The Foreigner on the Periphery

Chapter 10: Three Ways To Murder Your Boss (7)

Minjun quietly organized the information he had heard in his head. This was an inference derived and assembled from circumstantial evidence, but it was a sufficiently probable scenario.

Above all, Managing Director Kim Yeon-joo felt suspicious.

Although the issue about motives had not yet been completely resolved, Minjun knew that intrinsic desire was very difficult to interpret from a logical standpoint. Even if one didn't really need it, the desire to have it would still bloom just because one could see it or reach for it.

Are you going to finish it soon?'

Now that they had identified a fairly plausible suspect, they knew her current location and had the knowledge as to how to interrogate said suspect effectively. This was the right time to move without hesitation and start off with Hyosung, but there was one posed minor problem.

Minjun didn't want to do that.

"Hmm, I guess that's it."

Whether Jang Tae-jun studied the dragon gene or snake gene did not matter, he had no intention of getting involved in this case any longer. While the alien smell from the previous incident had already faded, the expected annoyance he felt had gone beyond the level of debt owed.

Above all, it seemed unlikely that he would be able to earn talents.

"So, I should have told you this sooner."

Minjun put on a very serious expression, giving one an idea that what he was about to say would be quite hard to let out. However, the Elf ignored the emotional direction his spirit took and spoke up.

"If the agent hesitates, I was told to hand over this letter."

With that, he pulled out an envelope and held it out.

In the seat where Minjun sat was a high-quality desk pad made of gargoyle leather, and an old-fashioned paper-knife apparently crafted by a Dwarf craftsman. Apparently, President Jenkinson had been expecting this reaction.

"He said that he recommends reading it right here."

Feeling ominous, Minjun ripped off the seal and took out the contents.

"..Huh."

After reading the letter, which began with To a dear friend who has been with me for a long time,' up until the last line, and then checking the seal that had been left by a dragon, Minjun had to admit it. The fact that President Jenkinson had a strong will to solve this case was indeed evident.

He also had to face the fact that his feelings had been shaken like a reed because of the promise he had made in the letter.

".Ugh."

There was only reason why Minjun sat with his lips creased, as if hesitating for a minute after reading it all.  

".There seems to be no help, but for the sake of the president, I will only accept it this time around."

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I knew that, as soon as I read the letter, it wouldn't be good to accept the offer right away.

Jeongpal parked his car in the parking lot and promptly waited for Minjun.

"So? How'd it go?"

After Minjun explained everything to him, he then asked, "Jeongpal, what're you going to do? The president's point is this. No matter who the young dragon cub is commissioned to by the Society, don't worry, he'll be behind you, so all you have to do is prove the charges. While looking for President Jang Tae-joon's whereabouts, he's also working on other things at the same time."

Because of some kind of rule that had been made for the dignity and friendship of the dragon race, the president could not come forward. Therefore, if Minjun could prove the crime of Thunder Naked, who had no scales, then he would inevitably reward him.

"You want me to scratch the itchy spot instead."

"And he'll guarantee it, so you don't have to worry about the consequences of touching the dragon."

In addition to this, Minjun told Jeongpal some of the contents of the letter, including the details of compensation that had been promised by President Jenkinson as an individual.

Not telling him everything had been the original intention to monopolize. It was because it was not only complicated to explain the omitted part, but it was also useless to Jeongpal. It was also quite a dangerous area to know.

And so, Minjun only talked about the global currency among the rewards mentioned.

"What did you say?! Really?! It's going to be that much?!"

Upon hearing the unexpected amount, Jeongpal's jaw dropped in amazement.

"And if you keep working with me, I think the payout ratio is"

Before Minjun could even finish speaking, Jeongpal had already started up the car engine.

• Booleung!

"Where shall we go next?"

"Let's go to Hyosung. I'll make sure to put the address on the navigator."

• Whoa!

As Jeongpal started the car, the ego frying pan that had been roughly thrown in the back began to resonate and make a sound.

"Why is the bastard like that again?"

Until he came to meet the chairman's secretary early in the morning, Minjun was unsure as to what the conclusion would be. If he enforced his will, he would of course have to withdraw his hand, but now the prediction was blurry due to President Jenkinson's presence.

With that in mind, Minjun put the frying pan in the backseat before they set off. If the flow of the story was to go the way they wanted, then he would return it to Jang Tae-joon's house.

However, it hadn't worked out the way they wanted in the end, so he thought he'd have more.

• Whoa!   Whoa!

The frying pan could hear the conversation between the two even without contact, but the two had to hold the handle in order to respond telepathically.

"That's a touch of its own handle Do you want me to catch you?"

"Is that right?"

Minjun decided to ignore it for a while. He had a lot to think about, after all.

While he was immersed in a problem that he could not easily find an answer to, the vehicle finally arrived at Hyosung.  

While they were waiting in the conference room, another person appeared.

