Chapter 110 – 10. Partenope Express (10-1)
Samramansang, all things in the world have their own airflow.
Daejeo flow is what everyone makes together. This is also the reason why it is difficult for a natural person to go against the flow of the times. The singular is a member of the plural, and the group wields unimaginable power compared to when it is an individual.
“What is this, Mr. Grass?”
At the head of a train traveling at 300 kilometers per hour, the accused, Teresa Canaris, was rushed to court. Her long, wavy brown hair was slightly drenched in sweat from a moment ago, and her dark brown eyes quickly scanned all of the people gathered in the dining room, revealing her embarrassment.
“Do you know the finale, Mr. Canaris?”
I had a hunch the moment I heard the sound of the gate closing between cars 2 and 3 earlier. I mean this is a trap. But for some reason, Tereza couldn’t understand the thought circuits of a particular famous detective without me at all.
“It means the end in the language of Partenope Campania, where we are heading.”
What about the left? The engineer and manager, representing the crew, were silently watching the situation. The Gallic passengers, led by a noblewoman, kept their seats in a solemn manner, putting their confrontation with the detective to shame.
And it was the same for the diplomat couple from the Slavic Federation, the stenographer, and the stranger from the East.
“To make it easy to understand, it refers to a moment like this.”
“…… !”
“You were truly a prudent killer. It was all the more so because I knew my own ignorance, so I used it as a weapon and pulled me and other passengers down on the same terms. But there’s one thing you don’t know.”
Helmut stood on the floor with his cane. He put his hands on top of him to center himself and lifted his head. It was as if they were declaring that the surrounding area was theirs from now on.
“Every crime is bound to be arrested someday.”
It must have been discussed with the flight attendant and other passengers beforehand. Otherwise, there would have been a backlash against driving me, who had never been on the line of suspicion. Indeed, Helmut Grass had lost quite a bit of trust due to several missteps.
“Wait a minute, please explain so I can understand!”
How did the detective identify himself as the culprit?
“I heard that the Major’s chest was in the cargo hold of Car No. 8! She said that she belatedly realized that she was sealed, and she broke it off and caused an explosion! So, didn’t Mr. Grass say he saw the entire train derail with his own eyes?”
“Exactly.”
“But why are you doing this all of a sudden!”
Why did he set a trap in this way among many means?
“Didn’t you agree to stop at a nearby station and check the damage? And to tell me that you are the major, I just can’t understand!”
Amidst the dizzying development of the situation, one tenuous possibility came to mind. Just like the conversation we had yesterday afternoon, a reversal in which the most trustworthy helper suddenly turns into a criminal to be wary of.
Teresa Canaris, of course, was in the SS. Even though she said she kept her family name separate, she was definitely a member of the Extinction Bureau. For her, betrayal was a common occurrence in her daily life, and the fact that the man who claimed to be the detective in this case was actually the man I was after didn’t come as much of a surprise.
It was already expected to some extent.
The problem is flow. It is about how to persuade them, who seem to have already been possessed by the detective’s words, and make them stop the train. Judging from various circumstances, I was already heavily stigmatized as the real culprit of the previous murder.
“Looking at the atmosphere, it seems that everyone has already singled out me as the real culprit. But I can’t agree!”
A reversal was needed.
“I mean, give me convincing evidence!”
Thus, the war of words between the two began.
“I’d be happy to do that.”
Helmut smiled softly. He didn’t move in a polite posture, he just opened his mouth and let out only voices and started reasoning. It was only after midnight on the 4th day of operation that I finally became convinced of the secret history that I was able to speak about.
“Let’s start with the reasoning I did before and move on.”
The first victim was Kai Schoen, the 4th train conductor. He was found dead in a room with his throat cut through the vertebrae. People were able to find out that her culprit was Elfried Eichmann through the warning note left at the scene, and based on the testimony of detective Helmut Grass here, her person on board her train was actually Thereza Canaris, who had impersonated her. Got to know
“When we first found the victim, his body was so badly mutilated that it was difficult to see with both eyes open. And I inferred the criminal’s conspicuous tendencies and the course of the crime along with the warning accompanying the scene.”
It was. Although most of the evidence was lost due to an explosion immediately after the discovery, he identified many things and approached the truth.
“Considering the seating arrangement in second and third class, murder or mutilation of a body is bound to happen in at least car 7 or 8. In short, the scene of the crime has been identified. And I had previously thought that the scene would be Room 9 of Car 7, which was the victim’s bedroom.”
At that time, the scene that Helmut, Thomas, and some of the crew, including them, witnessed was horrific enough to be considered.
“The bloody interior further induced such prejudice. But let’s think again. We only witnessed the scene, but did not formally investigate it. Because the explosion that occurred immediately after that completely blew the room away.”
“I think the scene where Mr. Schoen was murdered wasn’t room 9 in car 7, but I wonder what that has to do with accusing me of being the culprit now.”
“Everyone will remember. It means the mandate of heaven through the criminal’s warning letter. The reason she committed this murder was to find and detain Seo Jung-woo of the First Division. And I explained why the crew had to be sacrificed in the process.”
Looking at the context, it can only be seen that the place where Seo Jung-woo hid was someone among the passengers. The most likely possibility is that he is among the first class passengers.
“Manager Ram, I heard that the crew of the Schnellfart are all long-term employees.”
Thomas, who had been silently listening to Helmut’s reasoning in the dining room, nodded.
“It’s what you said.”
“So naturally, it would have been unreasonable for Seo Jeong-woo to disguise himself as a flight attendant and hide. And naturally, Elfriede’s goals were limited to them. If you accidentally kill a passenger by mistake, Seo Jeong-woo might be among them.”
