From Illusion to Reality - Amaliala - 백작가의 망나니가 되었다 - 유려한 | Lout of Count's Family | Trash of the Count's Family (2024)

Chapter 1: “Where Am I?”

Chapter Text

“Hu–Huh?”

Raon’s wings stuttered as he almost lost balance while he was flying in the air.

“What is happening?” Eruhaben approached the black dragon, but Raon’s eyes were stuck on the glowing light above the temple. Specifically, Cale’s light.

“I, I can’t feel the human anymore!”

Eruhaben snapped his head to the light and grew anxious as it started to flicker. Like a match touching water, the light disappeared completely.

“What?” Alberu stepped up. A hardened expression was seen on his face.

“The human is gone!” Raon announced panickingly.

“Did he give up?” Alberu asked out loud. If Cale did give up, which wasn’t something Alberu could imagine he'd do, he should be thrown out of the temple. However, the fact that nothing changed made Alberu nervous. Something is wrong.

“You unlucky bastard...” Eruhaben closed his eyes. Like the crown prince had informed them earlier, there shouldn’t be a possibility of death unless the people inside the temple kill themselves. Despite Cale’s obsession with living a peaceful life once everything was over, his sacrificial tendencies are worrying. However, the ancient dragon had come to know Cale and how strong the human was. Not through physical strength, but through mentality. The possibility of him killing himself because of the illusion is illogical.

Everyone present watched intensely how the light disappeared until nothing was left behind.

“The Commander... is dead?” A soldier muttered, feeling despair at the realization. Another knight accidentally dropped their weapon. No one had it in them to comment on it.

“Be okay, you bastard,” Alberu muttered.

Cale had a hard time breathing properly. He was falling, and everything hurt.

He felt this sensation before. A wave of déjà vu washed over him as he remembered his time transmigrating back to Earth during the Sealed God’s test.

He was supposed to go to the next stage of the temple. Why is it different now?

— I won't let you go so easily. Accept the despair to enter your body, Cale Henituse, and become mine.

Cale flinched as the voice of the God of Despair echoed in his mind.

‘This damn god...’

“Ugh!” Cale clenched his eyes shut as he felt a terrible pain taking over his body. His senses became paralyzed and all connections he had with the world started to break down.

Cale desperately tried to move in order to breathe again.

“Argh!”

However, the pain became even more intense, making his whole body freeze in a hunched state.

‘What the hell is happening?’

Cale’s mind was a mess and the pounding headache got worse. He could not think straight. He felt two invisible hands on each side of his body, pulling him in different directions and battling for dominance.

Yank!

“Ugh!”

One hand let go and Cale felt himself fall again. Luckily, the pain was slowly disappearing. He felt somewhat relieved at this odd situation, but he could still not open his eyes. Cale was prepared to hit the ground hard as nothing was preventing him from falling.

Suddenly, a different voice was heard in his mind.

— I’m so happy I could reach you.

Cale lost consciousness with his eyes closed.

“Gasp!”

Cale immediately started to take deep breaths as he could finally breathe properly again. Both the suffocation and the pain was gone. His eyes were closed and he felt exhausted enough to not be able to move.

The first thing Cale noticed was the unbearable scent of death around him. The lingering smell of burnt wood was almost unnoticeable because of the dizzyingly stench of blood.

‘What the hell is going on? Should I open my eyes?’

He wasn’t sure he wanted to. Cale didn’t know where the Sealed God had taken him. He might be watched by enemies and mistaken as a corpse based on what he could smell and hear.

Cale was lying down with grass touching the left side of his face. He tried to breathe as silently as possible despite his lungs screaming at him.

“Cough! Cough!”

Still, it was hard to avoid coughing every time he accidentally breathed in smoke. This was the worst. He felt like he was burning from the inside.

Cale was exhausted. Just breathing was hard, let alone open his eyes. On the other hand, he needed to know what happened and where he was. Therefore, he tried to open his eyes despite the extreme fatigue he was feeling.

In front of him was a boulder. No, it was a stone wall.

A giant stone wall Cale was quite familiar with. When the realization washed over him, he let himself close his eyes again and focused on his breathing.

Harris Village.

The stone wall that separated Harris Village and the Forest of Darkness, but there should not be such a strong smell of corpses in this place. After all, it had been rebuilt at Cale’s request and was now a home for the Wolf children and the Tiger Tribe.

Something must have happened, and Cale was probably in danger, but he could not move.

“Cough! Cough!” Cale could also not stop the cough that erupted from him. While his breathing had calmed down, it would not slow down with the smoke entering his lungs every time he took a breath. Cale could only think of one incident where Harris Village would be like this.

‘Was I brought back to the past?’

The incident that came to mind was the massacre of Harris Village caused by the White Star right before Cale transmigrated into this world. Choi Han had only shown up after everything was destroyed. Overtaken by despair and rage, he ruthlessly killed all of the remaining assassins, and buried the villagers’ bodies before heading towards Rain City.

The bloody image made Cale shudder. The dead citizens and assassins would explain the scent of death, as well as the burning wood from the destroyed buildings.

‘I really am in the past.’

This was problematic. Something had gone wrong, and Cale wasn’t sure if this was an illusion anymore.

“Cough, cough! Cough!”

Smoke seeped into his lungs again as the wind blew by, and Cale’s throat hurt from coughing violently. He mustered up his strength to open his tired eyes and look around again. All he saw was ruined houses and rubble laying around. Nothing was still burning, but blood was painting the ground red, and the smell was impossible to ignore.

‘This must be right after Choi Han left. The corpses are still here.’

Cale needed to figure out what time it was, and moved his head to search for the sun.

‘Afternoon, most likely.’ he concluded. ‘How long do I have before Father’s investigation team arrives?’

Deruth Henituse should have sent an investigation team for Harris Village the morning after Choi Han had reported the incident. Cale could only guess how long it had been since then.

‘They should probably be on their way by now. I need to move.’

If the investigation team found him here, it would be bad for Cale. No matter how different he looked, anyone could recognize his striking red hair. Cale recalled the familiar voice he had heard earlier.

‘I won't let you go so easily. Accept the despair to enter your body, Cale Henituse, and become mine.’

It was undoubtedly the God of Despair. It sounded like the god would forcefully get Cale to accept the despair. He wanted to laugh at the irony, however, it only caused him to cough again.

“Cough! Huuuuuu.........”

The second voice he heard before falling unconscious reminded him of the God of Death.

‘Ugh.. why the f*ck do they do whatever they feel like doing?’

It annoyed him. He just wanted to complete the tests as fast as possible and get to the end, what was he doing here?

The coughing would still not stop unless he moved away from the smoke, but he also didn’t have any energy left in his body. Luckily, his hearing had started to return.

It was at that moment he heard the voices of people and the sound of horses.

‘f*ck...’

Chapter 2: Discovering a Survivor

Chapter Text

Hilsman was supposed to depart with young master Basen for the Capital in almost a week. However, the sudden appearance of a shabby young man who claimed Harris Village had gotten attacked made his Lord send Hilsman to lead the investigation. Hilsman had complied without complaint and quickly left Rain City.

Harris Village is a place many of the elder servants of the Henituse Estate could not forget. After all, the late Countess’ death happened on a trip to this very village. Hilsman had still been young and new to his job, but the late Countess’ personality easily made its way into everyone’s hearts. It pained many the day she died.

Now, when he was walking towards Harris Village, Hilsman didn’t know what to feel.

“It smells so bad.. blood...”

A knight beside him spoke up and snapped him out of his thoughts. They had already noticed the awful smell long before arriving. Regaining his composure, Hilsman raised his voice for everyone to hear.

“Let’s hurry!”

Everyone around him sped up at his command. The count had already informed Hilsman that there should not be any survivors except for the swordsman, so their mission is to inspect the place and clean up.

When they arrived at Harris Village, a sea of corpses was all they could focus on.

“Mmph!”

“O-oh god...”

Anxious murmurs were heard from behind him. Another man slapped a hand over his mouth, suppressing the nausea he was feeling. Not many were used to seeing such a sight, and even less people could contain their emotions.

A blood bath. Unmoving bodies and destroyed buildings as far as the eye could see. Smoke soon filled the air around them.

Hilsman was also feeling lightheaded at what he saw, but he forced himself to focus. With a quick sweep of his eyes, Hilsman confirmed the scene and started walking into the village. Poorly made graves caught his eyes in the distance.

“Alright everyone. Get moving!” He spoke up and gave out orders for every investigator.

“Yes, Vice Captain-nim!”

“Ugh... Yes, Sir.”

*****

Meanwhile, Cale was inwardly panicking.

‘sh*t... why must they be here now?’

Fighting the urge to cough and accidentally reveal his hiding spot, Cale tried to organize his thoughts.

‘That was Hilsman’s voice. He’ll definitely recognize me.’

Cale didn’t know how long the investigation would take, but he could not lay here until it was over. It might take days.

‘My past self might also be there. I can’t meet him. It would be too troublesome.’

Every breath was still faint because of the smoke, and his voice was painfully raspy. Cale tried to shake off the exhaustion still creeping up his body, but his legs would still not move.

‘Did I lose my ancient powers too? Why isn’t the Vitality of the Heart working?’

He tried to call out for his ancient powers in his mind, but got no response. The fatigue he was feeling should have disappeared by now thanks to the Vitality of the Heart. However, he was still feeling just as sh*tty as he did when he woke up.

Unable to bear the suffocation from the smoke any longer, Cale coughed violently again, hoping no one would hear him.

“Huh? What was that?”

‘Well great.’

*****

Hilsman and another knight froze upon hearing what sounded like a strained cough. With stiff shoulders, Hilsman turned to look in the direction of the noise. He saw one of the destroyed houses with a wooden wall still intact enough to hide a person.

He got reminded of a piece of information. There should be no survivors.

Drawing his sword, Hilsman carefully approached the building, the other knight followed silently behind him. Upon hearing another painful cough and the desperate breaths coming from the person did he round the corner.

Striking red hair filled his vision and Hilsman was momentarily stunned by the sight. A man was lying deadly still on the ground. Had it not been for the coughs emitting from the man, Hilsman would have thought he was dead because of his unmoving body.

“Hey! Are you okay?”

The young knight immediately sprang forward and crouched down in front of the man. Hilsman wasted no time in approaching the two and inspected the man’s clothes. He was undoubtedly rich, judging from the expensive coat. Seeing no weapons on the person, he searched him for injuries.

“Are you hurt anywhere? Can you move?”

*****

Cale narrowed his eyes as Hilsman invaded his sight. His expression was mistaken as one that showed clear pain.

‘D, does he not recognize me?’

Well, it was favorable if he didn’t. Remembering the question he was asked, Cale could only give a small shake of his head. Hilsman frowned at his lack of response.

“Cough!” A violent cough erupted from Cale again, scratching his throat irritably. He was left panting with a raspy voice.

“H-he’s bleeding! Physician!”

The young man beside him suddenly yelled loudly for a physician to come, panic was visible in his eyes.

‘Hm? Blood?’

Beside the burning in his lungs and the exhausted limbs, Cale didn’t feel injured. It was only now that he noticed the familiar taste of metal in his mouth.

Oh.

It seems like he had coughed up some blood. That explains it.

Hilsman showed clear distress as he fumbled with his hands.

“I— Uhm.. Don’t worry, Sir. We’ll get you a healer as quickly as possible.”

With a shaky voice, Hilsman carefully picked Cale up and started walking. Cale let his head fall on Hilsman’s shoulder and closed his eyes. He wasn’t sure if he would be able to sleep away the exhaustion, so he instead tried to get some rest this way.

“Healer! We found a victim!”

A loud voice interrupted his rest.

“H-huh?”

“What?”

“A person?! Are they hurt?”

Multiple reactions from the investigation team were heard from all places.

“Sir! Please don’t close your eyes.”

As he was slowly set down and leaned against something, the physician they had brought rushed up to him.

“Sir.” A female voice called out to him, and Cale forced his eyes open to look at her. Judging from the fact that everyone addressed him as ‘Sir’ made Cale truly believed they did not recognize him. He looked around for a bit more now that he can see over the whole village. His eyes widened as they landed on a very familiar house back in the distance.

‘What? How is that..?’

What he saw was the same house he had just built in the previous stage of the test. The same illusion where he possessed the bodies of Venion Stan’s lackey and Alberu’s servant.

“Sir, can you speak? Are you injured anywhere?”

Cale snapped out of his trance to look back at the physician. He couldn’t focus on that now. He tiredly shook his head and opened his mouth.

“...No, I am only tired. This... ha. This is an internal injury.” Cale spoke in a pained voice. It hurts to talk, letting out a sigh mid-sentence to catch his breath. A crowd had easily formed around him, and many people frowned at his state.

The physician pressed her lips into a thin line and turned to Hilsman.

“I can’t treat internal injuries. We need to get him to Rain City.”

At her words, a woman in armor immediately brought forward a few teleportation scrolls. The Henituse’s wealth was truly no joke, and they did not let people go unprepared. It seems like the count was cautious of enemies hiding after the attack.

‘Ah... this is bad.’

Cale would arrive at the Henituse Estate much earlier than he thought he would, and he would probably need to meet his father.

‘Is Choi Han still there?’

It might be too late to search for Choi Han, but at least Cale’s past self could take care of that.

At least that is what he thought.

Chapter 3: “Jour?”

Chapter Text

“My Lord! Vice Captain Hilsman has suddenly returned with an injured man!”

Count Deruth Henituse turned to look at Deputy Butler Hans who abruptly interrupted his conversation with Basen.

“Another survivor?” The man spoke in a low voice, hiding his surprise. He had been a bit startled when the black-haired swordsman told him about the attack on Harris Village the day before. When he asked if there was anyone else who survived aside from him, the young man regrettably shook his head. Could it be that he mistook an unconscious person for being dead?

“T, The man wears noble clothes, my Lord. I have summoned a healer even though he insists he is feeling alright.”

Deruth frowned at the report. Harris Village had no nobles residing there except for the swordsman. The fact that the trained Hans didn’t seem to recognize this man caused some questions to arise.

“I will meet him if he’s feeling okay.”

Hans bowed and turned around to lead them out of the room. Basen was silently following behind him.

The halls were unusually quiet. It only got loud when they approached the room the man was most likely in.

“It seems like a lot of people have gathered here. Is he injured badly?” Basen spoke up. He was curious about this whole situation and had only gotten a quick summary of the incident from his father.

“...It’s more like he’s trying to leave, young master Basen.”

‘Trying to leave?’ Deruth raised an eyebrow. ‘How odd.’

The guards and maids outside all moved out of the way when they came closer, and Hans pushed the door open without knocking. They could hear the amount of voices from behind the door, and they only became clearer now that it’s wide open.

“...believe me. I’ve had this sort of injury before. I’m fine, so there’s no need for you to bring a priest.”

The voice of an unfamiliar man tried to calm down the people around him. Deruth walked in and searched for the man. However, upon sighting the person, he froze in the doorway.

Red.

The first thing he saw; beautiful blood-red hair, swaying slightly past the shoulders.

A very familiar red.

He couldn’t look away. His heart started racing and everything blurred except for the one standing in front of him.

Deruth felt his eyes get misty, his heart aching. The shock traveled through his whole body, and he couldn’t stop his hands from shaking. Words slipped through without realizing he had spoken.

‘Jour.’

”Jour?”

The whole room froze as silence washed over them. The man slowly turned around with widened eyes. When Deruth saw his face, his shoulders slumped in realization.

‘Right. This is not Jour.’

But he can’t deny it. The one who was standing in the middle of the room had a scary resemblance to his late wife.

Reddish-brown eyes, eyes so familiar yet distant at the same time, squinted, and a frown appeared on the other’s face.

He looks identical to Jour.

Messy red hair, the same color as Jour’s, wrinkled clothes with spots of dirt. Deruth felt suffocated. He had a hard time regaining his posture.

The room felt chilly. No one dared to utter a sound, not wanting to interrupt the two men staring at each other.

*****

Cale was too startled to speak when he heard his father call out Jour’s name.

‘Was she still alive in this world? But... No, Basen is right behind Father.’

It was confusing. None of the servants recognized him, and neither did his own parent. It made him get an uncomfortable feeling in his chest. Cale could only conclude that perhaps his counterpart didn’t exist here, or he died early. It was the only explanation he could think of.

After observing the complicated expression on the count’s face, Cale turned his whole body to face the man and bowed deeply.

“Count Henituse. I am honored to meet you. Had I known you would visit here, I would have tried to look more presentable.” His humble voice broke the silence and he watched as the older man blinked a few times before straightening his back.

“It is alright, you can stand up.” He cleared his throat. “You have just come from a horrific incident. How come you refuse treatment?” It was obvious his father was desperately trying to control his voice and suppress his emotions.

The real reason Cale insisted on not getting treatment was because he didn’t want to stay here long enough to encounter Deruth. In addition, he no longer felt tired and could feel the Vitality of the Heart working properly again. However, now that he found himself in this situation, he had no reason to refuse.

“I apologize, I did not want to be a distraction for the Lord.” he smiled. “Besides, I really am alright. The only injury I had besides feeling exhausted was an internal one I am familiar with from before.”

“Sir! You were coughing up blood!” A butler who had been tending to him suddenly yelled. “I suggest we summon a priest just in case.”

Deruth nodded. “Yes, there might be hidden injuries you are not aware of yourself.” He turned around and gestured for a servant to find a healer.

Cale stayed quiet.

‘They really don’t recognize me.’

Not Hilsman, not Hans, not even his father. The only recognition shown was the name he heard just a few minutes ago. Cale knew he resembles his mother more than his father, so it’s not surprising Deruth reacted like that.

‘Especially if she really died the same way as she did in my world.’

The count turned back around and observed him for a few moments, undoubtedly noticing his expensive clothes, before opening his mouth.

“What is your name?”

What should his name be?

Since it appears he doesn’t exist in this world, he can’t say he’s a Henituse. That could put him in jail for impersonating a noble. His mind wandered a bit, making the people around him nervous. Seeing his father’s expression, a sudden thought struck him.

Jour.

Jour Thames was her name before marrying Deruth Henituse. Cale could act like a descendant of the fallen family instead of acting like a count’s lost son. From what he knows, there’s almost no information left about the Thames Family, but Deruth should remember it.

Yes, this was much better.

Cale gave them a small slime as he spoke up.

“Cale Thames.”

Flinch.

The entire room dropped in temperature. Everyone’s focus was on him. Deruth’s eyes widened and he looked at the suddenly familiar man in disbelief.

Thames.

Just the mentioning of that last name caused the elder servants and knights to stiffen up. Both Hans and Hilsman looked at Cale with shocked expressions.

A fallen noble family. A family where Jour Thames was said to be the last one alive. Now, a man with reddish-brown eyes, blood-red hair, a pale face, and a fragile body (just like Jour’s) stood in the middle of the room. There was no doubt, this man was related to the late countess.

Basen looked at his father in confusion, not understanding why everyone reacted so strongly.

“Thames..?”

It sure didn’t help that Deruth looked dumbfounded with his mouth gaping as he mumbled.

“D, do you perhaps know Jour? Jour Thames?”

Expecting the question, Cale widened his smile and further deepened the faithfulness in his newfound identity.

“Ah, I have heard stories about her from my parents. She is my aunt.”

Chapter 4: The Count and Countess

Chapter Text

Deruth made a choking sound in the background and small gasps echoed around the room.

“...I see.” He tried to steady his voice. As a responsible lord, he needed to be calm in this situation. “..Jour is my late wife. I am surprised to meet a relative of hers.” He sounded unsure, and watched Cale with narrowed eyes.

Basen finally understood what was happening and fixed his posture, looking intensely at Cale.

“Ah...”

‘So mother really is dead. It’s expected.’

“You were found in Harris Village, weren’t you? Could you tell me what you were doing there?” Deruth cleared his throat, distracting himself with a different topic. It was odd that the swordsman had somehow missed him while he buried every other villager.

“Mm.” Cale let out a small groan. In truth, he still didn’t know how he ended up there, so he couldn’t give a proper explanation. “I apologize, Count-nim. I don’t remember what happened before waking up.”

Deruth frowned. “You don’t remember?”

Cale put on a complicated expression on his face and shook his head. To tell the truth, Cale still had an uncomfortable feeling in his chest. He didn’t know why it’s there or why it’s never going away. He wanted to go back to his world as soon as possible, but he also didn’t know how to do so. Would he need to redo everything here in order to go back?

‘I might need to find Cage so I can ask the God of Death about this.’

On another note, Cale wasn’t sure it would work since this might still be a part of the tests. While deep in thought, he concealed his inner emotions so the others around him wouldn’t get suspicious.

The count furrowed his eyebrows and let out an exhausted sigh. “You are my late wife’s nephew, so I would only prefer you get treated since it also appears you might have trouble with your memories. Hans, prepare the guest room and call the priest there instead.”

The people around them finally started moving at his command. Deruth turned back to his newly introduced nephew with a chaotic expression.

“Let’s speak again once you’re feeling better.”

“Of course, Count-nim. Thank you for your generosity.”

Deruth quickly turned around and started to walk out of the room. It was obvious this situation was overwhelming for the older man.

Cale let his smile falter. He concluded that he really doesn’t exist in this world, but why? He’s suspicious of the changes that might occur since he already watched it happen in his own world. If this really is the illusion, then Alberu, Choi Han, and Raon might remember him. It would be troublesome if they did. Would Choi Han attack him now that Cale is actually here? Is he more vicious than in the original plot because he couldn’t take out his anger on Cale like he did in the Birth of a Hero?

Cale suppressed a shiver that crept up his back.

‘It’s best to avoid angering him if I find him. Let’s look around when I have the time.’

“But I thought the late countess was the only one left of the family?”

Two maids of the Henituse Estate were discussing the event that just took place. Specifically the appearance of Cale Thames.

“I thought so too, but he was so similar... He couldn’t have lied, right?”

“Who lied?”

A third voice spoke up from behind them, causing the maids to turn around in panic.

“M-My lady!”

Violan Henituse overheard their conversation after she finished talking about Basen’s departure for the Capital with a butler. Out of curiosity, she approached the two. They immediately bowed down upon sighting her.

“We apologize, my lady! We will return to our duties at once!” One of the maids exclaimed anxiously. However Violan was not very angry at either of them.

“Don’t worry. What were you discussing just now?”

The maids looked at each other before standing back up. One of the maids bit her lip as if reluctant to explain what happened. The other one lowered her head and started talking in a careful tone.

“My lady... another survivor was found by the investigation team sent for Harris Village today.”

“Hm.” She had heard a bit about it from before, so she wonders why the maids seemed so anxious.

“...He said his name was Cale Thames, my lady.” The maid swallowed. “...More specifically, the nephew of the late countess.”

Violan’s eyes widened at the words. The late countess was Jour Thames, Deruth’s first wife. Her mind immediately flew to her husband. He must have heard about this already.

“I see... thank you.” She said slowly before turning around to search for her husband. Violan never had any negative thoughts towards Jour. If anything, she saw her more like a distant friend who brought life to the estate when she was alive, and respected her dearly. Deruth, on the other hand, might react badly at this sudden revelation.

Having passed his office, she stood in front of their bedroom and gently opened the door. Inside sat Deruth on the bed, head buried in his hands. He seemed to be so lost in thought he hadn’t heard her come in.

“Deruth.” She called out, causing him to snap his head up to meet her eyes.

“Violan.”

He showed a tired and pale face. His complexion looked worse than earlier that day. Deruth stood up, but kept quiet.

“I heard about the survivor.” She informed him while walking closer. His face scrunched up to a frown. “How are you feeling?”

Deruth sighed helplessly and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I don’t know what to do, Violan. I didn’t think there were any relatives left of the Thames family. But...”

‘He looks just like her.’ The words went unsaid. He couldn’t bring himself to say it in front of his wife. That would be too cruel.

She inspected his face carefully before choosing her next words.

“Let him join us for dinner.”

Deruth looked up at her, her statement caught him by surprise.

“I would like to meet him. How old did he say he was?”

“...I never asked. But he looked to be around 20 years old.”

“Hm, a young boy who experienced a horrific event. Possibly having lost any other family or friends too. Since he is familiar with Jour, let’s give him a place to stay, no?”

The man in front of her let out a deep sigh and a small smile stretched on his face. Any tension in his shoulders left at hearing her suggestion. “Yes, love. Let’s do that.”

Truly. He had been anxious about the reactions of his family. He didn’t know how he should treat the young man appearing to be his first wife’s nephew. Luckily, Violan was here to guide him thoroughly.

‘Yes, let’s invite him for dinner’

He nodded to himself. This would do as a start.

Chapter 5: Vicious Chef

Chapter Text

Cale was resting in one of the guest rooms provided by Deputy Butler Hans. Despite claiming he was completely fine, the butler still followed his lord’s command and insisted on getting checked by the priest he brought. Unbeknownst to Cale, him being reluctant to get healed caused Hans to worry even more and would later report this to the count.

Cale on the other hand, only thought someone else could use the energy from a priest since was okay. So, after receiving unnecessary Devine healing, Cale laid down on the bed, lost in thought.

He felt odd when he thought about his ancient powers. None of them respond to him, but he can still feel his ability to use them. To test it out, Cale reached one of his hands into the air and summoned a whirlpool.

“Hm.”

Nothing felt weird now that the Vitality of the Heart started working properly. Cale thought about the other stages of the test. He was able to use his ancient powers during most stages except for the illusion he was currently in. While ancient powers follow the soul, he supposed they were blocked because he was in someone else’s body at that time. However, the fact that he can use them now but not hear them has not happened before. He couldn’t tell if this was an illusion or not, but something told him it was real.

With a groan, Cale covered his face with his hands and tried to summarize his thoughts, going over everything that happened.

He had appeared in Harris Village after the massacre, barely missing Choi Han. Hilsman had found him but no one seemed to recognize him, so Cale assumed his counterpart in this world was either dead or didn’t exist to begin with. Based on the fact that most people reacted to ‘Thames’ and not ‘Cale’ made him believe the latter more than the former. It was fairly familiar to the first part of the God of Despair’s Temple’s test.

What was bugging Cale was the familiar house he saw in Harris Village. The stage of the temple right before getting here had Cale switch between the bodies of Venion Stan’s lackey and a servant of the first prince, Alberu Crossman. During that stage, he had saved Raon, met Choi Han, showed them the Super Rock Villa, and built a house in Harris Village. Specifically, the same house he noticed when he woke up.

Cale couldn’t understand it. Did he ever leave the illusion? Was it truly an illusion?

Either way, he needed to get out of here to complete the temple and kill the White Star, but how? There have been no clues or explanations from anyone since waking up.

Cale needed to find Choi Han. He didn’t know where he was since he originally left the Henituse Territory quite quickly after reporting the incident to the count. However, Cale wasn’t sure he could trust the original plot anymore. No, he definitely can’t.

He also needed to find On and Hong. That was a priority.

Despite wanting to rest, Cale couldn’t relax. He needed to gather more information about the current situation. Reluctantly, he sat up on the bed and exited the guest room. The halls were mostly empty, save for a few maids and guards who focused on their duties. It seemed like word had spread fast, considering the odd looks he got before they refused to meet his eyes again.

it was a bit odd getting such stares. It wasn’t the scared looks he got when he first transmigrated as Trash Cale Henituse, nor was it the horrifying eyes that glinted with admiration after the Plaza Terror Incident. While Cale didn’t particularly like the fact that so much attention was pointed at him, he appreciated that they turned away as quickly as possible.

‘Mm. Let’s go to the kitchen.’ He hadn’t had anything to eat for a few hours now, and upon waking up, his hunger had increased as if he used his ancient powers a lot. Luckily, there weren’t any soggy apple pies here this time.

Cale approached the kitchen door and opened it without knocking.

SWISH!!

A knife flew by him out of nowhere, barely missing his neck and dug itself deeply into the wooden door.

Cale’s breath caught in his throat and he froze. He looked at the culprit with a wary gaze and flinched when he met the cold eyes of a familiar chef. The chilly gaze gave him goosebumps.

“Who are you?”

Beacrox was standing alone in the kitchen, a murderous expression on his face. Sweat started to tickle down Cale’s neck.

‘What the..? Beacrox?’

Cale was quiet for a few moments, stunned by the sight of the torture expert he expected to have left with Choi Han and Ron.

‘What is he doing here? He should have left by now...’

Something must have gone wrong. The original plot has changed. Cale was a fool to hope it hadn’t when there were already a lot of signs.

At his silence, Beacrox’s eyes darkened. Cale didn’t move from his spot at the doorway.

“I asked you a question.”

“Uhm.” Cale didn’t know what to say. It was odd being treated like this by Beacrox. He desperately tried to suppress the shiver that crept up his spine. He hoped there wouldn’t be a day where Cale was on the other side of that gaze, but it seems like the world really hates him.

‘Scary...’

He hesitantly cleared his throat, coughing into his shaky fist. “My name is Cale Thames. I apologize if I interrupted you.”

The chef’s eyes shifted at the name, but otherwise showed no change in his expression. The other man slightly raised his eyebrow, as if he’s asking for Cale to elaborate.

“I come from Harris Village.” Cale tried to compose himself and forced his voice to sound steady. “I haven’t eaten in a while, so I thought I’d stop by the kitchen for a bit.”

“...”

Beacrox kept his eyes on Cale, looking him over from head to toe. After a while, the chef turned around and focused back on the food on the counter.

“Thames.” The other muttered silently.

“Hm?”

“What do you want?”

‘What?’

...Was he asking what he wanted from Beacrox or what type of food he’d like? Cale pressed his lips together into a thin line. It was hard to understand this version of Beacrox. Cale felt like this man was even more vicious than the one he was familiar with.

“...Anything is fine.” Seeing Beacrox not changing at all, Cale assumed he answered correctly. He sat down at one of the tables in the kitchen and waited patiently. Should he try getting information from Beacrox? It might be a bad idea since Cale had no idea how he would react. If anything, the assassin seemed to be a bit more angry today than usual. Cale looked back at the knife that was still embedded in the door and shivered at the memory. That could have gone straight through his throat.

‘Does this mean Ron is also still here?’

He did not want to meet the scary old man again, especially if he was also more aggressive and vicious in this world like his son.

A plate was put in front of him and he saw Beacrox’s unchanging, flat expression. With a quick nod as a thank you, Cale turned his attention to the food in front of him.

‘Definitely not an illusion. This feels too real.’

He missed Beacrox’s cooking. It was only now that he really felt the hunger that he had hardly been able to ignore. Cale looked back at Beacrox who just began to chop up some food. Debating whether he should ask or not, Cale eventually opened his mouth and spoke.

“I heard a swordsman stopped by to report the incident in Harris-“

BAM!

The rhythmic cutting of the food abruptly stopped with an aggressive bang against the counter. The knife the chef had been holding was now stuck in the cutting board. The man was silent as he still held onto the knife with a hard grip.

‘Definitely more vicious...’

Cale kept quiet as he felt a chilling sensation. With a bit of strength, Beacrox pulled out the knife and resumed slicing the food. Cale could see the deep cut he left in the cutting board.

“Yes. He only stopped by.”

“Mm.”

‘Should I really continue?’

Cale confirmed Choi Han being sighted in Rain City, but why didn’t Beacrox follow him when he left? Did they never meet because Cale’s version in this world wasn’t here to connect them?

This was too problematic. Cale dreaded that he might need to work extra hard in this world.

“He’s not here anymore?” Cale tried to ask.

“No.”

“Do you know where he went?”

“...”

Beacrox was silent this time. Cale figured this was all he could get from the other man for now.

“I don’t.”

At Cale’s surprise, the chef still answered him. Content with what he got so far, Cale focused back on his food. He wouldn’t want to risk that knife flying at him a second time. Once he finished his plate, he thanked Beacrox and promptly left the room.

“...”

The moment the door closed behind him, another presence showed itself in the kitchen.

“He reeks of blood.” The voice coldly commented.

“He has the same smell as them.”

“...”

The both of them knew what Beacrox was talking about. Just like the swordsman, this new face smelled the same as those people. Beacrox couldn’t stop himself from throwing the knife at the man, an obvious threat. It was only when he learned his name and saw how scared he was, did Beacrox realize he was like the Punk and turn his back to him.

“...Thames, huh?” The second voice belonged to Ron who hid himself when he sensed someone entering the kitchen. In the past, Ron wasn’t sure he would ever repeat that name again. Yet, here he was. The red-haired man was interesting. Both for his identity and what his true intentions are.

“Let’s observe him a bit more.”

His son only gave a curt nod in response. Ron didn’t stop the cruel smile that appeared on his face.

Chapter 6: The Man-Eating Tree

Chapter Text

Basen and Lily were glancing at him in curiosity, while Deruth awkwardly sat silent in his chair, unsure of what to say. It was only Violan who seemed comfortable enough to ask him questions.

“You look quite young, Sir Thames. May I ask how old you are?”

“Please have no trouble calling me by my first name, my lady. I am currently 20 years old.” His humble tone made her slightly relax her stoic features. Cale had already planned how to act around his family members and decided to take on a friendly act. This way, he would be able to gain their favor and not sound suspicious. He ignored how a genuine smile subconsciously slipped through at times.

“Very well, Young Cale. I’m delighted to see you healthy after what happened to you.”

“Yes, thank you for your concern, Countess-nim. Thanks to your generous hospitality, I have recovered quickly.” He said with a pleased nod. At the mention of Harris Village, Cale also saw an opportunity to ask about Choi Han’s whereabouts, a subject he was hoping the count knew more about than Beacrox.

“If I may ask, I heard a swordsman came to report the incident?”

He noticed how Lily immediately perked up with interest. Cale chuckled inwardly.

“Ah, yes.” This time it was Deruth who answered, clearing his throat. “He said he immediately made his way here after the attack. However, he also left as soon as he could. Insisting that he needed to go somewhere and didn’t have time to stay.”

It was definitely different from the original plot. It made Cale feel iffy. He was slightly disappointed for not getting any particular helpful information. It seems like his father also doesn’t know where he went.

Cale frowned. “I see...”

His behavior did not go unnoticed by the others around the table.

“Young Cale, are you familiar with the swordsman?” Violan asked carefully.

“I am,” he nodded, surprising the others. “I met him around a year ago in Harris Village when I was traveling. I thought I’d stop by and say hi. However, something came up and the next thing I know, I woke up after the destruction of the village.”

His explanation was a bit suspicious, but no one questioned him after seeing his expression, mistaking the frown for something else. Most around the table knew what he meant with ‘something came up’. It was undoubtedly related to the incident in Harris Village. His sentence hinted that something else happened to him before the massacre.

Deruth recalled the report he got from Hilsman. The young Thames had no belongings on him except for a Spacial Bag. Anything else might have fallen victim to the destruction. In truth, it’s a miracle he survived, and with so little injuries.

“It’s regrettable. If we can help you in any way, don’t hesitate to contact us.” Violan showed her cooperation despite the flat expression, and Cale gave her a thankful smile.

Unbeknownst to Cale, the couple had observed the newcomer ever since he joined them for dinner. For a man who claimed he traveled a lot and most likely met many commoners rather than with nobles, his knowledge of etiquette surprised them. Violan briefly thought it might be because of his blood. As a descendant of a fallen noble family, this man might’ve been taught proper etiquette from his ancestors.

‘He speaks in a respectful manner and sneaks in compliments at the right time.’

Cale Thames also had an aura of nobility around him. Had Deruth not known who he was, he would have thought Cale was born a nobleman. He got curious about the people who raised this man.

“Sir Cale,” Deruth slowly put down his fork. “Where are your parents? If possible, I would like to meet them.” He’s been wondering about this for a while now and couldn’t contain himself anymore. The count risked receiving a sharp glare from Violan for the sake of his sudden question, and tried his best to avoid her gaze.

Cale actually pondered this question earlier just in case he got asked. The fact that Deruth asked such a question made Cale feel slightly uncomfortable in his chest, but shook off the feeling. He couldn’t explain his actual parents were in another world, so the story he came up with is slightly misleading.

“I apologize, Count-nim. I don’t know where my parents are.”

The room turned silent and Deruth frowned deeply, his fists clenched tightly as he looked at Cale, immediately regretting having asked. His sentence could mean a lot of things, but Cale’s main intention is to prevent them from asking more about this matter. It appears it also worked based on the chaotic expressions on everyone in the room. Even the servants frowned at what he said. Except for Lily, who looked at him with big eyes.

“Then Mister, do you not have a home?”

“Lily!” Basen scolded her immediately. While she was young, a question like that could offend someone greatly.

“It’s alright, young master Basen.” Cale chuckled, uncaring. He did have a home back with his true family, but he wasn’t sure how to explain that, so he chose to say something else. “My lady, I like to travel a lot, so my home changes quite frequently.”

“Ohhh.”

The mood slightly relaxed at the light answer Cale gave the youngest at the table. Basen silently let out a sigh.

“If I may ask, what does young lady Lily wish to be when she grows up?” Cale asked, striking up a conversation with his little sister.

Lily’s eyes sparkled at the question. “I’m gonna be a knight! And I’m gonna protect our home and help Hyung when he becomes the count!”

Violan and Deruth both observed Cale for his reaction. In the past, there have been nobles who try to tell their daughter to focus more on her studies instead of swordsmanship. However, Violan and Deruth have chosen to let Lily be with her dream and to encourage her isntead. Violan’s shoulders slightly slumped at the bright smile Cale showed on his face.

“Oh my, that’s an admirable dream. I have no doubt the young lady will succeed in achieving her goal.”

“Really?” A large grin spread across Lily’s face.

“Absolutely.” Cale nodded with certainty. He has already witnessed Lily’s progress for two years. At the rate she is training in his world, she might become the youngest sword master to ever exist.“Say, if the count and countess allows it, I can introduce you to the friend I mentioned earlier? He’s very good with the sword.”

Lily snapped her head to her parents with eager eyes, waiting for their approval. A small smile appeared on Deruth’s face and he gave a slight nod. Happy and satisfied, Lily sat back down in her chair with a giggle. Once the conversation ended, Violan chose to speak up, pleased with Cale’s way of talking with her daughter.

“Young Cale, you said you travel a lot? Where were you planning on going after visiting your friend?”

“If I’m not mistaken, there will be an event held in the Capital in a few days. That will be my next destination.”

“Ah, yes. The royal family is celebrating the king’s 50th birthday. Basen will soon leave to travel to the Capital as our representative.” Violan explained smoothly. ”You could join him for your journey there.”

In truth, Violan also wanted to make sure he was safe. There’s no guarantee that the enemy that attacked Harris Village isn't still out there.

‘So the original plot hasn’t changed.’

While there are a few changes compared to what happened in ‘The Birth of a Hero’, the main events are still the same.

“Thank you for your kind offer, my lady. As long as it is okay for young master Basen as well.”

Basen was slightly startled when the attention turned to him, but quickly regained his posture and straightened his back. A stoic expression on his face with no hint of the surprise that was shown a few seconds ago.

“Uhm. I have no problem with it.”

Violan nodded towards her son and looked back at Cale. “Know you have a place to stay if you journey in our territory.”

Cale smiled, grateful. He had not expected them to treat him so kindly, a stranger with nothing but a familiar family name. It was a nice surprise.

“Thank you, countess. I am indebted to you.”

The next day, Cale got ready and went on his way to inspect the Gluttonous Tree. His main goal is to find On and Hong, and he would probably need some food just like last time. He can’t trust that it will go similar to when he first met them, or be sure they’re actually there. Too much is pointing at different changes, and he’s also meeting going to the tree a different day than when he went in his own world. However, Cale needed to start searching now if he wanted to have time before leaving for the Capital.

“Oh! Mr. Thames!” Hans suddenly spoke up after seeing him in the hallway, stopping him from venturing outside. “Are you going somewhere?”

‘He’s probably here to keep an eye on me.’

It wouldn’t surprise Cale if Hans has been told to report what Cale does to the count. It’s a measure of security and trust.

“Yes, I was thinking of going for a walk. It’s been a while since I’ve been in Rain City.”

“Ah, of course! I am Deputy Butler Hans. If there’s anything you need, please come to me.” He swiftly introduced himself. He hadn’t had the time to do so before because of the panic around Cale’s injury. So, it was only now he properly got to meet Cale in a relaxed environment. “The count wanted me to deliver this to you, in case you lost anything precious and needed some extra money.”

Hans pushed an envelope into Cale’s hands. A very familiar envelope. One that contains a lot of money. Cale might have underestimated Deruth’s generosity to one of his late wife’s relatives.

‘Let’s act modest.’

“Oh, I can’t take all this, Mr. Hans. It’s too much.” He put on a gentle smile.

“Not at all, Sir Thames.” Hans smiled back, but Cale only shook his head.

“I have already received so much from the count and countess by letting me stay here. I cannot accept this.”

“Please, Sir, the count insisted!” Hans easily answered back with a pleased smile on his face, and further pushed the envelope into Cale’s arms.

Chuckle.

“If that’s the case, it would be wrong of me to say no to the count’s kindness. Please deliver my thanks to him. I’m truly indebted to the Henituse family.”

It was quite ironic for Cale, who was a Henituse, to say this.

After thanking Hans one more time, Cale was on his way out of the estate. The walk to the slums wasn't far, with only a stop to buy some bread on the way. Soon enough, Cale could see the man-eating tree in the distance.

‘Let’s check it out first before searching for the kids.’

It still looked just as monstrous as it did the first time he saw it. Cale frowned at the sight. Did copies of his ancient powers exist here too? It would be troublesome if they did. He couldn’t risk the White Star getting his hands on them, but Cale didn’t have any room left for his plate. In any case, he would need to use Embrace on each ancient power for this world, or give them to someone else.

Nearing the hill, a small voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts.

“Wait! You can’t approach that t-tree!”

Cale instantly stopped in his tracks the second he heard that familiar voice. Turning around to look at the culprit, he saw two faces he clearly recognized. Cale didn’t realize how much he missed the children while being stuck in the test until he saw their faces again. A pang of pain struck his heart.

On and Hong were standing not far away from him with the same shabby appearance as the first time they met.

‘Hm. Do they look even more malnourished than before?’

He frowned at the realization, but his expression caused the two siblings to flinch and back away. After calming his heart, Cale ignored the warning and continued to walk towards the tree.

“You can’t go there! It’s a tree of death!”

‘Tree of Death? Is that a new name instead of the ‘Man-Eating Tree’?’

How come it’s different this time? Did the myth about the tree change? With a skeptical expression, Cale approached the tree and stood in front of it. He searched for the hole that should be in the ground, but saw nothing. Cale noted it was another drastic change for this world.

“Stop! You’re going to die!”

Hearing Hong’s voice again, Cale dug in his pocket and took out the bread he bought earlier that day. Looking towards the two siblings, he walked up to them. On immediately put Hong behind her in a protective manner. The sight made Cale want to frown again and press his lips together, but he refrained from doing so, keeping a flat expression. Without a word, he pushed the bread in front of On.

“You’re clearly malnourished. Take it. I wasn’t going to eat it anyway.”

With clear hesitation in her eyes, she snatched the bread from his hands and backed away again. Satisfied, Cale turned back to the tree and resumed walking towards it.

“You can’t die.”

“I won’t die.”

His certain voice made them quiet down. Since Cale didn’t know what would happen this time, he stood in front of the tree for a few minutes, thinking. Because there was no hole, there shouldn’t be an ancient power either. The first time he was here, he hadn’t noticed the deadly mana crawling inside the wood like spiderwebs.

‘Was that there when I received the shield..?’

How close had he been to death so early on?

— Cale! You’re here!

Cale flinched as the familiar voice of Glutton yelled inside his head.

‘Glutton?’

— I’m so happy to see you, but it’s so confusing. My power is still within your soul, yet my consciousness was trapped here! I could only travel between the Super Rock Villa and the tree.

‘What?’

Her consciousness was trapped inside the tree? Does that mean his other ancient powers are also trapped at the same locations the trials took place? Would Cale need to travel to every single place to retrieve their voices?

— I’m not sure if my consciousness will stay here or if I can leave with you now since you found me. I don’t know if it will work though. Maybe you can try and purify the tree? That might be a way to free me.

‘Purify it, huh?’

Glutton’s suggestion seems worth a try. If this works, it would be easy to find the others’ consciousness too. Cale looked back at the siblings who still watched him intensely. This time, he hadn’t scared them away.

With a huff, he turned back around. He didn’t care if they saw him do this, he needed to make them trust him after all. Using the Fire of Destruction would attract too much attention, so there was only one other ancient power he could use.

Cale stretched one of his arms out and a beautiful silver light enveloped his hand. White roots grew out of the ground and crawled up the tree, starting the purification.

It was a holy sight to anyone witnessing it.

When he let his hand fall down a few moments later, the monstrous tree now had the appearance of a beautiful holy-looking tree, just like in his world.

‘It worked.’

— It worked! I can feel it!

Cale stood there, observing the tree a bit more, before turning back and walking down the hill without hesitation. The cat siblings were gaping at him, the bread was completely forgotten in the shock of seeing him use such a power. Cale smiled as he passed them and said one last thing before leaving.

“Now it’s not dangerous anymore.”

With his back turned to the children, he didn’t see the looks on their faces, nor did he see the determined nod they gave each other.

Now that he’s got their attention, all he needed to do was create another opportunity for them to approach him.

*****

Ron’s eyes followed the slowly disappearing individual before focusing back on the tree. He was curious about the man, so he decided to follow him once he left the estate. He realized it was fortunate he did, because what he saw was not magic or any other ability he recognized.

‘He’s definitely not normal.’

Nothing had particularly seemed out of the ordinary, except for the fact that he knew his way around despite only visiting Rain City a few times before. At first, it seemed as if he wanted to check out the myth about the Tree of Death like many other unafraid tourists. However, observing the glowing tree that looked almost like something holy, Ron wasn’t sure what to think.

‘I don’t know what he did to the tree or what kind of power he used.’

A white light emitted from his hand and pure, glowing branches surrounded the disgusting-looking tree and turned it into this. Did he purify it?

‘A descendant of the Thames...’

A chilling smile crept up on his face. Ron felt the urge to laugh, and a low chuckle escaped him.

‘Those children from the Cat Tribe seem interested in him.’

Despite the remark, he had no thoughts of preventing them from approaching him.

‘I’ll watch him a bit longer.’

Chapter 7: Oh and Hong

Chapter Text

Despite it only being a few hours after Cale purified the man-eating tree, word had already spread fast and it soon reached Billos’ tea shop. Cale was calmly sitting at one of the tables, waiting for the right time to leave. He was relaxed because no one recognized him here or would give him any looks.

‘It’s quite nice not getting recognized all the time. This time, I’ll do everything without revealing my identity.’

It was a good plan. It was hard to operate undercover in his own world because he was a count’s son and because of his interference with the Plaza Terror Incident. However, it was different this time. Not many knew of his family name, ‘Thames’, so unless he reveals it, he will simply be another stranger.

Cale got familiar with Billos in a similar way he did the first time. The man undoubtedly had his eyes on Cale now. He kept eyeing him from the other side of the room, but Cale didn’t care.

He wasn’t sure if he needed to rescue Raon again or if this actually was still the ‘illusion’ from the past stage of the temple’s test.

‘I need to get to the Super Rock Villa either way. Might as well check it out while I’m there.’

Glutton said the Super Rock Villa was a place for all of his ancient powers’ consciousness to gather when they weren’t at their respective locations. If they were correct, Cale might be able to free them all at the same time instead of searching for each one of them separately.

After checking the time, Cale left the tea shop and began to walk around the slums again. This time, he had cake with him instead of bread. Cats usually shouldn’t eat cake, but this was an exception. Besides, Cale knows the cat children’s love for sweets.

Once a few minutes passed, a meow finally reached his ears.

A red kitten, Hong, started to circle around Cale. He rubbed himself on his legs and On also approached him soon after, quick to follow her brother.

Meowwwww.

“Sigh, you must be hungry.”

Cale played along and crouched down, dirtying one of his knees, but he didn’t care. If there was anyone else looking at the scene, they might question why someone of elegance would do such an act. But they were alone.

He carefully unwrapped the cake, and spoke to the kittens.

“I only have cake with me... Do you like cake?”

Meow!

Hong didn’t waste any time starting to eat the dessert, his eyes were smiling big. On rubbed her head on Cale’s hand as she watched her brother eat.

“Do you have a home?”

Cale was pretending to talk to them despite not expecting an answer.

“Do you want to come with me?”

Meowww

“I’ll feed you.”

‘Truly. Food solves everything. They were less cautious of me this time.’

It wasn’t hard to convince Hans to care for the kittens. He happily whisked them away for a proper bath and a healthy meal not even minted upon seeing them.

“You’re going to search for the swordsman?”

Now, Cale was seated once again at the dinner table with the rest of the Henituse family. However, he could not relax. Not when Ron of all people stood beside him, watching him with a hawk eye.

Cale felt a shiver travel up his spine at the intense gaze of the older man. He quickly tried to shake it off and avoid the scary eyes.

