Lazy Genius Striker [EN]: Chapter 112

< Episode 111 – Sir Yohan Van >

“Huh? You want me to play along?”

“Yes. Yohan worked hard in this competition because of that.”

“So, at least during this break, you should nag less.”

“Oh, please.”

Kim Ra-hee looked dumbfounded at Rohan and Ban Seok-ho’s words.

Playing aristocrats, huh?

However, after hearing the story, Kim Ra-hee didn’t think it was so bad.

“Butler?”

“Yes. You know, when you look at history books, there are things that come to mind when you think of nobles.”

“Mom likes that more.”

“And a maid…”

“Ban Rohan.”

“No, I’m just kidding. Haha!”

When they talked about finding someone to play the role of a butler, Kim Ra-hee liked it even more.

Of course, Rohan’s suggestion to hire a maid was neatly rejected.

“What else is there?”

“Hmm. Well. Isn’t that enough? Yohan is only at home anyway. We just need to do well. Well.”

“Anyway. Let’s do everything Yohan wants during this break.”

“Okay. I won’t nag either.”

That’s how playing along with Yohan’s aristocratic play began.

*

“Yohan-ah.”

“Umm…”

“Wake up for a second. The butler is here, so say hello. He will help manage the house from now on.”

“···!”

A few days later.

Yohan, who was fast asleep at Kim Ra-hee’s words, opened his eyes wide.

Butler!? He finally came.

Did the royal family send him?

To maintain his dignity, Yohan washed his face roughly and went to the living room.

Then, a dignified old man with a classic appearance bowed and greeted Yohan.

“It is an honor to meet Sir Yohan. My name is Jeremy Scott, and I will be in charge of duties from today. Please, call me Butler or Jeremy.”

“Ah, yes. Please take care of me.”

“I look forward to working with you too, Sir Yohan.”

Yohan scratched his head and burst into a bashful smile, and the rest of the family held back their laughter.

“Then I’ll sleep a little more.”

“As you wish.”

After Yohan returned to his room with a proud expression,

Kim Ra-hee thanked Jeremy the butler with an embarrassed expression.

“Please continue to do this in the future. I appreciate you accepting this difficult offer. Just think of it as playing along with a child.”

There is nothing that money can’t do in this world these days.

Hiring a housekeeper is common even in ordinary families.

Of course, in this case, it was a bit embarrassing because there was a condition that they had to play a role.

However, Jeremy the butler seemed even more immersed in it.

“Actually, what I just did wasn’t the role-playing you told me about.”

“···Yes?”

“I mean it. It is a great honor. That I can be Sir Yohan’s butler.”

Jeremy the butler winked and whispered.

“I’ve been a West Ham fan for 60 years.”

For now, it seemed like the right person had come for the role of butler.

*

“You mustn’t do or say anything that breaks the immersion, even for a moment. Everyone, let’s do it right without making any mistakes.”

“Yes. I will keep that in mind.”

The Grand State Park, a 5-star hotel located in the heart of London.

This hotel, where Adam Ginsberg, one of West Ham’s owners, is the president, is particularly busy today.

Because today is the day of a special party for VVIPs [Very Very Important People].

The VVIPs were Yohan and his family.

Yohan, who put the team in second place in the league with his unbelievable performance last season and even brought them the FA Cup [Football Association Challenge Cup] trophy.

Not only that, but he also won the European Championship as a member of West Ham, raising the team’s status to the fullest.

Ginsberg, the owner, wanted to do something for Yohan.

However, Ginsberg thought this was it when he heard the story from Yohan’s father, Ban Seok-ho, while making a congratulatory call.

Aristocratic play.

Ginsberg decided to use the entire VIP lounge as a party venue only for Yohan and his family.

In fact, the VIP lounge was a facility that accounted for a significant portion of the hotel’s sales.

Everything served in the VIP lounge is free, but the lounge is only available to VIP room guests.

In other words, turning the VIP lounge into a private party venue, even for just one day, meant emptying the entire VIP room for a few days before and after.

So, from a manager’s perspective, it was a very risky task.

However, what couldn’t he do for Yohan?

How much income has he earned thanks to Yohan, and how much income can he earn in the future?

Not only the club, but even if you only consider the hotel’s income.

For example, the suite that Yohan’s family stayed in last time was fully booked until the end of the year just because Yohan used it.

Of course, apart from all that, Ginsberg could do anything with just his fanboy heart.

Ginsberg, an ambitious businessman, had never thought that he had succeeded, but he felt a sense of pride as he prepared for this party, thinking that he had lived quite diligently.

He was in a position to invite Yohan and throw a party for him.

More than being the president of a global hotel group and the owner of a club, the fact that Ginsberg could do something for Yohan was a bigger deal to him.

“President, the VVIPs have arrived.”

“Good. Let’s get started.”

At the manager’s words that Yohan’s family had arrived, Ginsberg, wearing a classic tuxedo, rubbed his hands and headed to the lobby.

From now on, he was not the president of a hotel group or the owner of a club, but the head of a merchant group who invited nobles to a party.

*

“He looks like he’s having fun, right?”

“He looked annoyed when he left the house, but he looks happy.”

Rohan and Ban Seok-ho, who were sitting in a corner of the lounge with neat clothes and sipping drinks, smiled as they watched Yohan and the club owner talking over there.

Owner Ginsberg was personally introducing this VIP lounge to Yohan.

Wearing clothes that you might see on Halloween.

“That man has changed a lot too.”

“That’s what I’m saying. I’m embarrassed that I cursed at him before.”

To be honest, until the season before last.

That is, until Yohan joined the team, Owner Ginsberg had never been liked by fans.

This was because Ginsberg was known as the stingiest of the three owners currently running the team.

