The moment Jeong Taeui stepped into the dining room, he momentarily thought he had gone to the wrong place. This didn’t look much like the dining room he was used to.

Jeong Taeui had never seen so many people in the dining room like this.

The dining area was large enough for about twenty people, but at its busiest, there were only 10 to 12 people. Moreover, breakfast and lunch were even quieter; sometimes, he ate here alone, and dinner usually had no more than ten people.

But now all twenty seats were filled.

If Johan hadn’t arranged a seat for Jeong Taeui beforehand (even after being scolded and having the chessboard overturned on him), Jeong Taeui wouldn’t have been able to eat here today. Johan kept grumbling and insisting, “I didn’t deceive you; I just didn’t tell you everything.”

“The head of the family sure is popular,” Jeong Taeui whispered as he sat down, feeling the solemn atmosphere in the spacious room that made him not dare to breathe too loudly.

“He is the most admired person in Tarten. Wherever he steps, people flock there. It’s like the parting of the Red Sea*.”

(*The path through the Red Sea, referring to Moses leading the Israelites through the Red Sea.)

“……. Come to think of it, I haven’t asked, but what do you do for a living?”

Jeong Taeui squinted at Johan. This man must be making a living with that captivating mouth of his. Then Johan began talking about a job that made him loved by women 100%. Exactly 100% of three women.

Jeong Taeui ignored him, sat down, and looked around the restaurant.

There wasn’t a single empty seat on either side of the long table.

Even Richard and Christoph across from him had arrived earlier and were sitting in neat attire.

Only two seats were unoccupied.

One spacious seat at the head of the table and one right next to it.

The largest seat was probably for the head of the family, and the seat next to it……. Maybe for someone like an assistant or another important family member?

“Hey……. This is the first time the atmosphere has been this serious. It seems like he has a military-like discipline.”

Jeong Taeui mumbled with admiration.

Johan, who had been engrossed in talking about jobs women love, scratched his head when he heard that. Jeong Taeui, being an outsider, didn’t count, but while others were wearing suits or formal attire, Johan stood out in cotton pants and a light sweater.

“Of course, it’s only natural for someone like him. He is an incredibly influential figure, almost the most important person who has led Tarten to develop so rapidly. He is decisive and has great vision…….  ……. It’s hard to explain to outsiders. But you just need to know that he is the one who made Tarten the great family it is today.”

Jeong Taeui nodded and said, “I see.”

Although Johan was a very interesting friend, his personality was somewhat rebellious compared to the people in this family. If he had praised someone this much, that person must be truly extraordinary.

Yes, a person who could stand at the pinnacle of a family and lead it to such development must be a great person.

“Well, now he has almost stepped back, but respect for elders is still necessary.”

Johan concluded his story with slightly skewed words.

This was Tarten.

He had heard that this family had separated from T&R and chose to engage in intelligence business. This place was like a private intelligence agency operating almost like a family corporation. Kyle also affirmed that it was a reliable and prestigious place.

But he had also heard that they had some debt. And it was a considerable amount.

Jeong Taeui recalled, seemingly lost in thought.

They seemed to be looking for loans, but even if they were private loans, it wasn’t easy. However, if they received a loan, they would have to engage in something publicly, but this was a private intelligence agency. ……. Could this place be connected to national intelligence agencies?

“But earlier, in a situation needing such a large sum of money…….”

Jeong Taeui picked up a fork and whispered to himself.

As he was stabbing a tomato in his salad, Jeong Taeui suddenly felt eyes on him. He looked up immediately and met the cold stares of the people around him.

The head of the family hadn’t arrived yet, and he was the first to move his fork.

Jeong Taeui quietly put his fork down. It was indeed proper etiquette not to start eating before the elder.

Jeong Taeui picked up the glass of water in front of him, licked his lips, and looked around. In front of him, he saw Christoph and Richard sitting on either side of the empty chair in the middle.

Just a day ago, the whole house was in turmoil because of Oliver’s injury. In other words, a fierce confrontation between the two had left everyone around them pale. Jeong Taeui had almost risked his life because of them.

Yet now, they could sit calmly in their chairs as if nothing had happened. Though their eyes occasionally glanced at each other, there was no anger, only a dull expressionless look.

“The atmosphere yesterday was so tense that I thought at least a few people would die. I even thought the second round of yesterday’s fight would continue in this dining room today.”