Recalling the question asked by Lily, who had gotten very excited at the mention of Choi Han, Cale forced himself to focus.

“Yes, his house was one of the destroyed ones in Harris Village, so I plan on starting there.”

“That’s quite far from here, even with a carriage.” Violan remarked, sipping her tea. “Are you sure you want to go back there?”

Everyone knew what Violan meant with her question. Cale was involved with the incident and everyone had the impression that he was a victim who experienced something traumatic. Cale on the other hand, didn’t think like that about the situation.

“Yes, it might be far. However, since I don’t want to miss young master Basen’s departure for the Capital, I would need to find a mage or buy a teleportation scroll. So please don’t worry, Countess.”

Violan frowned at the answer she got, but chose to leave the subject in favor of answering him on another matter.

“No, that won’t do.” She shook her head. “We can provide you with such trivial things.”

“Thank you, my lady, but it’s really not needed. You have already done enough for me.”

She watched him silently before turning her gaze to her husband. Deruth, who was receiving the sharp look from his wife, awkwardly cleared his throat by coughing into his hand.

“Ahem, I uh, I agree with Violan. There is no need for you to spend money on such a small matter.” He said, repeating her words.

Right as Cale was planning on answering back, a teacup was placed in front of him. The sight of a scary yellow made him freeze. Reluctantly, he looked up to see Ron’s benign smile.

“Lemon tea, Sir. It’s good for your health.”

Cale lost all courage he had to speak back to the couple and suppressed a chill from seeing the secret assassin’s smile.

‘I can’t even escape it in another world..?’

“...Thank you.” He slowly spoke up in a trembling voice. Picking up the tea despite his inner thoughts, and masked his fear.

At his slow answer, Ron’s watchful eyes turned into crescents, but he finally backed away. Cale let out a silent sigh of relief.

‘Vicious...’

“Mister Cale, when are you planning on leaving?” Basen asked him a question for the first time that evening. Since their last time dining together, Cale had insisted on getting called by his first name. It felt weird being referred to as ‘Sir Thames’ by his own family.

“Tomorrow morning, young master Basen.” Cale gave him a polite smile. “I will make sure to get back with my friend before we leave for the Capital.”

“You sound quite sure you’ll find him.” Violan pointed out.

“I have an idea of where he might be.” Cale didn’t notice Beacrox’s odd gaze on him. In fact, he tried to avoid his eyes ever since he entered the dining hall. “If I don’t return before departure, I can meet up with young master Basen on the way. There is no need to wait for me.”

Deruth began to frown. “Why wouldn’t you come back in time?”

Cale turned his head to look at his father. “If I don’t find Choi Han where I believe he will be at, I might need a bit more time to search for him.”

“Choi Han? Is that his name?” Lily perked up at the name Cale uttered in his sentence.

“Yes, Lily.” Violan answered her. “Choi Han is the name of the swordsman who reported the incident in Harris Village.”

It wasn’t surprising she knew about his name. He probably had to tell the count when he arrived at the estate. Cale wondered how well-known Choi Han is with the servants of the house.

“Mister Cale! Could you tell some stories about Mister Choi Han? Is he strong?”

“Lily..!” Deruth yelled out at her, reminding her to behave herself. Cale, however, didn’t care and only smiled back.

“Of course he’s strong, young lady Lily. He’s one of the strongest people I know.”

‘If you exclude the dragons.’

Lily’s eyes sparkled even more.

“What would you like to know?”

Cale watched the two kittens jump around on his bed in delight. They had been cleaned and fed with the help from Hans. The sight brought a sense of déjà vu to Cale. He couldn’t help but miss his own world’s version of the cats.

He couldn’t afford to become too attached. It was dangerous to stay here too long.

“Hey, you’re siblings right?”

Both children froze at his words. They looked guarded and tense. The corners of Cale’s mouth curled up and he repeated what he said the first time he met them.

“Did you think I wouldn’t know?”

Ohn and Hong’s eyes shook. Cale didn’t let them recover from the first shock. He leaned forward and spoke with a whisper.

“You’re from the Cat Tribe, aren’t you?”

The kittens remained silent. Instead of backing away, On and Hong slowed approached him and rubbed themselves on his legs. At least they didn’t see him as a threat.

“If you want to follow me, you’ll have to pay for your meals.”

Meowwww

Meow

“Speak in a language I can understand you.”

“I want to eat meat. I’m still hungry.” On’s eyes sparkled as she answered him.

“I want more cake.” Hong joined in and sat down in front of Cale.

“I can give you more meat and cake. Do you know what to do?”

“Pay for our meals!”

“Work!”

This tale went pretty similar to the one in Cale’s world. He hummed, satisfied with the results.

‘I’m glad they were more cooperative this time. I don’t have much time left before Basen leaves.’

Because Cale arrived in this world a few days after the massacre of Harris Village, he didn’t have as much time to work as he did before. Cale would need to find Choi Han as quickly as possible tomorrow and hopefully come back to the estate the same day.

‘Basen will leave in 3 days. If I don’t find Choi Han tomorrow, I have one more day to search for him before departure.’

It was enough. Cale already had an idea of where to search, so hopefully he will find him rather quickly.

“In a few days, I will leave to travel to the capital.” he informed the kittens. “Before that, I’m going to search for a friend, but I will be back in time. Do you wanna come with me or stay here?”

“Come with you!” Hong immediately shouted his decision.

“Who is your friend?”

“He’s a swordsman. There’s also someone else I’m going to search for.”

Cale moved his gaze to Hong and pointed at him.

“He’s younger than you.”

“Younger than me?”

Cale nodded. If he was right, Raon should be with Choi Han. However, since he can’t confirm it, he might need to free him from Venion again.

‘I hope it doesn’t come to that though.’

Yes, that would be troublesome.

“It’s no problem, young Cale. I can leave a few knights with you on your search.”

Deruth stood in front of Cale with Basen beside him. Cale was on his way out to the main exit of the estate when he stumbled upon the two. His father, having asked if he was leaving, insisted on sending a few knights with Cale.

“I’m incredibly thankful, Count, but there is no need.”

But if he did, it would ruin Cale’s plan. He wouldn’t have an opportunity to walk into the Forest of Darkness if there were multiple people with him.

“Still, I would like for you to accept my offer for your safety. Harris Village has recently gotten attacked and you were caught in the middle of it. It’s only right that I, as a Lord, think of my people’s safety.”

For some reason, his father seemed very stubborn this time.

‘Did Mother convince him to do this?’

It wouldn’t surprise Cale if it was also Violan who suggested he joined them for dinner the other day. Ever since he first met her in his own world, he always had the impression that she was a very capable woman who knew the right thing to say in any situation. Cale wasn’t very close to Violan, but they’ve had their moments. Deruth, on the other hand, was still a bit awkward when speaking to Cale, but he was improving.

“Please don’t worry, Lord-nim.” Cale reassured. “I have traveled alone for a long time, and if I do find Choi Han, I will have nothing to worry about.”

His statement showed a large trust in the swordsman, and Deruth could do nothing but press his lips together. He sighed deeply. It was hopeless to convince the young man. Deruth was no doubt curious about the relationship between Choi Han and Cale, but refrained from asking. Actually, he was curious about everything regarding Jour’s only relative.

Meanwhile, Basen had been glancing at the two kittens in Cale’s arms during the whole conversation. On was sitting comfortably in his embrace, while Hong easily balanced himself on Cale’s shoulder. Luckily, no one questioned the sudden appearance of the cats. A favorable situation for Cale.

Seeing his younger brother’s intrigue, Cale let a smile show on his face.

“Young master Basen, would you like to pet her?” He gestured to the relaxed On. Upon hearing Cale’s question, she stopped mid-lick of her fur, tilted her head, and looked at the boy in front of her.

Basen was silent for a bit, caught off guard by the question directed at him. After glancing at Deruth, he slowly moved his hand in front of On’s face. It hovered in front of her, inches away from touching. After a while, it seems like On grew bored of the waiting, and pushed her head under his hand.

He slightly flinched, but soon started to pet her. Cale could see how Basen’s shoulders relaxed at the touch of the soft fur. He let the younger boy pet the cat until he seemed content and withdrew his hand.

“Don’t worry, young master.” Cale stood back up. “We will return quickly.”

Basen’s ears turned red out of embarrassment and he cleared his throat. “Yes, I wish you a safe return.”

Deruth watched the whole exchange with a soft expression.

After ripping the teleportation scroll, Cale and the children found themselves in the middle of the Forest of Darkness.

‘Ugh... it’s much easier to travel with a dragon.’

Cale felt slightly dizzy. The realization made him miss Raon. He shook off the nausea he got from the teleportation and looked around. The coordinates should have landed him slightly away from the Super Rock Villa.

“Where are we, nya?” Hong asked out loud.

“The Forest of Darkness. There are monsters here, so don’t let your guard down.”

Almost right as Cale said that, a groaning sound came from beyond the shadows.

‘Hm?’

The hair on his arms stood on edge. Cale scanned the area the noise was coming from, and a disgusting-looking monster emerged from the darkness. It resembled a monstrous wolf, baring its teeth and growling at them. It was disgusting to look at.

The cats hissed at the beast with their ears pulled back. Cale tried to ignore the claws that dug into his skin through the clothes.

“Mm...” Cale let out an irritated groan and raised his free hand. He hoped he hadn’t needed to use his ancient powers, but he wouldn’t put the children in danger if he could prevent it. Sharp wind blades gathered around the three of them and shot out at the monster, easily killing it. The wind died down and Cale ventured forward, ignoring the curious stares from the children.

“What power was that?” On let her curiosity take over. She remembered the holy-looking tree Cale left behind the first time they met, but it didn’t seem like the same power he used now. She was a bit confused. This human was very weak, yet had hidden powers that made him strong.

“It’s an ancient power.”

“Is that what you did to the Tree of Death?” Hong hopped down from his shoulder to walk beside him.

Cale gave a simple nod in response. “I purified it.”

Meow!

On and Hong looked up at Cale with clear interest on their eyes.

“I want to get strong!”

“Me too!”

They yelled in unison, Cale didn’t pay any attention to their enthusiasm. The villa should be close now. He hadn’t been sure if he wanted to teleport near it, considering there might be a dragon guarding it. So he decided to walk towards it in case he accidentally set off any alarms.

CRACK

A rumbling cracking of branches suddenly started to echo from the direction of the Super Rock Villa. Cale narrowed his eyes, squinting to see what was going on. The rumbling sound only got louder, as if it was rapidly approaching the three.

‘What—‘

Cale hastily took a stance and put his arms up, almost in reflex.

‘What the hell is happening?’

Chapter 8: “Dodam?”

Chapter Text

A silver light shot out from Cale’s hands, and a sturdy, half-transparent shield surrounded them. On and Hong, clearly distressed, ran back to Cale and climbed up to his shoulders. Their sharp claws dug into his skin, but he couldn’t care. The monsters that appeared out of nowhere like a roaring storm, relentlessly smashed and ran into the shield. While some monsters chose Cale as their next target, other monsters just ran past him. They continuously hit the shield hard, not caring for the pain they received. The shield would not budge, but blood was splattered on it, caused by the monsters themselves.

‘What the hell is happening?’

The three were completely surrounded by the swarm of monsters, yet they couldn’t touch them thanks to the shield. This odd anomaly didn’t happen in Cale’s world, and he is sure the Birth of a Hero did not mention anything about this.

‘What caused them to go on a rampage?’

Knowing no one could answer his question, Cale pushed the shield forward a bit and made the monsters tumble over. Droplets from the Sky Eating Water gathered in his other hand, and Cale controlled it to slash at the monsters beyond the half-transparent wall.

— Careful, Cale. Although the monsters are weak, my shield is receiving a lot of damage.

Glutton warned him, reminding Cale that he shouldn’t push himself. He already knew it himself. While his ancient powers did return to him, something was wrong. He hadn’t felt it clearly until now, when the monsters pushed and hit the shield. A familiar pain in his chest started to slowly build up, but Cale showed no change in his expression.

RAHHH!

The monsters wouldn’t stop coming in waves. Some even kept running past him, almost like they were scared of something.

— Cale! Watch out!

Right at Glutton’s warning, something dark and powerful hit hard against the shield.

“Ugh!”

The shield shook at the impact, and Cale stumbled from the shock. Blood immediately filled his mouth, already threatening to force a cough out of him. The dark energy changed direction, just as fast as it appeared, and began to kill the monsters around him. Cale could make out a blurry figure that followed the black force.

‘Wh— Is that-?’

He stood still, trying to catch sight of the figure again. The back energy kept eating at the monsters like a horrific tsunami. Cale felt his heart rate speed up. The roaring around them started to die down, but Cale’s gaze only followed the figure. He couldn't even focus on the sharp claws from the shaking kittens. It was only when every single monster stopped moving that Cale slowly let down the shield.

It was painfully silent once the terrifying groaning stopped. Only the chilly wind remained. In front of him stood the culprit to the army of corpses around them. Broad shoulders, unique black hair, and a shabby, bloody cape. They still held onto their lowered weapon, the tip brushing the leaves beneath them. Even with their back turned to Cale, he had no problem figuring out the identity of the person.

‘Choi Han.’

He found him. Much easier than he thought. Cale was somewhat relieved and nervous at the same time. Having found him so early saved him a lot of time. On the other hand, Cale remembered how the black aura slammed into his shield. Choi Han shouldn’t recognize him, so he might attack him at any time. Cale still thought it was weird that such a large swarm of monsters suddenly appeared, but he figured it was the swords master they were running from.

Cale’s shoulders slumped, and he felt the kittens tremble silently in his arms. He repulsively tightened his arms around them even further, not realizing he’s giving them closure. In turn, Hong buried his face further into his chest, while On watched Choi Han with piercing golden eyes. Cale was about to call out to the other man when he was cut off by a sword that swung right in front of him, stopping inches away from slashing his throat.

Startled, Cale held up his chin to avoid the blade. He didn’t dare move from his place. Choi Han had a murderous expression on his face. A chill ran down Cale’s spine, and he swallowed hard.

‘f*cking scary...’

This was bad. Judging by the dark glare, Choi Han was clearly hostile to him. He could kill him at any moment, does Cale make the wrong move. Choi Han kept his hand steady. If he wanted to, with just a step forward, he would pierce through Cale’s throat. Since Choi Han appeared to see Cale as an enemy, he wasn’t sure the Vitality of the Heart would be fast enough to save him.

“...Who are you.”

It sounded more like a demand than a question. Records of the even-more-vicious Beacrox replayed in his mind. They were both more aggressive.

“...”

Cale wasn’t sure what to say. He knew this Choi Han was different, but he can’t help but feel weird at being treated like this by the sword master. He swallowed his nervosity. Should he tell him his real name? If it’s the same illusion as he experienced as Venion’s lackey, then it's been a year since they last met. Cale couldn’t be sure Choi Han still remembered him.

Choi Han’s dark face grew restless at Cale’s silence, and he changed his stance. Lowering his head, he glared at Cale with daggers of eyes.

“...I asked you a question.”

Well he would have to say something to not get killed at the spot.

...Would he even be able to die? He shouldn’t be able to if he’s still part of the temple’s tests. Cale shivered at the thought. He wouldn’t want to test it out either way. Cale wanted to shake away the thought, but he was still too scared to move. He eventually opened his mouth—

SWISHHH

Suddenly, Cale’s vision was filled with a black blob rapidly flying towards him.

“Ugh!”

Cale fell backwards. The black blob crashed into him without slowing down, and both cats had jumped off his shoulders with a cry. Cale felt dizzy as his back landed harshly on the ground.

‘What..?’

Something grabbed at his clothes, and he slowly opened his eyes. In front of his face were two, wide, sapphire eyes, staring at him.

‘Raon.’

The black blob that flew into him was Raon. Raon who was free from Venion and together with Choi Han in the Forest of Darkness.

‘It really is the same illusion.’

But was it actually an illusion?

The young dragon kept quiet as he inspected Cale’s face with a serious expression. He wasn’t sure if Raon somehow recognized him despite Cale having a different appearance, or if Raon just crashes into every intruder he sees.

The big blue eyes stayed on him, not minding the stares from the cats or Choi Han.

Hesitating, Cale slowly broke the silence.

“Dodam?”

The blue sapphire eyes started shaking.

*****

Choi Han felt himself freeze when Dodam flew by him. His young friend, who he miraculously met a year ago, chose to stay at the villa when Choi Han said he would go out for a bit. A lot of monsters had gathered in a certain place in the forest and he felt he needed to let out some anger ‘clean up’.

However, as he was chasing the monsters, a holy-looking light brightened up the dark trees, and he saw a person. There shouldn’t be anyone in the Forest of Darkness, no one would be stupid enough to enter knowing the dangers. Choi Han was the only exception. Both because Choi Han’s second house was in the dangerous forest, and that he has spent years here before. Suspicious of someone who shouldn’t be in such a place, and definitely not this far and close to the house, he raised his sword.

At first, Choi Han was careless when he shot out his black aura at the monsters, hitting the shining light. The point of his self-assigned ‘clean up’ mission was to relieve some anger, but it took a turn when he caught sight of blood-red hair and a staggering figure. Seeing the scared, but cute, kittens in the man’s arms, he swiftly changed his goal and decided to kill all the monsters before confronting the stranger.

Then, Choi Han felt another shock travel through his body when he heard the red-haired man call out Dodam’s name. He froze in his steps and realized this man hadn’t been shocked by the sudden appearance of a dragon, nor should he know his name. Ever since meeting Dodam, they have been careful to not reveal him to anyone. So why. Why does this stranger know—

“Cale?” Dodam whispered. It was almost inaudible, but Choi Han heard it. His heart stopped.

Cale. Choi Han could recognize that name anywhere. The person who found Choi Han and led him out of the forest. The person who freed Dodam and gave them a place to stay before leaving thebody AND DIED—

And...

And he was right in front of him?

For a long time when Choi Han would walk around Rain City with Dodam, whenever they heard a name instinctively similar to ‘Cale’ (even just slightly similar), they would stop and listen in. Days and nights had gone by when Dodam gloomily asked if Cale would ever come back, if he was even still alive. Choi Han couldn’t answer him and only silently hugged the child. Since their first encounter, they never found the mysterious man again. Until now.

Choi Han unconsciously lowered his sword and watched how Cale— the man’s eyes widened at the whisper. Soon, he pushed himself up on his elbows and the corners of his lips turned upwards.

“What was that?”

“H-HUMAN!!”

Dodam screamed at Cale and tightened his grip on his clothes, causing wrinkles to ruin the outfit. Choi Han saw the man wince at the loud yell, but didn’t move to stop the dragon. He wiped his mouth(blood. why was there blood—)and struggled to sit up with Dodam still clinging onto him.

Choi Han felt it was hard to breathe, like he had run for a whole week without stopping.

“...Cale? Is that you?”

The man looked at Choi Han who had spoken without realizing it. After a short while of silence, Cale nodded in confirmation.

“Ha..!” Choi Han let out a breathless sigh and tried to control his roaring emotions.

“W-Where were you?!” Dodam yelled out loud. “No! It’s not safe here. You’re very weak! Let’s go to the house!”

And with that declaration, Dodam swiftly teleported everyone at once.

*****

Nyaa!

On and Hong shook off the dizziness from the sudden teleportation the second they appeared in the villa. Cale also had trouble regaining his posture. Swallowing the remaining blood in his mouth, he blinked away the dark spots in his vision and heard how the kittens spoke in excited voices.

“Wow! Youngest is so strong!”

Cale sat up properly and nodded. “Dodam is a mighty dragon after all.”

Despite the tense situation, his relaxed demeanor calmed down the atmosphere. Choi Han kept watching him in silence as Dodam scrambled to answer.

“Y-yes! I am the great and mighty dragon! Dodam Miru!” The young dragon introduced himself after noticing the talking cats. He turned back and moved his round head closer to Cale, never letting go of his clothes. “Human, you remember!”

“Nya, are you our youngest?”

The children started to talk to each other as Cale pushed himself to stand up again. Raon, or rather, Dodam was much easier to carry than the 6-year-old Cale was used to. Still, it didn’t change the fact that Dodam is a bit heavy, so Cale tried his best in not dropping him as he stood up.

He swayed a bit when he got on both feet, but felt himself steady when a large hand held his upper arm. Turning to the side, Choi Han moved to hold him up, and Cale gave a small thanks. The swordsman was watching him intensely, never looking away or speaking up. Cale started to get a bit nervous at the prolonged eye contact .

‘..Is he angry at me? I did disappear for a whole year.’

Cale still doesn’t understand how he’s here again or why it’s been so long instead of just appearing where he disappeared in this world. He also hoped the other man wasn’t too angry towards him like Beacrox was, and would impulsively beat him up for leaving him and Dodam like he did. Well, to be fair, Cale couldn't exactly control it, and he needed to move on to the next stage. Besides, while he’s now certain that this is a real world, he was under the impression that it was an illusion the first time they met.

At that same time, he got reminded of the ancient powers that should be somewhere here. Cale’s arm was released and he looked around a bit to observe the room, slightly avoiding Choi Han’s melancholic eyes. Apart from the children’s loud chatter, another voice slowly spoke up beside him.

“This is the villa you showed me and Dodam.” Choi Han watched him with slumped shoulders and tilted his head to catch Cale’s attention. His whole posture made him look something like a sad puppy. Cale turned back to look at the swordsman. “...Do you remember?”

“...”

Why was Choi Han acting like this? Cale couldn’t understand it. He slightly parted lips.

“Of course.”

How could he not forget? It happened only a few days ago for him. Choi Han gave him a small and hopeful smile. He was happy that this person remembered him, even if it was a whole year ago since they last saw each other. Choi Han wondered what had happened to him during that time. The memory of their first time meeting each other cause the smile to shift and turn downward.

“Cale-nim, Harris Village...” Choi Han clenched his fists and furrowed his eyebrows. “I’m sorry. The house you built for us... the people there, I couldn’t protect them.”

‘Ah... that’s why..’

Choi Han also seemed a bit different, just like Beacrox’s aggressive behavior. This could be connected to why the story has changed so early on.

“It’s okay.” Cale shook his head. “I even heard you reported the incident to Count Henituse. You handled the matter well.”

Cale wasn’t sure if he could comfort Choi Han. He didn’t really know how. The other man kept quiet about Harris Village the first time they met in Cale’s world. So how come he’s so open about it this time around?

Choi Han’s eyes shifted and his lips trembled. He looked down at his clenched fists and tried to relax. Cale, seeing this, offered a suggestion he already planned to bring up with Deruth.

“Choi Han, I have become familiar with the Count of the Henituse Territory these past days. If possible, I could suggest restoring Harris Village.”

Choi Han snapped his head up and looked into Cale’s eyes with an emotional expression. Cale didn’t know what the swordsman was feeling, so he let his words sink in. After a while, Choi Han put on a shaky smile on his face. Seeing the grateful expression, Cale felt a bit awkward. He wasn’t sure how to react.

“HUMAN!”

Dodam suddenly yelled right into Cale’s ear, making him wince. Their moment was unceremoniously interrupted.

“Are you going to turn back into the terrible bastard at night?!”

It looks like Dodam had been explaining how Cale and him met for the first time to the kittens. Cale exhaled deeply and was a bit happy at the change of subject.

“No, this is my true appearance.”

Dodam and Choi Han looked at him with great interest, seemingly observing every gesture of his face. Cale felt even more awkward at the intense gazes.

“Nya! You’re really pretty.” Hong said without a care and didn’t even look confused at the dragon’s question. Like it was completely normal to ask if Cale was going to turn into somebody else.

‘Did Dodam explain everything to them?”

Cale knew his face was handsome and made any clothes look good, but it was different when someone actually commented on it. Once again, Cale fell silent and was unsure of what to say back.

On snickered behind his back and whispered quietly enough so Cale wouldn’t hear her. “He’s embarrassed.” Hong only laughed out loud. The three children had seemingly gotten closer the past few minutes since meeting, sharing stories and joking together while Cale and Choi Han talked. It was good they warmed up to each other so fast.

Cale sighed, feeling hopeless. Dodam was still looking up at him.

“Hm?”

“Human, where did you go?”

“...”

Cale felt the emotion behind the question and pondered what to say. He technically went back to his own world before trying to enter the next stage of the temple. Then, something went wrong and he was transported back here. 1 year into the future from his last departure. It was an unexplainable situation. He couldn’t tell the complete truth.

“...I don’t know.” But he could tell a part of the truth. Cale truly didn’t know what happened. This was the easiest to say. Both for himself and for the sake of the young dragon. “For me, only a few minutes passed before I woke up here in my own body.”

“Huh?! A few minutes!” Dodam repeated loudly and flew into the air. Choi Han was also looking at him with widened eyes. The realization made Cale also conclude that he hadn’t aged at all since then. Did time fluctuate and caused Cale to appear in the future? Would he come back the same when he found a way back to his world? Or did time here pass at the same pace?

“When did you wake up?” The sword master asked cautiously.

“Just a few days ago.” Cale stated, snapped out of his train of thought. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to tell Choi Han it was right after the massacre of Harris Village. He decided against it. Mentioning the destroyed village would only make the atmosphere gloomy again.

Then, without warning, a loud noise echoed in his mind.

— Cale! You’re here!

— Oh- he found us!

— Hey! What is happening?

Cale flinched at the explosion of voices, and he instantly turned his body slightly to look around. His behavior was odd to the other ones present, and Choi Han visibly frowned.

“...Cale-nim?” Concern showed itself in the swordsman’s eyes, but Cale couldn’t focus on that. He narrowed his eyes. The ancient powers had been quiet until they suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Why now? Why not before when Cale first entered the villa?

“Sorry...” he started, turning back to the other four. “Some.. old friends of mine just greeted me.”

“But there’s no one here...” Choi Han took a hold of his sword and also looked around, more alert than before.

“I didn’t sense anyone either! Where are they!”

‘Did Dodam put up barriers around the villa? Is that how he found me earlier?’

Cale shook his head and focused back on the matter at hand. “Just like how you, Dodam, can talk in other people’s minds, my friends can do that too.”

“Oh!” Dodam’s wings fluttered. “Are they mages?”

After a year of freedom and staying with Choi Han, a human, Dodam was bound to find out more about the world. It’s not weird that a dragon, who is considered to be a master of mana, would take interest in mages. Cale wondered if the young child had some time revealed himself to a mage like he did with Rosalyn. If that was the case, Cale would need to know in order to prepare for the future. As long as it wasn’t some bad bastard, it should be fine.

“...Not really.” Cale answered slowly. He hadn’t even planned on mentioning the ancient powers or that they could speak to him. He already noticed Bud’s reaction at that. Still, this should be enough so they don’t search the whole forest for an intruder.

— I’m here with Cale! He freed my consciousness by purifying my tree!

— Sob! I don’t want to be here anymore...

Cale was already getting a headache from the voices. Glutton was explaining excitedly to the other ancient powers while every single one of them chattered up a storm. Cale felt somewhat relieved at the same time. What Glutton said was true, and now he only needed to find a way to get them back.

Choi Han watched Cale’s perplexing face and the way he massaged his temple with a low grumble. He didn’t speak up, only observed the other in silence. To Choi Han, even seeing Cale in front of him was an anomaly. Cale’s sole existence was a clear mystery, and there was so much Choi Han wanted to ask. How did he appear as someone else? Where did he go when he disappeared from his previous body? Why is he here now? What is he?

It wasn’t the time to ask anything right now. This was only the second time they’ve met, yet, Choi Han felt somewhat close to him. Like an old friend he knew a long time ago. He didn’t want to let him go again.

“Choi Han, Dodam.” Cale stopped holding his head and caught the attention of everyone present. “I will travel to the Capital with the young master of the Henituse household in two days. I need to go back before dinner.”

“Can we come with you?!” Dodam flew in circles above Cale’s head, not missing a beat in asking the question. Choi Han felt the desperation in the young dragon’s voice, and could relate. He didn’t want to separate from this person so soon.

Cale huffed out a breath. “Do whatever you want.”

A chorus of joyful voices filled the room.

Chapter 9: Apple Pies

Chapter Text

“Haaaaa....” Cale breathed out a loud sigh. Right before leaving the Super Rock Villa, Cale had restocked some money and talked to his ancient powers. Unlike how he acts in his own world, Cale freely talked to his ancient powers out loud. The others would sit silently as he walked around the room and spoke with no one. Had Cale appeared to be a completely normal person, they might have questioned his sanity. However, Cale knew his existence was weird to the other ones in the room, so his behavior wasn’t that odd. In fact, it was quite nice to act so freely.

‘I quite like being weird to others.’

Cale was a stranger to everyone in this world. It meant he could say what he want, do what he want, and act like he want without many people questioning him.

Choi Han, who only heard half of the conversation, could only guess what Cale was talking about. He was also silently observing him, only sometimes talking to the children and getting to know On and Hong. He apologized for how their first interaction went, sheepishly giving them a smile when they commented on how scary he looked when he ruthlessly slayed all the monsters in the forest. Choi Han didn’t mention how angered he was from the incident in Harris Village, resulting in his cold demeanor and killing intent.

Meanwhile, Cale felt hopeless when he found out he can’t get back his ancient powers’ consciousness at the Super Rock Villa like he and Glutton had theorized. He did retrieve Super Rock, but the rest of the ancient powers were stuck at their respective locations. With a sigh, Cale realized he would need to travel to every place once again.

What he did find out was that he needed to use the right ancient power for the right place. Cale used the Indestructible Shield at the man-eating-tree and got back Glutton. He tried the same thing with the Super Rock, but it didn’t work. Only after manipulating the stone around him did the old man give the confirmation that he felt the change.

The children’s eyes widened at the scene, and Choi Han was gaping at him, clearly startled by the small earthquake and display of power. Cale overheard Dodam excitedly ask what power that was in a quiet tone, seemingly to not disturb Cale. The two cats happily answered that the first power was an ancient power and explained what Cale had done to the ‘Tree of Death’. Choi Han could only gape at Cale, still stunned from both the scene in front of him and the story he hadn’t known of before.

‘…But he’s weak?’ Choi Han couldn’t help but think.

At least this was a place where Cale could reach all of his ancient powers whenever he wanted. It wasn’t as effective as when they were with him, but it would work momentarily.

Once he deemed himself to be done searching the Villa and ended his conversation with the ancient powers, he asked Dodam if he could teleport them back to Rain City.

“Don’t tell me what to do, human!” The young dragon stubbornly yelled before summoning a magic teleportation circle.

As the spell surrounded everyone, the ancient powers eagerly yelled goodbye to Cale and told him to hurry back. With a nod, he swiftly disappeared into thin air.

Cale had left early in the morning to start his search as quickly as possible, so it was around lunchtime when they arrived back in Rain City. Now, Cale found himself at a restaurant with the others. The cats were in their human forms, happily eating the food served. Dodam made a place for himself in Cale’s lap.

— Human! I wanna try that one too!

The dragon was also happily eating what was served, only telling Cale what he wanted through speaking into his mind. Luckily, sneaking food to Raon was something Cale was used to, so it wasn’t a problem to do it again.

“Choi Han.”

The man looked up from his food when he heard his name. Cale was holding eye contact, preparing his question.

“Have you met the Henituse Family?” He already knew the latter met with the count when he first arrived at the estate, but whether he encountered any other member of the family was unclear.

Choi Han set down his fork and looked at Cale through his bangs. “No... I only met Count Henituse when I went to report the incident in Harris Village.”

“I see.” Cale nodded and leaned his head on his hand. “Well, remember when I mentioned I’ve gotten acquainted with the family lately?”

A nod.

“I have been invited to dine with them ever since I arrived at the estate. During dinner time, they naturally asked about my future plans and I mentioned that I was searching for you.”

Choi Han flinched at Cale’s statement and looked more awake than ever. Cale continued casually, pretending to not notice.

“I’m informing you because I have a feeling you might get some questions. The young lady of the household is quite interested in swordsmanship and looked very excited when she heard about you.”

Cale wasn’t sure if the count would let Choi Han stay at the estate or perhaps fix a room at an inn. Cale wasn’t the oldest son of the Henituse Family in this world, they had no reason to show any hospitality to a friend of his. Either way, Cale hadn’t even expected to receive a guest room at the house. It was a nice surprise to not have to spend money on an inn like he originally intended to do.

He figured it would work out eventually. His conversation with Choi Han ended at that and he resumed observing the children’s laughter.

*****

Choi Han felt the words die down on his tongue when he heard what Cale had to say. A wave of emotions washed over him like a tsunami and he felt his heart ache. Cale had been searching for him. It hadn’t been a fateful encounter. This man, who exhibited a classy aura that Choi Han couldn’t even compare to, went out of his way to find him. Him, a man he only met once before, and who had nothing but his sword.

Well, he also had the villa, but that was another gift from Cale. Honestly, Choi Han wondered why he gave them so much just to disappear afterwards. Wouldn’t he want the villa for himself if he ever came back? Yet, Cale hadn’t said a single word about it.

Choi Han wasn’t sure Cale knew it, but he meant a lot to the swordsman. In a way, Cale was the one who saved him. Despite their weird first interaction, he led both him and Dodam out of the Forest of Darkness and the cave they used to live in. He showed them a village with actual people, bought Choi Han extra pairs of clothes, and gave them two large houses to live in.

Cale gave Choi Han a home. Even when one of their houses got destroyed, they had another residence prepared. That’s the main reason why he didn’t stay in Rain City after he met the count, also because he had Dodam to take care of. At some point, Choi Han wondered if Cale somehow knew one of the houses would get destroyed in the future. He was a man who was hard to understand after all.

Choi Han owed so much to Cale. From this point and onwards, he swore that he would always be by this man’s side. To help him and keep him safe.

He rubbed his misty eyes and happily let a blinding smile light up his face.

Spending the rest of their lunch filled with laughter from the children and amused huffs from Cale, they eventually left to journey to the Henituse Estate. They were currently in the center of the city and it would take around an hour to get back without a carriage. While Cale thought about calling a carriage since it would be no problem with the amount of money he had, the children wanted to explore some first.

“Human! I want to look at the sweets!” Dodam exclaimed excitedly with a whisper. Hong, who had turned back into his cat form with his sister, agreed with an eager nod.

“Haahhh, fine.” Despite the sigh, Cale didn’t protest. Choi Han flashed him a smile and Cale led them to one of the open stalls.

“I haven’t been much in the city.” Choi Han admitted. “Me and Dodam usually stayed at the house in Harris Village. We only went to the city if food, medicine or clothes were needed.”

The smile slightly faltered at the memory but he was able to shake off the feeling. Choi Han realized he felt more at ease since he reunited with Cale. That he somehow calmed him down whenever his mind wandered. There was a sheepish look on his face when he turned to the other man.

“I’m a little embarrassed to say I don’t know where to find most of the things here.”

Choi Han didn’t know how many times Cale had been in Rain City, but it looked like he knew his way around. Even when he was... whatever he was. Choi Han didn’t know where his knowledge about things came from. At one point, he doubted if Cale was even human, but the weak man in front of him could be nothing but human. Unless he managed to hide his true identity from the skilled swordsman.

Cale gave a small chuckle. “It’s understandable. I have a good memory, so I hardly forget things.”

The comment was nonchalant and relaxed. The fact that Cale hinted at his Record ability went unknown to Choi Han.

— Human! I want to try that one! The round and brown one!

Dodam, who was still invisible, flapped his wings in between Cale and Choi Han, and spoke in both of their minds so they could hear him clearly.

“That’s... an apple pie.” The swordsman looked up when he heard the hesitating voice. Cale’s face had turned slightly more pale than his usual paleness, and he stammered out the sentence.

“Nyaa!”

“Meow!”

On and Hong seem to agree with the dragon, also focusing on the apple pie. Choi Han didn’t know what Cale was thinking about to have such an expression, but chose not to say anything when the other man complied with the children’s request.

“Hello there, gentlemen! What would you like?” The woman behind the counter asked in a joyous voice, clasping her hands together.

“Give me 5 apple pies. Pack all of them up except for one.”

“Huh? Oh— yes, of course! Please wait a moment.”

Dodam was still invisible, but the previous chatter in their minds quieted down. The cats were also looking at Cale with big eyes.

— H, Human are you sure?! 5 is a lot!

Choi Han was also looking at Cale, slightly stunned with a sense of déjà vu at the scene. Only after thinking for a while did he remember the familiar situation at their first meeting. Cale had walked around Rain City and bought a lot of things for Choi Han and Dodam, just like today. His heart warmed at the reminder.

At the same time, a record of the children’s love for apple pies flashed in Cale’s mind. While the soggy apple pies still gave him chills, he couldn’t say no to those eager faces.

“Apple pies is popular among children.” The excuse flew out of him. “Plus, I’m packing up the rest of the pies so you can eat them whenever you want.”

The woman behind the counter pretended to not hear him, not sure if he was talking to the intimidating man beside him or someone else.

“Here you go, sir!” She swiftly finished packing the apple pies and put them on the counter.

“Thanks.” Cale said and threw her a gold coin.

“Hu— what?! S-Sir!!”

“Hm?”

“This is too m-much!” The baker in front of him was the same one Cale bought bread from in his own world. Just like his first time gifting her a gold coin, the reaction was similar.

“It’s fine. Take it.” He didn’t waste any time taking the pies and leaving to prevent hearing any further protests. As he gave the 4 apple pies to Dodam and prepared a few slices for the children, he noticed their gazes on him.

“H, human.” On stammered out. “Wasn’t that too much?”

Cale only laughed in response and gave her an apple pie. “Don’t worry. Spending money is one the best things I know.”

Choi Han could swear the other man almost looked proud when he said that. He chuckled at the scene and the kids soon started to munch on their pies.

“Mister Cale?” A familiar voice spoke up behind them, and Cale turned to see Basen standing a few meters away. Two knights stood beside him, observing Cale. Basen had a stoic expression on his face, completely identical to Violan’s default one. Both in personality and appearance did Basen look like a copy of his mother.

“Young master Basen.” Cale called back and gave a small bow as a greeting. Choi han followed suit, a bit slower than Cale.

Chapter 10: The Bread Incident

Chapter Text

The young boy eyed the cats once more. It was an odd sight to see; two cats munching on apple pies, but he didn’t comment on it. Instead, Basen moved his gaze to the black-haired man beside Cale and inspected him from head to toe. Cale made sure Choi Han changed into clean clothes before they left, so he should look more presentable than the previously bloody and ripped clothes he wore.

“Since you left early in the morning, I suppose you just got back? I’m glad you returned safely.” Basen said politely with an emotionless expression, closing his eyes and reopening them again. “Is this your friend, Mister Cale?”

Choi Han flinched at the word ‘friend’ and his eyes grew wide. Cale simply smiled and gestured to the man beside him with the hand that wasn’t holding On.

“Indeed. This is Choi Han, the swordsman I mentioned to you before.”

“Ah... Hello, young master Basen..” Choi Han awkwardly repeated what Cale said earlier. The only time Choi Han met a noble that wasn’t Venion Stan, was Count Henituse. At that time, he tried to be as formal as possible when he reported to him despite his inner desperation, and left as soon as possible. The count had been serious but kind. Meeting a boy who looked stoic as ever made Choi Han unsure how to react.

Luckily, it didn’t seem like Basen minded his tone and gave a small greeting back.

“What brings you here, young master?” Cale asked with a smile. Basen turned back to look at him, but didn’t say anything. He only stared for a few moments. Basen’s odd silence made Cale question himself if he said anything wrong. Looking at the guards beside the young boy didn’t help, as they only looked at him with furrowed eyebrows. In the end, Basen opened his mouth slowly.

“Mister Cale... are you okay?”

“Hm?”

The question caught him off guard.

‘...Why is he asking that?’

Basen didn’t look him in the eye, but slightly to the left somewhere under his head. He also looked hesitant, and pressed his lips together, unsure what to say. Cale followed his brother’s eyes down to look at his clothes and notices a small blood stain at his collar.

‘sh*t... I forgot about that.’

Earlier when Choi Han slammed into Cale’s shield with his black aura, the impact caused Cale to cough up some blood. He didn’t notice he accidentally left a stain on his clothes. No wonder the waiter at the restaurant acted so weird and nervous around them. Cale just thought Choi Han had appeared quite imitating to the waiter, but it seems like Cale was actually the reason for their odd behavior.

He looked back at Basen and gave him a reassuring smile. “Ah, please don’t worry, young master Basen. The familiar injury I had when we first met isn’t something that can easily go away, but it is no problem. It was only minor.”

Choi Han side eyed him and internally questioned what injury Cale was talking about. He knew about the blood stain on his clothes from before but felt too guilty to point it out. Had Cale gotten injured before they met?

Basen on the other hand, knew what Cale was talking about. He heard from Hilsman that the man had coughed up blood when he was first found and said it was a reoccurring internal injury. If the blood stain is related to that, then it was both understandable and a bit worrying.

“I see... Have you gone to see a healer yet?”

“Ah, there is truly no need for that. It has long since passed.”

“...”

Cale didn’t want to concern Basen with bringing a healer. Last time was already too much and unnecessary when he was actually completely fine. Basen also seemed to leave the topic at that, remembering Cale’s first question.

“...Alrght then, I was just preparing a bit before we leave for the Capital.” The answer was simple and vague, but Cale didn’t focus on that. It appeared that Basen was also still a bit awkward around Cale. It was understandable, considering his identity and sudden appearance at the estate.

“I see. We just arrived back in the city and were simply exploring. I planned to call a carriage and go back to the Henituse Estate in an hour. It is a good idea to fix some preparations before departure.” He easily agreed with Basen’s statement and continued the conversation.

For a few moments, Basen was quiet once again, obviously thinking about something. Choi Han kept silent during their talk. He didn’t know proper etiquette here, nor did he know how to act, so he let Cale do the talking. So far, this noble seemed nice.

“Uhm, Mister Cale.” Basen started to speak slowly, seemingly wanting to ask something. Cale patiently listened to him.

“We also planned to stay for only one more hour. There is no need to call a carriage when you can travel with us. After all, we will be spending a journey to the Capital together.” Basen spoke with a steady voice, doing his best to hold eye contact with Cale’s reddish-brown eyes.

Cale couldn’t help the smile that curled up his lips. “That’s a wonderful idea, young master Basen. We would be honored to accompany you.”

Choi Han simply nodded in agreement, still quietly observing the situation. Hong, who was in Choi Han’s arms, decided to make himself comfortable and relax after finding the conversation boring. The apple pie was gone now. Only a few crumbs on his face showed signs of it ever being there. Judging from how happy Dodam sounded in Cale and Choi Han’s minds, it seemed like the little dragon also enjoyed the apple pie while staying invisible.

— Human, Choi Han! This dessert was so good! I’m so happy we bought more!

“I was planning on visiting the blacksmith before we go back. Choi Han, you need a new sword, don’t you?” Cale turned to the startled swordsman. “I’ll make a request for the blacksmith to finish it before our journey.”

“W-What? Cale-nim, there’s no need!” Choi Han spoke up for the first time in a while, frantically trying to convince Cale it wasn’t necessary. While he did need a new sword, the thought of making Cale use his own money to give him a sword made him feel bad. This man had already done so much for him, and he continued to help. Choi Han felt an overwhelming wave of emotion and gratitude wash over him. He would need to repay Cale for everything.

Basen slightly narrowed his eyes before returning to his stoic expression. “Will Sir Choi Han also accompany us to the Capital?”

Cale ignored the black-haired man beside him and answered Basen with ease. “If it is okay for young master Basen and Count Deruth, of course.”

“I have no problem with it.” The boy quickly answered. Cale let out an amused huff.

Walking around the city’s market took slightly longer than what Cale had anticipated. Instead of staying for one hour, it’s now close to two hours. Meanwhile, Dodam excitedly shouted in Cale’s mind and pointed at stuff around the market.

— Oh! Can we go over there? That looks tasty!

The little dragon has seen most of the things before, but it was a different experience when the human was here with him. He felt carefree and joyful. Choi Han tended to the kittens while Cale and Basen talked. Only sometimes when he got asked a question, did he give a small answer that satisfied the other person.

The sword Cale requested from the blacksmith is the same design he gave to the Choi Han in his own world. Seriously, Cale didn’t understand why Choi Han didn’t spend money on a new sword and instead kept the one from the Super Rock Villa a whole year ago.

“Mister Cale, you seem to be quite familiar with the paths around Rain City.” Basen suddenly commented, breaking Cale’s train of thought.

‘Ah, this again.’

It was very similar to what he and Choi Han discussed before meeting with Basen. At that time, Cale answered by saying he had a good memory. He wasn’t sure why he hesitated when talking with Basen.

“I’ve visited Rain City’s market quite a few times in the past.” He ended up saying. It wasn’t exactly a lie. But ‘a few times’ was an understatement.

Basen nodded in confirmation. “So you’ve told me.”

Choi Han stopped to look up once he heard Cale’s sentence. Unlike Basen, Choi Han could actually guess Cale was lying. He didn’t know if he was lying or not, but based on their first weird encounter with each other, he was sure Cale wasn’t a normal human. Of course, Choi Han didn’t know that Cale was telling the truth.

The two guards with Basen kept quiet the whole time, save for a few moments when they were talking to the different store owners or with their young master. Cale noticed their lingering gazes on him, but paid them no mind. He expected such reactions after choosing what his last name would be. His striking red hair didn’t particularly help in diverting attention either.

The guards weren’t the only ones who looked in his direction. Many of the citizens around them had a hard time disguising their curiosity at the mystery men walking with each cat in their arms beside the heir to Henituse County. Actually, Choi Han looked more like a guard than a friend following along with his quiet demeanor. Cale didn’t pay these people any mind, only focusing on the silver kitten in his arms and to keep the flow of conversation between Basen and him going.

However, their peace was interrupted by a loud yell from behind them. The shout made them slow down to see what was happening. An angry man made the whole market momentarily stop with his roaring voice.

Cale winced at the noise.

‘What is this lunatic yelling about—‘

“Ugh!”

Right at that moment, a small force harshly bumped into him from behind, making him stumble forward. Hadn’t it been for Choi Han who once again saved him from the fall, Cale would have fallen head first into the ground.

‘What is up with people crashing into me today?’

The thought irritated him and he turned around to confront the culprit, but stopped when he saw a young and dirty girl on the ground. She was holding a loaf of bread in her arm. Brown and messy short hair, shredded clothes and bruises on her knees. The girl was obviously from the slums. She looked very distressed and panicked, like she would bolt at any moment.

"Thief!” The man from before shouted one again and pointed straight in Cale’s direction. It didn’t take a genius to understand the girl had stolen from the baker.

The young girl looked even more panicked than before and desperately tried to stand up.

“Ah!”

One of her arms got grabbed by a man in armor, specifically, one of Basen’s guards. Choi Han’s pupils shook and he took a hold on his scabbard, clearly angry at the scene. Ohn and Hong also looked alert with their ears pulled back and the fur on their backs slowly standing up. Both had hopped down to stand beside Cale and Choi Han.

— What is he doing to her?!

Dodam angrily yelled in his mind. Cale sighed deeply at the chaos and turned to the silent Basen behind him. Feeling hopeless at the cliche scene. Why must this happen to him? It wasn’t in the Birth of a Hero.

“Young master Basen, please let me handle this.”

His younger brother had a complicated expression before lifting his gaze to Cale. He unconsciously relaxed at seeing the certain look in the other’s eyes. It helped clear his mind.

“Herman, please release her.”

The guard looked surprised and conflicted, but eventually listened to his young master’s command. Cale put a calm hand on Choi Han as he passed him (telling him to calm down), and crouched down before the girl, dirtying his knee. By this time, the angry baker managed to completely make his way through the crowd and started shouting again.

“She stole my bread! Arrest her!”

His noisy voice startled the girl even more and she froze on the spot, noticing the amount of eyes on her. Her breathing picked up, hugging the loaf even tighter. Cale frowned. If she squeezed the bread any more, it would only get crushed and not very pleasant to eat. Yet again, people from the slums valued a crumb of food even more than their lives. The scene brought a sense of nostalgia; remembering how he met On and Hong.

“Hey.”

The girl snapped her head to look at the one who spoke to her in fear. A relaxed man with beautiful red hair took over her vision. He looked so pretty with those shimmering reddish-brown eyes and fancy attire. The image temporarily made her forget her fear as something about him calmed her down.

“Are you hungry?”

She flinched again at his voice, but weakly nodded her head. The baker roared in anger once more and she hastily spun around to search for the threat. Her breathing picked up again.

“Hey, look at me.” Cale called out to her. He noticed the early signs of a panic attack and tried to move her attention. “Focus on me, don’t care about that guy.”

“What?! Who the hell are you?”

Another knight in the area approached the man and tried to reason with him. Seeing how he tried to calm the baker down instead of going after the girl hinted that he already understood the situation. He had no doubt recognized Basen and acted accordingly since he wasn’t doing anything about the girl. Cale appreciated the knights with some common sense. They made it much easier for him.

