Chapter 125

It’s a dog country.
It’s misleading, so let’s flesh it out.
St. Kitts is a paradise for humanoid waste, where human-speaking dogs roll around like rocks. Some of them are nasty, some of them are humble, and some of them are just plain crazy.
The amazing thing is that they weren’t animals to begin with. Common sense people with perfectly normal values can lose their humanity overnight.
Here, too, is a woman who has stepped into the path of the beast.
“Bam, bam, bam, foo haaaah, I smell money…!”
“I knew it. They’re going crazy as soon as they get here.”
He grabbed Chelsea by the scruff of the neck as she tried to run to the casino.
“Get off me, I’m going to bite you!”
Heads turn and stare at you. She doesn’t seem to care that her coworkers are looking at her like she’s crazy.
‘Did I bring him here for nothing….’
Kim quickly regretted it. Maybe I looked at the former gambling addict too funny. But you can’t take back what you spill, so you have to clean up the mess.
“I’ll do it later, I’ll do it later. I have to find a place to stay.”
“…once you’ve got it, you’re good to go.”
“Whatever.”
“You’re really doing it? You don’t regret it?”
“Why should I begrudge you, you’re spending your own money.”
Ughhhh,” Chelsea laughed darkly.
“Because it’s yours, and I’m going to kick your ass! I’m going to trample all over you, and I’m going to be the ruler of capitalism, and you’re going to be free from labor, and you’re going to call me boss…!”
“Okay, go fuck yourself. Embarrass yourself in the street.”
“Commoner bastards…. I can’t believe you’ve already recognized me and held me back….”
I don’t recognize the new intelligence.
Kim shook her head, her face burning with unnecessary Chapter. At least she’s calmed down. I tore my eyes away from Chelsea and looked around the group.
“It’s sparkly….”
“It’s pretty, but I’m a little overwhelmed.”
“I agree. There are too many people.”
It was a different reaction from Chelsea.
Arya was overwhelmed by the splendor of the city. The two Pekatums, on the other hand, were uncomfortable with the high population density. All eyes were not only on the Pekatums, but also on Arya, who had grown animal ears on top of his head.
And Tatalia.
“Hmm….”
“Why and where are you uncomfortable?”
“Yes? No. More like, well.”
Rolling your eyes intently with a look of obvious discomfort. She blatantly looks around. When Kim Yi Hyun stares at her, her lips part in a hesitant manner.
“Actually, I know someone over here…….”
Jumbuck.
The timing made me wonder if they were targeting me on purpose. Like a scene from a movie, men in black suits appeared from among the passersby.
He walks in a straight line toward Tatalia.
“What are they, those?”
Chelsea’s eyes snap back to intelligence. She’s wary and protective of Tatalia. She’s unarmed for now, since she wasn’t allowed to bring a gun.
It’s an act of giving for yourself.
Chelsea was usually prickly, but this was her. But the fact that she couldn’t just be happy made Tatalia cringe.
The men in suits who stopped a few steps ahead of me cocked their heads.
“Lady Tatalia. I’m here to serve you.”
“Oh, really…. I’ll just pretend I don’t know.”
“I’m afraid I’m not in a position to do that. If you don’t mind, I’d like to make things easier for you and your party. Have you already decided on a place to stay during your stay?”
We had a lot of material to figure out what was going on.
It could be a polite demeanor, like you’re treating a superior. A classy suit, a nuanced remark that you’d be happy to offer your traveling companions a place to stay….
The title of lady was decisive.
“Huh.”
Chelsea was stunned when she finished judging. The betrayal in her eyes was palpable.
The apprentice turned out to be the master of capitalism.
* * *
The location was a luxury hotel.
It’s not the kind of place where you just throw in a bunch of flashy decorations and call it a day. It’s an understated, aesthetically conscious interior, which makes it all the more difficult to fathom its value. The paintings, the carpets, even the lights and chairs.
Compared to the royal castle in Bastiterra, it was definitely more modern. Perhaps it was because the place was more inclined toward staid tradition and straightforward splendor.
They were on the same page when it came to taking money.
“Strings, strings.”
“Why?”
“So you’re saying this is Tatalia’s?”
“That doesn’t sound like your name…. At least you’re close to the real owner.”
As they walked down the hallway, Asterike stopped and exclaimed, “Wow.
“Now that I know, it looks very different.”
“See? You’re a nice guy.”
“Are you telling me to listen to ……, now?”
“That’s right, it’s ugly, so let’s unmask it.”