Thereza frowned. It was an unspoken accusation that thinking about a fact I already knew could lead to a conclusion that accused me of being the culprit.
“You still don’t know? That means Elfriede Eichmann couldn’t kill a passenger who wasn’t a flight attendant. Passengers in second and third class cannot help witnesses due to their nature, and there is a high probability that Jeong-woo Seo, the target, is hiding in first class.”
“…… !”
Second-class and third-class passengers are bound to be witnessed by someone when moving to the front or rear of the train. Then all that’s left is the flight attendants and first-class passengers, or if he was hiding in the cargo hold from the beginning.
However, as mentioned earlier, Elfriede Eichmann or Seo Jung-woo could not disguise themselves as flight attendants. This was because time was too short for that, and the internal regulations for selecting train attendants focused on long-term service.
“So there are only two things that fall under the narrowed list of suspects: being a first-class passenger or hiding in the cargo hold.”
Thereza immediately retorted.
“So the major was able to find the sealed chest in the cargo hold. None other than Mr. Grass, you did it yourself! Then, according to that reasoning, shouldn’t we assume that the culprit was hiding in the cargo compartment, and that the case was solved safely?”
“Maybe.”
“By the way, with what kind of remorse are you actually framing me as the real culprit and the major? We don’t have time for this! Didn’t you see the people injured in the blast on the way here? We have to stop at the nearest station right now and deal with the situation!”
“At first, I thought so too. This is because if the existence of an accomplice is assumed, the act of the first murder or the second murder becomes clear. However, there was one flaw in that reasoning. That is, the true culprit’s goal is limited to the flight attendant.”
“What do you mean?”
“During its operation, everyone except the engineer, Theobald Michaelis, is to live in car 7. So, assuming her culprit was hiding in the cargo hold, did she need to get out on her own?”
If she had an accomplice, she would have needed to go out to make contact with him. However, as mentioned above, unlike car 7, which is empty during working hours, cars 4, 5, and 6, which are crowded, cannot help but witness their movements no matter which way they go.
“That’s right. The reason why the train masters were killed one after another from behind was obviously because they were the crew in charge of the freight cars. But not because the culprit was hiding there, but because he wanted to appear that way.”
“…… !”
“If it was Elfriede Eichmann who was truly inside the ark, she would have no reason to venture outside Car 8, even taking risks. Killing the train master who comes to check the cargo every day is enough. She can lure a target, so why should she move on her own?”
“But the first victim, Kai Schoen, was found in Room 9 of Car 7. The second victim was also in the hallway of Car 7. That would at least be convincing proof that the criminal went back and forth between cars 7 and 8!”
“Yes, of course. However, the crime is more likely to have occurred in car 8 than car 7, as you said. Even during working hours, car no. 7 is also a cabin, so there is no risk of being discovered.”
“…….”
“So the culprit arranged for the body to be found in car no. To give a preconceived notion that the crime took place there and at the same time to hide the constraints he had.”
It was a trap that killed two birds with one stone, double and triple.
“Now, let’s think about the warning signs that were commonly left at the crime scene. The culprit pointed out Jeongbu Seo and threatened him to turn himself in immediately. In other words, it also means that you are in a state where you can accept embroidery.”
“You must have tried to get it delivered through an accomplice!”
“If such a thing could actually exist, it might have. But while the criminal’s companions may be on the train, they would not have been involved in the actual murder. I really couldn’t have intervened.”
“Why is that?”
“As I said, the act of passing through the midpoint of this train cannot be witnessed.”
This is true in light of the second and third class rooms and seating arrangements, and the fact that all of them are full. Even more so, after the first murder took place, didn’t they decide to operate a canteen 24 hours a day in car no.
“Under! Mr. Grass doesn’t seem to understand the concept of communication through radio or magic.”
Tereza sneered at her snort.
“Of course I considered that too. However, such means are not only rare and difficult to find. Above all, it suggests the possibility that an accomplice may exist, but does not suggest the possibility that it must exist.”
Therefore, the first assumption remains: that the accomplice existed and the perpetrator committed the murder by hiding in the cargo hold;
“No, I did! There is a huge loophole in Mr. Grass’s reasoning! The fact that everyone here actually saw with their own eyes the chest you said you found in the cargo hold, and the major sleeping in it!”
“Is that so?”
“Above all, after the first murder, we locked the first class cabin door and isolated ourselves from the rear. It was all because of your reasoning that there must be a culprit among the people here. In fact, through that process, when the second murder occurred, the absence of all first-class passengers was confirmed!”
It was as it was said. It was a situation where there was nothing wrong until the last boundary turn came back. At this point, the proof of the absence of all first-class passengers was perfect.
“How many times already? A first-generation great detective is flipping his own reasoning like that! Rather, I doubt that you are the Major’s accomplice, who continues to be one step behind the subject by pretending to be a detective!”
“You are bitter. However, none of the things you said can be a factor to hinder my reasoning.”
“If you’re a detective, proof should come first, not words!”
“Before we deal with who was in the ark, let us think first.”
Helmut spat out as he looked around at the people gathered in the dining car of Car No. 1 in turn.
“Why do the other passengers not budge despite your vehement protests?”
“…… !”
“As you know, my name is Helmut Grass. Bernhardt is the best detective that no one denies. Then why do you think I had such a hard time with just one case like this?”
It is true that a murder on a running train is not very common. However, for Helmut, who has solved all kinds of difficult problems, Elfriede Eichmann’s crime was no different from other cases.
