Resolution (1)
=======================================
Samhan Empire's colonial territory, Kyushu.
Lord Honda Kazuo was furious, his anger boiling over.
His daughter's bungled handling of the situation threatened to turn his century-long scheme into dust overnight.
"Fine, failure is one thing. But the poison? You disposed of the vessel properly, right?"
"I... I left it behind."
"...What? You left it there with your fingerprints all over it?"
"There was no time, I just..."
"You idiot!"
Leaving evidence behind like that.
There was no way the lord's residence lacked CCTV.
Footage of his daughter Mitsui bringing the poisoned sipjeon daebotang—hell, even mixing in the poison herself—could have been captured.
If Kim Ungbang had died from the poison or collapsed, destroying the evidence would have been simple.
But he hadn't.
"Why did you bring the children?"
"They're my kids. Your grandchildren."
"Hah, you're hopeless. Truly hopeless."
The children should have been left behind.
Even in divorce, keeping the kids in Paju would maintain the connection.
That son-in-law he'd dismissed as pathetic turned out to have some backbone after all.
A master, was he?
'This could really ruin everything.'
Under Samhan Empire law, Japanese-descended generals were forbidden from receiving imperial mainland territories as fiefs.
They could only hold sinking Japanese lands.
Of course, individual colonial residents could migrate to the mainland without restriction—own homes, property, even change surnames to imperial-style names if needed.
Every right of imperial citizenship was granted, save for fiefdoms.
But Honda Kazuo wasn't satisfied.
He was biding his time.
When the empire's iron-fisted ruler died, the inevitable power struggle would erupt. He'd seize that chaos to revive Japan's forgotten glory on imperial soil.
How much effort had he poured into marrying off Mitsui to Paju?
Lending money for budgets, inserting Japanese mana compatibles and awakeners into the Paju garrison, even relocating ordinary Japanese civilians there.
And now divorce.
He could contest it, but with Mitsui at fault, he'd be at a severe disadvantage.
At least Taepyeong and Taecheon secured inheritance rights, right?
Kim Ungbang had struck his eldest son Kim Taeju from the family register—who's to say he wouldn't do the same to those two?
Divorce meant severing ties with Kyushu outright.
And he'd purge the networks he and his daughter had built.
After all, son-in-law Kim Ungbang was king in Paju.
'I need to kill the bastard.'
It was a race against time.
Strike fast and decisively.
Honda Kazuo planned to do it himself.
The scenario formed quickly.
Devastated by his daughter's divorce declaration, the heartbroken father-in-law.
He visits Paju to persuade his son-in-law—naturally, an argument ensues.
Failing to convince him, the enraged father-in-law draws his sword in a fit of passion, accidentally stabbing his son-in-law.
Not premeditated murder, but manslaughter.
He might face trial and real prison time.
But with Kim Ungbang dead, inheritance would default to his eldest grandson, Kim Taepyeong.
It could even turn disaster into opportunity.
'Should've done this sooner.'
Prison?
He could endure that.
Hire top lawyers to reduce the sentence or get probation—perfect.
'Time to lay the groundwork.'
No choice but to take the initiative.
With the emperor's illness rumors stirring imperial politics, now was prime time.
Finish before the victory ceremony.
Honda Kazuo instructed his son Jiro.
"Jiro, leak some stories to the New Seoul press."
"Yes, Father."
"Make them sensational if possible."
The next day, tabloid gossip exploded.
Not central media, but yellow press—pay them, and they'd print anything.
TJ Bio Chairman Kim Taeju's father, Paju Lord Brigadier General Kim Ungbang, suddenly declares divorce from wife.
Known for a harmonious marriage, shocking those around them.
Rumors swirl around this divorce declaration—what made him abandon his first wife?
Mrs. Mitsui was known for her down-to-earth personality, mingling freely with territory folk.
Kyushu Lord Honda Kazuo, Kim Ungbang's father-in-law: "Marital spats are like water off a duck's back—I'll persuade my son-in-law."
The atmosphere was ripening.
He'd play the part of going alone to meet him.
But capturing a master required caution—extreme preparation.
"Jiro, tell the awakeners and compatibles we've planted in Paju to prepare."
"I've already contacted them. And I'll go too, Father."
"No, stay here. You could draw suspicion."
"We need at least two masters to take him down for sure. I'll lead my trusted men and sneak in unofficially via Paju."
"Hm."
Honda Kazuo pondered briefly.
His son was right.
Thoroughness was key.
"Fine. Depart immediately."
"Yes!"
Confirming his son Honda Jiro's group had safely infiltrated the imperial mainland, Honda Kazuo departed Kyushu.
Beyond the mine division, the Imperial Intelligence Agency's Security Division handled surveillance, military secrets, and foreign intel.
Today, 2nd Deputy Director Jang Sangho sifted through reports from various sources.
Intel arrived via comms media and SNS—indistinguishable from normal posts: outfit flexes, travel boasts, food pics, mundane tags.
But hidden within were encrypted messages, decoded into documents.
Then Jang Sangho read a report from their Kyushu plant, stamped [URGENT] in red.
[URGENT]
• Major General Honda Kazuo departs Kyushu Territory. Suspected destination: Paju Territory.
• Kazuo's son, Honda Jiro, and expert-level awakeners absent from Kyushu. Tailed to coast, boarded fishing vessel—Paju-bound likely.
"Hm."
He knew why Honda Kazuo headed to Paju.
'The son-in-law's divorce declaration?'
Tabloids and high society buzzed.
This wasn't some civilian divorce.
Paju made it bigger.
'Going to persuade him, I suppose.'
But there was more.
That last bit was odd.
Sudden realization!
'...These bastards planning something?'
Needed confirmation.
Jang Sangho knew Paju's situation better than most.