Cale succeeded in averting the little girl’s attention to only look at him. Her dirty clothes reminded him of On and Hong, as well as a familiar hunger Cale has felt in his life as Kim Rok Soo. He recognized those desperate eyes. It left a bitter taste in his mouth.

“Come on, are you hurt?” He took a hold on the girl’s hand and helped her up. She shyly shook her head, careful to not drop the bread.

“It’s not good to steal.” His next words made her pull her hand away from him. Clearly alarmed, she frantically looked around for a way to escape. However, before she could run away, Cale leaned closer. “I won’t let him touch you.” He slowly whispered to her before standing up.

The little girl looked stunned for a moment before hesitatingly turning around to look at the baker. The man was glaring at her, not listening to a word the knight was saying to him. Basen kept observing him from a distance. Cale couldn’t see his expression, but he could feel the eyes on him. Choi Han and the children also relaxed slightly when Cale approached the situation. A level of trust in their human calmed them down.

“Are you her guardian?” The man growled, turning his focus to Cale.

He shook his head. “No.”

“Then mind your own business and give her here.”

Choi Han tensed up, ready to draw his sword. The kittens hissed at the man, but no one paid them any attention, too focused on the drama between the two men. His statement caused the little girl to flinch again and looked at Cale with a pleading expression.

Cale exhaled deeply, already tired of everything.

‘Why must this happen to me?’

It was such a cliche scene too. An interference that sometimes happened to the good main character in fantasy novels. Never did he think he would be in the center of it all. No. This was just a coincidence. It didn’t mean anything.

Instead of answering the man, he dug in his pocket and took out a silver coin.

“Is this enough?”

“Huh?”

“The bread. This should be enough to cover the cost.”

Cale spoke in a flat tone, ignoring the sudden silence around him. Behind him, Choi Han let out a shaky breath while Basen’s eyes were wide. The young girl looked up at Cale with a gaping mouth, her lips trembling. Shock traveled through her body at the kind gesture of this stranger. She couldn’t stop herself from shaking with overwhelming emotions.

“Uh.. yes, that’s more than enough.” The man stumbled over his words, eventually answering Cale.

“Then take it.” His voice held no warmth and urged the baker to hurry up. The man had lost any lingering anger at realizing this man was someone of importance, and quickly approached him. At first, he hadn’t noticed the elegance he carried himself with, or how the young master of Henituse stood behind him. The girl was forgotten in the hurry of taking the money and leaving as fast as possible. He couldn’t risk angering a noble for the sake of his bakery.

The citizens around them who pretended to not be looking soon turned away. The drama was over, there was nothing left to see.

“Haaaa...” Cale had both his hands on his hips and breathed out a long sigh. “Seriously, why is it always me..?” He grumbled quietly until he sensed a pair of eyes boring into his skull. Looking down, Cale saw the look of wonder in the little girl’s eyes.

“Hm?”

“...”

The girl huffed out small breaths and clenched the bread in her arms. Opening and closing her mouth as if not knowing what to say. Her odd behavior almost worried Cale that she was ill or couldn’t breathe properly because of some sickness or something. Cale crouched down to her lever once more and looked her in the eyes.

She tended up when she felt his large hand gently take hers and slid something cold into her hand. She looked down at the items he gave her and gasped when she caught sight of a beautiful gold shimmering in the sun. It was the most prettiest gold she has ever seen. Almost as pretty as the man in front of her. The girl snapped her head up to look at Cale, her breath caught in her throat. Cale put a finger over his mouth, silently telling her to not say this to anyone, and stood up.

She panicked when she realized he would leave, and hurriedly threw herself at him before he had the chance to turn around. Squeezing the bread in her arms, she clenched around the golden coin and gave him a half embrace.

The action startled Cale. He felt awkward, not knowing what to do.

‘What now..?’

In the end, he simply patted her back a couple of times until she let go. With an emotional smile, she ran away and disappeared through the crowd. Cale huffed out a sigh and turned back to the others, wearing a small smile he hoped no one saw.

Chapter 11: Returning to the Estate

Chapter Text

Basen couldn’t bring himself to look away from the scene unfolding in front of him.

In truth, he was reminded of his sister when he first saw the young girl. She had short, brown hair just like Lily, and they seemed to be the same height too. He wanted to stop the guard when he harshly grabbed the little girl’s arm, but also knew that he had no reason to stop him. The girl stole something and broke the law, yet something told him to do something about it. Basen suppose there’s still a lingering part of him from when he and his mother were still commoners. An uncomfortable feeling settled in his chest.

Then, when he looked at Mister Cale who called out to him, Cale with such certainty in his eyes, Basen automatically relaxed. For what reason, he wasn’t completely sure.

Ever since he met Cale Thames, Basen hasn't known how to act around him. There was a weird sensation, fogging his brain, that told him he could relax when the man was there, but he brushed it off. Mister Cale was still a stranger after all.

Basen also saw how his father reacted to this man and how skillfully his mother concealed her inner emotions to act professionally. It was undoubtedly different from how they treat normal commoners or guests. They were careful in their words, hoping to not offend the man and expressing their generosity tenfold. Basen was 14 years old and the heir. He has been taught to observe different expressions and eventually learned the subtle changes in his parents’ faces over the years.

The appearance of a man claiming to be a relative of his father’s first wife came as a shock to the whole estate. Cale Thames’ name and the meaning behind it is also a reason why Basen doesn’t know how to act around him.

When Basen first met Cale, the impression he left on the young heir was a calculative person with a lighthearted facade. He acted humble towards the county and showed respect like any other person of lower status should do. When Basen looked into his eyes a few moments ago, he could feel the control this man already had of the situation, and decided to let him take over. True to his expectations, he handled it extremely well.

Mister Cale first calmed down the distressed girl, then dissolved the matter by paying for the bread, and avoided an arrest against a child. Almost like Cale was an experienced leader (he really did seem to be one), it looked like he knew exactly what to do. Being so reliable truly made everyone around him to calm down. Basen was relieved and impressed. He wasn’t sure if he could have handled it as efficiently as this man did.

When Cale crouched down to the girl again, Basen couldn’t hear what he was saying, but understood the look of admiration on the girl’s face. It was only when the girl threw herself forward and tightly hugged his legs that Basen understood it all. In the little girl’s hand was a golden coin, a bit too large for her to conveniently hide in her palm.

The sight made his heart swell. There was no doubt the guards beside him also saw the shiny object. He could imagine the kind act moved more hearts than just his own. Basen could almost laugh at the awkward expression Cale had as he carefully patted the girl’s back. Choi Han, on the other hand, didn’t conceal his laughter as any tension immediately left his shoulders.

“Nyaaa!”

The cats wasted no time in jumping out of Choi Han’s embrace and ran towards Cale the moment he turned back around, face stoic as if nothing had happened. Yet, Basen could see a subtle smile form on his face before vanishing again.

“Ugh...” Basen heard the redhead grumble to himself. “My knees are gonna break from bending down so much.” The cats got louder as if laughing at him as he still picked them up despite his protest.

The black-haired swordsman chuckled cheerfully as he also approached the other man. “Are you okay, Cale-nim?”

“Hm? Yes, why wouldn’t I be fine?”

Basen quietly observed the scene for a few more seconds before deciding he should also walk up to them.

“Ah, young master Basen. We’ve spent some time at the market now, shall we go back to the Henituse Estate?”

If anyone saw the small smile that appeared on Basen’s face, they didn’t say anything.

“Yes, let’s go back, Mister Cale.”

Having arrived back at the estate, they were greeted by the servants who tended to both Basen and Cale. A few of them seemed to recognize Choi Han, and Hans, who had been informed in advance of Cale’s objective, happily welcomed him. The deputy butler was professional and didn’t question why his lord’s son had arrived with their guests.

The count was apparently kind enough to have already prepared a guest room for the returning swordsman, having expected he would come back soon with Cale. As Choi Han was led to his room, Cale got informed that the count and countess wished for him to dine with them once more if he was feeling alright.

“You’re going to eat dinner with the young boy’s family? I’m going with you!” Dodam exclaimed with vigor. The young boy he was referring to was of course Basen.

Cale sighed, knowing he couldn’t stop the dragon from doing what he wanted.

“Fine, but you need to stay silent.”

“Don’t worry, Human! I’m really good at staying hidden!”

Cale left On and Hong inside his room before leaving. Now, he was talking with Dodam in a hushed voice, walking through an empty hall. Soon enough, they started to near the dining hall, and Dodam turned invisible at the sight of other people. A servant greeted him upon seeing Cale approaching, and led him into the dining hall where everyone else was already seated.

“Ah,” Deruth voiced the moment he saw Cale. “Young Cale, welcome back from your trip. I heard everything went well?”

Cale gave a polite bow to the couple and sat down. “Thank you, Count-nim. Thanks to your generous help, I returned much more quickly than anticipated.”

‘I’ll keep up this act for a while longer.’

Acting like this wasn’t favorable for Cale, it took too much energy. However, it was necessary for the sake of his reputation in this world and the impression his family got of him. If Cale was too relaxed or acted how he usually would, he might be seen as disrespectful or uncaring while receiving help from a county. If that happens, he will lose the support they’ve given him. It was much easier to have a place to stay provided for you instead of having to work for one yourself.

After all, Cale currently has nothing. He needs to build it all up again. A thought he dreaded every time he came to think about it.

‘I want to go home.’

“Did you find the swordsman?” Lily asked with sparkling eyes, leaning halfway out of her seat. The young lady had been waiting for their return the whole day, but couldn’t come see Cale until now because of her studies.

“Yes, young lady Lily. Choi Han was at the place I predicted. He’s currently resting. Which reminds me; thank you dearly for sharing your kindness with my friend too”

No one saw how the invisible Dodam made his way under the table and settled in Cale’s lap. Violan, who noticed Cale’s choice of words, spoke up for the first time since he first came into the dining hall.

“And where exactly is that place? I heard you got injured while you were away.”

Violan had most likely heard about Cale’s ‘injury’ from either Basen or one of the guards that accompanied him on the market. He immediately changed out of the bloody shirt the moment he came back. Cale internally sighed at the repeated question.

“Please don’t worry about the injury, Lady Violan. It is an occurrence that sometimes repeats, but it doesn’t put me in any danger.”

It was still concerning. To have such a weak body to cough up blood all the time worried Deruth.

At the mention of the injury and its description, many of the elder servants remembered the late countess. Jour was known to have beautiful crimson red hair, but also a frail body. Cale Thames was like a copy of her. It was even reported that she coughed up blood on the day of her demise. They couldn't help but connect that thought to Cale’s sentence.

‘To think such a young man is also so ill.’ A maid shook her head regrettably.

Unaware of the others’ thoughts, Cale continued. “As for the place I found him at; it’s in a forest close to Harris Village. A specific location where we first met.”

His answer was once again vague, but it was enough. He technically did not lie and only slightly twisted the truth. The story seemed believable based on the past things Cale has said about Choi Han. While Violan didn’t show any reaction, Deruth visibly frowned, both coming to the same conclusion.

‘The Forest of Darkness..? Surely not...’

However, they couldn't continue that train of thought, because their food just arrived. Oddly, Beacrox, a chef who should still be in the kitchen, was among the ones serving the food. Upon catching sight of the cold stare Beacrox was directing at him, Cale got nervous.

‘What is he doing here..?’

This was the second time they encountered each other in the dining hall after Cale’s visit to the kitchen. The chef looked indifferent without any change in his expression. It was like they were meeting for the first time, so Cale naturally adapted to that thought.

“Thanks.”

Cale quickly thanked the servant and started to eat the delicious food once the others began. It wasn’t a particularly uncomfortable atmosphere for Cale, but rather nostalgic. This dinner hardly felt any different from the other ones he shared with his family in his own world. The realization made Cale slightly pause. It wasn’t good if he became too comfortable in this world.

“Mister Cale.”

Violan was once again the first one to break the silence.

“I hope the food is to your liking.”

Cale, who was pretending to have never tested noble food because of his identity as a traveler, easily agreed with Violan.

“Indeed, my Lady. The meal is delicious and well made. The chef must be very skilled.”

Beacrox narrowed his eyes from his place behind the redhead.

“Ah yes,” Deruth joined in on the conversation. “You will be leaving in two days with Basen. Have you prepared everything you need?”

Basen looked up at the mention of preparations and his mind immediately flew to the incident that occurred earlier that day. It went unnoticed for everyone except for Cale. He silently huffed with a smile at the subtle reaction.

“Yes. There is also something I would like to ask.”

Cale recalled the question he asked Basen when they met at the market. Even if he said it was okay, it was best to ask the lord of the house too. Seeing Deruth's gesture for him to continue, Cale opened his mouth.

“I was wondering if my friend, Choi Han, could also join our trip to the Capital?”

Asking to bring along a friend could also mean Cale is asking for Deruth to make room for Choi Han as a guest for the carriage. But Cale planned for Choi Han to leave halfway through the journey and later meet up in the Capital again, just like in his own world. It would be unnecessary to complicate it so much for just a short time.

— Human! Can I try the bread? It looks tasty!

Cale naturally ignored the young voice echoing in his head.

“The swordsman?”

Cale nodded. “Yes, however, there is no need for the Count-nim to make any more preparations. I wouldn’t want to burden you with this as you’ve already done so much for me.”

“So you’re only asking if he can come along? Well, I suppose that shouldn’t be a problem, but wouldn’t preparations be needed either way?”

“In a way, yes. On another note, Choi Han is a skilled swordsman, so to make things easier, he could be placed as a temporary guard.” The suggestion was sudden, but not too surprising. Cale have talked and explained about Choi Han’s potential to Lily the previous days, so they understood how much faith Cale had in the swordsman.

It was also a good suggestion, as it wouldn’t trouble Deruth as much as preparing for another guest the servants would look after.

“Hm.” The count thought for a moment, before coming to a conclusion. “It’s a good idea, but for Sir Choi Han to join the Henituse Knights, even though it’s temporary, I would need to see his skills for myself.”

It was a bit different to what happened in Cale’s world. At that time, Cale was a legitimate child of Count Henituse and no one except Deruth could turn down his decision to bring Choi Han along. This time, he had to work a bit more to convince his father to agree with him, but it worked in the end.

‘It seems like Choi Han will need to fight all of the knights in this world.’

Content with how the conversation turned out, Cale sat back in his chair. What he didn’t know was that Beacrox, who had been listening to the whole conversation, made a decision to convince the count about something else himself that evening.

The next day, Choi Han stood at the training grounds and listened to a man called Hans speak.

“So there is no need to worry! All you need to do is spar with a few of the knights to show what you can do.”

Choi Han hadn’t known beforehand that Cale talked with the count to make him join their party. He moved his gaze slightly to the side and saw Cale and Count Henituse calmly speak to each other. Though, he also noticed how the older of the two had a hard time keeping eye contact.

“In fact, I believe you will do great! We’ve heard many wonderful stories from your friend.”

Choi Han’s attention was grabbed by what Hans said.

‘Stories?’

The swordsman tried to recall what Cale said to him when they reunited. He told him he had mentioned Choi Han to the others, but that’s as far as he knows.

“I’m very excited about seeing you show your skills, Mr. Choi Han! I’ve heard you’re very good with the sword.”

Choi Han didn’t know whether to feel embarrassed or happy that Cale praised his skills so that Hans caught swift on what he said. He sneaked another glance at Cale. Coincidentally, the man turned his head to focus on the swordsman at the same time, suddenly making eye contact.

Choi Han slowly waves his hand clumsily, cheeks showing a tint of red from embarrassment. Cale only gave a nod in response, too far away to see his awkward expression clearly.

Once the final adjustments were finished, the swordsman got called in to start a duel with one of the knights. Cale looked at him from afar, showing no nervousness of the situation. He was confident Choi Han would do well. He stood beside his father, watching the first duel begin.

Choi Han held tightly onto a wooden sword instead of the old one from the Super Rock Villa. Another knight, the current judge, yelled for them to get into their positions before finally announcing the start of the duel.

“Gasp!”

The first match ended in seconds.

Chapter 12: How could a wooden sword be dangerous?

Chapter Text

Cale sighed. He knows he told Choi Han to not hold back completely, but was this necessary. Actually, yes it was. On another note, it was good that Choi Han showed off so much. It means they would look at him more than Cale. A good thing.

Cale observed the swordsman’s expression and found no changes. His gaze was drawn to the knight on the ground. He looked frozen, staring straight at the tip of the sword that pointed at his face. His labored breathing was the only thing that could be heard in the silent training area. No one uttered a word, to stunned by the quick match.

Choi Han had skillfully stopped the knight from swinging his weapon and made it fly out of his hands, landing on the ground a few meters away. The action ended in only a few seconds. His speed was so remarkable that the audience doubted if they could believe their eyes. But one thing remained unchanged; Choi Han was standing, the knight was on the ground.

“...”

Deruth was equally shocked, but managed to hide his surprise through a neutral face. He wondered who this swordsman was the first time they met in his office. The young man in dirty and bloody clothes had looked exhausted, not showing a tint of emotion behind his dark face. Yet, despair was hidden beneath his blank eyes. Despite the name of the village rattling something deep within Deruth, he masked his emotions to provide help to the only survivor of the massacre. Another thing he doesn’t quite understand.

Until now.

The black-haired man, who appeared so young, was excellent with the sword, just like Cale said. Deruth was suspicious of Choi Han ever since the investigation team informed him exactly how all of the assassins were brutally murdered. Assassins, who killed an entire village, were all dead. The reason for death was slashes made from the size of a sword. His main suspect had been the only survivor of the terror incident. It was only now that he could confirm that thought. At the same time, he also decided to let him be because of how close his Cale seemed to be with him. Deruth wouldn’t want to take away the only friend his nephew had from the horrific incident.

Yeah. Nephew. A part of Deruth saw Cale as his nephew despite them having no connection other than Jour. In truth, it hadn’t been planned for Deruth to join watching the duel, he actually planned on sending Hilsman to report to him. But when he heard Cale was going to be there, he made an impulsive decision to abandon his work and come to the training grounds. Deruth had to admit he hadn’t formed a plan when he made the decision, so he also didn’t know how to act or what to say to the young man.

He sneaked a glance at the redhead and was startled to unexpectedly meet his eyes.

“...”

They both had turned to look at each other at the same time. An awkward silence took over them for a few moments before Cale decided to speak.

“What do you think, Count-nim?”

Deruth looked back at the duel and noticed how the second match had already finished. Much in a similar manner as the first one. Choi Han was standing before the fallen knight, pointing his sword at her. She was scowling at him, showing a different reaction than the previous one.

“...He’s skilled.” Deruth croaked out, still slightly distracted by their sudden eye contact.

The ‘sparring’ (it was more like a one-sided battle) continued all while Choi Han barely broke a sweat. Every time another of the Henituse Knights got defeated, the judge of the match turned to look at his lord, but seeing no intention of stopping, he continued to bring forth another contestant.

Cale recalled what he told Choi Han before the match started.

“Choi Han, while I’m sure you know, it’s best to hide your strength.”

Choi Han looked at him with big eyes, listening intently to every word. Cale spoke to him quietly, almost like a whisper.

“There is no need to go overboard, just use enough strength to defeat them.”

‘Don’t use your aura’ is what Cale wants to say. Luckily, Choi Han seemed to understand and bobbed his head to give a nod.

“Yes, Cale-nim.”

As the nth match began, Cale noticed the other knight’s expressions. Some showed a tint of awe at the swordsman’s skill. It was truly impressive how fast he could immobilize his opponent. While his swordsmanship was remarkable, his hits were rough and fast. The times a knight managed to last a few extra seconds, they noticed how different his fighting style was. It wasn’t something anyone recognized, almost as if he was self-taught.

While some practically had stars in their eyes, others were looking at Choi Han with slight jealousy. The elder knights, who had practiced their whole life, didn’t really like getting defeated and humiliated by a teenager. But Choi Han remained unchanged and kept fighting without question.

“Alright. Sir Choi Han, please spar with me!”

In the end, Hilsman, the vice captain, also chose to challenge Choi Han. The whispers among the audience finally began to die down, excited to see the skilled vice captain duel with the mysterious swordsman.

‘This is going well.’

It was odd how his father hadn’t stopped the matches to make a decision yet despite the clear evidence of how capable Choi Han was, but it was going well. If Choi Han managed to defeat Hilsman, which Cale had no doubt in, he would most likely immediately get accepted as a temporary knight like Cale suggested.

During the past matches, Deruth had decided to sit down in a chair prepared for him, seated a few meters away from Cale. Cale didn’t mind as the knights and servants surrounding his father followed him. Even if each match only took a few seconds to end, it’s been quite a while since they started because every knight present seemed to want to duel with Choi Han.

Cale actually felt his legs start to go numb from standing up so much.

“Okay.” Choi Han answered back in an indifferent manner. Some of the previous opponents might have gotten offended by his tone, but Hilsman maintained his smile.

The two took their positions and Cale crossed his arms. The count who sat a few meters away narrowed his eyes, observing the black-haired man’s stance.

The knight who judged the previous matches yelled loudly, catching everyone’s attention. “Start!”

Choi Han dashed forward, much like how he started the other duels. Hilsman, who had observed and took note of Choi Han’s movements, quickly changed into a defensive position.

Thud! Thud!

The wooden swords slashed against each other, and Hilsman was actually holding out longer than the other knights. Choi Han swung his sword diagonally, causing Hilsman to tense up, but still managed to block him. He had almost no room to attack back when the other swordsman kept sending hit upon hit.

They both ignored the excited shouting around them, fully focused on the fight. A particularly quick and hard thrust of Choi Han’s sword caused an opening in Hilsman’s defense.

“Agh!”

In a panic, Hilsman harshly pushed away from Choi Han. While Hilsman slid away, Choi Han stood firm like an unmoving wall. He jumped forward with a flat expression to chase him, having no plan on letting Hilsman recover.

The other man hastily stood back up, panicked. Hilsman saw a pair of black pupils focus on him and only him. For a moment, Choi Han didn’t look like a normal teenager anymore, but more like a beast hunting its prey.

And sadly, Hilsman was that prey.

The menacing figure was closing in fast. Hilsman reacted in reflex. With his breath caught in his throat, he swung his weapon without thinking.

“Ah!”

Crack!

The wooden sword in Hilsman’s hand flew into the air and he fell backwards. The movement was so fast that it blurred for anyone watching. No one had time to react when they realized the broken sword shot right IN CALE’S DIRECTION—

Swosh!

Cale’s vision darkened. Something black appeared in front of him. He felt strong but gentle arms embrace him. A large body pressed against his.

Like time had stopped, only the sound of broken wooden pieces falling to the ground was heard. No one uttered a word, stunned by the scene.

There wasn’t any heavy breathing from the person in front of Cale, but he could hear the fast heartbeat of the latter. The arms around him tightened momentarily, almost as if scared Cale would break, before loosening. The person pulled back, and Cale could see Choi Han’s twisted expression.

“...Are you okay, Cale-nim?”

Choi Han asked the other slowly, ignoring both the small pains in his back and the gazes of the crowd around them. His heart had skipped a beat when he saw the sword flying right at Cale. He moved without realizing he did, with only the thought of shielding his savior from any danger, not caring for the consequences. He couldn’t let him get hurt.

Once his heart calmed down and felt the other man secure in his arms, he got angry at himself. Angry that he got reckless enough to lose control of his strength. Angry that he let a sword get so close to hitting Cale. Choi Han can’t believe he let such a thing happen. That this is how he repays him for saving him a year ago?

He looked down at the red-haired man, sensing how calm he was despite the sudden scare. The reddish-brown eyes relaxed, it also made Choi Han subconsciously relax, shoulders eventually losing their tension.

“I’m alright, Choi Han.”

His reassuring words made Choi Han breathe out a sigh he didn’t know he was holding in. He saw movement from the corner of his eye and turned his head to look at the count who hastily stood up. Deruth wore a troubled look on his face, but immediately made his way over to the two. Choi Han watched him in silence, still not letting go of Cale. The lord and swordsman held eye contact while no one had the courage to disturb them. Eventually, Deruth made a decision.

“You’ve proved you’re capable of joining the knights. I accept you as a temporary guard for your journey to the Capital.” His statement was clear, leaving no room for protest. Not that anyone would, not after seeing what the young man did to protect Cale Thames.

“Dorothy,” Deruth called out to the maid beside him. The woman stepped up and bowed. “Call a priest for Sir Choi Han."

Cale reacted immediately, snapping his head to the other. “You’re hurt?”

Choi Han only showed a goofy smile. “It. Is. Nothing. Cale-nim,” he said in a stiff voice, not matching the puppy-like look on his face.

“You— Haa...”

Somehow, Cale felt irritated and sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose. It seems like Choi Han can’t even lie properly when reassuring someone.

— What?! Choi Han got hurt?

The panicked dragon flew around in the room while staying invisible. They were back in Choi Han’s room and a priestess was currently healing the small nicks he got from the splinters. The wooden sword that flew out of Hilsman’s hand had cracked from Choi Han’s strength. Sharp edges and splinters had flown at Cale, together with halfof the broken sword, but Choi Han had moved in front of him.

It really wasn’t anything serious because of Choi Han’s strong body and endurance, but the count was extremely generous. Both to Cale and to Choi Han. He even insisted that Cale should get checked for any possible injuries despite how Choi Han took the hit for him.

— Strong Choi Han is so reckless!

‘Yeah. He really is sometimes.’ Cale agreed with Dodam who scolded Choi Han directly in his mind. At least the swordsman looked a bit sheepish at the scolding, but Cale could tell he wasn’t really listening.

“Sir, are you sure I shouldn’t use my powers on you too?” The priestess, seemingly done with Choi Han, directed her question at Cale.

“No, I’m fine.” He shooed her away. “Thank you. You can go now.”

“A-ah... Yes.”

The priestess finally left them alone and Cale turned back to Choi Han whose expression had become gloomy. Cale could almost see the imaginary puppy ears fall down.

“Ha...” he sighed. “It’s good you didn’t reveal your true potential. You even kept it at a degree to impress the knights.”

The fallen puppy ears immediately perked up, and Cale’s face scrunched up at the imaginary sight.

“And... Thanks for saving me, Choi Han.”

A tail started to wag from side to side. Cale narrowed his eyes.

“But there was no need for you to take the hit. You could have blocked the sword with your own or moved us out of the way.”

The ears and tail fell once again.

“I’m. Sorry. Cale-nim.”

‘This guy wasn’t sorry at all!’

Cale let out another deep, irritated sigh, feeling hopeless at the situation. At least it was a good thing he got approved by Father. Now Choi Han could travel comfortably for part of the trip. Then he would need to leave to find Rosalyn and Lock again.

A sudden thought struck Cale. It was very likely that Choi Han and Beacrox hadn’t met. While the chef did seem to know who he was, Cale can’t think of a scenario where they encountered each other without Cale’s help.

‘Ugh...’

He would need to introduce them to each other again before leaving. The thought of meeting with the vicious-and-definitely-more-aggressive chef again was not an exciting thought.

‘I need them to meet before we leave tomorrow.’

The carriage would leave early in the morning so they had enough time to travel and get to the Capital in time.

“Choi Han, are you hungry?”

“I’m not hungry, Human! So don’t worry!” Dodam exclaimed loudly, having already canceledthe invisibility magic.

“Ah... Just a bit, Cale-nim.”

Cale nodded. “It’s understandable. You skipped breakfast this morning.” The preparation for the duels started in the morning and a servant had summoned Choi Han quite early. It was past lunchtime, so the kitchen should mostly be empty.

“Let’s go then.”

As Cale stood up, Choi Han also followed, quickly putting on a shirt and grabbing his sword to secure it around his waist. Choi Han has never gone anywhere without his sword. He always took it with him, be it for a stroll on the market or hunting monsters. Now it was no different.

The three walked through the calm halls. Cale gave a greeting to the passing knights, even if their focus was only on the impressive swordsman they heard about. Cale didn’t mind. He preferred it if they looked more at Choi Han than Cale. After all, he planned on making Choi Han the hero in this world too, without himself revealing his identity. It was the perfect plan.

The Second Kitchen came into view and Cale felt a weight on his shoulders. Dodam, now invisible again, rested his head on his shoulder and whispered.

“Human, are you hungry?”

He shook his head. “No, but Choi Han needs to eat.”

Ignoring the guilty expression on Choi Han’s face, Cale knocked on the door this time. (He didn’t want to risk repeating his mistake of suddenly opening the door without a warning and getting another knife flown at him.) Shortly after, he opened the door and was surprised to see it wasn’t as empty as he would have hoped.

Both Ron Molan and Beacrox Molan stood in the middle of the kitchen, looking at the people who entered. Actually, this was good. Now Cale doesn’t have to seek out Ron either.

“Ah, hello.”

Ron flashed him a benign smile, ever masking his previous expression. “Hello, young Thames. What brings you here?”

‘Scary old man.’

“My friend is hungry. He didn’t have the chance to eat breakfast this morning.” He gestured to the man behind him. “Could you make something quick for him?”

Cale didn’t like the hard look Beacrox was giving them. He felt the need to escape as quickly as possible and let them meet each other properly. The scary butler didn’t let his smile fall.

“Of course, Sir Thames. It shall be done.”

“Great. Thanks.” Cale shifted to look at Choi Han who didn’t move his gaze from the two people in front of them. His eyes were sharp, unblinking.

‘Does he recognize them?’

— …

Dodam had also gone quiet in his mind.

“Choi Han, I need to speak with the count for a bit. I’ll see you later.”

The taller man snapped his head to Cale so fast Cale was worried he might’ve hurt himself. He wasn't sure if he was imagining the betrayed look on the swordsman’s face or not. Whatever, he has done what was needed.

“See you later, Choi Han.” Cale didn’t look back as he left the kitchen. His beating heart finally began to calm down.

— Are we leaving Choi Han?

Cale kept walking without answering the dragon. His mind lingered on what had just happened.

— Don’t worry, human. Choi Han is strong.

‘Vicious bastards. All of them.’

*****

The moment the door closed behind Choi Han, everything sprang into action like a bomb waiting to explode. Taking out his sword, he swiftly reflected the deadly dagger that flew at his neck. Choi Han swung his sword, preventing the old man and chef from touching him, and slashed at both of them. They jumped back, ready to dash at him at any moment.

“What is a punk like you doing back here, hm?” The old man smiled threateningly. He caressed the dagger in his hand and touched his bleeding neck, surprised that the punk managed to nick him a second time since they first met.

“The rogue dog came back.” Beacrox muttered flatly while wearing a menacing expression.

Choi Han glared at the father and son duo with murder in his eyes. He ignored the provocation and stared at them in silence.

“Ah, that’s right.” Ron’s eyes turned into crescents. “It was that little puppy that brought you in, wasn’t it?”

Something inside Choi Han rattled as the old man dared to talk about Cale in such a tone. The room dropped in temperature. A dark and threatening aura gathered around him as he stared daggers into the assassin duo. His murderous expression deepened in anger.

“...Don’t you dare speak about Cale-nim like that.” He growled at the two, flashing his sword.

“Ho..!”

Beacrox’s eyes narrowed.

“I knew that man wasn’t normal, but to think he managed to tame a wild beast?” Ron chuckled.

“...”

Choi Han couldn’t care less what they said about him, but it was another thing to call Cale abnormal.

“Shut your mouth... You have no right to say that about him.”

The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife. A single wrong move and the other side would attack without hesitation.

“Hah.”

Chapter 13: Rabbit Soup

Chapter Text

“The guards have all packed and are ready to leave. Deputy Butler Hans is currently informing the Lady of the last preparations.”

A butler stood beside Deruth and informed him about the last details before they were ready to leave. Despite it being early in the morning, there were many servants and knights walking around the entrance of the estate, preparing the carriage.

“Understood.” Deruth gave a simple nod at the bowing butler. Once they were left alone, he turned to his son who had patiently waited for him to finish listening to the report.

Basen looked up at his father in anticipation. Deruth then asked a question that had weighed his mind for the past days.

“Basen, are you truly okay with Cale Thames accompanying you?”

The young master recalled the red-haired man who suddenly showed up at their estate a few days ago. He knew his father felt differently about the mysterious man and wanted to give him anything he wanted because of his relation to Jour Thames, his father’s first wife.

The unpredictable decision to bring him along with Basen to the Capital has been decided rashly. In the beginning, Basen agreed out of politeness. It was only until recently that his thoughts about Cale changed.

He remembered the event on the market when a young thief ran into mister Cale. The calmness in his eyes as he handled the situation, the change in his demeanor when he bent down to talk to the scared girl, the generosity of gifting her a golden coin. Basen couldn’t help but see a young Lily overlapping with the girl. The overjoyed smile the girl gave the other man had washed away any lingering regrets. Basen didn’t realize how the corner of his lips curled up at the memory.

‘Hm?’

Deruth observed his son who usually wore a stoic expression just like his mother.

“I’m alright with him joining me.”

“...”

Deruth couldn’t help but smile back, curious. “You look quite happy, son.”

“Uh!” Basen’s cheeks immediately flushed a light pink. Deruth only laughed.

“I’m curious. Did something happen?”

The young man looked at his father, unsure if he should explain about everything or leave a few pieces out. Giving a golden coin to a commoner, even someone with an increasing reputation like Cale (being a Thames and all) could be considered disgraceful according to some nobles. Basen didn’t have a problem with it, as he was originally a commoner himself. Deruth was not, but he was sure he shouldn’t mind the act. His father isn’t like those other nobles.

“...There was an incident on the market the other day.” He started, seeing his father’s interested expression. “I was with Mister Cale at that time. I encountered him as he made his way back from finding the swordsman.”

Deruth hummed, amused by his son’s story. He did partly know about the event because of the reports he got from the guards following Basen that day, but it was also nice to hear it directly from the young boy. It wasn’t often they talked like this.

Basen continued with his stoic face. Although there was still a trace of a smile left in his eyes. “We met a young girl who was hungry. Mister Cale was kind enough to buy some bread for her. She was really happy.”

Deruth noticed how Basen left out how she actually stole the bread, but chose not to comment on it. He was happy to hear his son had grown fond of the red-haired man. It was like an invisible weight had left his shoulders. Deruth had also been surprised when he first heard the story. Surprised that such a young man could easily handle a chaotic situation like he did, and the kindness in his heart. The count wondered if that kindness bled through when he suddenly showed up with two dirty kittens. He just couldn’t reject the man. To be honest, it was quite adorable.

Basen was silently observing his father’s reaction and relaxed when the smile didn’t change.

“That was very nice of him.”

“Yes, it was.”

Deruth now understood why Basen was more willing for Cale to join him. The plan was also that he should ride in the same carriage as him. Deruth felt relieved to see there would be no problems.

The son finally said goodbye to his family and entered the carriage shortly after Cale. The redhead smiled friendly at the young master, internally troubled.

‘Beacrox is here. Why is he here?’

Before entering, Cale saw the familiar chef among the servants who would leave for the Capital. He already expected to see Ron come along, despite the fact that Cale didn’t know who he was assigned to since he doesn’t exist in this world. It was a nice surprise to know that Beacrox would also join them.

‘Whatever. It’s a good thing he’s here.’

It seems like the meeting between Choi Han and the assassin duo turned out well. Satisfied by his decision to introduce them to each other, Cale settled in his seat.

Meowww

Hong immediately climbed into his lap and licked his hand. Cale subconsciously began to pet him as Basen watched. Just like in his own world, On was sitting on a luxurious cushion Hans provided with a smitten smile on his face. He seemed to really like cats.

“I do hope it’s okay for the cats to be inside the carriage.” Cale addressed his younger brother who instantly snapped out of his daze.

“Ah, yes, of course.”

— Human! I also wanna stay with you!

The young dragon stealthily entered the carriage without anyone noticing. For anyone over-observing, they would notice the small dip in the cushion beside Cale from an invisible weight. Choi Han said he would guard the carriage just as instructed, so he was currently walking beside Hilsman who was bragging about his feats.

They eventually started moving not long after. Naturally, no one dared to touch a carriage with the Golden Turtle on, the emblem that represented the Henituse Family. Cale counted the knights stationed around the carriage and noticed something odd.

‘Hm? There’s more knights?’

In his world, there had been 15 knights, 5 soldiers and one special guard among a few servants. But here, it looked like the number of knights and soldiers increased to 30 knights and 10 soldiers. Then there was of course Choi Han.

‘Did mother add more guards? Why?’

A record of Cale asking his father to reduce the number of guards played in his mind. In order to not look extravagant, he had requested there would be as little people to accompany him as possible. Violan, however, didn’t want that.

‘It’s understandable there’s more knights if Mother could choose.’

Basen’s eyes had once again been drawn to the two kittens sitting by Cale. It was quite funny. Cale never noticed how much of an animal lover his little brother was back home. The corner of Cale’s lips curled up into a small smile.

“The young master seems to be quite fond of cats.”

His remark made Basen blink before his ears turned red. Cale chuckled at his antics.

“There’s nothing wrong with that, of course. Just reach out your hand and ask if On or Hong would like to be pet.” Basen kept quiet as he observed Cale’s smirk before slowly looking at the silver kitten; the only one of the two who wasn’t occupied by a hand petting them.

Without answering Cale, Basen reached his hand out just like instructed. On, having overheard the conversation, inspected the hand with big eyes. She would usually sniff it like most other cats did when confronted by someone, but this time she stood up on the luxurious cushion and leaped over the space between to land beside Basen. The boy jumped, startled by the action, but eventually huffed out a breathless sigh when she began to rub her small body against his side.

Badum.. Badum...

It didn’t take long before Hong also jumped over to the overwhelmed boy and Dodam took his place in Cale’s lap. Cale watched in amusem*nt as Basen had it difficult to pet both cats at the same time while they climbed all over him. The sight made him think of his own brother back home. Cale would make sure to spend more time with Basen and Lily once he got back.

‘I’ll bring Raon, On, and Hong to play with them sometime.’

They already knew the identity of the three children, so it shouldn’t be a problem.

Badum... badum... badum...

“...”

Was his heart slowing down?

Cale patted the area around his heart and frowned.

Badum. Badum. Badum. Badum.

Counting the heartbeat’s rhythm, he found nothing to be wrong.

‘Was I imagining it?’

It was weird, but it might just be nothing. Cale easily brushed it off and continued watching the scene before him, forgetting about it.

The carriage ride continued without problem until they were far from the gate to Rain City. It suddenly stopped when Cale heard voices from outside. The memory of bandits stopping Cale’s carriage when he first traveled to the Capital made him want to sigh.

‘Why must this happen to me twice?’

“What’s happening?” Basen asked out loud. Cale was about to answer when a face showed itself through the window.

“Young master, it looks like we will have to take a break. There seem to be quite a lot of rabbits here.”

Cale felt a chill crawl down his spine at the benign smile.

Basen frowned. “Rabbits?”

Ron hummed and turned to look at Cale. Cale felt uneasy and tried to conceal his feeling as best as possible from seeing how the smile widened on the old man’s face.

“Ah, this rabbit is different from the rabbit I was going to catch for lunch. Of course, these rabbits will not be caught by me but by other people.”

‘Vicious old man! I’ve already heard you say this once before!’

While showing no change in his expression, Cale prayed for the butler to go away. Basen furrowed his eyes as he heard screaming from outside the carriage.

“Don’t worry, young master Basen. Choi Han will take care of them.”

And true to his word, Choi Han stood in front of the swarm of bandits with glaring eyes. His mood was still sour from the incident yesterday in the kitchen, and for the fact that both the old man and chef came along today. He didn’t like how close they were to Cale.

Seeing the obnoxious bandits threaten them, threaten Cale, made Choi Han immediately draw his sword and dash forward.

He ignored the other knights shouting behind him and only focused on the enemies who dared try to harm his savior. The bandits screamed, realizing they chose the wrong people to raid. Choi Han ruthlessly slashed at them, broke bones, cut off limbs; completely without a single trace of remorse. He didn’t care if he got blood on his clothes, he just cared about getting rid of these pests.

The guards, who had been ready to help with defending the carriage, stood silently as they watched the angry teenager with gaping mouths. Hilsman was stunned at the sight and almost regretted boasting about his measly wins in the past. It was at that moment that he realized he wasn’t even close to this remarkable swordsman.

He felt dizzy as blood kept splattering on the ground. A similar scene overlapped in Hilsman’s mind.

The bloodbath in Harris Village.

It was undoubtedly caused by the same person who effortlessly slayed the bandits.

Once the last bandit stopped moving, Choi Han flicked off the blood on his sword and glared at the unmoving bodies.

“Try to threaten Cale-nim again and see what happens.”

The threat wasn’t heard by the unconscious bandits, but Hilsman gulped at the cold voice, noting to himself to never disrespect the young Thames.

Ron stood still by the window and looked at the scene with an emotionless expression. His demeanor soon changed back to a benign old man.

“The danger is over, young master Basen, Sir Thames.”

“...”

Neither of the two in the carriage spoke for different reasons.

— Strong Choi Han is angry! I saw the fight! He killed those bad guys in seconds! Hahaha! He was so cool!

Dodam yelled with excitement to the cats and Cale in their minds. Cale only shivered at the remark.

‘...He killed them?’

Cale found himself unfortunate enough to be served the same thing as he had been in his own world.

‘Ugh... Why rabbit soup again..?’

He had no appetite. A repetition of what happened in his world. It also didn’t help that Ron was looking over his shoulder. The butler seemed to have taken an interest in him, despite not being assigned to serve him. Well, Cale supposed Deruth told most of the servants to aid Cale at least a little bit. Still, no other butler or maid observed him with such intensity as Ron did.

“Do you not have an appetite, Sir Cale?” The old man finally spoke up.

“No.” Cale immediately answered back. Basen sat at the same table as Cale and slightly frowned.

“Is there something wrong with the soup?”

“No, young master. Nothing’s wrong. I just don’t have an appetite.”

Choi Han looked up from his own bowl. Ever since the incident with the bandits, every knight glanced at him from the corner of their eyes, clearly uncomfortable. The swordsman had displayed so much brutality that they didn’t know if the bandits were dead or just unconscious. Either way, no one walked away unscathed. Even the knights had a horrific image burned into their minds.

They didn’t hide their disbelief when the terrifying swordsman changed like a switch, acting completely innocent in front of the redhead.

“Do you have a stomachache, Cale-nim?”

“Nothing like that.”

Cale wanted to sigh. Why did he have to catch rabbits for lunch? He missed the kittens and Dodam. Although he was happy they could stretch their legs and play for a bit before they continued the journey.

Basen looked at Cale with an unreadable expression, having stopped eating and seemingly pondered something. Cale raised an eyebrow, wondering if he’s also going to ask him another useless question. The boy put down his spoon and looked Cale in the eye.

“Uhm, Mister Cale, do you not have an appetite because of the battle?”

“Hm?”

That still wasn’t it, but something in Basen’s voice differed from the other two. He almost sounded... hesitant.

“I mean... It’s understandable if it reminded you of what happened... um” The boy trailed off, glancing at Choi Han before speaking carefully. “...What happened in Harris Village, that is.”

Oh.

Basen thinks Cale might have been affected by the massacre of Harris Village. While it was a terrible incident, it wasn’t anything that scarred Cale. A part of him did feel guilty at not being able to save them, but at the same time, he appeared both here and in his own world after the attack. He couldn’t have prevented it even if he wanted to. Therefore, he didn’t let it occupy his mind.

Cale didn’t notice Choi Han’s piercing eyes at the sudden mention of Harris Village.

“It’s just... It happens from time to time that bandits try to raid us, but they usually recognize the Henituse emblem.”

“Hm.” Cale hummed. “I appreciate your concern, young master, but I am okay.”

“I see.” Basen turned back to his soup. His ears had a tint of red from embarrassment despite his neutral expression, but Cale didn’t mind. Ron had also gone quiet, letting the conversation be at the moment. It was only now that Cale noticed Choi Han’s gaze on him.

Seeing how they made eye contact, Choi Han asked a different question than what he really wanted to ask. That would have to wait until they were alone.

“Cale-nim, you said you travel a lot.”

This, of course, was only partially a lie and Choi Han knew it. Yet, he maintained the act, not revealing Cale’s true identity.

“From what I know, you have traveled alone for some time now. I’m just wondering if you know how to wield any weapons?”

Choi Han also knew Cale had multiple powers that he hides from everyone else, but he couldn’t help but be curious. The bright shield was extremely helpful since it kept Cale from getting hurt, and Choi Han hadn't seen much of his other earth-shaking power or what it could do. So can he defend himself if the shield ever stopped working?

“I don’t need to know how to use a sword. I have different ways to protect myself.”

“Hm?”

“Look around. I’m not alone, am I?”

Choi Han did as told and noticed the amount of knights surrounding the carriage and their resting place. There were about 40 people in total who all had experience in protecting. Upon moving his gaze to the knights, the men who had glanced and eavesdropped on them immediately snapped their heads in the other direction. Cale’s voice reached his ears.

“Why should I be worried?”

The eavesdropping knights’ hearts swelled with pride, showing small smiles and the praise. What Cale didn’t notice was that he set a flame in the knights who heard him. With determination in their eyes, they silently decided to protect their newest and precious guest to the best of their abilities.

“...”

Choi Han observed Cale for a few moments before standing up. “Please excuse me, Cale-nim. I will be practicing with my sword now.” He only addressed Cale as if he was the noble and not Basen. The younger boy didn’t seem to mind, though. Despite the disrespect.

Cale frowned. A very similar memory played itself in his mind. Instead of answering, he nodded as confirmation. Almost immediately after, Hilsman also stood up.

“Everyone, let’s begin training if you’ve finished eating.”

Many of the other knights wasted no time in responding to the vice captain and followed him to train.

Cale simply ignored them, feeling that it was better that way. Beacrox suddenly approached Cale and put down a new dish in front of him. Startled, he looked up at the chef who still wore a menacing stoic face.

“Oh, thanks.”

Beacrox simply nodded as he stepped back. Another person placed something in front of him and Cale instantly recognized the terrifying yellow.

“Bitter food and drinks like lemonade are the best to restore one’s appetite.” Ron smiled at him and retracted his hand. Cale refused to make eye contact with the scary old man.

“Thanks...” he said, not as enthusiastically.

Chapter 14: An encounter with the worst terrible bastard

Chapter Text

Cale pet the silver kitten in his lap as they entered the village of Stan Territory. They were nearing the place Dodam had spent the first few years of his life, and it certainly wasn’t very pleasant judging from the grumbling dragon beside him. Cale recalled the conversation he had with Dodam before their break ended.

‘Dodam, there is something I want to inform you about.’

Cale had pulled Choi Han aside as a disguise for talking with the dragon. This way, people won’t think he’s suspicious when he speaks to the air.

— What is it, Human?

Choi Han also listened with his full attention on Cale. This wasn’t something he wanted to keep from the swordsman either way. It was good if he also knew and could mentally prepare. This world’s Choi Han seemed to be slightly more aggressive just like Beacrox. While Cale doesn’t understand why that is, he can’t risk any unpredictable consequences for not informing Choi Han beforehand.

“Our next stop will be in a Viscount’s territory. Specifically the Tolz territory. The Tolz Family are underlings for Marquis Stan.”

The unpleasant name caused a silence to wash over the three. Cale continued despite Choi Han’s hardened gaze.

‘We’re going to pass the cave, and there is a chance we encounter Venion Stan.’

As Cale mentioned Venion’s name, the air around Dodam thickened. Cale could feel the anger radiating from the young dragon and reached into the air to pet his head. It would be bad if Dodam’s powerful mana exposed them.

Cale knew Venion Stan shouldn’t be a problem. After all, he had sent information and his weaknesses to his younger sister, Taylor Stan, and Alberu. However, Cale was also irritated how he couldn’t trust how it would play out. So even if there is a small chance they encounter Venion, he doesn’t want to take any risks.

“If it ever comes to that situation, there is no need for you to take action. Me and Choi Han will handle it.”

“I hate that bastard...” Dodam whispered, leaning into Cale’s hand on his head.

Cale nodded. “You‘ll have your revenge.” He sounded so sure with his statement that both Choi Han and Dodam seemed to calm down. Not much could quell their anger but it helped to a degree.

— Okay, Human.

The dragon still didn’t like the situation even after a few hours of traveling. Cale felt how Dodam buried his head into his side to hide, and it kind of hurt, but he didn’t say anything and just provided the silent comfort. Hans knocked on the door to the carriage and looked at Basen through the open window. He wore a polite smile.

“Young master, I will now go search for an inn.”

“Okay. Go ahead.”

They stopped right outside the village entrance and Cale peeked at Choi Han. In Cale’s world, this village had reminded Choi Han of Harris Village, and the redhead saw a similar nostalgic look in the swordsman’s eyes. Hans didn’t bring Choi Han with him to find the inn this time to distract him, so Cale thought of what to say. In the end, Cale chose to ask something simple.

“Choi Han.”

The other man turned to him instantly upon hearing his name.

“Are you okay?”

Like being struck by lightning, Choi Han jolted on the spot. He looked momentarily stunned by the sudden question. The silence made Cale nervous. Cale also ignored the intense stare Basen was directing at him. (The young boy had Hong in his lap this time.) Eventually, Choi Han’s face bloomed into a sunny smile.

