“The Castle in the Blue Sky.”
Vienna, the capital of Austria, is a world-renowned city of music.
The proper nouns that point to Vienna include the waltz, the Danube River, and Schönbrunn Palace.
But as time passed and the 20th century came, one more was added: the Castle in the Blue Sky.
It was because Empress Karas had bought a palace that once belonged to a great Austrian noble.
Because of this, it was widely rumored that the Queen of Austria did not live in Schönbrunn or Belvedere Palace but rather in the Castle in the Blue Sky.
“Adam, what are you looking at so intently?”
“A family photo of Empress Karas.”
Adam was holding a photo in his hand. It was a family photo of Empress Karas that had been made public.
In the past, with the Castle in the Blue Sky as the background, a young empress and her child were holding hands.
“Adam, did you hear that Hyun was invited to the palace by the empress?”
Of course, it was a rumor that had already spread widely in the classical music world. Not only had Empress Karas, who had remained secluded and hidden from the world, reappeared, but she had also personally invited a young conductor named Kang Hyun to her palace.
“It’s already been seventeen years.”
It had been that long since Karas had disappeared from the Castle in the Blue Sky.
After her child passed away, she abruptly announced her retirement, abandoning everything she had worked for her entire life. Numerous maestros and musicians tried to dissuade her, but her firm resolve could not be broken.
In a way, it might have been the natural course of events. To her, the most important thing was not music or conducting, but her child.
“Adam, have you heard the other rumor?”
“What rumor?”
“That there’s a ghost living in Karas’s palace.”
What on earth is this about? Adam looked at Sharon with a puzzled expression, but her face was calm and even.
“Have you heard that no one lives in Karas’s palace except for Karas, her secretary, and the maids?”
“I know. The empress is not someone who would let just anyone into her home.”
“Right. According to a maid who worked at Karas’s palace, there are dozens of rooms, but only a few are actually used. Every day, at the same time, ghostly sounds are heard from one of the empty rooms.”
What?
“From a room where no one lives.”
Creeeak.
With a sinister sound, the door to room ‘0703’ opened at an angle. Because the light was off, nothing beyond the door could be seen.
Squinting his eyes and concentrating,
Boom!
Lightning struck, and a flash of light filled the window.
Gulp.
A pale figure was visible, but he rubbed his eyes with his sleeve and quickly turned his head away.
If, as Karas had said, someone was living there, it would indeed be a great offense.
He hastily moved his steps, but for some reason, he couldn’t shake the feeling of something itching at the back of his head.
“I need to write this score.”
Was it the sound of the pouring rain hitting the window, or was it the mysterious room ‘0703’? A chilling melody kept flashing through his mind.
The notes on the staff were being drawn continuously, as if painting a picture, perhaps resulting in a solemn music piece resembling Schubert’s “Erlkönig.”
Knock, knock.
How much time had passed? A knocking sound came from beyond the door. I put down the score and slowly got up to pull the doorknob.
“Oppa, are you still awake?”
I let out a sigh of relief, and without realizing it, a sigh of relief escaped my lips. The ice queen in pink pajamas stood before me, looking just like a girl of her age.
But why had she come here at such a late hour?
“I heard a strange sound and was too scared to stay alone.”
“A strange sound?”
“Yeah, didn’t you hear it, oppa?”
What sound could she be talking about? Suddenly, the sound of the heavy rain pouring outside the window came to mind.
Come to think of it, the rain was so heavy it reminded me of the monsoon season in Korea. Even with occasional loud thunder and lightning.
“Not the sound of the rain!”
As if reading my mind, Son Yooha raised her voice. Then, what sound could she have heard at this late hour?
Could it possibly be the sound of an animal? But with such heavy rain, it was unlikely to hear any animal sounds.
“It was definitely a human voice.”
“A human voice?”
“Yeah, it sounded like someone was whispering.”
I wondered if Yooha had become weakened lately. Surely, she hadn’t fallen asleep with earphones on, right?
At that moment, a location suddenly came to mind.
‘Room 0703?’
No way, this isn’t a haunted house. I shook my head.
Seeing Yooha slowly sitting on the edge of the bed, it seemed she intended to stay here tonight.
“Oppa, can I sleep here?”
I wanted to scold her for saying that a grown woman would sleep anywhere, but seeing the expression on Son Yooha’s face, I couldn’t say anything.
She looked like a frightened puppy. It was a far cry from the ice queen who had once dominated the executives at Jeilmul Corporation.
“Alright, sleep on the bed. I’ll sleep downstairs.”
To pour out all the lingering melodies in my head, it seemed this night would not be enough.
Moreover, with Son Yooha lying on the bed, I somehow felt uneasy. Just then,
Ah!
A scream, not quite a scream, came from outside. Son Yooha froze with rabbit-like eyes.
I opened the door and slowly went outside. Yooha, afraid to be alone, clung tightly to my hand.
The corridor of the mansion was dimly lit with sparse lighting on the walls, making it rather dark. When we finally reached the source of the sound, we found,
“Chief?”
