Etranger Chapter 109

“He seems to have reached the 3rd Stage of Acceleration, so he'd be recognized as a first-level Awakened Warrior and a rare genius around these parts. He seems to be proficient in two or three skills, so he may contend with second-level Awakened Warriors. I guess that's why you're so proud. Is that why you think you have a voice here?” Biyeon commented.

“Is this the way the Ki-Jang Clan teaches its clansmen to act in front of others? That Kinu… we even gave him a few warnings when we let him go. Maybe we should have beaten him up a little more?” San added on.

“…”

Gibin opened his eyes wide and clenched his fists. His jaw was visibly shaking.

They both accurately described his special ability to decipher an opponent's combat power level, but more surprisingly, Biyeon was able to discern his Awakened skills and status. This was something even his elders and mentoring instructors couldn't do.

'What… what is this… Are they human…?'

In total shock, Gibin shut his mouth tightly. Giyoung continued the conversation with a tired expression. The situation wasn't good for her, either. It didn't seem like she was making any headway.

“The apparel business mainly processes leather, but sooner or later, as soon as the production system for cotton and hemp is in place, we plan to trade with other provinces. We will design and manufacture clothes and shoes, and the distribution will be handled by the Dark Guilds. If your clan is interested…”

“We are interested.”

“Why don't we start with 50,000 Tongbo?”

“With regard to the production of gunpowder and bullets, we've achieved about 80% of what we desire with the help of the Dark Guilds alchemists and Dong-Myung clansmen. Sooner or later, our weapon system will be complete. However, we are not going to disclose the existence of the new firearms to the public. If the Ki-Jang Clan is also interested in producing and purchasing these weapons…”

“Of course, we are very interested.” 

“That'll be 100,000 Tongbo to start.”

“We'll give our decision in five days.”

“We'll be signing a contract with the Dong-Myung Clan in four days.”

“Then we'll give our decision within four days.”

“Then our discussion is over… Let's eat.”

San smiled wide. Biyeon asked for a handshake while gathering her doc.u.ments.

Thus, all the negotiations ended in an hour. San and Biyeon felt they had completed fruitful conversations and negotiations. The Dong-Myung and Ki-Jang Clan representatives, on the other hand, were extremely exhausted. They felt that they had poured a month's worth of energy into a single half-hour. They now understood why other representatives and negotiators weren't able to obtain any useful information.

All information regarding the Essen estate and its movements seemed public and readily available. However, no conclusive, critical information was known. The goal of information warfare was not to obtain or understand the information created in the past but to know 'information to be created in the future' in advance. It exists only in the minds of the decision-makers. The lesser clans and organizations would eventually fail to partic.i.p.ate in the 'decision-making', which would be based on the important and crucial information flowing out from this region and from these two people.

Partic.i.p.ation in decision-making meant access to the latest generated information. Of course, gaining access to these 'decision-makers' required certain qualifications. Fortunately, the four visitors showed enough curiosity, sincerity, and authority to start a relations.h.i.+p with San, Biyeon, and the Essen estate.

“We waited with our fis.h.i.+ng lines out until we could hook someone who could make decisions on behalf of their clan. What options do fish have once they're hooked?” San once said about this time period much later in the future.

It was a saying that Gibin constantly retold in the future. Each time he retold his tale, he felt like vomiting blood.

Anyway, with the negotiations over…

In Count Essen's estate and territories, a system to support peace was being completed. The three Absolute Clans who dominated the continent and the non-traditional Dark Guilds who worked in the shadows would create a tight balance of powers. Large armed organizations would be an important pillar for Count Essen's national defense and security. In addition, by creating a market environment in which tremendous diversity could flow into such a poor and geographically isolated environment, money would circulate in the region for quite some time.

That was good news. However, their purpose was never to become rich…

The two were completing their promise with the Count. He said he wanted to make this place a place worth living in this world. At least, if one was born on the Essen estate, the Count wanted to ensure that citizen some level of security and safety.

Perhaps, if San and Biyeon leave, and even in the worst case where both the Absolute Clans and Dark Guilds withdraw from his territories, the development of social administration infrastructure, defense systems, education, culture, and values would firmly unite the next generation to stand on their own. With such a foundation, the Count thought, they should be able to protect themselves…

***

“What do you want to do the most?” asked Biyeon.

“Travel,” San answered.

“Travel?”

“Well, just to go on a trip… you and me.”

“…” 

“…”

“Rain requested a meeting,” Biyeon said, changing the topic. She swiped the sweat rolling down from her forehead with her sleeve.

“Rain? Why is she here? Do you know what she wants?”

“Probably something over an imperial power struggle.”

“Hanyoung… it's that old geezers work, right? Do you think he finally remembered us?”

“I think we should meet go to the capital.”

“Why?”

“There may be a clue about Pian.”

“Is that all?”

“I want to see the Imperial Palace.”

“And?”

“I want to meet some nice n.o.bles.”

“And…?”

