Shrimp

    The next day,

    I stayed at home, indulging in my decadent lifestyle.

    I was in the middle of managing a ?75 billion investment,

    I had dealt with the male protagonist,

    I posted a recruitment notice for a producer,

    and started preparing for the prison business.

    I had set the larger pieces of the puzzle in place, so for now, there wasn’t much to do.

    When things are like this, it’s best to play the scoundrel''s part—fooling around.

    This, too, is a kind of image management(?) after all.

    If a person changes too suddenly, it’s suspicious.

    Why else would Emilia have bothered to investigate me?

    She sensed something off, so she had someone dig into my background.

    So, I have to keep up my act as a scoundrel. Especially since Seo Eun-mi, that NIS spy, is lurking around.

    I’d make the trainees dance while I had sex with Soo-ah in front of them,

    or I’d ruin Seo Eun-mi’s smile by messing with her (sexually),

    or send a vulgar text to Emilia with a photo of my crotch—

    I kept myself busy with all these thrilling escapades.

    Then, around 3 p.m., Soo-ah, who was busy with the prison business, brought me a file.

    "Master, here’s the document you requested."

    It was information about a woman I’d never seen before.

    "Oh, is this her?"

    "Yes, this is Yoon Ha-young, a journalist from Shin Mirae Daily."

    This was the file I had asked for earlier in the morning, concerning the reporter who published an article based on Kim Dong-gi’s expose? from yesterday.

    There was no way I could just let it slide, right? I had to give her a warning, at the very least.

    Whether it was a mistake or not, anyone who targets me must be punished.

    "The full article is attached at the back."

    "Hmm."@@@@

    The article wasn’t that long, probably because it was posted as breaking news.

    "All the key points are in there."

    "Yes."

    "Shin Mirae Daily is a pretty big media outlet, right? I doubt the reporter could have posted this on her own."

    "Normally, yes. But since it was taken down in ten minutes, there’s a chance she acted independently."

    "Hmm..."

    Indeed, no rational person would have gotten involved in such a dangerous expose?.

    Especially not something like a sex-for-favors scandal in the entertainment industry. Touching this would upset so many people in high places. Media companies survive on advertising, after all.

    As I skimmed through the documents, I noticed another woman’s photo attached.

    "Oh?"

    A strikingly beautiful woman, appearing to be in her mid-30s.

    There was something intellectual and alluring about her—a real MILF.

    "That’s Seo Hyun-joo, the team leader of the Social Division at Shin Mirae Daily, and Yoon Ha-young’s superior."

    "She’s the boss?"

    "Yes."

    Soo-ah handed me a few more sheets of paper.

    Almost as if she had read my mind, she had printed a detailed profile of the team leader.

    There were pictures of her receiving an award for being an outstanding journalist, giving interviews, and stills from videos posted on MeTube.

    You could see her from various angles, but her beauty never faltered.

    That means she’s not just photogenic—she’s genuinely beautiful!

    ‘...To launch LUMINA successfully and secure its place, I’ll need to have a good relationship with at least a couple of journalists.’

    Of course, that’s just an excuse. I was already aroused.

    "She’s pretty but can’t even manage her subordinates properly. Tsk, tsk."

    I tapped the printed photo of her face and handed it back to Soo-ah.

    Once the call ended, Seo Hyun-joo slowly lowered the phone, her face still blank.

    Even Ha-young, who was boiling with anger and passion, couldn’t help but feel concerned.

    "What’s... what’s wrong?"

    "...N-Nothing..."

    "Huh?"

    Seo Hyun-joo closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and finally managed to regain her composure.

    She swallowed hard and returned to her usual expression.

    "It’s nothing. Go back to your desk. Don’t bring this up again."

    "Team Leader... Fine, I’ll drop it for now."

    Ha-young wanted to press further, but the look on Seo Hyun-joo’s face just now was too unsettling.

    So, she backed off.

    +++

    "You mean a nyotaimori (naked sushi platter)?"

    "Yeah."

    The chef (female), who had been staying at my house since yesterday, answered with an emotionless expression.

    "There’s no issue with it, but since the model’s body is warm, it might not be ideal if it takes too long."

    "That’s fine."

    "Understood. Who will be the model?"

    "Hmm..."

    After a moment of thought, I called for Seong Ye-ji, the first trainee I’d slept with.

    "You... you called for me...?"

    She approached timidly, not even daring to raise her head.

    "I’m thinking of using her."

    "Nyotaimori models need to remain completely still. Can she manage that?"

    "W-What are you asking me to do...?"

    "It doesn’t have to be perfect. Just set the mood."

    "If that’s the case... Miss, please wash your body thoroughly."

    "???"

    "You heard her. Go scrub yourself clean."

    Ye-ji, still confused, headed toward the bath.

    .

    Evening came around, and it was 6 p.m.

    "Master, Team Leader Seo Hyun-joo has arrived."

    "Ah... really? Tell her to come in."

    "Yes."

    I sat at the long dining table on the first floor, waiting for the first guest of the evening, Seo Hyun-joo.

    Aside from Seong Ye-ji, who would serve as the plate for the nyotaimori, I had placed two trainees on each side of the table, and they were performing a sensual, almost striptease-like dance. The music matched the mood perfectly.

    Seo Eun-mi was standing quietly diagonally behind me.

    In the corner of the room, the female chefs were preparing to slice up the sashimi in real-time.

    Though the nyotaimori was the centerpiece, they were on standby just in case we needed more.

    Not that we’d likely run out of food.

    "We have to give our first guest a grand welcome, after all."

    As I poured liquor into the empty glass on the table, the sliding doors opened, and Soo-ah entered with Team Leader Seo Hyun-joo.

    "Master, I’ve brought her."

    "...!!"

    Seo Hyun-joo entered with a visibly tense expression, and when she saw the trainees dancing seductively on both sides of the room, she flinched in shock.

    It was understandable—they were nearly naked.

    "Ms. Seo Hyun-joo? Come, sit over here."

    I gestured for her to sit across from me, and though she was stiff, she bowed slightly before taking her seat.

    She looked extremely uncomfortable, her hands trembling as she held her blazer.

    It was almost pitiable.

    She had once been famous for being an upright and uncompromising journalist in her early career. But now, she looked like just another common reporter who had made compromises with reality—though still stunningly beautiful.

    "You haven’t eaten, right?"

    "Y-Yes... thank you for inviting me... but I’m not sure if I should say I’m grateful... or if I should apologize..."

    She stammered, getting up halfway.

    "Sit down."

    "...!"

    "Let’s eat first."

    "Ah..."

    She awkwardly sat back down.

    I handed her the glass of liquor I had poured earlier.

    As she hesitated, holding the glass in both hands, that was the moment my masterpiece, Seong Ye-ji, the nyotaimori model, made her grand entrance.

    "Excuse me."

    It took four women to carry her to the table.

    The decadent sight of Seong Ye-ji’s nude body adorned with various types of sashimi and sushi was almost overwhelming.

    I couldn’t help but admire it.

    Seo Hyun-joo, on the other hand, was so shocked she dropped her glass.