I Became the Youngest Daughter of a Chaebol Family
Chapter 132: High School Student Yoo Ha-yeon (2)

Just like with middle school, I built the high school with my own money too.

Bigger, flashier.

—Srrk.

The car driven by my chauffeur slid smoothly into my private parking lot. I took my time walking in, enjoying the scorching summer sun.

“Ugh, chya. What’s gotten into you today? Why are you at school this early?”

Seo Ji-yeon, who had arrived at school ahead of me, took my bag and asked.

Seriously, it’s like everyone thinks I’m late all the time.

“You could’ve just come with me from my house like we did in middle school, you know?”

Seo Ji-yeon scratched her head awkwardly and shook her head.

“Ah... well, that’s true, but honestly, young miss, you don’t exactly come to school early. I have to attend my own classes, unlike you.”

“I still wake up earlier than you.”

Granted, my school day usually didn’t begin until the sun was already high in the sky. I spent my mornings reading the newspapers and dealing with events that happened overnight in America.

I don’t sit around sipping coffee and reading the paper every morning for nothing. Newspapers from Korea, the US, Japan, the UK, China... they’re all delivered to my mansion.

Knowing full well how my mornings usually go, Seo Ji-yeon responded as if it was inevitable.

“Well... I’m not exactly the most capable person. I try to be, but I can’t memorize everything from a newspaper like you can, young miss. I barely manage English, let alone seven languages...”

—Snap.

I lightly snapped my fingers to correct her misunderstanding.

“It’s ten languages. I studied a few more last year.”

Thanks to that, I can even read French newspapers now. Back during the Crédit Lyonnais incident, it was such a hassle getting translations that I just learned French myself. Picked up a few others while I was at it.

“Ah, yes... well, I have secretarial work now. It’s hard to keep up with serving you on top of that.”

That’s honestly a bit of a dilemma.

People only have so much time in a day. The longer someone serves me, the more competent they become—because I don’t just let people sit around.

But leaving someone that capable—or someone who’s become capable—stuck waiting on me is such a waste. So they all end up like Lee Si-hyun, eventually leaving my side.

I thought Ji-yeon would stay longer since she’s been with me since we were young...

“If you ever want me by your side, I’ll stay. Just call me.”

Seo Ji-yeon said with a gentle smile.

“...Alright.”

***

Daehwa High School gives a lot of power to the student council.

How much power? Think of your average Japanese manga student council. Maybe more.

‘It’s only possible because it’s a private school and I fund it completely. Of course it’s thanks to me.’

This school system wasn’t created just because I wanted to fulfill some fantasy. Sure, that’s part of it. But the real reason is that most of the students here outrank the teachers.

And no, I’m not talking about their family background. In fact, most students here come from relatively poor families. We recruit based on loyalty and talent alone.

Because someone positioned to become an executive in my future company holds more power than just about any professor.

Of course, with that power comes responsibility.

“Hmm, you handsome secretary over there. Do you really think this makes sense?”

I sighed after reviewing some documents for the first time in a while in the student council room.

Oh, by the way, I’m not the student council president. That’s Seo Ji-yeon. There’s a reason she keeps dragging herself to school grumbling.

Anyway, despite being just a first-year, Ji-yeon got elected through her connections and appointed close seniors and classmates to key positions.

I left her to it, but clearly, that was a mistake.

Looking down at the papers in my hand in disgust, I spoke coldly.

“This is wasteful. A waste of money, which is what I hate most.”

There wasn’t any embezzlement, strictly speaking. Maybe worse. With embezzlement, at least we could recover the money—but this was just getting conned.

“S-Sorry, young miss. I thought it’d be fine since it was someone I knew...”

Looks like someone clueless about the real world came to make a deal and totally ripped them off. From what I can tell, they charged nearly double for materials.

“And you just accepted that without checking? Didn’t it feel off?”

“W-Well, the budget was more than enough to cover it and still have some left...”

Tsk. I guess there’s a reason for the bad habit of slashing budgets when they go unused.

