Beast, Blue Blood - Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Nasiri looked up at the building, which seemed to have been home to hundreds of generations. It resembled something out of ancient Rome, or perhaps a cabinet for nuts and bolts.
He never expected to meet someone living in such a place. Nasiri himself came from a relatively affluent background, having been born into a well-off household and received scholarships from the government for his education.
Young-soo muttered as he got out of the car.
“Do you want to go upstairs and get some tea?”
“No, I don’t. I’d appreciate it if you could just grab your things and come downstairs.”
Nasiri replied with formal and businesslike politeness, leaving no room for any casual conversation.
“Oh, sure. I’ll be right back down.”
Young-soo said, then went through the main entrance. As he disappeared, the young secretary asked.
“What do you think she’s planning to make that guy do?”
“Able-bodied as he is, he won’t be useless.”
Nasiri casually replied. The secretary shrugged and murmured.
“Well, he looks healthy enough.”
After a short wait, Young-soo quickly returned with a couple of duffel bags. Nasiri asked, puzzled.
“Is that all your luggage?”
“Yes. I’ve moved around quite a bit.”
Young-soo replied with a cheerful smile, sharing a story most people would be embarrassed to admit.
Seeing his face drained Nasiri’s energy; the saying ‘don’t spit on a smiling face’ was not without reason. If someone harbored ill intentions behind such a cheerful countenance, it wouldn’t be spitting but rather adding hot water. Nasiri maintained his composed and formal tone, hiding any such thoughts.
“Let’s go.”
“Thank you.”
Young-soo nodded politely and got back into the car.
Inside the car with just the three men, it remained quiet throughout the journey. Young-soo stared out the window silently. Suddenly, the secretary looked up, startled, and remarked.
“Is he sleeping, that guy?”
Seeing Young-soo leaning back with his head against the seat, asleep like in his bedroom, the secretary’s face was astonished.
“When I first started working here, I was so nervous I couldn’t even eat properly for three days.”
He added, amazed.
To top it off, faint snores could now be heard coming from Young-soo. Nasiri sighed silently. The secretary chuckled and remarked.
“He’s a type we haven’t had around here before.”
Outside, a news screen passed by with the latest updates:
[Knox Genomics has released a bacteriophage therapy targeting specific bacteria, bringing great hope to patients.]
On the screen, amidst people in suits clapping expressionlessly, Eugene appeared. Young-soo opened his eyes slightly and caught sight of it.
In the quiet ambiance of a well-insulated car, Nasiri and his secretary exchanged somewhat inconsequential conversation.
Before long, Young-soo’s eyes closed.
* * *
“Mr. Kim Young-soo.”
Young-soo woke from his slumber as someone shook his shoulder gently. He blinked groggily to find the young secretary shaking him, while Nasiri stood behind with an expression that was neutral yet disapproving. It seemed Young-soo had unwittingly dozed off while pretending to be asleep.
The secretary spoke.
“Please get off.”
“Oh, have we arrived?”
Young-soo hastily grabbed his bag apologetically and got out. As he unconsciously looked up, his eyes widened in surprise.
“Wow…”
Nasiri, behaving quite nonchalantly as usual, finally saw the anticipated reaction from his companion and felt somewhat satisfied.
“Welcome to Fuger-Dulloch Mansion.”
Nasiri announced, gesturing towards the grand mansion with delicately crafted window frames behind him.
Looking at the mansion, Young-soo turned his gaze towards Nasiri and asked.
“Am I working here?”
“Yes, you are.”
Eugene had referred to it as a ‘home,’ but this was hardly what one would simply call a house. Young-soo muttered dazedly.
“This isn’t just any mansion, is it?”
“It is indeed a privately owned residence.”
Nasiri answered, climbing the steps adorned with well-tended flower beds on both sides. Young-soo followed, clutching his sports bag like a common porter, and asked.
“Is this the house of the person from earlier…?”
“No, this belongs to the director’s father.”
“Ah.”
Young-soo muttered in response. Nasiri felt that he leaned more towards relief than disappointment. Considering the owner of such a house, he thought it would be wise to suppress any rising expectations so he added.
“Soon it will be inherited by the director.”
At this, Young-soo’s face grew blank again.
Nasiri entered the lobby first. Two women in black suits that resembled uniforms greeted him with clasped hands. Nasiri inquired.
“Where is Mr. Cox?”
“I’ll let her know you’ve arrived.”
One woman said, placing her hand behind her ear.
“Secretary Nasiri has arrived.”
Meanwhile, Young-soo surveyed the lobby.
