December in Singapore was a season of heavy rainfall. The tropical city, where showers swept through, was filled with humid air. Christmas carols echoed through the sweltering streets. Even in this scorching city, the giant Santa sculpture was dressed in thick, red fur. People gathered in front of it, smiling and taking commemorative photos. They were oblivious to what was happening right now and had no idea of the events that would unfold in the future.
"Hyungnim."
One of my subordinates called out in a soft tone.
"Do you see that 'Magic Power' here too?"
I had given the name "Magic Power" to what I believed was the source of magic. It had been in short supply for a very long time, but for some reason, it had started overflowing in the sky and on the ground three days ago.
I frowned as I replied.
"Yes. It's flowing everywhere, to the point where there's no corner left untouched."
Upon hearing my response, my subordinate looked around with a curious gaze. However, to ordinary eyes, there was nothing unusual to be seen. Unless they were like me, with their eyes gouged out and relics embedded.
Another subordinate chimed in eagerly.Â
"Shouldn't we go back early, then? To prepare for something. If we hurry, we might be able to book a flight to Incheon before the sun sets."
"No. It would raise suspicions."
"Suspicions?"
"Leaving for a foreign country and staying for less than half a day is not a common occurrence."
"Ah!"
"Those who have noticed this significant change would have had the same thought… 'First, I need to confirm whether this is happening only where I am or if it's a global phenomenon.' Later, in order to avoid exposure to their tracking, we must avoid obvious actions."
"I see!"
"If we wanted to save time from the beginning, we should have hurried from Australia. Three days in Brisbane and today and tomorrow here would provide a reasonable alibi."
Schedules with this much leeway would get lost in the everyday concerns of people who had both money and time to spare.
"So, both of you should just enjoy your trip like ordinary travelers. This phenomenon… even if this abnormal excess of Magic Power continues, there won't be any immediate trouble. Visible changes will come slowly."
"Kuhh! You always have a plan, Hyungnim!"
"Lower your voices."
"Yes!"
"Lower them."
"Yes…"
One of my two subordinates became subdued.
As I had mentioned, Singapore was the second destination of this trip. A flight forming a huge triangle with Incheon, Brisbane, and Singapore as its vertices. The goal of this short trip was to confirm the density changes of Magic Power based on longitude and latitude.
If the distribution of Magic Power were localized, the density would change with a change in location. Furthermore, the distribution could take the form of a wide area or a narrow strip. That's why I had planned this triangular flight. A triangle was the minimum condition for forming an area.
The results confirmed that the distribution of Magic Power was uniform in all the places we had visited.
Considering the area of the triangle I had drawn, even if the density of Magic Power decreased outside of it, the influence of its sides was likely to extend globally. I resisted the temptation to draw a larger triangle, weighing the risks of future tracing against the certainty it would provide.
The remaining question was how long this change would last…
On that matter, no one on Earth would be able to provide an answer.
As I pondered, I realized that the hotel I had booked was nearby. Walking into the lobby, I felt my subordinates watching me, like eager puppies.
"Kyung-tae, I told you to lower your voice, but I didn't say to keep your mouth shut."
"Ah."
"If you have something to say, go ahead."
As soon as I gave him permission, the guy eagerly started talking.
"This is the Intercontinental, right?"
"What about it?"
"From what I've found, there's a bar just one block away from here that claims to serve every drink in the world. It's probably an exaggeration, but it's known among locals. How about stopping by there?"
"You want to start looking for alcohol before the sun even sets?"
"You told us to enjoy the trip, didn't you? After all, isn't half of traveling about eating and drinking? And they won't just serve alcohol there. You could have a drink, then after sunset, you can explore the local night market, try some dim sum, have some laksa, and enjoy all kinds of skewers with a cold beer."
…He went on and on, talking a lot. I wondered what he had found during that short pause.
Still, it was a better plan than just staying holed up in the hotel. When your mind is tangled, it's good to deliberately look for something to do. Good ideas tend to come when you have some leisure. I nodded to him, indicating that he should go ahead.
"All right, let's check in first."
"Thank you, Hyungnim!"
"Your voice."
"Yes."
It was a place with a lot of tourists. There was nothing to gain from attracting attention.
After leaving our luggage in the room, it was just past 5 PM. Across the street, a modern-style National Library building stood tall. Personally, I preferred books to alcohol, and I could read in both English and Mandarin, but right now, it didn't seem like anything I read would register in my mind.
"Shall we go, Hyungnim? I'll guide you."
Eager Kyung-tae guided us from behind. I heard a sigh from the opposite side.
Finally, we arrived at a place that was magnificent from the inside out. Even just the two-story-high ceiling and the spacious area would be an unimaginable luxury in Singapore, where land prices were sky-high. Shelves on a large pillar were filled with bottles of liquor, and they sparkled in various colors under the bright green light. While the claim of serving every drink in the world might be an exaggeration, the lineup certainly looked top-notch.
Inside, a jazz-arranged carol was playing. The volume was just right so that conversations wouldn't be drowned out.
"Take your time choosing."
The girl who guided us to the table went away with a smile and left us with the menu. Flipping through it quickly, there were 25 pages of regular beverages alone, and the special collection had 108 pages. The guy who talked too much earlier suddenly had his mouth agape. I pushed the collection book toward him.
"You look."
"Can I order from this?"
"I'll go with champagne for myself. I don't want to get too drunk."
Kyung-tae, who was excited earlier, turned his seat to look at me.
"What about Suyeon-noonim?"
"The same as Hyungnim."
"Okay. Then I'll have champagne too. Since we're drinking together, it's better to order a bottle. You two can check out the snacks."
