When that man arrived in Dresden, the reception had been different even before his arrival.

Or more accurately, Tarten’s attitude wasn’t much different from last time. It was the attitude of the other side that had changed.

A group had arrived half a day earlier instead of in the afternoon as planned. Jeong Taeui had already felt tired just by looking at those muscular and seemingly fearsome men standing guard both inside and outside the villa with Tarten’s approval.

“My God, it’s like a head of state is coming……”

“In your country, do heads of state arrive like this?”

Jeong Taeui was lazily sunbathing on the small tower. He dangerously leaned his chin on the railing and looked down below. Next to him, Johan, who was practicing phrases like: “You’re so beautiful” and “Are you alone?” in Arabic and suddenly asked.

Although he had been discharged before completing his military service, Jeong Taeui had actually been an officer, so he scratched his head and let out a sigh:

“In general, if it’s a public place announced in advance, the whole area would be on alert from the day before…… It’s almost like this situation.”

“Well, anyway, we’re just low-ranking soldiers, so it’s more relaxed for us. But someone like Richard must be exhausted from having to deal with that head of state.”

“Now, we just need to sit back and wait for the dinner party.” – Johan said, drooling as if saying they’d get to enjoy the benefits without doing anything*, while Jeong Taeui sighed and nodded in agreement.

(*굿이나 보고 떡이나 먹는다: literally means watching a ritual and eating rice cakes. Figuratively, this saying means ‘sitting idly and enjoying the benefits)

As Johan said, perhaps Richard and Christoph were on their way here with that ‘head of state’ right now.

Al Faisal. The elder brother of Prince Ali – who had won the political battle – and also the protector of Raumaan Abid Al Saud. He was also a successful businessman.

Currently, the man had almost resigned and retired, so it wasn’t really important. What concerned Jeong Taeui more was the person closely associated with him, who was even more troublesome.

“But it’s strange. A busy man like him is personally coming here. What could he be requesting that’s so significant that he would risk his precious body to come himself?”

“It is strange indeed……”

“But, well, it’s also fine. I hope it’s not just a bunch of bearded guys following him.”

Johan’s fingers quickly danced over the keyboard as he searched for Arabic phrases while debating the slender waist of an Arabian woman he had never met before. Jeong Taeui sighed and looked at Johan with a somewhat pitiful gaze.

“Regarding that matter, have you figured out how to flirt with Arabian beauties?”

“Well…… It only provides a list of things to avoid in the Islamic world. First, don’t talk to women recklessly. Second, don’t approach women casually. Third, absolutely do not touch women carelessly……”

“That’s right? Value your life, Johan.”

Leaving Johan to angrily flip his laptop shut with a – “What the hell is this.” – Jeong Taeui turned around and leaned on the railing.

“……Ah. They’ve arrived.”

Even though he hadn’t seen them, he could feel it.

The men who had already been positioned inside and outside the villa quickly lined up like swords. They stood in a neat line like toy soldiers, not moving as they waited for the distinguished guest to arrive.

And just a few minutes after Jeong Taeui whispered that, a convoy began approaching from the distant outer gate, and he could see it.

One, two, three…… At first glance, it was difficult to count because there were so many cars of the same type following each other.

Among those cars was a familiar one. It was Richard’s car.

It was only when he saw that grand convoy that Jeong Taeui truly realized it. The day of Tarten’s succession was near. The day when everything would be decided and would either end or begin—had arrived.

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

In fact, he had intended to avoid it for as long as possible.

He didn’t know how long he could keep avoiding it, but he had planned to pretend no one was home and evade the situation, even if someone came calling.

Jeong Taeui didn’t want to face the man named Raumaan. No matter the reason, the history of ruining someone’s home and then fleeing was still vividly fresh in his mind.

So, he quietly closed the door, locked it, and intended to pretend he wasn’t home, no matter who came looking.

If only the first person knocking hadn’t been this one.

“Taei, open the door…… Before I break it.”

It was a voice so familiar it was unmistakable, and there was no one else but this man who could joke lightly about breaking the door, which had only just been replaced after being broken a few days ago.

“Huh?…… Ilay?”

When he opened the door, Ilay – who had been out since early morning and had just returned in the evening – was standing there, not even having changed his clothes as if he had just arrived home.

“You said there was a lot of work today, so you’d be back late.”

“Ah, things moved faster than expected.”

“Huh?”

“Why did you lock the door and hide in your room?”

Ilay changed the subject nonchalantly and sat down on the sofa, removing his tie as he spoke. Jeong Taeui looked at him with suspicion and then shrugged.

“There’s a face I really don’t want to see.”

“……Aha.”

Right after that, Ilay nodded as if he understood. Jeong Taeui took a beer from the minibar, handed it to Ilay, and let out a small sigh.

