Richard Tarten is clearly an outstanding individual. Amidst the group of more than ten similar boys and girls, he always stood out the most. Not because he was taller or stronger than his peers.

With a gentle and kind smile always on his face, Richard never intentionally stood in front, but he always shone like the sun over everyone. Even among those of his age, he was an idol to the other boys and girls.

When he spoke, people felt more convinced; when he acted, people saw more weight in his actions. Some boys even mimicked his slightly slow way of speaking and his habit of tilting his head while thinking.

Since childhood, Richard was always wiser and more reliable than boys and girls three to four years older than him. Therefore, when Richard was chosen as one of the selected children by the seniors, no one found it strange. He deserved it. He deserved to inherit the family with its long history and to stand in the highest position to lead them.

On the other hand, it was not strange that Christoph – though different, yet undeniably outstanding – was also chosen by the seniors. Christoph was entirely qualified to challenge that position more than any of the jealous and envious boys.

However, Christoph was markedly different from Richard. Christoph could not attract people around him like Richard. He was cold, harsh, ruthless, and sometimes eccentric. Some boys were afraid of him, admired him, and others hated him.

But clearly, Christoph did not receive the absolute trust and support from the other boys like Richard. His emotionless face and icy voice created a distance with people. Perhaps Christoph’s overly beautiful appearance had a negative impact. An appearance that mesmerized everyone at first sight and set unrealistic expectations. Christoph was neither affectionate nor kind-hearted, and those expectations could not be met.

Many boys hated Christoph and spoke ill of him. They didn’t make up stories but often exaggerated and portrayed Christoph’s actions in the worst light. They prided themselves on not lying.

However, the boys who gossiped behind Christoph’s back dared not say anything to his face. Their eloquent tongues became useless when facing Christoph. They knew very well that no matter how much they badmouthed Christoph, they could not compare with him.

In this situation, it was inevitable that Richard and Christoph would become rivals. Whether they intended to or not, the boys divided into two factions. Those who worshiped and followed Richard. And those who disliked Richard for any reason—due to family relationships, inferiority feelings, or personality differences.

Though Christoph did not belong to any faction, the boys who disliked Richard assumed Christoph was on their side. Even without affirming or denying, perhaps not even having the opportunity to do so, Christoph stood on the side of those who believed him to be their ally.

With this perception and the competition stemming from the seniors’ choice, it was inevitable that they became rivals. Small and large events piled up, and their relationship, even in casual talk, could not be called good.

They were rivals both internally and externally, with sharp swords pointed at each other without retreating an inch. It was undeniable.

 ***********************

[From the perspective of Evan Tarten, one of the candidates in the Tarten family competition]

Since childhood, I have always admired Richard. As a small boy, not strong and not particularly smart, Richard was like a hero to me. Like many other boys who followed him, I also admired him. Although Richard might not have known me—a boy blending in with the crowd wanting to play with him—I always watched him. Richard was the ideal model I aspired to become.

Growing up, I realized Richard was not as perfect and ideal as I had thought; but emotionally, Richard remained the best person. Sometimes I dreamt of becoming Richard and felt happy.

Since childhood, I was a shy, introverted child with little social interaction but had a strong desire to integrate with people, so I was very sensitive to others’ emotions. I could sense someone’s mood just from slight changes in facial expressions, eye movements, or mouth curves. Perhaps it should be called observational ability.

Of course, most of my observational ability focused on Richard. I tried to follow and mimic his small habits, hand gestures, body language, etc., but eventually always had to give up. In that process, I discovered a small secret joy.

I noticed a habit of Richard’s that perhaps even he didn’t realize. It was something I randomly noticed, and I wasn’t sure, but I believed I was right and delighted silently.

Richard, always proud and confident, yet gentle and soft; sometimes while thinking, he would place his hand on his chin to cover his mouth. At that moment, the lower part of his face was covered, making it difficult to see the expression in that hidden area. Only his emotionless eyes could be seen.

