Chapter 224 - The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

Im Hayeon should have noticed something was off when the alias 'Dueunghyang' first came up. "How can Gu Sukjeong claim to be the legitimate wife over Hubei's First Courtesan, Lady Dueunghyang?" Who would have thought that the employee hired to eliminate trouble would turn out to be the very source of it? Like someone who had just heard the most absurd thing, Im Hayeon pointed accusingly at the Sichuan Beauties Society. "Are you really saying Sichuan's Fairest isn't the legitimate wife?" "Of course not! Gu Sukjeong had hardly any presence in Volume 1; how could she be the legitimate wife?" "Hah! A beautiful flower that hasn't bowed to anyone! If it's not Sichuan's Fairest, then who else could be the legitimate wife?!" "And what pride is there in boasting about a flower grown precious and coddled in a greenhouse, never once facing hardship?" With a smug expression, Im Hayeon crossed her arms and countered the man, unwittingly emphasizing a certain prominent feature and causing confusion among the Dasuhui members. "A-hem! But isn't Dueunghyang the same?" "Absolutely not! Look at Lady Dueunghyang. Many men must have desired her, some even willing to pay fortunes to spend a night with her. Do you think it was easy for Lady Dueunghyang to maintain her chastity?" "It must have been hard." "A man whom Lady Dueunghyang truly fell in love with—thinking he was worth giving everything she had! That man is Dangjeong. Lady Dueunghyang gave him all she had; how could she not be the legitimate wife?" "The same goes for Gu Sukjeong. And Sichuan's Fairest is more beautiful than Hubei's First Courtesan, so of course appearance matters too." "Sichuan's Fairest? Hmph! Of course, Hubei's First Courtesan is more beautiful than her!" With a disdainful snort, she took a step towards the Sichuan Beauties Society, advancing her argument as she went. Was it that they were intimidated by Im Hayeon's confident demeanor, or did they not know where to direct their gaze as she approached, emphasizing that particular feature? The Sichuan Beauties Society members seemed unable to regain their composure. Is Im Hayeon doing this on purpose? "Isn't it obvious Sichuan's Fairest is more beautiful than Hubei's First Courtesan?" "Who said that? You're underestimating the courtesan world! Even among envy-filled courtesans, Lady Dueunghyang was proudly recognized as Hubei's First Courtesan! That speaks volumes about her beauty and unparalleled talent!" Is it because she herself was once a courtesan apprentice? Im Hayeon wore a look as if asking if they even knew how extraordinary that was. "Where's the logic in that?" "Hmph! Right here! Listen well: from today, Lady Dueunghyang is the legitimate wife! Sichuan's Fairest? We'll acknowledge her as a concubine at best. Understood? Concubine. Society." Im Hayeon declared confidently, as if sentencing criminals, pointing at the Sichuan Beauties Society. "Ugh!" "Calling us the Concubine Society! That's too far!" "Even as a smile girl, that remark can't be overlooked!" The Sichuan Beauties Society rebuked Im Hayeon with a look of frustration, as if they had taken a hit. "Ohohoho!" "An unshakable logic! A new star has emerged in the Dueunghyang Society!" On the contrary, Hubei’s First Courtesan Society applauded and welcomed Im Hayeon. "Lady Hayeon, a fresh perspective on the legitimate wife debate! It was almost as if you spoke from a courtesan's heart!" "I-I'm not a courtesan; I just empathized as a woman with Lady Dueunghyang." "Hurry! Escort Lady Hayeon to the seat of honor!" "A place has been prepared!" "Lady Hayeon! Lady Hayeon! Lady Hayeon!" What a mess. Even those who came to read books are now watching in curiosity. Despite separating the chatting and reading areas diligently and soundproofing the rooms, it seems it was all for naught with such clamor. "Sigh..." They're doing a fine job, aren't they? I let out a long sigh and stepped out of the counter area, walking towards the Dasuhui side. "The Hubei's First Courtesan Society is always open!" Who do you think you are, Dueunghyang? Im Hayeon raised her hand in a victorious gesture, smiling at the Sichuan Beauties Society. "Lady Hayeon." Are you satisfied? I called her with the tone of a boss who discovered an employee hired for night shifts was instead disregarding FIFO, ignoring cleanup, and staring at their phone all day. "Eek!" Did she only now realize why she had left the counter? Im Hayeon shrank visibly at the sound of my voice. "Follow me." Let’s get some training done. ----- “What were you thinking, instigating a