“Yes, Cale-nim.”

Cale nodded and leaned back into his seat.

‘That cliche scene might occur here too.’

His mind moved to the cliche incident that happened in his own world. Venion Stan should arrive soon. Thinking about it, Cale wondered if they would actually see Venion since Cale sent evidence of his crimes to both the crown prince and Taylor Stan. If it went like it should have, Venion should actually be locked away right now. However, Cale has learned not to fully trust the story. Plus, neither Choi Han or Dodam said anything about it when during their conversation earlier.

The reminder made Cale subconsciously move his hand on top of Dodam’s head. Of course, too subtle to let Basen catch the act. It honestly only felt natural to pet an invisible dragon without anyone noticing.

‘I must be used to it by petting Raon all the time.’

As Cale tried to move his focus from thinking about the cliche event, a thundering sound of hooves shaking the ground reached his ears. Like he was cursed, Cale saw another carriage rapidly moving in their direction.

“Haa...”

His disgusted expression also caught the attention of Basen who looked at where Cale’s eyes were drawn. The red-haired man heaved a heavy sigh as he saw Choi Han immediately dash at the old man who happened to be right in front of the moving carriage. The scene from his past repeated itself when Choi Han pushed the man out of the way and the carriage with the symbol of Marquis Stan on it abruptly stopped.

“Ugh...” Cale cringed at the terrible scene. While it was an event that never went away thanks to record, he had hoped he would never experience this again. Sadly, that was not the case. Alarmed, Basen abruptly stepped out of the carriage. Cale had no choice but to follow when his younger brother decided to confront Venion Stan.

— It’s that bastard.

Dodam spat out the words like it was venom. The dragon unconsciously clung to his human’s shoulders so hard Cale felt the claws beginning to dig into his skin through the clothes. Refraining from wincing, Cale patted Dodam’s head once again before stepping outside, signaling to stay quiet and calm down. Cale immediately called out to Choi Han before he could start to argue with Venion’s lackey.

“Choi Han.”

The man who was about to open his mouth in anger, stopped upon hearing his name. Cale gestured for him to get over here to which Choi Han hesitated but compiled without question. Although the anger didn’t leave his face, he still listened to Cale.

He helped the old man walk over to Cale and turned to look at him the moment the old man could stand on his own.

Venion might recognize Choi Han, which would be bad. That’s why Cale didn’t let Choi Han argue with the other woman and made him hurry over before Venion could see his face. Luckily, Cale was standing behind a wall of knights who dutifully followed Basen. Venion, who just stepped down the carriage, only had his eyes on the young master that approached him.

Cale narrowed his eyes with suspicion.

‘Why is he here? No,how is he here?’

Venion should be behind bars. After all that evidence, he shouldn’t be able to move around so freely.

Unless something happened to the mage Cale commissioned to send the documents…

As an ugly picture painted itself in his mind, Cale couldn’t say it might not be true. Marquis Stan did favor Venion a lot. Although Marquis Stan doesn’t care about his children, Cale doesn’t know him well enough to know if he would truly leave Venion behind. Cale wouldn’t be surprised if he somehow pulled some strings to prevent his favorite heir from going to prison.

And if he didn’t go to prison, then the mage is probably dead, and the documents lost. Taylor Stan wouldn’t know about the Star of Healing, and Venion was still free.

Cale would need to confirm this later..

Right as Cale’s train of thought ended, the blond man moved to tell his lackey to stand down, and stopped in front of Basen.

“Nice to meet you, young master Venion Stan.” Basen politely greeted him while holding out his hand, hiding his true feelings about the situation. Years of studying politics kicked in despite his nervousness.

The other man looked unimpressed as he observed Basen from head to toe with piercing eyes. Venion looked behind Basen and his eyes caught the symbol on the carriage. He eventually let out an ‘Ah’ sound, voice low and equally uninterested as before.

“Ah, it’s the fake heir of Henituse County.”

A chilly atmosphere washed away any tint of the friendliness that remained. The audacity to insult another noble so openly was absurd. Many of the knights stiffened up. And Basen, stunned by the insult, stood quietly. Cale narrowed his eyes. Even he wasn’t this badly treated when he first encountered Venion. Was Venion also more aggressive in this world?

Cale didn’t like the way he talked to Basen.

“Hm.” Venion scoffed. “I had heard there was someone who didn’t know their place in the Henituse household. But I suppose a commoner can have a hard time understanding the true meaning of nobility. Of course, a lowborn shouldn’t get ahead of themselves and act like a true heir. That would be ridiculous.”

Okay. No. That’s enough.

Cale’s patience had already run out. He pushed through the crowd of knights and raised his voice the moment Venion’s ugly face became clear.

“You have quite the audacity to disrespect a noble so carelessly, young master Venion.”

The man was taken by surprise when someone else injected into their ‘conversation’ and turned to look at the culprit. Venion’s face twisted at the sight of an unfamiliar red-haired man who also wasn’t of any noble household he recognized. He looked the other man up and down just like he did with Basen, noticing his pale face and bad complexion. Despite the clothes not looking very extravagant thanks to the lack of jewelry, there was an elegance about this weird man who smiled friendly at him. Venion somehow doubted his own capacity to see the if this man was a noble or not. This inner reaction made him momentarily pause.

Venion scowled. “...And you are?”

Either way, it was disrespectful to interrupt a noble like Venion.

Cale only smiled slyly, ignoring the question completely. “Your confidence is understandable, as you are the heir to Marquis Stan after all. Although it appears the rumors are correct...”

“Rumors?” The blond man asked.

“Yes, rumors about the young master’s sudden aggravated behavior. I heard the young master lost something a year ago when he visited this village. It must have been very important to the young master for him to become so... bold. Yes, truly a sad tale.”

Venion’s eyes began to shake.

“The young master seemed to hold this lost thing very dear to him, as he even went as far as to search in the Henituse Territory. I do hope you’ve recovered since that incident.”

Whispers began to spread among the knights and Venion’s face morphed into an angry one.

“...You. You dare disrespect me!” Venion shouted in anger, pointing a finger at Cale, a command. Dodam clenched Cale’s clothes in anger. Suddenly, one of the lackeys drew their sword, and was ready to swing at Cale. The sudden turn of events caused the other knights to yell in alarm, but the sword never had the chance to touch the redhead.

Clang!

“Huh?”

Choi Han, the young swordsman who managed to defeat all of the Henituse Knights, moved in front of Cale in the span of a single second, disarming the lackey immediately and making the sword fly. Venion blinked at the person and accidentally made eye contact.

‘Mm!’

A chilling shock traveled through him as his whole body flinched. The swordsman standing protectively in front of the mystery man, wore a horrifying expression that defied all reasons, and sent a violent shiver down his spine. This man’s eyes, wide and unblinking, seemed to pierce through Venion. He felt frozen, like an animal that was in the face of death.

“Y-y...”

He stammered and took a step back. The unmoving individual glared at him with terrifying black pupils.

“It’s you..!”

Venion’s eyes shook at the realization. He recognized the one who looked like he would do anything to rip his throat out. This man was the same one from the village his traitor-of-a-subordinate fled to with the dragon.

The dragon.

The dragon might be here.

Watching.

However, the anger couldn’t reach him when he stared into those eyes. Venion immediately backed away and returned to his carriage, yelling for the lackey to start driving again, not daring to spare another look over his shoulder. It was an unceremoniously funny scene to look at as Venion almost tripped over his own feet, lacking any of the grace he had before.

Everyone watched in stunned silence as the young master of Stan scurried away in obvious fear. Choi Han kept glaring at the carriage as Cale turned around to look at Basen. The moment Cale looked into Basen’s eyes, he saw a wave of emotions behind the wide eyes.

This version of his younger brother was hurt, more shy, and easily suppressed by the other nobles who trampled over him. Cale didn’t recognize him.

‘A fake heir, huh?’

It was ridiculous to say such a thing. Basen was the real heir whether people liked it or not. Both here and in Cale’s world, he needed to become the count so Cale could live peacefully. Basen should have learned how to stand up for himself. To talk back to other scumbags like Venion. Instead, he just froze on the spot and took the insult.

Cale didn’t exist in this world. That was a fact he now completely understands. Cale wasn’t there when Jour died, or when Deruth brought in Violan and Basen. Cale wasn’t there to ruin his reputation.

The only moment where Cale got to meet the original Cale, Kim Rok Soo, repeated itself in Cale’s mind.

‘I said this to Basen; You are part of the Henituse Household. Remember that. No matter where you go, your family name is Henituse. Tell people that the Henituse blood flows through you. Tell them that no matter what.’

That was what Kim Rok Soo had said to Basen when they were young. But there was no Cale in this world. There was no Cale who could take the focus off his brother. There was no Cale who could tell Basen to be more confident and not let people trample over him.

For how many years has Basen endured this torment?

For the first time since reading the Birth of a Hero did Kim Rok Soo understand why the original Cale acted like trash. The realization left a bitter taste in his mouth.

“Henituse.”

Cale spoke up in the silence. To address someone of higher status with just their last name was extremely disrespectful of a commoner, but that was not his intention. Basen’s shoulders momentarily tensed up.

“That is your name. Basen Henituse.”

He looked into his brother’s brown eyes. Cale felt that after the original Cale went through so much to go to such lengths, this was the least he could do to help his brother of another universe.

Basen didn’t let his tense shoulders relax, waiting on another insult to hit.

“A fake heir? How ridiculous.”

Basen flinched.

“Why would you be fake?”

“...Huh?”

“Your name is Basen Henituse, the oldest child of Count Deruth Henituse and the heir to the county.”

Cale was speaking while waving a hand in the air, as if stating the obvious. The young boy, ignorant of the stares of the knights behind him, stammered out a weak argument.

“M, Mister Cale. I’m... I don’t belo...”

But Cale didn’t let him finish.

“There are papers that confirm this. No matter where you go, people will recognize you as a Henituse.”

Dumbfounded, Basen could only stare at Cale with wide eyes. His upper lip trembled, yet he couldn't bring himself to say anything. Cale walked up to his younger brother and put a hand on his shoulder. The action caused him to flinch again.

“Basen Henituse, the blood of Henituse flows through you. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”

Basen’s eyes shook. Something in Cale’s speech struck Basen somewhere deep in his heart. He felt an ache in his chest, and uncontrollable emotions surged up. No one dared to interrupt them.

Cale, realizing the difficulty his brother had with suppressing his emotions, directed him back to the carriage.

“Let’s get back to the carriage, shall we? The wind is cold and I would like to get back. Hopefully, we find an inn soon.” Cale led Basen away from the silent crowd, making eye contact with Choi Han. The swordsman’s previous murderous expression had washed away, and he nodded to the other. Cale felt relieved that Choi Han understood him.

‘I’ll let Choi Han take care of the rest and make the knights resume working again.’

So many eyes can sometimes be hard to handle even for a noble. Especially when it’s about something personal. Basen’s shoulders slightly shook, but Cale never moved his hand. Basen wouldn’t want him to either. It was keeping him from being overwhelmed.

Once he calmed down, he had a lot to think about.

Chapter 15: “The human’s last name?”

Chapter Text

Choi Han didn’t move until Cale completely disappeared from his sight into the carriage. The chaos still lingered in his mind.

Despite being warned that they might encounter Venion, Choi han still held a deep hatred towards the man. He wanted nothing more than to lunge at him and beat him up into a plump. But this was Dodam’s revenge, and Cale told him to not cause any problems. There was one thing Choi Han was sure of whatsoever.

Cale-nim knew best. He was trustworthy. Choi Han couldn’t— no, he wouldn’t say no to him.

What mostly impacted Choi Han was what Cale said to young master Basen once everything was over. He wasn’t particularly focusing on what he was saying, but rather how Cale seemed so sure when he talked. There was not a hint of hesitation in his voice. It was another reason Choi Han held so much trust in the man. He just seemed to know what to do in every situation. Choi Han didn’t know if Cale was aware, but Choi Han could see how much those words affected the young Basen.

And it didn’t end with Basen. Just like how the words that weren't pointed at Choi Han, he still felt affected. Even the knights opened their eyes and felt the sincerity. For a moment, it looked like Cale was talking to someone close to him and not a young master of a noble household.

Choi Han shook his head and focused back on his task. He needed to decrease the tension between the knights and find an inn.

“Excuse me, young man.”

An unfamiliar voice caught Choi Han’s attention as he turned to look at the one who spoke. It was the old man from before. He had been staying back ever since Choi Han brought him behind the knights. It was only when the situation calmed down that he stepped forth again. The hero immediately flattened his features.

“Thank you so much for saving me back then. Uhm, my place is an inn. I heard you were searching for one.”

Choi Han wasn’t the right person he should be talking to, so Hans, who had overheard their conversation, injected with a smile.

“Oh, Elder? You own an inn?”

“Yes... It’s the village’s only inn. It’s also a restaurant.”

“Wonderful! Please lead the way!”

The remaining knights went to do their separate tasks when they heard what Hans said, and the crowd disappeared. Dodam, who had previously clung to Cale’s shoulders, made his appearance known to the swordsman.

— Choi Han, are you okay?

He subtly nodded, stealthily caressing the young dragon’s head.

— I hated that. The ugly bastard almost hurt the human. I want to kill him.

Dodam’s voice spit out venom between the words, and Choi Han couldn’t agree more. His hatred for the man only intensified when he chose to threaten Cale-nim’s life. He would make sure Venion got the karma he deserved.

— The human is so weak. I thought he was going to pass out if I didn’t hold him up. He needs protection! I will protect him with you out here!

Choi Han nodded in agreement. This was also a good idea in case that bastard decided to show his face again. As the carriage began to move again, Hans appeared beside Choi Han.

“Sir Choi Han, I’m very curious, where did you learn your swordsmanship?” The butler asked with vigor. Choi Han could instantly feel the curious stares from the knights behind them. “You were so fast to defend Sir Thames earlier. It was very impressive!”

While Hans easily praised Choi Han’s skills, he could only hear one thing.

‘Thames...’

— That name again! Is that the human’s last name?

It has appeared a few times now. When they first met, Cale only introduced himself with his first name. It was nice to have the full name. But there was something that was bugging Choi Han.

‘Cale Thames.’

It sounded... odd for some reason. But it shouldn’t. This was the first time he heard it, so why would it feel so weird to say out loud? It was almost like it didn’t completely fit him, yet a part of it still did. It was confusing.

“To be honest, you even looked quite intimidating hahaha!” Hans comment snapped Choi Han back to reality. Yet, instead of answering his first question, Choi Han said something else.

“Mister Hans, are you not angry?”

“Hm?”

“That man...”

“Ah... You mean Venion Stan. Yes, he did make me quite angry. He insulted my charge after all, plus he attacked Sir Thames. Who would not be angry?”

While the deputy butler still had a casual smile on his face, his eyes grew fierce. The admission calmed Choi Han down to a degree. He didn’t really know all about politics in this world, but it was nice to be able to share his anger with someone else aside from Dodam.

“But at the same time, Venion Stan is a nobleman. There’s only so much that a butler like me can do. The best thing to do is to act accordingly and listen to my master. Besides, the matter seemed to solve itself without me stepping in.”

Choi Han nodded. It was true. Cale took over the situation without much effort and even mentioned an embarrassing and sensitive event. Choi Han doesn’t know much about nobility either, but was certain the smile Cale gave Venion was not a friendly one. He felt slightly ashamed at revealing himself to Venion despite Cale telling him not to, but seeing his face made Venion leave much faster. So it was true, it eventually solved itself.

“Mr. Hans, when did Cale-nim arrive at the Henituse Estate?” Choi Han has been wondering about this for a while now and decided to ask. Ever since young master Basen mentioned Harris Village, Choi Han has been suspicious.

“Oh! You didn’t know? Sir Thames was found in Harris Village by our investigation team just a few days after you came to the county.” Hans easily recalled what happened, not realizing how Choi Han’s expression morphed into a shocked look.

“...What?”

— What?!

“Yes, he said he had been searching for you when something happened to him and he woke up in the village. Mister Cale was coughing up blood at the time and was extremely exhausted. Luckily, our priest healed him as quickly as possible the moment he got to the estate. Weirdly enough, he seemed to refuse treatment until he met the count.”

“What.”

This was too much. Cale had been found in Harris Village? Coughing up blood? Choi Han’s head got dizzy. That was not possible.

— That can’t be true! I searched the whole village! There was no one alive!

The emotional dragon yelled in his mind. Choi Han couldn't answer him, but he felt equally overwhelmed.

“No. No, that’s not possib...” Choi Han trailed off, clearly distressed. “There was no one else there. I couldn’t have missed him.”

Hans began to regret his decision to tell the swordsman when he saw the panic in his eyes. It was clear Cale Thames meant a lot to this young man, and they both had experienced something traumatic. Perhaps Cale hadn’t told his friend about this for a reason? Hans bit his lip, unsure of what to do.

“Maybe you simply did miss him.” At that moment, a third voice spoke up. Choi Han snapped his head to see the dangerous butler, Ron, looking at him with a smirk. He held his hands behind his back, and despite the friendly smile on his face, Choi Han could tell he was mocking him. Further back, Beacrox was sharpening one of his knives. It was clear he was also listening in based on the stare that was directed their way.

Hans started to sweat when Choi Han leveled a glare at the old man, taking a hold on his scabbard.

‘Abort! Abort!’

“U-Uhm, Mister Choi Han, how did you and Mister Cale meet?” Hans interrupted their staring contest with a shaky smile. “I’ve seen how close you are and I just can’t help but ask!”

The question made Choi Han temporarily forget his anger towards Ron and look back at Hans.

‘How we met...’

There were many words to describe their first encounter. Confusing, weird, and unbelievable. Choi Han knew he couldn’t truly tell them how they met. Not how Cale appeared as someone else, like he was possessing the body. Not how Cale saved a dragon from the bastard Venion. Not how Cale brought them out of the Forest of Darkness. It was too important to reveal. Choi Han wasn’t dumb. He knew what he shouldn’t say.

— The human...

Dodam mumbled with melancholy. He remembered the terrible bastard who served the worse terrible bastard whenever they came to visit him in the cave. Dodam hated them both. Then suddenly, the terrible bastard changed and managed to free Dodam in the span of a few minutes. It all happened so quickly it felt unreal the first few days after that.

Dodam now knew it was actually Cale who took over the terrible bastard’s body for a temporary time before disappearing and reappearing. Even after Cale officially left the terrible bastard’s body, neither Dodam or Choi Han could miss the chance of him coming back.

That’s why they kept the terrible bastard in their basem*nt.

No one suspected a thing, not even the angry screams from the terrible bastard could be heard thanks to Dodam’s noise canceling magic. They kept him well fed and let him sleep on a comfortable bed for an entire year, just in case Cale came back and needed a comfortable body to possess again. They would make sure he felt comfortable.

No amount of bribing or insults from the terrible bastard would make them let him go. Even if it was such a small chance of Cale coming back. They couldn‘t risk it.

The house collapsed when Harris Village was attacked, and the terrible bastard died. Dodam felt depressed. He lost so much. His house, the kind villagers, the vessel he stored for Cale.

Then, the moment Dodam sensed his human in the Forest of Darkness, a heavy weight lifted itself off his shoulders, and a surge of excitement caused him shake. Memories from the past traveled back. Dodam felt happy again.

However, what Choi Han and Dodam could agree on was that there was one way to describe their first encounter.

“...Cale-nim saved me.”

“Huh?”

Choi Han voiced his and Dodam’s thoughts. The short, yet impactful sentence caused Hans to jolt in his place and for Ron to drop his smile. Even the knights around them made no effort to hide their shock. They looked at the sad smile on Choi Han’s face and felt the emotion behind it. No one spoke up as Choi Han continued to explain.

“He gave me a home. Cale-nim was actually the one who built my house in Harris Village before he left for me to live my life.”

Choi Han’s eyes were distant. There wasn’t anyone who had the courage to ask about what he saved such a powerful swordsman from. They could only imagine what kind of situation it was.

“I’m not sure where I would be by now if it wasn’t for him.”

“...”

His words stirred the hearts of anyone who heard him. Hans could see the sincerity in his eyes. He hadn’t known what to think about Cale Thames before, but now he felt an incredible sense of awe for the man. Each person could feel the weight of those words.

Choi Han turned to look at Ron. “That’s why I won’t let anyone disrespect him. No matter what.”

Ron was quietly looking back at him. Beacrox had also stopped sharpening his knives.

Hans breathed out a sigh.

‘Hah, Mister Cale. What a good person.’

Though, something else in Choi Han’s speech had also caught his attention. His smile slightly faltered.

‘...Mister Cale was the one who built his house?’

Hans knew every single important and powerful person who entered the Henituse Territory, but he had never heard of or seen Cale Thames before. He dug into his memories from a year ago, but couldn’t remember anything related to the matter.

To build a house from scratch needs a lot of money and the permission to build. Even if it was in a distant village like Harris Village. Hans questioned how they haven’t noticed him until now.

‘If he was so flashy, there should be records of him somewhere.’

He would need to report this to the count.

On and Hong were cuddling Dodam who was still grumbling.

“It’s okay, youngest! We’re gonna smack the sh*t out of that bastard!” Hong declared loudly, trying to cheer up his dongsaeng.

“Yeah! So don’t worry!”

The three were sitting beside Cale on the bed while their human was lazing around. They had arrived at the inn a few minutes ago. Cale, too exhausted after his talk with Basen that kept going for too long in the carriage, felt that all he wanted was to sleep. He closed his eyes, hoping that sleep could ignore the voices of the children. Choi Han was also in the room, smiling at the scene from his place in a chair.

Just as Cale felt his consciousness slip away, a heavy weight landed on his chest.

“Human!”

“Puh!”

Dodam crashed into him, fully waking Cale up.

“Ah, careful, Dodam.” Choi Han rose from his chair, picking up the dragon.

“Human!” Dodam repeated, ignoring the swordsman. “Is the bastard still here?”

“What?”

“I want my revenge!”

Cale sighed. “You’re going to get your revenge soon.”

“Do you promise?”

“I don’t lie about such things, Dodam.” Cale laid back down on the bed, pretting the dragon who managed to flee from Choi Han’s hold. A sudden idea struck him. “Actually...”

Dodam looked down at Cale with big eyes. The cats soon joined him and sat on Cale’s stomach.

“He has a house here.”

Dodam tilted his head.

“Why don’t we pay a visit?” Cale said with a sly smile on his face. A grin soon made its way into the three children’s faces too.

‘I’ll loot the bastard.’

Chapter 16: Looting as a newfound hobby

Chapter Text

The two humans and three children hid behind the trees planted a few meters away from the house. Cale had changed into black clothes and Dodam changed the color of his hair and the cats’ fur. The excited dragon had so much fun playing with the different colors until settling on a natural dark chocolate brown. Cale let the comment on how the ‘dangerous chef’s’ hair inspired Dodam go through one ear and out the other. He didn’t want to learn that unnecessary information.

Choi Han remained the same, with only a mask to conceal his face. His black hair could be passed off as a dark brown in the darkness, so it shouldn’t be a problem. Cale observed the guards stationed outside the house. There were quite a lot for just being one house.

‘Guess Venion got paranoid after Dodam escaped.’

Cale could count up to 50 guards patrolling and standing outside the house from his spot, but it shouldn’t be a problem with Dodam’s invisibility magic. They had a dragon with them after all.

“Dodam,” he whispered. “Could you make us invisible?”

— Sure, Human!

It didn’t take long before their shadows disappeared and they began to move. Despite the security, it was nothing compared to a dragon who practiced magic every day since he was freed. The guards didn’t notice a thing.

The house they planned on looting was the most fancy and largest house in the entire village. Everything about it told them it was for someone of importance. Someone with a lot of money. And Cale planned on stealing that money.

— Human, there are magic tools here! Can I take them?

Dodam effectively located all of the magic tools used for detecting any intruders. It was a good thing he noticed them early on. The young dragon seemed extremely enthusiastic about taking anything of use, to which Cale nodded in approval. Unless Dodam is careless with the magic tools, they shouldn’t go off. The dragon has practiced for an entire year after all, and Cale had no plans on alerting any guards.

Badum. Badum.

With light wind gathered at Cale’s feet, and moved to the window on the second floor without making a sound. At the same time, he ignorant to the curious stares from the others, but they still didn’t comment on it. The whole house lacked any source of light, meaning everyone except for the guards were asleep. Cale landed on the balcony to the study, the most valuable room. This was most likely where Venion kept any expensive equipment or papers. Choi Han was close behind him with the cats secured in his arms.

Badum—badum—badum—badum—

Cale frowned and stopped, patting his chest. He could feel his own heart very clearly. It was speeding up despite him not doing anything to cause it. He tried to take a deep breath to calm himself down but found it difficult to find the air. Maybe it was just the mask.

‘I’m not nervous either. I have no reason to be. So why..?’

Badum. Badum.. badum..

His heart was slowing down again. Something was weird. His body has never reacted like this before. Only a memory of when he first appeared in this world could connect to this, but it still didn’t explain much.

“Cale-nim?”

Choi Han’s hesitating voice whispered behind him, and Cale chose to ignore whatever just happened.

“Let’s go.”

Quietly entering the house, Cale squinted his eyes to see the dark room they were standing in. Signaling to start taking whatever they saw of value, the other four immediately searched the room. They found expensive jewelry, bags of special devices, and pouches of gold. Cale was of course mostly interested in the gold, something that did not go unnoticed by the children.

— Human! Do you like gold?

“Yes. Money is the best thing I know.” It was true. Cale still had some money left in his Spacial bag from his own world, plus the extra money he restocked in the Super Rock Villa, but he still felt like he was lacking. (He felt bad using the money he got from Father) This was nothing compared to what he used to have. The thought irked him.

‘I’ll need to find another bastard to loot soon.’

Unbeknownst to him, a fire sparked in the children’s eyes. Through silent communication, they started to search the entire room for anything that shimmered in the moonlight.

Choi Han looked at Cale for a long while after he had said that.

‘Hm?’

Cale noticed the intense look Choi Han was giving him and saw how he straightened his back when their eyes met.

“You look nice with brown hair, Cale-nim.”

The comment threw Cale off guard. He hadn’t expected a compliment from the swordsman. And definetly not in this situation.

“Thanks.” He didn’t know what else to say, but it seemed to satisfy the other man.

The redhead went over to the fancy desk placed in the middle of the room. Wrinkly papers were carelessly scattered on the clean wood with messy handwriting on them. Some of the papers were dusty and clearly older than the other ones. The mess made it look like someone had written the newer ones in a hurry before leaving the place as it was, not letting anyone clean it up.

Cale picked one of the papers up and instantly recognized a few peculiar words.

Harris Village. Dragon. Traitor.

He narrowed his eyes and activated Record. For someone who wanted to keep the dragon a secret, Venion wasn’t doing a very good job letting these papers lay open for anyone to read.

The papers contained information and reports about Dodam all the way back to when he fled the cave. Among the papers was a name; ‘Devran Reedlocke’ with a label saying ‘TRAITOR’ above it. Was this the lackey Cale woke up as in the test? It was very likely. However, Cale didn’t find anything helpful after reading the whole paper. Nothing said where he could be or if he was even alive. On another note, Cale wasn’t sure he wanted to know what happened to the body he possessed after he left.

The dusty papers commented on Choi Han’s appearance and how he might be related to the dragon’s disappearance. The wrinkly papers only had an unreadable handwriting. Like a madman had written about something traumatic in a panic, needing to note it down before he was forced to forget everything. It all looked like a year worth of research. Research Cale wasn’t planning on letting Venion keep.

“Choi Han.” Cale called out with a scowl. “Destroy these.”

“Hm?”

Choi Han turned to see Cale hold up a bunch of papers in a tight fist. He didn’t question the irritated look on his face and simply walked over to him.

“Actually. Let’s burn them instead.” He couldn’t afford these papers to be found by anyone else. “Dodam.”

The young dragon had heard what Cale said and flew over with a smiling face. “I’ll burn them! I’ll burn them!”

With an easy flick of his claw, a fire made from magic appeared in Dodam’s paw. He didn’t even look at what the papers contained as he didn’t really care. He was just happy to destroy something the terrible bastard valued. Meanwhile, On and Hong approached Cale carrying any shiny object they found.

“Here! I found this, nyaa!”

“Cale! Take this!”

When they left the study, Cale had more gold and magic stones than he thought he would find in just one room. They walked quietly through the empty hallways. The kids’ tails were wagging in delight when they found another expensive-looking detail to a furniture or decoration.

They would need to leave soon though, Cale hadn’t thought about staying for long. It wasn’t good risking getting seen by anyone.

Badum! Badum. Badum.

Cale ignored the uneven beat of his heart that started once again. He was planning on telling the other that they were leaving until they rounded a corner and abruptly stopped. On the other end of the hallway stood two knights, frozen in their place to mirror Cale and his group.

*****

Thud!

Venion sucked in a deep breath. It sounded like something hard fell to the floor behind the door.

He hadn’t been able to sleep all night since the incident with the Henituse boy. All he could remember were those terrifyingly deep and angry black eyes that stared right into his soul. The thought of the damned dragon being here to get revenge shook him to the core.

Venion tried to shake off his unease and to relax back on his bed. He was safe here. There were too many guards around the house for an intruder to break in. Plus, his room was guarded by two highly skilled knights. They probably dropped something, those incompetent lowborn. Yeah, it was probably nothi—

Meowwww

A chill immediately coursed through his entire body. Venion flinched and froze as if a sword was pointed to his neck.

‘A cat. There shouldn’t be any cats here.’

His eyes moved to where the sound came from. In the window sat a silhouette of a small feline with the moonlight behind it. Its piercing yellow eyes reflected any light and stared right at Venion. The meow made him shiver.

How did it get up there? How did it get in?

There was so much security around the house. But a cat isn’t a dragon. The dragon is not here—

*****

Badum. Badum-badum.

Cale watched in amusem*nt as both the dragon and the cats scared the bastard to death. He had no remorse for this man who tortured Raon without a care for 4 years just to try and tame him. It was an inhumane and insane act. He had what was coming for him.

Dodam would get his true revenge just like Raon did. They couldn’t do it here though, so it was enough to mentally torment the bastard as a start.

Badum—badum—badum—badum.

Both Cale and Choi Han remained invisible the whole time. He could feel the fear from the man who sat frozen in his bed. They had knocked out the guards outside his room, but there were still a lot around the house. The moment Venion screamed, they would leave.

Badum! Badum! Badum!

‘Argh...’

Cale felt his heartbeat increase unnaturally. He knew it wasn’t normal, so he tried to take shallow breaths in a slow manner.

‘f*ck. I can’t breathe properly.’

He held his hand against his heart again and squeezed around the area on his clothes.

“Ha... ha..”

Even if they were invisible, there was no barrier around him to block out the sound. Cale tried to control his breathing to be as quiet as possible. He knew how to breathe silently from years of hiding from monsters as Kim Rok Soo. Yet, it wouldn’t fool the sword master standing right beside him.

Choi Han frowned. He couldn’t see Cale but he could hear the shallow breathing. It didn’t sound intentional, but almost like he was in pain. It made him worry.

“No! S-Stay AWAY!”

When Venion yelled loud enough for it to be heard outside, it was their cue to leave.

Meowwww

The meowing from the cats went over Venion’s head. He hadn’t even noticed when they moved over to stand behind the black dragon. His only focus was on the glaring blue eyes in front of him. The man backed away and hit the wall behind the bed.

“Venion Stan.”

The young voice of the black silhouette echoed in the room as a mist of fog began to blind the corner of his eyes. Magic together with a powerful aura of mana filled the area around the dragon. He felt weak.

“I’ll come for you.”

The teleportation magic circle was complete, and they disappeared into the darkness with a blinding light, leaving the bastard alone in his room.

“Hahahhaha!”

“Nyaa!”

“He looked so scared!”

“You were so cool, youngest!”

Praises from the cats came immediately the moment they reappeared far away from the house, hidden between some trees. They couldn’t see the house from where they were, but the inn they were staying at wasn’t too far away. The three were jumping around, satisfied by the outcome.

“Haa... ha! Ha...”

Badum! Badum! Badum! Badum!

Cale’s head was dizzy. His heart was pounding way too fast in his chest.

“Cale-nim?!”

Choi Han was by his side in less than a second. His hands were hovering over him, unsure if he should touch him or not. Cale was clenching his hand hard over his heart, slightly leaning forward.

“Nya?”

“Human?!”

Choi Han’s yell caught the attention of the three children. Seeing Cale hunched over while panting heavily made them lose focus. Any joy from the event disappeared instantly.

“Human! Is something wrong with your heart?! Why are you holding your hand on your chest? Does it hurt?”

He almost didn’t hear the panicked voice over the loud beating of his heart that rang in his ears. With little strength, Cale shook his head and tried to regain his posture.

“I’m fine...” His dry throat only irritated him further, and Cale tried his best to blink away the blurry spots in his vision. His face was paler than usual in the dim moonlight they were standing under. The reassurance didn’t help against the heavy breathing and bad complexion.

— Cale... Something’s wrong.

‘No sh*t.’

Super Rock spoke in his mind with a worried tone. Cale closed his mouth to breathe through his nose and took his hand off his chest, ignoring the voice.

“Let’s go.”

The red-haired man began to walk back towards the inn. His movements were slow but steady. Still, none of the children or Choi Han took their eyes off of him. Choi Han was clearly worried, but also recalled what Hans had told him a few hours ago.

‘I think he said Cale-nim coughed up blood when he was found and was too exhausted to move.’

It was concerning. Choi Han has also seen Cale cough up blood. It happened when they first reunited in the Forest of Darkness. He felt an uncomfortable guilt squeeze his heart, fearing he might’ve been the reason for Cale’s internal injury. Choi Han had slammed into the shield with his aura before he knew who it really was. A blood stain remained on Cale’s collar for the rest of the day.

Badum! Badum! Badum!

Cale frowned but refrained from holding his chest. He didn’t want the others to feel any unnecessary concern about him.

Badum! Badum. badum...

‘Ugh..’

Cale swayed and stumbled forward, mind dizzy. Someone was shouting, but Cale couldn’t hear them.

“Ha..! Haa... ha..”

He couldn’t breathe properly and his knees wouldn’t hold him up. Hands were touching him, a tight grip on his upper arm and around his waist. Choi Han must have prevented his fall.

With a slurred mind, the only thing Cale could hear was the deafening sound of a slow heartbeat. Slow. It was too slow. Too slow for a normal heartbeat.

‘What the hell is happening to me?’

..badum....badum....badum

Cale leaned his weight on Choi Han who put his arm over his shoulder to keep him from falling. The children were shouting in worry. He didn’t want to worry them. A round head crashed into his chest again. A round head with hard horns also helped in holding him up. A dragon's head.

Raon.

Cale moved his shaky hand to caress Raon’s head.

“Haaah....”

Choi Han was speaking into his ear, trying to make him focus. But Cale couldn’t. Any thought gotl mushed up in his mind, like a hazy fog keeping him from thinking straight.

“...ho..! What a surpri...”

His consciousness floated in a cloud. Nothing felt concrete or clear. It wasn’t like Record. No, this was different. It was as if the blood couldn’t reach his brain as much as he needed it to.

The noise around him got quiet. The only thing that could be heard was Cale’s heavy breathing. His head was hanging low, but despite the chaotic thoughts, he felt how Choi Han froze in his spot and tightened his grip around him.

Taking a few more deep breaths, Cale blinked away the black spots covering his vision. Slowly, he lifted his heavy head up and looked ahead.

Two.

Two men stood in front of them, concealed in the dark a few meters away, but Cale recognized the ones watching him with intense eyes.

“Haa....”

Ron.

Ron and Beacrox stood silently by the trees. Cale looked into the eyes of the old man through his bangs. He held Raon tighter with the little strength he had.

Wait.

Dodam should be invisible! Right— this... this wasn’t Raon.

Cale observed the intrigue in the scary old man’s smile and shuddered. They didn’t react. Cale wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not.

Beacrox was silently standing beside his father. They both still wore their usual attire and not any dark clothes like Cale and Choi Han wore to blend in. It was like they just left the inn without many preparations.

“Mmm.” Ron smiled benignly. “I was quite curious where you were going when you decided to leave the inn in the middle of the night. And now you come back like this, Mr. Thames.”

Cale shuddered. Of course the old man knew.

Badum.. Badum. Badum—Badum—

His heart sped up again and he hung his head low, hugging Dodam with the arm that wasn’t over Choi Han’s shoulders. The action was answered with Dodam burying his head into his chest. Cale could hear a low growl from above him.

“You touch him, you die.”

The threat was real, but the father and son duo didn’t move an inch, completely unaffected.

“It’s... hah. -okay, Choi Han.”

The cautious sword master tightened his grip around Cale’s waist, but eventually listened to him. Ron put his hand against his chin.

“How interesting...” Beacrox muttered.

They stood there, watching each other in silence. Only the shallow panting from Cale could be heard alongside the rustling of leaves. He felt really thirsty and exhausted.

“Human...”

Dodam’s voice filled the silence. Both Cale and Choi Han turned to focus on the little dragon hugging Cale back. Ron and Beacrox still didn’t move, only observed them from their place a few meters away.

“Your heartbeat is weird. It’s not beating in a rhythm." Dodam looked up at Cale with worry in his eyes. The human slowly exhaled.

“...I know. It’s not supposed to do that.”

Ron finally moved forward with Beacrox quickly following his father. Choi Han tensed up again, and Cale could hear the warning sounds from the cats on the ground.

“It appears your heart is feeling quite uncomfortable in this environment. It would probably be best to return to the inn.” He held his hands behind his back, speaking in a humble tone to address Cale. “Let’s talk when you’re feeling better, shall we Mr. Thames?”

Cale could only suppress another chill crawling up his spine and tiredly nodded his head.

Chapter 17: “An uneven heartbeat.”

Chapter Text

It hurt to see his savior like this. Cale-nim was drifting in and out of consciousness by stumbling forward before quickly gaining his balance again. Luckily, Choi Han was always there to hold him up. However, even though he insisted Cale should just get on his back, the other man was stubborn to prove he was fine. No one believed him.

The walk back was quiet except for the heavy breathing.

When they got back to the inn, they also realized Cale’s room was on the third floor. Choi Han visibly frowned. Magic was out of the question since neither of them wanted to risk making anything worse by teleporting him. Dodam knew that it should be fine, but he was scared the human might faint from dizziness or that whatever was happening to him would get worse.

“Shall I help you get him up?” Ron turned to them with a smile and offered to help with getting Cale up to the balcony. Choi Han only glared at the two assassins as he made the decision on his own. Putting an arm under Cale’s legs, he secured the man in his anrms and jumped with impressive strength.

And Cale, too out of it because of the dizziness, could only hold onto Choi Han’s clothes with both hands as he felt himself leave the ground. The father and son duo followed shortly without problem. No one commented on how a butler and chef shouldn’t be able to climb so high that easily.

Dodam skillfully helped the cats fly up with flight magic. They didn’t make a sound when they entered the room. The dragon didn’t bother turning invisible again since everyone already knew of his existence. He recognized those two men from the first time he and Choi Han came to the Henituse Estate. With only their first interaction, the old man and chef had figured out what Dodam was. Although, they never told anyone about him, so Dodam deemed them partly safe. He still knew how much Choi Han disliked them.

“Lay him down on the bed.” Beacrox’s voice could be heard in the room as he quietly closed the balcony door behind him.

Even though Choi Han stubbornly ignored the chef, he still laid Cale gently on the bed. The children had already jumped up to join their human, and helped in pulling up the covers. Choi Han observed Cale’s face. His eyes were closed, and his breathing was slowing down, albeit not as quickly as he would have liked. Choi Han couldn’t tell if Cale was still awake or unconscious. It was probably the latter.

Ron and Beacrox stood beside each other and watched the scene in silence. Eventually, Choi Han seemed to have stared at Cale enough to deem it safe to turn back to the other two men.

Beacrox was the first one to speak up. “What is wrong with him?”

“Don’t speak about him like that.” Choi Han didn’t waste any time correcting Beacrox for speaking in such a disrespectful manner. While it was probably connected to Cale’s well being, Choi Han didn’t like his tone. Not when it came to his savior. Instead of falling into silence again, Dodam was surprisingly the one who answered the question.

“His heartbeat was weird.” Everyone turned to look at the black dragon. On and Hong immediately walked up to him on the bed and cuddled up close. “First it was really fast. Then it got really slow really fast.”

“Hm.”

“He was also breathing heavily and holding his chest. Like he had run for a long time.”

“How odd. It didn’t seem like anything triggered it.”

A condition where one's heartbeat changes at a frequent and unnatural rate. Ron had a theory about it, but he had never met someone with a problematic heart like this before. Even in his long life.

Recalling the reports about when this man was first found, Ron could connect these two events together. Both times did Cale Thames seem extremely exhausted to the point where he almost couldn’t move. Both times he was panting like it was hard to breathe. (Although you could blame the smoke for that.)

Cale had said it was an internal injury that reoccurred at sudden times. Most likely an illness he got early in life or at birth. The only thing missing this time was the blood. Well, the old man suppose it’s good thing it hasn’t come to that yet. The punk would be more problematic to deal with if that was the case.

Ron took a step forward, but halted when the punk stiffened up. He didn’t bother with a smile this time.

“Let me examine him.”

Reluctantly, Choi Han stepped aside.

The heavy breathing had calmed down by now, and the young man looked more relaxed. He was still too pale though, but blood seemed to start flowing back into his face.

The old butler sat down on the stool beside the bed. Taking the cold hand that laid on top of Cale’s chest, Ron put two fingers on a vein to feel his pulse. Just like the little dragon said, the rhythm of the heart was chaotic.

“An uneven heartbeat.” He confirmed.

“...”

“It’s calming down. He will probably be okay soon.” Ron turned to look at the black-haired man who had his hand ready on his scabbard. “Did you know about this?”

Choi Han felt guilt crumble up in his chest. He hadn’t known. So instead of answering, he asked a question himself.

“What do you want. Why do you keep following us?”

The dangerous assassin then began to smile that annoying smile again as his son spoke up.

“Isn’t it obvious? We already cleared this, didn’t we.”

“Of course, sir. Let this old Ron lead you to Count-nim’s office.”

An old man smiled benignly at Choi Han, not fazed by the bloody clothes. Choi Han knew from first sight that this man wasn’t normal. He also didn’t miss the murderous intent on his eyes. It caused him to stay alert.

Entering an empty room, a knife suddenly flew at him the second the door behind him closed. Choi Han took out his sword and efficiently deflected it. Sensing another threat from behind him, he spun around to see the old man ready to strike him down with a deadly dagger. The smile was still present.

Suddenly, a half-transparent black shield surrounded Choi Han, and the fight came to a halt. He saw the old man take a step back as another younger man took a stance.

“A dragon, huh?”

The two didn’t seem fazed at the magic despite Choi Han not being a mage. In fact, they even figured out what Dodam truly was instantly after seeing the shield.

“You scum. You dare walk into here after what you’ve done.”

The younger man with brown hair in a chef outfit spat out the words with a low voice.

“Quite the nerve, hm? Punk.”

There had been a clear misunderstanding, but when Dodam admitted that there had been assassins that killed all of Harris Village, Ron and Beacrox finally understood the situation.

But that wasn’t what Choi Han was asking about.

“No, why follow him? What do you want from Cale-nim?”

This time, they didn’t give an immediate answer. The only change was the widening smile on Ron’s face.

*****

Cale hadn’t fainted. Though he was somewhere between sleeping and staying awake. He could hear mumbling from around him, but he wasn’t lucid enough to comprehend any words.

His heart had calmed down, and he felt more exhausted than he had in days. The last time being when he first appeared in Harris Village. However, what he did hear was an annoying rock sputtering theory after theory.

— I don’t understand it. Why didn’t your healing power work? It should have worked. Especially since it’s connected to your heart. I’m not sure if it would have been different if you were born with an uneven heartbeat, but this hasn’t happened before, so why does it happen now?

Super Rock was chatting up a storm in his mind and Cale could do nothing but listen. He didn’t hear all of it, but could make out what Super Rock was getting at.

It was weird. He was almost unconscious and couldn’t hear the people around him, but he understood the ancient powers? Does it have to do with them speaking directly into his mind?

— I’m not sure either, but it felt like Crybaby’s healing got blocked. It still worked for most parts of the body, but not the heart. Why?

‘Blocked? Something is blocking the Vitality of the Heart?’

“Nya! The huma… ..ed!”

He could suddenly hear Hong’s voice really well. And his surroundings have gone quiet.

Had he moved? He couldn’t tell.

Cale was still too exhausted to bother opening his eyes. It was actually quite nice to lay here and relax since he didn’t have the energy to move. A part of him regrets looting Venion’s house. It would have been so nice to just stay in bed from the beginning.

“Mr. Thames. Are you awake?”

Nevermind.

Cale slowly opened his eyes after hearing Ron’s vicious voice. He was slightly startled at seeing the man sitting so closely to him.

A benign smile spread across his face. “Ah, you are. How are you feeling?”

Cale felt as if his heart would start beating quickly again at the sight of that terrifying smile, and forced himself to calm down. He was breathing normally now and couldn’t feel the squeezing pain in his chest anymore.

A large reptilian paw gently rested on Cale’s chest. Right where his heart was. Cale moved his gaze to look into blue sapphire eyes. Dodam stared at him with a serious expression, silently counting each heartbeat.

“Are you okay now, human?”

Cale let the corner of his lips gently curl up. “Yes. My heart is back to normal now.”

‘I think.’

“That’s good! Nyaa”

“Cale, if it starts hurting again, tell us!”

Neither of the cats had their gloomy expressions anymore. On stroked Cale’s hand while Hong settled beside Dodam. Cale slowly sat up as he began to pet the oldest of the children. Eventually, he turned to look at the other people in the room after feeling the silence.

Ron was still smiling creepily at him but had moved to stand beside his son. Beacrox just wore his usual stoic expression, however, Choi Han didn’t let them leave his line of sight.

Now, Cale could act like he didn’t know about Ron and Beacrox’s real identity. He could ask what they were doing out in the middle of the night. He could point out that they didn’t seem particularly concerned about the literal dragon in the room. But Cale felt like that might make the situation worse.

“Thank you for the help.” He chose to say instead. “It would be appreciated if you kept quiet about this.”

“...Ho!” Ron laughed. It caused Cale to get nervous.

“...”

Beacrox didn’t move from his spot, but when Choi Han began to glare, the chef’s expression changed.

“I suppose that shouldn’t be a problem. This old man will listen to Mister Cale-nim’s wish.” The old man bowed with a smile before he opened his eyes again and stared at Cale. The red-haired man felt uneasy. He never liked when Ron’s vicious eyes turned into crescents where any light disappeared. It only made him so much scarier.

“But Mister Cale, are you not curious?”

He was obviously referring to himself and Beacrox. Anyone else might also be suspicious of the butler and chef who were roaming the woods in the middle of the night, but Cale already had a guess. Besides, he wouldn’t explain what he was doing in the middle of the night in black clothing, so he wouldn’t ask them about it either.

“No.”

Cale looked away when he saw the terrifying smile widen. It caused him to miss the raise in one of Beacrox’s eyebrows.

Ron laughed again. ‘How adorable. He’s afraid of me.’

This puppy knows something. There is so much about him that’s weird.

First, he was found in Harris Village, injured but alive. The odd thing was that the other punk had somehow missed him. From what Ron understood through the reports, Choi Han had even buried all of the victims before leaving. Plus, he had a dragon with him that seemed very attached to the puppy. The chances of the both of them missing the man were slim, and to leave him despite their loyalty to Cale would be even more weird. Ron also questioned the vague story Cale gave them when they asked what happened to him. It’s painfully obvious he’s hiding something.

Then it was the fact that there were no records of the young Thames. Someone from a fallen noble family will always have past traces left behind. And other people will automatically pay more attention to them than normal commoners. But the fact that there isn’t even a record of an identification card, which is needed in order to enter Rain City, brings even more suspicion. His claims on having traveled to Rain City before doesn’t add up with the lack of identification. Yet, it still seemed like he knew his way around when Ron observed him.

There was so much suspicion about this man, and it only caused Ron to get even more interested.

His weird but holy purification power, his odd condition causing him to cough up blood, and an elegance to him wherever he goes are just the first few things Ron could list in his mind.

Ron did not have a hard time figuring out the identity of the disguised man when he saw him in the forest a few minutes ago. Despite the dark brown hair hiding his face, there had been something deep within Ron that told him like a whisper who it really was. The odd thing was that Ron had been calm when he saw two unidentified individuals sneak out of the inn. He didn’t know how he recognized Cale so quickly, despite the changed hair and disguise, but a weird feeling had told him it was the little puppy. That weird feeling was something that Ron had pondered ever since he first got it. Why did he recognize this stranger so easily?

However, there was one thing he and his son could agree on. Cale Thames is an interesting person, and it might be useful to keep an eye on him.