When we were no longer children, around the vague period between adolescence and adulthood, one day, as I watched Richard, I suddenly realized. It was hard to believe, but when Richard was confused or cautious, he often covered his mouth like that. As if he couldn’t hide his expression and had to use his hand to cover it.

This habit was always successful because when Richard covered his mouth like that, he looked like he was calmly thinking.

But the truth was, he rarely did that, maybe only two or three times a year. Anyway, Richard, being mature and an idol to many boys, rarely felt confused or cautious.

I had only seen him do that a few times. For instance, when a boy in the group suddenly confessed to him with a serious face or when a boy who always doubted him suddenly approached and started a conversation without clear reason.

As Richard matured and got used to hiding his emotions, such moments became rarer.

Though a bit regretful, I was satisfied knowing a habit no one else knew.

*************************

Though many boys followed Richard, they couldn’t always stay by his side all year round. They lived in their own homes, the smaller branches of the Tarten family, eagerly spending their time on assigned tasks, busy with studies and other activities.

I was the same, often spending time in the library after school, attending additional classes on musical instruments, foreign languages, and sports. On weekends, I went to the main house to learn about the family business I would serve in the future.

However, it wasn’t mandatory to visit the main house on weekends, so some boys only met a few times a year.

But there was one day when everyone with the Tarten surname gathered. It was the senior’s birthday.

Every year, without fail.

I would arrive at the main house two to three days before the senior’s birthday, while the quick ones arrived a week in advance.

Usually, during this time, they would talk about small personal matters or rumors within the family.

But that year was different.

They had grown up, no longer boys and girls, most in their twenties.

No one talked about winning medals in international shooting competitions or successfully completing cello concerts. They all mentioned one name. They seemed disbelieving, sneering, clicking their tongues, and expressing regret. Everyone mentioned his name.

Christoph Tarten.

The rumor that he had refused the senior’s offer right after turning twenty had spread throughout the family.

He had given up the right to inherit the family, the right to compete for the highest position in this small yet vast kingdom that everyone desired but could not attain, requiring hard work to qualify.

At first, everyone dismissed it as nonsense. But when the rumor was confirmed as true, they were all astonished and immediately thought of Richard.

Christoph’s rival. No. More accurately, the most promising and outstanding candidate for the inheritance after Christoph withdrew—Richard.

I was no exception.

Due to an important club research meeting, I hurried to the main house the day before the senior’s birthday, and the first person to stop me was my fairly compatible cousin, Ulrich.

“Evan, you’re here. Have you heard the news?”

“What?”

Even before greeting, Ulrich started the conversation, surprising me. I widened my eyes at his excited voice.

“Christoph has withdrawn from the inheritance race! They say he told the senior on his twentieth birthday last month.”

I was silent at the shocking news, then stammered, unable to believe it.

“Really… Isn’t that just nonsense?”

“It’s true! At first, I didn’t believe it either, but I overheard Uncle One talking to Uncle Two! And do you know what’s even more surprising? You’ll be shocked when you hear this.”

Ulrich lowered his voice as if about to reveal a big secret. Although what he knew might not be that important, I still couldn’t grasp the situation, so I asked back quietly.

“What is it?”

“Christoph joined the T&R Mobile Unit…! Right after telling the senior he would withdraw, he left Dresden for Berlin. You know? That place with the crazy Rick! Although Christoph isn’t normal either, I was really shocked.”

Listening to Ulrich say, “Who in their right mind would choose that path?” I could only blink blankly.

If you talk about Crazy Rick, that’s the second son of the Riegrow family.

The Riegrow family had maintained a close relationship with the Tarten family for hundreds of years. I had met the Riegrow family members many times. Particularly because of the similar age, from childhood, we were often grouped together and made to play together by the adults. Growing up, we only met on significant occasions like the senior’s birthday, but it wouldn’t be wrong to call us childhood friends.

However, no one wanted to claim to be childhood friends with the second son of the Riegrow family, Ilay Riegrow.