Even if owners Raheem McManaman or Mark Andrew said they would invest a lot this season, their investment plans would be reduced after meeting with Ginsberg.

There was a lot of talk among fans that if West Ham couldn’t become a big club, it would be because of Ginsberg.

However, after Yohan joined the team, he felt that Ginsberg had changed a lot.

Bringing in four starting players at once, succeeding in signing the hottest player in the transfer market, and not sparing investment in the team.

He even threw a party for one player today.

“Yohan must be really good.”

“Why wouldn’t he like him?”

Indeed.

If a player like Yohan is on the team, even a miser can’t help but change.

Of course, there are many club owners with rotten mindsets who don’t even give their franchise stars fair treatment.

Ginsberg was originally one of those owners.

But if it’s Yohan’s level, it’s a different story.

A Ballon d’Or [best soccer player in the world] winner, not just a franchise star, but a superstar.

A superstar who will raise the club’s status to the highest level in Europe in an instant.

Anyway, Yohan was being treated like a proper aristocrat today.

Yohan seemed happy that the things he had imagined were becoming a reality.

Rohan and Ban Seok-ho couldn’t help but smile as they looked at Yohan.

“You know, men are the same even when they get old.”

“Huh?”

“Why are they more excited? The butler and that club owner. They’re more excited and doing that.”

“To say that, you seem to be the most excited right now.”

Well, in fact, Kim Ra-hee seemed to be the most enjoying this place.

Thanks to her son, she is living a life of luxury that she has never dreamed of these days.

She gets to see her son receive a knighthood from the crown prince, and she is treated so extremely that it is uncomfortable.

Of course, she doesn’t hate it.

Kim Ra-hee likes it the most.

“By the way, does this country still have something about titles?”

“Huh?”

“Everyone is treating him like a real aristocrat. Or is it just that the employees are well-trained? Anyway, I’m grateful that they’re playing along so well.”

Ban Seok-ho and Rohan laughed at Kim Ra-hee’s words.

Rohan said with a smile.

“Mom. Titles aren’t important right now.”

“Huh?”

“Yohan is a guy who can play God, not just play aristocrats. Why else would everyone be so sincere?”

That’s right.

People aren’t playing along because Yohan received a title.

The problem isn’t that he’s an aristocrat.

The current Yohan, as I said, is a superstar in himself. His popularity could rival even the royal family.

Yohan is not being treated like an aristocrat, but like a god.

“He looks like an older brother when you see him on the field, but when you see him like this, you realize he’s definitely a younger brother. He must be mistaken that he’s being treated like this because he’s become an aristocrat.”

“Isn’t he cute?”

Sir Yohan Van.

The reason people like Yohan is not because of the Sir in front of his name.

It’s the name Yohan Van itself.

It was just funny that only Yohan didn’t know that.

ㆍㆍㆍ

This summer was even more bustling than usual due to the European Championship.

However, even while the competition was in progress, the clubs were busy preparing for the new season.

This is because the summer transfer market period, which can be seen as the most important time of the year, is now.

In particular, this summer transfer market is bound to be even more active, as the European Championship itself was a showcase.

Players who showed outstanding performances in the European Championship were bound to receive many advances, and there were already quite a few official transfer news.

The same was true for West Ham.

West Ham had spent a lot of money last summer and winter and made solid investments, but they had no intention of taking a break this summer.

Rather, all of those investments had been successful, so there was no reason to stop investing.

-[Official] West Ham activates option to permanently transfer loanee Harry Kane··· Contract until 2030

-Jonathan Neeson extends contract until 2031

-Jeff Hurrichel’s value doubles··· Will be responsible for West Ham’s goal until 2031

West Ham first announced a series of contract extensions with key players.

They extended the contract periods with existing players such as Jonathan Neeson, Jeff Hurrichel, and Jacob Buckley, and completely signed Kane, who was a loanee.

There was no reason for any of them to leave the team, so the contracts could be processed quickly.

Of course, the most important news was about Yohan.

West Ham had renewed their contract with Yohan early last winter.

However, rumors about Yohan were still rampant, and inquiries were actually received from countless clubs.

West Ham, feeling impatient, had no choice but to prepare another contract renewal after only half a year.

“This is the best sincerity we can show you.”

“···Yes. No, well. I think I know even if you don’t say that.”

West Ham showed the utmost sincerity to the extent that Ban Seok-ho, who reviewed the contract, opened his eyes wide.

They were already treating Yohan at the highest level in the team, but a little more.

They added a little more.

Thanks to Yohan, they advanced to the Champions League, and the resulting profits were astronomical.

The club used the profits earned thanks to Yohan for Yohan.

In that way, while holding onto existing players.

They were also not neglecting the search for external acquisitions.

What the current team needs is, of course, defensive resources.

The attack is enough with just Yohan, and there is also Kane to support Yohan.

However, the defense, especially the center back line, needs to be reinforced.

That too, in the long term.

The current players are quite old.

The good thing is that West Ham’s position in the transfer market is very different from the previous season.

First of all, the team has advanced to the Champions League.

One of the conditions that top players consider as important as money is the Champions League.

The difference between a team that can play in the Champions League and one that cannot is like heaven and earth.

In that respect, it is not impossible to sign a fairly classy defender.

Above all, the fact that there is an attacker named Yohan on the team will also be a merit.

If you come to West Ham, you don’t have to face Yohan in the game.

This can be a sufficient merit in signing a defender.

Therefore, West Ham was showing interest in players this summer that they would not have even thought of making an offer for in the past.

However, unexpected news came to such West Ham.

“Reverse offer···?”

I thought that players would be positive about considering West Ham, but I didn’t know it would be to this extent.

It was news that a league top-class, national team defender had made a reverse offer to the club.