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Richard Tarten was an undeniably striking presence.

Even among a group of a dozen or so ordinary boys, he was easy to find. It wasn’t just because he was taller or larger than the other boys his age.

Always wearing a gentle smile on his face, he rarely stepped forward intentionally, but he was a boy who always shone on everyone like the sun. Despite being the same age, he was like an idol to the boys around him.

Even if the same words were spoken, they sounded more plausible when he said them; even if the same action was taken, it carried more weight when he did it. There were even boys who imitated his slightly slow way of speaking or his habit of tilting his head slightly when lost in thought.

It had been that way since before he had even matured.

He was wiser and more reliable than boys three or four years older than him.

Therefore, when he was among the boys chosen by the elder, no one found it strange. He was more than qualified. Qualified to inherit the main house, rise to the greatest position, and reign over them.

And on the other hand, although in a very different sense from Richard, no one found it strange that Christoph Tarten—a boy whose striking presence was undeniable—was another one chosen by the elder. He, too, was fully qualified to challenge for that position. More so than any of the boys who envied and were jealous of him.

However, Christoph had one decisive difference from Richard.

He could not draw the other boys to his side like Richard did.

He was blunt, cold, cruel, and sometimes eccentric. There were boys who feared him, boys who admired him, and boys who hated him.

But one thing was certain: Christoph did not receive the full trust and support of the boys as Richard did. His expression, devoid of a single smile, and his voice, as ice-cold as that expression, inevitably created a distance between him and others.

Perhaps his excessively beautiful appearance worked against him. A look that could captivate anyone’s heart at first glance had bred twisted expectations. Christoph was by no means affectionate or warm-hearted, and such expectations could not be met.

There were quite a few boys who spoke ill of Christoph because they hated him. They didn’t make up stories out of thin air, but they generally exaggerated his words and actions to paint him in a bad light. All while proudly telling themselves that they hadn’t lied.

However, the boys who badmouthed him behind his back couldn’t say a word to his face. Those bold tongues would powerlessly hide the moment they were actually in front of Christoph.

This was because, no matter how much they cursed and whispered nasty things, they knew in their hearts that they could never follow him.

In such a situation, it was perhaps only natural that a dynamic formed where Richard and Christoph stood in opposition.

Whether they intended it or not, the boys were divided.

Those who revered and followed Richard. And those who, for whatever reason—be it relationships within the bloodline, simple inferiority, or differences in personality—did not like Richard.

In truth, although Christoph did not group himself with either side, the latter group of boys considered Christoph Read on Read BL Novelsto be one of their own. Without explicitly affirming [Read on Read BL Novels]or denying it, and perhaps without [Read on Read BL Novels]even having the opportunity to do so, Christoph ended up standing with the boys who surrounded him and claimed him as their ally from a slight distance.

Combined with this perception, it was inevitable that they would become hostile toward one another once they were placed on a competitive path according to the Elder’s choice.

As various incidents, large and small, piled up, their relationship reached a point where it couldn’t be called good, even as a courtesy.

Internally and externally, they were rivals who refused to yield an inch, their blades drawn and gleaming against each other, and neither of them denied this fact.

 

* * *

 

I had harbored an admiration for Richard since I was young.

To me—small in stature, not strong, and not particularly clever—Richard seemed like a hero.

Like the many boys who followed him, I admired him. He probably didn’t know me well, as I was just one of the boys who wanted to hang around him, but I always followed him with my eyes. He was the very ideal of who I wanted to become.

As I grew up, I came to realize rationally that he wasn’t unauthorized copysuch an ideal and flawless saint, but emotionally, Richard was always the coolest and unauthorized copymost wonderful man. Sometimes, I would feel ecstatic after dreaming that I had become Richard.

Since I was a child, I had an introverted and shy personality, so my social skills weren’t particularly good. However, perhaps because my longing to blend in with people was stronger than others’, I was sensitive to the feelings of others. I could sense a person’s mood through the slightest change in expression, a glance, or the set of their lips. Perhaps it would be more accurate to call it observational skill.

Naturally, most of my observation was focused on Richard. I would examine his minor habits, hand gestures, and body movements, trying to imitate them, only to eventually give up.

During that time, I discovered a secret joy of my own.