Jeong Taeui mumbled, his heart pounding with both relief and worry.

“They can’t confront each other in front of the head of the family.”

Johan beside him stated the obvious.

Indeed, he seemed to be a person of absolute respect.

However, Jeong Taeui couldn’t help but feel strange seeing Christoph sitting quietly in his place like this. He thought Christoph was different from the others.

But unlike usual, Christoph was sitting there silently, like a perfect painting of a young man with a beautiful and kind posture like an angel.

If only he could be more normal, he might have had a wonderful and meaningful life.

Jeong Taeui shook his head, feeling an irreparable regret.

At that moment.

The door opened, and an elderly man and a young man walked in together. Jeong Taeui couldn’t believe his eyes for a moment when he saw the man politely stepping half a step ahead, opening the door, entering, and pulling out a chair from the table, then helping the old man sit down. That man was Ilay – Ilay Riegrow.

Today, he was dressed in a stylish and polished suit, looking even more like an evil lawyer. He was whispering something to the old man, who smiled and responded.

Jeong Taeui muttered to himself with an unwilling expression.

“……. Why is that man coming in last with the most important person? He’s not the main character.”

Once again, Johan cheerfully answered.

“He is an honored guest. Although the old man has a higher position, the guest of honor can’t be made to sit at the table first and wait like a subordinate.”

They were both guests, but…

Understanding his feelings, Johan added.

“I told you that considering him as an honored guest wasn’t my opinion. It’s just the general perception.”

Jeong Taeui just nodded without saying a word and turned back.

After the old man sat down, Ilay also sat in the chair he had thought was for an important family member. All the seats in the restaurant were finally filled.

Jeong Taeui looked at the old man, whom he had only heard about and was seeing for the first time. He carefully observed the old man, who initially seemed like just another elderly person.

At a glance, it was hard to guess his age. He thought somewhere between 60 and 70, quite a broad range.

The old man was slightly shorter than average, with a kind, smiling face, looking no different from other elderly uncles walking on the street.

However, the clear presence and aura that swayed others were not inferior to the young and energetic people around him.

“It seems everyone has been waiting for me. Let’s start eating.”

Without any grand greetings, the old man signaled everyone and then started eating a bit of salad. The meal soon began.

As Johan had said, the atmosphere now was just like a regular meal with an elderly person. There was no uncomfortable or inconvenient feeling. If there was a difference, it was just that the men in stuffy suits spoke less.

“At a glance, he looks like an ordinary old man.”

Johan, who was enthusiastically shoveling food into his mouth, shrugged when Jeong Taeui said that.

“Who doesn’t look ordinary at a glance? But getting to know them better might surprise you.”

“A person who doesn’t look ordinary at first glance…….”

“Oh right. There is one person.”

Johan said seriously and continued eating.

When Jeong Taeui put his grilled meat on Johan’s plate – he had never felt uncomfortable with any food before, but now he felt a bit worried – he discreetly glanced at a person who seemed ordinary but wasn’t.

Christoph was quietly eating. He sat beside the old man and, like any other meal, didn’t say a word. However, the scene of him concentrating on eating silently without raising his head even once was somewhat different from usual.

“It seems like this is the first time I’ve seen Christoph sit quietly like this.”

Jeong Taeui mumbled in admiration.

Christoph really sat like a gentle lamb. It seemed he only bowed his head to eat without making eye contact as if afraid of something.

“He is the second person Christoph treats like this.”

“Really? Who is the first?”

“His mother.”

Johan said while engrossed in his meal.

Jeong Taeui looked at Johan with admiration, marveling at how he could eat and speak so clearly, then continued eating his meal.

“I heard you’ve been having dinner at Seoik recently. Any inconvenience?”

Suddenly, the old man’s voice rang out.

Unlike other times, this time everyone spoke in whispers, so even those sitting far away could hear.

The gentle voice, as if speaking to a small grandson, was directed at Ilay sitting next to him.

Ilay, who was eating the appetizer, smiled and shook his head.

“No inconvenience at all. It’s been a long time since we met, so it’s a good opportunity to rest and socialize with everyone. Everyone has been kind to me.”

*Clink*

Jeong Taeui dropped his fork.

He thought he had just heard something incredibly shocking. That tone was unbelievable.

Jeong Taeui looked at Ilay with wide eyes and an almost shocked expression.

Ilay, now dressed as a stylish young gentleman, was chatting amicably with an elderly man as if they were close relatives.