From the small tower, he had seen the car carrying Raumaan stop in front of the central entrance of Tarten, and he had seen that man get out from afar. Although it had been many years since they last met, he recognized him immediately from a distance.

Shortly after, an older man – probably Al Faisal – got out of the car, being assisted by that man. The image was exactly as Jeong Taeui remembered it.

While drinking beer, Jeong Taeui suddenly looked at Ilay as if he had just remembered something.

“Come to think of it, have you ever met him?”

“Only in the press or in documents.”

“Really.” – Jeong Taeui nodded. In reality, even when a major uproar occurred, the actual homeowner wasn’t there. Because Ilay had gone to Riyadh beforehand to plant the bomb.

Jeong Taeui stared at Ilay while drinking his beer. Perhaps sensing the gaze, Ilay looked up at him while drinking his beer.

Actually, if you think about it, the homeowner who had his home ruined should be the one more upset than me…… but then Jeong Taeui shook his head. That wasn’t the type of person he was.

“Actually, I want to avoid him as much as possible.”

Jeong Taeui muttered like a sigh, and Ilay, having finished his beer, placed the empty can on the table and said with surprise:

“Aren’t you the type who always faces and solves problems instead of avoiding them?”

“No, that depends on the problem…… You know, I’m weak when it comes to authoritarian power. If there’s a chance of winning, I’d dare to face it, but I don’t have a hobby of bashing my head against a wall.”

“Hmm…… Then why not ask the wall to move? Or fulfill what the wall desires.”

“What the wall desires……”

As he said that, Jeong Taeui frowned.

What they wanted was too obvious. When Aziz had arrived earlier, it had already been made clear.

“It’s really tricky. My brother’s wishes don’t depend on mine.”

When Jeong Taeui shook his head, Ilay gave a smile that seemed less than pleased. As if pointing out an unpleasant truth.

“Taei. They aren’t fools. If they thought you were completely incapable of intervening, they wouldn’t have done this.”

Jeong Taeui silently looked at Ilay. Eventually, he realized he couldn’t deny Ilay’s words and just shrugged.

“But there’s clearly something off.”

Ilay muttered to himself while lightly tapping the empty can with his fingertip. He gently rubbed his chin, his eyes staring into space.

“The value of the name ‘Genius Jeong Jaeil’ in that industry is undoubtedly extremely high, but is it worth them spending so much time and effort on it?”

Those words seemed to be directed at Jeong Taeui, but in reality, they were merely Ilay’s self-talk.

If it were information that Jeong Taeui could answer, then there was no way Ilay wouldn’t have known.

Why invest so much time and effort just to obtain the name and abilities of that genius? What value could they find that surpassed the time and effort expended?

It was said that Al Faisal was a businessman. And Raumaan, the designated successor who currently held power, was not much different. If that were the case, then they surely must have considered the opportunity cost.

“Even if they could extract everything from his brain, attract all the credit under that name, and then chop his body into pieces to sell at a high price, it would still be difficult to cover the cost that a shrewd businessman is expecting.”

“Ah, no, for a genius like that, they might even sell his sperm at a high price. If that were the case, they could force him to continue extracting sperm as that could bring in long-term profits for the next few decades without depleting.” – Ilay mumbled these things as if he were talking to himself. If this wasn’t self-talk, then clearly, he was intentionally trying to provoke Jeong Taeui – the family member of the person being tortured in his words – who was sitting across from him.

“I would greatly appreciate it if you didn’t say such frightening things. After all, that’s still my brother you’re talking about.”

Jeong Taeui muttered as he smoothed the wrinkle on his forehead with his fingertip. Ilay calmly responded with a polite: “Oh, that is truly disrespectful.”

Although it’s unlikely they would use such a method, Jeong Taeui still felt a similar confusion. Even if his brother’s brain were so coveted by the world, if it were Jeong Taeui, he would consider a more effective method to achieve the same result without expending so much effort.

So, the most reasonable conclusion to consider was―……

“Perhaps that man has a severely wounded ego.”

The unexpected statement left Jeong Taeui staring blankly at the person who had just spoken those words. He wondered if Ilay had just spoken his thoughts aloud, but Ilay continued talking.

“Sometimes, there are people like that. If they don’t get what they want, they feel hurt, and then they do whatever it takes to get what they want, even if it means suffering losses. Especially those who are well-backed and smart – those who have always achieved everything according to their plans – they tend to be like that even more.”

Listening to Ilay’s indifferent murmuring left him unsure of what to say, but it seemed like that man was someone very petty, selfish, and resentful.

These traits didn’t align with Jeong Taeui’s impression of Raumaan, but there was no basis to claim that was incorrect either.

After all, the fact that Raumaan had spent years persistently pursuing Jeong Jaeui, even though, to Jeong Taeui, there was no benefit large enough to justify it, and at the same time chasing after the terrorist responsible for the mansion explosion, spoke volumes.