There was no separate Buckingham here. A spiral staircase led to a corridor, reminiscent of a 19th-century English novel setting. At the top of the stairs, it seemed Belle from “Beauty and the Beast” might descend in her dress. The ceiling boasted a lively medieval fresco that even Michelangelo would have praised.
“Mr. Nasiri.”
A figure appeared not as Belle but as an elderly man at the central staircase before long, as if from a novel set in 19th-century England.
The elderly man, with his snow-white hair and a uniform reminiscent of a butler at first glance, appeared racially mixed without a distinct ethnic profile, possibly including some Middle Eastern descent given his slightly darker complexion. However, his appearance didn’t distinctly align with any particular origin.
As Cox descended into the lobby, he paused to look at Young-soo, his expression betraying confusion upon seeing a stranger. Nasiri, sensing his perplexed gaze, spoke up.
“He’s the new resident employee.”
“Oh, I see. But how did Mr. Nasiri…”
It was understandable to wonder as it was Cox’s job to find employees for the mansion.
“He was hired directly by the director.”
“The director?”
Cox still appeared puzzled but then asked.
“Did Miss Leah request this?”
“No, she didn’t. The director will explain the details later. I must return to the office now, so I leave the next steps to you, Mr. Cox.”
“Of course.”
“Goodbye then.”
With a nod of formal courtesy to Cox, Nasiri exited the lobby.
Young-soo awkwardly attempted to greet Nasiri as he departed, but Nasiri had already disappeared. Instead, Cox turned to Young-soo and asked.
“What’s your name?”
“I’m Kim Young-soo.”
“Are you Korean?”
“Yes, half.”
Although Young-soo wasn’t using his real name, that much was true.
Cox scrutinized Young-soo from head to toe, his gaze meticulous like a customer inspecting cattle at a market.
“It seems the director has something planned. Let me assign you a room for now.”
* * *
Under Cox’s guidance, Hisha followed a woman who led him around the mansion, pretending to explore his surroundings. Despite having seen pictures, the mansion felt even grander inside.
“You can use this room.”
The woman said, showing him a modest room on the third floor of the east wing where staff accommodations were gathered.
“After you’ve settled in, come down to the main building. I’ll assign your tasks.”
“Thank you.”
Hisha nodded in appreciation as the woman smiled and left.
He placed his duffel bag on the floor and inspected the sparse room with a desk and bed. Despite its simplicity, it included an attached bathroom and was well-maintained like a dormitory. Most importantly, he could see the entrance of the main building through the window, perfect for observing who came and went.
Hisha pressed the iron aglet attached to the end of his hood’s string and said.
“I’m in.”
[Luck was on your side.]
Kate replied. Hisha glanced out the window.
“Well, I can’t talk too long right now, I have to go back. But I did manage to get in.”
[I didn’t expect your clumsy plan of causing a car accident to work, and that woman seems simpler than expected. Anyway, it’s good. The next call is in 12 hours. Don’t forget.]
After a brief exchange, Kate disappeared.
Hisha folded his hood into his duffel bag and pulled out another hood to put on. He then made his way downstairs to the main building, still unsure of his surroundings. Standing in the lobby, he approached a woman and asked.
“Excuse me, where’s Mr. Cox?”
“Follow me.”
The woman replied curtly, leading him towards what seemed to be Cox’s office near the main building lobby.
“Go ahead in.”
She said, gesturing towards the door. Just as Hisha reached to knock, he heard Cox’s voice from inside.
“Bad timing. The director just mentioned that, and now a new person comes in…”
To avoid suspicion, Hisha promptly knocked on the door. Cox seemed to finish a call and then spoke.
“Come in.”
The door opened automatically, and Hisha entered. Cox stood behind a dignified mahogany desk.
“I heard briefly what happened. The director’s car was involved in an accident. Are you alright?”
Cox asked.
“It was a minor accident, so I’m fine.”
Hisha replied since it was intentional from the start.
“Good to hear. But what did the director ask you to do?”
“Well, I’m not sure…”
Realizing he hadn’t been informed of any specific task, Hisha’s response made Cox scrutinize him up and down as if examining an odd object.
“Do you have any skills?”
“No particularly.”
Hisha replied cautiously, wondering if he might be fired before the day was out. However, he couldn’t claim expertise in something he didn’t know. Still, considering he appeared to be employed by the mansion’s ‘lady,’ he hoped he wouldn’t dismiss him outright.
Cox paused, seeming to ponder something, before exhaling softly and gesturing.
“Well, we do need help in the kitchen. Follow me.”
Cox said, leading Hisha out of the office.
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