fight?” Outside the Daseogak, in a secluded corner, I confronted her with a stern face. “I'm sorry. But they insulted Lady Dueunghyang!” She defended herself as if there was a situation any fervent reader couldn't back down from. Fine. Healthy debates on the legitimate wife matter cultivate loyal readers and maintain interest in the novel. I benefit from the special sets as well, so I'll not deny it. “Lady Im Hayeon, you're not a Dasuhui member; you're an employee of Daseogak.” I didn't hire you to join the legitimate wife debate, but to deal with troublemakers and drive up sales. “Ugh! I know. I went out there to stop it, but I couldn't hold back when they said Lady Dueunghyang wasn't the legitimate wife…” Feeling cornered, Im Hayeon argued in a small voice, realizing her wrongdoing. She must really adore the Dangga Pungun. “Do you really like Dangga Pungun that much?” I asked, my voice tinged with incredulity. “Yes. If Lady Dueunghyang gets abandoned by Dangjeong, I'll find author Ho Pil and give them a piece of my mind!” Her face was that of someone in love, making her irrational devotion clear. Severe case, very severe. At this level of obsession, no one can stop her. This situation, where a character from my wuxia otome game novel is being cheered on, is amusingly surreal. As the bookstore owner who should be scolding her, I couldn't help but feel a strange joy. "While it's gratifying as a bookstore owner that you enjoy *The Chronicles of the Dang Clan*, I cannot ignore the disruption caused by an employee supposed to support, not hinder, Daseogak's operations." I spoke sternly without revealing the curious mix of feelings within me. "Ugh!" "If it had been any other employee, they would have been dismissed immediately." If it were a mistake, I'd forgive it, but this wasn't just a mistake. My brows remained furrowed, but I slightly relaxed my lips, signaling that while I was a strict boss, I was also cutting her some slack since she was the daughter of Brother Wang and a Martial Artist's beauty, thus helping our sales. "......" Im Hayeon hung her head low, seemingly at a loss for words. "From now on, remember that you are an employee of Daseogak before being a devoted reader of *The Chronicles of the Dang Clan*." Next time, you'll face harsher consequences. "Um... does this mean I've lost my chance at being an Exemplary Worker Scholar?" "Didn't we agree to collectively reduce mistakes before starting operations? Work harder in the future." The balance of carrot and stick must always be in my hands. As long as I'm enticing her with a carrot, she’ll accept the occasional lash of the stick without complaint. "I'll remember!" Im Hayeon finally seemed reassured, bowing deeply to me. Considering how hard I worked to bring you in with *Shadowless Capture*, you're not going anywhere. I'll keep you here. Waving her off, I returned to Daseogak. ----- Daseogak reopened after a long temporary closure. Eager members of Dasuhui swarmed in, but the effects of the closure weren’t completely nullified. 'Customer numbers have gone down.' After reviewing the ledgers from the reopening, I came to a conclusion. 'Thanks to the revenue from the second floor, sales are about the same, but this signals danger.' While it’s good that loyal patrons have boosted sales, that alone is not enough to put my mind at ease. Book sales, in particular, have significantly dropped. 'Fortunately, food sales are doing well.' The selection of staff for the second floor was brilliantly done. From the counter, I watched Im Hayeon hand out a drink with a business smile. "Mr. Hwang, your Xiangya Coffee Set is ready!" "You remembered my name?" "Of course. You order the Xiangya Coffee Set every time." "Ah, so Lady Hayeon remembers because you’re from Hubei's First Courtesan Society." "Give me a Xiangya Coffee Set too!" "But aren't you from Sichuan's Fairest Society?" "F-from today, I'm with Hubei’s First Courtesan Society!" It’s amusing how they're all melting at Im Hayeon’s smile. Ever since I had a word with her, she’s dutifully handled trouble-making tasks. Though she occasionally looks like she’s itching to join the legitimate wife debate, she must have switched to cheering for the Dueunghyang Society under my watchful eye. That level of involvement is permissible as it actually helps draw in customers. "Having flowers serve orders instead of frumpy men really livens up Daseogak." "I can hear you calling me frumpy, you know." I replied gruffly to a regular from Dasuhui. "Hahaha. My apologies. Also, it must be noted that some Dasuhui members who weren't showing up have started coming back thanks to