“I want to try the Imperial Palace's food… and partic.i.p.ate in their parties.”

“And…?”

“Well… I think it'll be fun. It'll be a little dangerous, too.”

“Let's go then.” 

“When?”

“A month later. At that point, the work here should be able to run smoothly without us.”

“What should I prepare?” 

“A ring…?” 

“…??”

Episode 3. Book 1: Happiness – Chapter 8

“When are you leaving? Why the h.e.l.l are you still here?” asked Gun.

“I thought I told you to go first!” Rain said without looking back. She was sitting at her desk and writing something. Gun was wandering around in front of her and muttering something anxiously as if he was a dog that needed to relieve itself. 

“Aren't you scared? Those b.u.mpkins might kill us. We don't know how, when, or in what way they'll hurt us!”

“If they wanted to kill us, they would have already killed us. They know for sure who we are, but they're still not deferring to us. What do you think that means? It means that there's something they believe in,” Rain replied dryly, dipping her pen into an ink bottle.

“They're just crazy! We have to go quickly and call the warriors of the Imperial Palace. You have to protest strongly against the Han-Sung Clan to remedy this injustice! The Han-Sung Clan warriors here dare to ignore our requests. Is this real life? Count Essen is even more vicious. These guys have to be wiped off this land in one fell swoop! I'm going to bring an army and dry these people's seeds. These sons of b.i.t.c.hes!”

Gun cooled down a little after complaining non-stop. Rain slowly turned her head and looked at him.

“Can you stop using 'we' and 'us'? I'm not agreeing with anything you're saying, understand?”

She gave Gun a warning with an exasperated expression. Gun stopped walking around. His gaze landed firmly on Rain. His eyes flared up and fluttered from his uncontrollable anger. He glared at Rain's face. Suddenly his face became distorted, and his lips were twisting upwards.

Gun strode towards Rain's side. Rain saw him coming. Her body stiffened and shuddered for a moment. Soon, a low sound flowed into her ear along with his hot breath. The sound of his voice seemed sticky, like sweat.

“Don't be cheeky. Do you want to see the end of your life, like your mother?”

“…”

Rain's hand, holding the pen, tightened. The tip of the pen dug into the paper, and the ink spread across the paper. Gun continued in a low voice, “You have to constantly find a way to stay and live in the imperial courts, right? Don't you think I can provide that way?”

Rain slowly stood up, striking the hand that was next to her earlobe.

“I think you have to fix your inner disease first.”

“What?”

“The smell of your breath is disgusting. It smells of rancid meat, so it's hard to bear.”

“You…”

Gun's face turned beet red.

Rain picked up the ink-stained paper and walked a few steps to the window. Outside the window, she could see people heading off to work after having their breakfast. There was the sound of children singing their songs, a parade of people who moved around without worrying about theft, people greeting each other with bright expressions…

“Listen carefully. This advice is especially for you,” Rain said in a low voice while fixing her gaze outside the window.

“?”

“The moment you leave this place, you'll die.”         

“What?!” Gun screamed in response.

“You don't understand because you're stupid. However, this is the safest place for you. For me, too…”

“What kind of horse s.h.i.+t are you spewing now?”

“If you're curious, leave this place and test it out. I'm not leaving.”

Gun looked at Rain with a blank face. Soon his eyes began to narrow. He was mulling over what she just said.

“Let's say you're right. Then… The last time you told me to go first, did you want to see me die?”

“…”

“Right? It's very difficult to understand your intention without a proper explanation. Why did you do that?”

Rain sighed briefly. She felt tired all over again. Gun's level of thought was at the average level of the aristocrats in this era. 

She was the outlier. She was fortunate up to now in largely avoiding any interaction with these types of people. Whenever she did face them, she didn't stoop down to argue with them. She always responded with something that they could understand.

Life in the imperial palace was a struggle for life and death. Her thoughts and opinions about the human race were established in that cut-throat environment. The humans she saw and interacted with on a daily basis were no more or less than beings of distrust, displeasure, anxiety, and dissatisfaction. Compared to the ugly backstabbing and underhand dealings going on amongst relatives in the Imperial Palace, this appearance of being grilled by a young relative was rather adorable.

Once she arrived in Count Essen's estate, her thoughts about people and humans were slowly changing. 

'Why are people here different? I don't know. I'm trying to figure it out myself. One thing is certain though… Everyone here seems happy and bright. They're confident and cheerful. They're honest but not stupid. Everyone here is…'

Rain slowly opened her mouth. When an immature child does something wrong, it gives the adult a headache and a far larger pain than for the immature child. If one is stupid, one's hands and feet will suffer… she decided to not respond to Gun's question and posed her own question, something that she had been considering after entering this area.

“As you can see, this place is open to various outsiders. The policing is surprisingly good, and the order is voluntarily maintained. There are bulletin boards all over the estate, and small notes are densely attached to the posts on the bulletin board. As you can see from the content of those notes, the people who posted didn't do it because they had to. How and why do you think all of this is possible?”