“Perhaps there are many esteemed guests in Dresden right now. Are you sure it’s okay for you to leave the house like this?”

[“……The esteemed guests who can’t leave the house unattended already departed right after the party. They’re very busy people. I heard they had to go to Frankfurt immediately.”]

“Hmm, I see……”

Kyle nodded, then continued to ask:

“So, why did you suddenly come to Berlin at this hour? Do you have urgent business? Well, if it’s about Kim, that’s fine. You just came to take Christoph, right?”

[“Yes, once that’s done, everything will be settled.”]

“Ah, I see.” – Kyle mumbled and then turned to look at Taeui. Jeong Taeui, who had been attentively listening to the conversation with a serious expression, noticed that gaze and looked back at him. Kyle shrugged and mouthed silently, as if to say: ‘No one’s looking for you, Taei.’

Jeong Taeui also mouthed back: ‘I was abandoned from the beginning anyway.’ but wasn’t sure if Kyle understood or not.

However, given the current mood, he wished to continue being abandoned, both now and in the future, wherever he might be.

“I’m not going back to Dresden, Richard.”

At that moment, Christoph spoke calmly.

The call, which had little meaning from the start, suddenly shifted in subject, leading to silence on the other end for a moment. But then the voice returned, sounding stern like that of an older brother scolding a mischievous younger sibling.

[“Christoph. Don’t be unreasonable. You’ve already made a mess of things in the family, and now you’ve gone to someone else’s house at this hour to cause trouble. If you’re not returning, do you intend to keep being a nuisance there?”]

“No, I’ll be leaving here soon as well. But I’m not going back to Dresden.”

[“Christoph. Don’t say such nonsense――”]

“I’ve told you before. As soon as the inheritance was decided, I would leave Dresden and never return. I won’t go back. I will no longer have anything to do with the Tarten family. ……I’m no longer related to anyone. Not to anyone.”

At the final words “Not to anyone” spoken with a slight emphasis, perhaps Richard on the other end of the phone also noticed something strange in Christoph’s tone.

After a long silence, the voice returned, low and cold like it had been at the start of the call.

[“Christoph. Do you think you can simply not return? Just because you want to?”]

“I don’t know…… But at the very least, I’m sure no one can force me to go back.”

[“No one can force you to go back……?”]

A laugh was mixed into the voice.

[“Christoph. Right after you left, my aunt fell ill and had to stay in bed. It seems she was deeply shocked.”]

Christoph was silent for a moment after hearing this information, conveyed with apparent regret. But then he calmly said,

“That’s even more reason not to return. If I go back to Dresden, my mother’s health will only get worse. She said she doesn’t want to see me come back.”

[“―……”]

“Richard. Even if you speak through my mother’s words now, I still won’t return to Tarten. I know very well what she truly wants. She doesn’t want me to return to Dresden and cause trouble for Tarten.”

Christoph looked down at the phone with an expressionless face. Then he spoke casually, as if stating something completely normal.

“My mother doesn’t want me to cause trouble for you with my own vile actions.”

A stifling silence enveloped both sides. On the phone and in the room.

Kyle looked at Christoph with a curious expression and slightly furrowed his brow, while Jeong Taeui quietly watched him.

Taeui watched Christoph say those words calmly without any sign of pain or discomfort, as if it were completely normal, and he gritted his teeth.

The silence dragged on, finally broken by a low voice.

[“Did Aunt Bianca really say that?”]

The voice was cold and emotionless, much like Christoph’s expression.

“Yes.”

Christoph nodded. She knew that was indeed what she meant.

[“Did Bianca really say that? That you were filthy? That you harmed me, didn’t she?”]

Christoph remained silent and did not respond. Instead of answering, he only looked at the phone with a strange expression.

The voice repeating the question no longer seemed to belong to the person who had spoken earlier. It had completely changed, becoming so cold and terrifying that it sent chills down one’s spine. A tone that was unmistakable.

“……She didn’t say that you were filthy. I didn’t mean to imply that you had any flaws.”

Christoph said, frowning slightly. But there was no reply to that weak justification. Instead…… [“Haha”] – there was only a low, gentle laugh, like the sound of the wind.

[“You…… You’re filthy, you! Ha――AHAHAHA, YOU!…… YOU HARMED ME……?!”]

Finally, the laughter grew louder, gradually turning into a piercing scream. It was so harsh that it sent chills down the listener’s spine. That wasn’t the voice of Richard that Taeui knew.

At that moment, the call was disconnected.

The phone’s green light turned red, and only a long *Beep——* sound came from the speaker.

In the sudden silence that engulfed the living room, they all quietly stared at the phone. Kyle stared intently at the phone as if frozen, then slowly turned to Christoph.