“It was obviously a well-thought-out plan, but it was more unfair than clever. I wonder if they intentionally created a gap in information to induce misjudgment. In reality, you were caught by my tail like this.”
“I am not guilty…… !”
“You are the culprit. The heart attack had already been hardening for a long time. The reason I wasn’t sure of that is that my role is not only to find the culprit.”
The attention of the crowd turned to Helmut. It was because I felt that the time had come.
“Yes that’s right. I also had the duty to detect the identities of all first-class passengers and infer their purpose. In that context, finding out that you are Elfriede Eichmann is just a bonus.”
“Since the innocence of the other passengers is unshakable, on the contrary, do you mean that I am the culprit?”
“You got it right.”
Theresa sighed and closed her eyes. It was different from the way she had been arguing so far, so it seemed like she was admitting to the crime, but the words were still there. She was just trying to catch her breath and find a way to turn the situation around.
“Then try to prove it. As long as words precede your claim, I am innocent. Also, even if you are right and the major is among the first-class passengers, not me, there is a possibility that it is someone other than me, right?”
“That possibility is why I had to verify the identities and motives of everyone here.”
“So what? When interrogation was conducted under the guise of interviews, there were more than one or two suspicious people!”
The same was true of the noble lady who was the first subject of interrogation. Her Teresa shouted, pointing at her standing still.
“Even that woman did it!”
Also, Bastian, who had always been at odds with Helmut, pointed his finger at him.
“Even the bourgeois who bet on me for dead!”
So did the others. Certainly, the common passengers on this train were constantly struggling to hide their identities. So, at first glance, her argument seemed reasonable.
“Is it really so?”
However, this was a story when there was no certainty about the culprit.
“Henrietta de la Roche-Jacqueline, as for Madame here, you are the first suspect to be proven innocent.”
“Why?”
“Before the train departed, I heard this from Monsieur Richard, who was looking for someone with a clue in history. I’m asking just in case, aren’t you a listener too? I felt it from then on. Unexpectedly, a third force intervened on this train.”
“The Third Force?”
“In the past, I visited Ithaca in Hellas with a request to solve a certain case. The incident, which resulted in quite a few casualties, was actually a strife between the Gallic Resistance and the Bernhard Guard of the Governor-General of Hellas.”
Tereza quickly chewed over the conversation between Helmut and Henrietta.
―I heard that Mr. Grasse always writes stories based on true stories, but I wonder if the last call was like that too.
― They say reality is more law than fiction. An acquaintance of mine asked me to investigate a massacre in a closed mansion. It happened in Ithaca, Greece. However, after putting together various clues, a completely unexpected country emerged.
―That was the Resistance from Gaul and the SS overseas stationed by Bernhardt?
― I can’t tell you the details, but it was a kind of revenge play. A resistance with a grudge against the Government General has trapped everyone in a trap they have created.
Last call! The detective and writer’s latest work, a story about a tragedy set in a closed mansion!
“Coincidentally, that’s when I found out about the Gallic Resistance’s tangential method. The means by which they identify each other is primarily some conversation. If you ask the other person if they can hear you in a place with loud music or noise, and the other person answers yes, then ask the other person…….”
“It’s like saying I’m listening. The song of an angry people.”
Bastien, who had been silent all along, suddenly responded.
“Monsieur Richard’s words are great. In fact, through their identification method, I thought that Madame Roche-Jacqueline was a member of the Resistance, and I even threw a question. It was quite presumptuous, so the madam was very displeased.”
―I warn you, don’t try to test me. Don’t even try to meddle in what we do. Thank you for the foregoing, but you are clearly crossing the line. Originally, it would be rude to start a skill event right away.
“Anyway, through that process, I learned of Madame Roche-Jacqueline’s innocence and that there are other resistances hiding inside this train. The fact that Mr. Richard here is also sensitive that I am the lead of the SS, and that their contacts will be discovered because of me.”
“Our purpose was to identify all of our comrades on board before reaching Partenope. In my home country, the investigative network was so dense that we didn’t even know each other’s faces and worked as a divination organization.”
Bastien sighed and added once more.
“As a result of identification, there are a total of four resistances on this train.”
One is, of course, Henrietta de la Roche-Jacqueline. The two are also Bastien Richards. If so, who will be the three? Who else will be the four?
Helmut Grass summed it up concisely.
“Mr. Étienne Duris, who disguised himself as a wandering musician and seemed to be in charge of some sort of liaison.”
“You’re right.”
Etienne Duris nodded in reply.
“And Mr. Ines Dupin, who seems to recruit various bourgeois as an upper-class tutor.”
“Right.”
Ines Dupin nodded and replied.
“But even without those four, there are still five suspects left!”
“Even that is useless. In reality, there are only two of them except for the couple from the Commonwealth who are diplomats and Hasato Yonezawa, a foreigner from the East. And Mr. Kanaris already knows the identity of one of the remaining two, Mr. Gennadi Yagoda, the stenographer.”
“How do I know who he is?”
“You didn’t mention the name of the Gallic Resistance?”
“When I…… !”
Tereza stopped talking and closed his mouth. It was because something came to mind.
“But you wouldn’t say you don’t know blue gray.”
Helmut added right away as if he had been waiting for that.
―Isn’t there already no other way than exile?
― Not necessarily. Of course, impersonating the major is a big sin. Still, my identity is on a business trip abroad. In the name of investigating anti-government forces that have recently emerged.
―If it is an anti-government force…….
―The Secret Society Black Orchestra, Red Society, Blue Society, and the Pledge of Freedom. A group that is not even well known. I also found out about its existence thanks to my wife. I pretended to have a clue and got permission from the superiors.