Brigadier General Kim Ungbang—father of Kim Taeju, a top-priority protectee classified ultra-high.
He immediately called his best field agent.
"Infiltrate Paju now. Monitor Brigadier General Kim Ungbang's surroundings. Check all Japanese-descended awakeners in Paju—garrison and civilian."
If his hunch was right...
'Honda Kazuo plans to kill Brigadier General Kim Ungbang.'
Not certain, but highly likely.
Divorce would leave him with nothing.
Originally, His Majesty never granted mainland fiefs to Japanese generals.
Tied to the empire's founding history.
His Majesty's first nation: Daijin Kingdom, rooted in Gyeongsangbuk-do over a century ago.
Back then, no proper state systems—warring statelets in survival-of-the-fittest chaos.
Then earthquakes and global warming sank Japan.
Desperate Japanese sought new land—the nearest Korean Peninsula.
No declaration of war; awakeners, compatibles, and troops landed via East and South Seas.
His Majesty's Daijin repelled the invaders, growing amid the fights, subjugating neighbors.
By unifying central-southern Korea, he launched the Japan campaign.
Japan too fragmented into statelets.
Conquering them, unifying Korea, and northern campaigns—he built the Samhan Empire in 40 years.
Empire expanded to Japan, Manchuria, Central Asian steppes, Siberia.
As unification policy, he embraced Japanese imperials.
China dissolved; refugees accepted humanely.
But some Japanese—and delusional Chinese invoking "Middle Kingdom"—remained untrustworthy.
Thus, monitoring key Chinese/Japanese awakeners was Security Division's top priority.
'Before the divorce finalizes?'
Father-in-law meeting son-in-law wasn't odd.
Especially to fix his daughter's marriage—who'd stop him?
But if persuasion failed?
'Honda Kazuo's only play left is Kim Ungbang's death.'
Suppose an "accident."
Argument escalates; father-in-law kills son-in-law tragically.
Kazuo goes to prison, but inheritance passes to his grandson.
Mitsui retains influence as widow.
The puzzle fit more with each piece.
Why the sudden gossip blasts?
Divorce cause unknown, but articles slyly blamed Kim Ungbang.
Justifying future actions.
If it all played out...
Daring to worm into the mainland via loopholes?
Impossible under a healthy emperor.
And Kazuo had backing: Empress Yeomhwanghu, Japanese despite surname change.
If she intervened post-incident...
'Paju falls to Honda Kazuo.'
But they'd stop it first.
Wait for field agent reports.
Taeju's recent worry was singular.
The yellow press blaring his father's divorce?
Ties with Father were long cut.
If he chose divorce, there was reason.
Irrelevant to him anyway.
His real concern: a return gift for Dokseon's precious celestial peaches.
Diversify the gifts.
Dokseon said anything would do, but sentiments weren't so casual.
Meanwhile, changes in his infinite space.
Interior expanded; item size limit rose.
Now up to 2m cubed.
Shared warehouse volume tripled from inception.
'Can send a TV now.'
An 85-inch ultra-HD monster.
Beam projectors couldn't match a proper screen.
He prepped three.
Plus top-tier soundbars for real audio.
Elite mana crystal generator, cables, power strips.
Ten smartphones packed with downloaded videos.
No calls or comms, but better than tablets for storage.
Suddenly!
Bzzzzt.
"It's here!!!"
"Meow?"
Ilbaek tilted its head at Taeju's sudden cheer.
Taeju opened the shared warehouse, extracting items.
Celestial peaches poured out.
Not ordinary ones.
And a liquor jar of sinseonju.
"Oh!"
He'd just run dry.
Perfectly filled the gaps with his prepped goods.
Three giant TVs, soundbars, generator, snacks, booze, instant foods, munchies...
Time to read the letter?
It detailed the gifts and two requests.
'Hm, somac, huh? Easy enough.'
Dokseon wanted a multiplex theater in the celestial realm.
'...Feasible?'
Immortals transcending humans could erect buildings easily, but theaters were trickier.
Exterior fine; interiors needed expertise.
'Need advice.'
That'd take time.
He penned a reply with that note.
Slipped the letter into the shared warehouse, then pulled a premium celestial peach.
"Whew."
"Nyaaang! Nyaaang!"
Celestial energy wafted just from unpacking.
Ilbaek licked its chops excitedly.
"Not for you."
"Nyaaaa..."
"Have regular ones instead."
"Nyao!"
Taeju distributed three yawn peaches to Ilbaek, Ibaek, and Samback.
Then crunched the premium one.
'Aaaaaah...'
Worth the premium.
Heavenly taste.
Filling with just one.
Premiums and standards for himself henceforth.
Sinseonju too—200 peach batch.
No helping it.
Why else would infinite space and warehouse keep growing?
Celestial energy accumulation.
Steadily consume to expand.
Send more to the celestials.
Then.
Bzzzzt!
Vibrating smartphone.
Caller ID.
'Imperial Intelligence's Moon Kyungshik Deputy Director?'
Mine investigation?
Taeju answered.
"Hello? Ah, Deputy Director Jang Sangho! ...Yes? Really?"
Taeju's face hardened.
"...Yes, thank you for the heads-up."
Incident in Paju Territory.
Right after Honda Kazuo met Brigadier General Kim Ungbang.
Roars and combat reported.
Current status unknown.
Troops dispatched, but it'd take time.
'Father...'
Couldn't sever heavenly bonds after all.
And
'Honda Kazuo.'
Subtle fury etched on Taeju's face.
His dantian's poison core writhed.
"Ibaek, let's go!"
"Yaaong!"
Taeju stepped outside, summoning the Manri Bigeom from infinite space and mounting it.
End of Resolution (1)
© Kuccikucci