"Have you been waiting long? Sorry. The executive meeting has just finished."

Executive Director Kim Yeon-joo was a woman in her mid-40s. She had a Ph.D. in Pharmacy and had been working with President Jang Tae-joon since the beginning of the founding. The hand that shook both of their hands did not wear a ring.

Jeongpal introduced Minjun under the guise of a police colleague.

Well..?'

Minjun sniffed so that it wouldn't show. As soon as the other person entered, the scent of the room changed. It wasn't due to cosmetics or perfume. This scent was similar to that of an Elf's, the culprit who abused his nose when he was still with the president's secretary.

The reason he disliked the smell of elves was not a big deal. Minjun was really just sensitive to that kind of scent. All fragrances containing chemicals were collectively referred to as pheromones on earth.

"I gave all the details to the human' police officer who came last time."

At the time, the interview had been held with the head of the 2nd Violent Detective Team, who had handed the case over to Jeongpal in turn. He pretended to be an investigator and flirted with the Elf serial disappearance case. This was because he didn't want to end up being an errand boy for the immigration office.

"Yes, there're a few things to look back on. Thank you for your cooperation."

With that being said, Jeongpal began to ask a few questions. These were just basic, such as whether Jang Tae-joon had ever seemed or done something suspicious, or where he went the last place he was seen. Kim Yeo-joon responded whilst wearing a dissatisfied expression, which seemed to say, I have to tell this story again.'

"Before you disappeared, was there anything different than usual? Perhaps there were some new people around?"

"Well, I don't usually talk to my boss in private"

"I heard that the two of you started this company together. That's how long your relationship has been"

"Do I have to be good friends with someone just because I've known them for a long time? We just have a business relationship. In our private lives, we never touched each other."

Her denial was far too strong. Was it really necessary to bury a boss and long-time colleague who hadn't known life or death until then?

Minjun's eyes deepened. His gaze roamed over her nails, which were neatly trimmed without the usual nail art.

"Then, let me ask you something."

"Please, I hope you don't ask a question I've already answered before."

It was one of the traditional rhetoric methods of finding loopholes for other people to ask the same question in different forms, but now Jeongpal's methods shifted differently. This was because Minjun had asked for them to take their time.

While the managing director made a statement, Minjun looked into his face. Now, he had forgotten about the scent for a while and was now concentrating on something else.

The feeling is certainly not unfamiliar. Where and who were you?'

This kind of dj  vu was not caused by appearance, nor was it caused by tone or atmosphere.

The magician's unique sense was fiddling with the doorknob of the old memory drawer in his head.

Yeah the vitality has been sucked out. It's a little too much to say that it had been sacrificed to black magic, but it's also not enough to not see it in its natural state. Where did you even see these kids?'

Soon enough, a light bulb went off in my head.

Oh yeah! Back in the day, the kids who slept with vampire traitors were so miserable!'

It was not unreasonable for this to take some time to recall. Those who had been born with vampire traits no longer pierced their teeth directly into human bodies to suck blood. In today's world, such behavior was considered barbaric, like putting a hose around a deer's neck in order to draw blood.

Since then, vampire civic groups were concerned about various infectious diseases. Parasites had also done their job to actively discourage them, but the evil custom that continued, "This is how it tastes," disappeared completely in the 1980s. Since that time, AIDS had been prevalent.

The horrors of AIDS had contributed to even the most macho and hippie vampires that switched their diets to blood donation packs, or red blood cells.

If you draw blood in such a magical or cursed way, your life force will be absorbed as well. Vampires were a part of it. If the number of times is accumulated, it will generally turn into that state.'

As a warlock, it was natural for him to sense life force.

In Minjun's view, the state of being lost only to the extent that life was generally not affected.

In addition to this, was Executive Director Kim Yeon-joo actually dating an outdated vampire boyfriend?

"Executive Director, I read yesterday's news, about the Hyosung Board of Directors deciding to buy back treasury stock and put it into action is it possible in the absence of the president, the major shareholder?"

With this, the female spoke with slight annoyance. "We have already disclosed on the exchange, and also disclosed the minutes of the board of directors. The president has delegated voting rights to me before he disappeared."

"That's odd. It's almost as if he had foreseen his disappearance."

"I didn't even know that the boss was thinking," she replied bitterly. However, Minjun could read the anxiety in that tone.

Actually, it's a strange story, no matter who was to hear it. However, unless there is evidence, it cannot be pushed just because one finds it strange. I believe in that and must go out boldly, but there is definitely something missing here.'

With this, he continued to watch her silently. He noticed another characteristic other than a lack of vitality and continuous hiding of anxiety.

She's a very unique human being.'

Minjun didn't think President Jenkinson was aware of this in advance, but the decision to send him here had been a wise decision. He probably wouldn't have been able to catch all of this if it wasn't for him.

The last thing Minjun found out was the identity of the scent he felt the moment he entered this room.