Lee Myungsoo sat on the terrace, letting out a deep sigh as he stared endlessly at the sea.

“Assemblyman.”

At that moment, Han Dongju brought over a paper cup. The familiar scent of instant coffee mix brought a faint smile to Lee Myungsoo’s face.

“Thank you, Secretary Han.”

Lee Myungsoo accepted the cup and raised it to his lips. After taking a sip of the warm coffee, he muttered bitterly,

“How long are we supposed to stay here? Are the others in the delegation holding up?”

“Yes. But everyone is anxious.”

“I’m this anxious myself, so I can only imagine how the others feel. What the hell do these bastards even want? They should at least tell us something so I know whether I can help or not.”

“......”

Han Dongju remained silent.

He was never in a position to offer political advice in the first place.

Lee Myungsoo knew that too.

The question he had asked wasn’t really meant for Han Dongju anyway.

It was closer to a lament.

“At least no one’s been hurt... I suppose that’s something. What about the president?”

“We don’t know. The TV says he’s unwell and receiving treatment at the presidential palace.”

“The military has already completely taken over that place and turned it into a mouthpiece, huh. It reminds me of Korea in the 1980s. You know Ddu-Ddu News, right?”

“......You remember that too, sir?” 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

“Ddu-Ddu News” was the nickname for the news bulletin that began immediately after the time signal with headlines announced in the president’s name.

The very first thing a military faction in power does is seize the media.

That was true whether in Korea or Africa.

“I don’t remember it clearly. Just something I heard about. I must’ve been in elementary school back then.”

“......”

He had meant it as a joke, but when Han Dongju didn’t react, Lee Myungsoo grumbled,

“Come on, can’t even joke around. I’m depressed, that’s all. Sitting here uselessly and staring at the sea all day feels like it’s going to give me a mental illness I didn’t even have.”

“I’m sorry.”

“For what? It’s not your fault, Secretary Han. The news says the government tried to sell out the country by colluding with the West, right?”

It wasn’t as if the hotel had no news at all.

So Lee Myungsoo had been able to roughly gauge the military’s movements.

“Well, the military already controls the broadcasting station, so what can you expect... It looks like they got caught trying to smuggle out Alpha Condé, doesn’t it? That’s probably why they rushed the coup.”

The defense minister’s words from immediately after his private meeting with the president kept replaying in his head.

The man had been curious what he and the president had discussed, and Lee had answered that nothing significant had been said.

Not long after that meeting, the coup had broken out.

Was it really just coincidence?

Or was the defense minister in league with the military?

Locked in a hotel room with all communications cut off, the frustration was maddening.

“Still no way to contact the outside?”

“No. The soldiers’ guard is extremely tight. Apparently a staff member from the Chinese embassy came to the hotel and was driven away.”

“Those crazy bastards.”

Just as he drained the last of his coffee, the hotel door burst open and soldiers stormed in.

Lee Myungsoo and Han Dongju jumped to their feet on the terrace.

The soldiers simply aimed their rifles at Lee Myungsoo and glared without saying a word.

“What are you doing?”

Han Dongju stepped in front of Lee Myungsoo protectively, but they still said nothing.

Thud. Thud.

The sound of military boots echoed from far down the corridor.

A moment later, several officers appeared, led by a young officer.

As soon as they entered, the soldiers lowered their rifles and saluted.

“What the hell are you doing? Put your guns down and get out! Do you even know where you are?”

At the sharp rebuke from one of the men, the soldiers hurriedly filed out.

The door closed behind them, and one of the officers stepped forward.

“This way, please.”

The officer gestured toward Lee Myungsoo on the terrace.

Han Dongju moved to block him again, still wary, but Lee Myungsoo shook his head and stopped him before heading into the living room.

“Let’s sit and talk.”

The man who had beckoned him sat first on the sofa, while the other officers lined up standing behind him.

Lee Myungsoo sat down across from him.

“Do you speak French?”

At the sudden French, Lee Myungsoo shook his head.

Just as Han Dongju was about to interpret, the man smoothly switched to fluent English.

“What about English?”

“I speak English.”

“Then let’s use English. If we put an interpreter in the middle, there’s no guarantee the meaning will come across properly.”

“Fine.”

