Only separated by a door, the space inside and outside was completely different. Outside was
an open space for outsiders, while this place was only for those closely associated with the
Tarten family.
Inside the room, about five or six men were waiting for them.
A cold and silent atmosphere enveloped the place, making the temperature seem to drop a
few degrees.
"You called for me?"
The one to break the silence was Christoph.
Although he clearly felt the cold silence directed at him, Christoph did not show any fear or
hesitation. In fact, his tone carried an annoyance that almost sounded like reproach.
The reactions of those facing Christoph were varied. Some glared angrily, some clicked their
tongues, and others had awkward expressions.
Jeong Taeui stood quietly beside him, his gaze directed at the man who showed no emotion.
Among them, the one he recognized was Richard.
Only the bandaged arm under his suit indicated any inconvenience. But Richard, whom
Jeong Taeui had seen covered in blood the previous day, now stood next to them looking
calm. When their eyes met, Richard greeted Jeong Taeui with a gentle nod, true to his style.
Next, Jeong Taeui's gaze fell upon the window.
A small old man stood by the window where the evening sunlight shone in. He was the only
other person besides Richard that Jeong Taeui had seen before, the head of the Tarten family.
Christoph also saw the old man almost simultaneously with Jeong Taeui, his gaze narrowing
slightly. When the man standing in the center spoke, Christoph's expression turned as
impassive as a statue.
"I want to know what happened last night."
The man with the heavy voice, aside from the old man, seemed to be the oldest among them.
"You already know everything."
Christoph answered indifferently. The man addressed as 'uncle' raised his eyebrows, looking
at Christoph with displeasure.
"Why do you think I know everything?""I think you've already heard from him."
Christoph briefly glanced at Richard without turning his head. When attention turned to him,
Richard raised his eyebrows but did not react otherwise.
The uncle slowly looked at Richard and then turned back to Christoph.
"So, the story goes that Moritz and some others caused trouble at the bar, and you injured
them. Then you went to where Richard was and fought with other brothers, correct?"
Christoph merely nodded slightly as an answer.
Jeong Taeui, standing behind Christoph, thought that Christoph at least believed Richard
would not lie to benefit himself. But he also wondered if it was a matter of trust or simply
understanding the other's character.
As Jeong Taeui pondered that difference, the uncle's gaze shifted from Christoph to him.
"You were the one with Christoph last night, correct?"
Only then did Jeong Taeui realize that the question was directed at him. He nodded slightly
and responded, "Yes, that's right."
Even without looking directly, he could feel the cold gaze on him.
It was a look that evaluated and judged others by their own standards.
Jeong Taeui did not intend to care about the judgment of unrelated people, but he also did not
want to pretend to be a polite young man. He raised his head and looked directly at the man.
The old man standing behind still had no intention of speaking. It seemed he had entrusted
the decision-making entirely to the uncle, who was perhaps the second in command of the
Tarten family. The old man only observed them, looking like a kindly elder.
Jeong Taeui turned back to the uncle, who had finished his observation and asked.
"What do you think?"
Jeong Taeui could not answer immediately.
That question was difficult, and the man was hard to read.
This uncle was a difficult person to read.
Jeong Taeui could not sense whether the man before him had goodwill or malice, what he
was thinking, or how he felt.
He sighed quietly as he looked down at his feet, then raised his head.
"I think instead of giving my opinion about them, it's better to let them express their views to
each other."In his mind, Jeong Taeui silently added that he did not know enough about the situation to
make any judgments. The uncle nodded coldly and said.
"That is a useless thought."
Jeong Taeui only gave a weak smile.
"I am an outsider and do not intend to help or hinder anyone in the Tarten family."
He was not qualified to be in this place. To Jeong Taeui, this place was no different from an
ill-fitting shoe*, extremely uncomfortable.
(*Ill-fitting shoe: Refers to something that is not suitable or comfortable.)
The uncle made a slight - "Hmm" - sound and stared at Jeong Taeui. He looked longer than
before and then asked.
"I hear you are Christoph's guest. What kind of person are you?"
Once again, Jeong Taeui could not answer immediately.
The man always asked difficult questions. Though the question was very general, what he
wanted to know was Jeong Taeui's relationship with Christoph, the reason for being here, and
his identity. Jeong Taeui hesitated, not knowing how to answer. He did not know what the
right answer was and what should not be said.
The current situation of the Tarten family and his circumstances.
Considering all of that, Jeong Taeui glanced at Richard. He was a bit surprised to realize that
Richard knew about him but said nothing.
After thinking for a while, Jeong Taeui decided to give a minimal and honest answer.
Anyway, the necessary people were present; if necessary, someone would add more.
"I came here to retrieve a book I had lent but ended up staying longer than planned."
