I Became the Youngest Daughter of a Chaebol Family
Chapter 104: Yoo Ha-yeon’s Daily Life (2)

Spin, spin.

She had no idea how many hours had passed, or even what time it was now—just chaos.

Seo Ji-yeon barely managed to hold her spinning head steady as she sat up. Her stomach was churning, but she couldn’t allow herself to look miserable in front of Miss.

After all, she loved beauty more than anyone else.

“Hehe, Ji-yeon. Feeling good?”

“Ugh... No, I feel awful. Um... Where are we?”

“Vladivostok. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, a lot of ethnic Koreans who were once forcibly relocated here ended up coming back...”

Surprisingly, Seo Ji-yeon reacted rather calmly. Maybe it still didn’t feel real to her.

“Oh, the base of those people, right? The mafia.”

“Yep yep. Si-hyun’s little talent garden. Strictly speaking, their main base is in Moscow, but still.”

“Then why did we come here? All of a sudden...”

Yoo Ha-yeon blinked and then nodded to ❀ ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) herself.

“Oh, right. I didn’t explain.”

“You didn’t say anything...”

“There’s a civil war in Russia. That’s why we came.”

“...?”

Seo Ji-yeon tilted her head for a moment like she didn’t understand the words—then flailed her arms in panic.

“C-civil war?! I—I don’t want to die! And more importantly, Miss, why are you in a place like this...?!”

Tap tap.

Yoo Ha-yeon smiled playfully.

“Jeez, you’re such a scaredy-cat. It’s just Moscow that’s noisy—this area is fine. And it’s not even that bloody of a conflict, just an extension of a political dispute.”

Of course, as Clausewitz said, all war is an extension of politics.

“It’s still a civil war though...”

Seo Ji-yeon asked in a near-whimper, and Yoo Ha-yeon gave her a tired, unimpressed look.

Still, there was a faint hint of mischief in her eyes—perhaps even a touch of reassurance. Or maybe that was just how Seo Ji-yeon chose to interpret it.

“Technically, it’s not really a ‘civil war’—it’s a power struggle. Between President Yeltsin and the parliament. They’re fighting over who really owns Russia. There’s still a lot of leftover Soviet baggage.”

The moment she heard that, Seo Ji-yeon instinctively nodded in recognition, as if the Korean citizen DNA in her was triggering.

‘Ah, that kind of politics.’

When soldiers take over the city, claiming they’re temporarily restoring order, and gunfire rings out in the streets... well, that’s just passionate political debate for the future of the nation between our wise leaders. Perfectly natural.

“It’s only the central part of Moscow that’s noisy. Especially around the White House—well, that’s what they call their parliament building. The rest of Russia isn’t on fire or anything. I told you to read the newspaper more often, Ji-yeon.”

Only then did Seo Ji-yeon begin to accept the absurdity of their situation as something reasonable.

‘Yeah. What’s done is done. Just accept it. Like I always have with Miss.’

Come to think of it, it might be stranger for powerful people not to argue violently when they disagree. There aren’t many people in the world as intelligent, composed, and beautiful as Yoo Ha-yeon.

So sometimes, this kind of “direct communication” was necessary. As long as Vladivostok wasn’t affected by that “vigorous debate,” there was no need to worry.

But one thing still didn’t make sense.

“Um... so you came to deliver democracy?”

Seo Ji-yeon asked, her brain struggling under the weight of fatigue. It was a dumb question.

Yoo Ha-yeon’s motivations were usually quite consistent.

“What are you talking about? I’m here to make money. Didn’t I say? We’re going to New York. This place is just a stopover. If it weren’t for Si-hyun having trouble leaving the country, I wouldn’t have come to Russia at all.”

“...Ah, right. That’s exactly who you are.”

Not long after they arrived in Vladivostok, a group of suspiciously familiar bodyguards—who seemed to appear from nowhere—approached Miss Yoo and greeted her.

Seo Ji-yeon didn’t know Russian, but it was probably something like “Nice to see you again.”

Feeling guilty about how clumsy she’d been since boarding the plane, she gulped down coffee and tried to think more clearly.

‘If Russia’s undergoing a political upheaval like this...’

—Ah.

Her mouth dropped open as realization struck.

“Its credit rating will drop. And if you know which way the civil conflict is going, you can make accurate predictions... That’s why we’re here, isn’t it?”

Yoo Ha-yeon smiled like an angel and praised her.

“Wow, Ji-yeon’s really grown up. That’s right. CDS rates will shift, and Russian-related stocks will drop too. I don’t know who’ll win for sure, but if I use Si-hyun, I can at least roughly read the direction even if I can’t control it completely.”

She clicked her tongue, disappointed that she couldn’t control Russian politics entirely—but to Seo Ji-yeon, this situation already felt like a dream.

Was it even possible for an ordinary Korean student to manipulate foreign politics? She had once promised herself she wouldn’t be surprised anymore after being awed by her master, but that resolve shattered every single day.

