Chapter 117. Rose of Versailles (2)
The 3 won giggling at my expense.
Especially Im Ye-rin and Bo-reum, having once attended the sa high school, already knew each other.
Im Ye-rin had started speaking informally to Bo-reum at so point, and Bo-reum called her ‘unni’ the two of them getting along famously.
I rubbed my throbbing temples and asked Bo-reum.
"Bo-reum, your NuTube channel seems to be pretty popular."
"Oh, well, sort of."
"How many subscribers do you have?"
"Just hit 100,000 the other day."
"What? How long has it even been since you started it?"
"About 4 months?"
"You're not posting yourself in a bikini or sothing, are you?"
"What are you talking about! It's purely thanks to my editing, and my beauty."
"Good gracious, now that's surprising."
At that, Bo-reum frowned and asked Im Ye-rin,
"My brother uses really old-fashioned expressions, doesn't he?"
"I thought so too."
"Sa here."
Chief Han chid in as well.
A complete defeat on my part.
I had no choice but to accept it.
"You've got talent."
"As the Japan branch leader, please say I've combined that with marketing skills."
"Japan branch leader?"
"There's such a thing. Unni."
Chief Han would be desperately looking for , so her coming was understandable.
No matter how I thought about it, Im Ye-rin was suspicious.
There was clearly sothing going on.
"Why are you staring at like that?"
"Because he's never been in a relationship. Unni."
"Hey! Kim Bo-reum!"
"Tae-yang. Is there sothing on my face?"
"Are you really just here for fun?"
Im Ye-rin grinned slyly and said,
"I co to Paris often. I ca last year too. And the year before that."
Ah, her family is wealthy.
Well, that's true.
"Unni, my brother just doesn't understand the romance that flows through Paris."
"……Well. That does seem about right."
Damn it. This blasted Kim Bo-reum virus.
Sohow, whenever I'm around her, everyone she introduces wants to tease .
"I'm just going to step out to the restroom for a mont."
Just then, Bo-reum rose from her seat.
I stared at Im Ye-rin.
"Why do you keep looking at like that?"
"Who sent you?"
"What?"
"Elder Choi?"
"……."
Im Ye-rin fell silent.
She seed flustered.
"The older brother or the younger one?"
"……."
"Both of them."
"I can't say."
Chief Han interjected.
"The Choi brothers of the Goryeo Sword Sect?"
"Oh my, how do you know that?"
Im Ye-rin looked at Chief Han.
I said,
"This is Chief Han. From Gukmubon."
"Wha—?!"
"Actually it's Chief Hwang."
"Please answer properly. Chief Han."
"……You're going to attack like that right away?"
Chief Han glared at .
"The, the, the Gukmubon Poison Spider?"
"That's right."
Im Ye-rin stared at her.
Chief Han subtly lifted the edge of her Human Skin Mask near the chin, smiled, and said,
"I'm Han Jang-mi. It seems you're a friend of Kim Tae-yang's."
"It's an honor!"
Im Ye-rin shot to her feet and bowed at the waist.
"Oh my."
"I'm Im Ye-rin. My sect is the Goryeo Sword Sect! My floor count is 14!"
"You'll be eting Shadowless Divine Thief soon. That's impressive."
Her crisp, formal posture.
It was a side of her I'd never seen.
"I, Chief Han is my role model! The very embodint of girl crush! I started climbing the Tower because I wanted to beco like Chief Han! My room is completely plastered with posters of Chief Han, and here on my phone too—."
The wallpaper of the phone Im Ye-rin held out had a photo of Chief Han from a news article.
Chief Han gazed quietly at her own photo for a mont, then smiled with a hint of embarrassnt.
"I'm honored. Though I'm not even a chief anymore……."
For so reason, those words sounded sad.
But Im Ye-rin didn't mind in the least.
"To , you will always be Chief Han of Gukmubon! Um…… a, aut, autograph please."
Im Ye-rin rummaged through her bag, and Chief Han made a troubled face.
"Not right now."
"Ye-rin, read the room. Chief Han is a fugitive right now."
"Another attack already?"
Chief Han shot a glare.
"I, again, was asked to give it to you when only the 2 of us were present. It was the first mission the Elder gave ."
Im Ye-rin handed over a tablet.
It was the tablet used back at the Choi brothers' villa; they had gifted it to and my fingerprint was registered on it.
A tablet that only I and the brothers could unlock.
"If that was the case, why didn't you just answer right away."
Chief Han's face peered in.
"What content could possibly be inside for them to specifically deliver it all the way here?"
"I won't tell you."
"Hmph!"
"It doesn't suit you."
"Damn it."
I set the tablet down without opening it.
"Chief Han, how did you get here? Stowaways?"
"What are you talking about. I took a plane."
"They'd have their eyes peeled at the airport."
"I just happen to have quite a few passports."
"I suppose so."
"As expected…… A role model!"
Im Ye-rin gave a thumbs-up.
