Troll

‌⁠♡⁩ TL: Khadija SK

 

✧✧✧✧✧

 

As others carried their belongings out, the assistant placed an employment contract in front of Jin-ah.

 

“The only person who answered correctly was you, Miss Jin-ah. Take your time to review it from the beginning and sign it. If you have any questions, feel free to ask at any time.”

 

At the assistant’s words, Jin-ah picked up a pen and began examining the contract from the first page. As expected, it was a formal employment contract under Aylesford’s company, just as it had been explained.

 

“If you have any other questions besides the contract, feel free to ask.”

 

“Hmm… About the accommodation provided here, when can I start moving in?”

 

“You can move in as soon as you sign the contract, even today. If you’d like, we can provide a vehicle as well. If you have a lot of belongings, there’s also a separate storage facility you can use.”

 

Once the agreement was settled, the assistant’s demeanor became noticeably kinder than before.

 

“Even a vehicle?”

 

Hiring a moving van usually costs quite a bit. Plus, being able to use a storage facility? The conditions were almost too good to be true. The assistant’s increasingly friendly attitude convinced Jin-ah that they were quite desperate.

 

“You seem to be in urgent need of someone to work.”

 

“To be honest… yes. Last week, someone passed the test, but after the employer had dinner with them twice, they decided they weren’t suitable and terminated the contract. Since then, the employer has barely been eating at home, and everyone’s been on edge. That candidate was even a head chef at a well-known restaurant, which made it all the more disappointing.”

 

There was a hidden undertone to those words.

 

Feigning indifference, Jin-ah flipped through the contract. There wasn’t anything particularly problematic about it. The more she reviewed it, the more satisfied she felt.

 

Jin-ah’s mind was already racing with plans: how to organize her belongings, allocate her new salary, and repay her debts.

 

It finally felt like she could breathe. If the assistant hadn’t been there, she might have hummed a tune. Feeling optimistic about the start of the new year, she was reviewing the final special provisions when she heard a knock.

 

Another staff member entered and whispered something to the assistant.

 

“One moment, could you hand me the contract?”

 

“…?”

 

Wondering if there was an issue, Jin-ah handed over the contract, only for the assistant to snatch it hurriedly. Then, with a suddenly stern expression, the assistant said,

 

“I’m sorry, but we won’t be able to proceed with the contract, Miss Jin-ah Troll.”

 

“What? What do you mean, all of a sudden?”

 

These were the same people who had urgently pushed the contract forward, insisting she review it carefully. Their sudden change in attitude was clearly due to what the other staff member had just whispered.

 

“Why are you doing this? Is there a problem?”

 

“…We just checked your background. You’re probably well aware, but you’ve had some prior involvement with Mr. Ian Aylesford, haven’t you?”

 

For a moment, Jin-ah wasn’t sure whether they were referring to the incident at the Kno-Dearg estate or the incident at the hotel.

 

“…Isn’t conducting a background check without permission illegal?”

 

She tried her best not to sound shaken, but her trembling voice betrayed her efforts.

 

“You must not have read the consent form carefully before the test.”

 

“Fine, let’s say background checks are allowed. But as far as I remember, there was no clause stating that being Jin-ah Troll disqualifies me from employment.”

 

Even as she argued that the contract termination wasn’t justified, she felt pathetic for clinging to it.

 

“Do you think I’d hold a grudge over what happened in Scotland and harm the Aylesford family because of it?”

 

The assistant didn’t respond. Silence was as good as confirmation. Jin-ah realized there was no point in arguing further. Truthfully, she had known the contract was a lost cause the moment the assistant spoke. Still, she had clung to hope because of the possibilities she had glimpsed just moments earlier.

 

Without another word, Jin-ah packed her bag and stood up. When she opened the door and stepped outside, the staff member who had delivered the message earlier was waiting with a large paper envelope in hand.

 

He handed it to her as she approached.

 

“What’s this?”

 

“It’s a small token of appreciation for everyone who came here today. Please don’t feel burdened and take it.”

 

A hollow laugh escaped her lips. The way he handed her something she hadn’t asked for and insisted she take it was almost comical. They were even being generous with the gesture. She accepted it begrudgingly, thinking they’d probably chase after her to give it back if she threw it away.

 

She planned to dump it all right outside the gate as soon as she left the mansion.

 

Outside, a cart—clearly prepared in advance—was already running, ready to take her away. It was evident the mansion’s residents wanted her gone as quickly as possible.

 

The cart moved roughly as soon as Jin-ah got on. Once she was out of sight of the office, she opened the envelope and looked inside.