The black orchestra of the secret society of the upper echelons of Bernhardt.
A red society to which a large number of people from the old kingdom devoted themselves.
The Blue Society, an anti-government force that shows pan-national activities centered on academia.
And even the Oath of Freedom, which refers to the resistance of the Gallic colonies.
“It’s over, Mr. Canaris.”
It was as predicted. Helmut Grass was indeed a great detective of the first generation, and every clue he found pointed to Thereza Canaris as the only suspect.
“No, Elfriede Eichmann.”
“…….”
“There is no reasoning as perfect as the method of elimination. You are the only suspect among the first class passengers here. At the junction between cars 3 and 4, an opening for workers allowed access to the cargo compartment without going through the center of the train. The ceiling must have been your only stage.”
“…….”
“As you pretended to be ignorant, you were aware of the Pledge of Liberty members aboard this train. So was the fact that they were in careful contact with each other over the course of several days. So, when I said to set up a boundary, I was aiming for the moment when they, who should have been watching in the hallway, would leave because of a contact.”
“…….”
“Once you go up to the ceiling, coming back down is easy. As I reasoned before, there are many ways, such as going through a car or opening the window of my room. Unlike when you have to jump up, you just have to land well.”
“…….”
“As evidence, you forcibly broke down the gate between cars 3 and 4 when an explosion occurred while you and I were monitoring the corridor. The superficial reason was that it was urgent, but in reality, it was to prevent the lock that had already been unlocked from being discovered.”
It was Tereza who had been quietly listening to him at some point. The image of him defending himself through a heated discussion disappeared without a trace, and he finally opened his mouth as a person who gave off only a bleak energy for some reason.
“If so, what do you mean by that ark?”
“It must have been the real Thereza Canaris. She is the help of Mrs. Shadow, a woman of misfortune who pitifully loved her cruel boss.”
“Elfriede Eichmann’s hair color is pink like cherry blossoms. And what you find in her chest is the same color she is. On the other hand, as you can see, her hair is light brown.”
Helmut spat out with a rather serious face.
“…… You know.”
It was only then that Thereza Canaris grinned and revealed her true colors. The sharp fingernails of her hands were brought to my cheeks, and she soon peeled off her glue-like skin, tearing her lengthwise.
Chew!
It was an appalling sight. Pulling at her hair like her reptile shedding her skin, she finally shed her skin and regained her true self. From poor SS member Thereza Canaris to the brilliance of the Iron Cross directly under the Führer.
“That’s correct, detective.”
That Elfriede Eichmann!
“I was the one who got on this train from the beginning.”
“From the looks of it, was it peeling after all?”
It was a rare madness. Her Helmut asked her, carefully opening her mouth.
“Right.”
In the first place, when you come to the conclusion that there may be no accomplices.
“I grabbed the child who was running away in her fright and skinned her all over.”
Helmut, who was examining the ark, was not yet certain. Until then, what he had found was circumstantial evidence, and although Teresa Canaris might have been an accomplice, it did not prove that he was the main criminal.
“I made that skin into clothes I could wear. I thought it would be easier to approach male prostitutes if I disguised myself like that.”
However, the situation soon reversed. As a result of analyzing the magic contained in the box, there were types that maintained life, but there were no types that changed the appearance.
“Hiding my identity.”
Yes. Elfride exfoliated herself and Thereza Canaris to disguise herself. And she tried her acting after changing the separated skin.
However, unlike her whose body has been extremely remodeled to the point of being called a new human being, her Tereza is a normal human.
She was naturally stripped of her entire body, and from then on, her Tereza Kanaris needed special treatment, starting with healing magic. As a kind of life extension to save the dying embers, Elfriede had to visit the cargo hold at least once every day for that very reason.
“Yes, the chest was cargo that had never been loaded. That was the decisive evidence. According to the manager, you had asked for something to be loaded before boarding the train. Actually, the cargo you asked for was not visible in the cargo hold.”
Because that kind of cargo was actually the chest that sealed the real Tereza Canaris.
“Perhaps it was something like a chest containing an ark. You must have tore it up and dumped it somewhere when it first arrived in the cargo hold, which convinced me that you were the culprit. That the murder he committed to summon Seo Jeong-woo was nothing more than a trick to take Tereza Canaris, which he had left in the cargo hold.”
Elfriede grinned. She flicked her head and shook her beautiful cherry-colored bobbed hair before closing her eyes as if refreshing.
“As you said, it was an entertainment and a gimmick. I had to give Tereza oxygen and nutrients every day. But if you keep going back and forth, it won’t be easy to get caught. So I made some small changes. Thanks to that, I was able to appreciate your impersonation of a famous detective.”
“Mimicry?”
“Don’t even think about deceiving me now, Seo Jeong-woo.”
Youngbu’s Seo Jeong-woo! All eyes turned to Helmut. It was because he wondered if he was truly a prodigal son called the Führer’s male prostitute, who showed such a thorough reasoning.
“I saw through your identity a long time ago. However, there is one reason why I did not reveal my true colors. After all, it’s a mouse caught in a trap. He said he wanted to enjoy it leisurely until the train arrived at its destination.”
“…….”
“When I found the strewn items in room 2 of car 3, my face burned. It’s really like when you’ve made a plate made by Ji as if it’s a great reasoning, but when you put the fabricated papers in as evidence…….”
“…….”
“It’s checkmate. So let’s stop each other and throw off our masks.”
“…….”
“The last explosion was a bait to draw me out. I wondered what would happen if you blew the chest into the cargo bay at least once in a while, but it would be a different story if you knew who I was. You don’t even have to stop the train.”
“…….”