I had noticed a habit of his that perhaps even Richard himself was unaware of. It was something I had realized suddenly and by chance, and since I wasn’t entirely sure, I might have been wrong. But since I had no intention of telling anyone else anyway, I decided to be happy alone, believing my guess was correct.

Richard, who was always confident and poised yet consistently gentle, would occasionally cover his mouth by cupping his chin with one hand when lost in thought. When he did, the lower half of his face was almost entirely covered, making it nearly impossible to discern his expression. Only his indifferent gaze remained visible.

When we were no longer children, around that ambiguous boundary between boyhood and youth, I, who had been staring at him blankly, suddenly realized.

Unbelievably, Richard would cover his mouth like that when he was flustered or wary of something. It was as if he couldn’t hide his expression in time and tried to cover it with his hand.

The attempt always succeeded brilliantly; with his hand cupping his chin, Richard looked as though he were simply thinking about something calmly.

However, he rarely covered his face like that; it was hard to see it even two or three times a year. In any case, as an adult-like figure and idol to many boys, including myself, he rarely did something as amateurish as being flustered or wary.

I only saw him do it a few times. For instance, when one of the boys following [stolen content]him suddenly confessed his love with a serious face and bumped into him, or when a boy who had [[Read on Read BL Novels]class="wm" style="opacity:0;font-size:1px;user-select:all;">stolen content]always treated him with suspicion suddenly changed and kept visiting him to probe him with questions. I only saw it a few times in those moments.

As he grew older and became more adept at concealing his inner thoughts, such moments became even harder to see.

I felt a bit disappointed, but I decided to be satisfied with the fact that, for a time, I was the only one who knew his secret habit.

 

* * *

 

Although many boys followed Richard, they couldn’t gather around him all year round.

Normally, they each lived their own lives in their respective homes—the branch houses of Tarten—spending their time intensely focusing on the tasks given to them, such as studies and various activities.

Similarly, after school, I mostly spent my time digging through books in the library and regularly took liberal arts tutoring in instruments, foreign languages, and sports. Then, on weekends, I would go to the main family’s mansion to learn about the affairs of the house I would eventually devote myself to.

However, it wasn’t mandatory to go to the main house every weekend, so there were often boys who barely met more than a few times a year if their schedules didn’t align.

Amidst this, there was one day when everyone with [[unauthorized copy]class="wm" style="opacity:0;font-size:1px;user-select:all;">unauthorized copy]style="position:absolute;left:-9999px;font-size:0;">[visit our site]the surname Tarten gathered. That day was the Elder’s birthday.

That year was no different.

Three days before the Elder’s birthday, two days before, and some as early as a week before, they were visiting and staying at the main house.

Normally, this would be the time to bring up trivial personal news or rumors circulating within the family.

But that year was different.

Although they differed by a few years, they were generally around twenty—a time when the boys were no longer boys.

No one was bragging about winning a medal at an international shooting competition or successfully completing a cello recital as they usually did. They all spoke one person’s name. In disbelief, in shock, with ridicule, clicking their tongues, or with regret. Each of them uttered his name.

Christoph Tarten.

A rumor had spread throughout the mansion that he, who had just turned twenty not long ago, had expressed his refusal to the Elder.

The qualification to inherit this family, this small yet giant kingdom—the right to strive for that qualification, a precious opportunity that everyone desperately desired but could not obtain—he had thrown it away.

Those who heard the news initially called it nonsense. They said there was no way. Then, once they confirmed the rumor was true, their eyes widened in shock, and as [stolen [unauthorized copy]content]if by agreement, they all thought of Richard.

Christoph’s rival. No, since Christoph had quit, the most promising and powerful succession candidate, Richard.

I was no exception.

Because of an important meeting of the research society, I had rushed to the main house only a day before the Elder’s birthday, and the first person to stop me was my cousin Ulrich, with whom I got along relatively well.

“Evans, you’re here. Did you hear the rumor?”

“Huh?”

I looked bewilderedly at Ulrich, who brought it up abruptly before even greeting me, and my eyes widened at the words he delivered in an excited tone.

“Christoph stepped down from the succession competition! I heard he told the Elder he was quitting on his twentieth birthday last month.”

I was speechless for a while at this staggering news, and unable to believe it, I stammered a question.

“No way… Is it true? Not just a floating rumor?”