“Hey… don’t tell me that old man believes what he’s saying…?”

“Rick is a crazy person. Before he was 10, he was already wielding an ax everywhere. No one out there doesn’t know that. So, who in this world – exactly, who has all the information in the world – wouldn’t know about him?”

“Then how can he lie so blatantly?!”

“Lie? What lies? He said nothing that could be difficult for him here, right? No one dares to treat him badly, right? And it’s true it’s been a long time since we met. So, there’s nothing in there that’s a lie.”

“Hiding the truth deliberately is also lying!”

Jeong Taeui glared at the person who told the truth but made it sound like a lie. He was calmly eating, pretending not to notice Jeong Taeui’s intense gaze.

Jeong Taeui looked at Ilay with astonishment and then forcefully stabbed his fork into his plate.

Looking back, the Tarten and Rieglow families were so close that they participated in all of each other’s family events. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Ilay was considered a close member of this family. Therefore, if Ilay behave disrespectfully towards the elders in the house, it would indeed be very rude. Although Jeong Taeui had heard that Ilay once pointed a gun directly at his brother, he never heard any rumors of him doing similar things to his parents, so it seemed that Ilay – at least to the minimum extent – still had some human decency left in him.

Jeong Taeui unconsciously sighed in relief. But as soon as he realized this, he despaired at the harsh reality of having to assess the fragile humanity of that man with such a task.

“Well, what do you think? Is there anyone capable of inheriting Tarten?” – The old man smiled and asked Ilay.

At that moment, everyone in the room seemed to tense up. 

Although Ilay’s opinion couldn’t determine the final outcome, if the family head asked directly, it couldn’t be taken lightly.

Jeong Taeui noticed the tense atmosphere in the room and scratched his head. Was the competition this fierce?

“I heard there are a few candidates for succession. Besides Richard, who else is there?” he whispered to Johan.

“Huh? Oh. Wait a minute. Fritz and who else? Max… Anyway, there are a few more, but you don’t need to worry about them. There are a few candidates, but realistically, no one can take over except Richard. Though those two are also smart, Richard’s capabilities are overwhelming, so it’s rare to find anyone more outstanding than him.”

“Then there’s no need for such intense competition. But why is the atmosphere like this?”

“Well, I also think there shouldn’t be much competition, but you never know what can happen. Maybe someone will turn the tables at the last moment…”

“Could anyone really turn the tables?”

“Oh, yes, soon—”

Johan was saying this when he suddenly gasped and clutched his throat as if choking. Although Jeong Taeui didn’t want to pay attention, if he left him like this, he would start coughing and spitting everywhere, so Jeong Taeui quickly handed him a napkin and a glass of water.

But it was too late. Before Johan could use the napkin to cover his mouth, he had already spat out the food stuck in his throat. Jeong Taeui instinctively leaned to one side, luckily avoiding any harm, but the young man sitting opposite him was not so lucky.

“……How do you attract women like that……?” – Jeong Taeui shook his head and pulled his plate closer, wanting to protect himself from Johan’s ‘splendor’ like the unfortunate young man across from him.

“All right, Richard, I heard you met McCarty not long ago.” – This time, the old man spoke to Richard.

Richard smiled calmly and replied.

“Yes, sir. By chance, he came to Berlin, so I went to meet him. He said that thing is still on M15.”

“Alright…… How are things going there lately?”

“In general, there are no issues. I heard there was a counterintelligence issue with Mahabharat not long ago. Shin Bet also seems to be involved, but there’s no specific report on this yet, so I’m still looking into it.”

“Okay.” The old man slowly nodded.

Jeong Taeui was lost in thought for a moment. The atmosphere in this house was becoming increasingly ambiguous.

If he didn’t hear wrong, the security and counterintelligence agencies of at least three countries were involved in this matter. From the way Richard talked, it might not be a big issue, but he didn’t think it was something to discuss at a family dinner.

Jeong Taeui instinctively glared at Johan. Johan, who was wiping his mouth with a napkin, looked at Jeong Taeui with a puzzled expression, wondering why he was being stared at.

“This family’s atmosphere is hard to keep up with.”

“Oh, really? Even I have trouble keeping up. In this family, daughters are the most precious. It would be nice to have a few sisters, but here it’s just a bunch of men.”

He wanted to refute Johan – the same person who once said that having more than 20% women around was already troublesome. But he held back, fearing he might become the next victim of that sharp tongue.