The reason Ron and Beacrox left for the Capital to begin with was because of the stench the swordsman had on him. They finally got a lead on the secret organization. And since this punk was so close to Cale Thames, the redhead might know something too.

Chapter 18: Watch your mouth

Chapter Text

“Hello? Do you need something?”

When Hans walked into the entrance of the inn and saw vice captain Hilsman having a conversation with someone by the door. It was almost 7:00 am in the morning, and what looked to be a guard stood unmoving in front of Hilsman. Hans instantly recognized the Stan emblem on his clothes.

‘What is a guard from Venion Stan doing here?’

He remembered yesterday’s incident, the one where Venion Stan insulted young master Basen before running away upon seeing Choi Han-nim. It was a humiliating situation for the blond man, but Hans couldn’t imagine why a guard approached them. To get revenge and embarrass the Henituse Guards? To demand that they fire Choi Han who threatened their young master with a sword? (Even if he was actually just defending Mister Cale). Sometimes, rotten nobles like Venion couldn’t be reasoned with.

The butler scanned the room and saw how multiple other Henituse guards and servants eventually stopped what they were doing to watch the scene. His eyes fell on the black-haired swordsman who sat by a table. Even the adorable kittens were with him this time. Was it just him or were the kittens grinning..? Almost looking mischievously at the Stan guard.

Choi Han seemed uninterested as he looked towards the entrance. Hans couldn’t tell if he was listening or not based on the flat expression on his face. Honestly, the only reason Hans could think of to why a guard from Venion Stan was here, was specifically because of this swordsman. He just hoped Choi Han hadn’t done something else to anger the noble. It would be a pain to clean up after him. He is the count’s precious guest’s friend after all.

In a rash decision, he began to approach the swordsman with a cheerful smile.“Good morning, Choi Han-nim. Did you sleep well?”

“...”

Choi Han seemed surprised. It looks like he wasn’t expecting Hans to talk to him. Oh well, at least the kittens seemed happy to see him. Luckily, they didn’t mind when Hans started to pet them with a smitten grin on his face.

“I couldn’t sleep.”

“Hm?”

Hans stopped petting the cute kittens upon hearing Choi Han’s answer.

“I couldn’t sleep.” Choi Han repeated himself.

“Oh.” Han’s started. “That’s unfortunate. Sleep is very important to replenish your energy. Make sure you catch up on those hours later. Maybe you could sleep a bit before we leave?” Hans inspected the swordsman’s face and oddly enough, he couldn’t find a trace of sleepiness in his eyes. In fact, he even looked more awake than ever.

‘Weird... For someone who claims they haven’t slept at all, he sure looks fine to me.’

“Hm.”

Choi Han let out a groan and focused back on the cats. However, the trained Hans didn’t miss the furrow of his eyebrows. Something was troubling this young man.

“Is there anything you’d like to talk about?” The simple question felt casual despite its invitation. “Sometimes it’s better to talk it out with someone. Ah! You don’t need to say anything, of course. It’s just an offer.”

Choi Han was quiet for a few moments. The hand on the red cat stopped as he looked at Hans. The moment Hans saw his expression, he suddenly saw a different type of exhaustion in those eyes. One that wasn’t caused by lack of sleep.

“Mm. Cale-nim.” Choi Han mumbled.

“Did you say Mister Cale? Did something happen yesterday?”

The frown deepened on the swordsman’s face.

“He wasn’t feeling well last night.”

“Ah!”

Cale Thames’s condition. It was something that every guard and servant had been informed about before the trip began. The Lord had been very stern on making sure Cale wouldn’t get hurt during this trip, and to monitor his condition in case that weird illness came back. Therefore, everyone knew to immediately prioritize the young man whenever he showed symptoms of coughing up blood or exhaustion.

“His injury resurfaced? Did he cough up blood?”

Hans internally panicked. He still didn’t truly know what the illness was, as Mister Cale hadn’t told them anything. All he knew was that the illness suddenly attacked his body, causing him to become tired and cough up blood. Seriously, Hans would need to talk to him and get more information to be prepared for the future. Maybe they could even determine what kind of reoccurring injury it was?

“No... but something was wrong with his heart.”

‘His heart?!’

Oh no.

Oh no no no.

That was even worse. Hans hadn’t known the injury Mister Cale had was connected to his heart! While it was a relief that he didn’t cough up blood, a condition straining the heart could be even more dangerous!

‘Ugh! Why? Why hadn’t I known about this before? Why would Mister Cale not tell anyone about things like these? How serious is it?’

Cale did say he wasn’t in any real danger, but it didn’t help ease Hans’s mind. If he had an illness that affected his heart, anything could trigger it at any moment and it could get worse. Oh, how would his lord react when he finds out about this?

“He got better, but I stayed up to make sure he was okay. That’s why I didn’t sleep.”

For Choi Han’s part, it wasn’t completely a lie. While he did do other (illegal) things that night, monitoring Cale-nim’s health was one of them.

“A-ah. I see. Is that why he’s not up yet?”

Choi Han nodded.

“Okay.. good. He needs rest, it’s understandable. Next time something like this happens, don’t be afraid to tell me, Choi Han. Or anyone here, actually! Making sure Mister Cale-nim is okay is one of our top priorities. I will make sure our healer takes a look at him later just to be sure.”

“What? What are you saying?”

Hilsman’s voice suddenly rang out in the room and caught the attention of everyone near. Hans turned to look at him and saw the disbelieving expression on his face directed at the Stan guard. It sounded serious, and Hans couldn’t shake off the iffy feeling he got from the Stan guard’s weird stare. He apologized to Choi Han and stood up. Perhaps Hans should see what this is about. Just in case.

“Hello there, Sir.” Hans walked up to the two and stood beside Hilsman. “May I ask what is happening?”

The guard didn’t let Hilsman explain.

“Hello, Sir. I am a messenger sent from my young master. Last night, we caught sight of a suspicious individual sneaking around my lord’s house.”

“A suspicious person? How were they suspicious?” It was now that Hans noticed how the messenger kept glancing somewhere behind Hans and Hilsman. He wasn’t keeping eye contact with them. It made him frown.

“They wore black to hide their identities and managed to infiltrate my lord’s house. The young master wonders if the Henituse were victims of these people too.”

“I have already told you. There are no suspicious individuals in our group.”

Hilsman still didn’t look impressed as he shot back at the guard, which was also something Hans doesn’t understand. This guard seemed to be anything but disrespectful and is asking a simple question after such an incident. Maybe the explanation was a little vague, but still. Did he say something offensive before Hans approached them? It could explain Hilsman’s hostility.

“Yes, so you’ve told me. But is there a chance that maybe your night guards saw anything suspicious? Perhaps some of your guards missed something.” The messenger then mumbled to himself. “You are from Henituse after all…”

Ah. Hans knew where this was going.

“Now you question our capabilities as guards? I’ll have you know, every servant and guard have been trained to not make such a mistake.”

Hilsman seemed to get worked up because of this messenger. Hans could also feel a furrow in his eyebrows. The guard seemed to mirror their actions and frustration also showed itself in his face.

“But maybe I can just take a look and see if I recognize anyone? That red-haired man for example—“

“You dare accuse our people of such a crime? How unprofessional to come here, disturb our peace, and then blame us for something that happened to you?If there truly is someone who is untrained and clumsy, I can guarantee it is not someone from our side.”

It seems like Hilsman’s patience has run out. Hans could relate.

“I’m sorry, Sir, but I’m going to have to ask you to leave,” Hans said politely. “It’s a tragedy that someone managed to break in yesterday, but we have answered any questions truthfully.”

“No— That man with red hair. Let me see him.”

“Look, I don’t know what business your lord has to request Mister Cale, but he is currently resting.” Hans raised his voice, clearly irritated by the situation. He didn’t notice how everyone else in the room stiffened up when they heard what he said.

“An illness caused him to be unable to leave the bed for the whole evening and night. There is no way he is to blame for your ridiculous accusations.”

At his words, even Hilsman quieted down. His angry expression had almost completely disappeared and a frown replaced it.

“I will tell you one more time, please leave.”

In the end, the messenger reluctantly left the inn and Hans breathed out a deep sigh. He rubbed his temple and smoothened his features so that any remaining trace of anger would be removed. As he slowly turned around after calming down, multiple knights and servants approached him.

“Sir Hans, is it true? Did the injury Mr. Thames suffered from come back?”

‘Ah. I shouldn’t have said that out loud.’

Hans had just revealed personal information to one of Stan’s guards, but he also felt it was necessary in order to get him to leave.

“I only just found out.”

“Did he cough up blood again?”

“Should I bring the healer?”

Ah, at least everyone took their task in checking on their lord’s guest seriously.

“Sir Cale is currently resting in his room. He did not cough up blood but it is best if a healer checks on him. Apparently, his heart was affected this time, so suggest we ask him once he—“

”His heart?!”

“Yes… I received this information from Sir Choi Han.”

All eyes turned to the swordsman who sat by one of the tables, feeding the kittens some food. He didn’t move his gaze from the entrance, having watched the entire scene in silence. Quietly, he spoke as he looked away.

“Uhm. Cale-nim should be okay now.”

His simple reassurance finally made the crowd slowly disperse. They all agreed to wait until their guest woke up.

Now that everything had calmed down, Hans could finally relax again. He didn’t have many tasks this morning except for waking up young master Basen. It was still pretty early, but they also planned on leaving early to get to the Capital as fast as possible.

“Alright everyone! We will leave in an hour!” Hilsman shouted so that all could hear. Everyone immediately began to prepare and pack up.

‘I should wake up young master Basen now.’

Right as Hans thought that, he saw how Choi Han also stood up with the cats in his arms and walked to the stairs.

“Oh, Choi Han-nim!” Hans called out to the man who turned around halfway up the stairs. “Are you ready to pack up?”

When Hans reached him, they both resumed walking up the stairs.

“Ah, yes. I am going to wake up Cale-nim.”

“Yes, yes. I suppose you haven’t packed yet? Do you want me to wake him up for you?”

“No... I’ll do it.”

Hans hummed at the quiet man. While he could sometimes feel intimidated by him, the deputy butler realized Choi Han was a good person. He was just a bit... too much when it came to his red-haired friend.

“That reminds me, Choi Han-nim. It looked like Venion Stan recognized you? Have you met before?”

What happened yesterday still marveled Hans. The way a noble backed away the moment he saw the young swordsman. He chose not to comment on how Venion seemed scared of the guy. Though, Hans suppose anyone would be if they were at the end of Choi Han’s glare. There was something about him that placed an uneasy feeling in everyone’s hearts whenever he drew his sword.

Maybe the incident in Harris Village was the cause of his behavior.

“...Yes.”

Choi Han’s low voice reached Hans’s ears.

“So you have met before? When was that?”

“A year ago.”

They met a year ago. Hans would have to look through the documents around Harris Village from that time. He could also recall that Cale mentioned something about Venion Stan visiting the Henituse Territory because he lost something precious a year ago. The deputy butler had a feeling those two events were connected.

Their next destination was Puzzle City. Cale felt weird coming back to this place. The last time he saw it, it was destroyed from the demonic monsters and a holy temple in the middle of it all. Now, it looked so peaceful and calm. Cale would make sure it was restored once everything was over.

It’s been a few days of traveling and camping outside, and Cale have luckily not had another episode of his heart beating weirdly since the night in the Tolz Territory. Even now, he still remembers the odd looks he got once he came downstairs the next day.

“Ah! Mister Cale is awake!”

“I heard your injury came back. Are you okay?”

Cale was taken aback when a bunch of people suddenly surrounded him the moment he descended the stairs. He looked at Choi Han who weirdly didn’t want to meet his eyes. Cale sighed and figured Choi Han mentioned what happened last night. Hopefully he didn’t say much.

“I’m alright. I didn’t even cough up any blood this time.”

His casual response didn’t help the troubled expressions the other servants wore. Eventually, Ron made his way through the crowd and flashed Cale a benign smile.

“Mr. Thames, I believe it is still best for you to see a healer.”

Unable to refuse the vicious man, Cale could only nod as he was taken away by Ron.

“Mister Cale, are you alright? You seem a bit pale.”

Basen’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He quickly composed himself and cleared his throat.

“Ahem. Yes, I am okay, young master.”

The two fell into a comfortable silence. While they did small talks here and there, it was exhausting to have a conversation lasting so many hours. Luckily, Basen didn’t seem uncomfortable with staying quiet sometimes. Perhaps even the cats helped in that situation.

‘Will Taylor and Cage be here?’

The first time he was here, Cale saw Cage and Taylor Stan in Puzzle City. He didn’t know why they were there so early when they should have arrived later, but Taylor Stan’s goal was the Vitality of the Heart. Cale wasn’t sure if the ancient powers existed before he came to this world, but he knows that no one should be able to obtain them now, at least.

‘If the Vitality of the Heart doesn’t exist, will Taylor still come here?’

If it didn’t exist, there shouldn’t be any records of it or give any hint for Taylor to follow. Still, Cale would need to get in contact with them for the future. Plus, he plans on contacting the God of Death through Cage and ask what the hell happened to him.

Choi Han will also leave soon. He needed to find Rosalyn and Lock in this world too.

Some time later, they had all settled into the inn. Cale was currently standing beside Basen and listening to Hans.

“We have reserved two days for Choi Han-nim, and have agreed to pay for the rest of the group depending on how long we end up staying.”

Ron flinched from behind Hans.

“Sir Choi Han won’t stay with us?”

“Ah, Ron.” Basen called out. “Mister Cale just informed me that Choi Han-nim will only be staying for two days before leaving. We will meet up in the Capital.”

“I see...”

Cale thought Ron looked slightly disappointed despite his smiling eyes.

“…”

No. Nevermind.

The smile that just widened viciously caused Cale’s hair to stand on edge. He wasn’t sure if he was imagining it or not, but the butler looked almost happy as he stared at Cale.

‘...What is he planning?’

“We arrived right before the Rock Tower Festival season, so the rooms were not that expensive.” Hans kept speaking and Record immediately began to replay a memory of this conversation in Cale’s mind. Once again, it was a complete repetition of what happened in his own world. “There aren’t a lot of rocks here, but the rock towers are quite interesting. Do you know the reason, young master?”

Basen opened his mouth at the question directed at him. “Don’t they build rock towers because of a legend?”

Cale sighed internally. This was all reminding him of that damned Sealed God. Oh, how he just wanted this to be over with already. He needed his slacker life now.

“Yes, you’re half correct, young master!” Hans nodded his head. “To tell the truth, it’s quite the sad story. The reason people build rock towers began as a form of worship. However, none of the prayers went through. That is because—“

“Because the city fell out of the grace of a god?”

The butler got quiet when the voice of Cale suddenly interrupted him. He was about to respond happily at realizing someone else also knew this story, but hesitated when he saw the redhead’s expression. The red-haired man’s eyebrows furrowed and his jaw was tense. Both Basen and Ron also looked silently at Cale, and it took a few moments for Hans to regain his voice.

“Yes... That’s correct. Mister Cale-nim, I’m surprised you also know about this! Did you study history when you were younger?”

Hans’ easygoing question was ignored. Cale only tiredly crossed his arms and closed his eyes as he started to mumble.

“The god was just sealed..”

Basen observed Cale’s features as he spoke. The man looked fatigued, as if recalling something irritating. Basen wasn’t very religious, so he didn’t know much about gods. But he has never heard of a sealed god before.

“Oh. I’ve, uh, I have never heard of this version of the legend before. Hahah.” Hans didn’t know how to react seeing this change of mood.

“Hm. It’s for the better that it’s sealed.”

“...”

Basen wondered how Cale knew this. If even Hans appeared to only find out about this now, where did this information come from? Did Mister Cale study gods while he traveled before?

Eventually, the poor deputy butler was saved when Choi Han asked Cale to come with him to talk.

Ron watched as the redhead walked out of the room, the conversation still filled his mind. There had been something in that gaze that was different. Cale Thames looked like he knew something. Something others shouldn’t know about. Even revealing a piece of information that no one had heard of before seemed suspicious.

There was a memory that came back to Ron. The time the puppy went to the Tree of Death. He’s still not completely sure what he did to make it glow, but Ron can guess he purified it based on the holy light. And that’s precisely his point. The light that came from Cale’s hands looked holy and appeared to be similar to divine energy. At the same time, he couldn’t tell what god is connected to that silver light.

Either way, Cale Thames was not normal. That’s something Ron has repeated a few times now. After he told them about a sealed god, a fact about a god no one knew of before, Ron was certain this man knew much more than he shows.

Cale Thames might be related to the gods.

Chapter 19: A Bloody Solution

Chapter Text

Some time later, Cale was walking towards the rock towers with the kittens, Dodam, and Choi Han. Dodam was really excited because he had heard from his siblings what Hans had said about the rock towers. Cale, on the other hand, took this as an opportunity to search for Taylor and Cage.

‘Sigh. Where would they be if they’re not in Puzzle City?’

He haven’t seen them yet. It was another change from his own world.

“Ron.”

“Yes, Mr. Thames?”

Hans was too busy to join them because of his duty as a deputy butler, so he insisted that Ron would come along instead. The man had apparently gotten paranoid after being told Cale’s injury acted up again, even if it was days ago. Cale supposes his overreaction has something to do with his father.

“We just met Venion Stan the other day.”

“That we did, sir.”

“Do you know where the oldest son of Stan is?”

Ron was quiet for a few moments before slowly opening his mouth.

“Taylor Stan was crippled a few years ago, causing Venion Stan to rise to the heir position. Taylor Stan seems to have hid away since then. May this old man ask why you want to know about him?”

“No.”

Ron smiled at Cale’s quick answer.

The story is the same, but Taylor was not here. Perhaps it was just a coincidence that Cale happened to see the crippled heir and priestess when he did. They could be in the city right now, but are just hiding in an inn or something.

Eventually, the children could see the rock towers in the distance, and the two kittens immediately showed their dissatisfaction.

On scrunched up her nose. “They’re...”

“...so ugly.” Hong finished.

— What?! Did funny Hans lie?

Dodam also sounded displeased. Cale expected this reaction. He had felt the same when he first saw them.

“Kitten-nims, this is the place where people pray and make wishes. Do you want to make a wish?” Ron asked with his hands behind his back.

On and Hong only grumbled in response. Since Ron already knew of their true identity, they could speak freely as long as no one else heard them. Choi Han had already bowed down with his hands clasped together. Cale couldn’t be sure what he was praying for this time since there are too many changes with this world. He was probably wishing he could go back to Korea.

‘Whatever. It’s none of my business.’

In the end, it was Choi Han’s business for what he wished for, but Cale was still looking at him when he stood up again.

— I wish the even-worse-terrible bastard will suffer for eternity!

“Nya! I wish for more cake!

“You’re not supposed to tell other people your wish.”

— Ah!

“Nya?!”

Ron chuckled in the background, clearly amused. When Cale looked up again, he saw how Choi Han had turned to him. He pressed his lips together and wore a complicated expression, almost as if he wanted to say something.

“What is it?”

Choi Han seemed to straighten his back after Cale called out to him. “Cale-nim, won’t you make a wish?”

“Hm. No. I don’t see the point in it.”

“You won’t make a wish?”

His odd answer made the children also focus on him. Cale thought back to when Choi Han first asked him this question. It’s funny how certain events repeat themselves but others don’t.

“Wishing for things will only cause you to have higher expectations. It’s much easier to live without expectations.”

Ron’s smile faltered and he observed the redhead’s face.

“I feel the same way with praying. If something bad happened, and it was caused by a god, why should I be the one to apologize? I believe it’s the gods who should pray for forgiveness.”

“...”

Cale was obviously talking about the God of Death. He still felt irritated because of all the things the God of Death has messed up and how it usually managed to affect Cale’s precious slacker life. Even now, Cale strongly believes the god is playing a part in Cale’s appearance in another world.

‘I swear. When I come back, I’ll destroy all your temples.’

Of course, for the others who just heard what he said, could not connect his thoughts to the God of Death. Choi Han felt a familiar overwhelming feeling again. He realized he often feels like this when he’s around Cale.

‘Cale-nim is right.’

Choi Han theorized that a god was the reason he was taken from Korea, his home. If they were the cause of his despair, why should he ask for forgiveness?

Choi Han wondered if a god had also wronged Cale-nim once before.

The next day, Cale planned on getting back the Vitality of the Heart’s consciousness.

“Mister Cale, you’re going to be hiking?” Basen asked Cale when he told him he was going to go into the mountains.

“I suppose...”

Cale didn’t like hiking, but it would do as an explanation for now. The children, however, were very excited for the so called ‘family trip’.

“Okay, be safe.”

“I will, young master.”

Unlike when he went to go get the Vitality of the Heart in his world, no one protested this time. It felt nice. Not even Hans insisted on bringing Ron again. Well, that might be because Cale sought out Basen when the deputy butler wasn’t around. So Cale left together with the three children and Choi Han. Once they were out of the city, Choi Han suddenly made a comment with a smile.

“I didn’t know Cale-nim likes to hike.”

“I don’t.”

Cale’s eyebrows had furrowed into a frown. He would ask Dodam to teleport them since that would be easier, but he hesitated when he saw how happy the kittens were. Even the black dragon circled around in the air once they were out of sight for any people.

“Human! This is fun! We should do this more often!”

Cale did not want to do this again, but could only sigh to himself. Feeling defeated.

“Oh! Are you already tired? You’re so weak, human. Do you want an apple pie? I still have more in my bag!”

“I want one, nya!”

“Me too!”

“I’m alright, Dodam.”

“Okay, Human!” Dodam cheerfully spoke as he gave the cats one slice of apple pie each. “Do you want one, Choi Han?”

“Yes, thank you, Dodam.” Choi Han reached his hand out to receive an apple pie and began munching on it together with the children. Cale wondered if his physique really was as bad as Raon and Eruhaben kept saying.

After a while, they finally arrived at the place Cale had told Choi Han to stay at last time. The children had run ahead of them, playing with each other until Cale and Choi Han caught up to them. This time, however, was different. Since he didn’t want to get dirty in the cave, it was smart to bring a dragon with him, so he kept quiet and let Choi Han and the others come with him the whole way.

“Cale-nim.”

But it was also Choi Han who broke the silence. He seemed hesitant.

“What?”

“Uhm. What do you think about Ron?”

‘Hm?’ Why was Choi Han asking him about this?

Cale recalled how Choi Han had suddenly brought up the fact that Ron was dangerous when Cale told him to wait for him. He had silently wondered if he wouldn’t bring it up this time because Cale didn’t leave him behind, but it seems like he was proven wrong.

“He’s a good butler.” As Cale observed Choi Han’s frown, it didn’t seem like that was the answer he was looking for.

“Cale-nim...”

However, as he said that, he wasn’t looking at Cale. Choi Han was glancing somewhere at the trees, so Cale just raised an eyebrow.

“Did you know?”

“Did I know about what?”

“That Ron is dangerous. Beacrox too.”

“Hm. Really?”

“You knew?” Choi Han looked at him with slightly parted lips.

Cale did know, but he wasn’t sure if he should tell Choi Han that. While it was suspicious that Ron and Beacrox suddenly found them in a forest, didn’t comment on the dragon, and even kept quiet afterwards, nothing in particular gave away that they were dangerous. Let alone assassins. But then again, he wasn’t young master Cale anymore. He could talk freely to his ancient powers without anyone(the children and Choi Han) questioning it. Because Cale knew he was seen as an anomaly thanks to how he first met Dodam.

“Choi Han, you and Ron are the same to me. Do you know why that is?”

The swordsman immediately seemed displeased at being compared to the assassin, but chose not to say anything.

“It’s because you’re both dangerous. In fact, if you wished for me to die, you would probably have no problem in killing me.”

“What?! Cale-nim, I would never! Please don’t say such things!”

Cale shook his head. “I’m not saying you would, Choi Han, and that’s precisely my point. Even if you’re both dangerous and powerful, I trust I won’t die.”

“...Why?” Choi Han looked very reluctant. He clearly didn’t like what Cale had said.

‘Why? Because killing me would only bring Ron more trouble than any benefit.’

“Because I believe in my heart.” That was also true. Cale hasn't been able to test out all of his ancient powers to see if they’ve become weaker or stayed the same, but something just feels right when their consciousness returns to him. The comfortable feeling of a warm blanket just tells Cale that a missing puzzle piece has been found and put in the right place.

So he really needed to get back Crybaby’s mind, even if he’s incredibly annoying at times.

When Cale returned his focus back to the running children, he didn’t notice how Choi Han began to slow down. The swordsman looked up at the trees with a sharp gaze. Years of being stuck in the Forest of Darkness shaped his senses, and he knew the old man had followed them despite not seeing him.

Well, he couldn’t see him until the butler let a smile show between the leaves.

They held eye contact as Choi Han walked, much slower than before. Choi Han doesn’t know what Ron was thinking about, but Choi Han is showing a clear warning to the older man.

‘Don’t follow us.’

The eyes turned into crescents for a few moments before Ron hid his presence again.

Their eye contact broke and Choi Han turned back to the others, fastening his pace so he would catch up with Cale.

After another few minutes of dreadful walking, they arrived at the cave with a slightly panting Cale. Although he tried to mask it to the best of his abilities, he was unfortunately surrounded by people with very keen ears.

“Cale... are you okay?” On put a paw on his shoe to get his attention. Her big eyes were full of concern.

“Don’t worry, On. I’m alright.”

“But you’re breathing heavily again! Does your heart hurt?”

Cale refrained from sighing. “It’s not like that this time. It was just annoying to walk up that hill.” He waved his hand in the air as he said it in a nonchalant tone. Choi Han frowned from beside him.

“...Human should exercise!” Dodam exclaimed loudly.

“Yeah! You’re so weak, nya! You need to train.” And then Hong joined in.

Cale did sigh this time. “Haaa... yes yes. Let’s focus on the matter at hand.”

The rest quieted down when the redhead decided to get down to business, wondering what their task would be this time.

“I need to get in there.” Cale said as he pointed at the small cave opening.

“...”

Everyone was silently looking between Cale and the small tunnel that was big enough for Dodam to comfortably walk through. The dragon eventually broke the silence. “But human, you’ll get dirty!”

“Yeah! You can’t get dirty!”

Cale looked at them as if they were stating the obvious. Why would he want to get dirty? He hadn’t planned on crawling through that again. “Of course not. There’s a bigger opening deeper into the cave, big enough for me to stand up. Do you know what to do?”

“Ah!” The children yelled in unison as they just realized Cale’s plan.

“Don’t worry, Human! I’ll teleport you inside!” The three kids immediately rushed to the cave entrance, leaving Cale and Choi Han to wait outside. It probably wouldn’t take them long, so Cale chose this opportunity to address the swordsman.

“Choi Han, I need you to guard outside until we’re back,” he said while crossing his arms. “It’s not likely that anyone followed us, so it should be okay. I won’t be gone for long.”

Choi Han nodded wholeheartedly. He didn’t mind waiting outside if it was Cale-nim who gave him this task. Although he was curious about one thing.

“Yes, Cale-nim. But... can I ask what you need from inside a cave?”

“Human! I’m coming back now!” Dodam’s voice echoed from within the cave.

Cale turned his head to look at the entrance as he spoke. “I just need to retrieve something...” Right as he said that, a black head peeked out from the cave.

“We found the opening! It’s so much bigger than I thought! Let’s go now, Human!” The dragon excitedly flapped his wings as a magic teleportation circle surrounded them. Choi Han stepped away to not get teleported, which caused Dodam to falter.

“Huh? Choi Han, you’re not coming with us?”

“I’ll stay out here, Dodam.” He answered back with a smile. And accepting as he is, Dodam nodded and completed the teleportation. The next time Cale opened his eyes, darkness filled his vision.

The inside of the cave was just like how he remembered it, and Cale could feel two creatures rub their bodies against his legs. Looking down, he saw On and Hong watching him with bright yellow eyes. Their eyes glowed thanks to their night vision.

“Nyaa, it’s super windy here!”

“I almost blew away!”

“Yes, it’s best if you stay back. I will be quick.”

“Huh?! But, Human! You will get hurt! Just a small gust of wind could knock you over!”

‘Okay... that’s a bit overdramatic.’

“I won’t get hurt. I have the shield, remember?” The kittens looked unsure, but stayed in their spot. Looking back one last time, Cale began to walk towards the center of the cave. As soon as the heavy wind blades neared him, a beautiful white light appeared in front of him. The winds clashed against the shield, but it wouldn’t budge.

“Woah...”

“It’s the light again!”

“How is he so strong and weak at the same time?”

He could hear the children’s cheerful chanting in the distance, but it was hard to hear over the seeping noise. Cale chose to focus on the matter in front of him. It was weird. Even if the Vitality of the Heart shouldn’t exist for anyone to obtain, the wind remained. It was like the trail for the ancient power was still there for an unknown reason. Cale couldn’t figure it out.

The Tree of Death, it was still poisoned with dead mana, but there was no hole to absorb any bread. He needed to use the roots from the Indestructible Shield to purify the tree.

Cale hadn’t been able to find the rock he bit in order to gain the Super Rock ancient power. The whole villa was still there, but there was no trail. In the end, he had to use the earth power to retrieve Super Rock’s consciousness. Cale wondered if each of these locations needed a confirmation that he was the owner of these ancient powers.

— Sob..! Oh, I’m so sad... so alone..

Cale was caught off guard when Crybaby’s voice suddenly filled his mind.

— Huuuuu... I don’t like this place.. sob!

“Crybaby?”

— Huh? Oh! Cale!! You came back for me! Please get me out of here! Sniff! I don’t like being here!

“Haa...” Cale could already feel annoyed at the whiny voice, but despite the old man’s irritating behavior, it was more useful to have his consciousness back.

“I’m here, I’m here.”

— Old man! We are also here!

— Oooh..! Thank goodness..! Huu..

Swoshhhh

Cale had pushed through the remaining winds and stood in front of the same rock towers from Cale’s world.

‘It seems like the trail might be the same?’

“Hey, old man, how do I get you back?”

— Uh.. I... I’m not sure...

“You don’t know? Cale lifted an eyebrow. Even Glutton had an idea of how to get her consciousness freed.

— I..! I’m so useless!! I’m sorry!!

‘Ugh.’ Cale sighed deeply to himself and kicked the rock towers. However, nothing happened.

“Hm?”

Everything remained the same. When Cale first got the Vitality of the Heart, the trial was to destroy the rock towers and the ancient power became his. But it appears these trials do not exist in this world.

— It didn’t work? Why didn’t it work? Oh, am I stuck here forever?!

Crybaby’s miserable shout was full of despair. Cale pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance.

“Look, I got back the others’ consciousness by using their ancient powers on their locations.”

— That’s right! Cale purified my tree and freed me! He also used the old man’s rock power to shake the villa.

— Hm, but this is a healing power. How can Cale use a healing power to help?

— …

Cale wanted to sigh again. Vitality. His blood was filled with vitality. The only method he could think of is to spill a little bit of blood. It probably didn’t need to be a lot, just enough for this place to recognize him.

He took out his Spacial bag and dug through it. Cale still had the dagger from the World Tree, but he couldn’t use it in this situation. He also noticed he had all the badges he used Embrace on, together with the Top’s Whip and the diary. It was a good thing he still had everything important on him, it would save him some time in this world.

(Cale chose not to think about the fact that the White Star is still trapped in the Golden Plaque....)

Cale eventually touched something sharp and pulled out a dagger. A dagger that looked a bit too similar to Ron’s...

‘What the? Why do I have this?’

Did the scary assassin accidentally put it in the wrong bag before Cale entered the temple? No, he wouldn’t have made such a mistake, so it was intentional? And when did he manage slip it inside?? Cale had always kept his Spacial bag on him the few days before entering the Sealed God’s temple, so Ron must have sneaked it inside when he wasn’t looking. The thought made him shiver.

‘Whatever. This works.’

Cale put away his Spacial bag and brought up the dagger to his palm.

‘This is gonna hurt... how annoying.’

Chapter 20: “What did you just call me?”

Chapter Text

Cale hated pain. Papercuts were the worst, and now he’s willingly going to cut his palm? He was starting to wonder if this was really worth it.

The sharp dagger slid against his hand, and a stinging pain overtook him.

“Human?! What are you doing?!”

“Nya?!”

Dodam cried out and Cale flinched when he was suddenly reminded of the children. He had forgotten they were watching him. Watching him hurt himself. This was bad. He should have just made them leave and wait for him outside.

‘...sh*t. Why did I do this?’

As Cale tried to turn around and assure the kids, he felt how the wound immediately tried to stitch itself back together.

“f*ck.” He grumbled in a low voice. Cale didn’t have much time before the injury healed, and he sure didn’t want to repeat this again. Cale also didn’t really know what to do, but figured letting the blood drip down on the rocks might be enough.

The wound healed quickly, and the blood stopped, but it didn’t erase the evidence of what had happened. His hand was still colored red from how deep he had cut into his palm, and the dripping blood stained part of his sleeve and clothes. It didn’t look very pretty.

‘Ha.. how did I manage to dirty another pair of clothes.’

— Ah! Cale! I can feel it! Sob! Something’s changing!

Cale could also feel it. Crybaby’s consciousness was transferring over to him. With a bright light that filled the entire cave, the winds also died down. As soon as the light disappeared and Cale could relax at the succeeded mission, three small creatures rushed up to him.

“HUMANNN!”

The flying dragon didn’t stop as he came closer to Cale, causing him to crash into him again. This time, however, Cale was a bit more prepared and only staggered backwards a few times before catching his balance.

‘Ugh.. ow.’

He avoided using the bloody hand to hold the young dragon up (he didn’t want him to get dirty) and therefore could only use one hand. Cale was, of course, not very strong, so the arm began to shake under the heavy weight. Luckily, it seemed like Dodam also noticed and quickly flew back into the air.

“Cale! Why did you do that?!” On asked loudly as she put her front paws on his leg.

“Yeah! Nya! Why did you do that?” Hong repeated after his sister, mirroring her actions.

“Don’t worry.” Cale was quick to reassure them. He hadn’t even meant for them to see that in the first place. “It’s already healed. I’m fine.”

The three children were quietly inspecting him and saw how the blood had stopped.

“A healing power too..? Nya?” Hong circled around him. Dodam was quietly looking at him with wide sapphire eyes.

“Human... are you human?”

The odd question made Cale scoff. To think a dragon, who could easily sense what kind of creatures people were, would ask him this. “Of course I’m human.” He crossed his arms, accidentally smearing some of the blood on his elbow and immediately pulled away his hand with a grimace. But to the children, his expression made them think he was in pain.

“A-Are you really okay? It doesn’t hurt?”

Cale sighed. “It doesn’t hurt.”

”Okay… but you have to promise to never do that again!” Dodam had a determined look on his face. Luckily, Cale never planned on doing this again, so it was easy to agree with the dragon. With that being said, they slowly began to walk back to the entrance, away from the rocks that were painted red.

— Hold on... what’s wrong with your heart?

Cale was about to question Crybaby’s sudden statement when a different voice reached his ears.

“Human, I didn’t want to interrupt you earlier, but there are other humans outside the cave.”

“What?”

“Yeah! Youngest said there were two more people besides Choi Han!”

“Plus! Youngest can feel Choi Han using his aura! Nya!”

‘What.’

People? There shouldn’t have been anyone who followed them. This has never happened. And Choi Han? He feels threatened enough to activate his aura? Cale needed to get there now.

“Dodam, teleport us out immediately.”

“Okay, human!”

As the black teleportation circle quickly engulfed them, Cale could only wonder what the f*ck is happening. As soon as he could feel the natural air blow around him, he opened his eyes and saw... what?

Taylor Stan..?

*****

A few days ago, the God of Death had suddenly started to speak in Cage’s mind. A lot more than usual, much to her dismay. Most of it was just nonsense and she tried her best to ignore the annoying god. Even cursing him a few times to make him shut up.

Two days ago, his voice echoed in her mind again, but something was different this time.

“Argh!”

The priestess threw a glass into a corner and clutched her head in her hands. The sudden movement startled the two guards in the room, but her friend only looked at her in worry.

“Cage? What’s wrong? Is the Lord speaking to you again?” Taylor voiced his concerns in a gentle manner.

“Stop. Don’t talk to me right now.” Cage hastily sat down on one of the couches and hung her head low. It was always annoying when the god decided to speak to her, and every time, the pounding headache would return. The hands in her hair tightened momentarily, but she didn't stay quiet for long.

“Ugh! I hate this!”

“Cage. What is the Lord saying?” Taylor frowned. It wasn’t often the God of Death spoke to his friend, but he has started to get more chatty the past few days. Cage usually just waves it off as nonsense with a grumbling expression, but it was the first time in a while that she expressed her dislike so much, so openly.

Cage sighed deeply and looked into Taylor’s eyes. “We need to go to Puzzle City.”

“Huh?”

“Puzzle City. The God of Death wants— no, insists we go there. Now.”

Taylor faltered and brought his hand up to his chin, thinking. “Well, if the Lord says we should go there, I cannot see a reason to not go?”

And so, they began to journey to Puzzle City. It took a little less than two days until they entered through the gate. During the whole trip, both Cage and Taylor had been paranoid of getting spotted by one of Venion’s men, but it seems like luck was on their side. And then today, the annoying god had caused Cage yet another headache.

“Look, that bastard keeps nagging me about going outside of the city, and it seems to be the only way to shut him up.”

Taylor laughed lightly at his friend’s antics. Cage had informed him that the God of Death says they should go up a mountain outside of the city. That’s why they’re currently in a forest right beside Puzzle City.

“I wonder why? The Lord must think it’s really important if he has repeated it to you multiple times.”

Cage grumbled quietly. “Well, he seems to be talking about a person. But who would choose to live out here? In the middle of nowhere?”

“A person?” Taylor looked back at Cage with an intrigued smile. “Is this person special, then?”

Cage was quiet for a few moments, silently pushing the wheelchair forward. Eventually, she let out a low murmur.

“I don’t know. He kept repeating ‘my child’ this ‘my son’ that all the time.”

“Son? The God of Death has a son?” Taylor sounded surprised. This was the first time he had heard about this.

“I know right?! I was shocked too! I feel bad for whoever got targeted by this bastard of a god. No, actually, this guy is probably just as annoying as the God of Death!” Cage shouted so that everyone in the forest would hear her resentment towards the god. Taylor could only silently think about what he just heard.

‘The God of Death’s son? That could mean a lot of things. A human he considered his son? Or was this ‘son’ closer to that of a god?’

Taylor’s eyebrows furrowed again. He doubted the Lord would lead them to someone dangerous. At least not someone who would hurt them. So far, when any danger neared them, the Lord would be kind enough to warn them through Cage. So meeting this new person shouldn’t be a bad thing.

Well, Taylor was wrong.

As soon as they neared the location the God of Death was leading them to, a black figure appeared between the trees. Taylor raised an eyebrow to Cage and saw her frowning face.

“That’s not him...” She had mumbled very quietly, but Taylor had heard her.

‘This wasn’t the God of Death’s son? But there’s no one else here.’

When they got close enough, the black figure suddenly turned around and looked straight at them. They stared at each other for a few moments, well, it was more like he was glaring at the two of them. Cage instantly glared back at the man, equally hostile and alert as the sudden rudeness.

Taylor was about to open his mouth to address the latter when he saw the man pull out a sword from his scabbard.

A threat.

Cage didn’t waste any time moving in front of Taylor in a defensive position.

“What the hell are you doing? Do you threaten everyone you come across?” She growled at the swordsman and got ready to fight back in case he jumped at them. However, something else caught her attention.

‘What the..?’

There was a familiar aura around the guy. Although extremely faint, as if it had worn off over the years, Cage still recognized the aura of the God of Death on this man. This couldn’t be the son that bastard was talking about, could it?

No, Cage was sure it wasn’t.

The black-haired man didn’t move or speak. He only leveled Cage and Taylor with a piercing stare. Taylor anxiously observed the- man? boy? from head to toe. He actually looked more like a teenager, but still managed to feel so threatening. He moved his gaze down to look at their surroundings and noticed a small opening inside a stone wall.

‘A cave? Is he guarding it..?’

The swordsman then moved his sword to cover the cave entrance as if he had noticed where Taylor looked, and a different aura suddenly filled the air around him. Cage only tensed up at the increased pressure. This man was warning them.

It was at that moment that a light shone from behind the swordsman, and the silhouette of a person caught his sight. The remains of a teleportation circle disappeared and a beautiful red color filled their view.

Both Taylor and Cage froze upon seeing the elegant man who appeared out of nowhere. From the look on Cage’s face, this was the son they were looking for.

Red hair blew majestically in the wind, and the man brought up a hand to keep it away from his face as he opened his eyes. However, a different kind of red also caught their sight. While the red-haired man’s face morphed into a shocked expression, Taylor and Cage clearly saw the blood dripping down his hand. Even still, they couldn’t focus on that now. And based on his expression, it seems like he hadn’t been expecting them.

“Uhm.” Cage started. Having subconsciously lowered her guard caused the swordsman to retract his aura. “Are you him? The God of Death’s son?”

*****

“What.”

Cale stared at the two newcomers in disbelief. Any shock from seeing Taylor and Cage drained away and was replaced with betrayal upon hearing what the priestess just said.

“W, What did you just call me..?”

He ignored how On, Hong, and Choi Han (and probably Dodam too) were all gaping at him. Even they couldn't believe what they just heard.

Cale didn’t notice how Choi Han instantly zeroed in on his hand.

At first, he had immediately noticed that Taylor was still in a wheelchair, which would mean he did not get the Star of Healing and Cale’s theory about the Marquis destroying the documents might be true. However, that thought had quickly vanished when he heard what Cage was asking.

“...Cale-nim? You’re the God of Death’s son?” Choi Han mumbled out the words in disbelief.

While it did make sense in some way... with Cale’s mysterious existence and all, he still hadn’t expected this. Even as he was asking that, he didn’t make eye contact with his savior, only focusing on the injured hand with a frown on his face. Choi Han wanted nothing more than to grab his hand and inspect it thoroughly, but he hesitated because it didn’t look like he was hurting. Plus, Cale-nim only focused on the two people in front of him. Choi Han decided to check it out once he confirmed they weren’t a threat.

“What? No!” Cale put his face into his other hand and groaned loudly. “Ugh, that bastard of a god! He just does whatever he wants, does he? Son? No way!”

The priestess froze. Cage suddenly wanted to burst out laughing at this unexpected twist. It seems like this ‘son’ was quite like her! A sudden change of mood caused her to feel excitement in her chest, as if small sparks bubbled up inside her. She felt a sort of kinship at finding someone who hated the God of Death just as much as she did.

“Haha...”

Taylor looked up at the delighted grin on Cage’s face. He hid his shock from the red-haired man’s behavior and cleared his throat. A smile on his face.

“Ahem, hello sirs.”

He said it politely and efficiently caught the attention of the other man who raised his head from his hand. Taylor also took notice of the two kittens at his feet. Despite the odd additional company, he had to admit they were quite cute.

“Ah, my name is Taylor Stan. This is my friend, Cage. She is a priestess of the God of Death.” Taylor easily introduced himself. They had already agreed to show their true identities to this mystery man.

Said mystery man sighed and put the hand that was not bloody on the swordsman’s shoulder. Like a signal, the swordsman put away his sword, but still watched them from the corner of his eyes.

“I know who you are.” Cale felt hopeless in this situation. Having already given up, he didn’t hide the fact that he knew who they were. Besides, it was different this time.

They don’t know who he is.

“Ah, you did? Did the God of Death inform you beforehand?” Taylor’s smile didn’t disappear from his face.

Cale only clicked his tongue in response. “Tsk. No. That bastard is never useful, haa...” As the redhead breathed out another heavy sigh, he looked straight into Taylor’s eyes. “My name is Cale, and I’m no son of that bastard.”

The introduction was rude and direct, but it seems like Cage couldn’t hold herself back anymore.

“Yes! That god is such a bastard! So annoying! All he ever does is spout nonsense and make my head hurt so bad I wanna hit him with a hammer! Haha! Make him feel the same pain!” She was laughing between her sentences, clearly happy at being free to curse the god as openly as Cale was.

“I know, right? He just can’t mind his own business.”

Well, that single sentence confirmed their suspicions. This man seems to have at least met the god before. The weird part was that Cage couldn’t feel any divine power from him, only the powerful aura of Death that surrounded him. To be honest, it almost felt like a protection circle because of how thick it was, but she was also certain that she could only feel it thanks to her own divine powers (seeing how the others weren’t affected).

Taylor breathed out a laugh before focusing back on the red-haired man. Luckily, this man wasn’t as hostile as the swordsman was. “Mister Cale-nim, the God of Death had told us to come find you. We are still unsure why, though.”

“Hm.” As Cale casually hummed in response, he began to walk past the two and down the hill. Choi Han and the children immediately followed behind him but kept quiet in the presence of two strangers. Cale, on the other hand, had already guessed it was the God of Death who led them here. Although, he wondered why the story couldn’t go as it did in his own world. This was much more complicated, and that god was the reason something messed up again.

“I figured as much.” He didn’t look back to see if the two also followed him back to the city. “But I won’t help you.”

Taylor and Cage slowed down at the cold response and looked at each other with questioning expressions.

Cale looked over his shoulders to gain their attention. “What I do have is information.” He stopped and fully turned around to face them. “However, if I tell you about this information, I can’t really say you will have an easy life.”

Taylor and Cage tensed up. They still didn’t know what kind of information Cale was talking about, but even if Cage liked to curse the God of Death, they trusted most of his words. He had told them this might be the turning point of their lives. Taylor could only interpret that as a positive outcome.

‘Easy life my ass.’

Taylor’s life has never been easy, and he doesn’t want it to be. If this is an opportunity the God of Death recommends, he wouldn’t waste it no matter what.

‘If this is the turning point of my life, then I’ll overthrow this damn family.’

“I’d like to know, Mister Cale-nim.” Despite his inner thoughts, Taylor still wore a gentle smile on his face.

Cale nodded with an indifferent expression and resumed walking. “The crown prince is in possession of an ancient power. The Star of Healing.”

The name caused both Taylor and Cage to flinch. Their eyes widened as they realized what this meant.

“The Star of Healing is a one-use ancient power that can heal any injury. It is of no use to the Crown Prince and he is currently looking for a means to keep the second and third prince in check.” Cale’s voice was casual and calm as he explained further, completely ignorant of the shaky gazes on him.

‘A healing power that can heal any injury.’

Taylor trembled as he heard what Cale said. Like a heavy weight lifted off his shoulders, he felt like he could stand up and begin to walk right here, right now. An overwhelming happiness and gratefulness filled his heart with emotion and he couldn’t help but show a shaky grin.

“Even if your legs don’t work, the rest of you is still very much alive.” Cale felt tired. He didn’t want to have to explain all of this a second time.

“I don’t care what you do with this information. Oh, and,” The redhead turned back around, making the two snap their heads to him. “Of course this information is not free.”

He smirked at them. Since Cale technically didn’t steal Taylor’s only hope because the Vitality of the Heart doesn’t exist in this world, he had nothing to feel sorry about. And instead of replacing his last hope in exchange for the ancient power, he gave them a new one in this world. It was obviously not for free. However, Cale’s smirk dropped when he saw the weird smiles on the two’s faces.

“Of course, Mister Cale-nim. I may not have much right now, but I will become the Marquis and pay you back generously. Anything you want. You have my word.” Taylor seemed sure of himself as he promised to pay Cale back. Cage also nodded wholeheartedly.

“Sure...” Cale addressed them one last time before leaving them behind. “Taylor Stan and Priestess Cage. There is only one thing I need from you for now.”

The two friends were looking at him intensely, showing they were listening with eagerness. A fire had been lit in their eyes.

“You did not see us here today. You do not know who I am, and you only took a walk in the forest. Nothing else happened.”

Cage immediately nodded and put a hand over her heart. “Nothing happened here, Benefactor.”

Cale scowled at the nickname and turned back around. “Let’s go.” He didn’t look back as he hurried down the hill. Although he could still hear the crazy laughing from behind him.

‘Crazy bastards. All of them.’

He could finally breathe out a sigh of relief. All of that happening so quickly drained Cale’s energy. Oh, how he would love to crash on a nice and comfy bed right now. Cale would rest a lot when he comes back to his own world and everything is over. Slacking is the best, after all.

Chapter 21: Family Comes First

Chapter Text

Basen stared at his father’s face through the video communication device positioned on the table. He made sure to call his father whenever he had the time to talk and report to him if anything major had happened. Hans stood politely beside him and quietly listened as they talked.

“I have informed the servants at the estate in the Capital about your arrival. As well as to prepare for Cale and his friend. Although, I heard it’s almost time for Mister Choi Han to leave?”

Father spoke with a gentle smile on his face. This conversation had so far been mostly about business rather than small talks, but it was still a comfortable atmosphere between the two.

A few days ago, Basen had called his father about two matters. The first one being about his encounter with Venion. Father had frowned deeply when he heard about the incident that took place (Basen didn’t mention how Venion insulted him), but later smoothed out his features when Basen told him what Mister Cale had said.

