44
If You Were King
And that conviction was right.
Whatever August Kuno’s true feelings were, he outwardly supported Sebastian unconditionally. A week after Sebastian started demolishing Josef Kuno’s surroundings, August Kuno contacted us, saying he wanted to apologize in person and send his son Josef abroad.
The Canaris psychos rarely showed their true faces. Especially after one of their executives was arrested on drug charges at a club, they became even more cautious. The fact that August Kuno said he would come to meet Sebastian directly at this point clearly showed he was quite desperate.
“August Kuno is an extremely dangerous individual,” Kouri warned me.
All the Canaris guys are dangerous. And the ones at the top are the craziest among the dangerous ones. How can those who turn dangerous people into pseudo-religious fanatics willing to sell their lives cheaply be in their right minds? Moreover, according to the informant, August Kuno was Matthias Yudorov’s right-hand man. Sebastian had said that “Uncle Yudorov” had no connection to Canaris and was merely held hostage. If so, who could be the actual leader wielding Canaris while putting Matthias Yudorov forward? We can’t rule out the possibility that it might be August Kuno, known as the right-hand man.
Wait, then is he the Holy Grail?
For a long time, Matthias Yudorov was referred to as the ‘Holy Grail’ within the Security Bureau. There was a widespread rumor that arresting or killing Yudorov would guarantee a promotion. But if August Kuno is the real owner of Canaris…
Can’t we just throw everything aside and cut off Kuno’s head?
That wouldn’t work, would it? Cutting off Kuno’s head wouldn’t eliminate the blackmail material against Michael Riegel. We don’t know how many people within Canaris are aware of this matter.
“Why does August Kuno pop up here?”
Riegel immediately became wary upon hearing August Kuno’s name. He must have known well what kind of person he was.
“Sebastian.”
The place chosen to meet August Kuno was a famous hotel in downtown Lumaier. There’s a club in the basement of that hotel. Yes, it’s the hotel where I first met Sebastian. Is it really a coincidence that the Canaris guys use this hotel every time they meet someone?
“Yeah?”
In the limousine heading to the hotel, Sebastian was busy adjusting my outfit, scrutinizing me with a dissatisfied look while answering half-heartedly. He was putting on and taking off my tie pin, attaching and detaching my cufflinks. He even kept untying and retying my necktie. I wanted to tell him to do it roughly, but recently my body has been under Sebastian’s management, so it was clear that my words wouldn’t have the slightest effect.
That damn enema, everything went wrong after that.
“How do you know August Kuno? Is he related to ‘Uncle Yudorov’?”
“Yeah, Kuno was holding Uncle captive.”
“Then when you said you extracted Yudorov from Canaris and helped him defect…”
“It means I backstabbed August Kuno.”
He backstabbed him, and now he’s beaten his son to a pulp, yet he’s calling to apologize obediently? Damn it, there’s a limit to treating someone like an idiot. If I had known this, I would have come more heavily armed. I might be able to escape on my own somehow, but it would be impossible to extract a diamond spoon like Sebastian.
“Does August Kuno know your face?”
“He does.”
Shit.
I was thinking of disguising Kouri to accompany us if he at least didn’t know the face.
Seeing my face turn serious, he smiled and shook his head.
“Don’t worry. He can’t be too harsh with me.”
“The Canaris guys can be harsh to anyone. Do you think people who throw bombs in subway stations care who they hurt?”
The only virtue of the Canaris guys is their fairness. The people who died, suffered permanent injuries, or irreversible mental damage didn’t discriminate based on gender, age, or status. They’re really bastards.
Sebastian laughed when I said this.
“No, they do discriminate. Yes, they’ve bombed several places. But have you ever seen them bomb golf courses or places where politicians gather? If they want to stand out, if they want to make their claims, then using bombs to kill politicians or wealthy people would be more in line with their purpose. But why can’t they do that? They’re avoiding groups that they absolutely can’t afford to turn into enemies.”
They can bomb subway stations used by ordinary people, but they can’t bomb golf courses. Because in this country, the life of one prosecutor general or chaebol chairman is more important than the lives of hundreds of ordinary citizens.
What would have happened if they had detonated bombs in places where truly powerful people were? They would have mobilized the army to dismantle Canaris. Of course, there would have been more damage from more extreme methods, but they wouldn’t have cared.
Sebastian, as a member of a chaebol family, was clearly a beneficiary of such a situation, yet he couldn’t suppress his contempt and disgust.
“You’re somewhat similar to the Canaris guys.”