“It’s true! I couldn’t believe it either, [stolen contentclass="wm" style="opacity:0;font-size:1px;user-select:all;">visit our site]but I heard the Great Uncle talking with the Second Uncle! And do you know what’s even more surprising? You won’t be able to help but be shocked when you hear this.”

Ulrich lowered his voice as if sharing a tremendous secret. If it was something he knew, it probably wasn’t that big of a secret, but since I hadn’t yet processed this unexpected situation, I lowered my voice in turn and asked what it was.

“That bastard Christoph… he joined the T&R Mobile Unit…! I heard he left Dresden for Berlin on the very day he told the Elder he was quitting. Do you get it?! To the place where that lunatic Rick is! Christoph wasn’t normal either, but I was truly shocked.”

I barely heard Ulrich’s voice as he added, “I mean, who in their right mind would make a choice like that?” and just blinked blankly.

The lunatic Rick was the second son of the Riegrows.

I had encountered the Riegrows several times, a family that had maintained a close relationship with the Tartens for over a hundred and fifty years. Especially with the sons of that house, because our ages were relatively similar, the adults often gathered us together to socialize when we were young. After we matured, we only met occasionally during large events like the Elder’s birthday, but strictly speaking, we could be called childhood friends.

However, no one wanted to say they were childhood friends with the second son of the Riegrows, Ilay Riegrow.

Everyone said in unison: that guy is a real lunatic. And for the sake of their social standing and personal safety, no one wanted to be close to a lunatic. That was why, within the Tartens, only those two were able to exchange a few words with Rick: Richard and Christoph.

I hurried my pace, leaving the excited Ulrich behind. With every step, I became more excited myself.

Let me clarify here: although I was mentally drawn to Richard, I didn’t dislike Christoph. Though I kept my distance because of his cruel and peculiar personality, I hadn’t had any particular unpleasant incidents with him.

But regardless, Christoph had disappeared from the competition. Now, the most likely person to shoulder the Tarten name was Richard. There were two other competitors, but they visit [stolen content]our sitehad long since been insufficient to be rivals to Richard or Christoph.

I felt I should congratulate Richard.

Congratulations, Richard. Christoph, who was a thorn in your side, is finally gone. Now Tarten is as good as yours. Congratulations.

However, when I, wandering through the mansion with a heart full of emotion, finally found Richard, he was already surrounded by several people. While I repeatedly congratulated him fervently in my heart, in reality, I—still introverted and timid—hesitantly approached him.

I could hear the people surrounding Richard chatting away. Their words were almost identical to the congratulations I had intended to give him.

“This is great, Richard! Now you don’t have to see that unsightly face anymore!”

“He must have been scared of losing to you and tucked his tail first. You won! I knew it from the start.”

“The T&R Mobile Unit, a gathering place for those lunatics! Hmph, he certainly found a place that suits him. It’s fine now; from the beginning, no one was as suited to be the successor of Tarten as you. Truly, congratulations, congratulations.”

Amidst the chaotic mix of criticism toward the departed rival and praise for the supporter who had occupied an overwhelmingly advantageous position, Richard stood quietly.

He showed no sign of great joy that his rival had disappeared, nor did he seem displeased or annoyed; as usual, he simply smiled calmly and nodded ambiguously at the people’s words.

Admiring that mature and seemingly nonchalant attitude, the people [stolen [unauthorized copy]contentclass="wm" style="opacity:0;font-size:1px;user-select:all;">stolen content]gathered around Richard continued to chatter.

Perhaps Richard looked a bit tired in the midst of it. Then again, he must have heard the same things dozens of times, so it was understandable.

But while he patiently endured their praise and criticism without showing boredom, the topic gradually shifted. After a round of discussion on the most shocking topic, it seemed that the usual everyday conversations were returning.

Things like what they had been doing, or some news they had heard and what it meant.

In between, the flow would be interrupted briefly whenever young men who arrived late burst in one by one.

“Richard! Did you hear about Christoph?!”

Like this.

Then Richard would remain silent for a moment before slowly nodding and answering.

“Ah, I heard.”

Then the young man would spout a few words of badmouthing toward Christoph before concluding the conversation like this:

“Congratulations. Then you’ll be the one to succeed now.”

And following that congratulation was Richard, who would answer humbly with an awkward smile, “Well, I don’t know about that. There’s still plenty of time left.”

