There was no house number here either.

No, perhaps somewhere on this fence there would be a sign. But the fence in front of him seemed endless, searching for a sign on it was like looking for a needle in a haystack.

“Although I’ve seen quite a few mansions and Kyle’s house isn’t small either……”

Jeong Taeui mumbled while looking at the fence that seemed to stretch indefinitely.

His genius older brother was often invited to the homes of high-ranking officials since childhood, and thanks to him, Jeong Taeui had the opportunity to visit the most luxurious mansions. However, the mansion in front of him was particularly impressive.

“Who lives in a palace like this…… Wow. I can’t even tell which one is the main building.”

Like a country girl visiting Seoul for the first time, Jeong Taeui tiptoed, admiring the fence. He could see a building far away through the heavy iron bars of the large gate, but he couldn’t tell if it was the main building of this house.

Jeong Taeui stared at the paper in his hand. He had memorized the address written in Kyle’s scribbly handwriting, but he wasn’t sure if the mansion in front of him matched the address on the paper. He looked around once more, trying to find a sign with a house number but was unsuccessful.

Next to the tall iron gate was a small guard booth. Two security guards in uniform sat inside, casting suspicious glances at Jeong Taeui. It was understandable. After all, an unfamiliar Asian wandering near someone’s gate and looking around was indeed suspicious.

“Better to just ask.”

Jeong Taeui put the paper back in his pocket and walked towards the guard booth. As he approached, one of the guards stood up and came out.

Though facing each other through the iron bars felt somewhat wrong, it was him standing outside, so he didn’t need to think much. After all, it was they who were trapped behind the bars.

“What brings you here?”

The guard asked in a polite but firm tone, his eyes a mix of caution and curiosity, not only from him but also from the guard inside the booth.

“Uh, I’m looking for Christina Tarten.”

“Christina Tarten?”

The guard’s expression became strange.

He repeated the name Jeong Taeui mentioned suspiciously, then shook his head and looked back at the guard booth. The guard inside seemed to hear something and nodded. Jeong Taeui stood there, not understanding a thing.

Although he couldn’t see the address of this house, he was almost certain he had come to the right place.

Kyle said it was a large house that would catch his eye at first sight. This was the only outstanding house in the area. In fact, it was overwhelmingly large.

“No one by that name here.”

The guard spoke to his colleague and then walked to the gate, crossing his arms and speaking firmly.

Jeong Taeui exchanged glances with him.

His face didn’t seem to be lying. There was no reason for him to lie. Jeong Taeui scratched his head.

“This is Tarten, right?”

“Yes.”

“………Christina Tarten, then……..”

“No one by that name here.”

It was complicated from the start. What was the problem?

To be sure, Jeong Taeui asked if there were any other Tarten mansions around, but the guard just shook his head, looking as if Jeong Taeui had asked a silly question.

“This is difficult……”

Jeong Taeui sighed and mumbled. It seemed he had to contact Kyle again.

Tarten.

It was a name he had heard a lot recently. When he learned Christina’s surname was Tarten, he realized why she was a guest not to be easily turned away. After all, the two families had been friends for decades. Only then did Jeong Taeui understand why Ilay had such a childhood friend.

Though Jeong Taeui knew meeting her wouldn’t be easy, he didn’t expect it to be this difficult before even meeting her.

So first, he had to contact Kyle and check……..

Just as Jeong Taeui was about to step away from the iron gate, a dark blue car arrived and parked right at the gate. Perhaps they were also going into the mansion. The guard saw the car, checked the driver, and opened the gate.

As the guard opened the gate, the car window rolled down, and the people inside looked puzzled at the sight of an unfamiliar Asian standing next to the car. Inside were three young men of similar age. The young man in the passenger seat called out to Jeong Taeui jokingly.

“Who are you looking for?”

They looked alike, perhaps brothers or relatives. Likely people of the same bloodline.

Maybe they knew a distant relative’s name that the guard didn’t know.

“I’m looking for Christina Tarten.”

Jeong Taeui replied with hope and the friendliest smile he could muster.

“Christina?”

Unfortunately, the expression on the young man’s face as he repeated the name was similar to the guard’s earlier.

Jeong Taeui felt a bitter taste in his mouth. He really needed to contact Kyle.

However, just as Jeong Taeui was about to leave, the young man in the passenger seat, who had been muttering Christina’s name, suddenly stiffened.

“……….Ah. Bingo.”

Jeong Taeui froze. Not only him but everyone in the car as well. Their expressions changed one by one as they remembered the name.

But…….. if they remembered, it was good, but why did their expressions look like that……..?

Jeong Taeui observed the strange atmosphere in the car.

Their faces weren’t just surprised or astonished; instead, there was clear hostility and caution. They began eyeing him from head to toe aggressively.

Did he step on their toes, or did he say something wrong? Jeong Taeui looked at them puzzled. But the atmosphere didn’t ease up.

“Who are you?”

The voice turned sharp.

“Uh…….. I’m just running an errand.”

“What are you doing here!”

“A friend asked me to come and retrieve something that was borrowed.”

Jeong Taeui cautiously responded, looking at them calmly. Hostility surged in their gazes.

