Empire of the Ring

D Drones reached out to say that it would purchase any rubies and diamonds for industrial purposes circulating in Siberia. Such an active gesture was a testament to acknowledging Youngho’s ability to deal with local mafias in Siberia.

If used only in the manufacturing of laser equipment, ruby was the most preferable. However, the company wanted to buy diamonds as well. It meant that they have different reasons for why they were buying the gemstones.

Regardless of how they were going to use those gemstones, Youngho was also interested in a variety of markets. It was also not desirable to rely solely on Eriksson.

Youngho was glad to earn profits by having a technical partnership and selling raw materials, so he held on to Hong Sung-ki to give him instructions.

“You have to be careful when you contact Sergeenko. Even though he looks like a cow thief, he’s sly as a fox.”

“Don’t worry about that, but Boss, diamonds are in our area too. Can we collect it for ourselves?”

“No. We’ll only deal with the mafias for this. I’m going to take a long-term approach with this. Don’t even think about collecting diamonds but focus only on logging. It might be tempting to you but please restrain yourself from collecting any resource other than trees.”

“Don’t worry about a thing. You know my personality. I’d rather come to you and ask for my own portion rather than going through trouble myself.”

Hong Sung-ki must have his own greed for diamonds, but he was appreciated and trusted because he comforted others by saying such empty words.

Youngho was someone who trusted a person unconditionally once he gave his heart. Also, he did not mind if someone he trusted took advantage of his properties or businesses since that someone had already become his family. It was better to give his money to his family members than strangers.

“Sergeenko looked like someone with a big ambition. He must be collecting raw materials to increase his gang.”

“Just pretend that you know nothing about it when you approach him. We’re only contacting him to get diamonds to make cutting tools for lenses, nothing more. Ruby’s just for optical lenses.”

“What’s the point of your being so careful?”

“Yaniv doesn’t like any of the members of his organization getting involved in the business of jewels. So, I’m asking you to contact him secretly.”

Youngho had not told Hong Sung-ki about his deal with Klimov yet. All he knew was that diamonds were discovered under the guidance of Irtysh the Evenk. Youngho did not mean to hide it from him, but he was being cautious because the issue of diamonds was that sensitive.

“If an American company needs them, don’t you think we’ll also need them someday?”

“Oh, you worry too much. Haven’t you seen them scattered all over the riverside?”

“They were not that many. Some were occasionally stuck in a big stone.”

“We need to be careful or else the Russian government will find out about it. Then we’ll have to stop our logging business. If we wait, we’ll have a chance someday.”

“If I find a big chunk, I’ll slip it in our ship.”

“Oh, you don’t have to. Besides, you have to come back to the state when you’re done with this job. Leave it up to Choi Sang-ho. You should stay here and assist Jong-il with the intelligence department. Don’t ever think about sneaking away to Siberia.”

“What are you talking about? I even got a place for me and my wife.”

“That’s not a house for a newly-married couple. Let the employees there use it.”

“Then where do I live?”

“What are you talking about? You need to live with your parents, remember?”

Hong Sung-ki was not happy to hear it. He did not go on his honeymoon so he could live in Siberia alone with his wife. And now, he still ended up being in the autonomous state.

“Instead, why don’t you go to Batumi or Frankfurt with your wife after returning from Siberia? I’ll tell them to leave the suite room empty in Arirang Hotel for you.”

“Boss, let me stay in Siberia even during the summer. I already bragged so much to my wife that we’re going to Siberia.”

“Oh, you must’ve said that you’d be getting her a ring after collecting diamonds here.”

“…”

***

The reservoir at Zeynep Farm was occupied by the children. Zeynep’s empty spot was now taken by Jelyan and Rena, who played with their friends from the international school in Baku.

The scorching heat was so intense that recent TV news was all about the abnormal temperature. Baku was so hot now that many even got burned by standing in the sun for a short while. It was fortunate that it was not humid, but it was still hot enough for the old and weak to faint on the street.

All the children from the international school came to the farm to avoid the heat. Now the farm was treated as a summer school for the kids of the international school. Trees around the reservoir of the farm offered shade for people to rest.

Even though Youngho came to the farm, the kids could not care less about him since they were too busy playing with their friends. Leon was also playing with them in the water, so he sat next to Fatima watching them.

“I guess I asked you to come for nothing. The kids had been waiting for dad to come, but now they’re too busy to spend time with you. Haha…”

“Fatima, why don’t you wear some light clothes too? You’re all dressed up like that when other people are dressing down and taking off what they’re wearing.”