Everyone unanimously said he was truly a madman, a genuine lunatic. And to maintain social reputation and personal safety, no one wanted to be friends with that lunatic. Because of this, only two people occasionally talked to Rick in the Tarten family: Richard and Christoph.

I ignored the excited Ulrich and quickly walked away. Each step made me more eager.

To clarify, although I admired Richard, I didn’t hate Christoph. Despite keeping a distance due to his ruthless and quirky nature, there was no regret between us.

However, Christoph had left the inheritance race. This meant the person most likely to carry the Tarten family now was Richard. Although there were two other contenders, they had long been unable to compare with Richard or Christoph.

I felt I needed to congratulate Richard.

Congratulations, Richard. Christoph—the thorn in your side—has finally left. Now the Tarten family is almost yours. Congratulations.

I wandered around the mansion, looking for Richard with a heavy heart. But when I found Richard in the house, he was already surrounded by many people. Although I wanted to congratulate him, with my shy and timid nature, I could only awkwardly approach.

Everyone around Richard was saying things similar to the congratulations I had intended to say.

“Great, Richard! Now you don’t have to see that annoying face anymore!”

“I’m sure he withdrew because he feared you would defeat him. You’ve won! I knew it would be like this from the start.”

“T&R Special Mobile Unit is full of madmen! He’s found the right place. From the beginning, no one was more suitable for the Tarten family inheritance than you. Truly, congratulations, congratulations.”

Among the words criticizing the rival who had left and praising the one in the advantageous position, Richard just stood silently. Not showing joy or discomfort, he simply smiled calmly and vaguely nodded at their words.

The people around admired Richard’s calm and mature attitude and continued talking. Richard seemed a bit tired, perhaps from hearing these words dozens of times.

But while patiently listening to the praises and criticisms, the topic gradually shifted to other matters. After discussing the most shocking news, they began to return to everyday topics.

What they had done, the latest news, etc….

Meanwhile, the latecomers occasionally interrupted the conversation.

“Richard! Have you heard about Christoph?!”

And Richard would be silent for a moment, then slowly nod and reply.

“Yes, I’ve heard.”

Then that person would say a few words criticizing Christoph and end the conversation with congratulations to Richard.

“Congratulations. So now you will inherit the family.”

And after that congratulations, Richard would awkwardly smile and modestly reply, “Oh, we’ll see. There’s still plenty of time.”

But it seemed Richard wasn’t very interested in that topic.

Although calmly listening to their stories, sometimes Richard would rub his temples or neck as if he was tired.

That attitude seemed to say, “I never considered him a rival from the start, so it doesn’t matter now,” and this made his followers feel satisfied, as if representing that sentiment.

However, I didn’t care about those things. I carefully observed Richard’s expression.

Perhaps because he had to repeat the same stories, he didn’t seem very happy. Having observed Richard for a long time and being very sensitive to others’ emotions, I hesitated before realizing he seemed uncomfortable. But he still smiled calmly, making me think several times and finally concluding that he must be fed up with the words around him.

Anyway, that day there was no more outstanding story than Christoph’s, and each time a newcomer arrived, the story was repeated. People were starting to get tired of this topic.

At that moment, Ilay Riegrow appeared.

His appearance was not unusual.

The Tarten and Riegrow families had a special relationship, always participating in each other’s significant events. The senior’s birthday was no exception.

That day, the Riegrow family elders had come to congratulate their close friend, bringing along their sons, who were significantly younger than their fathers.

While the Riegrow family elders and others were probably with the senior and other elders, Rick wandered alone around the house and then appeared here.

Ilay Riegrow – known as an eccentric – wasn’t someone everyone wanted to interact with, but his appearance still drew attention.

As soon as he appeared, a chilling silence enveloped the space.

Just because the two families were close did not mean that all individuals were close to each other. Rick was someone who couldn’t be close to anyone on a personal level, despite the 150-year relationship between the two families. Not only was he unapproachable, but he also topped the list of people to avoid.

