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Side story 204. One-Won-Won Comics (4)
“… … .”
Baek So-dam, who had been quietly looking down at the documents, raised her gaze.
There was a man there.
The man of letters looked quite haggard. His complexion was pale, as if he was sick.
So even more so, the power he possessed was revealed without any filter. Although he was somehow controlling it, the magic flowing out between the cracked dams was, no matter what anyone said, that of a top-class master.
The corners of Baek So-dam’s lips formed a smooth curve.
“It’s been a while.”
“okay.”
“It’s surprising that you would suddenly bring out such a dangerous item without even saying hello, but if I think about it another way, it’s just like you, right?”
“I guess my lord knows me well.”
“I don’t know everything, but I do know this one thing: the ability to change positions quickly.”
Baek So-dam shook the document.
“And your actions today have confirmed my suspicions.”
Even though it was a remark that could be considered humiliating, the man, Seo-pil, maintained a blank expression.
“I will take that as a compliment.”
“A change of attitude in a person with conviction can be seen as wisdom. However, a change of attitude in a person without conviction is nothing more or less than a trick.”
“You think differently than I do.”
“What do you think?”
“Whether it is wisdom or trickery, in the end, the one who survives is the strong one and the truth.”
“Then the judgment of the Westerner who came to see me was wrong. I like wise people. And I don’t have the spirit of service to be by the side of someone I don’t like.”
“I did not come to see you, my lord.”
There was a look of doubt in Baek So-dam’s eyes.
“You came to me with confidential military documents, but you don’t have any business with me?”
“Yes.”
“This needs some explanation.”
“Those documents are in lieu of a brokerage fee.”
Baek So-dam’s eyes sank coldly.
Even in front of those intense gazes, Seo-pil’s complexion did not change. Although his spine did get a little moist.
‘Did I come to the wrong place?’
For a moment, I thought that maybe Baek So-dam was upset, that her pride was hurt by being reduced to a mere broker.
‘I’m tired too. Baek So-dam is not a light person. Isn’t that why you came to see me?’
I’m very tired, both physically and mentally. That’s why I can’t trust my own decisions.
Then why is Baek So-dam reacting so sharply?
‘I guess you guessed who I was going to. But is that something to be so upset about?’
I was skeptical, but at the same time, I was relieved. The fact that Baek So-dam reacted like that meant that my judgment of ‘him’ was not wrong.
‘Still, it’s surprising. I thought he was using it because he needed to, but that wasn’t the case. He appears to be a neutral person on the outside, but Iza’s heart is already slowly turning. My chances of survival have increased by this amount.’
When I first came here, I thought the chances of surviving the Shinto cult were 30%.
If you add this to that, you get five-tenths. Three-tenths is once in three times, but five-tenths is once in two times.
‘Even so, it’s only a short life. Depending on what you do, it could be reduced from five-tenths to five-cents. Even if you pass this gate, you’ll have to walk on thin ice for a long time.’
When Seopil’s thoughts became very complicated.
Baek So-dam, who had been staring at him, opened her mouth.
“If you need me as a mediator, at least it’s not Elder Baekgolshinma.”
“Not Elder Baekgolshinma, of course, nor any other elder.”
“Of course. If that was the case, you should have gone to them directly. There would be no reason to involve me.”
“Yes.”
Baek So-dam put down the document and leaned back in her chair.
The cold eyes remained the same. No, they were getting even colder.
“Why?”
It was a question with no basis or end, but Seopil realized where her question was headed and what she wanted.
Still, he pretended not to know.
“What are you talking about?”
“I wonder why they come here with such ridiculous brokerage fees to try to get in on the action.”
“I think that’s enough for the brokerage fee, but am I wrong in my calculations?”
The point is, don’t ask why.
It was a question with clear intention, and even though Baek So-dam knew it, she gave Seo-pil the answer he wanted.
“The amount is not yours to decide. And if your reasons are truly justified, you don’t need these pieces of paperwork.”
If he pretended to be lacking even at this moment, he would cause unnecessary misunderstandings. Seo-pil also took on the challenge.
“I guess the Lord’s trust and affection for ‘him’ is great.”
“You are free to think whatever you want. The important thing is that if you want to use me as a broker, you need a reasonable brokerage fee. And to me, that brokerage fee is your true heart.”
“I’m sure your Majesty has already guessed.”
“Since when did guess become synonymous with certainty?”
Seopil closed his mouth for a moment and collected his thoughts.
It took quite a while for him to open his mouth. Baek So-dam waited patiently.
“I didn’t want to look like a collaborator anymore.”
It was a remark made about a change in position. It meant the same thing as saying that he didn’t want to be stuck here and there anymore.
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“That may not be all.”
“Yes. If you don’t want to be a collaborator anymore, you have to hold on to a trustworthy line.”
“That’s why it’s strange. The ‘him’ of now is hard to trust, and is more like a worn-out rope that could break at any moment.”
“Then why does the Lord give it to him?”
Baek So-dam smiled faintly.
“You said you were free to think however you wanted, but you misunderstood me quite a bit. Even if what you said were true, you and I are not the same. There is a huge difference between me seeing his potential and giving him a small gift, and you offering your life as a tribute.”