Chief Kim Sang-guk was sitting, clutching his foot.
“I twisted my foot without realizing it. I was going to the bathroom in my sleep.”
Only then did Son Yooha release the tension and loosen her grip on my hand.
“Oh, you were with Yooha? Don’t tell me, the two of you at this late hour…”
“This is all your fault, Chief. Stop joking around and get up from in front of the bathroom.”
I helped Chief Kim Sang-guk up. He looked so clumsy that it was hard to believe he was the same Kim Sang-guk who had once been the Prime Minister.
When the tension released, a silly laugh escaped from me. But then, once again, I felt a stinging sensation at the back of my head.
What is this?
It felt as if someone was watching me.
“HYUN?”
Gerard Calvin, the vice president of Calvin Pharmaceutical Company, furrowed his brows as he muttered Kang Hyun’s name.
The pharmaceutical company’s stock price had been soaring due to the development of a new antiviral drug. At this critical time, it turned out a foreigner held shares related to the new drug’s development.
“Instead of sitting there like mute people, give me your opinions.”
Gerard’s expression was arrogant. It was understandable, given that he had risen to the position of vice president at a young age without much effort.
Compared to his half-brother, the other vice president John Calvin, he was nothing short of a scoundrel.
“Vice President, what the investors want is their profit and benefits. Therefore, we just need to give them a price that corresponds to that.”
Gerard shook his head at the executive’s opinion.
“If it’s about playing money games, John won’t be easy either. They wouldn’t be unaware that absorbing this person’s shares would mean the pharmaceutical company becomes theirs. Any more creative ideas? First, give me a rundown of the history of VH Company.”
The more Gerard listened to the history of VH Company, the more his expression changed by the moment.
At first, he thought the investment in Calvin Pharmaceutical Company was just luck. But upon closer inspection, it was an incredible investment company.
Not only did it hold significant shares in Barbara Mining, but it also diversified its investments in global IT companies.
“Who on earth is the CEO named Hyun?”
Gerard voiced his doubt. It was hard to believe.
The footsteps of VH Company were such.
It was said that except for a few subordinates, the entire investment company moved under the sole discretion of the CEO. It was also said that they did not seek external funding.
However, seeing VH Company’s choices, it seemed as if they could predict the future.
Chirrup, chirrup.
Summer mornings begin with the chorus of cicadas.
In the spacious pond, water striders boast their long legs, floating around like a reservoir.
In the garden, Maestro and Son Yooha were already enjoying tea time together. To an outsider, it would look like a warm scene between a loving grandmother and granddaughter.
“It’s like a picture.”
The scenery from Maestro’s mansion was nothing short of a painting.
Opening the window and feeling the breeze, it felt refreshing even without washing my face. Just then,
“Hyun, could you get ready and come out for a moment?”
“Why?”
“The vice president from Calvin wants to meet you personally.”
It had been quiet for a while. I had said I wouldn’t make any appointments until I visited them, but it seemed they couldn’t just sit still with urgency.
Moreover, it seemed they had figured out that I was staying at Karas’s mansion.
“I’ll go out and meet them myself, so I don’t disturb Maestro.”
I couldn’t disturb Maestro who was enjoying her tea time.
After a quick wash, I dressed comfortably.
Even though it was a business visit, it was an unexpected appointment. There was no need to greet an uninvited guest in formal attire.
“Hyun, Maestro said it’s okay to use the reception room. She told you to use the place like your own home while you’re here.”
“I’ll talk to Maestro once more. I feel it’s too impolite.”
Even if Maestro favored me, there were boundaries that shouldn’t be crossed.
However, as always, Maestro encouraged me with a kind-hearted grandmother’s expression to use the reception room.
She said there was no need to go outside when there were so many spacious reception rooms available.
In the end,
“You even brought an interpreter?”
I ended up meeting the vice president of Calvin Pharmaceutical Company in the reception room. They had even brought an interpreter for German. It seemed they didn’t know I could speak German.
“Chief, please leave the room. I want to talk with the vice president one-on-one. Leave the interpreter, though.”
As the slick-haired vice president nodded, things proceeded quickly.
In the spacious reception room, it was just the vice president, the interpreter, and me.
After exchanging brief greetings, there was a moment of silence.
“Is this kid really the CEO of VH Company? Confirm it.”
The vice president looked at me with a condescending tone. If I didn’t know German, I wouldn’t have understood a thing because he always wore a faint smile.
“What kind of connection does this brat have with Karas to be staying here? It’s really curious. He’s only nineteen and already the CEO of an investment company.”
The vice president seemed quite flustered. He probably hadn’t expected me to be this young. Or maybe he thought there was some other big shot backing me.
“Ask him what price he wants. Tell him we’re willing to pay anything.”
The interpreter, sweating bullets, conveyed the message politely. It was almost like language reconstruction. To someone who didn’t understand German, the vice president would seem like an exceedingly polite and courteous person.
At that moment,
“Will you be okay with all the things this kid wants?”
Fluent German flowed from my mouth.
