WeTried Translations
Translator: Coughing Baby
Editor: Coughing Baby
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
Chapter 368: Each One's Homeland (2)
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Once he had his emotions under control, Prince Andrew protested with dignity.
“I was under the impression that cutting into someone else’s conversation was poor manners, Mr. Kramer.”
“That it is.”
Kramer readily agreed and spread one broad palm.
“But Your Highness, friends do not fuss over little courtesies like that.”
“We are...”
The prince had been about to answer at once, but he clamped his mouth shut. The Republican Party’s Edgar Kramer and the Democratic Party’s Gerald Burns were locked in a fierce race, with neither side holding a clear advantage. In other words, it was difficult to flatly tell someone with roughly even odds of becoming the next president, “We are not friends.”
Nor was this the sort of event where he could take issue with diplomatic rudeness.
While the prince hesitated, Kramer naturally stepped closer and stood beside him, wearing a friendly smile as if he understood everything. In the end, Prince Andrew was practically pushed into offering his hand.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Kramer.”
“We have met once before, Your Highness. I am glad to see you looking well.”
After shaking hands with the prince and his wife, Kramer greeted Gyeoul as well.
“Good to meet you, Lieutenant Colonel. This is our first meeting, but it hardly feels like one. I feel as if I have known you for a very long time, like an old friend. I hope you feel the same about me.”
His voice was loud and husky, but not rough. Gyeoul took his hand.
“I have heard a great deal about you as well. People say you are an excellent man.”
“Haha. Now you embarrass me. It would be hard for anyone to be as excellent as you, Lieutenant Colonel. If the day comes when we salute each other, perhaps we can have a deeper conversation about one another.”
Saluting each other implied a situation where both of them were public officials. In other words, when Kramer himself became president. Gyeoul chose a safe answer.
“I trust the citizens will make a wise choice.”
“Of course. We will have time again shortly, but since this is our first meeting, would you mind taking a picture?”
“Of course.”
There was no reason to refuse that by itself, but Kramer drew the prince and his wife into it too.
“I would be grateful if Your Highness and your wife joined us.”
“I...”
“Do not worry. I swear by Almighty God, and by my wife, His angel, that nothing I learned here will ever leak outside. We are friends, are we not?”
For a moment, Prince Andrew’s face darkened. What he had learned here likely referred to the fact that Gyeoul had refused an honorary knighthood. The British queen never offering the title in the first place and offering it only to be refused were fundamentally different stories.
Leaking this to the press would benefit Kramer in its own way.
For the British royal family, it was gossip they wanted to avoid. The royal family’s dignity mattered right now, especially with discussions underway about Canada leaving the Commonwealth.
‘Should I call the prince careless...?’
Kramer was impressive for toying with others so easily through a few words, but Prince Andrew was also at fault for making an important proposal in such an exposed place.
Still, if he wanted to confirm Gyeoul’s intentions before Gyeoul had an audience with the queen, this sort of spare moment may have been unavoidable.
Someone who appeared to be Kramer’s aide held up a phone.
“Now, please gather together. Big smiles, everyone.”
Even so, perhaps because they were used to this kind of thing, the prince and his wife maintained their grace. Kramer put an arm around Gyeoul’s shoulders and made a V sign with his free hand. His hand was so large that it covered Gyeoul’s entire shoulder and still had room left over. The height difference was nearly twenty centimeters too. Seen up close, he felt like a giant. Because of his sheer size, the composition naturally centered on him.
The aide gave an okay sign.
“Taking it. Three, two, one. Cheese.”
Click.
After the photo was taken, the prince and his wife excused themselves, saying they had other business.
“I look forward to the day we meet again, Lieutenant Colonel. And... Mr. Kramer.”
Their expressions as they left did not look especially pleased. Unbothered, Kramer waved with innocent cheer, then looked at Xcel, who was snorting in satisfaction.
“So this fellow is the famous Xcel. A great horse who led a herd and survived for a year in a contaminated zone! Han Gyeoul’s four-legged comrade-in-arms! I hear he killed the Akhal-Teke gifted by President Karayev in one blow?”