“So, where is my little Tereza now?”
Helmut didn’t answer. The others just silently watched the confrontation between the two. After a while, it was the moment when the short, long silence was broken. He pointed the cane he was holding in his two hands to the ceiling and knocked on it.
“Did you know the kingdom’s first sword?”
“What?”
“When this country was still a kingdom, there was someone who reached the tip of the sword. That lofty wolf. Erich Wolf’s sword was something that even the master you served for four years could not dare to look down on.”
“Hey, what kind of bullshit are you talking about all of a sudden?”
“Then, who do you think is the first person?”
“This idiot-like male prostitute doesn’t listen to what people say…….”
“It’s me.”
Shocked by her sudden noise, Elfriede threw her head back. It was because an unusual presence was felt above her ceiling. I guess it was some kind of creature. Considering the fact that the train was running at high speed, it was difficult to understand.
“Elfriede Eichmann, I will formally introduce you.”
Around that time, in the dining car of Car No. 1, Theobald, the engineer, guided all the passengers to the direction of the car. As if it was a scheduled procedure, in Car 0, where the ceiling was empty unlike the cabin, one person was picked up one by one by flying dragons from unknown sources.
“My name is Helmut Grass.”
And only then did the brilliance of the Iron Cross feel that its head was rising.
“Psychologist, sociologist, humanities scholar, renowned author and chair professor of forensic science at the National University of Brullin, and detective. Also, at one time in the past, he was a dragon that roamed the sky, and he was a criminal who could not protect the princess of a ruined country.”
Realizing the true identity of the middle-aged man whom he only thought was a good detective, he showed his anger.
“We are the ghosts of Partenope.”
The guardian of the old realm, none other than one of the three henchmen, was facing me!
* * *
Campania, Partenope.
The fallen capital was in ruins. Even the temple that preached the gospel of the celestial spirit is left with only a lonely ground. In this land swept by developments, all that stands tall is the prophecy in that gigantic tombstone, and the names written in honor of those who have gone before.
“It took a lot of hard work to come this far.”
It was past midnight. In the deep dawn, the park was quiet under the shining holy moon. It was because it was time to sleep soundly for those who worked hard for reconstruction or those who worshiped in the holy places.
“It was nothing more than I thought.”
The man who had been escorted from afar was very blunt. She had a look that awed anyone who saw her, and although she was handsome with her white blonde hair, sunken eyes and distinct features, she had an impression that was somehow difficult to approach.
“Originally, it was planned to take them directly from Taito to the United States, but because the enemy’s surveillance was so severe, they made a short stop here. I had something to do.”
“It doesn’t matter anyway. Just remember the promise you made to me.”
He was truly a man who was sure to make ends meet. Even in her hometown, she had heard that in private she had no close friends, and somehow she seemed to know why.
“…… Mrs. Shadow.”
After all, it was none other than himself who called him here. The shadow lady, who chose to hide in the shadows even in the starlight of the moonlit night, walked forward with her man. In the list of victims written under the tombstone of the prophecy, she found the names Victoria Bernhard and Che Chilie Bernhard and slowly stroked them.
“It is said that the dead do not speak, but promises will be kept.”
The man looked up at her tombstone as if that was enough. The height of the stone building towering like an obelisk seemed to be a whopping 150m. The list of victims was at least in a language similar to the English he was familiar with, so he could try to read it, but the writings that seemed like prophecies were in completely unknown characters.
“Is this tombstone the one that contained the prophecy?”
“Yes, it is said that the Dawning Alchemist left the oracle given to me here as a record.”
“This is the first text I’ve ever seen. The language of the Yamato Kingdom and the Atlantic United States is very similar to that of our planet.”
The shadow wife looked at the words on the tombstone and quietly opened her mouth. It was a prophecy that I had already rethought hundreds of times, but I couldn’t help but feel that there was something new and emotional about it every time I saw it.
“It is an ancient character written during what was called the Age of Mythology. As with all prophecies, the writing on the tombstone is full of esoteric and vague expressions. In the academic world, it is considered that this article deals with an incident triggered by the war between the heavenly gods and foreign media.”
“Heaven and foreign gods.”
“Those who came from another world, the wars that will take place on this earth, and the blessings that transcend time and space, along with all the trials, are the only beings who advance on the path of ascension. And absolute good and absolute evil. The realization of a person who overcomes all of them. A legend originating from that ancient seer. Thus, even the cogwheels that will mesh with each other.”
Those who failed to become saviors will wake up as corruptors who can destroy the world.
“The narrator of the prophecy emphasizes that this is a second chance for our time. While implying the absolute evil that appears to be Beatrix Adler, it warns against the fall of the absolute good that will awaken from her again.”
“That is funny. There is no standard as arbitrary as good and evil.”
“I don’t know what your world is like, but our world doesn’t deserve that much permanence.”
Unlike Earth, this world has personally experienced the time when divinity manifested. Mrs. Shadow was politely retelling the fact to her man.
“So, on the one hand, we must be wary of the only being who advances on the path of ascension despite all the trials and tribulations that transcend time and space.”
“It must be Seo Jeong-woo?”
“The blessing that transcends time and space was originally a gift from the heavenly gods to the Bernhard family. It was stolen by a male prostitute from the other world. The consensus is that ascension means the path to transcendence, so I will not allow a brute worthy of death to claim a fragment of divinity like that.”
“Interesting.”
The man answered quietly. His expression didn’t even move, so he didn’t feel that way at all. Even so, her eyes were staring at the large tombstone, and her gaze was so intense that it seemed like it was about to be pierced. He was just bad at expressing his feelings, not a man who spread shameless lies.