the new staff." "Yes. It appears I’ve hired well." The second floor wasn’t just run by Im Hayeon and Hasoso; other women were also employed, enhancing the lively atmosphere. Was it really just my working demeanor that was dull? "I hear the women here now put the beauty of any brothel to shame." Eavesdropping with my enhanced hearing, I caught snippets of murmuring from various customers. "Never in all the brothels I visited in Yichang have I seen a beauty like that pink-haired woman." "Is that so?" It seems the rumor of Daseogak hiring beauties has reached beyond Dasuhui, bringing in unfamiliar male customers. Though some of them seem unsure whether they’re there for the books or the women. 'Relying solely on regulars for sales has its limits.' While the Dasuhui members are loyal patrons, drawing in the general public is imperative. I know the best route would be to quickly publish Volume 3 of *The Chronicles of the Dang Clan*, but diversifying our measures is better than focusing on a single solution. 'The inertia that used to bring them to Dasuhui has lessened, accounting for the drop in general customers. How can we regain that...?' "Manager!" Lost in thought, I was interrupted by Hasoso approaching. "Miss Hasoso. What's the matter?" "Haha. Um, could I have some of the leftover sweets from the customers?" She asked bashfully, much like a convenience store employee asking if they could consume expiring stock. "Lunch time is soon; wouldn't it be better to have a proper meal?" In a world where proper lunchtime wasn’t a given, I had introduced dedicated lunch breaks, much to the shock and joy of my employees. "Hehehe." Hasoso laughed awkwardly at my question. Don't tell me. "Are you skipping lunch?" "Ah! Well..., I make sure to have a big dinner! Otherwise, I can't sleep." She avoided my gaze, seemingly embarrassed by the confession that she skips lunch. "Is it the same for the other employees?" "Many of them do eat, but some skip meals due to financial difficulties." Daseogak is a book cafe, not a restaurant providing meals. I had assumed giving them a lunch break would suffice, not realizing some were going hungry. Dumbfounded, I stared at Hasoso, my attention drawn to the stains on her sleeves. "What's with the stains on your sleeves?" Why does she have those? Her sleeves were dotted with spots that looked days old. "I accidentally spilled coffee while cleaning up." Embarrassed, Hasoso tried to hide her arms behind her back. Why haven't you changed your clothes? I was about to ask when the realization of her financial struggles dawned on me. I remember a time when I was a struggling merchant and spent all my money on a single good outfit. So they might not have an extra set of clothes. With business just having resumed and new employees hired, unforeseen problems are cropping up. I need to both increase customer numbers and take care of the staff. Lost in thought, I pondered over how to resolve these pressing issues. There has to be a good solution. After much contemplation, an idea struck me. I'd better step out for a bit. "I’ll be stepping out for a while. Eat fresh snacks, not leftovers from the customers. Also, tell all the staff to gather on the second floor for cleanup later." When a good solution comes to mind, it should be implemented at once. --- After running a few errands, I returned to Daseogak with a plan ready to be set in motion. The idea to ensure everyone was well-fed and properly attired would undoubtedly take some burden off my staff. Gathered on the second floor, the employees looked at me curiously, likely wondering why I had called them together. “I’ve noticed some issues recently and want to address them. First, we’ll set up a small pantry with snacks and light meals here on the second floor, so no one has to skip meals again.” A murmur of surprise mixed with relief spread among the employees. “Additionally, I’ve arranged for a local laundromat to handle our uniforms. You’ll get fresh, clean outfits regularly without worrying about washing them yourselves.” Their faces brightened, the tension visibly easing. “But remember, you are representing Daseogak, so let's work together to improve our service and ensure our customers have a pleasant experience.” My staff nodded, showing their understanding and appreciation. With these changes, I hope to foster a more supportive and efficient work environment. "We'll be making these improvements starting today. Let's do our best." Feeling the weight of both relief and responsibility, I knew that attentive care for both customers and employees would uphold the reputation and success of Daseogak.