Chapter 10 : My gold side

I exiled Chief of Staff Cha to the conference room.

His crime was impertinence.

As a bonus, I ordered him to diligently reflect while watching videos with ‘weird titles’.

As soon as Chief of Staff Cha left the CEO’s office with a soul-left-his-body, Miley gritted her teeth.

“How dare he speak to Master like that. It’s absolutely unacceptable. He must be fired immediately.”

Then David Kim chuckled.

“Well, I hate to say this, but our butler needs to study some law. Are you aware that something called the Labor Standards Act exists in this world? It’s a law that prevents people from being fired for such ridiculous reasons. Have you ever heard of it?”

Instantly, Miley’s eyes narrowed.

“Representative Kim, are you suggesting that we should just stand by and watch even though Master’s dignity has been damaged? You have no sense of responsibility. Do you really think it’s the right thing to do not to fulfill your obligations?”

“What are you talking about? I’m just saying we should stick to common sense.”

David looked at Miley with an expression that said he couldn’t believe it. Actually, to put it nicely, it was ‘unbelievable,’ but frankly, it was the look one gives a crazy person.

Miley glanced at David’s gaze towards her, then immediately bowed her head to me.

“Master, I also suggest the dismissal of David Kim. From ancient times, those who do not serve with loyalty and abandon their duties…”

“This crazy person, for real! Pick your fights in moderation!”

“If you had been properly serving Master, would I have said anything! You ugly, weird-smelling loan shark who always sabotages things, how dare you…!”

“Wh-what? What does that…!”

Wow, they’re fighting again. Fighting.

I folded my arms and smiled contentedly at the two of them yelling and screaming at each other.

Yeah, yeah. My two precious ones. Fighting so well. Kids get closer through fighting, you know.

It was obvious that putting these two together would result in them bickering and tearing each other apart.

If they’re going to bicker anyway, it’s better for them to do it in front of me. That way, I can mediate or do something, right?

It would be better to let them have a go at each other and then establish discipline.

By the way, David was promoted to ‘New Troublemaker’.

The reason was simple.

While Miley was out to personally buy me a Zero Pepsi Lime, he told me a funny story.

‘…Um, Chairman. I’m sorry, but I have something to tell you.’

‘What is it?’

‘Well, I never intended to deceive you, Chairman. I can assure you of that. It’s just that the timing wasn’t right, so I couldn’t tell you right away….’

‘I can tell just by the sound of your heartbeat that David did something wrong to me, so just tell me quickly.’

‘……Ah, um. It’s about what Mr. Mackey recently said about me sabotaging the virtual machine.’

‘Yes.’

‘……That, I actually did that on purpose. Of course, I never intended to harm you, Chairman. I just did it to mess with Mr. Mackey, haha.’

‘…….’

There’s a saying that madness is contagious.

It means that a person who enters a group of crazies becomes crazy, or something like that. Perhaps because he met the original madman Miley, David Kim also caught the madness disease.

It’s truly regrettable.

I even kicked his shin once to make him come to his senses, but seeing what he’s doing now, it doesn’t seem to have worked very well.

‘Come to think of it, it didn’t seem to hurt that much.’

Maybe I should work out a little.

“I never liked the way you look to begin with! You look like a bald old man who pretends to be benevolent and pious while secretly being corrupt and lascivious…!”

“What? That’s a personal attack! And how would you know if I’m bald or not!”

Even while I was thinking that, the two were still fighting. Honestly, it was kind of fun, but they hadn’t fought enough to really get into it yet. They hadn’t crossed the line with each other.

“Ha! Did you think no one would know you’re wearing a wig? Everyone in this building, even the janitor, knows!”

“Wh-whawhat?!”

“You look ridiculous. You’re as red as an octopus.”

Well, they’re starting to cross the line.

I should stop them now.

“Both of you, stop.”

I slammed my hand on the table.

Then, the two, who had been pointing at each other with red faces, flinched. It seemed that because I had intentionally suppressed my presence, they had both completely forgotten that I existed.

“……!”

“Ah, um. Chairman….”

When they regained their senses, their faces turned red, perhaps from embarrassment. It’s understandable that they would be embarrassed, as they were grown adults who had been pointing fingers and exposing their true selves while fighting.

“You both should be ashamed.”

My remark made their eyes waver.

And Miley was quicker to react to the situation.

Miley immediately knelt on the floor and bowed her head.

“I apologize, Master. I have committed the sin of showing you a shameful act that I am embarrassed to even speak of. I will gladly accept any punishment you deem fit for the sins I have committed.”

David was startled by Miley’s words, which sounded like something out of a medieval movie or drama, and then he immediately folded his waist like a folder.

“I apologize, Chairman.”

I looked at them and sighed.

I don’t know what grown adults are doing, but what can I do? Even though they’re troublemakers, they’re both my troublemakers.

I have to cherish them well.

“Both of you, get up. Quickly. Straighten your backs.”

At my words, both of them stood up.

“Now, face each other. Smile and shake hands.”

At those words, both of them looked at each other and hesitated.

David had a resigned expression, wondering what the hell he was doing, and Miley… well, even if you hate it, showing that much disgust is a bit too much, isn’t it?

I spoke again with emphasis.

“Shake hands.”

Only then did the two troublemakers tightly grasp each other’s hands.

Of course, neither of them smiled.