Jeong Taeui quietly ate the food on his plate. He wanted to finish eating quickly and leave. This atmosphere was not comfortable at all.

“I hate to admit it, but Richard is indeed a damn born businessman. He is incredibly good at deals and negotiations. And although the old man laid the foundation for Tarten, Richard is the one who stabilized and solidified the foundation in a short period.”

Johan ate and then drank some water before continuing.

“I’ve also heard that Tarten has a very old foundation.”

“Well, yes. But the past few decades have been difficult. Tarten faced significant risks. So there was a time we had financial difficulties.”

“……Um?”

“And the miraculous achievement of reducing the debt ratio to below half in a short period back then was almost entirely Richard’s doing. No one else could have done that.”

After finishing his meal, Johan glanced at Jeong Taeui’s plate as if he was still hungry. Seeing Johan’s lean body despite his large appetite, Jeong Taeui didn’t hesitate to give him his plate. He wondered where all the food Johan ate went.

Kyle said Tarten was a reliable company, so Jeong Taeui vaguely thought the company was doing well, but it turned out to be burdened with such a large debt. After all, funding is the most crucial thing in any endeavor.

Jeong Taeui didn’t know if the old man did this every time he dined here, but now he was talking to each person at the table in turn, clockwise.

Because the old man was the highest-ranking elder in the family, Jeong Taeui thought he would be much more stern and frightening, but seeing him talk to the younger ones, who could be his grandchildren, one by one, he seemed kind and benevolent like a grandfather caring for his grandchildren.

Jeong Taeui’s gaze shifted to Christoph sitting beside the old man. If the conversation continued in order, Christoph would be the last to speak with the old man. Christoph had been quietly eating with his head down.

From this position, he looked like a genuinely beautiful and courteous young man. Maybe if he always behaved like this, his life would be much easier.

Jeong Taeui suddenly felt a bit sad for Christoph. Christoph, who was eating, suddenly looked up, moving his lips as if saying something, then looked at the old man briefly before lowering his head again. The corner of his mouth slightly lifted. His eyes formed a slender curve.

Ah… He’s smiling.

Jeong Taeui looked at Christoph curiously. Christoph almost never smiled. A genuine smile, in the literal sense, he had never seen.

Even if something was funny, Christoph never laughed, or if his mouth or eyes slightly curved, there was no real laughter in them. But at this moment, Jeong Taeui could immediately recognize it as a genuine smile because the characteristic coldness and indifference on Christoph’s face disappeared.

“The old man really is a good person.”

Jeong Taeui unconsciously muttered.

Christoph liked the old man. Whether it was close to admiration and respect or not, it was clear he had affection for the old man. It was a pity that this emotion wasn’t expressed more clearly.

Johan had already devoured more than half of the food on the plate Jeong Taeui gave him. Johan, while eating, said – “Everyone likes that old man. He is a highly respectable person. However, he is old and too busy to care for each person individually. He can only divide his time this way occasionally.”

“He isn’t someone you can easily meet like this.”

Johan spoke boastfully.

“Is that so?”

Jeong Taeui lowered his head and looked at Christoph again. Christoph’s current appearance was like a shy boy sitting next to his hero.

Jeong Taeui smiled.

This was the first time he witnessed this side of Christoph – and although it was unexpected to the point of disbelief – it wasn’t so bad.

“I heard Christoph was originally a candidate for succession.”

“Huh? Yeah.”

“If he hadn’t given up halfway, he could have met the old man more often.”

Christoph’s obedient and delighted appearance was rare, so it would have been nice if they could meet more frequently.

Jeong Taeui spoke regretfully, and Johan responded while stuffing his mouth with food.

“Better…… let’s see… Christoph was indeed the only one capable of competing with Richard up until then, but even so, he couldn’t have been chosen as the successor even if he had stayed until the end.”

“…Because he’s crazy?”

“Although capability is important, personality cannot be overlooked for the leader of a large organization.”

No, if we consider personality, Richard’s character is far more unexpectedly twisted… And while Jeong Taeui thought this, he felt there was no need to voice it, so he kept his mouth shut. It was something that an ordinary person, no matter how clear their vision, wouldn’t easily see, so there was no need to gossip about it. Besides, his excellence as a figure wasn’t up for debate either.

“Yes, personality is certainly important. Christoph does lack in that regard.”

