“In a way, I’m the Clan Lord’s disciple.”

Lee Hyun-joo’s eyes twitched.

Ah, right. Come to think of it, that guy’s family runs a cafe. Their coffee was amazing. It’s a family business, a family business.

“Ugh, I need to rethink what the problem is. Have a good morning.”

“Ah, yes…”

Lee Hyun-joo, who had been dismissed, turned around.

She was realizing Kang Jin-ho’s influence in a strange way.

“Are you going up?”

“Yeah.”

“Let’s go together, together.”

“Okay.”

Lee Hyun-joo smiled slightly as she watched her subordinate, who was sticking close to her and chattering away.

‘Not bad.’

When she used to work at the company as Lee Joong-gul’s granddaughter, this kind of thing never happened. Everyone subtly avoided her and didn’t want to cause any trouble with her. Of course, she was respected. But that respect was just a manifestation of their desire not to get involved with her.

Compared to then, it really felt like she was working as an employee now.

Lee Hyun-joo, who had come up to the second floor and entered the office, stretched her shoulders.

“Good.”

With the expansion of staff, the accounting department had also moved offices. Looking at the open office, she felt good.

Except for a few things.

‘The interior is a mess.’

A hellish interior unfolded before her eyes. Yellowish wallpaper, mismatched desks, and a bleakness with no decorations.

It really looked like a place made only for work.

‘I’ll change it little by little.’

The employees who had found her entering the office greeted her.

“Have you arrived?”

“Good morning.”

“Good morning.”

“Good morning, everyone!”

Lee Hyun-joo smiled and accepted their greetings.

It wasn’t like this at first. When she first established the accounting department and gathered staff, everyone was reluctant to accept her.

It was understandable.

She wasn’t old enough to hold the position of department head, and at the time, the resentment towards Lee Joong-gul was at its peak.

They acknowledged that she was their superior since she was sent from above, but the atmosphere was that they wouldn’t cooperate with her.

There was no need to explain how much effort she had put in to create this friendly atmosphere. As a result, when a capable person does their best, those who watch will naturally follow.

“Are the documents I asked for yesterday all done?”

“I printed them out as you asked. They’re on your desk.”

“Thank you.”

Lee Hyun-joo glanced at the reports on her desk and nodded.

“Good. I’ve got my gun…”

She looked at everyone with a determined gaze.

“Then, I’ll be off.”

“Good luck!”

“Go win!”

“Um, fighting!” [A Korean expression of encouragement, like ‘Go for it!’]

Lee Hyun-joo headed upstairs with determined steps.

Those who were watching her from behind looked at each other and chuckled.

“Is she still that nervous?”

“Hey, it’s not just the department head. Everyone else is the same.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Department Head Park from the next department was wondering if he should wear a diaper when he goes into the meeting room.”

“…Because he’s afraid he’ll pee his pants?”

“That’s what it sounded like.”

Everyone clicked their tongues.

Come to think of it, it was natural. Lee Hyun-soo and Kang Jin-ho were the ones who attended the meetings. Now it was a little more relaxed, but there was a time when they would get chills just from looking at Lee Hyun-soo’s eyes.

And what could be said about Kang Jin-ho?

“Other departments at least go in sometimes. But the department head goes in and reports and explains things whenever she wants. How much pressure must she be under?”

“…I guess so.”

They were realizing how well Lee Hyun-joo was doing her job.

“But did you hear about that?”

“What?”

“There’s a rumor that the department head is having a thing with the director?”

“The director? Director Lee Hyun-soo?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

A harsh reaction was met with a hurried voice.

“No, there are several people who saw them having dinner together. And there are several who saw them leaving work in the same car?”

“A superior and a subordinate can leave work together. They can also have dinner. But a ‘thing’ is nonsense. How could those two have a ‘thing’?”

“I think so too.”

Lee Joong-gul’s granddaughter and Kim Seok-il’s right-hand man having a ‘thing’?

It would be a miracle if they didn’t draw their swords every time they met. That was the general perception.

“Don’t go around spreading weird rumors. If they start a sword fight later, we’ll be in trouble.”

“Okay, okay.”

Those who had been looking at the entrance with strange eyes turned around and headed to their desks.

It was time to work now.

‘Coffee, huh?’

Lee Hyun-joo looked at the cold coffee in front of Kang Jin-ho.

That was probably the coffee that the manager had been tested on and had failed miserably.

‘It really seems like he’s getting it tested.’

Judging by how much coffee was left, it was definitely the case. Did that mean he wouldn’t touch coffee that had failed?

Kang Jin-ho was someone who had no complaints about the hellish cafeteria at the headquarters. His philosophy was that if something could go into your mouth and provide nutrition, there was no need to worry about the taste.

He didn’t know about the Clan Lord, but after making other humans understand that they had tongues and that those tongues could distinguish tastes, he was able to turn the cafeteria upside down.

That’s how indifferent Kang Jin-ho was to taste.

It felt ironic that such a person was picky about coffee. Was it because his family ran a cafe?

“Department Head Lee!”

“Ah, yes!”

Lee Hyun-soo said coldly.

“Sit down.”

“Ah… I’m sorry.”

She had been distracted for a moment. Lee Hyun-joo bowed her head a couple of times and quickly took her seat.

“We’re all here, Clan Lord.”

“Begin.”

“Yes. We will begin the morning meeting. Each department, please report. First…”

Lee Hyun-joo glanced around.

Today was the regular department meeting. It was a time for each department that made up the company to report on what had happened during the week and to make suggestions.

‘Huh?’

There was a strange face among the familiar ones. No, it wasn’t quite strange… Anyway!

Lee Hyun-soo, who had noticed Lee Hyun-joo’s expression, opened his mouth.

“Ah, before that, I’d like to introduce one person. This is Deputy Manager Chun Tae-hoon, who will be in charge of the media education department from today.”

As applause poured out, Chun Tae-hoon nodded with a subtle expression.

“…Please take care of me.”

Chun Tae-hoon was repeating one truth he had heard countless times in his life.

‘I shouldn’t have stood out…’

I just needed to stay in the middle.

Why did I have to step forward and get dragged here with a forced promotion?

Even though he had been promoted and even became a department head, his heart was still raining.

“Then, back to the reports.”

“Yes.”

Simple reports were exchanged. There didn’t seem to be any major problems. Recently, major issues had been concentrated on the education side, so there didn’t seem to be much to report.

“Accounting Department Head.”

“Yes.”

When her turn came, Lee Hyun-joo took a deep breath.

It was something she had done many times, but she was always nervous.

“I have a suggestion.”

“Say it.”

Lee Hyun-joo, looking directly at Kang Jin-ho, opened her mouth.

“Clan Lord.”

“Uh n”

“We… don’t we have to pay taxes?”

“..Huh?”

It was the moment a sudden tax bomb fell on the headquarters.