Maybe they’ll smile someday.

Or not.

***

“Um, Chairman.”

Chief of Staff Cha, who had been watching the ‘My Awesome Play Compilation’ video for a while, looked at the three people who entered the conference room and carefully asked the ‘Chairman’ a question.

“Excuse me, but why do those two look like that?”

“I don’t know. Maybe they fought.”

Chief of Staff Cha’s head was filled with question marks at the ‘Chairman’s’ nonchalant answer.

‘They fought?’

Wasn’t everyone in the CEO’s office? They fought in front of the ‘Chairman who exudes such an aura’? Does that make sense?

I don’t know if it makes sense, but honestly, I felt like I was going to die.

Killing intent was pouring out of the two people’s bodies, like they were about to start stabbing each other at any moment!

The silence continued, as if even the sound of a speck of dust falling would echo loudly, and it was suffocating!

‘Ugh, ugh…….’

It felt like he was prey in front of a beast, but Chief of Staff Cha pinched his thigh tightly and regained his senses.

Even if you get caught by a tiger, you can survive if you keep your wits about you. No matter how much danger comes your way, if you hold onto your mentality, there is always a chance to survive.

And now is that chance.

‘If I don’t do something, I might really get labeled as incompetent.’

He had overheard something as he left the CEO’s office earlier. He heard a voice saying that he should be fired.

‘It’s probably because I haven’t shown any results so far.’

Honestly, there are plenty of excuses, but that doesn’t change the outcome. Production Chief of Staff Cha Eun-ho has done nothing since joining TS Media.

‘If this continues, it’s really over.’

So he has to do something!

And Chief of Staff Cha faced the person called ‘Chairman’ and, by watching the so-called ‘My Awesome Play’ video, he succeeded in figuring out the outline of the broadcast to some extent.

‘First of all… the first keyword is game.’

The person called Chairman was good at games.

Incredibly, overwhelmingly good.

Chief of Staff Cha is also a gamer.

He couldn’t buy a virtual machine because he was afraid of his wife’s nagging, but he’s a man who sometimes goes to virtual rooms to relieve stress.

Therefore, he knew very well how difficult and talent-dependent it is to be good at virtual reality games.

And he also knew about V-BAT.

Because he was tempted by the title of ‘the first virtual reality game’ and bought it, only to get crushed and unable to get a refund, he knew very well how much of a grind V-BAT was.

‘With this kind of performance…….’

He can’t say for sure, but there will definitely be an overwhelming performance.

‘And…….’

Chief of Staff Cha glanced up at the Chairman.

The ‘Chairman’ is a petite girl who looks like a teenager at first glance, but when you look closely, she has a beautiful visual with a mature charm.

It’s a gap that should be separate at first glance, but should I say that they harmonize exquisitely and subtly draw attention?

Having worked in the broadcasting arts industry and seen many actors and idols, Chief of Staff Cha knew very well how important such specialness, often called ‘aura,’ was.

‘She’s pretty enough to be a celebrity.’

And that’s without makeup.

If that was a face enhanced by makeup, Chief of Staff Cha, who had been in the broadcasting industry for a long time, would definitely know.

‘But she’s also rich…….’

At this point, he began to suspect that the world was made haphazardly. This is a scam. A scam. Unless God gave her everything from the beginning, how is this possible?

“Ugh.”

Suddenly, his stomach hurt. Chief of Staff Cha thought he should take some antacids later and organized the keywords.

Super rich, face genius, game genius.

Each of them is good no matter how you touch them separately, but at the same time, it doesn’t feel like they fit together perfectly.

‘I feel like I’m about to think of something. Something, something…….’

At that moment.

“Achoo!”

The silence was suddenly broken.

“Huh? What’s wrong? Miley, did you catch a cold?”

“N-no. Something suddenly tickled.”

“Pfft.”

“……David Kim. What does that, laugh mean?”

At the sound of the sneeze, the conference room became noisy.

“……Ah?”

The enlightenment obtained by hitting the production director’s head with a resignation letter was finally embodied, and Chief of Staff Cha Eun-ho’s brain suddenly accelerated. In an instant, each and every one of his brain cells awakened, and finally, the blocked meridian was opened.

Enlightenment as if the upper dantian had opened!

-Thud!

Cha Eun-ho threw down his chair and stood up as if a cannonball had been fired. The sudden loud noise made the three people in the conference room turn their heads.

In the past, Chief of Staff Cha, whose heart would have shrunk to the size of a peanut due to their overwhelming momentum, was no longer afraid of them, having reached the supreme realm.

Chief of Staff Cha opened his eyes wide and boldly declared.

“I have a draft plan for the broadcast!”

At that declaration, Miley and David glanced at each other and then passed the ball to SeongWon, who was sitting in her chair.

SeongWon sat upside down in her chair, leaning her body on the backrest, and tilted her chin as if to say, go ahead and tell me.

The gaze was like an emperor ruling the world looking down from his throne, making cold sweat run down Chief of Staff Cha’s back, but he believed in his instincts.

He swallowed hard and put strength into his stomach.

‘It’s all or nothing, do or die!’

***

“First, we need to frame the Chairman as a hacker.”

“……But aren’t there no hacks in virtual reality games?”

“That’s why we need to manipulate public opinion with comment bots.”

……Troublemaker.

What the hell are you talking about.