While everyone became silent as if doused with cold water, Rick seemed to have casually walked by, frowning slightly at the crowd.

His sharp and ruthless gaze seemed to say that it would be best to burn and destroy everything, making no one dare to start a conversation except one person.

“Rick, long time no see. Did you just arrive? Where’s your father?”

Richard truly had the courage to smile and start a conversation with him.

Everyone silently praised him while the two chatted naturally, ignoring the thoughts around them.

“My father seems busy with old folks’ affairs. It seems old people always have much to talk about. I’m not interested in that.”

Rick waved his hand slightly.

If you only looked at his appearance, he seemed very approachable and ‘normal’, but his harsh personality overshadowed his looks. It was truly unfortunate.

What really made people feel regretful when looking at Rick was—

“Ilay! Lend me the car keys. I left my phone inside. Oh, hello everyone~.”

A clear voice rang out, followed by light footsteps.

A slender and beautiful girl, who looked just about twenty, appeared in the lobby where everyone was gathered. She called Rick’s name naturally. She was Helena, the beloved daughter of the Riegrow family and Rick’s sister.

She smiled gently with a fair face and shiny curly hair that reached her waist, like a soft cotton candy. Though she wasn’t as fragile as she looked, she was still a lovely girl.

Normally, a girl like her would attract all the young men here, but unfortunately, knowing that her brother was Crazy Rick—whom no one dared approach—made them feel sorry for her.

There were few things more regrettable than a girl like her having a brother like Rick.

“Long time no see, Helena. You’re getting cuter every day.”

I often thought Richard was amazing, especially at times like this. I—who couldn’t say a word in front of women—admired how Richard could say such things naturally and friendly, without any ill will or discomfort. This explained why he was always loved.

Yes, Richard was loved not only by men but also by women. It was obvious. With his masculine appearance, personality, abilities, and background, he had it all.

However, we didn’t envy him in this matter.

Richard had a very clear preference for women. He liked girls who were like cotton candy, fragile-looking, and gentle. He always dated girls like that.

Helena, chatting happily with Richard, seemed to fit that type in appearance, but from what I heard, Richard liked girls who were gentle and shy in personality too. So as far as I knew, they were just friends.

“Well, I’ll go find my phone. I have a call to take.”

“Boyfriend?”

“Yeah. Hey Richard, I heard your new girlfriend is as cute as a little deer. Introduce her to me sometime.”

Helena shook the keys on her finger and quickly left, and Richard waved goodbye to her.

“You still have that taste, huh?” Rick said slowly as Helena went out of sight. Richard glanced at him, a faint smile on his face.

“Yes, I’m only attracted to sweet, soft, and warm girls.”

“Crazy fool.”

This term didn’t suit Richard—a man who liked adorable girls couldn’t be called crazy. But no one dared to say that to Rick except Richard, who just smiled without replying.

“Why? I heard you recently have a very cute lover too. I even worried we might have the same taste.”

“Why? Afraid we’d fight over the same girl?” Rick sneered, and Richard laughed along.

Hearing this, I, and probably Richard’s followers, started to worry.

What if—even a small chance—they actually fought?

Although Richard might not lose, his opponent was that madman. Neither of them would leave without emotional scars.

But then I felt reassured. Richard was gentle and wise. He would find a way to compromise rather than fight. With a personality not clinging to anything, he might be willing to let go if the girl wanted.

While I was still worried about the potential conflict, Rick’s voice echoed in my ear.

“It doesn’t matter. I don’t have fixed preferences, as long as I like something. And if I have to say, I prefer faces like statues over soft cotton candy faces.”

Hearing these words, I thought of one person.

A face as soft as cotton candy was Helena, but a face as beautiful as a statue, I knew only one person. In reality, even if there were others with statue-like beauty, none were more beautiful than that person.

Christoph. Christoph Tarten.

Who else could it be?

I held my breath. Hearing Rick, I involuntarily thought of Christoph, and then a terrifying idea popped up.

Rick and Christoph.