It seemed the relationship between these people and Christina wasn’t good.

Which made sense. If someone could be friends or colleagues with Ilay, they couldn’t have good relationships with others. Birds of a feather flock together.

These young men clearly weren’t like those two. So, in a way, it was lucky.

“So, is Christina home?”

When Jeong Taeui asked again, after a short silence, a voice yelled back fiercely.

“There’s no one by that name here!”

Asking a bunch of questions and then saying no one by that name existed, what should he do? Before Jeong Taeui could gather his thoughts and respond, the young man spat out the window and glared at Jeong Taeui, repeating his question.

“Errand? Borrowed item?!”

………. Oh, it seems many people were curious about someone they claimed didn’t exist.

Jeong Taeui clicked his tongue and sighed.

Talking to these guys wouldn’t help. Better to ignore and find another way.

“If she’s not here, then never mind.”

Jeong Taeui stepped back and quickly turned away. The gate had opened wide, and a guard inside was curiously watching the scene.

Wait…………

The guard didn’t know her. But clearly, these young men did. Initially, they didn’t remember her immediately. Kyle gave him her address here.

So……..

Detective Jeong Taeui tilted his head while rubbing his chin, piecing things together. But he couldn’t come up with a reasonable answer, so he frowned and heard a loud shout calling his name from behind. 

He turned back; the car didn’t seem to intend to enter and didn’t want Jeong Taeui to have time to think.

What bad luck. From the start, it was like this.

“Hey! I asked you, who sent you here! Can’t you speak properly?”

How much did they hate Christina? They wouldn’t let Jeong Taeui go just for mentioning her name unless he explained everything. One of them started to open the back door and get out.

Jeong Taeui wasn’t one to fight to the end in a disadvantageous position, so he let the guy grab his collar.

He had heard Kyle say retrieving those books wouldn’t be easy but didn’t expect the difficulty before meeting Christina.

“Why are you looking for that person?”

The young man holding Jeong Taeui’s collar spoke threateningly. The guard hesitated, watching them, but didn’t intervene. They seemed to be enjoying the scene. So, he had no choice but to deal with it himself.

If he hit and ran now, it would cause future trouble. Jeong Taeui glanced at the hand twisting his collar, pondering.

Then.

A car approached behind them.

A black sedan stopped silently. The rear window rolled down.

“What’s going on right outside the gate?”

The voice sounded gentle yet firm.

The young men surrounding Jeong Taeui fell silent upon hearing it. Jeong Taeui unconsciously turned towards the familiar voice.

“…….ah……..”

Jeong Taeui muttered.

The man in the car looked this way, Jeong Taeui had seen him before.

It was that man. The man who had visited Kyle (or Ilay). His calm, smiling face was impressive. Yes, it was the man who had commissioned something from Ilay.

Why was he here?

Unaware of Jeong Taeui’s question, the man looked at him with curiosity as their eyes met.

“Is there a guest?”

The man quietly asked the young man holding Jeong Taeui’s collar, who quickly let go and defended his actions.

“He’s not a guest! This……..”

Maybe embarrassed by his rude behavior, the young man stammered. Jeong Taeui quietly brushed his collar and looked at the man again. Their eyes met once more.

The man scrutinized Jeong Taeui before asking politely.

“Who are you looking for?”

Jeong Taeui looked at him for a moment instead of answering.

The guard didn’t know the name. The young men were hostile towards it. Now, this man…….. He hoped the man wouldn’t react violently upon hearing the name.

“Christina Tarten.”

Jeong Taeui looked directly at the man and repeated the name for the third time.

The man fell silent upon hearing it.

He simply stared at Jeong Taeui, seemingly trying to read his mind. From head to toe, slowly. But the gaze wasn’t intrusive, so Jeong Taeui didn’t feel too offended. Then, the man slowly spoke.

“Christina Tarten. You won’t hear that name directly from that person. May I ask who sent you?”

“…….. This is my first time in Dresden.”

The man silently observed, trying to understand Jeong Taeui’s intentions.

“I don’t know if this is the correct address. I haven’t met Christina; I don’t know her or her relationship with the people inside. And of course, I don’t know what to say or not to say.”

The man seemed to understand that Jeong Taeui couldn’t answer his question. So, he looked at him for a moment and then nodded.

“Alright. I’ll take you. Welcome to Tarten.”

The man said with a welcoming look and a gentle smile.

Unlike the others, this man didn’t hide his lack of closeness with Christina. Just like Ilay didn’t pretend to have a good relationship with UNHRDO members.

Jeong Taeui saw the man point to the seat next to him. He nodded and quickly got into the car. One of the young men watching the scene frowned and yelled.

“Richard! He’s here for that person!”

Hearing that, Jeong Taeui shifted his gaze from the young man to the man beside him.

Richard.

Richard Tarten.

The name had come up in a conversation between his uncle and Kyle. A name that seemed promising in some matters.

“He’s a guest of Tarten.”

The man calmly told the young man, ignoring Jeong Taeui’s gaze. The firm tone left no room for argument, and Jeong Taeui realized this man wasn’t just gentle.

