Chapter 7

〈 Chapter 7 〉 1. Ash Ronmore (6)

* * *

The room was filled with antique furniture made of ebony and paper-covered sliding doors. Inside, a woman with her hair neatly pinned up was examining documents. Her skin was perfectly maintained, without a single wrinkle, contrasting with her slightly graying hair, which hinted at the years she had lived. If one only looked at her face, she appeared to be in her mid-thirties. This woman, Han Se-yeon, was the madam of 'Flower of the Moon,' the largest establishment in the entertainment district of Sector 63.

She was sitting and slowly organizing various expense and revenue statements when a knock came from outside.

­ Knock, knock. Madam, Mr. Ash Ronmore has arrived.

"Please show him in."

­ Yes, I'll be right in.

The sliding door opened with a soft sound, and a man appeared. He had striking ash-gray hair and deep blue eyes, and he greeted her with a playful smile. This man was Ash Ronmore.

"Good to see you, Madam."

"Thanks to your visit, Mr. Ash, today will be a good day."

In response to Ash's greeting, she smiled slightly. Even if it wasn't sincere, her reaction would have been the same.

Ash Ronmore was one of the biggest spenders in 'Flower of the Moon,' the largest establishment in the entertainment district of Sector 63, and he was also the most influential figure in the area, which was adjacent to the slums. In just about two years, the amount of money he had spent here was likely in the millions of credits, and his regular visits had even eliminated occasional external interference.

How could she not welcome him?

Moreover, despite being from the slums, he was very popular among the staff due to his handsome appearance and gentlemanly demeanor. Some employees even said they would work for him without pay.

It was a great disrespect to remain seated when receiving a distinguished guest. Han Se-yeon stood up to greet Ash and immediately went to prepare some tea.

"Would you like coffee, Mr. Ash?"

"Sure."

After a brief exchange, the room was soon filled with the fragrant aroma of coffee. Han Se-yeon, who had perfectly prepared the coffee and tea, returned and placed the coffee in front of Ash, who had already naturally taken a seat at the table.

"Hmm. As always, the best coffee is made by the madam."

"Thank you very much."

Ash sipped the coffee, savoring its aroma and taste, and Han Se-yeon expressed her gratitude. They sat in silence for a while, enjoying their drinks.

There was no need to discuss the reason for Ash's visit or the topics they would discuss. They had known each other for a long time and understood each other well.

After a few minutes, as the cups began to empty, Ash initiated the conversation by getting straight to the point.

"The atmosphere around here isn't good lately, is it?"

"It seems that way."

"Is 'Flower of the Moon' doing well?"

"…So far, it's fine."

Han Se-yeon answered Ash's question. "So far, it's fine" implied that it might not be fine in the future.

Ash realized that the situation was worse than he had thought.

'Flower of the Moon' was the largest establishment in the entertainment district of Sector 63, officially recognized by the city government, and it paid a significant amount of taxes annually. Even the lazy police in the entertainment district and the slums couldn't ignore reports from a place like 'Flower of the Moon.'

Not only because of the taxes they paid, but also because of the high-profile clients who frequented the place.

However, if even 'Flower of the Moon' was having problems, it meant that there was no safe place in the entertainment district. If 'Flower of the Moon' felt threatened, the entire entertainment district would be in a state of chaos, similar to the slums.

"I was planning to discuss this with you, Mr. Ash, but you came to me."

"Hmm… I'm expensive, you know. Can you afford it?"

"Hehe, if 'Flower of the Moon' can't afford it, there are very few places in this city that can."

"True, that's a good point."

The revenue of 'Flower of the Moon' was beyond imagination. Even if you combined the revenues of dozens of establishments in the area, they wouldn't match 'Flower of the Moon.' Ash, as one of the top clients, knew this very well.

Han Se-yeon took another sip of her warm tea and continued.

"What I need is the complete eradication of the nearby gangs."

"Huh? To that extent?"

Han Se-yeon's request surprised Ash. After all, she was the owner of 'Flower of the Moon.' She only needed to protect her own establishment, not maintain the entire entertainment district.