“Was it your money? No, even if it was—if you’re one of mine, you don’t get to waste it like that.”

Some people think I like throwing money around. Seo Ji-yeon thought so at first too—until she got a proper talking-to.

Looks like this guy had the same misconception.

“I’ll tell you just once, so listen up. If you spend money, you need results. Even if not direct results, there should be something—like risk management.”

“...Then what about you handing out cash to kids? Didn’t you literally shred bills last time?”

Oh? He dares talk back to me? I like that.

I walked over to the hot-blooded male student, sat down on his thigh, lifted his chin with my fingers, and looked him straight in the eyes.

“At least I enjoyed it. There’s the intimidation factor too. But you? Did you enjoy it? Did you have some grand plan in mind? I doubt it.”

I poked his firm chest with my fingers, smiling playfully.

“Isn’t this moment more enjoyable?”

“Ugh... Y-Young miss, please, stop messing around and get off...”

“You think this is a joke? Hah, what a rude boy.”

This works out, though. Now that Ji-yeon is busy as Chief Secretary, I’ve been short on attendants.

—Squish.

“Resign from the secretary role and attend to me instead. 500,000 won a month. It’ll count as an elective credit, so don’t worry about the rest. Got ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) it?”

As far as I know, this guy hasn’t prepped for the college entrance exam at all. He’s not particularly brilliant, but he’s well-liked and discreet. I’ll keep him as mid-tier support and work him hard.

“...Got it.”

“And use honorifics.”

He’s a third-year senior, a year older than me—but so what? People decades older still speak formally to me.

“...Understood, ma’am.”

“Good. Let’s get along, okay?”

I gave a nod to the now-subdued senior.

***

A classroom where everyone was seated in the middle of a lesson.

—Click.

I calmly walked in during class and opened my textbook.

“...Young miss, at least pretend to be paying attention.”

A middle-aged teacher with a mustache playfully knocked on the blackboard.

“It’s fine. I already know everything.”

“Yes, yes. At least in economics, you certainly do.”

“What’s today’s topic... the Opium War? Interesting.”

The teacher grinned.

“History and economics are deeply connected. We were just discussing imperialist-era economics.”

I nodded calmly.

“I don’t know much about that. I’m too kind, you see.”

“Ahaha.” _{free\we\bnov(e)(l).com}

Seo Ji-yeon, who had brought over my bag, giggled like she’d just heard a good joke.

—Smirk.

“Well, it was a joke.”

“Hm, in that case, I’d like to hear your thoughts from a business perspective. Young miss, what do you think of imperialist economics?”

“Well, from a national standpoint, it’s not very efficient anymore. If you’re going to do it, it’s better to do it like the U.S.—just barge in and take what you want.”

Why is imperialism so reviled? Because it’s basically national-level pedophilia.

They conquer underdeveloped nations by force, claim they’ve made them into adults, and then gaslight the devastated population.

There’s a reason the British are called a nation of ‘gentlemen.’

The teacher nodded at my words, but Seo Ji-yeon, already used to the way I speak, followed up.

“So from a corporate standpoint, it is efficient?”

“Exactly. And really, aren’t we still doing it? The main logic of imperialism is survival of the fittest. Strong corporations eat the weak. That’s just capitalism.”

Our beloved chairman is the pinnacle of that.

A capable king builds a nation, and the incompetent heirs ruin it—just like monarchies. And as long as the king is competent, that system outperforms even America’s CEO model.

“That sounds more like monarchy than imperialism. Aren’t those different?”

Hmm.

Mmm...

“That’s true. It’s hard to compare nations and companies. It’s better to call them multinational corporations.”

“Ah, like the McDonald’s Empire? That really does have a bit of that imperialist flavor.”

Exactly. That’s the kind of system I’m ultimately aiming for.

[...]

I stared up at the portrait of Queen Victoria and sighed.

Honestly... I envy her.

It’s strange how I still feel envy even with everything I have—but envy is envy.

If I’d been given a nation instead of just a company, I could’ve done even better.