“When can I hang out with him?”
“The concept of time cannot be expressed. It will be the day after going back to the past. At least he will be able to face it at the moment when he realizes the last chance he has been given and tries to get his hands on the orchestra.”
“It’s an orchestra…….”
Mrs. Shadow shed her man carefully. With a blunt and cold expression like a doll, he was smiling as if he was looking forward to the upcoming battle.
“I don’t think it’s hard to understand that dimension followed by time and space.”
“Heh, if I can stick with him again, those things are fine.”
“If you don’t mind, tell me your story. I received it through the vice minister, but I don’t think I can hear it in person.”
Her man opened her mouth as if he would do it. She had nothing to offer him, as long as she could guarantee that he would keep his original promise.
“When my homeland, Russia, was still a communist Soviet Union, there was a privileged class with quasi-aristocratic tendencies called Nomenklatura. They were more equal than the so-called others. And my family came from just such a Nomenklatura, and even after the country collapsed, they acquired great wealth and remained in power.”
His great-grandfather was Nomenklatura, his paternal grandfather was Oligarch, and his father was Siloviki. To Mrs. Shadow, the man kindly explained the words in the language of the Slavic Commonwealth, which were unknown to Mrs. Shadow, one by one.
“Like all children of the Seonggol family, I have been able to do anything since I was born. For the most part, this world exists for me, and I have lived with the conviction that there is nothing I cannot enjoy as I deserve it.”
“He lived a life worthy of royalty.”
“They envied me. Indeed, it was like pleasure without responsibility. But pleasure is a big threshold. The more you enjoy it, the more you get tired of it. And those kinds of people end up with a couple of endings.”
The ending the man said meant destruction or overcoming.
“Are you going to waste your life on drugs or something until you die, or are you going to risk your life for the pleasure of fulfillment by blossoming the talent given to you?”
“You must have been the latter.”
“It wasn’t a very difficult choice. Even if death isn’t scary, futility is like that.”
“I agree.”
“I happened to have a pretty good musical talent. Since I was young, I had keyboard skills that I honed as one of the skills of the privileged class. It was not a simple level of education, and after I decided to change my attitude toward life, I studied in earnest.”
Thus, the pianist called the incarnation of Rachmaninoff was born.
“And I met him.”
“…… Seo Jeong-woo.”
“There is a musician named Michael Howard. For my generation, he was a legend. Even in the entire history of music, there weren’t many comparable figures to him.”
She was a man and she wanted to be his disciple. Even while mobilizing all of her family’s connections and money.
“Until then, he had been enjoying a leisurely retirement life, saying that he would no longer accept disciples. I met him by any means. I showed my talent to the fullest and proved that I am worthy to be your disciple.”
“So, did you become his disciple?”
“They kicked me out with a single knife.”
“…….”
“It was the first setback in my life. My stomach exploded. After that, I started to focus more on music. I trampled on the things that caught my eye with my foot skills, and I borrowed the power of my family to clean up the things that polluted the world I lived in with my dirty hands.”
Then one day. Suddenly, a rumor came to him, who now had the skills to win major competitions.
“It was an unbelievable rumor.”
“What kind of rumor is that?”
“It was rumored that a student of Michael Howard had participated in the Franz Liszt International Piano Competition in Utrecht, Netherlands.”
It was a shock. That the maestro who rejected himself took a belated Asian pianist as his pupil.
“I must have been senile, so I cursed inwardly. In fact, the guy who couldn’t stand the pressure of the competition ran away. At the time, the dominant evaluation in the music world was that Michael Howard had to suffer in his later years as a reward for a bad luck.”
“It’s like Seo Jeong-woo.”
“But do you know how long it took for that rule to be reversed?”
“…… ?”
“It took less than half a year.”
As a belated investigation, it was said that the reason why Michael Howard got Seo Jung-woo was because of his past relationship.
“A snarky old man, as it turned out, I had a relationship with him in the past. He was a veteran of the Korean War and had a deep relationship there. It was also the country of a wife who had died early. So it seems that the monster happened to have the opportunity to teach when he was young.”
“Monster?”
“Seo Jeong-woo.”
At first, I thought it was just an old man’s whim. Not just men, but all those who made music their business.
It was an illusion.
“As a pianist, he entered Juilliard School in his mid-20s, a very late age, received the Peter Menin Award and the John Erskine Award, and graduated early in two years. I was disqualified at the Franz Liszt Competition in Utrecht, but I won second place at the Queen Elisabeth International Competition in Belgium, following me.”
Suddenly, he was reborn as the most notable pianist among the newcomers of the time.
“Tchaikovsky, Busoni, Liz, Paganini! Most of the time I got ahead, but sometimes he got ahead of me. As we went further back, we saw that trend. Even though I was practicing in the best facilities and the best environment without worrying about making a living. Because I had no money, I was chased by a guy who also had a low-level job like a club bouncer.”
“Was his fame that great?”
′′ I don’t care about sepyeong, and I don’t even know well. But it was only then that I decided to face him. So he monitored his every move, and investigated the path he had taken and his grip strength.”
The man laughed as if it was really ridiculous.
“Do you know what I found out then?”
“I do not know.”
“It was a state secret.”
“…… !”
“We mobilized all the contacts of KGB personnel during the Soviet Union, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, and the General Staff Department of Intelligence of the Federal Army. Even then, I could barely get a clue of the past footprints.”
If it was that ignorant history, he was still memorizing it.
“Seo Jeong-woo, born on February 28, 1991. His father is Korean-American and first-generation venture entrepreneur Seo Il-woo. His mother is Na-yeon Geum, the CEO of Geumjin Law Firm, one of the top 5 law firms in her country.”
