Kimin went to Sera Lee’s main house in a hurry.

He knew it would happen, but something was weird.

‘Has the information already been leaked abroad? It’s much faster than I expected.’

Sera Lee and Saehyun Jae greeted him.

“Hello.”

“Welcome. Let’s talk over here.”

She escorted Kimin to a quiet room on the edge.

There was a wide table that looked suitable for a meeting in the room.

Kimin sat down and got to the point right away.

“The information about me has been leaked abroad… What is it about?”

“That’s a little bit weird.”

Sera’s face looked odd.

“To be exact, it’s not about you.”

“What are you talking about?”

Kimin couldn’t understand and asked again.

“There is an abnormal status absorption skill user in Seoul, South Korea. This is all the information.”

Kimin’s face also became odd.

“…What?”

“That’s all, sir. There is no more information.”

Saehyun tilted his head.

“So… The information is only about an absorption skill user and doesn’t contain anything about a release skill, right?”

“That’s right.”

“Without any additional details?”

“Yes.”

Kimin heard Sera’s answer and made an absurd face.

The information has value when there are people who believe it.

However, the information about, ‘An absorption skill user in this place.’ spread without any proof.

“I think no one’s going to trust this. Is there anyone who believes this?”

“Well… What should I say? I wish there were none…”

Sera couldn’t continue her words.

Saehyun opened his mouth instead of her.

“Aren’t there many people who are after unrealistic dreams for their entire lives? It’s an expression from the old era, but your skill is somehow… like a miracle cure. We can’t be sure that there is no one who believes that kind of information.”

“Indeed… I understand.”

Kimin nodded and looked at Sera.

“Could you track the source of the information?”

“I’ve already tried it, but it’s not from Korea. The route is too unclear… I can’t be certain, but it might be from the US.”

“…It’s not from Korea.”

Kimin thought deeply.

‘The information that is aimed at me is spread not in Korea but abroad.’

‘People who know about my skill…’

Several people passed through Kimin’s mind.

Jinbum Park of Ohsung, the ruler, Sangki Beak, and Sera Lee’s people…

He excluded Sera Lee’s people first.

‘They don’t have a reason to spread the information.’

He excluded Sangki Beak next.

‘He leaks the information to share with others?’

The remaining one was Jinbum Park.

Kimin couldn’t understand at all.

‘He knows what Sangki Beak’s going to do to him if he spreads the information…’

Kimin was doubtful about Jinbum.

However, he couldn’t exclude Jinbum because he felt uncomfortable.

‘Is Jinbum Park going crazy?’

Kimin agonized since he couldn’t get an answer, so he shared his thoughts with Sera and Saehyun.

“I don’t see anyone who would leak the information except for Ohsung… But, it’s a little bit ambiguous.”

“Right?”

Sera came up with something and opened her mouth.

“Do you think it’s related to this by any chance? Sangki Beak was asking me if I could find a foreigner earlier.”

“A foreigner?”

“Yea, but he couldn’t remember anything about his face or clothes. So, I answered him that it was going to be hard to find him.”

“Did the foreigner learn the information?”

“It doesn’t seem like that.”

“If he didn’t get the information, he doesn’t seem to be related. He has to know about the information to spread it…”

“Yea… You’re right.”

Sera thought for a long time and opened her mouth again.

“Oh! Then how about this? I tell Sangki Beak that Jinbum Park leaked the information. Then Sangki Beak’s going to investigate by himself….”

Kimin thought about Sera’s idea for a moment and shook his head.

“I’m sorry, but that’s not going to work. If you do that, Sangki Beak might kill Jinbum Park. However, I have to kill him on my own as you know.”

“Oh… I respect your opinion.”

“Also, you might get in trouble.”

Sera seemed surprised as she found Kimin’s stare.

“It’s obvious that Sangki will suspect you if he finds out that someone spread the information since there are only a few people that know about it.”  

At that time, Saehyun brought a cup of tea.

Kimin sipped it and continued, “Of course, Sangki will suspect Jinbum Park… However, that doesn’t make you innocent. Speaking badly of Jinbum might only make it worse.”

“Understood. He could suspect me for no reason.”

Sera and Saehyun nodded.

“Then what?”

“Let’s just tell Sangki that the information is spreading abroad. He’s a ruler after all. If he’s going to find out sooner or later, you should be the one who tells him first.”

“Hm… Ok.”

“We should use the information that has already spread. Let’s do the same.”

“How?”

Kimin’s eyes were shining.

“We should spread information abroad too while trying to hide our identities.”

“What information…?”

“How about dumping everything on Sangki Beak?”

Kimin smiled and continued, “We can also say that Sangki has the abnormal status absorption skill user exclusively.”

“Sounds fun. Is he going to make foreign friends that way?”

“I think he’s going to bring disgrace to South Korea,” Saehyun answered and Sera and Kimin laughed.