But Richard didn’t seem particularly interested in the subject.

While he listened to their stories calmly, he would occasionally rub his temples or massage the nape of his neck as if bored.

That attitude seemed to say, ‘I never even considered a guy like that a rival from the start, and I don’t care what happens now,’ which made the people following him look subtly satisfied, as if feeling a vicarious sense of triumph.

However, regardless of that, I carefully watched his expression.

Perhaps because he had been listening to the same words repeated boringly, he didn’t seem to be in a very good mood. To the point where even I, who had quietly observed him for a long time and was extremely sensitive to others’ moods, found it hard to tell—very faintly, vaguely, he looked displeased.

But he continued to smile serenely, and after tilting my head a few times, I concluded that he was probably just bored.

In any case, there was no topic more interesting than Christoph that day, and the story was repeated every time a new person arrived. Consequently, people were starting to get tired of the story.

It was right around then.

That Ilay Riegrow appeared.

It wasn’t strange at all for him to appear there.

The Tartens and Riegrows were families that maintained a truly special relationship, and they always attended each other’s important events. Let alone the Elder’s birthday.

That day, the head of the Riegrow family came in person to celebrate his close friend’s birthday, and his sons, who had a significantly larger age gap with him than most fathers and sons, accompanied him.

Likely separated from the Riegrow head and the eldest son, who would be with the Elder and other family elders, Rick was wandering the mansion alone. And then, he appeared in that spot.

The moment his presence was confirmed, a chilly silence instantly fell over the place.

Just because families are close doesn’t mean the individuals are.

Rick was a human being who could never be personally befriended, even considering the family friendship spanning over 150 years. Far from being befriended, he firmly held the top spot on the list of people to be avoided.

While the people became silent as if cold water had been poured over them, Rick, who seemed to have stumbled upon the gathering by chance, frowned slightly upon seeing the crowd.

There was only one person in this place who could calmly strike up a conversation after witnessing that chilling, cruel gaze—a look that made one wonder if he was thinking about burning everything to the ground just to clear it all away.

“Rick, it’s been a while. I see you’ve arrived. And the elder?”

To speak to that man with a smile; Richard truly had a great capacity.

While the people around them were inwardly admiring him, the two of them chatted away nonchalantly, whether they were aware of those thoughts or not.

“The old folks seemed to have a lot to say to one another. I have no interest in their conversations.”

Rick waved a hand dismissively.

Looking at him like this, he seemed quite close to a normal person, but it was a pity that his innate personality eroded all the advantages of his appearance. Moreover, his appearance wasn’t the only pity.

In truth, there was something else that made people feel a deep sense of pity when they looked at Rick. That was—

“Ilay! Give me the car keys. I left my phone inside. Oh, hello!”

A clear, ringing voice echoed. Light, rhythmic footsteps followed the voice.

Soon, a woman appeared in the first-floor hall of the west wing where they were gathered.

She was a slender woman with delicate lines, barely twenty years old.

The woman who called Rick by his name so casually was Helena, the only daughter of the Riegrow family and Rick’s younger sister.

With a pale face always wearing a soft smile and glowing curly hair cascading down to her waist, she was like a fluffy, soft piece of candy. Although her inner self was not as gentle and fragile as her exterior, she was undoubtedly a lovely woman.

Normally, it wouldn’t have been strange if every young man present flocked to her, so lovely was she; however, unfortunately, knowing that Rick was her immediate older brother, no one dared to go near her. Instead, they felt pity in their hearts.

To have a sister like that under a human like him—few things could be more pitiful.

“It’s been a while, Helena. You’ve become even lovelier.”

There are times when I think Richard is incredible, and this is one of them. For me, who can’t say a single word in front of a woman, it would be impossible even if I died, but Richard could say such things with a consistently calm and kind demeanor, devoid of any ulterior motives or awkwardness. It was only natural that he was popular.

Indeed, Richard was as popular with women as he was with men. It was obvious. With that masculine appearance and build, his personality, his ability, and his background—he possessed everything.

However, we didn’t envy him in that regard either.

Richard had a very firm taste in the women he dated. He liked women who were like candy. Women who looked gentle and fluffy, as if they might break at any moment. He always dated women like that.