 

“Ha…”

 

As the other applicants had mentioned earlier, the envelope contained vouchers and gift cards for Aylesford-affiliated supermarkets. Among them was also an envelope with cash.

 

A printed note explained that the cash was meant to cover her transportation expenses for coming all the way there.

 

The cart reached the main gate much faster than it had taken to get in. The guards, apparently informed of her departure, had already opened the gate in anticipation.

 

“Safe travels,” they said, their farewell rushed and perfunctory.

 

Once outside, Jin-ah clenched the envelope in her hand tightly.

 

She could just throw it all away right here.

 

Her hand trembled as it held the envelope. After a long moment, she lowered it limply.

 

Everything inside the envelope was the sort of thing she would have eagerly made use of under normal circumstances. The coupons could be used at the supermarket right next to her home, and the gift cards were valid at one of the most expensive grocery stores in central London.

 

With what was inside, she wouldn’t have to worry about grocery shopping for at least two months.

 

And it wasn’t just coupons—they had even added cash. A quick glance revealed over 500 pounds in the envelope.

 

Could she really toss all of this away? The answer was “no.”

 

“Ha… I keep sinking lower.”

 

A bitter laugh escaped her lips.

 

At the hotel, she had sold her pride for 30,000 pounds. Today, it felt like she had sold it for just 3,000.

 

Jin-ah glared at the mansion’s front gate, her gaze locking briefly with the wary guards who seemed ready to intervene at the slightest provocation. Even a homeless person brandishing a knife wouldn’t receive this level of caution.

 

How could the emotions on arrival and departure be so drastically different?

 

As she walked toward the bus stop, Jin-ah pressed her hand against the corners of her eyes. The sudden rejection felt particularly painful, perhaps because she had been so wrapped up in hopeful dreams. What might otherwise have been merely frustrating now felt deeply humiliating.

 

She clenched her fists to hold back tears, but they eventually spilled over, trickling down her cheeks.

 

“…At least it’s a quiet neighborhood.”

 

The street was lined only with opulent private homes—there wasn’t a single shop in sight.

 

Thanks to that, there were no pedestrians around. Only the occasional luxury car, so long it made her wonder how it could possibly fit in any parking space, passed by.

 

As Jin-ah wiped her tears and walked a few more steps, a sharp screeching sound rang out behind her. Turning around, she saw the same car that had brushed past her earlier now stopped in its tracks.

 

Worried that it might have been an accident, Jin-ah glanced back, but that didn’t seem to be the case.

 

As she turned back and began trudging forward again, she heard the sound of a car door opening behind her, followed by a familiar voice.

 

“Miss Jin-ah Troll.”

 

“…!”

 

It was Ian’s voice. Jin-ah let out a dry laugh. Wasn’t this mansion supposed to be inhabited only by the chairman? Why on earth was he passing by at this particular moment? And why did he feel the need to call out to her unnecessarily?

 

Ignoring his voice, Jin-ah kept walking. Let him call out all he wanted. He wasn’t her employer, after all, just a random passerby. She had no obligation to stop just because someone called her name.

 

“Jin-ah Troll!”

 

His voice grew louder, more forceful this time. She couldn’t help but smirk bitterly. Funny how she’d just realized something: he didn’t mispronounce her name as “Jina” or “Gina” in some careless, anglicized way—he pronounced it correctly, in its entirety, “Jin-ah.” That hadn’t always been the case, had it?

 

Then, the sound of quickening footsteps from behind reached her ears.

 

‘No way…’

 

The thought that he might actually be chasing her had barely formed in her mind when she felt his hand roughly grab her wrist and yank her back. Already weak and trembling from holding back tears, her body spun unsteadily and almost toppled over as she was forcibly turned around.

 

“What do you think you’re doing?!”

 

Jin-ah screamed with all her might, startled by his unexpected behavior. Both the driver who had followed him out of the car and the guards standing at the mansion’s entrance turned to stare at the two of them in shock.

 

Realizing she had suddenly become the center of attention, a wave of humiliation and frustration surged within her.

 

“What’s so exciting that you had to call out to me? Couldn’t you have just passed by?!”

 

Jin-ah shook her wrist, trying to free herself from his grip, and lifted her head to glare at him. At that moment, Ian’s large hand reached out and cupped her tear-streaked cheek.

 

As he gripped her face firmly, the tears that had been streaming down her cheeks fell onto his hand. Without hesitation, he withdrew his hand and brought it to his lips.

 

Then, as if completely indifferent to the fact that she was watching, he licked his hand.

 

A look of pure ecstasy spread across his face, as though he had just tasted the finest delicacy in the world.

 

✧✧✧✧✧