Saying that, he stared at the collection book. The sound of pages turning, completely absorbed. I wondered if it would be nice to be so engrossed in something like that.
"Wow!"
He found something and was surprised. Once again, he glanced at me.
"What is it?"
"There's a bottle here that's 750 milliliters and costs $197,000."
"Champagne?"
"Yes. It's insane, isn't it?"
$197,000 in Singapore dollars was roughly 1.6 billion Korean won. You could drink Dom PĂ©rignon Oenotheque, a high-end brand, for 300,000 yen in the heart of Tokyo. I nodded slightly to Kyung-tae.
"Let me see."
"Sure."
The open page had product descriptions written in English.
[On October 26, 1916, in the midst of World War I, a small smuggling schooner named 'Jönköping' set sail from Gävle Port in southern Sweden. This ship was loaded with 3,000 bottles of champagne ordered by the last Russian Emperor, Nicholas II…]
The narrative continued with various details, including being sunk by a German U-boat U-22 off the coast of Finland, but the summary was that it was champagne from a century ago retrieved from the bottom of the sea. It remained preserved due to the pressure and temperature of the seabed.
"It's from 1907 and costs $197,000."
"It's champagne that has been aged for a hundred years. Aren't you curious about the taste?"
The sound of swallowing objections. I looked at Kyung-tae.
"Do you want to try it?"
"Of course! But the price…"
"Order it."
"Oh? Oooooohhhh?!"
Kyung-tae cheered, clenching his fists.
"This isn't a dream, right? I'll be forever loyal to you, Hyungnim! Hahaha."
Perhaps not liking the way things were going, Suyeon politely interjected.
"Hyungnim, if you keep indulging him like this, he'll get spoiled."
"What's wrong with that, Noonim?"
"Your behavior…"
"You're arguing with facts."
"Facts, what…?"
I tapped the table with my fingers to break up their discussion. The two fell silent immediately.
"This champagne has seen the light after a hundred years. Isn't it okay to drink it in commemoration on a day like today? Shall we have a glass together?"
It was the day we first sensed the magic source overflow, anyway, and today was when we'd confirmed it was a worldwide phenomenon. Whether it was for a good reason or a bad one, it was worth commemorating. In a way, there was a common thread between the return of the magic source and the champagne from the sunken ship.
Suyeon, who usually shied away from extravagance, reluctantly agreed.
"Okay."
However, Kyung-tae, with his large build, was watching for cues. After all, indulging in such extravagance for reasons other than business was not common. It would be better for me to place the order.
The waitress who responded to our call listened to the order and couldn't hide her surprise. But she quickly assessed the situation and gave us a sweet smile.
"Your order has been confirmed. Is there anything else you'd like?"
I ordered a few snacks in addition.
"We'll bring the food as soon as it's ready. Please wait a moment."
The footsteps of the waitress, who was now moving away, seemed light. She was probably feeling like she was floating, considering the service charge added to the bill. It was 10% of the price with tax added, equivalent to the cost of a small car. They would have to split it with the other employees though.
Not long after, the drinks and food were served. There were twelve pieces of sea urchin roe with yuzu sauce and lemon, croquettes the size of a bite filled with La Peral cheese and shallot pickles, a plate of Madeleines with no added sugar, and a dish of grilled piadina topped with anchovies. These were things that could be made relatively quickly, as long as the preparation was done.
It may seem like a lot, but if I didn't order like this, Suyeon would hide her preferences and make things difficult. In places like this, I had to be careful because she was the type of person who would avoid causing trouble by confirming my orders one by one.
The champagne had almost no label left, and the glass bottle and cork still had traces of the sea and the passage of time that meticulous cleaning couldn't remove. The manager personally came out and showed me the Christie's auction certificate, guaranteeing its authenticity. It was a certificate made so that customers could check the unique number with the auction house. I'll have Kyung-tae take it as a souvenir.
"Alright, let's open it."
With permission granted, the manager carefully handled the bottle, removing the cork. Since it was so old, it had to be handled delicately to prevent any damage.
"Shall I pour it into the glasses for you?"
In response to the manager's question, Kyung-tae, who had regained his appetite, waved his hand and spoke in rough English.
"No, no. It's okay. You may leave."
The manager left, leaving a message that we should call if we needed anything. Kyung-tae chuckled and politely held the bottle with both hands.
"Now, I'll pour the first glass."
I tilted my glass and received the champagne that Kyung-tae poured. From the narrow glass, golden bubbles rose in a transparent whirlpool.
"You both should have some too."
Taking the bottle that was passed to me, I filled the two of their glasses in order.
We clinked our glasses and tasted the champagne. The first sip, with the scent of oak and fruits, was fresh with a moderate acidity and less sweetness. It was well-aged and smooth, but in terms of pure taste, the high-end selections available in the market were of a better quality.
Suyeon, seemingly feeling the same, made a slightly bitter expression.
"It doesn't seem to have a taste as special as its price."
Kyung-tae, who was savoring the experience, retorted.
"Hehe, Noonim, this is meant to be enjoyed with emotion, emotion."
"Can emotions put food on the table?"
"Apple, a company, claims something like that." (+) [1]
"…"
What kind of comic talk is this?
As I squeezed a lemon onto the thick scallops, Suyeon, who had taken a few sips, put her glass down and asked.
"Hyungnim, what do you think will happen to the world if this situation continues for a long time?"
"Well, that's hard to say."
I placed the lemon on the ice and fell into thought for a moment. The expected changes were so massive that listing them one by one would be endless, and it was not easy to choose the right words when shortening the explanation.
For now, it seemed best to say this.
"One thing is for sure. The world we live in is going to become more rugged, dangerous, and unpredictable as time goes on."