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So, from the beginning
At that time, Canaris was like Matthias Yudorov’s limbs. A group that moved according to Yudorov’s thoughts, in other words, a collection of fanatics. Yudorov, who had become too exposed, planned to exile himself abroad and operate Canaris by moving his subordinates.
So, from the beginning, Sebastian’s kidnapping was the first step for Yudorov to go into exile. He was the king of Canaris. It wouldn’t be wrong to call him a god. However, he was only an absolute figure within it; just one step outside, he was merely a man with nothing. He had enough money, but lacked the ability to actually get out. People didn’t want to be involved with Canaris. Money launderers, arms dealers, smuggling companies, and the like didn’t even want to step on Canaris’s shadow. Of course, he could have subdued them with violence. But using violence everywhere meant leaving traces. What Yudorov wanted was to disappear so quietly that no trace remained.
He thought of his friend, Michael Riegel. With Michael’s full support, it would be possible to disappear like fog. But Michael wouldn’t easily lend a hand for such a thing. He claimed to Michael that he had been used, but his friend might comfort him with feelings of sympathy, yet wouldn’t try to give Yudorov any help.
So Yudorov made Michael want to help him. The setup was that he kidnapped Michael’s eldest son, beat him severely until his whole body was like a rag, and then “Michael’s friend Matthias Yudorov” rescued him, risking his life. This setup worked perfectly. Michael was devastated by his son’s condition but grateful to Yudorov. The relationship between the two became incredibly close in an instant. Yudorov showed himself trembling with fear every day, saying that Canaris would eventually harm him and his family. To Michael, whose son had been harmed, Yudorov’s appearance wasn’t someone else’s problem. Michael used all his abilities to save Yudorov, who was already known as the leader of Canaris. And Yudorov’s family members left the country one by one, with Yudorov finally boarding a plane with a fake passport.
At this point, he seems to have really been “Uncle Yudorov” to Sebastian. The incident that made him think, “What if he’s not an uncle but a wolf cub?” was due to chance.
Twenty-three-year-old Sebastian was in the United States at the time. He was living a life wandering around the world. He was traveling partly to shake off the aftereffects of being kidnapped and partly to soothe his heart that repeatedly collapsed and was reborn from love for Lee Shin-yeon. And while traveling, Sebastian was finding out and confirming for himself about the vast wealth he had inherited at the age of twenty-one. A significant portion of his assets was overseas real estate, and with nothing to do and plenty of time, he was going through the process of visiting all the properties in person to see and verify them.
And by chance, he saw Yudorov. Not “Matthias Yudorov” though. It was “Ralph Yudorov,” the man who had been introduced to Sebastian as Yudorov’s same-aged son.
What Sebastian couldn’t understand was that the place where his father had helped the Yudorov family exile to was Belgium. Ralph, who should have been in Europe, was in America, in quite a rural area, dressed in luxury brands and holding a golf club. Next to Ralph was a middle-aged woman who appeared to be the owner of the golf club, and even from a distance, Ralph looked like her partner. Not even a normal partner, but one she was playing with—in other words, he looked no different from what might be called a “male prostitute.”
This happened at a golf course owned by Sebastian. Ralph probably didn’t even know who owned this golf course. Well, the owner of this golf course is naturally registered under a company name. It’s just that most of the company’s shares belong to Sebastian.
Seeing this, Sebastian felt a chill down his spine. He began to investigate Ralph Yudorov. Of course, Ralph Yudorov wasn’t using that name. He was living with the middle-aged woman and was reportedly unemployed without any particular job. Entering his social community, Sebastian saw the occupation he had written.
“Actor.”
And there was an email address saying he also did role-playing as boyfriends, business partners, sons or grandsons, etc.
Sebastian started digging from here and eventually discovered that all those claimed to be Yudorov’s family were “role players.” If they had been strangers, they wouldn’t have fallen for such a shallow trick. But Yudorov was Michael’s friend, and no one in the Riegel family doubted Michael’s friend.
By the time Sebastian turned twenty-five, he was not idle.
He energetically pursued Yudorov. However, Yudorov had already cut off contact a year ago with a Christmas card saying, “It seems Canaris is looking for our family. I don’t think I can contact you anymore. Stay healthy, Michael. I pray for God’s blessings on you and your family, especially Sebi.”