Just then, Bo-reum returned from the restroom.
"Did sothing happen? Oh my, unni, why are you sitting so stiffly?"
"Nothing happened."
"Co on, what is it."
"Nothing happened, I'm telling you."
"Did my brother confess his feelings again?"
"What?!"
"Bwahahahaha!"
Everyone seated burst into laughter.
……Except .
***
Bo-reum left, saying she was going to et Min-jeong.
I sat between Chief Han and Im Ye-rin, heaving a sigh.
First I asked Im Ye-rin.
"Ye-rin. Did I ever confess to you back then?"
"Why?"
"Because Bo-reum just asked if I confessed 'again'."
"Hmm, did you?"
"I didn't, right?"
"I feel like maybe you did."
"I didn't, right?"
"I can't quite rember."
Im Ye-rin smiled.
【Kim Tae-yang says he really didn't. 1 Happiness】
Can I even trust that? You little—.
【Kim Tae-yang says he REALLY, truly didn't. 1 Happiness】
"So now that the mission from the Choi brothers is done, you'll be heading back to Korea, right?"
"No."
"Why?"
"There are more missions left."
"……You're to spy on ?"
"Hmm."
"Chief Han."
"Ye-rin."
"Yes! I have a mission left to watch her every move and make sure she's not uncomfortable!"
"Thank you."
In so ways, it's convenient.
Next, Chief Han.
"Chief Han, why did you co?"
"You call that a question."
"You won't be able to see him even if you follow around."
"You never know."
"My teacher won't like it."
"I've already gone as far as I can go. Even if he hates more, I have nothing to lose."
"Eeek!"
Im Ye-rin recoiled in shock and stared at Chief Han.
……Why?
"'Gone as far as I can go'…… d, don't tell ……?"
"Ah, it's not like that."
"Kim Tae-yang! Just what have you done!"
I was truly going to lose my mind.
Im Ye-rin, who had been sharp as a tack, seed to have completely short-circuited upon eting the Chief Han she so admired.
……I shouldn't have fired the gun. Good grief.
In the end, Chief Han clarified the situation.
After hearing about the relationship between the Naless Hero and , Im Ye-rin stared at with her mouth hanging open.
"Tae-yang……. You're Naless Hero's disciple?"
"Yes."
"Wow…… I see. So that's why Elder Choi gave a special hire. It makes sense now."
"Do you feel so respect?"
"It is surprising."
"Respect?"
"Let think about that."
"Pfft—!"
Chief Han laughed listening to our exchange.
"What?"
"Seeing you two now, Kim Tae-yang actually looks a bit like soone his age."
"Pardon?"
"You seed like a battle-hardened old soul, but eting a friend like this, you finally look like a man in his 20s."
"Is that so."
"Yes. It's nice to see."
Chief Han smiled brightly.
"You look nice too, Chief Han."
"Do I look that way?"
"Yes."
"Having set everything down, my shoulders do feel lighter. Though my heart is heavy."
"I'm sorry."
"Why is Kim Tae-yang apologizing? My teacher should be the one to do that."
Chief Han kept bringing up the Naless Hero.
I deliberately changed the subject.
"……How is Minister Han doing?"
"He's been busy climbing again lately."
"Pardon?"
"He's in the Philippines. He let know the other day that he'd broken through 21st floor."
"He truly is remarkable."
The old man.
I just hope he doesn't get hurt.
Just then, Chief Han linked her arm through mine.
"Good heavens, why are you doing this!"
"Let's go."
"Where."
"To Kim Tae-yang's hotel."
"What?"
"Are you going to try to separate us again? Absolutely not. I have to stay close to et him."
"……Haa."
"You're truly thorough. Even back in Korea, you'd throw out every phone you used, and here you're using a prepaid phone."
"You found in the end, didn't you."
"So don't think about running away. I'll find you again."
"……."
"And get a hotel room. I've spent all my ergency money."
Chief Han winked.
"Liar."
"Hehe!"
"I thought you'd only set down the burden on your shoulders, but it seems you set down your pride along with it."
"Just wait until you're in my position, Tae-yang. After devoting all of your youth in loyal service, having the very country you served now trying to hunt you down—wouldn't you go a little crazy?"
……I feel bad.
Then Im Ye-rin linked her arm through mine from the other side.
"And what are you doing?"
"Did you forget? I was told to watch her every move and make sure she's comfortable."
"I'm already uncomfortable."
"Where's the hotel?"
A little while later, at the hotel.
I had finally given the 2 won who followed all the way here a piece of my mind.
"Is this really necessary?"
"Because Kim Tae-yang is being petty."
In truth, at the hotel I'd told the front desk staff that these 2 were not hotel guests.
The hotel staff approached Chief Han and Im Ye-rin, and Chief Han let out a shriek.
"Don't touch there! I said don't touch there!"
In the end, to avoid the commotion, I had no choice but to say they were with .