I point it out, and Chelsea’s frown deepens. Her stomach must be killing her. Hagiya must be thrilled to learn that the prospective agent who claimed to be her instructor was actually a wealthy man with hidden power.
Tatalia, who was walking ahead, slowed down to join the conversation.
“You all freaked out, and we’re really, really sorry….”
“Don’t apologize, you’re welcome, they’ll let you stay for free.”
“I don’t think so either.”
“Arya has… Hooah cancer…. The bed is good….”
Arya, who was supposed to be the loudest, was snoozing soundly on Asterike’s back. She was very open about her desires. It was just as well we’d arrived late.
“Well, I’m glad you said that, and I’ll explain what’s going on.”
It’s all about the environment. Even in the way he speaks, he seems to have the air of an upper-class person.
A business room on the third floor.
You step inside a door held open by a man you don’t recognize as an assistant or bodyguard. A rectangular table was set in the center of the room. At the head of the table sat a man dressed in a neat black coat.
“You’re faster than I expected. You said you wouldn’t come back even if you had to starve to death.”
A solemn bass with a touch of class.
Gray eyes, not even remotely similar to Tatalia’s green ones, scanned the group. Her gaze lingers on Edwin and Asterike’s horns, then drops.
“You haven’t changed at all. You’re still an asshole.”
“You still have no iron.”
“…Don’t get me wrong. I didn’t come here to get my hands on you.”
“But that doesn’t change the fact that it caught my eye.”
Tatalia muttered to herself in a low voice. I think she said fuck.
“You don’t want me to see you scatter people all over the place and not be noticed.”
“I need it for work, and if you look far and wide, you can find money that’s not in your immediate reach.”
“Money, money, the damn money…!”
“Your sister told you, money and people are inseparable as long as you live in society. If you can hate money, it’s because you’ve never felt the absurdity of poverty.”
“That’s not what you’re supposed to say, is it?”
“But I’ve also seen a lot. St. Kitts is littered with penniless people who were once servants.”
I’ve been properly debunked. Tatalia finally shut up.
“Doesn’t that make sense?
In all honesty, Kim would have preferred to side with her brother over her sister, but in Polaris, where there is overwhelming violence, golden mean-spiritedness has clear limits. The mind itself agrees.
“I’ll shield you, though.
Not a bad excuse to jump in.
“For a conversation between siblings, that’s pretty harsh.”
“It’s a family matter. I’ll give you back the word unnecessary meddling.”
“Then you should have told me privately, not in front of my coworkers.”
The man’s jaw dropped, then he shook his head.
“Excuse me, Verita, let me get your business card.”
A woman standing behind him like a shadow approached and handed out business cards.
Ronis McCain, CEO, Asus General Trading Company.
“CEO.
A title that sounded both real and unrealistic to the common man. It was almost more intimidating than the beasts they had slain over and over again.
“I’d be happy to respond to you in person, but…….”
Raonis picked up the cane he had propped up next to his chair and tapped me on the lower half of my body.
“I’m not very mobile. Please be understanding.”
“I’m Yi Hyun Kim from Dustborn Corporation.”
“Dustborn…? That’s not your brother’s organization.”
“You could say we have a close working relationship with Celbrosys Labs.”
There was a sense of awkwardness as I spoke.
“How long has it been since I’ve had a proper introduction?
A look back at recent encounters: sometimes one-sided kidnappings, sometimes threats at gunpoint, sometimes interrogations using someone else’s face…….
“I feel like an intellectual again.
As Kim exchanged business cards through his secretary, Raonis rubbed his chin inwardly, thinking hard. A first meeting. It should have been a first meeting, but a sense of foreboding grated on his nerves.
“Yihyun Kim, Hyun….”
It didn’t take long for me to realize what Gishigam was.
“Ah, the string.” “Oh, right, you.”
“Do you know me?”
“Aldamada, I never thought I’d come face to face with the hero of Bastitera.”
This was a surprise even to Kim.
“Some heroics.”
“I guess you could call it a lifesaver, and I don’t think that’s an exaggeration.”
“I didn’t realize I had become such a celebrity.”
“It’s not uncommon for people to not know what they’re doing, especially when it comes to things like public reputation.”
It was a convincing story.
Kim has put a face and a name to Bastitera. Even in this closed land, there are many eyes and ears. At the very least, they know about Camellia’s terrorism.
If so, it wouldn’t be surprising if someone saw Kim running around Magnu. Maybe someone in the guard was spreading the word.
“I don’t like the attention.
