Troll

‌⁠♡⁩ TL: Khadija SK

 

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3. Do Not Meet  

 

—

 

As soon as the new year dawned, messages poured in, as if they had been waiting for this moment. The first to make contact was the National Tax Service.

 

“Inheritance tax? Land registry fee?”

 

The person on the other end of the line explained that the trust company had refused to pay any further taxes. Therefore, Jin-ah was now responsible for covering the taxes related to the Kno-Dearg mansion. Hearing the amount they stated, Jin-ah was left speechless.

 

A mansion built on a wasteland with absolutely no utility. Moreover, it was no more than a pile of rubble, having already collapsed and caused accidents. Yet, the taxes were no laughing matter. To make things worse, they mentioned that due to negligence in maintaining the property, additional maintenance taxes were imposed under Scottish local government laws.

 

“I currently… don’t have the means to pay.”

 

The other party then suggested she could pay in installments.

 

“I’m bankrupt. So, just take the mansion or do whatever you want with it.”

 

She thought it would be a relief if she could dispose of it this way.

 

— That area is classified as having virtually no property value. Even if it’s seized, excess taxes will still be charged.

 

A piece of land and a mansion that were utterly useless. Shouldn’t there be no taxes if that’s the case?

 

Jin-ah had to clutch her throbbing head.

 

The next call came from Inspector Haywood.

 

— I apologize for having to deliver unfortunate news at the start of the new year…

 

“I know. Mr. William Evans has passed away.”

 

— Did you see it in the news?

 

“Yes, I saw it a few days ago.”

 

After briefly offering their condolences for the deceased, the two continued their conversation.

 

Although the details shared by the inspector were slightly more in-depth than what she’d heard on the news, the essence was the same. Speaking in a weary voice, the inspector mumbled:

 

— The Kno-Dearg mansion case will likely conclude roughly with this. Although Mr. Colin Parker’s whereabouts remain unknown, it doesn’t seem like the Aylesford Group will be pressing any further either.

 

“I see.”

 

She felt a strange emotion. The embezzlement by Emily, the incident on the 14th floor of the hotel, and this case that had shaken her life—were all going to end so simply and quietly?

 

In the end, all three cases faded away without resolution.

 

Emily was still out of contact. Jin-ah had received money in exchange for keeping silent about the hotel incident. And now, the mansion case was also over like this.

 

— Since you were the last person to meet with him, the officer in charge will be contacting you soon.

 

“You’re saying I was the last?”

 

She remembered Ian, whom she had encountered when opening the door.

 

His hand had certainly been reaching for her neck. If she hadn’t blocked him with her bag… she couldn’t shake the thought that he might have strangled her.

 

‘That couldn’t be.’

 

No, this was just paranoia. There was no way someone would commit such a crazy act in a crowded hospital in broad daylight.

 

— Hmm? Was there someone else present, by any chance?

 

Inspector Haywood’s question made Jin-ah pause in thought. Should she mention that she had met Ian?

 

But she hadn’t seen him entering William’s hospital room. He could have visited a different room, after all.

 

Though, the likelihood of that seemed slim. What other reason could he possibly have for being at that hospital?

 

‘Did he leave without meeting him?’

 

Since the police had checked the CCTV and claimed she was the last visitor, that possibility existed.

 

“No, it’s nothing like that…”

 

In the end, Jin-ah mumbled her response.

 

— Uh… Ah, yes! Chief Inspector! No, this is a related case call! I swear!

 

Inspector Haywood, who seemed about to say something else, suddenly spoke in a nervous tone. Then, hurriedly, he added:

 

— Anyway, thank you for your cooperation. Wishing you a great year ahead. Goodbye.

 

‘Was his boss terrifying?’

 

He hastily ended the call.

 

The third contact came from a job placement agency.

 

Before taking the hotel job, she had reached out to a professional agency. Such companies required a brokerage fee but offered far better job opportunities in return.

 

— We’ve emailed you a list of positions matching your desired salary. If you’re interested in any of them, please contact us for interviews.

 

After the call, Jin-ah checked her email and found information on about ten positions. She calmly began reviewing them one by one.

 

Location, working hours, hourly wages, insurance, additional benefits…

 

Among the list was the hotel where she had previously worked. Of course, she decisively excluded it.

 

As she went through the options, Jin-ah let out a sigh. As with everything in life, there wasn’t a single position that matched her preferences perfectly. The best option available was at a place where the head chef had a reputation for being a lunatic.

 

“How is it that salaries are lower than last year?”

 

The global recession was making itself felt, and conditions were changing faster than she had expected. Thinking of the debt she had to repay, Jin-ah pressed her temples.

 

‘Should I just go for it, lunatic chef or not?’

