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.