Fame can sometimes be a poison, especially in a world where the most powerful people suddenly die. This is especially true in a world where the sudden deaths of powerful people are not uncommon.
“Also, I have exceptionally bright ears.”
A casual, self-aggrandizing demeanor is the sign of an upper-class person.
Anyway. It’s time to end the introduction.
“Coincidentally, I’ve heard about you, too, Mr. Laonis.”
“Ho ho, yes, I hope that wasn’t a negative review.”
“You have a very wide footprint. From what I’ve heard, the Asus general merchandiser has access to everything in the world.”
As is often the case with large companies on Polaris, there are rumors. Illegal drugs. That one of their products includes ‘people’. That it sells weapons to terrorist organizations.
The truth is probably good.
“This is a rare opportunity, so I’m going to take it.”
Kim pulled up a chair and sat down. Tatalia gave him a puzzled look, but the others didn’t.
The outbursts were not new. Even Edwin, who had recently joined the team, had gotten used to it.
“Have you thought about adding more business partners?”
“You mean the Dustborne Corporation.”
“Nope. We’re a small business, after all. There’s no profit to be made.”
You may not even need it in Dustborn. If I have an urgent problem, I can just ask the lab to fix it. The two companies have a healthy working relationship.
“His connections are my connections.
On the surface, it looks like he’s giving to the lab, but the reality is quite different. Kim hasn’t suffered any material or personal damage to Dustborn, and he’s fully supported by the label.
“What’s yours is mine, what’s mine is mine.
That’s exactly what it sounds like.
“I get the story, it’s a deal with Celbrosys Labs.”
Raonis muttered to himself.
“I don’t like it. You just said, there’s nothing for us to gain from interacting with Dustborn. Is it different with the Celbrox Labs? It doesn’t seem so to me.”
Compared to Asus General Trading Company, Lab is a small business. However, it is the difference between having a small partner or not. It’s hard to have a big meaning…….
is bullshit.
“Did I hear you wrong?”
“Yes?”
“Didn’t Raonis tell you, you have bright ears?”
“Yes, but is it?”
“That’s odd, then, that you recognize my unremarkable name but not the state of the continent.”
It’s not a long story.
The events of Bastitera alone have proven the dangers of the Legion. War between nations may be a business, but there’s little room for money in the slaughter of madmen.
“Cellbrox Labs can keep Legion in check. I don’t think that’s an exaggeration.”
To paraphrase, “Man, does your wrap look like a dick.
“…….”
Raonis lowered his gaze, his index finger under his lips. Indeed, he had been busy observing the turbulent situation. Recently, there had been a strange trend in the Xuran Empire.
Legion and Celbrosix Labs were undoubtedly the eye of the storm.
And one more thing, personal curiosity.
The gray eyeballs once again reflected Kim’s face. Calm and collected. Not that of a businessman or politician. It is also different from that of a soldier armed with discipline and rules. Nor is it rough like a mercenary.
Raonis knew what they call people like me in the lab.
“Is it an agent.
This time he saw his younger brother. The difference was clear when I compared it to his stupid face. If his brother is any indication, not every agent in the lab will be like Kim.
But if you have ten people, or even five.
“That wouldn’t be bad.
The scales are balanced. It’s worth the small effort.
But Raonis wasn’t one to take things lying down; he’s always been the kind of guy who can afford to be lenient in business.
“Here’s the deal: I want to see what you can do.”
“I hope this is over quickly, I’m actually on vacation.”
“It shouldn’t be too much of a hassle.”
Raonis took the tablet from the assistant. After fiddling with it for a bit, he hands it back to her and she hands it to Kim.
A picture of a building popped up on the screen. With a detailed address written below.
“St. Kitts often has torpedo boats coming in, and nine times out of ten they don’t understand the laws here.”
“It’s in the nature of thugs to be thugs.”
“Yes. Recently, a black socialist organization from the east made a nest here. Unfortunately, they’re not in the top 10 percent of common sense.”
Kim nodded.
“Training is a one-trick pony. How long?”
“One day from now.”
“Harura….”
He tugged at the tail of his horse.
“Do you think you’ll need more?”
“No, no. Rather.”
We don’t want to end here.
“While you’re at it, how about a bet?”
“A bet. What?”
He smirked at the question.
“24 hours is a bit long, so let’s subtract 22 hours from that.”
“……whatever you mean.”
“Two-hour cut, no.”
Since we’re in a gambling town, let’s change the language.
“Put the over at 2 hours. I’ll take the under.”