It probably isn’t just a small gift.
Seo-pil held back the words he almost said without realizing it and tried to answer dryly.
“That’s why I want to hold onto him even more. When everyone says it’s dangerous, there are many people who see the possibility and reach out to him.”
“… … .”
“Most people only see his talent and turn a blind eye to his potential. Of course, they are right. The reason he is still alive today is because he found a way to secure his own safety in the interests of many people. If a power struggle were to break out, he could die tonight.”
“I guess so.”
“That’s exactly what I think makes him great.”
A look of surprise appeared on Baek So-dam’s face.
“Great?”
“Yes. He seems like he wouldn’t do that at all, but he is very aware of the situation of the civil war and what the powerful want. Of course, he has some shortcomings. It’s not a matter of ability or talent. It’s a matter of the sheer amount of information.”
“… … .”
“Finding a way to survive and achieve one’s goals within limited information is not something that just anyone can do. He even throws himself into a dangerous battlefield and risks his life to obtain more information. That information, like the ultimate martial arts, guarantees his survival and opens the door to possibilities even wider.”
Baek So-dam looked at Seo-pil with serious eyes.
There was no pretense or falsehood on his tired face.
‘It can’t be helped.’
Seopil has risked his life to come here. If Baek Sodam sends this confidential document to the military department, Seopil will be locked up in a brain prison, unable to live or die.
‘Is it a trap?’
I think it was inevitable. However, since he came in such a radical way, Baek So-dam suspected that he might be conspiring with the military to destroy her.
‘It’s not impossible. The interest’s ability is attractive enough.’
Seopil was a talented person. The only problem was that he used his abilities for Heo Seong-gwan, but his abilities themselves were so good that even worn-out politicians were amazed.
If there was a downside, it was that he had never experienced failure due to his outstanding intelligence and work ethic, but he experienced his first failure in the face of Lee Cheon-sang’s vicious counterattack.
Failure can either make people despair or make them stronger. Seo-pil was not a great person who would despair or become frustrated. At least, that was how Baek So-dam saw it.
Heo Seong-gwan was not stupid enough to kick out someone like that for making one mistake. This incident was not even a mistake. Heo Seong-gwan must also know that the bribe Seo Pil received was not something he wanted, but was a joint effort between Hwanheewon and the Criminal Law Party.
Of course, the lie, not the truth, would have spread throughout the military. However, Heo Seong-gwan can sufficiently say that it was not that, and that Seo Pil was simply caught in a trap.
Naturally, that statement will only provoke a backlash from many soldiers. It could be misunderstood as a defense of a favored subordinate who is willing to break his convictions.
Would you rather have one person named Seo-pil and gain the distrust of countless soldiers, or abandon Seo-pil and gain the respect of the soldiers?
It was a difficult yet easy problem.
‘I guess there’s nothing I can do.’
Baek So-dam spoke honestly.
“If I accept the confidential documents you gave me and do not report them to the military department, the military commander may charge me with treason.”
“Of course it could be.”
“Therefore, there is no need for me to be your mediator. When I get angry, I am the kind of person who would give up my life because I can’t see anything, but I am not a mature person who can calmly accept the ending of being stabbed in the back of the head by trusting others without question.”
“He said that sincerity and truthfulness can be sufficient brokerage fees.”
“That’s why I’m doing this. I haven’t seen your true heart yet.”
“What else should I do… … .”
“Take it.”
Baek So-dam handed over a confidential document.
Seopil’s eyes wavered. Although it could have been a trap, Baek Sodam’s self-control in giving up that enormous treasure so easily was truly amazing.
“This is a rare and valuable sword. If used well, it can kill my enemies, but if used wrongly, it is a double-edged sword that can cut me. Even if you don’t wield it, if you just get a rumor that you have it, you can attract enemies who don’t have any grudges.”
“At the same time, you can gain just as many allies.”
“Whatever it is, I will not accept this. I do not believe in your sincerity. I will give up my role as mediator.”
“… … .”
“Instead, I won’t tell the General Staff that you came to see me.”
Seopil’s eyes sparkled.
Baek So-dam said, folding her arms.
“If what you say is true, your life is in jeopardy right now. Even if you weren’t caught stealing confidential documents, the military would try to get rid of you as soon as possible.”
“… … .”
“I don’t know how you managed to escape until now, but you should use all your abilities and distribution to go to him. If he accepts you, you will become his right away, but if not, you will have no connection with him.”
“Things have gotten harder.”
“Well, whatever it is, I think I’ve discovered one more flaw of yours.”
“What is that?”
“Being trapped.”
“… … ?!”
“If you’ve left the military, you should put down this kind of military-style politics. The person I’ve seen is more straightforward than I thought. You didn’t need to come to me in the first place.”
Seopil’s eyes wavered.
Baek So-dam nodded.
“Go to this footnote yourself. Tell him that I have come to entrust his fate to you, that I will jump into the fire for you, and that I will share in your future glory. Other than that, there is no other way for you.”
What I thought was a possibility turned out to be a possibility.
Because it was a moment when common sense was destroyed, the prospect of doing it actually came across as a pleasant possibility.