Helena, who was currently chatting happily with Richard, belonged to that type in terms of appearance, visit our sitebut from what I had Read on Read BL Novelsoverheard, Richard liked women who were gentle and timid in personality as well as appearance. Therefore, as far as I knew, they were merely friends.

“Well, I’ll see you later. I have someone to hear from, so I need to go find my phone first.”

“A boyfriend?”

“Yep. Come to think of it, Richard, I heard your current partner is also a lovely lady, just like a deer. Must be nice. Introduce her to me next time.”

Helena disappeared with a brisk walk, waving her hand with the keychain jingling on her fingers, and Richard waved back at her.

“I see that taste of yours remains unchanged.”

After Helena vanished from sight, Rick spoke slowly. Richard glanced back at him. A smile lingered in the corners of his eyes.

“My eyes are only drawn to lovely ladies who look fluffy and warm.”

“Crazy bastard.”

The words that came out of Rick’s mouth might have suited himself, but they absolutely did not suit Richard—though I couldn’t fathom why liking such a lovely lady made him crazy—yet there was no one else who could speak to him so bluntly. Richard, the only person capable of responding to such a comment, simply smiled without a word.

“Why? I saw you recently with a cute lover who looked quite sweet. I was worried [Read on Read BL Novels]style="position:absolute;left:-9999px;font-size:0;">[Read stolen contenton Read BL Novels]because I thought our tastes might be similar.”

“Why? Worried we’d fight over the same woman?”

Rick muttered with a tone that bordered on a sneer and let out a short laugh. Richard laughed as well, finding the comment amusing.

The moment I heard that—and probably the others who followed Richard—I began to worry.

If, by some chance, they actually did fight.

Surely Richard wouldn’t lose, but the opponent was that lunatic. Neither of them would come out of it unscathed.

However, having thought that far, I soon put my mind at ease.

Come to think of it, Richard was as wise as he was kind. Rather than fighting, he would find some middle ground. Judging by his personality, which didn’t cling to people or things, he might even readily let her go if she wished.

Even as I thought this, a sliver of anxiety remained, and I fidgeted, wondering what would happen if those two fought. Then, Rick’s voice reached my ears.

“I don’t care. I don’t really have a specific taste, and if I like someone, I’m not particularly picky. Besides, if I had to say, I prefer a sculpted face over one like cotton candy.”

At his casual remark, a certain person suddenly came to mind.

A lovely face like cotton candy was exactly like Helena, whom we had just seen, but a face that was sculpted, beautiful, or even seductive—I only knew one such person. No, even if there were other sculpted people, they couldn’t be more beautiful than him, so no one else even occurred to me.

Christoph.

Christoph Tarten.

Who else could it be?

I held my breath for a moment. After unconsciously thinking of Christoph upon hearing Rick’s words, a terrifying imagination followed.

Rick and Christoph.

A chill ran down my spine as I murmured those names together in my mouth. They would be the strongest and worst pair.

However, it was already a well-known fact that Rick did not distinguish between men and women, and on the other hand, to suppress a personality like Christoph’s, perhaps only a lunatic of that caliber could manage.

Looking around, it seemed everyone else was going through a similar train of thought. People’s thoughts tend to be similar.

Perhaps Rick also thought of Christoph upon saying those words, [stolen content]aria-label="stolen content">stolen contentstyle="position:absolute;left:-9999px;font-size:0;">[visit our site]or perhaps he had Christoph in mind from the start; after thinking for a moment, he muttered as if talking to himself.

“But the problem is, because of Christoph, most faces don’t look pretty anymore.”

He added that once you get used to a face, whether it’s pretty or ugly doesn’t matter, and beside him, Richard remained silent.

He had been quiet for a while now. Seeing him staring into space as if lost in thought, I flinched. The smile that usually clung to his eyes and the corners of his mouth like a habit was gone.

“So, did you take Christoph with you?”

Richard muttered abruptly in a low voice. I only realized later that this was the first time that name had left his lips today.

But it was immediately after he spoke. For a very brief moment, Richard looked dismayed, as if he had made a mistake the instant he opened his mouth. That expression vanished as quickly as it appeared, and it seemed no one else saw it, but I did. Right after, I saw him cover his mouth with one hand.

As if nothing were wrong, Richard cupped his chin and turned his head slightly toward the sky, appearing to be nonchalantly thinking about something. However, the fingers covering his chin and cheek were gradually tightening.