“That is what I heard.”
“Haha. Was it not a waste? These days, Akhal-Tekes are worth whatever the seller asks.”
The rich preparing for the Days after Apocalypse spared no expense buying the golden, famous horses with reputations stretching back to ancient times. Citizens criticized the dictator who had abandoned his own people, fled abroad, and busied himself with the horse trade, but such criticism had no real effect on deals in the horse market.
Gyeoul answered calmly.
“I believe it was never a horse I was meant to have. In several senses.”
“I see. Lack of greed is an excellent virtue, Lieutenant Colonel Han Gyeoul.”
With a satisfied smile, Kramer pronounced Gyeoul’s name correctly. It was one way people showed goodwill toward Gyeoul, and for politicians, it was also a tool.
Kramer looked over Gyeoul’s shoulder.
“That man over there. His name is Manuel Hayes, yes?”
Gyeoul glanced back for a moment and nodded.
“Yes. Is there a problem?”
“President Karayev badly wants him dead.”
“...Because he failed to manage the horse properly?”
“That is right. The horse he gave you was the finest one on his ranch. A mere death-row inmate let such a famous horse die through poor care, so with Karayev’s already fiery temper, of course he exploded. I hear he raised hell through every channel, demanding the postponed execution be carried out.”
“That is...”
“Interference in domestic affairs by a man who does not know his place.”
Kramer sought Gyeoul’s agreement.
“Do you not think something is wrong when worthless people like that are guaranteed enormous assets and rights, then get to throw their weight around in this great country?”
“...”
“It is wrong. Clearly wrong. That Manuel Hayes, who is nothing more than a death-row inmate, is more important than such men. He must be. Why? Because Hayes is, in any case, an American citizen. Even if his execution is carried out, we must carry it out as the will of the citizens. This country exists for its citizens. Am I wrong?”
“No... You are right.”
“To receive America’s protection, to be someone who will fight alongside America, one must prove a fitting qualification. Just like you, Lieutenant Colonel Han Gyeoul, who has proven that qualification more clearly than anyone.”
“Mr. Kramer.”
Anne, who had been listening in silence, cut in.
“I am sorry, but Lieutenant Colonel Han needs to move now. Someone has a prior appointment with him.”
“Ah, do not worry. That would be me.”
“What...”
Kramer smiled at Anne, who looked troubled.
“The name on the list should be Charlie Preston, Agent.”
“Are you saying you used an alias? That should not be possible.”
“I know. The FBI’s identity checks are thorough. It is simply that Preston is an old supporter of mine. It is not publicly known, but, well, private friendships do not always need to be public. In D.C., everyone needs a hidden move.”
A surprise attack was always an effective strategy. It was good for drawing the press’s attention, and good for robbing the opposing candidate of time to respond.
Kramer gestured.
“If you cannot believe it, call right now. Go ahead.”
His attitude was full of confidence. Anne could not simply skip confirming it either, so she swallowed a sigh and picked up the phone.
It did not take long. After ending the call, Anne said stiffly,
“In principle, this is an unacceptable situation.”
“I know that too. But that principle exists, in the end, to filter out people whose identities are uncertain. This Kramer is not a suspicious person, is he?”
“...”
If there were something suspicious about a presidential candidate, that would be the real major problem. Because of his influence, he was also a difficult opponent to handle by stubbornly insisting on principle. Knowing that, Kramer overflowed with relaxed confidence.
“Agent Gibson.”
“Yes.”
“I understand the desire to protect someone precious.”
Anne’s expression hardened further.
“But there is no need to be wary of me. A meeting with me will not harm Lieutenant Colonel Han.”
There was a barb in the words he tossed out so casually. Not many people knew about Anne and Gyeoul’s relationship. Simply knowing this meant he had connections with the CIA or the FBI. It was not strange. In a past call with Anne, Gyeoul had heard about the mood within the Bureau. Among agents suffering from overtime, Kramer’s supporters were increasing.