 

At that moment, a notification alerted her to a new email. It was from the same agency that had sent the earlier list.

 

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We’re sending you details for one more position.  

 

The recruitment for this position was supposed to have closed at the end of the year, but they reached out again because they hadn’t found the right candidate. Please review the qualifications and respond if you think you’re eligible. It’s a particularly selective position, so make sure to read through it carefully.  

 

---

 

 

Jin-ah quickly opened the attached information.

 

“The conditions…”

 

Naturally, her eyes first landed on the salary.

 

“What?”

 

Seeing the salary, Jin-ah’s eyes widened. It was more than double that of any position she had reviewed so far. When factoring in additional allowances, the total came to nearly three times the amount.

 

“Where on earth is offering this kind of pay… It’s not even a restaurant?”

 

The details mentioned that the position involved being employed by the client’s company.

 

This wasn’t particularly surprising. It wasn’t uncommon for celebrities or wealthy entrepreneurs to hire staff for their private estates in such a manner.

 

However, such employers typically didn’t approach general agencies. Thanks to the high salaries and favorable conditions, they usually relied on their exclusive networks for referrals.

 

Employers preferred this approach as well.

 

For them to have contacted a public agency like this…

 

“Just how demanding is this job?”

 

Muttering to herself, Jin-ah scrolled down to the qualifications section.

 

“No smoking. No drinking during the employment period. No tattoos… Are they hiring a chef or a monk?”

 

The list of restrictions went on and on. And that wasn’t all.

 

“They even have a test?”

 

There was an additional note stating that even if one passed the taste test and was hired, the employer reserved the right to terminate the contract immediately if they were dissatisfied.

 

At this point, it felt less like hiring a chef and more like recruiting a test subject for an experiment. It became clear why the agency had emphasized how demanding the position was.

 

“And they expect you to live on-site at the mansion.”

 

The hired individual would need to reside at the mansion, except for one day off per week. In return, they would be provided with a spacious and comfortable room, and wouldn’t need to worry about paying for meals, electricity, water, internet, or any other utility bills.

 

In fact, if desired, the mansion’s secretaries would actively assist with personal errands.

 

For someone currently strapped for cash, the prospect of having all living expenses covered was extremely appealing.

 

‘Just saving on rent alone would amount to so much each month.’

 

Jin-ah reviewed the qualifications again. Fortunately, she didn’t have any disqualifying factors. And a taste test? That was something she felt most confident about.

 

She quickly wrote and sent her application, and the agency responded just as swiftly.

 

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It turns out tomorrow is this week’s interview day. Go to this address, mention the company name, and let them know you’re an applicant. They’ll guide you from there.

 

---

 

 

Jin-ah entered the address provided by the agency into a search engine.

 

“Wow…”

 

The location that appeared on the map was a massive mansion in Hampstead Heath.

 

Just then, another text arrived. It was a notification about her loan repayment for the month.

 

“Ha…”

 

The amount was overwhelming, even for the first month.

 

She could scrape together all her available funds to make the payment this month, but that would leave her with absolutely nothing to spend on anything else.

 

She reopened the email she had just received. If she could earn that salary… No, she wouldn’t be able to pay off all her debts at once, but even after covering her monthly repayment, she would still have a significant amount left over.

 

She could make extra payments toward her debt…

 

And, even if it wasn’t much, she could start saving for the future.

 

For the first time in a long while, it felt as though a ray of light was shining through her bleak situation.

 

***

 

The next day, Jin-ah dressed as neatly as possible. While she might have opted for something more casual at another location, the house she had seen on the map the day before convinced her that a more formal appearance would work in her favor.

 

After getting off the subway, she transferred to a bus and had to ride for quite a while longer. Arriving at the park entrance, Jin-ah checked the address step by step as she walked.

 

She was stunned by the sight of the houses, wondering if such places could exist in London. Mansions so grand they left her wide-eyed, with forests separating each property—it was a sight she could hardly believe.

 

After walking for quite a while, she reached a point midway down the road, where a few people were already standing.

 

As she approached, one of the people who had arrived earlier greeted her.

 

“Hello. Are you here for the chef position too?”

 

“Yes. Looks like this is the right place.”

 

“It is. The security up ahead said they’ll check everyone’s IDs once everyone is here, and then let us inside. Whoa, do you see that barricade over there? I thought stuff like that was only at government residences.”

 

Turning her head, Jin-ah saw security guards impeccably dressed in wrinkle-free suits. Beside them were tools—not guns, but imposing enough to be effective self-defense weapons.

 

“Who on earth lives in a house like this…?”

 

Jin-ah murmured in awe, and the person who had greeted her responded as if surprised she didn’t already know.

 

“Here? This is the home of the chairman of Aylesford Group.”

 

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