Deruth had been both surprised and amused to hear that Cale had skillfully taken control of the situation once again, and even humiliated Venion Stan through simple words. While the Henituse was a natural household, it didn’t stop Deruth from having his own opinions. And Marquis Stan and his heir, Venion, had been quite irritating from a year back now.

When Deruth listened to his son’s explanation, he could see the small smile he spoke with, as well as the slightly shaky voice, as if he was containing his emotions. It warmed his heart, thinking it was a good decision thing to bring Cale Thames along. It seemed to boost his son’s confidence and made him open up a bit more instead of showing his usual stoic face. It made him curious about what other interesting sides his new nephew had.

Then Basen told him about Cale’s worsening condition.

That wasn’t a very pleasant thing to hear. Ever since Deruth had first found out about Cale’s reoccurring injury, he had immediately started to search for other cases like this. Jour had a weak body, but the symptoms Cale had don’t match up. However, he had too little information to determine what it actually was.

Coughing up blood, overall exhaustion, and now heart problems? It just kept getting worse every time he got news of Cale’s condition. (In truth, since Cale’s condition seemed to be even worse than Jour’s, Deruth was scared he would meet the same fate as his late wife did.) Either way, anything he found suggested they would seek a priest, which they have already tried. Yet, the same injury came back as if it was an illness he was born with.

Deruth felt fruitless and saddened. Cale was, as far as he knew, Jour’s only relative that was left. The boy didn’t even know where his parents were, which mostly suggested they were deceased. Deruth knew how important family was, and a deep part of him wanted to care for this new family member.

Yeah. He also considered Cale to be an official member of the Henituse. Even if his last name is Thames, he is connected to them. Truth be told, Deruth can’t exactly explain this feeling. It’s just that there is something telling him it should be like this. He doesn’t particularly feel like this with his other nephews or nieces, but a deep part of him feels good when he can call Cale a family member.

“Yes, Father. We have booked so that Mister Choi Han will stay for two days. After that, we plan on meeting at the Capital.”

Basen broke his father’s thinking trance and answered his first question. Deruth smiled at him again and leaned forward, signaling to relax. The formal parts were over, and Basen was waiting for a different question to be asked.

“How have you been, Basen? Have you explored the city yet?”

And there it was. During every one of their calls, Father always started with business, and when that part was done, he would ask other questions as a father instead of a lord. Basen could also feel himself relaxing in his chair.

“Not yet, Father. We plan on staying here for a few days, so I have time.”

Deruth hummed and leaned back again.

They had been planning and preparing for Basen’s arrival at the Capital for a few days now. First, Basen would meet with the other northern noble households to discuss the event and other plans. It’s not the first time Basen has done this, so he is quite familiar with the others and doesn’t mind meeting them again. Eric Wheelsman, Amiru Ubarr, and Gilbert Chetter, they are all very nice to Basen and have never commented on his origins. That’s why he liked them.

Basen had also been thinking about something else for the past few days. His conversation with Cale after meeting Venion still replayed itself repeatedly in his mind whenever he went to bed. Even if it’s been a while since then, he keeps on circling back to those exact words.

‘Basen Henituse, the blood of Henituse flows through you. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.’

Cale had opened up Basen’s eyes. He realized what he said was true.

Basen was a Henituse, whether people would like it or not. He is also the heir as his father had announced, and Lily wished to become a skilled knight. A surge of excitement and emotions had coursed through him and he felt like crying after he heard those words, but he held in his tears.

Since that moment, Basen has been so grateful for Cale. He doesn’t really know why he is feeling so emotional and comfortable around this man who he only met a few days ago, but he can’t help but feel close to him. It was a weird feeling, but Mister Cale also acted very comfortable around him, so that might be the reason Basen feels like he can relax around him.

“Father... about Mister Cale.” The young boy mutters quietly. He had been planning on asking about this for a few days now, yet, he hadn’t felt confident enough.

“What is it, son?” Father slightly sat up a bit straighter at the question, something Basen has also noticed. Whenever Mister Cale’s name was brought up, his father would turn his head and listen.

“Uhm.. does Mister Cale count as my cousin?”

He saw how his father froze on the other side and sensed Hans’ flinch from beside him.

Basen knew he and Cale weren’t technically related in any way. Deruth wasn’t his biological father, and Miss Jour was Father’s first wife. There was no reason for Basen to call Cale his cousin, but he couldn’t help but ask.

“Ah...” Deruth breathed out a sigh. He had clearly been startled by the unexpected question, not expecting his son to think of Cale that way, but quickly calmed down. Seeing deputy butler Hans smile gently from beside Basen, he slowly opened his mouth to speak.

“Well... yes. I believe the right term might be ‘former cousin’.”

“But he is family?” Basen tried again. He didn’t know why he was acting like this. It just felt right to call Cale family.

Deruth was quiet again, taken off guard by his son’s sudden eagerness. Although it wasn’t very characteristic of Basen, it was also not unwelcome. Deruth wanted to laugh, he felt happy.

‘Ha… to think he managed to change so quickly in just a few days?’

“Yes, Basen. Cale Thames is family.”

Having it confirmed, Basen could only nod with slight embarrassment from his behavior. Although it did make him more calm.

Basen wasn’t stupid, he knew his father had been anxious about letting Cale stay with them despite his own feelings. He had over and over expressed how important family is, so while Cale is also important because he is part of our family, Father also cares about Mother, Basen, and Lily’s opinions.

Perhaps Basen also did this to help his father. He didn’t want him to worry anymore.

As an easy silence took over the room again, Basen noticed Hans from the corner of his eye. Looking up, he saw how the deputy butler’s head was turned to the window.

“Hans?”

Hans looked back at Basen when he heard his name and flashed him a smile. “Ah, it’s nothing, young master. It just seems like Cale-nim and Choi Han-nim have come back from their hike.”

“A hike?” Father asked with an intrigued expression.

“Yes, my lord. Cale-nim and Choi Han-nim had left earlier today to hike outside the city with the kittens. It appears they have finally come back after a few hours.”

“Is that so?”

Basen was still looking out the window from the second floor and could see two figures walking through the streets. It wasn’t hard to point out Mister Cale thanks to his bright red hair, a pretty color that suited him a lot.

He watched for a few moments as Hans spoke to Father and was about to turn away when he halted.

Choi Han had suddenly stopped in the middle of the street and grabbed Mister Cale’s hand. The action seemed to startle Cale as he turned back. Basen narrowed his eyes, trying to see what they were doing. Cale’s back was facing the inn, so it was hard to see, but Basen sucked in a breath when he caught sight of the hand the swordsman was gripping.

“Blood..?”

The low murmur did not go unnoticed by the attentive butler, who immediately snapped his head at his young master.

“Pardon? What did you say, young master?” Hans also looked out the window again once he saw what Basen was looking at, and he instantly understood what he meant.

Deruth began to frown seeing the tense expressions. “What is it? Is someone bleeding?”

He couldn’t see what they were looking at because the video communication device wasn’t facing the window, and the uneasy feeling only grew when his son suddenly stood up. Hans started to speak at that moment and grabbed the communication device.

“My lord, Mister Cale’s hand seems to be injured.”

“What?! What do you mean?”

“His hand is bloody. I can't see very clearly from up here, though.” Hans had already begun to follow Basen, who was hurrying down the hall.

Deruth’s frown deepened, and he felt a headache beginning to form in his head.

‘First he coughs up blood, then his heart causes him problems, and now his hand is injured?’

How likely is it that Cale would get hurt every time he’s out of view? It was weird. So far, every time the boy’s condition would act up, none of the Henituse servants or guards were there.

Cale had come back from finding his friend with blood stains on his collar. Then his heart had supposedly been beating in an uneven rhythm during one evening and caused him to be unable to move from his bed. (Again, without notifying anyone of the Henituse knights.) And now he comes back from a simple trip with an injured, bloody hand.

Deruth felt his own heart start to pound in his chest. Would he need to station a guard with the boy at all times to make sure nothing happened to him?

His trust in the otherwise capable swordsman began to sink a bit.

“Basen.” He called out to his son, who’s steps were faltering in the staircase. While Deruth wanted to know that Cale was okay, he could tell he was only a distraction for Basen, seeing how the boy glancing back all the time. They needed to prioritize getting Cale to a healer, again.

“Call me later, son. Okay?”

Basen stopped and stood still before nodding his head. “Okay, Father.”

Click.

The call ended and Basen resumed walking down the stairs. Hans carefully put away the video communication device and followed his young master as they both left the inn. Outside, they could see the two men standing not too far from them. So when they began to get closer, Basen slowed down.

“Mister Cale?”

The red-haired man immediately looked back over his shoulder the second he heard his name. Choi Han was still inspecting his hand without looking up, but Basen could see the amount of blood that was actually on his hand. It looked much worse up close than what he could see from his room in the inn. The whole palm was red and it stained the entire edge of the sleeve. Even to the point of leaving blood stains on his pants.

They were both staring at each other in silence. Basen and Hans weren’t hiding their gazes on his hand, and Cale could feel the back of his neck begin to sweat.

Cale hadn’t planned on letting anyone else see his hand. He had kind of forgotten about it when he suddenly encountered Taylor and Cage, but he carefully kept it hidden from everyone as soon as he saw other people. He was only in this situation now because someone couldn’t wait until they got inside the inn to check his hand.

The grip wasn’t tight , Cale could escape if he really wanted to, but the stern look on Choi Han’s face made him hesitate. And now Basen had found them.

“Uh...” He felt awkward and regretted his decision to cut his palm. It really got too messy and he had accidentally done it in front of the kids. What if just a small nick would have done the job?

Actually... his healing has improved since he first got the ancient power. It would have probably closed up before any blood had time to rush out. Still, he didn’t really enjoy this uncomfortable predicament.

Eventually, Hans spoke up.

“Mister Cale... are you okay? Did you hurt your palm?”

He technically did, but a different idea popped up in his head at that moment.

“Ah, no. My internal injury just came back for a moment, and I coughed into my hand.” Cale held up his arm as proof since Choi Han had loosened his grip enough to let go, but the sight became much clearer for the other two.

‘He coughed up that much blood?’

Basen’s eyebrows furrowed deeply. It was too much blood for just a simple cough as Mister Cale claims it was.

— Choi Han, the human is lying.

At that moment, Dodam voiced his thoughts in Choi Han’s mind.

— He took out a knife and cut his hand! Then he let the blood fall on a bunch of rocks and it got really bright! The human also seems to have a healing power. The cut disappeared immediately!

Choi Han’s gaze darkened when he heard the true story, lips pressed into a tight line and he clenched his fists. Cale-nim had hurt himself. Although it was probably for a good reason, seeing he apparently had regeneration and that a light had appeared, Choi Han couldn’t help but frown.

“I see...”

Cale watched his brother’s expression as the young boy spoke.

“Then, let’s clean your hand and find Miss Honoria.”

Miss Honoria was the group’s healer, and Cale had been unlucky enough to meet her a few times already. The lady is nice, but she always insists he drinks a bunch of healing potions like she’s determined to find a ‘cure’, which Cale thinks is completely unnecessary since he is okay thanks to the Vitality of the Heart.

“Yes, although Honoria-nim is currently buying more herbs on the market, so she is sadly not here right now. I suggest we find Beacrox-nim instead. He can clean Mister Cale-nim’s hand.”

“...”

Oh lord.

They would have to get Beacrox to clean a bloody hand?

Chapter 22: “Benefactor?”

Chapter Text

The next day, it was time for Choi Han to leave. Both Cale and Basen were there to say goodbye, and they weren’t alone either.

“Come back in one piece, my friend. Hahahah!” Hilsman was one of the few people there, and was patting Choi Han on the shoulder while joking with him. He had been very chatty with the swordsman these past few days, but he ignored the vice captain to look at Cale.

Choi Han recalled the conversation he had with Cale a few days ago.

“Choi Han, you will not stay with us during the whole trip.”

Cale-nim’s sudden statement startled Choi Han. He immediately frowned in disagreement.

“Why would Choi Han not stay the whole time?”

“Nya! Is he going somewhere?”

The children were also curious about the reason for this, so Cale continued to explain.

“There is a task I need you to do.” At his words, Choi Han straightened his back. “Choi Han, do you know how to protect?”

“Yes.”

The answer was quick. Much quicker than Cale had expected, because in his own world, Choi Han’s answer had been very different.

It seems like Choi Han picked up on Cale’s surprised expression and slightly shrunk in on himself a bit. “Although... it is hard.”

He had spent an entire year protecting Dodam and the people of Harris Village from the monsters in the Forest of Darkness. Dodam didn’t need much protection when they went hunting, but Choi Han felt responsible for the small dragon, and would always keep an eye on him. But when he thinks about it, what Cale meant probably didn’t fit what he had experience with.

‘Ah, that is more similar.’

That answer had been more similar to how Cale’s world’s Choi Han answered.

“Yes. It is harder to protect something. Can you kill?”

“Yes.”

The response was immediate once again. This time, with much more confidence.

“Of course Choi Han can protect and kill! He’s super strong!”

“Yeah! Nya! He killed all those monsters in the forest with just a swoosh of his sword!”

Even the children were agreeing.

“If you can kill, then you can protect.”

Choi Han fell silent when he heard what Cale said, but when he thought about it, it was true. Protecting someone or something meant keeping them from being in danger. If it meant killing people to protect them, and making sure they didn’t get hurt, Choi Han could do it.

As Choi Han silently nodded his head, he asked a question for himself. “Cale-nim, do you need me to protect someone?”

“Correct.” Cale said indifferently while recalling information about Rosalyn and Lock. “I need you to find and protect two people. The first person’s name is Rosalyn. She is a mage you will most likely encounter when you leave Puzzle City. Try and join her party.”

Choi Han was listening intently.

“The second person is a child, Lock.”

“A kid? Like us?”

“How old is he?”

“Will we get a new friend, Nya?”

“He is 13 years old and a beast person. He is from the Blue Wolf Tribe.”

“Another beast person?! He is like us!”

Choi Han frowned as Cale talked with the children. Even if he was set on fulfilling Cale-nim’s will, there was one thing he didn’t like about this. Going to find these people meant he would leave Cale alone.

Cale-nim said they would meet up in the Capital again, but Choi Han couldn’t ignore the uncomfortable pressure in his chest. He didn’t want to separate from this person.

“Cale-nim... must I go?” His voice sounded weak. Choi Han really didn’t want to leave Cale. If he did, what would happen to him? Those two dangerous people are still around, and Choi Han didn’t trust them in the slightest.

To tell the truth, Choi Han was also scared.

He and Dodam had searched for Cale for a whole year, and now that they finally found him, he didn’t want to risk having him leave again. He really, truly didn’t.

“...”

Cale watched the swordsman who looked like a kicked puppy. Even the children had gone quiet.

He didn’t understand it. Cale didn’t understand this Choi Han. This was another thing that was different from the one in his world. Choi Han had almost never refused him. Even at the beginning, he had been so busy with repaying Cale that he never said no to a task Cale had given him. So, why is this Choi Han different?

Cale leaned forward to make eye contact with the swordsman. “Choi Han.”

Choi Han looked into Cale’s reddish-brown eyes with a complicated look.

“Those assassins. They are targeting the Blue Wolf Tribe.”

“Mm!”

Everyone in the room flinched at Cale’s words. Choi Han immediately understood what ‘assassins’ Cale was talking about. He was talking about the ones that attacked Harris Village. The ones who killed his family.

And now those bastards are targeting innocent people again.

Choi Han’s blood began to boil.

Cale saw how the children’s eyes were shaking. Although On and Hong don't know who the assassins are (unless Dodam explained it to them), anyone could understand the situation Cale was talking about.

“Their goal is to kidnap the children and murder anyone else.” Cale’s words were harsh, but he needed Choi Han to feel affected. And it seems like it worked based on the trembling fists he kept clenching tighter and tighter.

“I need you and Dodam to find Miss Rosalyn and Lock, and save as many people as you can.” This time, Cale was also looking at Dodam.

Last time, Choi Han had gone to find Rosalyn and Lock alone, but managed to save 10 of Lock’s siblings. Cale really didn’t want to send Dodam, who was still just a child, but he felt it was necessary. Dodam is strong, just like Raon. He has faced many hardships, both mentally and physically. If he helped with defending the Blue Wolf Tribe, maybe there would be parents the children could return to.

“M, me too, human?”

Cale nodded and caressed Dodam’s head. “You are a great and mighty dragon. Also, you’re familiar with Choi Han. You will be able to rely on each other and save a lot of people together.”

Dodam fluttered his wings at the praise. He also didn’t want to leave his human alone, but slowly changed his mind. The human had saved him and Choi Han a long time ago, but Dodam hadn’t been able to save the people of Harris Village. This time, he would not let those bastards go so far. Besides, he could always entrust his Noona and Hyung to keep an eye on their human until he was back.

“Cale-nim... how do you know about this?”

It was odd. How did Cale know about the secret organization’s plans? Does it have anything to do with his weird ability? The one that made him able to possess someone else’s body?

It’s not that Choi Han doesn’t trust him, because he does. He trusts him with his heart, so he was more curious than skeptical. Plus, his desire for revenge hasn’t quelled at all even if he sometimes acts differently from his inner emotions.

He supposed it would be logical if Cale somehow got information by possessing someone from the secret organization. There were still so many questions to this man, after all, but Choi Han wouldn’t pry. If a god truly was involved, it would explain a lot.

“...I will tell you. Eventually.” Cales answer was slow but steady. He meant it.

“As long as you keep yourself hidden without revealing your identities, everything should work out. Can you do that for me?” Cale was speaking in a gentle tone and looked at the dragon, but they could feel how that question was also directed at Choi Han.

Then, the two nodded together with a fire lit in their eyes.

“Yes, Cale-nim.”

Choi Han still didn’t enjoy the fact that he would leave Cale-nim alone, even if it was only for a few days. He didn’t even have Dodam with him! But at the same time, he knew he had to do this.

Cale-nim walked up to him once Hilsman had stopped speaking, and tossed him a small bag. Choi Han effortlessly caught it and looked at Cale with raised eyebrows. In the bag were multiple potions, money, and other useful things. He hadn’t expected to receive such a gift right before leaving.

“What? You don’t want it?” Cale smirked at the dumbfounded look on Choi Han’s face. The swordsman immediately clenched the bag in his fist and a bright smile appeared on his face.

‘I’ve already received so much. And he keeps giving me more.’

“I will be back soon, Cale-nim.”

“Good. Come back home.”

Flinch.

Both Choi Han and Dodam flinched at the word ‘home’. However, they soon realized that was true. This was their home now, here, with Cale and the cats. Warmth spread in Choi Han’s heart. Oh, how he really didn’t want to leave.

At that moment, Ron also appeared behind Cale. “Yes, come back soon.”

He had an odd smile on his face that made all of Cale’s hair stand on end. He quickly averted his gaze to avoid eye contact with the scary man. (Cale didn’t notice how Choi Han’s easy smile turned into a heavy glare.)

“Goodbye, Choi Han-nim!” Hans easily broke the tension.

“Ahem! Yes, I will train hard while you are away.” Hilsman also joined in.

Beacrox kept quiet in the back, only staring at his father and Choi Han while sharpening a knife. It was quite the scary sight for someone like Cale.

In the end, Basen also stepped forth and bid Choi Han goodbye. “Have a safe trip, Mister Choi Han.”

Choi Han smiled at the young master and looked at the cats circling around his feet.

Meoww

Meow!

On and Hong were also saying goodbye to them even if they couldn’t speak around so many people.

— Goodbye, Human! Goodbye, Noona! Goodbye, Hyung!

Dodam mentioned every single person in Cale’s mind while Choi Han didn’t look away from the redhead. Cale felt how the swordsman kept staring at him, and he held eye contact with him without looking away. Eventually, Choi Han waved his hand at him.

“Cale-nim, I will definitely return. So wait for me.” He was smiling as he said that. Cale thought it was obvious, but didn’t question why Choi Han felt the need to repeat it and instead waved back.

“See you.”

As everyone had bid Choi Han farewell, the swordsman bowed down and finally left the inn. His steps were not slow at all, but quick and accurate. He now had a place to return to other than the villa. He and Dodam had a new home.

‘I need to make sure to properly complete this task.’

He would make sure to not fail. Choi Han would save as many people as he could. This time, he would succeed.

— Come on, Choi Han! We need to hurry up and meet the mage, Rosalyn!

Yes. Choi Han smiled. He would return home as quickly as possible.

*****

Cale and Basen watched the swordsman leave with a determined look on his face. Cale could feel a bit hopeful at sending Dodam with him. He couldn’t come with them even if he wanted to. Both because he had his own tasks to complete and because Ron had been irritatingly observant of him these past few days. And it didn’t end with him.

Even the servants and knights would stop and ask how Cale was feeling every now and then whenever they saw him. The nagging was annoying, and Hans definitely didn’t let him go anywhere without a guard in sight because of yesterday’s events.

Seriously. Cale doesn’t understand why they were acting like this. Even during the first trip to the Capital in his own world wasn’t like this. And he was the young master of a county at that time.

“Mister Cale, if I may ask, for what reason did Choi Han leave?” Basen suddenly broke Cale out of his thoughts with a question. He was looking up at him with a stoic face, but his eyes showed a tint of curiosity.

“Mm.” The red-haired man moved his gaze down to his younger brother. “I asked him to find someone for me. Someone I’ve met before, but I’m unsure if they will remember me.”

He was partially lying. Choi Han was looking for someone for him, and Cale had met Rosalyn and Lock before, but not the ones in this world.

“Ah, but don’t worry about where they will be staying. I can provide an inn for them.”

Basen immediately shook his head. “No need. If it’s a friend of yours, they can stay in one of our rooms. The estate in the Capital is big, after all.”

The redhead smiled at his younger brother, showing a clear ‘thank you’.

Cale didn’t notice how the assassin duo were both watching him.

Later that day, Cale finally had some alone time during a break since they had started to travel again. Well, he wasn’t completely alone, since the kittens refused to go anywhere else, so they followed him as he decided to rest underneath a tree a few meters away from everyone else. It was lunchtime, so they had stopped beside a forest to eat.

“Can we play? I wanna explore!” Hong jumped around while wagging his tail from side to side. On agreed with her brother and leaned her front paws on Cale’s arm.

From afar, multiple knights and servants couldn’t look away from the adorable scene. Cale looked peaceful as he sat under the tree with the wind making his hair flow elegantly. It melted people’s hearts when they saw how he talked to the cats despite not expecting an answer.

Of course, they didn’t know that On and Hong were beast people.

“Not now. I need to speak with someone.”

“...But there’s no one here? Nya~” On asked as she settled down, looking straight into Cale’s half-closed eyes.

— Ah.. is it me? Sniff.

Crybaby spoke in his mind. Ever since Cale retrieved his consciousness, he had been meaning to bring up what the old man muttered about before getting interrupted by Dodam. Crybaby had sensed that something was wrong with his heart, and Cale wanted to know what he meant, but he hadn’t had time to think about it until now.

On another note, Cale is also planning on asking Cage a few questions regarding the God of Death and himself. Cale knew he hadn’t been able to invite them to his party when they met, mainly because it was too troublesome (being a guest and not a young master anymore) and that another opportunity would come. If they didn’t meet again on the way to the capital, Cale would seem them out after the terror incident.

“Hm.” He hummed at the kittens, thinking about how to explain this. He didn’t mind talking to his ancient powers out in the open as long as it was only On and Hong who heard him. That’s what made it so nice to be mysterious and unnoticeable.

“Do you remember that friend I talked to back at the villa?”

Hong climbed onto his lap while On sat down beside him. “You mean that friend who was a mage but not a mage at the same time?”

“Uh, yes.” Cale slowly nodded. “A few days ago, in that cave, I found another... friend.”

“Another friend? Nya, can they also speak in your head?”

“Yes. I need to speak with him for a bit.”

Cale was grateful that the two siblings understood him so well. He also didn’t notice the odd looks he got from the cats, but they eventually accepted the situation.

— Ah... uhm.

— Cale, nothing in particular has changed since the day you freed his consciousness. I can still feel something blocking the Vitality of the Heart.

— Mm! B-Blocking? Ah! Sob! That’s what it feels like! I-It’s... It’s like I can’t reach your heart.. b-but my power should come from your heart! Sob! Why? Why am I so useless!

Cale felt himself sigh again. This was pointless if Crybaby was only going to keep up with this behavior.

“Haa... that’s what I don’t understand. My blood is filled with vitality, so shouldn’t the Vitality of the Heart work for the heart too?”

He ignored the curious gazes the cats were shooting his way.

— Sniff.. Well, h-how do I explain it..?

At that moment, Glutton joined in.

— Doesn’t it almost feel like something is... stuck? In your heart?

‘Stuck?’

— Yes! Sob... Yes, that’s! Something is stuck! And it’s.. it reminds me of... of..

— Poison?

— Ah! No! Well, um. Maybe? I-It’s more like a root of despair...

His heart was filled with despair? What?

Cale frowned deeply, but recalled what happened before he first appeared in this world.

‘Accept the despair to enter your body, Cale Henituse’.

That’s what the Sealed God had said before Cale passed out. To accept the despair to enter his body, and Cale had immediately felt pain after the god said that. However, Cale doesn’t remember ever accepting despair, so how can Crybaby sense it? Did the Sealed God force despair into Cale, and it managed to latch onto his heart? It doesn’t make any sense.

If despair is stuck in his heart, and the heart makes the blood flow in his body, doesn’t that mean his blood is getting poisoned by despair?

“Are you saying I’m dying?”

Cale’s sudden question made both cats flinch violently and looked at him with wide, sharp eyes. They still didn’t say anything, but Cale could feel how they began to tremble. He reached out a hand to pet them, hoping they would calm down (and already regretting his decision to speak out loud).

— N-no.. Uhm. Sniff! I-It is stuck in your heart, but it, it doesn’t go any further. A-And it’s not spreading or affecting your heart right now, it’s just silently there... like a still ocean.

— Like we said before, something is blocking the Vitality of the Heart from reaching your heart, but I also think it’s preventing the despair from spreading.

Super Rock confirmed Crybaby’s statement. It would explain why Cale’s heart began to beat very quickly or slowly at times. Although he can’t really predict when it will happen, at least they know the reason. An idea popped up in Cale’s head.

“But if it’s despair, can’t I purify myself?” Just like how he had purified the golems and dead mana, he should be able to purify whatever despair is stuck in his heart. He just doesn’t know how yet.

Cale can’t purify dead mana that has become a part of a person. If he tried to purify a person, they would most likely die. However, maybe it would be different when the host of the purification power has despair inside them?

— I-I don’t know.. I’m not… sniff.. I can’t reach your heart because of what’s blocking it, s-so..! Sob!I-I don’t know! I’m sorry, I’m so useless!

Cale sighed again and decided to give up the idea for now. He hadn’t felt like his heart would beat unevenly in a while now, so he should be okay for the time being. Instead, he took out his magical storage bag and rummaged through it.

Another thing he had been meaning to do is contact the God of Death. He doesn’t know if it will work by searching through the divine book he got, but it was worth a try. Cale grasped the book in his hands and took it out. On and Hong began to sniff it with interest as he opened up a page.

“…”

The pages were empty. Cale felt irritated.

“Hey, you bastard. You’re the reason I’m here, so you better start talking.” As he spoke, Cale ignored the frowning cats and only focused on the book. Seeing how nothing changed, he opened his mouth again.

“I’ll burn down your temples.”

Hearing the very-much-real threat, the book began to tremble in his hold. The shaking was very weak, but it responded nonetheless.

M Y

Words finally started to form on the page, although the letters were very slow and shaky. As if someone without any energy left was being forced to write.

M Y C H IL D

‘My child’ stood in shaky letters, and Cale’s frown deepened. “You’re here, you bastard. Now, what happened.” Cale demanded an answer, but it seems like the god had trouble to provide one.

S O RR Y N O EN E R GY

The God of Death was apologizing, but also mentioned him having no energy. But why? Gods needed a compensation, like a deal, in order to use their powers to interfere with ‘fate’. But as far as Cale knows, if they did something without compensation, their energy would be drained. But what did this stupid god do to get all of his energy drained?

TE M P LE

Temple. The God of Death’s temple or the Sealed God’s? He probably meant the former, since that’s where he is the most powerful. Cale felt even more annoyed. Not only was it probably the God of Death’s fault he was stuck in this world, but now he is telling him to go to his temple?

And hold on.

How can he apparently speak to Cage and guide her to meet Cale, but he didn’t have enough energy to write in this book??

“Ughhhhh.” Cale groaned loudly and closed his eyes. The God of Death was extremely irritating. If Cale could choose, he would burn down his temples instead of going to one to reach him. Well, he can always do that once he’s back home.

‘How troublesome.’

There were no more words that appeared, and Cale eventually figured the God had disappeared again. He slumped against the tree, feeling more tired than he did before. All Cale wanted was a peaceful slacker life. Was that so hard to ask for?

“Tea, Mister Cale?”

Cale suddenly flinched as another voice spoke directly into his ear. Hastily turning his gaze to the culprit, he saw Ron’s benign smile as he loomed over him, teacup in hand. As the terrifying butler ignored Cale’s scare and reached the teacup forward, Cale could only subconsciously take it from him as he looked at Ron with a disbelieving expression.

“T, Thanks.” Cale stammered out, his heart was beating loudly in his chest, but he knew it wasn’t because of the despair this time.

“Of course, Mister Cale.” Ron continued to smile as he looked down at Cale’s lap, eyes slightly narrowing as he saw the book. “Are you reading? This Ron would recommend one of the books from our library back at the estate instead of a blank page. My Lord has many interesting novels.”

Cale was then reminded that he still had the God of Death’s book in his other hand, and quickly shut it close. However, Ron could clearly see what was written on the cover of the black book.

‘How to die peacefully? Ho ho..!’

Ron’s benign smile slightly widened. This was getting even more interesting the more he was around the young Thames.

A black book with such a title obviously referred to a specific god, and it was even weirder how it didn’t have a single word written on it.

Ron wondered how deeply mysterious Cale is. He’s going to love picking him apart.

The next day went smoothly and the sun was beginning to set in the distance. Cale was standing beside the still carriage while Basen stood a few meters away from him, talking with one of the butlers. Hans had stationed two knights to always stand close to Cale ever since he returned injured. It was quite annoying, but Cale easily ignored them.

The only thing he could think about at that moment was if he would meet Taylor and Cage again like last time. His mind had been occupied with this for the past few hours. In truth, the carriage should arrive here very soon if it all went accordingly.

Cale was thinking about what to do to sneak them into the Capital this time. They could go through the church, but it wouldn’t take long before Venion found out. Additionally, Cale couldn’t just make demands here like in his own world. He would need to convince Basen, who didn’t seem very confident in his decisions even as an heir.

On and Hong were climbing all over him while he was stuck in thought. The two knights kept sneaking glances at the trio and couldn’t help but smile as they made eye contact with each other. They were silently communicating between each other and could only stifle their laughter to the best of their abilities. It was quite the adorable sight, seeing the silver cat jump from his arms up to his shoulders while swinging her tail, and the red cat messing up Cale’s blood-red hair with his front paws.

‘Maybe I could already suggest a plan to Basen?’

As Cale had that thought, he lifted his gaze to search for his brother. However, the young boy had disappeared from the spot he was last seen at. Cale frowned and looked around until he spotted a carriage. A very familiar carriage thanks to Record.

‘What? When did they arrive?’

A unknown guard stood by the carriage while speaking to Basen and Hilsman. Cale immediately began to make his way over and lifted Hong off his head. He ignored the following knights and settled Hong in his arms, letting On stay on his shoulder as long as she kept her balance.

“What’s going on?” Cale’s voice grabbed everyone’s attention and Basen turned around to meet his eyes. However, before he could open his mouth, Cale had accidentally made eye contact with the person inside the carriage and a single word made him stop.

“...Benefactor?”

“...”

You have got to be kidding……

Taylor also seemed to be surprised by his mistake, but it was too late. Everyone who was close enough to hear the quiet mumble faltered and turned their heads to Cale. Basen included.

“Benefactor..?” Hilsman muttered the word to himself. “Ah, Mister Cale, you’ve met young master Taylor Stan before?”

Cale’s eyebrow twitched and Taylor could feel sweat gather at his neck. He hadn’t meant to say it out loud, he had just been so surprised to see the God of Death’s son with the Henituses. Cage was trembling while holding onto his forearm, suppressing her own laughter at his misfortune.

Cale wanted to sigh so badly at this ridiculous situation. Instead, he put on a light smile that made Taylor sweat even more.

“Yes. I have met young master Taylor before. We happened to encounter each other a year ago when I was traveling quite a lot.”

‘Ah.’

Taylor instantly understood Cale’s thoughts. It seems like the Henituse, who Cale seemed to accompany to the Capital, did not know of his relation to the God of Death.

“Haha, yes, we met this sir and he expressed his kindness by helping us during a crisis. I apologize for suddenly calling you ‘benefactor’, Sir. I was simply surprised to see you again.”

Taylor was accurately apologizing and explaining while pretending to not know Cale that much. He was referring to him as ‘sir’ instead of ‘Cale’.

“Hah, your words are too kind, young master Taylor. My help was hardly anything significant.”

But Basen’s thoughts were different.

‘He did not only help Mister Choi Han, no- save him, but he also helped Taylor Stan? How far does his kindness reach..?’

Basen wasn’t the only one who had these thoughts. Many of the knights and servants around him also admired the goodwill of this person. It was truly generous of Cale to help two strangers so much with nothing to gain from. Apparently, Cale had even built an entire house for Choi Han before leaving to continue his travels! How could someone just do that out of the good of their heart without expecting anything back?

Just like how Choi Han explained that Cale saved him, they wondered how far he truly went despite him trying to deny Taylor Stan’s claims.

‘I wish I knew him earlier.’

Deep inside, Basen knew he had slightly changed little by little since he met Cale. This man had opened Basen’s eyes, and he felt comfortable around him. Like Basen could entrust everything and anything to Mister Cale and it would all solve itself.

“But may I ask once again what is happening?” Cale spoke up again, the smile still plastered on his face.

“Ah.” Ron appeared behind him and stood beside Cale. “Young master Taylor proposed the idea of sharing our campsite for the night.”

“Uh.” Taylor wore a sheepish smile as he looked at Cale. “Of course, the idea is very sudden and we can leave if it’s too troublesome.”

Cage squeezed his arm as he spoke. He was hoping that Cale would be kind enough to lend them some extra help. Even if he has already helped them so much, it was much easier to talk with a familiar face. Taylor was hopeful.

“Don’t look at me. I am just a guest.”

The red-haired man pointed at the boy beside him and saw how Basen flinched. Cale wanted Basen to choose this time, although he would subtly guide him in the direction Cale wanted things to go.

“Ah! My apologies, young master-nim. It was disrespectful of me.”

Basen cleared his throat. “Ahem.. it’s alright.” He was looking at Cale from the corner of his eyes. Even if Basen had met with multiple nobles before and talked with them, he felt small beside the redhead, but he realized he had nothing to worry about when he saw the small nod from the taller man.

“I suppose it shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Thank you, Young Master-nim.” Taylor’s smile returned to his face. “I would like to introduce myself formally, but it is a bit difficult for me to get out of the carriage... so I apologize.”

Cale was quick to answer him. “It’s fine. It’s just a simple introduction.”

Basen nodded in agreement. He also felt it was unnecessary for Taylor to step out of the carriage since Cale seemed so comfortable. There was no need for dramatic formalities in this situation.

“Yes, it’s alright.”

The boy shook Taylor’s hand as the blond man began to speak. “My name is Taylor Stan. This is priestess Cage, she’s been traveling with me.”

Cage peeked her head out and gave a big wave with her entire arm to Cale. “Hello again, Benefactor-nim! It’s good to see you again!”

Cale could feel a headache coming. The crazy priestess was loud enough for everyone to hear her compared to Taylor’s previous mumble. Now everyone was looking.

As her friend smiled sheepishly at her antics, Basen didn’t seem to mind. Instead, he chose to introduce both him and Cale to the two. “Nice to meet you. My name is Basen Henituse, and it seems like you have already met my cousin, Cale Thames.”

It slowly got silent, everyone was stunned for different reasons, and Basen was slowly beginning to regret his decision to call Cale his cousin out loud, but he couldn’t regret it at the same time. It was the truth after all. Cale was now family and his cousin.

‘Cousin?’

Cale startled when he heard how Basen introduced him, but he couldn’t bring himself to think much about it. No, he felt rather happy. It meant Basen saw him as family and it was pretty close to his own world. It didn’t feel as weird as being referred to as ‘Mister Thames’ by his own family.

‘Cale Thames? Thames?’

The two friends inside the carriage looked at each other. Cale had only told them his first name the first time they met, so it was a surprise to get a surname too. And to think he would be related to the Henituse? The guy didn’t look anything like Count Deruth.

In the back of his mind, Taylor barely managed to recall a vague memory of meeting a pretty lady with red hair during one of the Northern Noble’s events when he was younger.

‘If I’m right, the late countess had red hair.’

It would explain why he’s traveling with the Henituse.

“Hans.” At that moment, Cale called out to the deputy butler.

“Yes, Mister Cale-nim?”

“Do you mind helping them? Oh, and please prepare food and their tent too.”

It should feel weird that a guest was ordering a servant around. Despite the way he formulated it as a question rather than a demand, it should be the young master and heir telling them what to do. But at the same time, people’s image of Cale had just risen thanks to Basen calling him his cousin, which would mean he’s still of a higher status than most commoners. It felt weirdly natural to receive orders from this man.

Still, Hans was Basen’s butler, so he still looked at the young master to receive a nod for confirmation.

“Of course, Mister Cale, Young Master Basen. I shall do as you say!”

The next morning, Cale sat outside the tent by one of the tables with his brother beside him. On and Hong were with him again. It seems like ever since Choi Han and Dodam left, they didn’t want to separate themselves from Cale. On was sleeping over Cale’s shoulder while her brother had managed to get Cale to pet him. The people who looked in their direction couldn’t contain their laughter at seeing a cat slumped over his shoulder.

Beacrox approached him with three plates and put two of them down in front of Cale and Basen, the third one was meant for the cats.

“Thanks.”

“Thank you.”

Both of them nodded towards the chef and Cale began to eat with a satisfied smile on his face. He always enjoyed Beacrox’s food, no matter the world. It always tasted just as delicious. However, even after a while, Cale still felt the presence of the chef not leave, so he looked up at Beacrox.

“...”

“Mr. Thames.”

“...Yes?”

‘What did he want now?’

Cale still felt wary around the chef ever since their first encounter in the kitchen. Even now, the frown on Beacrox’s face made Cale nervous. Had he done something to make him mad? Would he try to throw a knife at Cale again?

“When will Choi Han come back?”

“Huh?”

Oh. Beacrox was asking about Choi Han. Were they getting closer and Beacrox wondered when he would come back?

A sly smile stretched across his face. “Don’t worry, Beacrox. You can meet Choi Han again at the Capital. I suppose you two must have gotten close these past few days?”

The frown was replaced with a scowl instead.

“No.”

Answering immediately, Beacrox turned around and walked away. Cale looked at Basen and could only shrug his shoulders as he watched the man leave. At least he didn’t stay unlike how Ron liked to do. The scary butler enjoyed standing over Cale’s shoulder whenever he accompanied Cale. Although, he would need to talk with the two assassins sometime. The future could change and Cale needed more people in order to not take any risks.

“Good morning, Benefactor!”

A familiar, cheerful voice snapped Cale out of his thoughts, and Cage and Taylor appeared in front of them. Cage plopped down on the bench on the opposite side of the two brothers while Taylor stopped his wheelchair beside the table.

“Good morning, Young Master Basen, Young Master Cale.”

Cale froze.

‘Young… Master?’

Why was Taylor calling him that? He wasn’t a young master in this world.

“Ah, did you not like that? My apologies, Mister Cale-nim.” The other man seemed to have noticed Cale’s stare and quickly corrected himself. “I just figured you should be addressed accordingly since you’re Young Master Basen’s cousin.”

Basen coughed into his fist and instantly avoided eye contact with anyone. Cage couldn’t help but try and stifle a giggle at the cute pair.

“I see…” Cale looked down at his food. “It’s fine. It was just a misunderstanding.”

“You’re not a young master?”

“Actually…” Basen was about to explain, but halted in the middle of his sentence. He silently looked at Cale for permission. Basen wouldn’t speak about someone else’s past so carelessly, and patiently waited for a response. He gave a small smile when Cale gestured for him to continue.

“I first met Mister Cale only a few days before starting our trip to the capital. He had been found in Harris Village just a few days after a massacre occurred there.”

The two friends were flinched by the story.

“What? A massacre?” Cage looked at Cale with different eyes from before.

Basen nodded. “Yes, luckily, he was mostly unharmed.”

“Ah, except for my condition, the Lord was very kind in treating me and had a priest heal any remaining issues.”

At the mention of his ‘condition’, everyone around the table shot him with odd looks. Basen hadn’t been prepared to reveal Mister Cale’s weird injury to these two people, but he supposed they might already know about it. They have met before, after all.

“Condition..?”

Or maybe not.

“Yes.” Cale nodded with a satisfied smile on his face, not fitting what he was saying at all. “My condition causes me to cough up blood from time to time. I am very weak.”

“Weak..?”

‘The son of the God of Death was weak?’

“Huh…” Cage muttered as she narrowed her eyes. “Is that why..?”

However, she quickly stopped herself from continuing that sentence.

“Hm? What do you mean, Miss Cage?” The red-haired man turned his head to look at the priestess with interest.

“Ah.” She let out a surprised sound, as if she had been caught doing something. “I’m sorry, I’m not sure I should…”

As she trailed off, Cage’s eyes fell on Basen instead, and Cale lifted an eyebrow. She was probably about to say something Basen shouldn’t hear. It was most likely about something regarding their encounter the other day. However, even if it was, Cale wasn’t really planning on letting Basen sit out on this conversation. Cale could always ask Cage more questions later, but he also figured he should bring up the idea of helping them sneak into the Capital. And he couldn't do that without the young master of the party giving him permission.

“It’s fine. What were you going to say?”

Cage seemed to hesitate. “Well… I think this ‘condition’ you have might be related to the… aura around you.”

“Aura?”

This was the first time he heard about this. He knew he had a particular aura around him thanks to the Dominating Aura and the fact that he has so many ancient powers in his possession, but was Cage mistaking that for something else? Or could she really sense his ancient powers? He’s pretty sure the Cage from his world couldn’t but this one might be different.

“Mister Cale, you know I’m a priestess, right?”

“Yes?”

Could Cage sense the traces of despair in his heart? That was the power from a god. It would be troublesome if she did.

“And you have… a kind of protective aura around you. It’s quite thick. Like a shield. Mister Cale, this is the aura of…”

She leaned in and looked around before whispering. “The God of Death.”

Clank!

The fork Basen had been holding fell out of his hand and landed on the plate, causing a loud noise to quiet down the entire area. He was looking at both Cage and Cale with wide, shaking eyes, ignorant of the other stares.

“The… The—“

“Hm.” Cale interrupted Basen with a hum and looked at Cage with calm in eyes.

“And you think this… aura is trying to protect me from my condition?”

Seeing how Cale was apparently not aware of the divine surrounding him, Cage slowly nodded her head. “Well, yes. At first, I just thought he was particularly fond of you, Mister Cale, but now I can understand he didn’t stop at that. It seems like he not only had his eyes on you, but also bless—“

“Stop.” Cale immediately put a hand up to hinder Cage from completing that horrific sentence and leaned forward. The hand that had been petting Hong moved up to rub at his temples, hiding his face behind the hand.

Cage immediately stopped talking at the sound of his command. She looked at her friend who only lightly shrugged his shoulders.

After a while of silence, Hong began to rub his body against Cale’s arm, making him look up from his hand. No one spoke up and let him think.

“Young master Basen.” Cale turned to his younger brother, who still wore a chaotic expression. “I would like to keep this information confidential. Is that okay?”

“A-ah… yes.” The boy slowly agreed with a hesitant look. “Uhm, but may I tell Father?”

Looking at Basen while silently petting Hong, Cale contemplated for a few minutes. If Deruth found out, he might become more cautious and kick him out. Finding out the guest they had been helping was actually someone with a god’s eyes on him would only cause them trouble. Both pestering from the church and the fact that the divine is involved, watching him.

But seeing those eyes who tried not to show desperation, he couldn't help but sigh. Worst case scenario, Cale would just need to stay at the Super Rock Villa instead. Problem solved.

“Haaa… okay. He can know, but no one else.”

“Yes! I will make sure of that.”

Seeing how the situation calmed down, Cale leaned back into his chair. On was still draped over his shoulder, sleeping so deeply you would have thought she was dead if it weren’t for the snoring right into his ear. Hong hopped down from the table and into Cale’s lap instead, urging him to continue petting the red kitten. Despite the weird atmosphere after the sudden revelation, it evened out when two kittens could warm up the scene.

No matter what, they couldn’t really take Cale seriously with two cats climbing all over him.

“Um.. Young Master Basen, I heard you were on your way to the Capital.” Taylor broke the silence with an awkward smile and changed the subject. “I know it might be inconvenient for you, but may I ask if we can accompany you?”

Basen was silently thinking as he looked into the other’s eyes. He already knew of the situation Taylor Stan was in, and his brother, Venion, was probably searching for him. That man wasn’t someone Basen really wanted to meet again, although he knew he probably had to do so either way at the celebration.

Still, they have already risked encountering Venion after letting Taylor Stan camp with them, so it should be okay to let them accompany them to the capital.

Besides, what Priestess Cage said about Mister Cale had blown Basen’s mind. Cale Thames, Father’s nephew, his cousin, had received a god’s blessing. A god had looked at Mister Cale, seen the injury he was suffering from, and cast a protective aura around him. The same god, the God of Death, had also probably prevented Mister Cale’s injury from getting worse. A god— a god! —had saved Cale. All of this made him wonder how bad Cale’s condition really was.

Basen wasn’t really a believer, but in that moment, he almost changed his mind.

“Young master Basen?”

“Yes?” Caught off guard, the young boy cleared his throat. “Ahem. Yes, you can travel with us to the Capital.”

A smile bloomed on Taylor and Cage’s faces. “Thank you very much! We won’t travel with you all the way. Just until we reach a nearby place.”

‘Just like in my world, he knows his boundaries.’

Taylor Stan was probably planning on using the church to enter the Capital, but it wouldn’t take long before Venion or the marquis found out.

“How are you planning on getting into the Capital?”

“Huh?” Taylor made a confused sound, surprised by the question.

“You must be trying to keep a low profile, but you can’t do that with the money you currently have. Besides, entering through the temple will probably cause Venion Stan to find out in just a few days. I have no doubt there are people who are willing to play politics in the church for a bit of extra money.”

“Wh- how did you—“ Cage exclaimed loudly before stopping herself. Instead, she looked at her friend who still had a surprised look on his face. Taylor was clearly stunned, not having expected to be called out like that by someone they recently met.

“Haha..!” A laugh then escaped him. All three of the ones around him (+ the only cat that was awake) kept looking at him.

“Oh my, Mister Cale-nim. It seems like you knew more about our situation than I expected.” Taylor smiled at him. “But you’re right. I have no money, and I need to keep a low profile in the Capital to avoid Venion. So, what do you suggest I do?”

The question was directed back at him, and Cale looked into Basen’s brown eyes. His brother was probably confused, but Cale believed in his ability to understand the situation quickly. That was the kind of person Basen was. A sharp noble boy, fitted for the heir title.

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO Shadow08081 FOR MAKING THIS WONDERFUL PIECE OF ART! They are absolutely adorable and they look just as I imagined it when I wrote the scene! Hong is so happy to get some pets from Cale while On is sleeping comfortably over his shoulder. No one could take Cale seriously when this is what they see. SO MUCH LOVE TO YOU, SHADOW, FOR MAKING THIS AMAZING FANART!! <333

Chapter 23: Acting Carelessly

Chapter Text

Screams. And blood.

“Argh! Get away! I’ll kill you!”

Lots of it.

Choi Han ruthlessly slashed at another assassin. The same man who dared to point a knife at a child, at an innocent person.

Dodam was here too. Choi Han couldn’t see him because he was invisible, but he could sense his presence. Dodam has been staying invisible the whole time, even around the mage. It was because Cale-nim had told them not to reveal the dragon’s existence. Still, it didn’t stop him from helping in killing the other attackers.

Slash!

The swordsman struck down his sword on a man who had grasped a child’s arm, and saw the terrified expression on a young girl.

“Go over there! You’ll be safe!” He didn’t have time to explain further, but it wasn’t needed. The little girl didn’t waste any time stumbling over to where he pointed with tears in her eyes.

The whole area was chaotic, and it was covered in blood. Everything resembled Harris Village so much.