Sebastian was determined to find Yudorov and discovered his traces several times. But he was always one step behind, and it seemed Yudorov had realized someone was tracking him and erased his traces even more thoroughly.
While this game of cat and mouse continued, Canaris approached Michael Riegel. They began threatening him, saying, “We know it was you who helped Matthias Yudorov exile, so cooperate if you don’t want to be arrested for treason.”
“And that’s when I thought to try a reverse approach. What if I created an environment where Yudorov had to come back to the country, since I couldn’t catch him?”
So Sebastian asked for his father’s understanding and was given full authority over the Canaris matter. Then he told Canaris, “I can help, but it’s impossible to help without knowing who the leader is. We got into this trouble by fulfilling Yudorov’s request, who is Canaris’s leader. If we fulfill your request, another Canaris person might appear with different demands. Give us a guarantee that you control Canaris and that we only need to listen to you.”
And for that guarantee, he insisted on “meeting Canaris’s leader.” He also demanded evidence that he was Canaris’s leader. If that happened, the entire Riegel family would fully cooperate with Canaris, while also leaking information to the Security Bureau to draw them in.
And that’s how we met.
“Just in case you misunderstand, you really weren’t part of my plan.”
He says it was so absurd that he met his “ideal type” at such an important moment. Nevertheless, the reason he couldn’t help but speak to me was that he couldn’t stand seeing me grinning in Lee’s arms.
“Yudorov came back to the country. Dagoba rushed to the Security Bureau, right? She was afraid Yudorov would purge her, so she tried to make a deal for a reduced sentence and escape. Rebecca Dagoba is already dead by Yudorov’s hand. The King has returned, the Queen and Pawn are dead, and the Bishop has fled.”
Suddenly, I realized.
“So which one are you in league with, the Knight or the Rook?”
At my question, a bright smile spread across Sebastian’s face. He answered proudly.
“With neither.”
“Then…”
“They’re both dead. I killed them.”
I don’t particularly dislike private retribution. Especially.
“Those two kidnapped me.”
In such cases, even more so. I stroked Sebastian’s cheek.
“Well done. Call me next time. I’ll help you kill them in the most painful way possible.”
Sebastian blushed and smiled at my words. He nodded obediently.
I wanted to hear more, but it was really time to go to the office now. When I said I’d hear the rest after work, Sebastian held me back. As he stared at me, not knowing what he wanted and somehow his eyes looked like a puppy’s, I stroked his cheek again.
“Don’t you think I deceived you?”
“No, not at all.”
Sebastian simply didn’t say anything, and I didn’t ask. It would be a lie to say there was nothing suspicious about Sebastian’s behavior. I knew there was something. The reason I didn’t press the matter was because I don’t care what he does. Whatever he does, he’s my Sebastian.
Rebecca Dagoba’s death must be very recent. That means Sebastian killed at least one of the Knight or Rook either yesterday or today. I don’t know if he did it himself or ordered it. Anyway, the Knight and Rook are dead. Now all that’s left to Yudorov are people who aren’t executives or are pretending to be executives. Like August Kuno.
As I was about to leave Sebastian’s room, I turned back to look at him. He was still sitting leaning against the desk, watching me. An endless gaze. The unchanging affection in that gaze satisfies my heart. I’m actually content just with you loving me like this. Oh, and it’s even better if the bastards who troubled you die. Beyond that, I’m not particularly curious or want to know.
But I can’t help asking this. No matter how much I’ve been thinking about changing jobs, I’m still a civil servant, aren’t I?
“What will Yudorov do when Canaris is collapsing? He’s not going to be in a desperate state, setting off bombs everywhere and such, right?”
Then Sebastian shook his head.
“I investigated after hearing about Maderke. Canaris has never set off a bomb without reason.”
“Of course, they were trying to return to communism…”
“No, this is about money. Those bastards always set off bombs targeting profitable things. So from the beginning, Yudorov didn’t care about communism at all. What he wanted was just money. Money to fill his own pockets.”
Sebastian guaranteed that would absolutely never happen, and I felt momentarily bewildered. I thought lives were lost because of some ideology, but it wasn’t even ideology—it was money? I was dumbfounded.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
