Chapter 38
Meanwhile, Noah turned around, sensing someone watching him. But he didn’t see anyone following him.
Still, after living under the pressure of loan sharks for so long, he had become sensitive enough to feel someone’s gaze.
So he took a complicated route, weaving through alleyways to shake them off. Then he hid in the shadows like a stray cat.
‘At least, they’re not from around here.’
He knew because they had lost him, confused by the maze-like streets.
Noah opened the door to an old, crumbling house. At the creaking sound, he heard someone quickly hiding inside.
“It’s me, Mother.”
“…Noah? Oh my god. Why are you still here?”
“Mr. John White gave me a new ID and told me to leave Wifland. Tell me. How long have you been in contact with him? What truth are you hiding? Why won’t you tell me?”
“Noah, you don’t need to know. Please, don’t ask.”
“I can’t just follow orders without knowing anything. I’m an adult. If you won’t tell me, I won’t do anything.”
Julia realized Noah now had the face of a full-grown man. His stubborn and determined personality was clear on his face, and his eyes were strong.
Seeing he wouldn’t allow any excuses, she hesitated for a long time before speaking.
“I didn’t want to show you… my shameful past. It’s a terrible sin… And because of it, you would be in danger too…”
“I can’t fight against threats I don’t even know about.”
“Noah… I confess… I killed someone.”
Noah didn’t waver. He was surprised, but not shocked. He had already guessed. It had to be something that heavy to weigh down his mother this much.
Julia frowned and shook her head, as if trying to shake off the past.
“Can’t you pay for your crime? For your own sake, at least?”
“Even if I spent my whole life rotting in prison, taking a life can never be forgiven. I only understood what it meant to kill someone after I had you. I regret that night… terribly. I regret it so much.”
“…Who did you kill, and why?”
“Who? Ha? You ask who? That, I can never say. Because… Yes, I can tell you this. I don’t even remember who I killed! I killed so many. So many innocent people!”
“…Mother…?”
Noah called her carefully. Julia, now white with shock, shouted in a confused voice.
“I wanted to become a White. I wanted to be someone who ruled with wealth and honor! The world is cruelly unfair. If I hadn’t been born a magician, I would’ve lived as a lowly commoner like my parents.”
“There hasn’t been a magician-related crime in Wifland for nearly 20 years. Mother, your hometown is abroad, right?”
“Wifland is the best place to hide! I’m sure I’ll go to hell. I won’t die peacefully either. But what’s scarier is… you might have to pay for it too. Oh god… what have I said?”
Julia, coming to her senses, covered her mouth and stepped back. She couldn’t even face Noah.
Noah wasn’t much different. He stared at his mother in horror, forgetting even how to breathe.
He had guessed she might have hurt someone, but he never imagined she had killed so many.
And now, the thought that the consequences might fall on him too filled him with overwhelming fear.
Leaving Noah behind, Julia went into her room. The door slammed shut, as if telling Noah to leave.
Only then did Noah let out a shaky breath and look down at his hands.
Reflected in them was the blood of a murderer passed down through generations.
“Maggie. Long-time no see.”
“Oh, Mr. White. Mr. John is in a meeting right now.”
“That’s fine. I’ll just wait. I actually came to have lunch with him anyway.”
Scott sat on the sofa and picked up a newspaper from the table.
Today’s issue of Modern Times was filled with speculations about Victor, the leader of Natalia’s noble faction, who had recently gone into seclusion.
“There might be another civil war in Natalia. Victor Lebedev losing his grip on politics is a huge deal.”
“How old were you during the last civil war, Maggie?”
“I was just a crawling baby then. But my parents and grandparents said the civil war in Natalia shook the international oil market so badly that everyone suffered.”
“It wasn’t just oil. Ports were shut down, northern mines closed… it was chaos.”
“I heard immigrants poured out like refugees?”
“That’s right. I was only about thirteen or fourteen then, so I don’t remember clearly, but the newspapers from that time were awful. The wave that started in Natalia caused an economic depression in neighboring countries like Wifland. There were riots and chaos everywhere.”
“How can Natalia stay so rich even after fighting all the time? Having lots of resources must be a real blessing.”
“They say even if a rich family goes broke, they live well for three generations. Natalia was a great empire once. It’s not easy to bring it down. Plus, their middle class is strong. No matter how much the nobles and magicians fight, they won’t collapse easily.”
“And they have Victor Lebedev too.”
Scott smiled kindly at Maggie’s comment and quickly skimmed through the newspaper.
