Yerina hesitated at the table’s edge, murmuring to Eunny that it wouldn’t take long. Bioon shooed her sister away. “There’s no rush. I have business matters to discuss while I’m here.” She waited until her colleagues and sister had departed before turning her full attention to Ollas and his friends.
“Ollas Nevin, the Homegrown Hero. It’s been a while.”
“Ma’am.” He glanced sidelong at Eunny, who was regarding her mother with thinly veiled suspicion. “You seem well.”
“I’m glad you’re here. Thought I’d have to trek up to the university to find you.” Bioon offered a polite smile to Gransen, but her mouth twitched with something like scorn as she regarded her daughter. “I represent an interest in one of Ollas’s classes this fall. Would you mind if we spoke privately?”
Gransen shifted in his chair. Eunny dug around in her bag and produced a key. She handed it to him. “Go manage.”
Gransen took the key to the repair café and beat a hasty retreat. Ollas watched him go, a sinking feeling in his stomach as mother and daughter stared at one another.
“What are you doing here?” Eunny asked, voice low but blunt.
Bioon tutted. “Is that any way to greet your mother?”
Eunny didn’t answer, merely raised her eyebrows in perfect imitation of the expectant look Bioon gave her.
“My business is with Ollas,” Bioon said. She leaned toward him, murmuring, “I thought I’d done her a favor, not insisting on the same strict filial piety norms of other Hanyeok parents. Perhaps I was mistaken.”
“So you’ve said before,” Eunny muttered. “You’re one to talk. When was the last time you saw either of your parents?”
“You mentioned something about the school?” Ollas cut in. “Eunny is helping me with my workload for a bit.” He indicated his injured limbs.
“My sympathies. I hope you recover quickly.” Bioon settled back in her chair, signaling to a passing server to bring more tea. “Very well. Eunji, this meeting isn’t to be fodder for any town gossip.”
Eunny gave her mother a sour smile. “Because I make a habit of mongering rumors.”
Ignoring her daughter, Bioon pointedly faced Ollas. “I’m facilitating for the Restorers of the Alliance and their business ventures as they pertain to Coalition interests.”
“Okay,” Ollas said, feeling lost.
“What does that have to do with Sylveren?” Eunny asked.
“The elective Ollas is teaching with Professor Rai. The Coalition is coming on board as a sponsor.” Bioon pulled an unsealed letter from her cloak pocket and placed it on the table.
Ollas skimmed the letter, while Eunny leaned closer to read over his shoulder. It contained the usual directives for regular reporting, a summarized calendar of disbursements from the Coalition, and shipping schedules. It didn’t seem all that different from other outside funding arrangements that took place at the school, aside from an excess of verbiage for nondisclosure. The delivery timetable was ridiculous, wanting weekly samples sent to the Coalition headquarters down in Graelynd; even with arcane enhancements to speed plant growth, it was unrealistic to think they’d have anything worth showing for weeks. Still, it wasn’t a major inconvenience if the Coalition was willing to pay the shipping fees, and the seals on the documentation were legitimate.
A server brought a fresh pot of tea while Ollas read. Eunny returned to the cup she’d poured for herself upon arriving, though she seemed to fiddle with it more than drink as she watched her mother. Bioon sipped her tea, the picture of calm.
“Everything in order?” she asked at last. “I can bring any questions you have back to Central.”
“No, ma’am, this is easy enough,” Ollas murmured, “but the request for weekly samples, it’s, ah, excessive. In the early stages, we won’t have anything worth sending.”
“Why is the Coalition being so micromanaging?” Eunny said.
“Standard procedure in all Coalition business.” Bioon’s eyes flicked toward her daughter. “Of course, seeing as this is our first partnership with Sylveren, perhaps we’ll need to adjust. The Coalition has high hopes for this enterprise’s success. I’ll suggest to my colleagues that we establish more frequent in-person meetings in lieu of the weekly samples. I’ll personally see to it. Does that sound agreeable?”
Ollas couldn’t tell if Bioon expected a response from him, given the way she was smiling at her daughter. Not a smirk, nothing so obvious as that, but a perfectly shaped curl to her mouth that was visually acceptable yet screamed of insincerity.
Eunny had no reservations about hiding her suspicion. She crossed her arms over her chest. “You hate the Valley and it hates you. Why would you volunteer to come here more often?”
“I have family here, Eunji. Wouldn’t it be nice to see each other more often?”
“You’ve never tried before,” Eunny muttered.
Bioon continued as if Eunny hadn’t spoken. “I admit, I’m surprised to see you attaching yourself to this project,” she said. “Considering that it?—”
“I live here. I have business with the school from time to time.” Eunny gave an indifferent shrug.