Choi Han hated this, he felt his blood burn underneath his skin. Stepping on the fallen assassin’s chest (right where the wound was), Choi Han zeroed in on his next target and dashed at them, a terrifying glare on his face.

Rosalyn gathered her mana and preformed a spell at her opponent, sending them flying and crashing into a building. A young girl was running towards her, and she quickly cast a protection spell on her.

On a different note, there was another mage here. Someone invisible. Someone Rosalyn hadn’t noticed.

She was surprised and startled when she first felt the waves of mana raiding off the mage, and the fact that she felt so affected by this power compared to this person meant they were at least a highest-tier grade mage. And wasn’t that scary?

This person couldn’t have appeared out of nowhere, and seeing how they somehow fought well together with the swordsman meant the mage had been hiding between them for days. Rosalyn can’t even imagine how she couldn’t have noticed them or how they weren’t exhausted from using invisibility magic for hours a day. She hadn’t noticed them until they suddenly showed themselves by sending magic attacks to kill the enemies while still keeping up the invisibility spells.

If this person had some time decided to kill Rosalyn, she wouldn't have been able to stop them before it was too late.

It gave Rosalyn chills. She hadn’t felt this caught off guard before.

And then that swordsman…

Rosalyn looked over at her new friend, Choi Han, who ruthlessly killed any assassin that got in his way without an ounce of emotion on his face. He obviously knew something. He had been acting strange from the moment they met, as if he was in a rush.

And now they’re here. On a battlefield, protecting a Wolf Tribe from getting murdered by these bastards.

“Watch out!”

Bang!

The little girl from earlier shouted from behind her, and Rosalyn easily killed the person who managed to sneak up on her.

‘I can’t think about that right now.’

She needed to focus. Her task was to protect these people, while the other mage and Choi Han went wild.

Really. Those murderous black eyes could strike a chill down anyone’s spine.

Clang!

“Ugh!”

The sword in the assassin’s hand flew into the air, and Choi Han stabbed into her arm, pinning the bastard to the ground. The assassin screamed in pain, and looked straight into Choi Han’s wide, obsidian eyes that were devoid of anything but madness.

“Who are you.”

The voice was low, threatening. The assassin felt herself tremble, but suddenly bit down hard when she realized she was going to die.

“Hey!”

Choi Han gripped the woman’s jaw, but it was already too late. The effects of poison killed the assassin before Choi Han had the chance to interrogate her.

“…”

He stood up and looked around. Corpses of enemies and beast people as far as the eye could see. Blood, burning, screams of horror. The village was ruined. People’s homes were destroyed beyond repair. So much like Harris Village—

Looking over to where Rosalyn was, Choi Han saw children and adults, alive and breathing.

“Haa…”

Breathing out a quick sigh, he began to run again.

— Choi Han! What is happening to that wolf?

Dodam’s voice caused him to slide and halt. Choi Han looked where Dodam meant and saw two figures lying on the ground, a distance away from Rosalyn. A man clothed in black clothes lays dead a few meters away with a bloody, animalistic scratch covering his whole face. One of the people, a child, yelled at the other one lying down, shaking him and screaming.

“Hyung! Lock!”

At first, Choi Han thought the boy was dead, but running closer, he saw the heavy breathing and pained expression. He crouched down in front of the two and looked at the younger kid who he could guess was only 5 years old.So young. Too young for this—

“What’s happening to him?”

“I-I don’t know..! He, He jumped out when that man came and prot-tected me! T-Then he just collapsed!”

Choi Han frowned and shook the older boy. “Hey, can you get on my back?”

The boy seemed lucid enough to understand him as exhausted eyes looked up at him. Slowly, Choi Han lifted him to rest on his back and made his way over to Rosalyn who rushed up to them. .

“What happened?”

“I don’t know. He looks like he’s in pain.”

The kid from before followed them back to the group. A worried expression on his face.

Choi Han couldn’t save everyone, he knew that. So many lives had been lost, but compared to Harris Village, there were still people here. He had managed to save peopleunlike Harris Village—

Choi Han wondered what Cale would say.

When he felt Dodam’s presence beside him, he knew there were no enemies near them for him to worry about.

11 kids and…. 9 adults. All adults were injured.

Despite their fast pace, they had only arrived once the battle had already started. Blood had already been spilled, and many had died from the surprise attack. Choi Han doesn’t know how many there were from the beginning, and he’s not sure he wants to find out.

“Haa.. ha…”

The heavy, painful breathing in his ear reminded him of Cale-nim. Choi Han didn’t like this situation in the slightest, but even if he didn’t know what to do, someone else might.

“I… I know someone who can help.”

Rosalyn looked at him and the boy on his back. It only took a few glances for her to make a decision.

“Okay, but we need to be quick. It’s going to take some time to teleport all these people.”

“It’s fine. Dodam.”

— Got it, Choi Han!

A black light began to shine underneath their feet.

“Aldo! Can you take care of the rest? We’re going to the Capital.”

“Huh?”

One of the mercenaries they had traveled with before turned to him after swinging his sword at one of the remaining assassins.

Neither Dodam or Choi Han waited for him to answer. The mercenaries would be fine, they’ve held their own this far and could meet up at the Capital.

The black light formed a giant magic teleportation circle, and Rosalyn gasped from the amount of mana in the air.

“T-This!”

Swoosh!

The moment the teleportation circle activated, she realized this being, full of mana, was not a person.

“Have you been to the Capital before, young master Basen, Mister Cale-nim?”

Two hours away from reaching the Capital’s gates, Cale found himself sitting beside his little brother, looking at the two people accompanying them in the carriage. It’s slightly crowded with the cats here too, but no one seemed to mind.

“This will be my second time visiting the Capital,” Basen answered politely.

“Hm. I’ve been here a few times before.” Cale spoke nonchalantly as he began to pet On. Basen turned to look at him.

“Oh, have you stopped here before because of your travels, Mister Cale?”

“Travels?” Cage looked at him with interest.

“Yes. I used to travel a lot. I met you two on one of my trips last year. Do you recall?”

“Ah…” Cage quickly caught on and scratched her chin with a sheepish smile.

Like they had said before, the story of how Cale knew Taylor and Cage was simple. A year ago when he was traveling, he had met the two friends who were in a picky situation. After giving them some money to ‘help’, they went their own ways. Nothing meek, nothing less. The ‘Benefactor’ title was just an exaggeration.

“I see.” Taylor took over the situation. “Well, the current event in the Capital is a festival to celebrate the king’s 50th birthday. It’s a joyful occasion for both the people and for the noble gatherings. I suppose that is why you’re going to the Capital, young master?”

Basen nodded his head and reached a hand out to the red cat beside him. “Yes, the crown prince has prepared and invited all of the noble heirs to attend a gathering. I am going there before attending the actual celebration.”

“The crown prince….” The blond man mumbled to himself before focusing on Basen with a serious expression.

“Young master Basen, watch out for the crown prince.”

‘Oh my. I knew he said it like that straight to my face, but I thought he would do it a bit more carefully this time.’

Taylor Stan had been just as direct and honest as his other self. Cale thought it would have been a bit different since the whole situation has changed to a degree, and that it was Basen he was talking to this time, but it seems like he was wrong.

“I still have a way to gather information. Although this event has always been in place, summoning the heirs was the crown prince’s idea, so it’s not my first time meeting him.”

Cage looked bored beside her friend. Except for when it came to the kittens. Whenever she looked at them, a weird gaze appeared in her eyes. Almost as if she wanted to snatch one of them to pet herself. Basen just observed the two of them in silence. He has also met Alberu Crossman once before since becoming the heir, but he wonders why he should be careful of him.

“I don’t know how to explain it…”

“He has a glib tongue.”

“Ah! Yes, he has….” Taylor stopped before he could finish his sentence. “Or… I mean…”

Speaking so carelessly of a royal would not end at calling it disrespectful. For others, it was very brave of Cale to openly say the crown prince had a glib tongue, but he trusted the people in the carriage. No one here would report such a minor thing. Especially not when Taylor Stan had accidentally agreed very openly.

“Yes, that’s right. You knew, Cale-nim.”

"It's not exactly a secret.”

“I suppose it’s not… I have just never heard someone describe him better than you did. Haha.”

Basen brought a hand up to his chin. “A glib tongue… Well, I suppose it is true.” Basen was recalling the only interaction he had with the crown prince and could confirm it. He was quite skilled in praising people. Basen supposed that was one of the reasons why he’s so liked by so many people.

“Yes. Since he has a glib tongue, it can also be quite tiresome to get involved with him.”

“Hm. I understand, young master Taylor.”

“Haha, although, I still hope for you to enjoy the festival, of course.”

‘Enjoy the festival…’

Although the Birth of a Hero didn’t mention much about the Henituse since it was mostly focused on Choi Han, Cale had no doubt that Basen got injured during the terrorist attack. Too many people had died, lost their limbs, or their home. Cale slightly regretted that Basen would have to attend the celebration and be at risk when Arm appeared. However, there was not much Cale could do about that.

On another note;

‘Alberu Crossman.’

Cale would need to avoid his dear Hyung for now. He wasn’t planning on reaching out to him yet. Still, he did wonder about one thing.

‘If the illusion I experienced was truly a world, and I was jumping in time between Venion’s lackey and the servant, will he remember me?’

Unless the illusion where Cale pretended to be Venion’s lackey and the crown prince’s servant were two separate ones, the Alberu Cale had met should be the same one. If he also had his memories from ‘that event’, Cale was worried if the current present timeline and world he was in had changed.

‘The butterfly effect.’

If Cale had known what he thought was an illusion would affect him this much, he would have been more careful. At that time, he only had one goal in mind, and that was for the 15-year-old Alberu to stop feeling a sense of indignity.

He hadn’t cared about the consequences because Cale thought it wouldn’t come back to bite him in the ass.

Also, the timeline was messy too. For Choi Han and Dodam, it’s only been a year since they first met Cale, but for Alberu, it would be 8 years. It’s a pretty long time, so Cale isn’t even sure he would remember him. As long as Cale doesn’t encounter Zed Crossman, he should be okay.

“Mister Cale-nim, are you not going to enjoy the festival?”

“Huh?”

“You have a crumbling expression, Benefactor-nim!” Cage answered for him with a playful smile, and Cale scowled at them.

“Don’t call me that, and I will be too busy to enjoy it. I’ll need to work.”

“You’re going to work?” Basen asked the question.

‘Why would he need to work? We already have money and everything he could ask for.’

“Yes. Work. So I will be a bit busy.”

“I see…”

As they were nearing the Capital’s gate, Cale handed Taylor a necklace, but it wasn’t a normal necklace. It had the ability to turn anything around it invisible for a limited amount of time. This was the second time Cale used this device.

“Get ready.”

Cale and Basen stood beside each other as they walked through the halls in the Henituse mansion located in the Capital. Sneaking Taylor and Cage in had been easy, and they were currently resting at an inn. Basen recalled the aftermath of their conversation after they first discussed the plan.

Taylor Stan and Cage soon walked away from the table and Cale and Basen were left alone. He looked at the two happy friends disappearing from view and let his gaze stay there for a few extra minutes.

“Mister Cale.”

However, Basen suddenly called out to him.

“Is this really alright?”

The boy wasn’t looking at him, but also kept his eyes on the spot Taylor and Cage had been sitting at just moments ago. When he turned his head to look at Cale, Basen saw a reassuring smile on his face.

“Don’t worry, I will take care of it. No one will know we are associated with them.”

He sounded so sure of himself that Basen couldn’t help but believe him. Basen trusted Mister Cale. He has proved over and over that he can be relied upon and will take care of any situation he decides to get involved with.

Perhaps this is why God has taken a liking to him.

Closing his eyes, Basen broke the silence between them.

“Mister Cale, I know you said you would be busy in the Capital, but do you have time to come with me to meet the other northern noble heirs?”

The question was sudden, and Cale looked at the other boy with raised eyebrows. “You want me to attend a meeting between nobles?”

“Yes… We are planning on having a meeting before the celebration, so unless you are too busy, it would be appreciated. Besides, I’m sure they wouldn’t mind since you are my c-cousin.”

‘Ah, now I understand.’

Cale now went by the name ‘Thames’, and some of the northern noble households have a history with Jour Henituse because of her status as a countess. And since Cale is a relative of her, Basen might want to introduce him to the people who knew Jour before, even if they were young.

‘I suppose it won’t be that annoying.’

“I have time.”

He probably didn’t even have to do anything than introduce himself and be polite.

Cale didn’t notice the small smile that crept up his face.

Basen smiled back at him, mirroring his expression. He felt happy that Mister Cale would come with him to the meeting. Although Basen has never met Madam Jour, he knew the other three northern heirs had met her. Especially Eric Hyung. Basen had heard stories about how Madan Jour enjoyed talking with Eric Wheelsman every time they met during a party or a gathering.

He hoped it would turn out okay.

“C-Cale! Mister Cale!”

Hans suddenly came rushing up to them with another servant behind him. He was frantically calling Cale’s name with a chaotic and stressed expression. Cale’s eyes narrowed as he immediately understood what was happening.

‘Choi Han must be back. Was Lock’s berserk mode triggered again?’

“M-Mister Cale! It’s Choi Han-nim—“

“Show me.”

His stern voice left no room to argue. Hans instantly turned on his heels and began to lead the two of them to the entrance of the estate.

Cale’s mind was a mess while Basen looked confused.

‘He’s back at the exact same time as he was in my world. I sent Dodam with Choi Han, so there should be more survivors this time.’

But if there were more survivors, there should be parents and adults that are alive. And if Lock is somehow going berserk again, then the adults should be able to handle him instead of Choi Han and Rosalyn.

As Hans opened the last door, multiple heads snapped to their direction.

“Cale-nim!”

— Human! Noona, Hyung! We’re back!

Choi Han called out to him, but Cale ignored him to approach a person lying on a couch. Obvious signs of a beast person going berserk could be seen, and Cale stopped in front of Lock, who wore a painful expression. The boy’s face was flushed and his breathing was labored. He would go berserk in a few minutes, and Cale needed to move him before that happened. Lock curled up on himself, clearly in pain and trying to keep his eyes open and awake.

Cale sighed and crouched down in front of the boy.

“Stop trying to resist and close your eyes. Everything will be okay.”

Lock’s tired eyes slowly closed as he looked at the red-haired man. His words repeated in his mind as he lost consciousness.

‘Uncle…’

Cale stood up again, taking notice of Rosalyn’s presence before Choi Han’s distressed voice spoke up.

“Cale-nim, why is Lock like this? None of the potions you gave me works. Rosalyn said it can’t be used on the Blue Wolf Tribe.” He was clearly anxious, and his voice gradually became louder. “I should be protecting him! Y-You said I should protect him.”

“Choi Han.” Cale interrupted the swordsman and ignored the questioning gazes. “How many people?”

‘How many people survived?’

“…”

Basen looked at the scene in front of him with a frown. Mister Choi Han, who Cale said would bring back a friend, had come back with a sick boy and another lady. However, Mister Cale had that look in his eyes again. Like he already had the situation under control. Like he knew this would happen.

“20.”

20 survivors. 11 children, including Lock, and 9 adults. It’s a great difference from his own world where only the children had survived. It was a good decision to send Dodam with Choi Han.

Cale turned his head to look at Rosalyn again. Seeing how she isn’t reacting to Dodam’s presence, he must have either revealed himself to her, or chosen to keep himself hidden this time. It’s different because Raon had gotten interested in a human with mana, and showed Miss Rosalyn some of his powers during this moment, but the cool-headed princess was calm.

Rosalyn raised an eyebrow at him when she felt Cale’s gaze on her.

— Human! What is wrong with the little wolf?

Cale sighed.

“He’s going berserk.”

“Berserk?” Basen spoke up and stood beside him.

“Yes. Miss, have you heard about Beast People going berserk?”

Rosalyn’s eyes sharpened at suddenly being addressed by the red-haired man, but she answered nonetheless. “I’ve read about it in books, but there was no information about fevers and pain like this.”

“It’s because it’s his first time.” Cale answered back nonchalantly.

“First time..?”

He turned his head to the boy who just muttered beside him.

“Beast people’s first time going berserk makes them lose their minds and only rely on instincts due to the sudden pain from a physical change. Once they regain their consciousness, they can use their berserk mode as a weapon.”

Many people were intensely listening to his explanation, slowly stiffening up when they realized what was happening.

“That boy is going to go berserk very soon now.”

“…”

Choi Han clenched his fists. Lock, who had closed his eyes, was still panting, his voice hoarse. Unlike the other people who might be worried about their safety, Choi Han worried for the young boy. He had lost his family with only a few survivors, watching them die right in front of him, and now he was suffering. Choi Han looked helplessly at Cale, wondering what to do.

“I don’t know who you are, but I can tell what’s going on.” Rosalyn had a deep frown on her face. “He’s just a kid.”

“I know.”

At her words, the other servants around the room were also reminded of that fact, and based on how stressed Choi Han seemed to be, they could only imagine what had happened before they came here.

“Young master Basen,” Cale called out to his brother. “Please make sure to clear the training grounds under the mansion.”

The boy nodded and gestured for Hans to get working.

“Choi Han.”

“Yes, Cale-nim.”

“The adult survivors. Are they injured?”

Someone flinched and mumbled. “What? Survivors..?”

Basen and looked at Cale with widened eyes.

“Yes, Cale-nim. Only the children are unharmed.”

“I see. Then, you two,” Cale pointed at both Choi Han and Rosalyn. “Bring Lock to the training grounds with me.”

— Human, am I also coming? No, I’m coming with you!

Choi Han immediately nodded and lifted Lock onto his shoulders while Rosalyn gave him an odd look before following a servant showing the way. Cale was also about to walk towards the training grounds when a hand grasped his wrist. The culprit was Basen who looked at Cale with a deep frown.

‘Ah, right. This must be confusing.’

Cale had slightly forgotten how the current situation might look to anyone else. Everything was so clear for him since it had already happened before and Cale was expecting this, but to Basen, who couldn’t have predicted this, must think it’s weird.

At least for now, the best thing he could do is to reassure the boy. Cale couldn’t risk losing the trust he built.

“I’m sorry for the confusion, young master. I will make sure to explain everything later.”

Basen looked into Cale’s eyes while staying quiet. This whole situation was puzzling. Mister Cale weirdly knew information about Beast People. And while Basen also knew about their berserk mode, it was the first time he had heard about what happened when they first went berserk.

What was weird about it all, was the fact that Mister Cale seemed to have already known this would happen.

‘He didn’t send Mister Choi Han to find a friend. He sent him away to protect people.’

Choi Han had told Cale that he was supposed to protect the wolf boy. Mister Cale had told him to protect him. Then he asked about survivors. They had come from a battlefield, and Cale knew about it beforehand.

It was all so confusing and caused a headache to form itself in Basen’s head, but at the same time, those reddish-brown eyes somehow managed to calm him down. Cale told him he would explain everything to Basen, and for some odd reason, he trusted him.

“Please don’t let anyone enter the training grounds.”

(This was Mister Cale’s first time at the mansion. How did he even know about the training grounds underground in the first place??)

“Will you go there?” Basen had to ask. Was Mister Cale planning on going there with only two other people when a beast person was going berserk a losing his mind? Anything could happen.

“Yes. I will go there.”

The two cats immediately surrounded his feet.

“It could be dangerous.”

Cale was surprised by Basen’s stubbornness. It wasn’t exactly what he had expected of the usually quiet boy. Sure, Basen had expressed his worry a few times in Cale’s world, but he always did it subtly without being overly expressive. However, he didn’t hesitate to show his concern this time.

‘Did Father tell him to keep an eye on me?’

So far, only Hans was annoyingly checking on Cale every now and then. He had also put at least two guards to follow Cale at almost all times, which Cale suspected was his Father’s orders. But it seems like Basen had also been influenced to check up on Cale. If this continues, it might mess with Cale’s plans.

“Would it help if this Ron could accompany you?”

Cale visibly flinched, not having expected the assassin duo to come up to them.

‘What the… when did they even get here?’

He hadn’t even noticed they were in the same room. Although Ron only asked if he could come, seeing how Beacrox also stepped forth and held his chilly gaze on Cale meant he probably expected to follow them.

Cale was a bit reluctant, but Basen nodded.

“Yes, that would be okay. Mister Cale, please take at least two of our servants with you.”

“Alright. That will work.”

Sighing to himself, Cale relented and let Ron and Beacrox follow him to the training grounds.

Chapter 24: Don’t trust me, Patriarch-nim.

Chapter Text

“Dodam.”

— Got it, Human!

A half-transparent black shield surrounded Cale and the children together with the father and son duo. Cale had explained the rest of the details to Rosalyn and Choi Han while ignoring the scary smile on Ron’s face, so they were currently standing beside the unconscious Lock. Just like in his own world, the two had decided to act as Lock’s siblings.

It was also at that moment that the young wolf began to thrash around, clutching at his clothes as his body began to change. He was finally transformed.

“Did you reveal yourself?” Cale was speaking out loud in a calm manner. Rosalyn was too far and occupied with Lock to hear him, and anyone else already knew of Dodam’s existence.

— I helped protect the wolves and teleported us here, but I never showed myself! Just like you said, human!

“Good job. It’s okay to speak out loud for now, but keep yourself invisible.”

Cale didn’t mind revealing Dodam to Rosalyn, but it would be bad if the mage got distracted at suddenly catching glimpses of a dragon. Cale already figured Rosalyn could guess about Dodam since he had shown his magic, but he was still unsure how obvious he was.

“Human, why aren’t you using that?”

A child’s sudden voice caused Beacrox to tense up before calming down again. No one except his father noticed the slight change.

‘He’s probably asking about the Indestructible Shield.’

“Why would I need to use it when I have you?”

“Ah! That’s right! I am a great and mighty dragon!”

“Yeah! Nya! Youngest is really strong!”

“Ho ho!”

The laugh that escaped the scary butler reminded Cale of his presence and he pressed his lips together into a thin line. Luckily, Dodam hadn’t specified what he meant, so there was no way Ron or Beacrox could know what they were talking about.

Cale leaned back on the wall. “Might as well get comfortable. We’ll be here for two hours.”

“Specifically two hours?” Beacrox asked from beside him. “Is that the duration for a beast person first going berserk?”

“Hm, not necessarily. The wolf, tiger, bear, and whale tribes. They all lose their rationality during their first berserk mode which is why these main four tribes are considered the closest to monsters. The duration can change, but it will be for two hours in this case.”

“…”

While Beacrox moved his gaze back to the scene in front of him, Ron stayed still as he openly stared at Cale with a smile.

“I regret we haven’t gotten the chance to talk before your friend came back, Mr. Thames.”

‘Hm? What is he saying now? Isn’t he happy that Choi Han is back?’

Looking over at the assassin, Cale suppressed a flinch as Ron’s eyes curled up.

“You seem quite sure that it will last for two hours.” Ron kept his gaze on Cale, not breaking eye contact. “It’s almost like you knew this would happen. Very impressive.”

“…”

He wasn’t saying anything, but everyone know it was true. Cale hadn’t exactly been very subtle about his knowledge of the situation. To anyone paying attention to his words, this had been predicted to happen from the start. And of course would Ron make sure not to miss it. It was risky, but Cale had some time along the way given up on being secretive. At least not in front of the people he could trust.

‘I suppose the fact that this shouldn’t affect me when I get back to my world makes me careless.’

He was once again reminded that this was a repetition of the past, a different world Cale wasn’t planning on staying in. Here, no one knew of his origins or past. He had no reputation yet and could mostly do whatever he wanted.

“I have…” Cale mumbled in a low voice, but it was clear enough for the people around him to hear.

On and Hong didn’t move their heads from the wolf boy, completely focused on the fight. Slowly, Cale felt the weight of a dragon land on his shoulder.

“I have a lot of plans for the future.”

The reddish-brown eyes closed as he said that, refusing to look at the others in the room. Cale was surprised at himself for revealing this to anyone. Ever since he appeared in this world, his first thought was about how to travel back to his own world. Something had gone wrong in the illusion, and Cale was now convinced the part of the test that Cale thought was an illusion, had actually traveled him to a different world.

‘There are multiple worlds of Earth, so why shouldn’t there be multiple worlds of this one?’

Alternative universes.

It was a theory he had read about as Kim Rok Soo, and it got all too real when he became Cale Henituse.

Ron looked away from the red-haired man to watch the other punk in the room. His son was also looking in their direction, realizing the situation.

Cale Thames had planned ahead multiple days before this happened. At first, he found his friend, Choi Han, and took him with them to the trip to the Capital. Then Cale sent him away and the punk came back with two people after having supposedly fought in a battlefield.

Had Cale also known those ‘survivors’ he mentioned would get attacked? Is that why he sent the punk and dragon away?

If he did know about the attack, that would mean he probably had ulterior motives for accompanying the Henituse. Based on the dinner conversations he had with the Henituse family, Cale had planned on going to the Capital either way, and getting to go with Basen Henituse was just a bonus. The Thames punk had been calm when his friend returned with bloody clothes and two other people. Too calm for someone in his situation. The answer for that was obvious.

‘I have a lot of plans for the future, he said. It doesn’t just end there, does it?’

“The mage, was she a part of your plan?”

Beacrox voiced his question as his father’s train of thought continued. He didn’t miss the interest that showed in Ron’s eyes as Cale opened his eyes again.

“Yes.”

There was no hesitation in his voice.

“And the wolf?”

“Yes.”

Cale chose to be honest. Neither Ron or Beacrox knew him in this world. While it did feel weird since Cale wasn’t used to this treatment by the two assassins, it would go in his favor. He could act how he wanted and do what he wanted without them suspecting him. Because now, the Original Cale doesn’t exist (another phenomenon Cale can’t understand why).

“Are we also a part of your plan, Cale Thames?”

“…”

Ron smiled but didn’t look at Cale, only keeping his head turned forward. The children had gotten quiet a long time ago.

Badum.

Ron and Beacrox were a part of Cale’s plan. Whether Cale liked it or not, he can already suspect the father and son duo would want to get involved when they find out about Arm. After all, they followed the original Choi Han the moment they found out Arm had attacked Harris Village, and left the original Cale in Rain City without a goodbye.

Cale had no doubt they would be interested in the information he had.

“Yes.”

In the end, Cale answered Ron’s question truthfully, which earned him a low chuckle from the man.

“…”

Amidst the silence, Dodam began to rub his head against Cale’s. The red hair moved from an invisible force, and Cale openly reached his hand up to pet the round head.

Badum. Badum. Badum.

He let out a quiet, shaky breath and listened to his heartbeat. It has become a habit in the past few days. Every now and then, Cale would stop what he was doing to put a hand over his heart and listen. So far, nothing out of the ordinary has been found, and he hasn’t felt affected like he did that night in the Tolz Territory.

Cale counted every heartbeat and the pauses in-between. This time, it wasn’t moving out of rhythm, but it was unusually loud. Loud enough so he could feel the blood pulse through his entire body. His skin twitched with every pulse. Hopefully Dodam wouldn’t notice.

“On, Hong.”

However, instead of continuing to think about it, he called out to the two cats, who turned their heads to him.

“Watch how he moves.” Cale pointed at the wolf boy. “He is currently a threat, moving on instinct. Unlike humans, beast people can trust and move on their instincts alone. That’s what makes them so great.”

On and Hong’s sharp eyes zeroed in on Lock while they still listened to Cale. They were completely focused on observing him like they were told.

“Watch how he moves on his instincts and learn from his movements. Think about a way to take down a bigger, more threatening predator. Then, make it yours.”

The kittens were shaking from excitement, yet they still maintained a serious expression. Although, they couldn’t stop their swaying tails.

“Dodam.” Cale also decided to take this time to make sure the dragon would also learn something. “Watch how Rosalyn uses magic to make sure no one gets hurt, and how Choi Han uses his aura to protect Lock rather than hurt him.”

“I know, human. I am great and mighty.”

“Yes, you are, but look closely. It’s much harder to protect people than to hurt them. Though, I’m sure you already knew that.”

“…”

Dodam was thinking, keeping silent. After a while, he slowly spoke up again.

“…I will do it. I am a dragon. I can do anything.”

“Yes, you will succeed.” Cale nodded as he pet the round head, feeling satisfied at the outcome.

It was good if the children began to learn how to defend themselves. Of course, they already knew what to do in dire situations, seeing how On and Hong had managed to survive in the slums and escaped from their tribe. And Dodam was a dragon, who already knew a lot about magic from getting freed a year earlier than Raon. Cale didn’t doubt he ha ent that time experimenting with his magic in the Forest of Darkness. It was a good place for a young dragon that needed practice.

Plus, it never hurt to make sure. Since an opportunity to teach them without doing anything is right in front of him, who is Cale to look a gift horse in the mouth?

“Will we go berserk too? Nya?” Hong suddenly voiced his thoughts, which brought Cale back from his own mind.

“No.”

“….?”

The cats finally snapped their gazes at Cale. Ron and Beacrox also looked at him from the corner of their eye.

“Why wouldn’t Noona and Hyung go berserk? Is the Cat Tribe different?”

…Maybe he shouldn’t have said anything. Now Cale needs to explain how he knew about this too. It wasn’t like he could just tell them that he actually met their tribe, who also told him the truth about the siblings. On and Hong were mutants and could not go berserk. However, that never stopped them from being dangerous and useful in Cale’s world.

“In special cases, beast people will never be able to go berserk.”

Cale looked down at the cats with a gentle gaze, slowly bending down to pick them both up. He now had a dragon draped over his shoulder and two kittens in his arms.

“The Fog Cat Tribe is no different from the other tribes, but you two are the special case I mentioned.”

Two pairs of yellow, piercing eyes stared at him. They were silent.

“However, just because you can’t go berserk doesn’t mean you aren’t strong. So, watch the wolf kid and find a way to defeat those who are physically stronger than you.”

“Human…”

“H, How do you know?”

“Hm?”

On didn’t look away from the red-haired human. She listened to every word very intently, not missing a beat, but she was curious about one thing. On and her brother had escaped from their tribe because of discrimination and abuse. At that time, living on the streets was much better than staying there and risking getting killed. Still, to this day, she doesn't know why their tribe acted like that to them, but here she is, finding out that neither her or Hong could go berserk from a man she had only known for a few days.

How did he know? Why is he so sure of that?

Cale was kind. He gave them food and shelter for the cold nights. The hunger that ate away in her stomach had subsided ever since she met him, and she would never go back to the streets again.

He was also very mysterious. That’s something anyone would know about once they spent a little time with him.

First, he had a bunch of ancient powers that looked so pretty and powerful. Then, he can apparently talk to voices in his head (she had been a bit concerned about that part but figured he wasn’t normal to begin with). Cale also knew a lot about stuff no one else would know about. He had freed Dodam after possessing someone else’s body, he had then disappeared for an entire year and come back saying he only experienced a few minutes between the two appearances. That was something she was sure had never happened before. At least not what is written in the books.

Either way, On knew he was weird. He was weird and mysterious and knew weird things too, but she would still like to know.

“How would you know?” she repeated, not in a demanding tone, but a curious one. Cale frowned.

How could he explain about this without it sounding too weird? While he had expected to receive a few questions from the assassin duo, he hadn’t prepared how to answer this question.

“Was it your friends?” Hong suddenly asked him.

“Friends..?”

“Nya! The friends that speak in your head!”

“Ho..?” Ron suddenly injected, having listened to the whole conversation. “Voices, you say?”

Cale felt himself begin to sweat. Why does nothing ever go his way?

“Human? You have more than one friend in your mind?”

“Haaa….” The redhead sighed deeply and pinched the bridge of his nose with his free hand. He decided to put the blame on his ancient powers. “Yes… they were the ones who told me.”

— Huu… Cale….

“Hmm.” A low, rumbling hum escaped Ron’s voice as he looked at him with amused eyes.

It had been a good decision to come along. Despite the days where the annoying punk wasn’t here to cling to the young Thames, Ron hasn't found a good opportunity to speak to the boy without anyone else hearing. He also knows how much Cale seems to fear him, something Ron thinks is quite fun to tease him with.

Although, it bothered him to some degree since it probably meant Cale knew something he shouldn't know about. Any other day, he would have thought Choi Han revealed everything (he already tried to warn Cale at that time in Puzzle City), but based on how careful he seemed to be, Ron wasn’t sure Cale knew more than that they were dangerous. The flinches whenever Ron snuck up on him, the avoidance of eye contact, and the obvious signs of trying to make him go away. All of these signs pointed at an unexplainable fear that had started before he met Choi Han, and Ron, who was an expert in acting, could only conclude he knew something.

Then he reveals something about the little kittens that even they didn’t know about themselves.

The man was resourceful. He had a lot of information about beast tribes, knew proper etiquette, and had knowledge of things most people wouldn’t even consider.

“Did those ‘friends’ of yours also tell you about the attack?”

Ron doesn’t know if the ‘friends’ that the red kitten had mentioned were real or just something Cale said as an excuse for the children. If they were real, he suspects it’s more metaphorical than actual voices. And that could mean he had more people like the punk, Choi Han, who were the voices whispering reports to him.

He also didn’t miss how Choi Han came back with the same smell from the people who attacked Harris Village.

It makes Ron wonder. How deep does he have to dig to get the truth?

“…”

Cale had suspected he would be asked about this. Mentioning ‘survivors’ and not sounding the least surprised about all of this already hinted that he knew beforehand. Cale planned on getting Ron and Beacrox involved in finding the bombs for the celebration. He needed people for his plan, and preferably more than Choi Han and Rosalyn.

That’s why this was a good time to introduce them to the future events.

“Don’t trust me, Patriarch-nim.” The name caused him to receive two sharp looks from the men. “But I am also not your enemy in this situation.”

Beacrox narrowed his eyes at the red-haired man, thoroughly inspecting him. He wasn’t looking back at them, but Beacrox found no hesitation in his expression. This man knew. He knew who they were, that they were from the Molan household, that his father used to be the patriarch of that household, full of assassins.

‘He’s from the eastern continent?’

He had been suspicious of him from the moment he first walked into the kitchen. A man who reeked of blood and of those people. What was his goal…

“Patriarch huh…”

Meanwhile, Ron’s gaze darkened as his smile widened.

‘I’ll have to make my own judgment on whether you’re trustworthy or not, Cale Thames.’

Just like he said, Lock finally calmed down after two hours of fighting. His appearance was turning back to normal, and he collapsed into Choi Han’s arms from exhaustion.

The three of them were panting. Having defended themselves from every attack caused Choi Han’s heart to race and Rosalyn’s mana to strain. Nonetheless, no one seemed to be angry or disappointed.

“Haa..! Ha.. Hyung...” Lock called out to Choi Han through ragged breaths. “N, Noona, I’m sorry…”

Cale saw this as his cue to approach them. He had sat down after the first 20 minutes because he felt his legs shake from standing up so much, so it wasn’t exactly very pleasant to feel the popping of his joints when he got back up.

He walked closer to the wolf boy with the others following behind him before couching down. Lock turned his flushed face to Cale, barely able to keep his eyes open.

“It’s over now,” he chose to say. “You can rest now.”

The soothing voice calmed Lock down, and he relaxed his tense muscles.

‘Uncle…’

Slowly, Lock closed his eyes and let himself succumb to sleep. Seeing how the situation had calmed down, Cale stood up again and motioned for Ron and Beacrox to take care of it. They had already discussed what to do once everything was over, so it was easy to let the two servants do the work. Cale would notify Hans to help once they left the training grounds.

He dug in his pocket and took out a bottle.

“Hey.”

That was the only warning Rosalyn got before the bottle was thrown at her, but she had no problem catching it.

“A potion..? These don’t work on Lock.”

“I wouldn’t give a member of the Blue Wolf Tribe a potion. It’s for you.”

“…”

She was silently observing Cale. Most likely trying to detect any hidden meanings behind the act, but found none.

“Thanks…”

“No problem. You did a good job.” Cale turned to the crouching swordsman. “We need to talk.”

A curt nod, and Cale looked back at Rosalyn.

“You can come too if you want.”

Walking out of the training grounds, he was immediately met with multiple people rushing up to him. Basen was one of them. It seemed like he had been waiting outside the whole time.

“Mister Cale? Did everything go well?”

“Ah.” Cle let out a surprised sound. “Yes. Lock has calmed down and is currently unconscious. Ron and Beacrox are tending to him, but I suggest they receive some help.”

“Of course. Hans.”

“Yes, young master-nim.”

The butler didn’t waste any time getting to work, and Basen returned his gaze to Cale with a calm expression. His eyes held anticipation as he scanned Cale from head to toe, most likely awaiting the explanation he was promised.

“…”

Young master Basen.”

Cale would begin to tell Basen the lie he came up with. He couldn’t tell him the truth. Both because he felt he shouldn’t need to know about it, and that it could become dangerous to get involved. Even if Basen, as the heir, would want to know about all of it, Cale also couldn’t risk losing his trust. He didn’t want Basen to view him negatively. In order to proceed with his plan on a safe manner, it would be easier to have the Henituse as a backing.

“I did not know Choi Han would come back like this.”

Cale didn’t want to lie to Basen, but it was needed for this predicament. He also ignored how Choi Han subtly twitched at his words.

“You didn’t know he would bring back the wolf boy?”

“No.”

“And what about the miss?” Basen snuck a glance at the woman who had even brighter red hair than Cale. “Is she the friend you mentioned?”

Rosalyn tensed up and snapped her head at Cale with an untrusting look in her eyes. Fiery orange eyes stared at him as she gripped her staff, and Cale silently cursed in his mind.

In the Birth of a Hero, Rosalyn had been skeptical about befriending anyone, and Choi Han didn’t have any interest in companionship. It was only after they met Lock that they began to get closer. Then, in Cale’s world, Choi Han had decided to befriend Rosalyn because he wanted to properly pay Cale back. That had resulted in an easier and more trusting relationship.

However, Cale felt she was still very tense and on guard like in the Birth of a Hero, but also calm and friendly when it came to Choi Han and Lock.

…Was Cale the problem?

“Ahem… Yes, she is the friend I mentioned.” Cale spoke in a slightly awkward voice. There were still multiple servants and guards standing around them, forming a crowded circle and blocking off the hall.

“Anyway, I have met beast tribes before on my travels, so I recognized the symptoms of a beast person going berserk for the first time.” He told another story of his experience on the road with many eyes looking at him. “It’s usually older family members that help with someone’s first berserk mode, but seeing how the boy was alone and the look on everything (he didn’t need to mention the blood stains), I quickly assumed that bringing his parents to help wouldn’t be possible.”

At that moment, Basen, as well as many others, instantly understood it all and got the full picture. It wasn’t a very pretty picture.

Mister Choi Han had come back with bloody clothes and was in a similar state as he was when he came to report the incident in Harris Village, and that incident had been a massacre. It wasn’t hard to understand that something like that might have happened again. It also meant that the ones attacking Harris Village wouldn’t stop at just one village.

“I see….” Basen frowned. “Is that why you asked for survivors?”

His cousin nodded.

Basen understood. The wolf boy was tall, but looked to be younger than him, and based on his assumptions, the boy— Lock probably had to see a horrific event play out right in front of him. Mister Cale was indicating that he thought it was similar to Harris Village, which worried Basen. Because on another note, Harris Village seemed to be a sensitive topic for both Cale and Choi Han.

He knew Mister Choi Han felt affected. The reports told him he had seen his friends and family get murdered before taking action himself. Coming back to see such a familiar scene couldn’t have been a nice experience.

And then there was Mister Cale. Basen usually didn’t notice many changes in his expression, but there was a different look in his eyes as he spoke about everything. (Basen didn’t know it was because Cale was tired and stiff from two hours of sitting on the ground.)A deep part of him strived to be like Mister Cale. That’s why he carefully chose his next words.

“Well, like I had mentioned to you before, Mister Cale. Our mansion has a lot of rooms, so it shouldn’t be a problem to let them stay here for some time.”

Cale’s eyes immediately dropped any tension he still had, and he showed a small smile.

“Thank you, young master-nim. May I find a room to speak with Choi Han?”

“Of course. Tom can show you.”

Basen gestured to the butler standing beside him, who bowed down and began to lead them out of the hallway. The thumping of feline paws trying to keep up filled the area. Choi Han mouthed ‘thank you’ to Basen when he passed him, and Rosalyn did the same in a similar manner, expressing their gratitude.

Meanwhile, Cale swallowed the sigh that was about to escape him.

‘One event after another… Can I sleep soon?’

Chapter 25: Homesick

Chapter Text

Cale was tired. Too much had happened in such a short amount of time. That’s why he chose to gather everyone at the same time so he wouldn’t have to repeat himself. That’s also why Choi Han and Rosalyn are sitting across from him. The children had followed them into the room.

They were in a simple meeting room with two couches facing each other. A bowl of cookies sat in front of them, and Cale gave the children each one cookie to chew on. He also chose to ignore Rosalyn’s curious look at the two animals eating cookies with smiles on their faces.

Cale suddenly called out a name.

“Dodam.”

— Oh! Can I show myself to the mage?

“Yes.”

Getting a confirmation, Dodam canceled the invisibility magic, causing Rosalyn to flinch. Her eyes widened as she gaped at the scene before her. In front of her appeared a reptilian creature with smooth black scales and beautiful sapphire eyes.

‘A dragon!’

She felt her heart beat inside her chest. The one she originally thought was a mage, and later concluded was nonhuman, turned out to be a legendary dragon. This was something almost no mage would experience in their entire lifetime. The dragon, who the red-haired man called ‘Dodam’, rested his front paws on the man’s lap with a relaxed expression. She didn’t dare utter a word, only stared at the magnificent dragon as it watched her with just as much interest.

“Dodam.”

As Cale called out to him a second time, the blue eyes turned up to look at his face. Rosalyn let out a shaky, excited breath at the scene.

“Introduce yourself.”

The man was speaking incredibly disrespectfully to the dragon, and Rosalyn felt a lump in her throat. Yet, the dragon didn’t seem angry in the slightest as an adorable smile stretched across his face.

“Okay, human! Hello, little mage! My name is Dodam Miru, and I am a great and mighty dragon!”

Nothing but the word ‘cute’ could describe what she was seeing. Rosalyn was in disbelief, but caught herself before she could do anything embarrassing. She cleared her throat.

“Ah, hello, Dodam-nim. My name is Rosalyn, and it’s a great pleasure to meet you.” She put on a friendly smile. It was the first smile in a while that she didn’t need to force.

“Good job.” Cale easily pat Dodam’s head without acknowledging Rosalyn’s observing eyes. “My name is Cale Thames, and you have already met Choi Han.”

“Haha.” Rosalyn laughed gently. “Yes, Mr. Thames. As a mage, seeing a dragon and a human living together is quite the surprise. If I recall correctly, it was the Dragon-nim that helped so gracefully during the attack?”

Dodam bobbed his head up and down as he took a bite out of the cookie. “That’s right! The human is very weak, so me and Choi Han are here to protect him!”

“I see…” She looked back at Cale who fully agreed with the dragon, but thought it was odd. There was something more to this relationship.

At first, Dodam-nim had been with Choi Han during their journey, and helped in defeating the assassins that attacked Lock’s family. After getting attacked by assassins herself, Roslyn learned to be wary of the people around her, even her allies. So, even if she found Choi Han’s actions to not be a threat to her, she couldn’t help but notice how he seemed to have a goal, a task.

And the recent events only proved her point even more.

Choi Han had said he knew who to go to when Lock got sick. He showed his full trust to this person named Cale, and when they arrived, he immediately began to listen to him like a loyal knight. Choi Han trusted Cale to be reliable in this situation, and he was right to do so.

From what Rosalyn had gathered, Cale Thames had sent Choi Han to find her, which made her stay tense and observant. This person probably knew who she was, and had sent his subordinate to befriend her. Then Choi Han mentioned he should have protected Lock, that Cale had told him to protect the boy, which also revealed a hidden goal.

And a dragon, who appeared to be friends with Choi Han, also seemed to listen to this red-haired man in front of her. And since Choi Han had a task to complete, Dodam-nim must have also had one; something Rosalyn has a hard time believing.A dragonlistened to a human? And even went out of his way to complete a mission said human had given him?

But at the same time, she couldn’t doubt her eyes that could clearly see a dragon sitting comfortably on a human’s lap.

“Mr. Thames-nim, I have a few questions if you don’t mind.”

Like the man had expected her to say this, he gestured for her to continue.

“Did you know about the attack?”

“…”

Choi Han looked at her with wide eyes as she spoke. Rosalyn only smiled at the swordsman, a completely different smile from the one she gave Cale.

“I noticed Choi Han seemed rushed, and he immediately took action without hesitation when we arrived at the village. Plus, a lot of other things point at you having assigned him a task. A task to find me, and protect Lock. Am I wrong?”

“You are not.” Cale causally reached for a cookie for himself as he answered her, showing no anxiety from being found out. “I did know about the attack beforehand, which is why I sent Choi Han and Dodam to help.”

The children were letting them talk, although after a while, On, Hong, and Dodam gre bored of the conversation and began to play with each other. Rosalyn glanced at the cute scene when the three children hopped down from the couch before looking back at Cale.

“Then, may I ask another thing?”

“Go ahead.”

“Do you know who I am?”

Cale knew she would ask that. Rosalyn had asked the same thing, albeit slightly differently, in his own world.

“I do, your highness.”

Choi Han flinched as his eyes widened even more, but he kept quiet. The crown princess of Breck ignored the commotion as she narrowed her eyes with the smile still present.

“If I didn’t know you had specifically sought me out, I would have asked why you wanted to get involved with me, but you have a goal in mind, don’t you? Mr. Thames?”

“Hah.” Cale laughed lightly. “Please just call me Cale, your highness.”

“Then you may call me Rosalyn, Cale-nim.”

Rosalyn looked to the black-haired swordsman beside her and found him avoiding her eyes. He looked guilty at being found out, but these past few days has told Rosalyn he did not know much. From his actions alone, he seemed to be someone whose goal was to not only complete his task in finding Rosalyn and Lock, but also to risk his life protecting Lock’s family.

When she thought about it, even if this Thames person was suspicious, he, just like Choi Han, had only done good deeds so far. He sent Choi Han and Dodam to save a tribe from getting completely killed, then he helped Lock by telling them about his condition, and even convinced the young master of the house to provide rooms for them.

‘No wonder the dragon-nim likes him.’

No matter how she saw it, this man had been kind and helpful. Now she only wanted to know what he wanted from her.

“You may stay here for as long as you’d like, Miss Rosalyn.”

“For as long as I’d like? You don’t wish to keep me here?”

Of course, she couldn’t rule out the possibility of him needing something from her as a princess.

“I have no reason to force you to stay. If you wish to leave, then I won’t stop you.”

Rosalyn wanted to scoff if it weren’t for the fact that this man was someone a dragon treasured. What he was saying was unbelievable. He went out of his way to send his subordinate to find her, bring her to him for a simple meeting, and then letting her leave without asking for anything? His thoughts were weird. She couldn’t understand him.

However, this man seems to not have told anyone else about her identity, seeing how Choi Han didn’t even know. Even the young master, the brown-haired boy, didn’t seem to recognize her. So she supposed Cale wouldn’t notify anyone else either.

“I see you haven’t contacted the royals… Thank you.”

“Of course.” Cale leaned back on the couch as he took another bite out of the cookie. “I should heed the will of the person involved in these matters.”

“You’re right, Cale-nim. I do not want that at all.” She shook her head elegantly. “If the royal palace ever mentions this matter, please convert that I did not want to tell them.”

“I appreciate it, Miss Rosalyn. This is my cousin's estate, after all.”

“Yes…. and he does not know who I am?”

“Unless young master Basen recognizes you himself, he does not.”

That would mean this man is recklessly making decisions without the lord’s knowledge. Rosalyn was impressed by his carelessns for the consequences. Although the people seemed to trust him despite the fact that he wasn’t someone in position for making decisions, Rosalyn would make sure this act of kindness from Cale wouldn’t backfire on his family.

“Alright. I am grateful enough that you’ve provided a place to stay. I’ll handle my own matters myself so it won’t bother you or young master Basen.”

“Thank you.”

“No problem. That’s what is right.”

Rosalyn still felt slightly on guard, but the tension had lowered significantly. She still didn’t know his true goals, but perhaps it was the way he spoke that caused her to feel calm. It was an unexplainable emotion deep within her that told her to forget any doubts.

“Now, tell me what happened, Choi Han.”

Cale decided to end his conversation with Rosalyn at that moment and focus on Choi Han. The swordsman was silent for a while instead of beginning to speak immediately.

“….It went smoothly until we arrived at the village.” Choi Han bowed his head to Cale before continuing. “I met with Rosalyn and the merchants just like you said, and I will admit that I rushed to get to the village.”

Choi Han’s admission caused Rosalyn’s eyes to cloud over.

‘So he even knew I was traveling with mercenaries?’

“I didn’t arrive before the attack, but when it had already started. From that point, multiple people had already gotten murdered, but I immediately began to fight off the people together with Dodam.”

He paused.

“Cale-nim… those people…”

Choi Han hesitated, and Cale could already guess what he wanted to say.