It was a lazy article, just listing obvious facts.
The fall of the royal family during the Magician Alliance revolution, Victor’s royal restoration movement, magicians escaping from prison, clashes with nobles… all old news.
Scott threw the newspaper aside, making Maggie chuckle.
Scott was too knowledgeable for these kinds of shallow articles to be interesting.
“Mister White, do you think Natalia should abolish its monarchy like Wifland did?”
“For my business? A civil war would be the best. If a war breaks out, weapons sales would skyrocket not just in Natalia but nearby countries too. But personally? Hmm. Natalia isn’t officially a caste country anymore. Legally, everyone’s equal. It’s just that social habits and economic systems still have classes.”
“Then why does Victor Lebedev push for restoring the monarchy? For past glory? For the emperor killed by the revolution? Or… does he want to become emperor himself?”
Victor had been close friends with the last emperor, Joseph.
Scott thought for a moment before answering.
“Maggie, remember this: people act for their own benefit.”
“But Natalia’s nobles already have enough wealth and honor without restoring the monarchy. In Otrouk, even after abolishing the caste system, invisible classes still exist after 100 years…”
“Maybe they’re scared of becoming like Wifland.”
Scott shrugged.
Wifland was the first country to abolish its caste system.
They executed the royal family, and the nobles fled abroad.
In Wifland, money became the new power.
“If Natalia becomes like Wifland, the ones who have the most to lose are the privileged.
When the emperor died, he became their symbol. Now that he’s gone, Victor became the new rallying point.”
Scott smiled playfully and added, “Anyway, Maggie, if John ever fires you because he goes bankrupt, I’ll hire you as my secretary. You’ll never be unemployed, so don’t worry and keep working hard.”
Maggie blushed at the sudden offer. Scott grinned.
“You graduated top of your class from Iodes Law School and passed the bar with the highest score ever. You’re more than qualified. Ah, finally, John is done.”
Scott said goodbye to Maggie and entered John’s office.
John seemed slightly surprised to see him.
“I’ll buy you a nice lunch. Let’s go.”
“I have to head to District 8 for free counseling. If you have something to say…”
John checked his watch. He had about thirty minutes free.
“I’ll give you twenty minutes.”
“You’re so strict. Let’s go inside. I even brought food.”
Scott pulled out a bag of sandwiches.
John laughed at his friend’s preparation.
Scott always brought a backup plan.
It was thanks to his thorough nature that he inherited Cravitz over Aaron.
John led him to the office.
They shared the sandwiches and finished eating quickly.
Wiping his hands with a napkin, Scott casually said,
“Share the information with me.”
“What information?”
“The will.”
John didn’t even blink as he answered.
“Impossible.”
“So you’re planning to keep it to yourself? Now that Mr. Nicholas is dead, you’re the only one who knows the will. What if something happens to you, our dear Senator John White?”
“Don’t worry. Nothing will happen. And if anyone finds out, it won’t be you guys. It’ll be Andrew.”
“Why? Because we’re the troublemakers?”
“We’re all sinners. Terrible sinners.”
“That’s a very priest-like thing to say.”
Scott hid his sharpness under his joking tone.
Actually, he had already guessed a lot from the fact that Scarlett was left out.
That she had probably gotten involved in their parents’ past unwillingly, and that the truth might hurt her.
John sensed Scott’s thoughts.
They were brothers. They knew each other well.
“Mother’s decision was noble.”
“It was only noble to her.”
“…Yeah.”
John let out a small sigh.
He looked tired of this conversation.
“Mother’s choice wasn’t what a parent should do. But because I respect and honor her, I’ll carry out her last wishes.”
“John, you’re going to hell.”
“We’re all going to hell.”
Scott scoffed lightly.
He thought his brother John White was ridiculous.
His tired attitude just looked like fake modesty.
“How about forgiving Noah and accepting him as a brother? I think it’s worth seriously considering.”
“And what would I gain from that?”
“You’d be saving your last bit of conscience.”
“What conscience? We arms dealers can’t sell weapons if we have one.”
“You tried to ruin Noah Ashford’s life by selling him into slavery. No matter what pain he caused you, it’s still your sin.
So how about at least trying to atone for it?”
“Nonsense.”
Scott brushed off his hands and stood up. As he opened the door to leave, he said,
“If you wanted salvation, you wouldn’t have sold him into slavery in the first place.”
So, John.
Let’s meet again, in the same hell.