Of course, the larger the scale of the operation, the more it would cost.

To use someone of Ash's caliber to clean up the area would require a significant amount of money. And Ash was not willing to compromise on his price.

"The market needs to be stable for the customers to feel safe."

"Well, are you not collecting money from the surrounding areas?"

Even if 'Flower of the Moon' had to bear the cost, it wasn't fair for them to do it alone. Han Se-yeon shook her head in response to Ash's question.

"Everyone has their own responsibilities. Besides…"

Han Se-yeon looked at Ash and added playfully.

"Isn't the money going to end up back in our pockets anyway?"

"…Well, if that's the case, I don't have much to say."

Indeed, a significant portion of the money would return to 'Flower of the Moon.' Still, Ash was firm.

"You know, even for a madam, I don't negotiate my price."

"Of course. I understand that for someone of your caliber, the fee is more than just money."

"Alright, let's discuss the terms then."

Ash and Han Se-yeon began to negotiate the details of the request.

*

The next morning.

­ Ring, ring!

"Ugh…"

Warm body heat, the soft sensation of a woman's body wrapping around him, and the piercing sound of a mobile phone. Ash opened his eyes groggily. His sharp gaze softened, and his entire demeanor changed.

Women who shared his bed often became enthusiastic due to the gap between his usual and current appearance, but Ash inwardly complained.

No matter how many times I become a superhuman, I can never get used to mornings.

"…Who is it, calling so early?"

Awake, Ash picked up his phone to silence the ringing. The name of the caller appeared on the screen.

'Kid.'

It was a call from Shine, who worked in his office. Shine, knowing that Ash disliked being disturbed in the morning, rarely called this early. What was going on today?

Ash pressed the call button and answered before the call disconnected.

­ Hello, I'm sorry to call so early, sir!

"Ah… It's okay. What's up?"

­ There's a boss from 'Vampire' at the office….

"Huh?"

­ He said he came to see you in person. Could it be the one you let go last time….

Did that really happen? Ash's mind, still groggy from sleep, tried to recall.

The call from the woman with the pleasant voice. She claimed to be the boss of the vampires and said she would come to see him.

What was her name again, Ray, Ray something.

He couldn't quite remember. Ash asked over the phone.

"What's her name?"

­ I'll ask.

Shine's voice became distant, and a muffled sound followed. The issue wasn't the volume but the quality of the sound, making it hard for Ash to hear clearly.

Shine's voice returned.

­ She says her name is Rayla Floris.

"Ah, that's right."

Ash immediately remembered the name of the woman who had made the prank call, Rayla Floris. It was definitely her.

­ And there's another person who was with you last time, his name is Virey Forton….

"…What?"

Ash's expression changed upon hearing the next name.

He vaguely remembered the woman's name but clearly remembered this one. The scarred, brutal face, the man who had blown off the head of one of his subordinates.

They had a professional connection, so he still remembered.

"Was that a prank call?"

­ No, she really came.

"Ah, really. Got it, I'll be right there."

Whether it was a stand-in or the real deal, he knew she was from the vampire side.

But why this morning? He usually enjoyed the night and then slept in.

Ash hung up the phone. The woman who had been sleeping in his arms woke up due to the ringing.

"Umm… What's going on?"

Her voice, filled with affection, asked. Ash felt the pleasant touch of her hand on his chest but knew it wasn't a good idea to stay longer if the visitors at the office were really from the vampire side. It wouldn't be good for the kid, Shine, to be kept waiting.

Swallowing his regret, he gently pushed her hand away.

"I have to go; something came up."

"Already?"

"I'm sorry, but it's important."

"Umm, I guess there's no choice."

Click. The woman, who had been in Ash's arms, gave a small kiss and got up.

The blanket slid off her slender body. The sight of her putting on her white lingerie was captivating, but he couldn't afford to waste more time.

Ash, feeling annoyed by the early morning visitors, got up from his bed.

"Let's hope it's nothing serious."

* * *

Oh