“The connection was cut off……”

He was about to say something while pointing at the phone when the doorbell rang.

It was the sound indicating that someone was standing at the gate.

For a moment, Christoph’s face turned pale. Taeui stared at the large screen of the intercom system. On the screen was the man who had just been on the phone, now standing right in front of the gate.

There was no expression on Richard’s face.

Just minutes ago, he had been shouting in anger, but now Richard’s face was devoid of any emotion, as if those outbursts had been a lie. All the anger, irritation, even politeness, and decorum had completely disappeared.

Hearing the doorbell, Rita stepped out. But Kyle stopped her and picked up the intercom himself.

“You arrived sooner than expected. It seems the road wasn’t too crowded.”

[“Where is Christoph?”]

Richard didn’t respond to Kyle’s comment but instead directly asked for Christoph.

Christoph stepped up behind Kyle and raised his hand. Though Richard couldn’t see Christoph from the intercom, his voice grew lower and deeper.

[“Come out immediately, Christoph. Return at once. If you don’t, I’ll go back to Dresden and kill her.”]

Christoph’s expression froze for a moment. However, after a brief silence, he regained his composure and replied shortly.

“I’m not going.”

[“Christoph, I’m not joking!”]

“I’m not joking either…… You can joke about anything you want with me, but I’ve never joked or lied to you, even when I’ve said things I didn’t want to.”

Christoph spoke calmly. Then he put down the intercom, leaving only the cold silence echoing through the speaker.

Kyle stood next to him, watching Christoph as if observing him. Then he suddenly spoke up.

“We should rest. Too many things have happened all of a sudden. Alright, I need to rest.”

Christoph glanced at Kyle. Kyle pretended not to care and picked up the intercom again. When the screen turned on, Richard’s image still appeared. His expressionless face was like a floating iceberg.

“Richard, are you still there? I think I should rest now.”

When Kyle spoke, Richard flinched slightly and answered curtly.

[“I’m sorry. I just want to take Christoph and leave right away. Please let me into the house for a moment.”]

“No, no, we can’t just let a guest into the house without properly receiving them and then send them off immediately. But I’m really tired. Richard, you must be tired too, so go home and rest. Then come back tomorrow when you’re refreshed.”

Taeui thought the reason Kyle gave, that you can’t let a guest into the house without proper hospitality, was a bit…… but he was more surprised by what Kyle said next.

“Christoph will stay here for a while. He’s my esteemed guest.”

It wasn’t just Jeong Taeui who was surprised; even Christoph looked at Kyle with a confused expression and tilted his head. Almost simultaneously with Christoph’s short nod, Richard, who had been silent for a moment, spoke up.

[“Christoph is my brother, part of Tarten.”]

Christoph immediately frowned upon hearing that.

“I’ve already said that I’m not using that name anymore.”

“……He said he’s not.” – Kyle repeated Christoph’s words even though he knew Richard could hear them clearly. But Richard stubbornly shook his head and looked straight at Kyle, speaking seriously.

[“Christoph is just saying that to himself. He’s my family. I will take him back. I hope you’ll consider this so that the long-standing relationship between Tarten and Riegrow won’t fade.”]

Richard’s final statement carried a hint of intimidation.

Kyle sighed, looking slightly troubled – “Hmm.” However, Kyle’s expression didn’t change much; he didn’t seem confused or flustered but merely shrugged and clicked his tongue a bit.

“Richard. I’ve heard about what happened at the handover ceremony today and why they came here at this hour. But first, let me clarify that I’m not blaming you or holding you accountable for anything——”

After Kyle set that premise, he glanced behind him.

His gaze met Christoph, who was leaning against the back of the sofa. Christoph’s pale, expressionless face tilted slightly when their eyes met, as if he were curious.

Kyle suddenly frowned slightly. It was like looking at a child standing helplessly in an empty place.

“Although the long-standing relationship between Tarten and Riegrow is important…… But just as you found a new alliance more important than that relationship, I also have relationships and circumstances that I need to prioritize over the long-standing relationship between our two families.”

Kyle spoke calmly.

Indeed, as Kyle said, his tone didn’t carry any blame. Although Richard had chosen to support Al Saud instead of Riegrow – specifically Ilay – Kyle had no intention of retaliating.

Christoph was simply an esteemed guest of Kyle, a friend he cherished deeply.

Richard said nothing. In fact, Kyle had said he wasn’t blaming him, but perhaps Richard couldn’t say anything in this situation.

“Christoph will stay at my house for a while. Even if he leaves here to go elsewhere, I’m sure Tarten’s information network won’t have any trouble tracking the whereabouts of one person.”