“Get ready. Si-hyun will be here soon. She's a sweet, affectionate subordinate to me, but to you... well, I don’t know.”

“...You can try scaring me all you want—I’m not going to be surprised. I’ve seen her a few times when I was younger.”

Of course, as always, Seo Ji-yeon’s resolve shattered within ten minutes.

***

Secretary-General Lee Si-hyun.

Seo Ji-yeon had heard her name many times. Honestly, her father, a director at Daehwa Securities, probably knew her better.

‘...But she’s a bit different from what I heard. I was prepared for a mafia type, but still... ugh.’

She’d heard she was capable, with a kind and slightly clumsy aura.

And yes, her appearance was exactly what she’d heard:

A neat ponytail, tight-fitting black suit, a solid and voluptuous figure...

‘Wow. Her chest... It’s at least double Miss’s size... No! Focus, Seo Ji-yeon!’

Still, there was something about her that didn’t quite match the image she had in her head.

“Oh, Miss. To think you came all the way to Russia in person—I’m truly honored. And you must be... Seo Ji-yeon, right? You’ve got it rough for someone your age.”

Her eyes were cold enough to freeze Seo Ji-yeon in place. She smelled faintly of blood—like someone who’d buried a few bodies before coming here.

“Y-y-yes! H-hello!”

Yoo Ha-yeon chuckled as she watched them.

“Relax, relax.”

“Y-yes! Um... Secretary Lee Si-hyun? I mean—Si-hyun unnie?”

Oops.

‘I meant to say “unnie”...!’

Seo Ji-yeon’s eyes widened as she slapped her hands over her mouth.

Thud.

Lee Si-hyun, leaning on a long sword like a cane, tilted her head.

“...Are all kids like this these days? So rude. Did you catch that from Miss?”

“A-haha. Is our Si-hyun jealous? It’s okay, it’s okay. I was even called ‘auntie’ the other day, so you’re not alone...”

Cackling, Yoo Ha-yeon hugged Si-hyun tight and buried her face in her chest. Si-hyun didn’t look thrilled, but after biting her lip for a moment, she reached out and stroked Seo Ji-yeon’s hair.

“Consider yourself lucky. If you weren’t Director Seo’s daughter, I’d have you face-down on the ground already...”

She pulled a notebook from her coat—something that symbolized her status as secretary-general.

“I’ve handled things in Moscow per your orders. Secured public support first. We’re focusing on recruiting what few Yeltsin supporters are left. Anything else, Miss?”

“Good work. You can buy most people with money or prestige, but not the truly skilled or the public’s heart. That’s where we need to focus. So... Yeltsin’s still going to win, right?”

“If you give the word, I could overturn it...”

Seeing Si-hyun’s determined face, Yoo Ha-yeon waved it off.

“Nope. There’ll be other chances with Russia. But if you die, your life ends there. Just try to keep Yeltsin from going full dictator. Take your friends and try to talk them down. You get what I’m saying?”

“...Personally, I think making it a dictatorship and controlling the dictator is a viable strategy. Not my preference, but there are politicians being backed by oligarchs.”

Ha-yeon immediately grimaced and shut it down.

“Si-hyun, can you become president of Russia? If not, don’t even try.”

“...That’s not possible. I’m a foreigner—and a woman. Even if I fake my identity, I can’t change my skin or gender.”

“Exactly. That’s why you don’t go for it. Power’s a weird thing... even nobodies can ride the wave and become president in the blink of an eye. And if the guy you backed turns around and throws you in jail, I can’t save you.”

“...Understood.”

.

.

.

After talking for a long time about things Seo Ji-yeon didn’t understand, the two women parted.

Left alone, Seo Ji-yeon wondered if she should start learning Russian, when Si-hyun suddenly walked up and startled her.

“S-sorry about earlier! S-Si-hyun unnie....”

A soft chuckle.

“No worries. Keep that notebook—it’s a gift. Take care of Miss, even personally. You know what I mean, right? Hoo... must be nice, being the same age as her.”

Nod, nod.

As Seo Ji-yeon nodded frantically and looked toward her master, Ha-yeon smiled and pointed toward the plane.

“Alright, we’ve confirmed everything. Let’s head to New York. Ha Yeong-il is waiting on Wall Street.”

“...Already?”

She was dizzy. Wh-what time was it now?

“It’s been about nine hours since we woke up.”

While Seo Ji-yeon had caught a little nap on the plane, Ha-yeon had spent the entire flight going through documents, analyzing how to make more money—even up in the sky. And yet, her face looked completely calm.

No doubt she was still calculating, an abacus spinning in her mind.

“...But couldn’t this be done over the phone? You don’t have to run around like this. I mean, travel time is technically wasted time...”

Worn out, Seo Ji-yeon asked. Yoo Ha-yeon replied with a calm smile.

“Time’s the same no matter what, right? Travel time is only a waste if you let it be. But if you use that time fully, then it’s not a waste at all. I was flipping through documents the whole flight.”

...She wasn’t wrong.

Yoo Ha-yeon always lived far too intensely.

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