He sat next to the man, smiling at the young man. The car passed them and entered the gate.

Jeong Taeui looked out the window, thinking.

It seemed he was now trapped inside these iron bars too.

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

The place was enormous. After driving a bit more, he could see a mansion in the distance. The vast, dark white U-shaped mansion was so large that it was eye-straining even from afar. Behind it were rolling hills. Surrounding it was a forest, not too dense but green and full of light, harmoniously blending human and nature’s touch. The forest seemed wide, suitable for walks or sunbathing.

“Adjacent to that mountain range is a horse-riding area. You can also hunt when free.”

The man next to him kindly explained, following Jeong Taeui’s gaze.

“The building in front looks connected, but it’s actually three separate buildings. On either side of the main mansion. The right is Donik, the left is The West Wing.”

Though not knowing Jeong Taeui, the man meticulously explained the unfamiliar place. Anyway, Jeong Taeui’s impression of him was good. The atmosphere was comfortable and friendly.

……… But thinking back, Ilay had said something about this man. Something like not judging a book by its cover.

Jeong Taeui squinted at the man again.

Even up close, the man seemed extremely trustworthy, not giving off any creepy vibes.

No one would know Ilay was crazy unless he spoke. The man was gentle and polite in appearance and speech. No such feeling at all.

“If I have to be wary of someone this trustworthy and non-threatening, then…………”

Then I guess I’d have to be cautious of everyone in the world.

When Jeong Taeui muttered unconsciously, the man turned to look at him. Unsure if he heard, Jeong Taeui quickly waved his hand, saying: “Ah, it’s nothing.”

After driving along a tree-lined road, the car quickly reached the mansion’s front. Jeong Taeui got out, looking around. Seeing it from the front, he knew how large it was. His heart sank a bit.

The man approached Jeong Taeui. A stern-looking man, resembling a butler, walked towards them. Seeing his stern face reminded Jeong Taeui of Rita.

Anyway, he just needed to find the books quickly and return. Jeong Taeui looked at the man who had helped him get here safely and thanked him.

“Thank you. Thanks to you, I got here smoothly. But where can I meet Christina Tarten?”

The man quietly looked at Jeong Taeui, seemingly trying to dig out hidden meanings in his face. Feeling uneasy, Jeong Taeui scratched his neck, and the man spoke.

“You can go to the main building and inform the butler about your visit. They’ll notify that person. If you’re close friends, you can go straight to The West Wing.”

Jeong Taeui pondered.

He didn’t know Christina, so he needed to meet the butler first. But Kyle said he had already contacted Christina. Their relationship seemed close. So, he could go to The West Wing under Kyle’s name, right?

Going to the main building, finding the butler, and waiting for them to notify her would be cumbersome. Kyle had contacted her, so going straight to The West Wing wasn’t rude.

“………….I’ll go to The West Wing. That building is The West Wing, right?”

Jeong Taeui asked, pointing to the building on the left, connected to the main mansion by a simple tower. The man hesitated, then nodded.

The servant in front of the main building approached, taking the man’s luggage. He gave brief instructions and looked at Jeong Taeui.

Sensing his gaze, Jeong Taeui stopped heading towards the lawn.

Right, a final farewell……..

But before he could speak, the man asked first.

“By the way, what’s your name?”

“Huh? Ah……. I haven’t introduced myself. Are you Christina’s relative?”

Though knowing his name, he hadn’t officially introduced himself. So, Jeong Taeui smiled and offered a handshake. The man seemed surprised but took his hand.

“Yes, I’m Richard Tarten. That person’s cousin.”

“Cousin. I see.”

Jeong Taeui mumbled, looking puzzled.

Not knowing what happened in this family, but if he was a cousin of someone Kyle deemed promising, he wasn’t a distant relative. But when he asked about her, the young men couldn’t remember her immediately……..

Jeong Taeui was about to introduce himself but saw something rushing towards him at lightning speed.

“?!?!!!”

It was a horse.

Kicking up dust, the white horse charged from the distant forest towards the main building.

It raced fearlessly, seemingly ready to trample anything in its path. The horse charged straight at them.

“…….!”

The distance was enough to dodge. But Jeong Taeui stood frozen, watching it approach.

Even with a vast property, racing a horse near the busy main building wasn’t appropriate.

The man before Jeong Taeui just glanced at the approaching horse, stepped back, unphased. Then Jeong Taeui snapped out of it and stepped back too.

Precisely, the horse wasn’t aiming at them. It was galloping down the middle of the path.

As it neared, the rider didn’t seem to care if they moved; the speed didn’t decrease. Jeong Taeui recognized him.

Wearing white riding gear matching the horse, the rider stood out.

Seeing him, Richard called out clearly, though not loudly.

“Christoph. You have a visitor.”

“Huh?”

“Me?”

Jeong Taeui pointed at himself, looking at Richard. His gaze returned to the horse.

At that moment, the horse halted just before them.

Witnessing the swift, skillful stop, Jeong Taeui admired the rider’s training. Even a trained rider couldn’t stop so smoothly. Yet, he did it effortlessly before his eyes.