As Jeong Taeui expected, that answer was too brief. The uncle raised an eyebrow and seemed
about to say something, but Richard, standing nearby, spoke up.
"It seems he has connections with T&R."
The uncle silently looked at Jeong Taeui. Jeong Taeui, momentarily confused, glanced at
Richard but then averted his eyes.
What Richard said was not entirely wrong. Jeong Taeui did have connections with T&R and
met Christoph through that, though it was not the clear truth. He remained silent after hearing
those words, quietly looking up at the ceiling.
Perhaps not just his name but also his current position was unlucky, he thought to himself.Fortunately, it seemed that the uncle and the other elders had nothing more to ask Jeong
Taeui.
They conversed for a while. What Jeong Taeui could understand was very little. Not because
of a language issue, but perhaps because there had been some agreements before Christoph
and Jeong Taeui arrived. There were only a few questions and brief agreements.
Finally, the uncle called - "The old man" - and the old man nodded vaguely. It seemed they
had reached some decision.
The uncle turned to Christoph.
"Christoph, when you renounce your inheritance and left, we agreed to overlook other issues
you caused here. We thought you would never return unless it was for something important.
But this time, though the reason is understandable, the consequences are beyond
imagination."
Jeong Taeui swallowed. He guessed what was coming and felt bitter. He looked at Christoph
out of the corner of his eye.
Christoph remained expressionless. There was no sign of surprise or distress, only calmness.
Perhaps he had anticipated this for a long time since he left, as he no longer had any affection
for this place.
"So, you must leave the Tarten family. And never return. When you leave here this time, don't
come back to Dresden. That is the last way you can show respect to the Tarten family that
gave you birth."
"I will do so."
When the uncle finished his brief verdict, Christoph immediately responded.
Jeong Taeui looked at them for a while, then quietly lowered his eyes. He did not want to
look any longer.
In retrospect, Christoph had once said he had no intention of returning to Dresden, and this
time he came only because he couldn't avoid it.
So the uncle and the family's decision not to allow him back was probably not shocking to
Christoph.
However.
When he woke up on the large bed, frowned, greeted the morning, rode a horse in the forest
proudly and neatly without a speck of dust, or turned the pages of a book in the library under
the golden evening light. Those natural and familiar images made Jeong Taeui feel bitter in
his throat. Even if he didn't want to, this place was still the most suitable for him. At least
more suitable than rolling in dust and blood."As the uncle said, I will leave Dresden tomorrow morning. And as long as I live, I will not
return here."
No one said anything when Christoph firmly replied. Perhaps they also felt regretful, like
Jeong Taeui.
But as the uncle nodded and prepared to speak, someone spoke first.
"I will ask for his help."
The firm but gentle words left the room in stunned silence.
Richard - who had been quietly listening - now shifted his gaze from Christoph to the uncle.
"Guests from the Middle East are coming soon, and I will welcome them with Christoph. He
once worked with the Middle East in the T&R Mobile Unit, so I can get help from him. That
will be his way of paying for what he did this time."
Those calm and strong words seemed unannounced.
The elders in the room looked at Richard and Christoph with surprise and astonishment.
Jeong Taeui also looked at Christoph - who now showed discomfort - then at the still calm
Richard and Ilay, who raised an eyebrow slightly surprised but unchanged.
"I won't do it."
Christoph was the first to speak.
But Richard ignored him and continued.
"It's time to decide who will inherit the Tarten family. And I cannot convince myself that I am
capable of leading Tarten if I cannot achieve favorable results from both supporters and
opponents. So, to prove my ability, I will ask for his help and complete this task."
Whatever Richard's real intentions were, his words were not wrong. Despite having a bad
relationship, Richard suppressed his emotions and proposed a reasonable solution for both
sides.
However.
"I won't do it. As the uncle said, I will leave Dresden and never return. I will cut all ties with
Tarten except for the debts I owe. I will not be involved with you and will not follow your
orders."
Christoph spoke decisively with annoyance, then turned and left without hesitation.
"Chris" - Someone among the elders called his name, but Christoph walked out of the room
without hearing. He passed by Jeong Taeui and Ilay, opened the door, and left.Before anyone could stop him, Christoph was already outside, and the wooden door closed
with a thud, leaving Jeong Taeui confused about whether to follow him.
After a short silence, a gentle voice sounded from behind Jeong Taeui.
"He will do it."
Richard spoke calmly, picking up the coffee cup in front of him. A light coffee aroma wafted.
"I don't want to expel him from Tarten. I don't want to lose a precious brother, even if he is a
troublemaker."
The warm and gentle voice accompanied by a benevolent smile.
"So I will ask for his help to resolve everything nicely. No matter how much he hates it."
While the elders praised and encouraged Richard, he smiled softly as if there were no other
choice. Jeong Taeui only stood silently watching him.
That gentle and warm smile never changed.