“…………”

“What’s wrong?”

Jeong Taeui shook his head helplessly, biting his lip at the situation where the attacker was badmouthing the victim.

“Nothing…… I just feel lucky that you’re not that kind of scoundrel.”

Seeing how an event from a few years ago was still being dragged out until now, Jeong Taeui suddenly thought – ‘Wouldn’t it have been better to resolve everything on the same day without thinking about consequences, rather than dragging it out for years?’ – But then quickly pushed that thought out of his mind.

Upon reflection, the man in front of him also had a very unusual way of thinking.

“You gave up a peaceful life and didn’t even hesitate to face becoming a terrorist just to win me back?”

Jeong Taeui suddenly asked. The moment the question was asked with a serious face, Ilay nodded without much thought.

“Ah, of course.”

As expected, looking directly at the man who answered seriously, even knowing it was just a joke, Taeui still felt a bit embarrassed and eventually scratched his head. But Ilay didn’t hesitate to drive the point further.

“Does it look like a joke?”

“……”

Jeong Taeui could only scratch his head more vigorously.

“So for example……Taei, if the situation were reversed, what do you think you would do?”

Jeong Taeui suddenly halted at the question as if it was intriguing.

“No…… That hypothetical seems impossible from the start……”

Jeong Taeui waved his hand dismissively. It was hard to imagine that this man would be obediently captured and imprisoned in some remote place – that was already hard to believe. But Ilay just winked, signaling him to continue, causing Jeong Taeui to hesitantly look at him and rack his brain to think. Though in reality, there wasn’t much to think about.

“The timing would also matter. If it were back then, meaning a few years ago when that situation happened――.”

“Surely, you would have been overjoyed and run thousands of miles away from that place.” Before Jeong Taeui could respond, Ilay answered first. Jeong Taeui bitterly bit his lip. If you already knew, why ask?

“So…… what about now?”

Ilay’s eyes narrowed. Facing the man who was a bit mischievous and a bit wicked, Jeong Taeui frowned with discomfort and eventually sighed. A fact that everyone probably knew, so lying to him was useless anyway.

“I would come to get you. Even if it meant becoming a terrorist or doing anything else.”

The moment he spoke, Jeong Taeui felt a vague sense of despair. He had tried his best to avoid this situation, but it seemed he had finally reached the end of the line. No matter how long they lived together, he never wanted to have the same mindset as this man.

But so be it. Better to be hunted together than to stand waiting for someone without knowing when they would return.

“Ah—…… after living together for a few years, I’ve finally become a desperate man……”

Jeong Taeui muttered in anguish and held his head.

Suddenly, laughter rang out. With a bit of embarrassment and a bit of resentment for being asked such a question, he looked up to see Ilay smiling. He snapped his fingers and signaled him to come closer.

“……What is it?”

“Stand up.”

“WHY SHOULD I STAND UP!”

Jeong Taeui exclaimed in shock and took a step back. No need to ask what needs to ‘stand up.’ He just didn’t understand which part of his words made him need to ‘stand up,’ and that left his mind in a mess.

All Jeong Taeui had said was: “……because of you, I’ve become a desperate man.”

Ilay slowly glanced at Jeong Taeui, his hand wandering and caressing the front of his pants. His eyes narrowed, becoming serious.

This wasn’t a good sign. It was still early evening, not even time for dinner, and yet he already felt something was off.

But just then.

A knock on the door brought silence to the room.

“Excuse me, may I come in?”

After the knock, a short, cold voice echoed. Just after the voice ceased, the door opened without waiting for a reply, although not hastily.

The door that Ilay hadn’t had time to lock when he entered was now swinging open. And behind it was a man walking in without hesitation.

That man seemed to have surveyed the entire room in just a few steps as he entered. From Ilay reclining on the sofa to Jeong Taeui standing near the minibar.

Jeong Taeui looked at the man who had come alone without any attendants or subordinates, feeling a bit dizzy.

The person he hadn’t expected to come so quickly – and even personally – was standing there.

Raumaan Abid Al Saud.

The man whom he hadn’t seen for who knows how many years was now standing there, looking directly at Jeong Taeui. He still exuded the same authority as when they first met and had a face devoid of any smile.

“Long time no see, Jeong Taeui.”

His pronunciation was as precise as ever.

Jeong Taeui unconsciously sighed and opened his mouth to respond.

“Yes, it has been a long time.”

Raumaan nodded slightly at Jeong Taeui’s weak greeting. Then, he glanced at Ilay.

“And this person is……?”

“Ah…… I was just talking to a friend. This is……”

Jeong Taeui hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to say his name or not: ‘This is the person who destroyed your mansion and even terrorized the capital of your country.’