Sebastian’s eyebrows rose at my words.
“What?”
“No, no.”
Ah, that was a statement open to misunderstanding. I hurried to correct my words.
“No, I don’t mean you’re trash like them, more like your ideology… Huh? This sounds weird too. That’s not it… How should I put it.”
This is difficult. As I scratched the back of my head, Sebastian grabbed my wrist and pulled it away. The staff had come to the mansion this morning to do my hair, and I almost ruined it. But it was really ambiguous how to convey this message without misunderstanding. I’m confident in physical action, but speaking is a bit difficult.
After thinking for a while, I spoke bit by bit.
“You think the current situation is lacking and want to change it, right? You look like you think some kind of revolution is necessary. That’s how you’re similar. Not that you’re on the same wavelength as those damn guys.”
Did I say it right? I’m not sure. Judging by his expression, even if I spoke like a dog, Sebastian seemed to have understood it in the right direction with affection. He clicked his tongue. With a face that seemed to be both smiling and sighing slightly, he said,
“We need to become a more democratic society.”
“Is that so? Some adults say things were better in the past.”
“A society where people who aren’t even of royal blood pretend to be kings and rule as dictators, where everyone is poor, where they talk about equality but there are classes, and where movement between classes depends solely on the permission of the upper class – that’s not right. Most unfair things are endured because others suffer them too, but is it okay if I don’t suffer the kind of unfairness that ruins lives? That’s a society without law. The system has collapsed. Even ancient societies had more structure than that. And now is the modern era.”
Sebastian, for some reason, was silent for a moment before looking out the window and saying,
“There shouldn’t be kings.”
Wondering what was outside the window, I looked and saw the hotel we were heading to. It’s an era where there shouldn’t be kings. Well, Sebastian’s words probably meant that there shouldn’t be dictators, not kings. Dictators are bad. In fact, 20 years ago when our country’s name changed from Blaiberg to Rotman, our country’s president had been the same person for 33 years. At that time, my father said, “When I was young, I thought the word ‘president’ was like that person’s middle name.” My father was in his late 20s during the revolution, so he had seen the same president all his life.
I heard that revolution wasn’t easy. Countless people died. My father always holds a mass for the deceased on that day. Friends, friends’ families, acquaintances, teachers, people he volunteered with… The world was changed by numerous people sacrificing their lives, but some people are grateful, some resent it as unnecessary, and most people have no thoughts about it.
My father didn’t resent anything. He told me not to resent either. We should acknowledge that all humans are different. At the end of that acknowledgment, my father became a compassionate priest, and I’m cynically shooting guns, which shows that people are born with their own nature.
And Sebastian must have been born with his own nature too.
Whatever it is, I thought it must be of a shining and noble kind. If I had been born with a diamond spoon like Sebastian, I probably would have lived like a rascal. But Sebastian, yeah, somehow he suited being a king well.
“I think you’d suit being a king well.”
At my words, Sebastian turned his head to look at me. It was a strange face. He had an indescribable expression that seemed both expectant and hurt, which made me feel sorry for him.
Sometimes I don’t understand what Sebastian is thinking. But no one can fully understand another person’s thoughts anyway.
Still, I wish you didn’t have to make this kind of face. I know it’s impossible, but humans usually live with somewhat selfish wishes.
“If you become king, I’ll become your subject.”
If you become king, maybe this country would be a bit happier. I think I can tell just by seeing how people around you treat you. That’s not something that happens just because you have a lot of money.
Sebastian’s eyes widened at my words. It was strange to see his eyes shaking.
“I’ll be your hunting dog and bite everything to death for you.”
If I have to live as a dog, it would be good to live as your dog. Because you are lovable and righteous.
He tried to smile at my words. But before he could fully smile, tears fell from his eyes. Surprised, I reached out my hand. Hey, are you crying? Just as I was about to ask, he pulled my hand. His strength was a bit lacking, so I voluntarily fell into his arms.
“Some things never change.”
Sebastian muttered. When he’s like this, there’s usually one reason…
“Is it Lee Shin-yeon?”
Usually, when someone you’re in a romantic relationship with cries while thinking of someone else, you’d feel bad, but for some reason, I felt sorry for Sebastian.
That bastard Lee Shin-yeon. What’s wrong with Sebastian that makes him cry like this? I’m definitely going to see that bastard’s face someday. Just how great is he to make someone this much of a mess?
“No.”
Sebastian muttered, hugging me and burying his face in my neck.
“Armin Schnieke hasn’t changed.”
His arms holding me were trembling.