[“……Are you saying you wont send Christoph back to Tarten?”]

“Of course not. I have no right to decide whether he should go back or not. I’m just saying that as long as Christoph stays here, he’s my guest, and I have the responsibility to protect him. Where he wants to go or what he wants to do is his own freedom. I hope you understand what I mean.”

Those words weren’t just for Richard but also for Christoph. Christoph looked at Kyle with a thoroughly puzzled expression. His blue eyes blinked.

“……You’re telling me to stay here?”

“Yes, you can do whatever you find reasonable.”

At Kyle’s brief but not cold response, Christoph blinked a few more times. His expressionless face seemed to waver slightly before he bowed his head, looking a bit like a child who was slightly sad.

“Go home, rest, and come back tomorrow. Tomorrow, I’ll welcome you, and you’ll be my guest. We can have a meal together.”

Kyle said to Richard.

As soon as he heard that, Christoph raised his head and glared at Kyle. But as Christoph was about to speak, Kyle quickly covered his mouth with his hand and said to Richard: “It would be better if you leave now.” Kyle concluded his statement.

[“……I’ll return tomorrow. Sorry for disturbing you at such a late hour.”]

Richard seemed reluctant but still replied politely.

His gaze flicked toward where Christoph was standing, even though he couldn’t see him through the screen.

Then he turned and got into the waiting car and left. The screen showed only the darkness of the night.

“Phew……” – Kyle let out a long sigh and set down the intercom. When he turned around, he faced Christoph, who had been glaring at him with sharp eyes.

“I’m not going to see him. I won’t have a meal with him.”

Christoph said firmly, and Kyle, though utterly exhausted, replied shortly.

“Really? Then leave the house. Take Taei with you as well.”

Jeong Taeui, who had been silently sitting on the sofa in the back, suddenly opened his eyes wide as the conversation unexpectedly turned towards him, as if a bolt of lightning had struck in the middle of the night.

“Wait, why do I have to go too……?!”

“If you don’t want to, then just stay here like a good guest.”

Kyle suddenly responded like that and stared intensely, looking exhausted and worn out. It seemed like his remark to Richard that he needed to rest wasn’t entirely a joke, as he began to slowly drag himself towards the bedroom without any intention of sitting back on the sofa.

“I’m going back to sleep. You guys should rest too. Tae, please take Chris to the guest room. I…… I feel like a hundred years of exhaustion are crashing down on me all at once.”

Kyle lightly waved them off and turned away. His silhouette looked incredibly desolate. Then he muttered to himself with such sorrowful words that they barely remained as murmurs.

“How on earth am I supposed to deal with this…… Tarten is a problem, but even Al Faisal Al Saud…… And now, with this happening, who knows what kind of trouble Ilay will cause this time…… Ah, this time, James is definitely going to resign. He will absolutely disappear right after submitting his resignation letter. How am I supposed to keep him here this time……!”

Kyle, immersed in his sorrowful thoughts and about to leave the living room, was hastily stopped by Taeui.

“Kyle, wait…… Anyway, after what happened today, it’s best not to meet Richard for a while……”

Jeong Taeui tried to speak quickly, but Kyle looked up with cold eyes.

“My heart is being scorched black because I don’t even know if my only brother is alive or dead. Do you think I have the mental capacity to worry about someone else?”

When Kyle suddenly raised his head and asked seriously, Taeui, who was facing him from less than an arm’s length away, slowly released the hand he had been holding tightly.

“…… I’m sorry. Go rest.”

That was all he could say.

It was because he deeply felt that Kyle didn’t know what he was saying and was only using meaningless words to temporarily cope with the situation, which strongly conveyed his urgent desire: He just wanted to rest immediately.

“It’s not about worrying about life or death, but not knowing what he’ll do next, burning my heart black” – Christoph murmured, but it seemed Kyle didn’t hear and only sighed heavily one last time before leaving the living room.

And then, only Christoph and Jeong Taeui were left in the living room. Just like the first time Jeong Taeui came to Dresden to find him, they were alone again.

Standing before a thorny path that couldn’t be compared to then – which they couldn’t even have imagined at that time, nor dared to compare – they just blinked and looked at each other.

Then suddenly, Taeui laughed. A fleeting smile, even though there was nothing funny, but he suddenly laughed.

“I’ve sung so much about wanting to go back to Berlin…… but now that I’m back, nothing has changed.”

“Why not? It’s even gotten worse.”

Christoph spoke in a nonchalant tone. The stark contrast between his calm face and those words made Jeong Taeui laugh as he leaned back on the sofa.

Christoph was sitting next to Jeong Taeui in that dire situation, looked at him laughing and, without realizing it, a strange smile appeared on his own face.