There was no way the man didn’t know that name, and even if he didn’t mention it, surely he couldn’t fail to recognize this face, but Jeong Taeui’s hesitation was understandable.

“Ilay Riegrow. Although rarely does anyone call me by that first name. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

But while Jeong Taeui was still hesitating, Ilay stood up and extended his hand. And right in front of Jeong Taeui, the perpetrator and the victim calmly shook hands for the first time in years.

“Is that so? I’ve heard much about you.”

‘Surely, you’ve heard a lot.’ – Jeong Taeui thought silently as he quietly took out a can of beer. His stomach churned to the point where he unconsciously intended to pop the tab, but then he remembered there was a guest, so he put the can down.

However, the greeting between the two men did not last long.

Here, it should have been a tense confrontation like a swordfight on a narrow bridge, but they simply exchanged a few greetings and released hands as if nothing had happened. The moment was so smooth that Jeong Taeui – who had been a bit tense – felt foolish.

But why did this man come here?

When Raumaan turned his gaze from Ilay to look at him, Jeong Taeui finally thought of it.

This man, who had come here personally instead of sending someone else – of course, if someone else had come to pick him up, he would never have gone with them – clearly had business with Jeong Taeui. And if he guessed correctly, his purpose was not to question the responsibility for the destruction of his mansion.

With a heavy heart, Jeong Taeui heavily opened his mouth and brought up the biggest issue he could guess.

“I heard you’ve still been in contact with my brother, Jaeui. I heard it from my brother. That you still inquire occasionally………..”

Anyway, if you’ve already faced it, it’s best to resolve awkward issues as soon as possible.

When Jeong Taeui mentioned that name, Raumaan’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Now that he noticed, the man seemed thinner. His cheekbones and jawline looked sharper. Or perhaps it was just because of the cold gaze he directed at him, different from when he was with Jeong Jaeui.

“I see…… It seems you and Jeong Jaeui still keep in regular contact.”

Raumaan spoke in a tone full of implication. Jeong Taeui raised an eyebrow.

“Not exactly regular. Ah…… I heard you exchanged a few greetings. Maybe I heard wrong.”

“No, that’s correct. From the organization’s side, they seem to have managed to deliver my messages a few times a year. Thanks to that, we’ve been able to stay in touch.”

“Ah yes.” – Jeong Taeui vaguely replied, judging from his tone as if the contact was frequent, but rarely actually reached the other end. Jeong Taeui felt a headache coming on, so he unconsciously rubbed his temple, wondering how someone so busy could persistently keep trying to stay in contact.

“Do you really need to contact him that much? Even if you contact him dozens or hundreds of times, my brother is not someone who will accept what he doesn’t want. And besides, if it’s something he wants, even if the UNHRDO tries to stop him, it has already become a reality.”

There’s no point in beating around the bush with such sharp people. Jeong Taeui spoke frankly. Don’t try to persuade someone to do what they don’t want.

And it seemed that the meaning of his words had been correctly conveyed to Raumaan.

“What Jeong Jaeui doesn’t want…… Jeong Taeui, it’s useless for me to say anything now, but I believe that if you had arrived just a month later, I would have achieved what I wanted. At least, I would have had the foundation to achieve it.”

Suddenly, Raumaan’s tone changed. The voice that had been cold but gentle and polite was now as sharp as a knife. And just like that tone, his cold and ruthless eyes stared at Jeong Taeui without hesitation.

This was a feeling he had sensed before; Jeong Taeui still realized that he always seemed to be the object of Raumaan’s deep-seated hatred.

“If what you wanted was to make my brother your ally and drag him into political struggles, then I must thank the heavens that I did not arrive a month later.”

“Drag him into political struggles? Me? Drag him in?”

Raumaan slowly repeated Jeong Taeui’s words. He let out a brief, incredulous laugh and said nothing more as if it wasn’t worth continuing to mention.

“Because you destroyed my mansion and took him away, many things have been turned upside down. Not just for me, but surely for you as well, Jeong Taeui.”

Just as he said, Jeong Taeui couldn’t deny it, though now he didn’t regret it, but his life had changed from that event, and he could only smile bitterly.

“I’m sorry for destroying your mansion. But if you could understand that it was an unavoidable situation, I would be very grateful. Because to take my brother, who was innocent but imprisoned like a criminal, out of there, it was something that couldn’t be avoided.”

“Imprisoned, huh……”

As soon as Jeong Taeui finished speaking, Raumaan repeated it as if talking to himself and let out a mocking laugh. Then he quickly became serious and stared intently at Jeong Taeui.

“Jeong Jaeui didn’t think so. If he did, he wouldn’t have stayed in my house for so long. ………….Yes, if you hadn’t come, perhaps even now, he would still be peacefully immersed in his thoughts there, undisturbed by anyone.”