Jeong Taeui stared at Richard and then looked down at the children.
One child had finished assembling something and was checking if any parts were missing.
The child quietly met Jeong Taeui's gaze and smiled shyly, as if embarrassed.
"So, if the child competes until the end and is chosen as the successor, they won't have to
return any of the costs?"
Jeong Taeui asked without looking at Richard.
"That's right," he replied. Jeong Taeui was silent for a moment.
"Then why would the child quit when they just need to stay until the end and not give up
halfway?"
"Perhaps it's because everyone has different thoughts. After choosing the successor, the
remaining children will have to work under the chosen one and support them. If a child isn't
confident they'll be chosen and doesn't like working under others, it might be better to give
up from the start, even if it means paying a huge compensation."
Richard's voice was very calm.
Ilay, who was next to them, listened silently and smiled slightly.
"Maybe you should know this. If there's no chance of being chosen as the successor, Richard
would also choose to face punishment by repaying all the costs, even if it means working to
death and paying with his life. A great man's pride like his won't let him work under someone
else."
Richard raised his eyebrows, smiled, and shook his head.
"That's impossible. I can't be sure I'll be the successor either."
"That's hypocrisy, not humility."
"Thanks for the compliment."
Richard replied nonchalantly with a mocking smile. Then he instructed the children who had
finished assembling to disassemble the gun. And once they reassembled it, he would teach
them how to use it effectively at their age.
Jeong Taeui watched them and fell into thought.
Just as one cannot judge another, he couldn't have any opinion on someone's child-rearing
methods just because they were unfamiliar to him. Every method has its pros and cons.But.
"If a child has to make such a choice at such a young age, it's likely they'll regret it later. It's
too harsh for them."
Jeong Taeui smiled bitterly and said.
Saying that wasn't good for him either - but he said it anyway.
But Richard shook his head with a gentle face.
"In any case, people must take responsibility for their own choices."
Jeong Taeui remained silent.
These were Richard's thoughts. And perhaps the thoughts of all of Tarten, those who, whether
actively or passively, agreed to continue this method.
Jeong Taeui pondered for a while but soon sighed quietly.
If everyone could do something with mutual consent, that would be good.
"Christoph knows where he can stand and where he can't. The only regret is that if he
realized it earlier, he wouldn't have to bear the compensation issue."
Ilay said slowly and happily. His voice had no regret.
Jeong Taeui clicked his tongue, tousled his hair, and sighed again.
Ilay looked down at Jeong Taeui and then at the distant forest. As if he knew Christoph was
there.
"This isn't where he should be."
"... All right. You're right."
Jeong Taeui weakly agreed. His voice was weak from exhaustion.
As expected, today wasn't a good day. Fatigue was accumulating in his mind and body. ...
Come to think of it, since coming here, he hasn't had a peaceful day.
"All right. Yes. The T&R Mobile Unit - a den of madmen is a more suitable place for him."
"Oh, right...."
After speaking, Ilay - who had worked with Christoph in that den of mad men - squinted at
Jeong Taeui.
Jeong Taeui didn't respond to that gaze. He looked down at the forest.Sometimes he vaguely heard a short scream and the sound of a horse running as if someone
was urging a horse near the forest edge.
He thought of Christoph. He was someone who hardly ever made a sound, even when talking
to others, and never raised his voice so much that it was hard to know if he was actually
speaking or not.
He didn't fit here.
But in special places, he thrived like a fish in water.
"...."
Jeong Taeui sighed and shook his head.
He needed to stop thinking. If he continued, only unpleasant thoughts would keep appearing
in his mind.
"... However."
After he deliberately stopped the thoughts of Christoph lingering in his mind, he suddenly
remembered something he had momentarily forgotten.
Jeong Taeui stared at Ilay and then turned his eyes to Richard. This time Jeong Taeui slowly
asked with a look of disbelief about something shocking.
"Earlier, you said the nominated candidate who refused was Johan, didn't you? Could it be
that Johan...?!"
"As far as I know, there's only one Johan in this house."
"Ah, he's always friendly and gets along with everyone... anyway... he's an interesting
friend."
After hesitating for a while, Richard managed to say the last compliment. But thinking about
it, hesitating to call someone interesting seemed like he actually wanted to say that person
was a bit insane.
Jeong Taeui looked at them with a frown.
Sometimes, when talking, he admired this man's intelligence, but that wasn't the issue.
Thinking back, Christoph was also a strong candidate for succession before he gave up...
"....…Tarten is... It seems the character of the heir isn't very important?"
So, no matter how talented someone is, isn't character something this family should care
about? Then again, the old man he met recently seemed very kind. Jeong Taeui, who was
struggling in his thoughts, didn't see Richard's silence and vague smile in front of him.Ilay smiled and said something unpleasant for both of them.
"He means you have a personality problem, Richard."
Only after hearing Ilay say with a sigh - "You have a keen eye" - did Jeong Taeui realize what
he had said to Richard.
Jeong Taeui was momentarily confused and quickly defended himself.
"I didn't mean it that way."
Richard smiled and replied, "It's okay". But Jeong Taeui felt as if he had spilled a bucket of
water. A bucket of water that couldn't be taken back.
No, he always thought this man had many personality issues, but he didn't intend to reveal it
so openly. He was talking about Johan, not Richard here.
Jeong Taeui regretted his mistake and glared at Ilay - the one who caused this situation.
He had to resolve this somehow, so Jeong Taeui decided to redirect the blame.
"But it's incomparable to T&R's Mobile Unit, right? That place recruits members with crazy
personalities...? There, it's not just personality but the whole person that's problematic."
He didn't like attacking others to cover himself, but now there was no other way. Moreover,
even if he aimed at others, wasn't 'others' the cause of all this?
Ilay squinted, the smile not fading at Jeong Taeui's words. He suddenly smiled gently - "The
Anti - Riot Squad where Christoph was a member, right?"
'I'm talking about you, YOU!'.
Jeong Taeui shouted in his heart. How could he so brazenly regard it as someone else's
business and a place unrelated to him?
"Indeed, the selection process had many problems... They are all people I know and were
chosen by my brother. Yes, indeed my brother's selection process had some issues... I'll
make sure to pass your message to my brother later."
Oh God...
It felt like he had spilled another bucket of water.
No, what he meant was... Jeong Taeui carefully thought and chose his words again.
What I mean is, your personality is problematic.
"So, what else can I say? From what I heard, it seems different. If we're talking about
personality issues, I only heard that you were very popular at the UNHRDO branch in
Europe.""Ah ha.... Yes, there was a bit of a staffing issue there. I really had no intention of being an
officer in that organization, and I didn't even know I would be appointed there as an officer."
"Exactly! There's a big problem in appointing people to key positions based solely on their
ability without considering their personality!"
"That's because that place is related to weapons, but anyway, the one who indirectly pushed
me to take that position was an officer at the Asian branch. Jeong—— Who was it...."
"...."
Better to keep my mouth shut. If not, he feared he would spill the remaining water.
Richard, who was sitting next to him, rested his chin on the table, just rolled his eyes at the
two of them, looking puzzled as to why Jeong Taeui suddenly went quiet, but said nothing
more.
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