Around that time, the Shadow Lady’s subordinates, who had been far away, quietly approached. It was to hand over a certain file. Even though it was a dark and deep night, it was easy to read by relying on the moonlight.
“He had a natural talent for music from an early age. His parents were quintessential upper-class opportunists, trash, and they’re all big and split.”
He said that his affection-deficient childhood brought him up quite disadvantaged.
“It was at that time that I met Michael Howard. A man named Abi was bragging about it and was looking for a pretty good teacher, but luckily, he was the best musician of his time.”
Of course, that learning did not last long.
“It was a well-to-do family, but it seems that it was not a very good one. The boy’s parents said they had an affair and separation ever since they got married. He said he celebrated his 18th birthday in a house where no one came in like that.”
It was a time when I was just growing up into an adult. There was no reason to refill the exhausted patience in a yard so big that even his head would grow.
“Then he ran away from home and renounced the American citizenship he had inherited through his father. I voluntarily enlisted to fulfill my country’s military service obligations. The guy, who ranked first in all categories in terms of physical rank and training camp, naturally caught the attention of the executives, and spent seven years of unrecorded military life after signing a confidentiality oath.”
The record left in Seo Jeong-woo’s country said that was the end. He said it was because it was intentionally erased and manipulated by someone.
“What strikes me is that it was in countries such as the US, China, Russia, and England that we could confirm his record at that time. A soldier whose existence was erased even in his own country was thrown out and eaten in another country, or became the main target of vigilance.”
At some point, Seo Jeong-woo became a public good in several countries. Whenever there was the most important black operation, it was always borrowed and used. It was because he was recognized as a talented person who could be thrown away as much as he wanted because his skills were unmatched.
“Career transferred to the Chilsung Search Squadron, the 707th Special Expeditionary Force, and, through unknown circumstances, as an outsourced member of the Special Activities Department of the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States. The form is a rental, but there is no limit on the period, so it is virtually meaningless. During this time, I was offered naturalization several times, but there was a record of rejection.”
There were a total of 7 proposals and rejections.
“I don’t know your world very well. I can’t understand a group I’ve never even heard of, even if it’s called career.”
“You just need to know that he is a monster that never was and never will be.”
“…….”
“Let me give you an example.”
The man raised his right hand and raised his index finger.
“Korea’s special forces, including Seo Jung-woo, were dispatched to Herat, Afghanistan, along with the United States Army Special Forces, and started a hostage rescue operation. Unfortunately, the operation failed as the hostages were executed on the same day the troops arrived, and the vicious soldiers wiped out the area.”
In the process, war crimes such as shooting and killing unarmed civilians were rampant.
“Unfortunately, a boy was caught, and his boss and colleagues insisted that he be shot for a hazing ceremony.”
“So, did you shoot?”
“The eyewitness account of the time left on the American side is as follows. Sergeant Seo Jeong-woo was threatened with a gun pointed at his back, and while refusing an offer, he killed seven people within 3 to 4 seconds. After checking the situation, some of our soldiers strongly resisted and started fighting, but all of them were neutralized without lethal force.”
The shadow lady twitched her eyebrows. The man added that he shouldn’t be surprised just like this.
“This was his first operation.”
A rookie who had never committed a murder until just before was crushed against a worn-out soldier.
“If that major alone was great enough, I was willing to expose the war crimes committed by my fellow soldiers and allied soldiers in my country and even suffer humiliation for it. It has already sprouted since then. The guy has no front and back. It only matters if it goes against my convictions or not.”
It was literally crushing.
“It was the same in Palmyra, Syria, where we exchanged hostages with a group of extremist jihadists. According to the American record, he induced a Danger Close after going to the vanguard alone.”
“Danger Close?”
“Proximity danger notification, so-called ally misfire possibility. I captured the enemy who killed my friend and escaped from an ancient ruin where white phosphorus bombs fell. In that urgent situation, while watching the movement of the enemy and grasping the land mines.”
That wasn’t the end.
“Juárez, south of El Paso, Texas, and Rocinha Favela, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A drug lord named Morales murdered the head of the Special Activities Unit of the US Central Intelligence Agency who was working with Seo Jeong-woo.”
Her man was a very unpleasant story, so she slightly frowned.
“My name is Gloria Stone. She is 39 years old. She was a divorced woman with two sons and one daughter. However, she was kidnapped by a cartel organization that was on the rise, and then she was tortured and killed. Even the video of her killing process was spread all over the place.”
“That doesn’t sound very nice.”
“Please. After that, Seo Jeong-woo, the same person you know, overthrew the cartel organization deeply rooted throughout South America from the ground up. Instead of the U.S. Officials who didn’t budge because they took the back money, I stepped forward myself.”
It wasn’t something I did alone. She said that there was unofficial help from comrades and seniors and juniors whom she dated at the time of several deployments. Information provided by Gloria Stone’s ex-husband, a senior Pentagon official.
“Their cartel is the one who kills people first if they are wrong. I had a hard time putting in troops on a national basis for eradication, but one crazy soldier completely changed the market in the shadows. In order to find out who was behind the murder of my superior, I killed about 80 people and maimed twice as many.”
“…… How many?”
“Exactly eighty-nine.”
As a result, the drug market in North America fluctuated at the time. Every time an intermediary book came to an end, dozens of public officials from each country were shackled after receiving back money.
“I finally caught the culprit. Morales, a drug lord disguised as a philanthropist, was tortured and murdered in the same way as Gloria Stone’s video, and then spread the word. The world was turned upside down, and questions about who the culprit was came out every day.”