“Do you know who I am?”

Lee Myungsoo nodded.

“Captain Kamara, aren’t you? You’ve been all over the news lately, so you’re starting to feel familiar.”

“Hahaha. It just turned out that way.”

Even at the barbed remark, Kamara only laughed loudly.

That easygoing reaction made Lee Myungsoo’s temper flare, and he raised his voice slightly.

“Whether you seize power or not, why are you detaining us?”

“You know the answer to that better than I do, don’t you?”

“What do you mean? We are a diplomatic special envoy delegation from the Republic of Korea, here to establish relations and return home on behalf of our government. Do you understand what it means to detain us?”

“It wasn’t us who tried to interfere in domestic affairs. It was your side.”

Lee Myungsoo felt a jolt in his chest.

Kamara held his gaze and continued.

“We know the president was trying to use you to smuggle Alpha Condé overseas.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Well, whether you admit it or not doesn’t really matter.”

Kamara shrugged with a smile.

Maybe he was relaxed because he had already seized power.

Or maybe that was just his personality.

Either way, Lee Myungsoo found that smile irritating.

“I said that’s not true.”

“Yes, yes, let’s say ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) it isn’t. That’s not what matters right now.”

At that, Lee Myungsoo’s mind began racing.

If not that, then why are they really detaining us?

The longer this detention dragged on, the more isolated they would become from the international community.

After seizing power in a coup, they would need international legitimacy...

Then it hit him like lightning.

He finally understood what Kamara wanted.

“You want the support of the Korean government? That’s why you’re holding us here?”

“Detention is such an ugly word. Let’s say we are protecting you while the domestic situation is unstable.”

“Don’t play word games. Protection or not, this is detention from our perspective.”

“Call it whatever you like. What matters is that the Korean government must support me.”

At the shamelessly confident demand, Lee Myungsoo bit his lip.

“......Do you really think that’s possible? Our country itself once suffered under a military government born from a coup.”

“That is exactly why I want it. I intend to follow the exact path that president took back then.”

Unlike Lee Myungsoo, who was momentarily speechless, Kamara continued in his smooth, unhurried tone.

“I will restore order, and in three years I will transfer power back to civilian rule. But I need legitimacy in order to justify restoring order. South Korea is an ally of the United States.”

“So you want to use us to draw out support from America and the wider Western world?”

Kamara grinned.

“The beginning is what matters. The West won’t want to waste political energy on a coup in some African nation. If someone steps up to take the lead, the others will follow.”

“You’re taking international politics far too lightly.”

“I’ve already spoken with several countries. They said if South Korea moves first, they’ll follow.”

“......”

Lee Myungsoo revised his opinion of Kamara.

The man had far sharper political instincts than expected.

He understood South Korea’s position well, and he had clearly read the Western world’s attitude toward Africa.

This was no thoughtless coup.

“And if we refuse?”

“You’ll regret it.”

There was a blade-like menace hidden beneath the oily tone.

“We still haven’t arrested all the key figures in the government. There are people siding with them as well. At this rate, civil war may break out. Our people will bleed. Perhaps a stray shell might even land on this hotel. We would use that to criticize the government forces, of course.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“Threatening? No. I’m concerned. Just concerned.”

Kamara smiled brightly.

But there was something chilling in that smile.

“A literal stray shell. A shell no one knows where it came from. Whether it was the government army or ours, no one could ever say.”

Lee Myungsoo decided to retreat for now.

“I’ll think about it. This isn’t something I can decide alone. I need to speak with the Korean government, and with the American government as well. For that, I need communications restored.”

“Thierry.”

“Yes, Captain.”

Kamara called over one of the men, who placed a bag on the table.

“It’s a phone capable of international calls. But every conversation will be monitored by us.”

“......Thank you.”

“We wish to maintain good relations with South Korea.”

“Then I’ll speak with the president.”

Kamara rose and extended his hand.

“I look forward to hearing good news.”

Lee Myungsoo took it.

As Kamara turned to leave, he suddenly stopped.

Then he turned back and asked,

“By the way, do you know the president of Sierra Leone personally?”

“Sierra Leone?”

“Yes. The president himself contacted me and demanded that I release you. Said it was a favor from Kinmuyeok—or something like that. I know that president well. He’s not the type to grant favors like that, which is why I’m asking.”