"You're not even the least bit ashad?"
"I told you, I've gone as far as I can go. Besides, I didn't cause any real inconvenience. Ye-rin here paid for everything."
"You caused plenty of inconvenience. And, 'Ye-rin here'?"
"Yes! Im Ye-rin is honored to be sharing a room with Chief Han!"
"See?"
"I'm losing my mind!"
Fortunately, I had the suite.
The won headed to a different floor.
"Looks like Elder Choi didn't give her enough money for a suite. Hmph."
"Blast it……. I had no idea it would be this expensive."
Im Ye-rin looked rather defeated.
As I stepped off the elevator, I said 1 thing.
"Let's get so rest now."
Chief Han grabbed the closing elevator door and shouted,
"Don't think about sneaking off to another hotel. I've already gotten Bo-reum's contact information."
"Yes……. Yes."
Click.
When I closed the door and stepped inside, Omar was standing in front of it.
"Boss."
"Did you take care of your business?"
"Who is that outside?"
"Soone."
"It seed like you were upset. Shall I deal with them?"
Omar reaching for his revolver.
I pressed my hand to my forehead.
……What's wrong with you.
[They beco a weakness, you know.]
It was a mont I thought Killian was a sage.
***
[Republic of Korea—Blue House]
Park Jae-yeol clutched his phone and stared at it with anxious eyes.
"Has there been no word from Minister Pyeon?"
"No, Your Excellency."
The secretary replied.
"What about the attendants who went with him?"
"No contact."
"The National Intelligence Service's European branch director is there too."
"Sa."
"Just what in the hell are they all doing!"
Park Jae-yeol erupted in frustration.
"Everyone's looking down on right now, aren't they."
"……."
"Get in touch with them sohow. And tell them to call imdiately!"
"Yes, understood."
The secretary turned and closed the door behind him.
Park Jae-yeol nearly smashed his phone in his rage, but barely held back.
***
[France Black Market]
Killian was in conversation with Louise.
"Uncle, I finished gluing these together."
Louise brought over a piece of porcelain she had glued back together with adhesive.
It was the porcelain Pyeon Jae-yeong had handed over, claiming it was a national treasure class artifact.
The porcelain, which had been smashed to pieces, had been haphazardly put back together by Louise and was a ss.
"Couldn't you have done better?"
"I'm not a professional."
"It's passable enough."
"Just what did you have do this for?"
"I told you, it's punishnt."
"For punishnt it's a bit……."
"A bit what?"
"……childish, isn't it."
Louise bit her lip.
Killian spoke to her.
"There's sothing you must go through if you enter a museum as an artifact curator."
"What is it?"
"The task of reassembling a shattered old piece of porcelain."
"……."
"Break it, then put it back together. That's how you develop an eye for objects."
"Aah."
"Lucien ran off early on. That's why you're now receiving training as the successor."
At Killian's words, Louise looked once more at the porcelain she had pieced together.
"Study it well. To inherit everything I have."
"Yes, Uncle."
Louise looked down at the floor.
Killian noticed there was a bloodstain on Louise's hand.
"What's that blood on your hand?"
"Oh. It's nothing."
She hid her hand behind her back.
Killian let out a sigh and rebuked her.
"You were holding back so well for a while, and you're doing that again?"
"……."
"The reason I sent that Gypsy man's younger sister to your room wasn't for you to toy with her like a plaything."
"……She wouldn't listen. I only disciplined her a little."
"That woman is collateral. Don't lay a hand on her anymore."
"Yes, Uncle."
Having been scolded, Louise seed to want to change the subject; with a bright expression, she asked Killian,
"By the way, did you get to et that Korean man properly? From what I heard from the others, you were laughing in a remarkably good mood."
"Hehehehe."
"He must have really impressed you. To he seed like nothing special."
"You saw him wrong."
"Did I?"
Killian looked at Louise and said,
"What he showed isn't everything. There's definitely a separate true identity."
"What?"
"That face too, sohow, feels like he's wearing a mask. His status, his identity, all of it."
"Really?"
"There's definitely sothing there……. That man nad Kim Tae-yang too, and that Naless Hero as well. There's a hidden, larger true identity and a backer. The feeling hits squarely."
It was well known that Killian had risen to where he was on the strength of his eye for people alone.
Louise swallowed.
"You look like you want to have that man, Uncle."
"Kim Tae-yang? I do."
"Should I…… Try approaching him?"
Louise gave a bewitching smile.
At that, Killian shook his head.
"No."
"Why?"
"He's not a vessel you can contain. Neither am I. One wrong move and everything will be taken. Like the Red Dragon Gate in Korea."
"In that case……?"
"I'll have to watch for the right mont and kill him."
"The Naless Hero won't stay quiet."
Killian stroked his chin.
A cruel smile rose to the corners of his lips.
"I'll have to make that naive fool Pyeon Jae-yeong take the bla for all of it."
User Comments
0 comments from readers