Jeong Taeui nodded and openly stated Christoph’s shortcomings without hesitation. Although he didn’t hate Christoph, he knew very well the flaws in his personality.

However, Johan’s next response differed from Jeong Taeui’s thoughts.

“Instead of personality issues, it’s more accurate to say his mind is somewhat strange.”

Jeong Taeui was taken aback by Johan’s bluntness.

He couldn’t deny those words were true, but to calmly say ‘that guy has mental issues’ required an extraordinary mindset.

“He can’t do much. Just living well is already difficult.”

Jeong Taeui frowned at Johan’s serious words as he set his fork down on the empty plate.

He was uncomfortable with how Johan talked as if passing judgment on someone else’s misfortunes.

Jeong Taeui knew how others viewed Christoph and understood why they thought that way. It’s just that he couldn’t help but feel uneasy hearing such straightforward words.

“I know you don’t like Christoph, but those words were a bit too much.”

Jeong Taeui’s discomfort must have been evident in his words.

Johan glanced at Jeong Taeui, silently swallowed his food, and wiped his mouth with a napkin. He looked directly at Jeong Taeui. As usual, though not cold, his eyes were hard to read.

“I don’t know what you think, but I don’t dislike Christoph. Although I don’t want to get close to him every time he goes crazy and beats people, and I don’t want to befriend him, that’s all. Besides that, I don’t hate Christoph. If I had to be honest, I’d say I like him more than I dislike him – and although I like talking about other people’s pasts, I don’t badmouth those I don’t even hate.”

Johan spoke with a somewhat pained expression, yet his tone remained gentle and lively as usual.

“But regardless, he can’t. It’s a pity, but with his personality, it’s hard to be happy. … Or if he becomes happy, the form of that happiness might be entirely different from common thoughts.”

Johan shrugged as if he couldn’t help but watch helplessly.

At that moment, he noticed the dessert being brought on a tray by the server, his eyes lit up, and he ended the conversation nonchalantly.

“Anyway, that’s not an issue anyone can bear. Is that Millefeuille ice cream? Or crème brûlée? If it’s fresh fruit sherbet, that would be wonderful.”

Jeong Taeui stared at Johan, who had completely shifted his focus.

He wasn’t wrong. Although Jeong Taeui didn’t want things to be that way, those words somewhat convinced him.

Jeong Taeui quietly sighed. Even Johan’s last words held the truth. Each person’s life is not something outsiders can bear for them.

For some reason, Jeong Taeui’s taste became bitter, and he scratched his head.

At that moment, Jeong Taeui suddenly felt a slight headache. He turned his head slightly and met Ilay’s gaze. It seemed their side had finished their meal.

Who knows how long he had been watching him? As soon as Jeong Taeui turned, he met that deep, fiery gaze.

“……?”

Jeong Taeui, out of curiosity, locked eyes with him. The gaze from behind those elegant glasses was equally unyielding. It would be strange to avoid eye contact now, so Jeong Taeui continued to stare at him intently. It was only a few seconds after their eyes met that he realized it was even stranger to sit there staring at each other like this. But by the time he realized it, the staring contest had already begun.

Until he had to open his eyes wide and stare directly into Ilay’s eyes, teetering between glaring and simply staring, a voice broke the silent battle.

“Let’s see… Right. I heard Christoph’s friend is also here. It seems to be that young man, right?”

Suddenly feeling eyes on him, Jeong Taeui turned to look. And when he looked back, everyone was staring at him with strange expressions.

“Huh?… yes?”

After blinking and looking around for a few seconds, he realized the old man had just spoken to him.

He quickly turned back and responded – “Ah, yes, sir.” – He replied politely and quickly smiled. But it was too late.

The old man smiled warmly and asked – “Alright, it seems you have something to say to Rick. I saw you staring at him.”

“Yes? No, that…”

Jeong Taeui was startled and started sweating as he looked at the old man and Ilay. In that position, anyone would think he was caught sneaking a glance at Ilay.

“Rick looked at me first…”

When Jeong Taeui stammered, Ilay raised his eyebrows. He widened his eyes in surprised curiosity as if to ask – “Me?”-  then laughed. That expression seemed to say, “I never did, but since you said so, I’ll keep quiet.”

Anyone could read that expression.

“No, I really…”

Jeong Taeui muttered and quickly closed his mouth. He was so frustrated that he patted his chest to swallow his resentment, but it was clearly counterproductive.