“I’m open to other ideas.”

Kimin softly spoke and Saehyun poked Sera when he came up with an idea.

“Sera, isn’t it going to be great if Mr. Kim comes with us?”

“What? Oh… the meeting. Yea, you are right. Kimin.”

Sera stared at Kimin with her interested face.

“Pardon?”

“Would you like to come with us to a meeting with the rulers soon?”

“A meeting… with the rulers?”

“Yes. You know there is actually no organization called ‘the rulers’.”

“I only know that people who belong to that group get that name.

“Right. It’s actually an unsubstantial group, but… we gather once or twice a year to share important information and see each other.”

“I see.”

“It’s a meeting, but it ends fast since we don’t talk that much. Why don’t you follow us to scout?”

‘Oh.’

“I’m thankful. It’s a relief that there is a meeting like this.”

****

“Stay without saying any words. My uncle and the butler will cover you.”

“I will.”

Kimin was wearing the same suit as Saehyun Jae and Hakdong Lim because his concept for today was ‘a promising new butler.’  

He looked around carefully and followed Saehyun and Hakdong quietly.

‘They borrowed the whole hotel… they have a lot of money to burn. They don’t have their own vacation house?’

While Kimin thought about something, they arrived at the destination.

“Wait here. The meeting finishes faster than you think. It won’t take long.”

Sera disappeared suddenly and the butlers were left in a small lobby.

“The rulers are coming soon. Watch them well.”

Hakdong whispered to Kimin and soon, the rulers started to arrive one by one.

Hyeonjung Woo, Seongkyu Kim…

They reminded Kimin of old memories.

‘I didn’t have a chance to see your faces at Ohsung.’

At that time he could only hear their voices because he was tied to the chair and crawling on the floor.

However, things had changed since then.

‘I’ve prepared something special for you guys, so wait for it.’

Kimin kept his eyes on the rulers passing by him through his peripheral vision. 

The small lobby was getting full with the rulers and their secretaries. Then it got noisy and instantly became quiet.

It was Saehun Choi.

He walked heavily without any secretary.

He walked inside without any words and disappeared to the meeting place.

Kimin felt like he heard some mumbles like “Wow… he has such a strong mentality.”, “I thought he wasn’t going to come because it’s shameful.”

While the secretaries whispered to not bother their owners’ meeting, the last one showed up.

Then the small lobby became completely silent.

Sangki Beak.

He relaxedly walked inside with blood all over his body.

**

The meeting room was well-decorated in an antique style, but the people inside didn’t have nice facial expressions.

“Oh…stink. You should’ve taken a shower before coming here”

Hyeonjung Woo frowned.

“I killed some bugs.”

Sangki Beak answered lightly.

“If you don’t want to smell me, let’s finish the meeting quickly.”

Someone giggled when Sangki suggested that.

“Isn’t it better to not come if you want to finish it that quickly?”

“Oh, look who it is. Isn’t it Saehun? Are you alright?”

“Your fist should be hurt. Did it ever touch my body?”

The atmosphere instantly became intimidating and Seongkyu tried to intervene.

“Stop that. We are going to finish it fast anyway. Let’s finish quickly and eat something together. We don’t see each other often.”

Some people nodded and Seongkyu continued, “Now, does anyone have a case? Or a difficulty?”

Someone raised his hand.

“Saehun…Choi, please continue.”

‘Saehun Choi?’

Seongkyu stammered with an ominous feeling.

“Mr. Sangki Beak.”

Sangki only stared at Saehun without answering.

“You said you killed some bugs… Are they foreign bugs? I guess you are popular with them.”

Saehun giggled and Sangki’s tendon on his temple became thicker.

“Oh… Foreign bugs. I don’t know why the bugs came out. Do you know anything about this?”

“I don’t know that but I heard many times that you eat something good by yourself. Do you need to do that when your body can’t die easily?”

Sangki was unexpectedly relaxed.

“If Saehun Choi knows about the rumor, it means everyone here heard that as well.”

No one reacted to Sangki’s monologue.

Sangki and Saehun looked at each other.

“Do you know anything other than that?”

“I heard you play with Ohsung pretty well. I’m thinking about killing Jinbum Park.”

***

The meeting was broken up, the dinner was canceled, and Hyeonjung Woo undertook a claim for damages of the meeting room and the lobby.

It didn’t get worse thanks to other rulers’ arbitration.

Kimin opened his mouth on the way back.

“I felt this while watching the rulers today… They seemed to basically lack fear even though they were fighting. What should I say… They felt like the fear of death didn’t bind them.”

“I think it’s because it’s hard to kill the rulers. That’s why they are rulers. The minimum condition is not dying easily.”

“I see.”

Kimin had a meaningful smile and Sera realized the meaning of it.

“Oh… You have decided.”

“Yea, I became certain after I saw them with my eyes. I want to show them what fear is.”

Twitter: @AmyShin39