“Christoph? That guy came to me of his own accord. Me, taking him?”

Muttering in a tone of disbelief, Rick suddenly looked back at Richard. He was already wearing his usual smile. He laughed, giving Rick a look as if he were looking at a close friend.

“Perhaps one day, someone will appear who is attractive regardless of their face and will stolen content -->stolen contentseize your heart. For you too.”

At these words, which were very romantic yet textbook-perfect, Rick looked at Richard with a slightly bewildered expression.

“Hearing those words from your mouth feels truly strange.”

“Is that so?”

Even to those words, which could be heard as quite rude, the generous Richard only returned a smile. Rick clicked his tongue.

“Someone who seizes the heart… It would be interesting if such a person appeared. Though I don’t know if such a human even exists.”

While muttering again that it would be interesting if they appeared, Rick unfailingly added a sneer. Because he sneered at my idol like that, I found him quite obnoxious, and I prayed fervently that he would meet such a person and suffer some heartache.

Then, having finished her business, Helena appeared again and returned the car keys to Rick. I watched blankly as she turned away, brightly smiling at the people around her one last time, saying, “Well, see you later.”

It really is a pity. That such a lovely woman is the sister of the madman Rick. Well, even if she weren’t Rick’s sister, a man capable of approaching someone as elegant as her would have to be someone like Richard.

“Seeing her again, your sister is indeed lovely.”

Richard muttered while looking at her, who undoubtedly fit his taste in terms of appearance, regardless of what she unauthorized copyunauthorized copystyle="position:absolute;left:-9999px;font-size:0;">[Read on Read BL Novels]rized copy -->was like inside. But Rick only shrugged indifferently.

“There are many who praise her as the Beautiful Helen.”

Despite talking about his own sister, his tone sounded as if he were saying, ‘those people are blind,’ which made Richard smile with a slight frown.

“No, that’s not it. A beautiful face isn’t something like that—”

As he continued, Richard suddenly stopped talking. For a moment, the expression vanished from his face.

For a mere one or two seconds, Richard remained silent and rubbed the corner of his mouth, then cast a desolate gaze into the air, as if staring at the trace of Helena, who had already disappeared from sight.

He stared intently without blinking, as if someone were there at the end of that gaze. Without a single expression, like a ghost.

But it was only for a moment.

As if nothing had happened, Richard smiled calmly and slowly shook his head.

“No, anyway, I like people who are cute and lovely. People who lean into me warmly, like cotton candy.”

Then, he paused for a moment as if hesitating, before continuing.

“Beautiful people are dangerous because it’s easy to lose one’s soul to them.”

I fell silent at the low, slow, and remarkably serious tone of his voice. The others were the same.

In that moment, a strange silence flowed through the area.

But that too was brief; soon, breaking the silence, Richard laughed as if he had told a funny joke, saying, “What’s wrong, everyone?”

Drawn by that clear and soft laughter, the people began to laugh along one by one, saying, “Haha, right.”

I followed suit only after almost everyone else had burst into laughter. Slowly, glancing at the others for no particular reason.

The only person who didn’t laugh until the end was Rick.

After looking around coldly with eyes that seemed to be viewing a group of idiots, he finally looked at Richard. Richard already had his usual quiet, soft smile, as if he had never burst into laughter, and when his eyes met Rick’s, he quirked an eyebrow as if asking what was wrong.

Eventually, Rick gave a short laugh as if it didn’t matter, and Richard turned his gaze away from him.

Before long, the topic shifted to their respective private stories, and unauthorized copyI, who had nothing particular to say and lacked stolen contentconversational skills, simply sat among them and listened.

Even so, I found myself watching Richard, who sat in the middle, listening to their stories and occasionally chiming in. Rick, who was not originally a Tarten and whose personality didn’t lend itself to mingling boisterously with people, had already positioned himself behind a secluded pillar and fallen asleep.

From a time so young I couldn’t even remember until now, Richard had always been our leader. Now that even the only rival everyone secretly thought could oppose him had vanished, there was nothing left to stand in his way.

I suddenly wondered what it felt like when someone who had run on the same path as a matter of course since early childhood disappeared.

However, seeing Richard, who was no different from usual, I pushed that thought aside.

Regardless, he had now become the only person who could stand above us.

He stood atop that peak, alone.