“What do you think? Will this be all right?”
At Kramer’s request for confirmation, Anne nodded as the person in charge.
“Speak with him.”
“Thank you, Agent.”
Kramer turned back toward Gyeoul.
“Well now, the interruption made this rather awkward.”
“Yes...”
“In any case, to continue, what matters is qualification. There is no such thing as a right given for free. This country was built through struggle from the very beginning. In difficult times like these, that is even more true. Everyone must prove their own qualification.”
“Then what happens to people without that qualification?”
“Everyone will be given the chance to prove it. The choice lies with the individual. Individual freedom and individual rights. That is the spirit of America, and the American Dream.”
The wording was good. The idea itself was not entirely wrong either. But it was also a harsh belief for those who would be driven into the test. Worse, that test would likely be a fight risking their lives on a front line crawling with plague, or something even crueler. People without the courage to face death would scrape by under miserable contempt.
Yet Kramer was also the representative of ordinary people.
Kramer appealed to him.
“Lieutenant Colonel. I wanted to let you know that I am not a monster. Since you came from a refugee background, I thought it would be easy for me to look bad in your eyes.”
“I admit it. To be honest, there was some of that.”
Despite Gyeoul’s admission, Kramer did not lose his composure.
“Haha. Better than a pleasant lie. I like it.”
After watching him for a moment, Gyeoul asked,
“What do you want from me?”
The answer came at once.
“Neutrality.”
Kramer paused for emphasis, then continued.
“Beyond that, I also have some hope that Lieutenant Colonel Han will take my side. SNS, unofficial contact with regional cooperation groups among Korean-American citizens, even the civic groups that support you. If you are willing to risk friction with your superiors, there are countless ways to influence the presidential election. A person of your caliber cannot be cut off right away even if you make an unexpected move.”
In other words, he was telling Gyeoul to openly ignore the policy of the White House and the Department of Defense.
“Of course, the risk you would have to bear would be quite high. If you take my side, we will likely win, but if by any chance we do not, the losses will be no small matter. Either you gain everything, or you lose everything.”
“And you are still recommending it?”
“I am a man who calculates clearly. I never forget a friend in difficult times.”
After giving him time to chew that over, Kramer changed his tone.
“As I said, what I realistically want is neutrality. I am asking you not to waver even if Burns makes the same offer. You only need to stay still, just as you are now. From your position, you lose nothing no matter who becomes president.”
“...”
“No, in fact, my policy direction is more beneficial to you. At least in financial terms... Do not forget that I was the first person to propose the refugee leader support policy.”
The refugee leader support policy was a system where fame became budget. Therefore, the greatest beneficiary could only be Gyeoul.
Gyeoul said,
“This is a different topic, but I have one question.”
“A question. What is it?”
“When you exposed the Greek Islands project, you said there was another secret you had not yet revealed. What is that secret, and when do you plan to reveal it?”
“Oh, dear.”
Kramer shook his head.
“I intend to simply bury that secret.”
“...Bury it?”
“Yes. I decided that would be better. I will tell the reporters that soon as well.”
It was an attitude hard to understand. If he brushed it aside that way, he would likely be criticized for encouraging distrust toward the government without evidence. The shadow that passed across Kramer’s face probably came from that as well. Gyeoul revised his question.
“May I ask why you decided that?”
“Well...”
Kramer smacked his lips.
“I want to win the presidential election, but I do not want the price of that victory to be a homeland completely split apart. That is all.”
“...”
“Let us stop the heavy talk here. What my publicity director wants is something else. Edgar Kramer rides with Lieutenant Colonel Han Gyeoul and hears about the reality of the quarantine front and the refugee zones. Then they exchange views on the future of the homeland. Something along those lines. It is also more or less what I was actually hoping for.”
Throughout the conversation, Kramer’s aides and bodyguards had stood at a distance and watched the surroundings, as if making sure nobody was there to eavesdrop. Anne seemed deeply uncomfortable with them.
Footnotes:
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