When whispering those two names together, I shivered. The strongest and worst couple.

However, Rick not distinguishing between genders was clear, and perhaps only a lunatic like Rick could control Christoph’s personality.

Looking around, I saw that others were probably thinking the same. Human thoughts often align.

Perhaps Rick also thought of Christoph when saying that or had been thinking from the start. He mumbled to himself.

“But the problem is, since Christoph, other faces can hardly be beautiful to me.”

Richard silently stood beside Rick, staring into the void, thinking about something. I saw his face become serious, losing the usual smile on his eyes and lips.

“So you took Christoph away?” Richard whispered. Only later did I realize it was the first time he mentioned that name that day.

Right after speaking, Richard seemed embarrassed as if he made a mistake. His expression disappeared as quickly as it appeared, but I noticed. He raised his hand to cover his mouth, turning away as if thinking, but his fingers clenched tightly.

“Christoph? Impossible! He came to me. I didn’t take him.” Rick mumbled in disbelief, then looked at Richard. He had returned to his usual smile, looking at Rick like a close friend.

“One day, maybe someone will appear who makes you fall in love regardless of appearance.” Richard said gently but meaningfully. <Prophetic>

Rick looked at Richard, surprised by his naive yet reasonable words.

“It’s strange hearing those words from you.”

“Really?”

Richard just smiled back, even though those words could be considered rude. Rick whispered, clicking his tongue.

“If someone truly makes me fall for them, that would be interesting. But I’m not sure if such a person exists.”

Rick mumbled mockingly – “I’d be delighted if that person appeared.”

I disliked how he mocked my idol, so I fervently prayed he’d meet such a person and go through a mess with them.

At that moment, Helena returned after finishing her errand, handed the car keys to Rick, smiled brightly, and left. I watched her leave with a bit of regret.

Such a lovely girl, but unfortunately, she’s Rick’s sister. Even if she wasn’t, perhaps only someone like Richard would be worthy of her.

“Your sister is really adorable.” – Richard murmured, watching Helena. But Rick just shrugged indifferently.

“Many people call her Beautiful Helena.”

Rick’s tone seemed to say, “Those fools must be blind.” Richard slightly frowned, smiling.

“No, not like that. A truly beautiful face isn’t like that—…”

Richard paused, his face turning emotionless for a brief moment.

In 1-2 short seconds, Richard silently rubbed the corner of his mouth, staring into the distance as if Helena had disappeared from view.

His gaze fixed on an invisible point, unblinking, as if looking at a ghost.

But only for a moment. Richard calmly smiled again, shaking his head as if nothing had happened.

“No, anyway, I still like cute and lovable people. Warm people like cotton candy.”

He paused as if contemplating, then continued.

“Too beautiful can be disorienting and dangerous.”

His voice was deep and slow, serious enough to make me silent. Others were too.

In that moment, a strange silence enveloped.

But soon, Richard broke the silence with, “What’s wrong, everyone?” He smiled as if telling a joke.

His clear and gentle smile spread, making everyone gradually laugh— “Haha, right.”

When everyone laughed, I laughed along, not knowing why, just because seeing everyone laugh.

The only one not laughing was Rick.

He looked around coldly, as if seeing a bunch of fools. Finally, he looked at Richard. Richard still smiled gently, meeting Rick’s gaze, raising an eyebrow as if asking, “What?”

Then Rick shrugged and sneered, and Richard turned away from him.

Soon, the conversation topic shifted to personal matters. I had nothing special to say and wasn’t good at communicating, just sitting and listening.

Meanwhile, I noticed Rick—not a Tarten family member and not fond of socializing—had sat down by a column in the corner and slept.

Richard had always been the leader in our group since childhood. Now, with his only rival gone, nothing could stop him.

I wondered what it felt like when a childhood companion suddenly disappeared from the race? But seeing Richard still calm and confident as ever, I dismissed the thought.

Anyway, now he was the only one who could stand above all of us.

He stood alone at the pinnacle.

[End Hidden Track]