No one thought it would be an individual. If not, it was assumed that at least some group or organization, most likely, would be a powerful country represented by the United States.
“Not many people knew that it was Seo Jeong-woo. Only the intelligence agencies of a few powerful countries got the full story, but he went unpunished. Rather, I received money that I could accept as a small amount of consolation money and was kicked out.”
According to the records, it was a considerable amount.
“It was a kind of consideration. Gloria Stone was a pretty popular person in her lifetime. She’s been accommodated by someone within the Intelligence Agency as a thank you for avenging her. She must have been influenced by her ex-husband, a high-ranking official.”
“Is that so.”
“After many twists and turns, the boy returned to his homeland. In the process, he performed several more black operations, and each time he showed a devilish performance. In the end, he was abandoned after the superior judged that his use had run out.”
“I will admit it. Just that he has lived an eventful life.”
“Do you think it is over?”
The man shook his head.
“In London, England, he also prevented the bombing of his successor, who was abandoned like himself. In Urumqi, China’s Xinjiang Autonomous Region, he also helped arrest a large-scale human trafficking ring. There were also traces of my home country, Russia, coming and going a few times.”
“…….”
“Seo Jeong-woo is a man who has gone through that kind of adversity in life. If he had been naturalized, that major would have earned him a medal of honor. But he didn’t. Even the considerable amount of consolation money I received was to the point of being given to the family of the deceased.”
It was for this reason that he suffered from the hardships of life after being discharged from the military.
“Michael Howard had the right eye. He’s an unspeakable monster. He is a madman who never was and never will be. A man who repeatedly walked a tightrope on the border of life and death only returned to music in his mid-20s, and is it possible to be side by side with up-and-comers who have been called geniuses since childhood?”
“If I’m not mistaken, you said he killed eighty-nine people. How could a man who had nothing to say even if he heard the sound of a murderer be able to return to such a normal life?”
“In the past, it was the protection of those mentioned above.”
And what was lacking even with such protection was made up for by the majesty of his teacher.
“After I found out about his secret story, I also tried my hand. He told me to roughly tie it up and throw it offshore because his old boss seemed to be bothering him. The fearless reporter gave me some money when I was messing about to burst into coverage. Of course, without forgetting to warn him not to bother him again.”
“You mean thrown into the sea, but do you mean killed?”
“If it hadn’t had gills, it would have died. I didn’t do it myself.”
“Why so far?”
“He was a cheap guy, though. He was the guy who ate his men and took care of himself. In the process of handing over my country’s secrets, I also tried to sell the name Seo Jeong-woo.”
The man laughed briefly as if he was happy.
“The guy who found out about it belatedly came to me and threatened me. He said that if I acted out of control one more time, he would never let me play the piano again. I passed because there was no evidence, but it was a clear warning not to kill people around me. Even if it was for you.”
“What I asked was why you cared for him so much.”
“Because I was jealous.”
“…… ?”
“When I was young, I thought I had the whole world. I thought it was such a boring world. It was the delusion of a stupid kid. Even I, who have been called a genius above a genius my whole life, is afraid of the real thing here.”
In other words, it was a fascination.
“This guy who played some keyboards when he was a student, but returned as an adult, has been reborn as a pianist comparable to me. Unlike running away from the first competition, he got a nice nickname when he reached the final.”
A pianist who avoids rubato and faithfully reproduces the original intention of the composer.
“Mr. Perfect.”
Truly a perfectionist.
“If you think about it now, that is. It may have been to resist the peculiar prejudice that Asian performers are sentimental.”
The man slowly turned around. It was because my long story was running toward the end.
“Isn’t the confrontation between Rachmaninoff’s incarnation and Mr. Perfect interesting?”
“I don’t know who Rachmaninoff is.”
“He was a legend in our music history. And I tried to win by competing with the monster Seo Jeong-woo with all my skills. The Chopin International Piano Competition was a great opportunity. Those selected as finalists were also outstanding.”
Chinese pianist Michelle Lee, Georgian pianist Elene Marceau, and the man and Seo Jeong-woo.
“Unfortunately, it wasn’t a proper match.”
“Why?”
“Just before his turn to play, the sad news of his teacher, Michael Howard, was delivered. Thanks to that, Mr. Perfect, uncharacteristically, mixed up a lot of rubato and surrendered himself to the performance mixed with tears. He was good enough to qualify for the prize, but it was not what he was capable of.”
So, he was the one who won the championship.
“Ah, my dear counterpart…….”
The man let out a deep sigh and said.
“I wanted to greet you on the best stage and defeat you.”
That opportunity never came again. This is because the discouraged rival threw himself into the Spree River in Berlin, addicted to drugs, while wandering about problems including family and money.
“After he died at the age of 30, the world became boring again. So when he found out he was alive, he was overjoyed. Especially when I saw the list of people on that train that my wife gave me.”
“Is it because he was using your name?”
“Isn’t that proof that my desire to win isn’t a one-way street? Doesn’t that mean that he also engraves me intensely in my brain? As long as I can compete with him, there is nothing I can’t do.”
“As promised, if you cooperate with me, I will definitely create a place for you.”
The man who laughed lightly soon burst into laughter. Glancing at the group of Mrs. Shadows in the distance, she moved on, more pleased with the name she put on her lips.
“…… Mr. Soldatova.”
Then, as if something suddenly came to mind, I stopped and asked her with only her head slightly turned to the side.
“By the way, madam, I want to ask you something.”
“What is it?”
In fact, he was ridiculed.
“As for you, how much do you underestimate the monster?”
“…… !”