“I’d love to, but I have too many eyes on me. I just can’t do it because I’m afraid that they’re going to talk later.”

“All the people take off their clothes at a pool in the summer. Who’s going to talk about you?”

“Look, there are Serbian guards staring at me like that.”

For the safety of Fatima and the children, the area around the reservoir was guarded by Serbian guards who made a thorough inspection at the entrance of the farm. They were now guarding the area in turns even though there was no need to do it.

Youngho and Fatima had given up convincing them since they would not listen. She was their Archduchess no matter what, so Youngho could not blame them.

This reservoir was filled with water only at the height of the children’s chest to prevent accidents, so there was nothing to worry about. Leon had a life vest on, but the guards were still paying close attention to every step of Leon.

“Man, I’m way below Leon, my son.”

“Hahaha… did you just realize that now? I’m below Leon, too.”

“What do you mean? You’ll be first.”

“I don’t think I’m that important when Leon is already there. Don’t you know they care more about the successor? Look over there. They’re jumping in just because Leon had some water.”

There was a young man rushing in when Leon struggled for a bit as he fell and drank some water while he was fooling around when even Youngho and Fatima, his parents, were just watching. Since Leon had the mystical ring on, there was not much to worry about him. Besides, he was an active child who fell and got hurt every day

“They’re spoiling Leon. It’s not rough enough to raise him on the street.”

“Oh, yeah? Why don’t you take Leon for a few days and treat him a little rough?”

“They already make a fuss about us staying together as if something bad would happen to us. I can’t take anymore nagging.”

The logic of that was that people did not put eggs in one basket. So, Youngho had to sneak around Chief Niksic if he wanted to go on a long-distance family trip. The weather in Baku was so hot that he wanted to go somewhere cold like Siberia, but he did not want to get an earful from Niksic.

***

When Rena returned to Tskhinvali in South Ossetia for vacation, the mansion on the farm felt exceptionally quiet. Bored without her, Leon and Jelyan clung to Youngho to bother him. They were now tired of playing at the reservoir of the farm.

Fatima laughed watching Youngho becoming anxious because of the kids since she did this every day. So, Youngho took his family to the Serbian ranch. Since the ranch was located at the Caucasus Mountain Range, it was cooler than Zeynep Farm.

“Oh, look at them! They’re not even afraid of sheep.”

“They must think that sheep is the biggest food ever since they eat lamb meat and milk every day.”

Fatima’s laughter was especially high today.

When she was happy, she forgot about her position of the Archduchess and laughed hard as she used to without covering her mouth. That was because the Serbian ranch was a comfortable place for Fatima. It was not as crowded as Zeynep Farm and not to mention the ranch only consisted of the descendants of the Serbian knights. She did not have to be so conscious of her attire anymore.

“I thought only children liked this place. I guess you’re comfortable here too.”

“I don’t know. Maybe I now like to play the Archduchess.”

“Huh! Chief Niksic is going to freak out if he heard that. Look out, there’s another one coming.”

Niksic’s grandson, Vaso, was following them around like a shadow. He was coming back with the kids in each hand.

Having served as the butler of Fatima, he was now no stranger to the family. He was the one who came along with the family when they visited the Queen of the Danish royal family.

“Vaso, you should take a break. You’ll get sick if you keep working like that.”

“No. I like playing with the kids.”

“If you like kids that much, it’s time for you to get married.”

“I’m thinking of waiting a few more years. ”

He seemed interested in getting married. Unlike in Korea, many people got married early here. Youngho wondered why he was still not married. Vaso was already 25, and it was considered late in the Serbian custom.

“You know, you’re just at the right age now. If you have a lady, don’t hesitate.”

“I’ll think about it if you recommend someone to be my spouse.”

“Me? Why me?”

“That’s what my grandfather said.”

Youngho was not sure why Niksic had said so, but he guessed that there must be a reason why.

“If you have a girl you like, show her to me, and I’ll tell you if she’s good or not.”

“Is it okay if she’s not Serbian?”

“That doesn’t matter to me. Does the Chief not like it?”

“I don’t think so, but this won’t be easy.”

“Who is this anyway?”

“It’s one of Princess Zeynep’s friends.”

Youngho did not know a lot about Zeynep’s friends. The closest one would be Park Seo-young and some kids from the international school.

“Are you talking about Park Seo-young?”

His silence confirmed that it was Park Seo-young that he was in love with. He must be waiting until Seo-young graduated from the university before proposing to her.

Youngho wondered how Doctor Park Young-sun would react to this and whether he would support this combination of East and West.