“......I’ve never even met him.”

“Really? Well, I refused anyway. Goodbye.”

After Kamara left, Lee Myungsoo turned to Han Dongju.

“Muhyuk’s in Sierra Leone, isn’t he?”

“Yes. That’s what it sounds like.”

“That crazy bastard. Does he even know where this is?”

“......”

“Let’s make the call first.”

Lee Myungsoo opened the bag in front of him and picked up the receiver.

Then he immediately called Kim Muhyuk.

* * *

— I’m sorry to say this, but Captain Kamara’s side refused.

At the vice president’s words, I gave a small nod.

“I figured as much from how long it took. Thank you for trying.”

— I’m sorry I couldn’t be of help.

“You’ll still open the border, right?”

— Yes. It’s already arranged. Tell me the time, and we’ll clear the crossing.

So we have no choice but to use force.

Suppressing the sigh threatening to escape, I pressed my fingers to my forehead.

“Thank you.”

— And the promise you made with the president...

“Don’t worry about that.”

— Haha. Then let’s meet again once everything is over.

Only after setting the phone down did I let out a long breath.

“So it failed.”

“Didn’t you already expect that possibility?”

“I did. But I still hoped. Looks like we’ll have to deploy the mercenaries after all—”

Just then, the phone in my pocket rang.

I picked it up.

— Hey! Muhyuk!

The moment I heard Myungsoo’s voice, I fired off questions.

“Hey! Are you hurt? No, wait, did you escape Guinea? What phone is this?”

— One at a time. First, I’m not hurt, and the whole delegation is safe. We’re still in Guinea. The government side gave us this phone. They say they’re listening to every call.

So they’re letting them contact the outside world, but listening to everything.

What a bunch of clowns.

I gestured to Chief Ma and quickly wrote on a sheet of paper:

[Stand by]

Short as it was, Chief Ma immediately understood and left.

— ...But are you in Sierra Leone right now?

“Huh? How did you know?”

— Captain Kamara told me. Said you moved the Sierra Leonean president.

“So he did make contact.”

Just hearing that some effort had at least been made raised my opinion of the Sierra Leonean president by one notch.

“So what do they want from your side?”

— Support from our government.

“Hmm... that’s it?”

A military coup wanting the Republic of Korea’s endorsement.

Their next move is painfully obvious.

— For now, that’s what they say.

“Did you already talk to the president?”

— No, I called you first. Kamara said you were in Sierra Leone.

Getting South Korea’s support wouldn’t actually be difficult.

The country wasn’t going to collapse just because it recognized the coup faction.

And if it meant getting the special delegation out safely, we’d have to do far more than that if necessary.

“Then just tell them we support it.”

— You make it sound easy. We’d have to persuade the international community.

“First, stay alive. Forget the damn international community for now.”

I heard Myungsoo shout on the other end, but I answered coldly.

“Right now, think about yourself first. It’s already all over the Korean media. Have you even thought about your parents?”

— ......They must be worried.

“Of course they are. They’ve contacted me several times too. Especially your mother—she even fainted. Call them right away.”

— ......All right. Still, I think we need to move together with the Americans at minimum.

I let out a deep sigh.

“Talk to the president first. I’ll make moves on my side too. If you give them that, will they release the delegation?”

— I didn’t get a firm answer.

His voice had grown slightly dejected.

I softened mine.

“All right. Then make the condition explicit. Tell them if our government recognizes the new regime, they must release the delegation and send you to Sierra Leone. Once you’re here, we move together.”

— Got it. And... thanks.

“No need for thanks. I’m just glad you’re safe.”

After the brief call ended, I called Chief Ma back in.

We shared the details of the conversation and discussed our options.

Chief Ma, unusually firm, said,

“There’s no room for hesitation, Boss. We support the new government and focus first on getting them out of Guinea—before civil war breaks out. If we leave it as it is because we fear international criticism, something even worse may happen later.”

I agreed completely.

Just as we were discussing our next steps, my phone rang again.

“This is Kim Muhyuk.”

— Are you the one who just spoke with the Korean special delegation in Guinea?

They found out about the call within ten minutes of it ending.