“Don’t filter yourself.”

He meant it was okay for Rosalyn to hear. Choi Han continued to speak after hearing that.

“You… I heard from Hans that you had been found injured in Harris Village after the attack, but I promise I would have noticed you if you were there.”

Oh. That was not what Cale had expected……

“I, I was wondering if you… appeared there when I left?”

Rosalyn looked at him with an odd expression. He had been found injured? And Choi Han would have recognized him if he saw him? This was new, and it gave her some new information to paint this mysterious man with.

Cale only sighed. “Yes, I appeared there after you left. Why..?”

“Ah.” The other man regained his posture. “What I wanted to say was that those people who attacked Lock’s family were the same ones who attacked Harris Village.”

The princess realized at that moment that Cale and Choi Han had encountered these people before. She could also connect that it was probably the reason Cale knew about the attack on the Blue Wolf Tribe. From the sound of Choi Han’s voice, the attack on the village he was talking about must not have been good, seeing how even the person protected by a dragon had somehow gotten injured.

‘…But, why does it sound like they hadn’t met each other by that time?’

Choi Han asked Cale if he appeared in the village after he left, which could only indicate that they either were meant to meet up there, or that they met for the first time after the attack.

“Then there was a single man among them who had a symbol on his clothes. Five red stars. He stood over a wolf and drank his blood like a psychopath.” Choi Han’s voice turned into venom as he recalled his first encounter with Redika. It was obvious he would feel hate for such a person.

“I tried to kill them, no, I did kill them.” The swordsman’s eyes had darkened. “And anyone I captured committed suicide. The rest were teleported away by the man who drank blood.”

Choi Han looked into Cale’s eyes and addressed him.

“Cale-nim. Do you know who he is?”

Cale did know, but he was hesitating to reveal it. This Choi Han was more aggressive than the one back in his world. He might get even more suspicious of Cale and beat the truth out of him if he’s not careful. Well, he could always make a vow of death again. It helped last time and he needed to go to a temple either way.

“The blood crazy mage’s name is Redika, and the red stars symbolizes his position in the organization.”

“…”

The room got quiet, and everyone turned their heads to him. Even the children had paused their playtime to listen to him. Choi Han had a serious expression on his face, a weird expression that made Cale nervous. Rosalyn was also watching him with calculating eyes. He needed to follow up his statement before anything happened.

“….If I may ask, how do you know about this organization?” It was Miss Rosalyn who asked him.

“Mm.” Cale groaned. Guess they were going to the God of Death’s temple a bit earlier. “I plan on telling you three truths.”

When he first made this vow with his own Choi Han, Cale had not known about Arm’s goal, which was the first truth. However, after spending two years to defeat them, he knew what they were after, or, at least what the White Star was after. So, he couldn’t tell them the same thing since that would be considered a lie.

“Three truths? How will we know if what you’re telling us is true?” Rosalyn was hesitant. Even if he had openly let her listen in on their conversation, she wondered why he was including her in this too.

“We will go to the God of Death’s temple.”

Choi Han eyes shook at the name and immediately recalled what Cage said when they first met.

‘The God of Death’s son.’

Cale claimed he wasn’t a god’s son, but now he is going to that god’s temple?

“I will make a vow of death.”

Choi Han has never heard of the Vow of Death before, but the ominous title made him nervous.

“And put my life on the line—“

“No!”

A shout ripped itself from Choi Han’s throat and he immediately stood up from the couch, a panicked expression on his face. His sudden action caused Cale to startle and look up at the swordsman.

“Don’t put your life on the line!”

The swordsman was clearly disturbed by Cale’s statement. Rosalyn could understand him. It appears Choi Han really cares for Cale, and now when he hears that person is willing to put his life at risk, it’s obvious he would react like this. He truly was loyal.

“Choi Han, if I make a Vow of Death, you won’t have a reason to doubt—“

Thud!

“Ugh!”

At that moment, a force violently crashed into Cale’s side and caused him to fall down on the couch. The air almost got punched out of his chest, so he gasped in surprise and clenched his eyes shut.

“Gah!”

It was only after a few seconds that he finally opened his eyes again.

In front of him were two, blue and tense eyes that stared right at him. Dodam had crashed into him again with such force that made him fall down. The dragon was gripping his clothes, ruining the attire in the process.

Luckily, Cale’s head had hit the cushion that laid against the armrest of the couch, so he didn’t hit his head, but he was still taken by surprise.

“…”

No one uttered a word. Even Choi Han, who had been yelling just a few seconds ago, fell silent. Rosalyn could only watch with widened eyes and a hand over her mouth, but Cale couldn’t look at them.

“Human.”

Dodam’s voice was quiet like a whisper, but he had an incomparable determination in his eyes.

“You can’t get hurt.”

“I won’t get hurt.” Cale instantly tried to reassure the dragon, gently caressing his back in an effort to calm him down. “The Vow of Death will only activate if I lie, and I have no plan on lying and risk getting killed.”

“No.”

Dodam didn’t budge. He wouldn’t back down this time.

“You can’t get killed.”

“I won’t get killed.”

‘What is so hard to understand? I’m only doing this to make sure. I’m not stupid enough to try and lie in such a situation.’

“Haaa….”

A soft sigh came from a part of the room that Cale couldn’t see, but he soon knew the culprit when both On and Hong climbed up on the couch. He now had three children sitting in front of him.

“Cale, what Youngest mean is that you can’t make a Vow of Death.”

“What Noona said. You can’t risk your life.”

Cale felt confused. Making a Vow of Death would be the easiest. It wouldn’t be the first time he did it, and it worked well for the Choi Han in Cale’s world. So, why are they so reluctant in the idea? Cale has already made it clear what the condition for it is, so he won’t be in danger as long as he doesn't lie. Why is it different this time? Why did Dodam react like that? Why did Choi Han suddenly yell at him—

“…”

Maybe, maybe they are more different in this world than he thought. There have been multiple times when events from Cale’s world have repeated themselves, word by word, but maybe that also caused him to ignore the changes.

“Huu…”

‘Guess I’ll have to prolong going to the God of Death’s temple.’

“Alright. I won’t make a Vow of Death.”

The blue eyes brightened.

“Good! You are not allowed to risk your life, human. We will believe you either way!”

Choi Han nodded wholeheartedly as he sat back down. He finally felt his heart begin to calm down again.

Meanwhile, Rosalyn was baffled at this whole situation. Making a Vow of Death really secures one’s trust in the best way possible. It was because in this situation, unless Cale wanted to die, he would be forced to tell the truth. Rosalyn has seen people make a Vow of Death before, and it’s quite commonly used when it comes to confidential information and serious matters, so she wasn’t too surprised at the suggestion.

However, what did surprise her was the reactions. Choi Han had jumped up and denied the idea immediately after Cale first mentioned it, and while she had been focused on the yelling, she had also noticed the dragon from the corner of her eyes. As Choi Han was yelling speaking to Cale, Rosalyn saw how Dodam-nim’s demeanor slowly changed and he fully stopped whatever he was doing. It didn’t take long before he pounced on Cale quite gently for his strength, but still managed to knock the red-haired man down.

‘It seems like Cale-nim means more to Choi Han and Dodam-nim than what I thought.’

No subordinate who was only there for business would react like that. The dragon was truly attached to this human, and Rosalyn knew, as a mage, that no one should mess with what a dragon held dear. And in this case, it was Cale.

The cats being from the Cat Tribe wasn’t too much of a surprise either. She had suspected it ever since Dodam-nim began to play with them so openly.

“That’s right, Cale-nim.” She decided to help in this situation. “You have already proven you are willing to put your life on the line in order to secure the truth, so we will believe you.”

Cale was unsure of that, but knew he couldn’t win. Slowly, he sat up again, now with three children clinging onto him.

“Okay. Then I will tell you the first truth.”

He looked at every single one of them in the room before continuing.

“I know about the secret organizations future plans, and I want to work against them.”

”……”

Cale smirked.

“Do you still believe me?”

“Yes.”

His smile slightly faltered at Choi Han’s quick answer. The swordsman’s serious expression was back to show he really meant it.

‘I don’t want Cale-nim to risk his life.’

Even if Choi Han didn’t completely believe him to 100%, he wouldn’t let Cale-nim make a vow of death.

“Then, do you mind telling us some of these plans you know of beforehand?” Rosalyn’s tone was gentle. She wasn’t planning on risking getting the dragon riled up again.

The red-haired man nodded as he let the dragon hug him. On and Hong cuddled up on each of his sides.

“I knew about the attack on Harris Village and the Blue Wolf Tribe. Unfortunately, I was too late to inform anyone regarding the first incident.”

Choi Han knew Cale-nim was partially lying, but it was only because Rosalyn was here. It was because Rosalyn didn’t know Cale had possessed a different person a year ago to free Dodam and meet with Choi Han. Then his soul had left the body, most likely slept for an entire year for him to feel it was only a few minutes, and then woken up in his own body a day after the attack. There was no way for him to prevent it.

He also chose not to think about what Cale truly was, because even if his body was nothing but human, his soul, that could jump into different bodies and sleep for an indeterminate amount of time, might not be.

But that was something only Choi Han and the children knew about.

“I also know what they plan on doing at the Capital.”

Cale’s sudden words snapped Choi Han back to reality, and his eyes widened.

“Another attack? In the Capital?”

“Yes, Redika, the blood crazy mage, he will return during the king’s celebration.”

The room tensed up, and Rosalyn visibly frowned. A part of her wanted to ask him how he knew about all of this, but she knew her limits. She said she was going to take his word for it, and she can also not risk saying it’s fake when there’s a possibility an attack will happen in the Capital. Cale Thames should have no reason to lie about this.

Was this why he contacted her? He wanted help in preventing the attack?

“Basen, my cousin, will be there, and a lot of people are in danger. That’s why I traveled to the Capital. I plan on stopping these people from putting others’ lives on the line.”

“I will help.” Choi Han instantly answered him.

“Me too!”

“We’ll also help!”

Dodam, On, and Hong were also quick to join in with determination in their eyes. Choi Han once again realized how kind Cale was. He could run away if he wanted to, he could just send a warning to the royal family and let them handle it, but he chose to go out of his way to personally make sure no one would get hurt.

Choi Han also realized why he sent him to recruit Lock and Rosalyn. These people would help in saving lives, and Choi Han would never be one to turn down this offer. No matter the dangers.

“Yes, yes, but there is no need to get ahead of yourselves. We can discuss the plan later since I need to inform some other people too.”

“Cale-nim.” At that moment, Rosalyn addressed him respectfully.“Who are these attackers?”

“…”

‘I guess I could tell them.’

He had already revealed so much. They knew Cale had knowledge about the future attacks, and that he knew who the blood crazy mage was. They also knew his goal to stop them, (although his true goal is to find a way back home while he deals with Arm).

“The secret organization’s name is Arm, and they are a terrorist group.” Cale moved his hand to pet On as he closed his eyes. “Which brings me to the second truth.”

The second truth was the exact same thing he had said to his Choi Han.

“I despise Arm.”

‘They keep getting in the way for my slacker life!’

Despite his neutral tone, both the words and the scowl on his face told otherwise. Rosalyn could see the hate he had for the organization, and understood his emotions. From what she had heard, Arm had not only attacked Lock’s family, but also a village called Harris Village. Choi Han also held deep emotions in his eyes whenever he spoke about it, and she could easily guess what happened there.

The people of Harris Village must have meant a lot to them. It was most likely their home before Arm came and possibly murdered everyone. Even hearing how Cale knew about the attack but hadn’t been able to warn anyone unlike with the Blue Wolf Tribe already hinted that there was nothing left.

“Of course, human! I do too!”

Even Dodam-nim looked sad whenever Harris Village was brought up.

“Nya! We’ll destroy their plans!”

“Yeah!”

“We will.”

Cale agreed with the children and saw how Choi Han gave a little nod. He was also set on destroying Arm.

“Now, the third truth.” Everyone focused back on him once again. “I have no intention of harming you.”

“…”

The room got quiet.

“Pffft—“

Suddenly, a laugh erupted from Choi Han, who tried to stifle his chuckle. Cale only looked at him with a questioning gaze.

‘What is he laughing for…?’

“That’s obvious, human! Are you stupid?”

“Whu....?”

“Yeah, nya~ We know already.” Hong spoke as if Cale was stating the obvious.

Cale huffed and looked at Rosalyn instead, but she also tried to hide her smile behind her hand. Feeling hopeless, he sighed heavily.

The gloomy atmosphere had lifted.

Ron looked down at the little puppy sitting in front of him with a benign smile. Like normal, Cale Thames was avoiding his eyes as he quietly sipped the lemon tea. Ron knew he disliked the sour taste, but it was too fun to tease this young man.

“Mister Cale.”

The reason he had sought Cale out was because he was curious about one thing.

“I plan on leaving for a few days.”

And that was his reaction.

“Hm?”

Cale looked up at him with one of his eyebrows raised, questioning him. Although he had already experienced this once before, he was surprised Ron would come to inform him about it when he’s not the young master.

“Shouldn’t you tell Basen about that?”

Ron didn’t comment on how Cale forgot to use proper formalities when he addressed the young master of Henituse.

“Should I?”

“…”

Cale looked at the old man through his bangs. This time, he didn’t look away from those scary eyes. Ron was obviously after something. He had no reason to inform Cale about this, and he knew the scary assassin would just get up and quietly leave if he really didn’t have other business left here.

‘So why is he telling me this?’

Even the way he openly avoided his question about informing Basen first showed that he wanted something from Cale. He just didn’t know what.

In the end, Cale decided to say what he wanted to say.

“Come back in two days.”

Ron’s smile widened.

“Oh? Do you have plans in two days?”

Cale was showing his uncomfortable expression to the other man. He was pressing him for answers, which Cale could also think was somewhat understandable. Out of everyone Cale planned on getting involved in preventing the bombing, Ron and Beacrox knew the least.

“Yes. So come back in two days.”

He ended up repeating himself and took another sip of the lemon tea, cringing at the taste. At this point, Cale didn’t know if it was out of spite or that Ron genuinely thought Cale liked lemon tea, because he was sure the tea was made from 99% lemon juice and 1% tea. He lowered his teacup and was about to take a deep breath.

Badum!

A hand calmly moved to firmly grasp the backrest of the couch in a tight grip, and Cale felt his heart drop.

“…I didn’t think I would need to repeat myself.”

A looming figure blocked out the light from the lamp in the room, and Cale froze. Dominating Aura was unconsciously activated, stuttering in the process, but the person standing above him didn’t move. No, he was affected, but he pushed through.

“You might be Madam Jour’s only relative, and it’s my duty to serve you.” A vicious tone burned at Cale’s ears. “But I suppose there are times when we all make mistakes at our jobs, no?”

Cale slowly moved his gaze up, and saw Ron looking down at him. The benign— no, the smile he had on his face showed no traces of any friendliness.

The butler had turned into a predator, and Cale was his prey.

The hand holding onto the backrest was dangerously close to Cale’s neck.

He felt threatened. His heart showed it too.

“So, I will repeat myself again.”

Ron leaned in, a terrifying look in his eyes, and Cale wasn’t sure he could look away even if he wanted to.

“What are these plans you speak of?”

It wasn’t the first time Cale was scared of the man, but it was the first time he felt truly threatened by him. This man, who had raised the original Cale since birth, and continued to be Kim Rok Soo’s butler when he transmigrated into this world…. Cale didn’t recognize him.

His mouth was dry, but he still forced himself to speak. It wasn’t louder than a mumble.

“Arm.”

A single word made the smile on Ron’s face disappear.

“I have information about them.”

“…”

“So I need you back in two days…”

Ron wasn’t stupid in the slightest. He instantly understood what Cale meant.

‘Something will happen in two days, and those people are involved.’

Cale Thames was a suspicious man, no, ‘mysterious’ was a better way to describe him. He knew things. He knew who Ron was. He knew that he and his son were Molans. He knew about Arm’s future plans, and now he is saying he wants to involve Ron and Beacrox in whatever plan he has.

Ron’s original plan was to leave for a few days without his son. He would leave Beacrox here to watch the punk and Cale Thames as he went to investigate the secret organization during that time. Ron decided he have been sitting still by for too long, and he had finally gotten a lead on the people who killed his family, the people who killed his wife.

But now.

Now he has a bigger lead. A lead so strong that he could know about Arm’s future plans. Ron doesn’t understand how Cale knows about their plans. He might have installed a rat in their enemy’s army, but that would need to be someone of a high position to know about every attack.

Maybe that was why there were no records of a ‘Cale Thames’. He had erased any evidence of his existence to work against arm, and anccidentally slipped up and appeared in Harris Village without a history.

“Mm.” Ron hummed a light tone, completely different from the threatening aura he was pointing at Cale with. “Maybe I changed my mind.”

“…”

Ron leaned back again, but let his hand stay at the backrest.

“I’m curious. If I were to follow your plan instead of leaving, what would you want me to do, Cale Thames?”

He was asking what Cale would do now since Ron is deciding to stay. What would he ask of Ron if he were to follow his words?

“…Bring your son to my room tomorrow evening.” Cale spoke calmly as he ignored his beating heart. “The plan will begin then.”

‘I’ll tell you tomorrow.’

It was silent again, but Ron eventually accepted this. He finally, finally removed his hand and smiled down at Cale.

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow, Mr. Thames.”

Cale didn’t let himself move until he heard the door close behind the old man.

Click!

“Haaa…..”

His shoulders immediately slumped. His shaky hand put down the teacup on the table, and Cale leaned forward to put his elbows in his knees with his face buried in his hands.

Badum! Badum! Badum!

The heart, that hadn’t shown any symptoms of the root of despair, didn’t stop beating wildly, and Cale felt as if he had run really far.

‘I can’t stay here. I want to go home….’

The people were different here.

They would react differently and Cale couldn’t expect them to go along with everything he says.

The young dragon’s name wasn’t Raon Miru, it was Dodam Miru; the dragon he freed at 3 years old instead of 4.

Cale hasn't known Choi Han for two years yet, and Choi Han doesn’t know about his true identity as Kim Rok Soo. They were building their relationship back from scratch.

And Ron…..

Ron wasn’t his butler. He was an assassin who didn’t fully trust Cale. Cale thought he was good at reminding himself of that. There had been too many times when the scary old man showed his true self as a ruthless killer, and there had been too many times Cale was scared to be the one he pointed his dagger at.

So why is he so surprised? He should have expected this.

He should have…

Chapter 26: Misunderstandings can make things worse

Chapter Text

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

Eric couldn’t stop his foot from tapping the floor continuously. He looked around the room to make sure everything was where it should be. It needed to be perfect.

The table had been set, every corner had been decorated remarkably, and multiple servants and guards stood inside the room in order to quickly tend to any needs.

Truth be told, Eric was nervous.

It’s been a day since the letter from Basen had arrived where he stated he wished to bring along a relative of his. Normally, Eric would be a bit hesitant because it was a meeting between heirs, but he was surprised because it was Basen Henituse who asked to bring someone. Besides, he couldn’t help but stop when he read the name.

‘Cale Thames. Thames.’

No matter how many times he read it, the name stayed unchanged. This Cale Thames person, Basen’s cousin, had met the Henituse just a few days before leaving for the Capital, but the way Basen described him showed he was already fond of this man.

The name ‘Thames’ wasn’t very well known, but Eric could never forget the only person he once knew had that surname.

Jour Henituse was a wonderful woman, and Eric held a lot of respect for her. A gentle, but playful personality that could sneak its way into anyone’s heart. She had no children of her own, but the role of a mother easily showed itself from time to time as if it was natural.

The first time Eric met her was when he was born, and the nobles had been invited to celebrate his birth. He can’t remember it at all, but from that moment, she had never been a stranger to him.

During gatherings where he was too young to understand anything, and was too scared to let go of his mother’s dress, Miss Jour had appeared.

Her beautiful red hair looked elegant in the sun as she smiled down at him. Talking with her had always been easy. He felt comfortable in her presence, and would always greet her when they happened to visit.

As he grew older, Eric began to learn about politics because of his position as the heir. Fully engrossed in his studies, he didn’t have much time to play with the other kids anymore.

Every time he would accompany his father to a meeting or gathering of nobles, politics would surround the area, and it soon became the only thing he could think about.

When Miss Jour once again approached him at a celebration, Eric had been fully prepared to continue speaking about his studies with her just like he had with everyone else who came up to him, but to his surprise, she didn’t even mention anything about politics at all.

Instead, she started asking him how he had been doing lately, and if he ever got to finish that painting he told her about the last time they met.

It was so natural that Eric subconsciously relaxed his tense shoulders, and a real smile formed on his face. For the rest of that evening, he threw any thoughts about work right out the window, and eagerly explained about his hobbies to the smiling Jour without focusing on anything else.

Eric was twelve years old when he found out Jour had passed away, and at that time, he couldn’t stop the tears from spilling as he hid in his room.

So, when he read that Miss Jour’s (supposedly) only relative would visit them, he almost jumped out of his seat.

Basen was a nice kid. A bit timid from time to time, and he needed to work on his confidence, but he usually wore a stoic face and was fitting for the position of the heir. He was 15 years old, and from what Eric had gathered, Cale Thames was older than him since Basen had referred to him as ‘my older cousin’. So, what bothers Eric is the fact that he never knew about this cousin.

Cale Thames must have been at least 6 years old when Miss Jour died, and since he was a related to her, Eric is surprised to only learn about him now.

‘If I do recall, Basen did mention in the letter that he had met Cale for the first time just a few days ago.’

It was understandable that he wouldn’t know about Cale if they only met recently. Still, it didn’t quell his curiosity.

How old was he? Had he met Jour? If he is her nephew, does that mean there are more Thames members? Is his hair just as red as hers? Does he speak like her? Does he act like her? Is he—

“Eric!”

“Huh?”

Eric made a stupid sound as he jumped from the loud voice. Turning around, he came face to face with Amiru Ubarr and Gilbert Chetter.

“Ha… I know it’s exciting, I am also a bit nervous, but please calm down?” Her tone was very different from the urgent one she had used just a moment before to wake him from his thoughts. Gilbert only smiled sheepishly at him.

“I suppose you’re right, Amiru…” Eric slowly let a sigh leave him. “Then, do you think—“

“Young master Eric.” A butler suddenly interrupted them. “The guests have arrived.”

“…”

His heart began to race again.

“They’re here? Right now?”

“Yes, young master-nim. Young master Basen and Mister Cale Thames will enter at any moment.”

And just as the butler finished speaking, the doors to the dining area opened and two individuals followed the servant guiding them.

Eric knew who they were. He had been preparing for this for days by now, and yet, it was completely unavoidable to look away from one of the two young men.

Red.

Beautiful, red, shoulder length hair.

The man who wore the surname ‘Thames’ truly resembled anyone of that heritage. It was unmistakably obvious; he was related to Miss Jour.

He heard how one of his two friends’ breaths hitched from behind him, and he knew they were just as surprised.

He was definitely older than Basen. If Eric had to guess, he would say Cale is around 19 years old. The thin body was dressed in a noble’s clothing, but despite the fact that he almost looked sickly pale, there was one thing Eric couldn’t deny.

Cale Thames was beautiful, just like Miss Jour.

“…”

Cale felt awkward. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but complete silence from the moment they walked through the door was not on his list. Eric Wheelsman had always been an extroverted man who didn’t fear talking with Cale the Trash. So, seeing him with a dumbfounded look on his face unsettled Cale.

‘Why aren’t they reacting? Not even Amiru or Gilbert are saying anything.’

They only stood still while observing each other. Well, it was mostly them looking at Cale as he watched their expressions.

— Human, why is everyone quiet and shocked? Didn’t they know we were coming?

Of course, Dodam was also with them.

In the end, Cale had enough and lowered his head to give a polite bow.

“Greetings. My name is Cale Thames, young master Basen’s cousin. I am incredibly thankful to be able to attend this gathering on such a short notice.”

He raised his head and saw how Basen was giving him a weird look before turning his eyes back to the other nobles. Cale’s introduction seemed to spring Amiru into action.

“Ah, it’s of no worries, Mr. Thames. We are happy to have you join us.” She talked smoothly with the skills of an elegant noble. “My name is Amiru Ubarr.”

“I am Gilbert Chetter.” Gilbert also introduced himself. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Thames, and to see you again, young master Basen.”

“Greetings to you too.” Basen nodded his head to the two of them, returning the formalities.

Now it was only Eric who hadn’t said anything. He suddenly straightened his back and coughed into his fist, realizing his impoliteness by not welcoming his guests. He was the host, after all.

“…Shall we sit down?”

“However, Marquis Stan or the other dukes won’t be able to focus on anything, so I am sure it will be fine.”

Amiru had taken over the conversation with Gilbert, talking to Basen about the upcoming celebration.

“I understand.”

Cale was silently watching Basen answer Amiru with a nod. He was eating the food with a relaxed expression. It wasn’t as good as Beacrox's steak, but it was still delicious. He was happy they didn’t seem to mind him and kept talking like normally.

Well, except for Eric.

He was also included in the conversation, but was more clumsy with his answers as if he wasn’t clearly listening. It also didn’t help how he kept glancing at Cale.

“It’s likely that we will be seated together.” Gilbert chimed in. “Which would also mean Venion Stan would be there.”

Basen’s eyes slightly hardened and he averted his gaze at the mention of Venion. For some odd reason, he looked at Cale, who raised an eyebrow in response. The action didn’t go unnoticed by the others. Especially not Eric who was openly observing Cale.

“…”

— Why did everyone go quiet again?

‘I’m also wondering about that, Dodam.’

— By the way, Human, will I get my revenge on the even-more terrible bastard soon? I want to f*ck him up!

‘….and where did he learn that word?’

Ignoring Dodam’s question for now, Cale was also questioning why no one was speaking. He looked at Basen again, who showed no sign of looking away from him. Cale didn’t really know what he wanted from him, but it was almost as if he was asking for him to speak.

Sighing mentally, he opened his mouth.

“Don’t worry, young master Basen. Venion Stan won’t bother you.”

He ignored the curious looks from the others and focused on his younger brother. As if he had been expecting the reassurance, Basen’s eyes relaxed.

“Mister Cale…”

Amiru called out to him with an intrigued look in her eyes. Cale had asked them to call him by his name since early, which is why he’s not referred to as ‘Mr. Thames’.

“Yes, young lady Amiru?” He answered back just as politely.

“I’m quite curious. Have you met young master Venion Stan before?”

None of them missed how he, a member of a fallen noble family, didn’t use formal titles when he mentioned Venion. However, they chose not to comment on it, letting the easy mood continue to flow.

— Yeah, lady! We looted his house and scared the even-more terrible bastard at night!

“I have. We encountered him on our way here.”

A few gazes tensed as he said that and they immediately looked at Basen.

‘It seems like this wasn’t the first time Venion verbally attacked Basen…’

Based on their reactions, Venion seemed to enjoy targeting Basen (he was even pretending to forget who he was before insulting him). Cale could imagine the other three heirs at the table would protect Basen from those types of nobles just like they did with Cale (although it was mostly to prevent Cale from lashing out.) That was something he would need to thank them for.

Sensing the gazes on him, Basen looked up.

“Might that be a reason for Venion to not bother young master Basen…?” Gilbert slowly asked. He couldn’t imagine what happened during their encounter for Cale Thames to sound so sure when saying Venion won’t approach Basen.

— Human! Tell them how funny he looked! We should have done more than just loot him dry!

“Well, yes.” Cale answerd back as he took a sip of his wine, trying to ignore the child’s voice that was laughing in his mind. “He ran away after all.”

“…”

“R, Ran away....” Amiru whispered quietly while a disbelieving look presented itself in her eyes. Gilbert looked equally confused, while Eric just sat there quietly. Amiru looked at Basen for help, but the boy only raised his chin proudly and confirmed what Cale said.

“It’s true. Mister Cale is quite good with his words.”

Not having expected to receive a compliment from Basen, Cale was surprised. Even if he was more insecure in this world, the young boy didn’t seem to have any problem talking about him. Couldn’t he use that confidence on himself instead…?

“Really…?” Eric, for the first time since they sat down, spoke up, even though it was barely a mutter.

It was unexpected. From what Basen is saying, Venion Stan ran away (Amiru doubts they mean it literally) from them after Cale spoke with him. Basen is claiming Cale Thames to be good enough with his words to make a noble avoid them.

‘Just what did he tell him??’

Little did they know, it was actually Choi Han who scared Venion away because of his connection to Dodam, but since Cale wasn’t noticing the misunderstanding, the others were left spiraling in their own thoughts.

“Eric Hyung, are you okay?” Suddenly, Basen turned the focus to the host of the gathering. The usually upbeat person had been spacing out and was weirdly quiet during this meeting. Amiru Ubarr and Gilbert Chetter might have a clue, but Basen and Cale were unaware of the reason.

“A-ahem.”

Eric cleared his throat at the sudden attention, but didn’t answer Basen’s question. Instead, he focused on Cale again. Cale was almost getting irritated by the change of personality from Eric.

‘Is he also different in this world?’

This was either a change that occurred because it’s a different world, just like how Beacrox and Choi Han are more aggressive just like how Ron didn’t trust him, or his weird behavior is just temporary. Cale hoped it was temporary. He didn’t want to deal with another drastic change.

“Uhm.” The other man started again, breaking the silence. “May I ask a personal question?”

He wasn’t only speaking to Cale. The two ‘cousins’ looked at each other for a moment before giving Eric a nod, missing the furrow of Amiru’s eyebrows.

“Go ahead, Eric Hyung.”

“Ah, yes. I was wondering how you two met? I have already heard from young master Basen that it was a recent encounter.” The easygoing smile returned to Eric’s face, but Cale could see how something was off about it.

To be honest, it was getting tiresome to repeat this story so many times.

“I was traveling to Harris Village to meet my friend, but something came up.” Instead of letting Basen do the talking this time, Cale went ahead and explained.

— ….

Dodam’s chatter suddenly quieted down, but Cale didn’t have time to think about that, nor did he have the opportunity to ask him what’s wrong with so many people around.

Three pairs of eyes slightly widened at the mention of Harris Village, and Eric’s pupils shook. It wasn’t long ago since they heard news of the terrible incident that struck the village, and it was truly heartbreaking, but Eric’s mind wandered elsewhere.

Harris Village was where Miss Jour went to when she died. She fell ill on the way home and in a carriage accident, her health failed her. However, now he hears that Cale Thames, a relative of Jour, went to that village to meet a friend.

While Eric was questioning who that friend was, he also wondered about something else.

‘Does Cale know about how Jour died? Does he know that it was a trip to that village that killed her?’

Eric had no ill thoughts against the village. He believed it to be an accidental coincidence, no matter how tragic it was. It’s not like he can blame the village right beside the Forest of Darkness as the reason for her death. No, he was more wondering if Cale actually knew about her history.

“I heard about the incident that occurred in that village. A very sad tale.”

Gilbert shared his sympathy to Basen, who was the heir to the county of that territory. It was a loss for both the people and for the Henituse.

“But…” However, Gilbert had picked up on something else. “Mister Cale, you said that something came up when you were visiting that village…”

Amiru gasped when she realized what Gilbert was getting at, and brought up a hand to her mouth when Cale nodded to confirm their theory.

“Yes. I was caught up in the incident, but mostly uninjured. It was the Henituse Investigation Team that later found me and brought me back to the county to heal.”

Cale looked calm as he spoke. Even if what he was talking about sounded horrible, he wasn’t exactly trying to make it sound dramatic. His relaxed mood also prevented the others from reacting dramatically.

“Count Henituse also showed his kind hospitality; something I cannot help but be grateful for.” He turned to Basen with a smile. Wide, brown eyes met his. “And I also got to meet a new family apart from myself.”

“Apart from yourself…?” Eric mumbled out the words. What does that mean?

“Mm. That was how me and young master Basen met.” Cale looked back at his food with a satisfied smile plastered on his lips. He was ignorant of the chaotic expression Eric wore, or the slight twitch in Amiru’s fingers. He was also ignorant of the warm look Basen got in his eyes.

“…”

Many were quiet after that, letting the information sink in. Neither Amiru or Gilbert were really that close to Madam Jour when she was alive, but they have met her on a few occasions and could tell how kind she was. It has been so long since they last saw a portrait of her, so when Cale Thames first walked into the room…

If Amiru wasn’t prepared, she would have thought Jour had risen from the grave. That was how close their similarities were. She wondered how Count Deruth felt when he saw him.

“I knew your aunt, Mister Cale.” Eric suddenly mumbled with a gentle and shy smile. “She was really a wonderful woman.”

Everyone was caught by surprise by the sudden change of topic. It was bold of him to bring up a deceased family member to Cale like that, but luckily, he didn’t seem to mind. Cale never knew her from when she was alive, and he could talk to her whenever he wanted because of the diary.

Basen also tensed up, unsure why Eric was bringing her up. It could be a sensitive topic, and even he hasn’t had the courage to mention Madam Jour in front of Cale.

— Human? You have an aunt? What is an aunt?

‘He doesn’t know what an aunt is..?’

Maybe Dodam didn’t know as much as Cale had expected of the dragon who had already experienced 1 year of freedom. He would need to teach hi: when they get back to the mansion.

The other nobles were still waiting for an answer, but instead of the reaction they were expecting, Cale simply smiled back at Eric.

“I heard she was.”

It was such a simple sentence, but he already revealed a lot.

“You heard she was? Mister Cale, did you not get the chance to meet her?” Eric was pressing for answers. His behavior was very uncharacteristic of him, and Amiru was wondering if she should intervene.

“No, unfortunately. Although, I did hear about her on my travels and figured out she was a relative of mine. It was quite nice to hear my aunt’s name again when I arrived in the Henituse Estate, even if I never got the opportunity to meet her?”

Eric frowned deeply.

“But how come you never met her? Didn’t your parents ever visit her—?”

Basen sucked in a sharp breath when Eric brought up Cale’s parents, and the whole table got quiet.

“…”

Eric looked at Basen’s tense gaze. The boy was clenching his fists with a clear warning. Eric was surprised. He never thought he would receive such a look from the shy Henituse, but at this moment, he noticed his mistake.

Turning to look at Cale, Eric felt regret pool in his gut. Cale’s eyebrows were furrowed deeply, and his lips were pressed together. Reddish-brown eyes were staring at Eric.

Realization sunk in.

Cale’s parents. It must have been a sensitive topic to breach, and Eric had done it so carelessly because of his own selfish curiosity.

He might have a bad relationship with his parents, or something happened and they’re no longer in his life. No matter the reason, it was clearly something that made Cale uncomfortable, and Eric inwardly felt how panic was surging up inside him.

‘sh*t… no..’

The first encounter with Cale Thames, something he planned would go perfectly, was turning into a disaster. By the time that this meeting was over, Eric wouldn’t be surprised if Cale planned to never come back here again, and it was all his fault.

Oh god.

What if Count Henituse found out and felt angry since Eric offended his nephew? What would happen to the Wheelsmans connections to the Henituse? Did Eric just ruin years worth of friendly collaborations because of his big mouth?

However, unbeknownst to Eric, Cale’s frown wasn’t because he mentioned his parents. No, Cale had a great relationship with his very much alive parents, Deruth and Violan back at home, but there was no way anyone at the table could know that.

‘The hell?’

Instead, the reason for Cale’s frown was because of Eric’s behavior.

‘Why is he acting like this? Why is he so different in this world?’

He can’t really explain why Beacrox or Choi Han are more aggressive here than in his own world. He can explain why Ron is untrusting of him, and he can explain why Basen’s personality is different, but maybe Eric’s change is related to the first case.

‘Haa…. How troublesome.’

Now he needed to deal with an impulsive Eric too.

“Eric Hyung…” Basen’s voice was tense, but he still chose to remain calm. “Are you okay? You aren’t acting like yourself.”

‘Oh? So he’s not usually like this?’

Cale saw a small light of hope form in his eyes.

The anxious man felt hopeless in this situation, but Basen’s kind words (despite what Eric just did) encouraged him to speak.

“M-Mister Cale.”

“Hm?”

Cale looked at him with a confused expression, but Eric accidentally misinterpreted that look into an irritated one.

‘He must be really displeased.’

“I apologize for what I said.” He bowed his head to show Cale he was sincerely sorry. It was something very disgraceful for a noble; to bow down to a commoner. “I should have minded my words. I hope that you can forgive me.”

‘Forgive you for what…..’

Cale was so confused right now.

“Okay…. I forgive you.”

The hesitation in his voice only made Eric clench his eyes shut with even more regret. To him, Cale sounded like he was concealing his anger and accepting to forgive him because of the situation he was in. He was, after all, only a commoner sitting in front of four noble heirs. Anyone would feel pressured to stay respectful.

Eric lifted his head up again to see that Cale’s expression had softened, but the eyebrows were still furrowed. He tried to give a small smile to the red-haired man, showing how thankful he was that he forgave him.

“Ahem.”

At that moment, Cale cleared his throat and turned to Amiru Ubarr instead of spending more time in this confusing situation. He was completely dismissing Eric, who looked like a kicked puppy at the action, but Cale had something to say to Amiru now that he had the chance.

“Young lady Amiru, the Ubarr Territory consists of a harbor, doesn’t it?”

“Huh? Ah, yes.”

She quickly met Cale’s friendly smile with one of her own, happy that they could move past Eric’s mistake. Basen also relaxed in his chair at seeing how unaffected Cale seemed to be, and made eye contact with Gilbert, who only shrugged as a reply.

“We do have a harbor, but the whirlpools are a distraction for its beauty.”

The helpful Basen chimed in at that moment, wanting to take part in the conversation since Cale was the one who started it. “I heard you were planning on making it a tourist attraction, Amiru Noonim?”

“Hahah. That’s right. I plan on bringing up the idea with his highness during the gathering before the celebration.”

“A tourist destination?” Cale pretended to sound interested as he smoothly approached his goal. “Would it be okay for me to make a suggestion, Lady Amiru?”

“Oh?”

Amiru turned her head to look at Cale with a curious gaze. Everyone else was also looking at him, and Basen’s usual default expression was nowhere to be seen. Amiru hadn’t expected Cale Thames to bring up a suggestion to this idea, but she supposed he had planned it since he was the one who brought up the harbor in the first place.

“Please indulge me, Mister Cale. What may this suggestion be?”

A sly smile curled up one of Cale’s lips. It was time to set his plan in motion.

“A navy.”

A group of 5 people could be seen standing together under the moonlight. An invisible barrier surrounded them, blocking out the sounds and making their voices quiet to anyone watching.

Ron had been waiting for this ever since his enjoyable talk with the little puppy. The day had come when Cale asked Ron to be back from his ‘trip’. Of course, he never left, deeming it more interesting to see what this young man had in mind.

The butler had gone to tell his son what he found out that night. It was a laughable memory to recall the scared face of the little puppy, and it got even more exciting when he finally got the truth out.

Ron has been lying low for too long. It was time he began to move again.

Cale’s head was turned to where a family stood and chatted happily with each other. Ron and his son, together with two redheads and a feral dog stood in the middle of a closed market. The sword master was sending a glare to Beacrox, and Ron couldn’t help but chuckle at the cute and irritated expression on his son’s face. Despite the stoic expression that tried to mask his anger, Ron didn’t miss the twitch in his eyebrows.

“Mister Cale.” Rosalyn elegantly called out to him, wondering why they were speaking about his plan out in the open and not inside. “Could I ask what we are doing here?”

Everyone finally focused and looked at the back of the red-haired man. He then turned to them and proceeded to tell them something that made all of them tense up.

“There are bombs here.”

His tone was so casual and calm that Ron would have thought he misheard him if it weren’t for his enhanced hearing as an assassin. Was that why he was looking at the family? Did this odd man sense something from that direction? Something no one else could?

“Ho? Did you say bombs?” Ron smiled benignly at the younger man, who immediately turned away with a flinch.

‘My, my. Did I scare him a bit too much?’

Ever since their talk, Cale always had an uncomfortable expression on his face and seemed to avoid Ron whenever they were in the same room. His behavior was a bit funny, seeing how comfortable and careless he had been the other days before Ron cornered him. It appears he didn’t mention their fateful encounter to anyone else either. From the way everyone else were ancting like normal, not even the feral punk or the little dragon knew.

“Yes…” Cale slowly answered Ron. “They’re mana bombs planted by Arm.”

Beacrox’s eyes snapped to him when he heard the name. He had already been informed by his father that Cale Thames knew more than he showed. Well- he wasn’t exactly very subtle, but still. Actually hearing that name from someone else who wasn’t his father made it all seem real.

They actually got a lead, and it was right in front of them. Beacrox would make sure not to let this lead escape.

“Mana bombs?” Rosalyn repeated with a frown.

Cale nodded.

“A newly developed mana bomb will explode here in 4 days. Both here and all around the plaza.”

Choi Han and Rosalyn stiffened up. Mana bombs were very hard to handle, but Rosalyn had met a mage from that evil organization that she could imagine would be able to succeed in that aspect. Cale had said his name was Redika, the blood drinking mage, and Rosalyn already saw his skills when he managed to teleport away so quickly. It made her cautiously look around.

Mana bombs would explode here, possibly killing a lot of people. Rosalyn finally understood why Cale had brought them here, as well as why he got Choi Han to find her. She finally understood what he wanted from her.

“The bombs could be buried anywhere. They could even be on a person without them knowing they are carrying a bomb.”

Choi Han’s clenched fists shook at Cale’s words. More people would die soon. He could already see the bloody scene in front of him. Cold corpses that created a sea of death, destroyed houses for no one to return to, and crying children, mourning the deaths of their parents. Choi Han saw Harris Village again. He recalled the horrible memory of seeing his newly gained home completely destroyed with no one left for him to save. He never wanted something like that to happen again, which was why he left to find Rosalyn and help Lock, who had been Arm’s next target.

Just like how he said he would help without hesitation back at the Henituse mansion, Choi Han would keep his word.

The invisible Dodam was probably also listening in.

“Dodam, Miss Rosalyn. Mana bombs are basically a lump of mana, so you can use your mana sense to check the places I tell you about.”

— Okay, human!

Dodam was quick to answer with excitement. He was eager to ruin any of that evil organization’s plans. Rosalyn, however, faltered. Many questions and theories went through her mind.

“You know where they are?” Beacrox’s dead tone asked Cale a question. He was slightly frowning with a distrustful look, but still arched his eyebrow as a sign of interest, completely ignoring the warning growl from the black-haired swordsman.

The younger Molan was a bit easier to look at for Cale. For some reason, he couldn’t bring himself to make eye contact with Ron for more than a second. The feeling made him uncomfortable.

“I do.”

That was all Cale answered with…

Beacrox wanted to pester him for more. Like how Cale knew Arm’s plan, or how he knew where the bombs would be placed. He had heard about his father’s theory regarding this man. It wasn’t news that he didn’t have an identification, since it spread around the estate like a wildfire when he first arrived.

If Cale Thames had a mole planted in Arm’s organization, it would explain how there was no history of him ever existing. Everyone had a background, no matter the status of the person, there were always records of them visiting a place, buying stuff, or speaking with someone. However, Cale had none of that, even if he claims he used to travel a lot last year.

It was an obvious lie, and a lot could be explained if he was after Arm. Beacrox wasn’t ruling out the chance of him actually working with Arm and not against them, but there was also a lot of evidence that shows the opposite. Him sending Choi Han to save the wolves, and how he is involving two assassins in his plans are the main reasons.

“Miss Rosalyn, it will be hard to detect them since they are carefully hidden, but it should be fine.” As he said that, Cale smiled and brought up a hand to pet an invisible force on his shoulder. A child’s voice could be heard in the dark night.

“It’s a bit annoying, but I can do it.”

“That’s right. Dragons are great and mighty after all.”

“Y-Yes! I am great and mighty!”

It was cute how the little dragon would get excited at every praise from the red-haired man. Ron looked at him with an amused smile. This was turning out to be more fruitful than he had thought.

Cale showed them every location and how many bombs there should be. Everyone listened intently to his explanation without making them look suspicious.

“These are the ones that should be in their rightful location. It’s likely that you won’t find every single one just tonight since I suspect they will continue to plant more bombs until the day of the celebration, so make sure to check them every night.”

“Mister Cale, may I ask something?” Rosalyn politely asked him a question. She didn’t want to interrupt him, but there was something she was curious about.

“What is it, Miss Rosalyn?”

“I’m curious to know why there seems to be two possible locations for a few of them? Are you not sure about those?”

It was true Cale wasn’t sure. There were currently two possible outcomes of the attack as of now. The first one was how it went in the Birth of a Hero. That’s the information Cale had relied on when he first experienced the terror incident. However, he had missed a loophole. In his world, Cale had sent Choi Han early with a goal, just like now, which had resulted in him being able to save all of the wolf children. That had also been the reason there were only four bombs around the plaza, while the missing two were suicide bombers.

In this world, the plot had changed even more because the children weren’t the only ones saved, and he was worried Redika might have recognized Dodam’s existence. It wouldn’t surprise Cale if there was a third possible outcome because of this. That’s why he said it was two at minimum.

“Miss Rolsayn, it’s because there is a possibility that the locations might change. I don’t know what they will choose to do, if they will choose to plant all the bombs around the plaza, put more on people without them knowing, or if they will bring in more than 2 suicide bombers.”

“Suicide bombers.” Choi Han repeated the word, as if confirming what Cale said was true.

“How come you’re so sure of everything else except for this?” Suddenly, Beacrox was questioning him again with his arms crossed, not looking very amused. “Don’t you have someone planted in that organization so you can fetch more information?”

It was a bold claim, but he stood firm.

Cale only looked at him in disbelief.

‘…Is this what they think about me?’

Did they seriously think he… had some kind of secret organization for himself? That he had spies planted in Arm’s people?

“……”

Well… it didn’t sound too bad of an idea actually. Although, he wasn’t sure if he would ever do it. It would put the spy on too much of a risk, and he’s starting late if he wants them to get information about the attack. Cale could imagine the spy needed to at least be someone of a slightly high position to find out about their future plans, and he wasn’t sure how fast they could work.

And besides, if they are sent to war and refuse, Arm would undoubtedly kill them.

“No…” After some time of silence, a hesitant ‘no’ escaped his lips. “…It’s just me.”

“It’s just you?”

Ron’s eyes curled up as he spoke to Cale with a smile. His face turned even more scary when he saw Cale shiver and avoid eye contact with him again.

“Ho… ho…. Then I really wonder how you got this information. It’s not that you are the rat hiding among predators? No? Perhaps you were once a friend of theirs? Hm?”

Cale stiffened up as Ron talked and he snapped his head to him with a shocked expression. Reddish-brown eyes shook as he gaped at the older man.

Was he really that suspicious to be considered one of them…?

No, Ron was guessing he was either the spy, or he used to be a member of Arm. That was the most absurd claim Cale has ever heard of.

— Stupid lemon gramps! The human isn’t a part of those bastards!

Choi Han glared daggers at Ron. He wanted to tear this man into pieces for even looking at Cale-nim with such a gaze.

However…

Even he couldn’t deny what Ron was saying didn’t make a little sense. He was sure neither of the two assassins knew Cale’s secret ability, but when Choi Han thought about it, it made sense.

Cale could possess people. He could temporarily take over their bodies and use it to his own content. Choi Han wasn’t sure why he didn’t use his own body to free Dodam and find him, but perhaps there was a deeper meaning to it. He couldn’t jump to conclusions about Cale’s ability, since he doesn’t know much apart from this.

On that aspect, it wasn’t impossible that Cale had possessed someone from Arm, stolen information about their future plans, and then left the body before anyone found out. But that would mean they have been planning this from a year back, since Cale said he was asleep for an entire year until he returned in his own body.

Choi Han still didn’t know where he slept for an entire year. Maybe his body didn’t even exist at that time.

“Ah, I can finally see your eyes.”

Ron’s vicious voice broke the silence, and Choi Han turned to see Cale’s glare. He jumped at the sight. Choi Han had never seen Cale make such an expression before.

Rosalyn also looked at them in silence, not knowing what to say.

“What nonsense are you saying?”

The assassin smiled down at him, satisfied that his provocation worked. The little puppy, who had put on an easy smile ever since they first met, finally broke his facade. Even when Ron cornered him the other day, he had not let anything else but his stoic face (and obvious fear) show.

It was truly funny.

Beacrox watched Cale’s reaction in silence. The calm boy who could easily speak about bombs and murder was gone. He knew his father was provoking Cale, urging his true face to show itself. Beacrox wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but anger seemed to make him more human than what his mysterious identity was suggesting.

Madam Jour was the one who provided shelter for Beacrox and his father when they fled to the Henituse Territory. Beacrox’s first thought about the woman was how kind she was, but he later found her weird. She had an odd aura that made her different, just like Cale Thames.

While Beacrox was suspicious of him, it was interesting to see the similarities.

“Ron. Do you know why I called you and Beacrox out here?”

The angry expression on the red-haired boy’s face had calmed down when Beacrox looked back.

“You have no ability to detect any mana. You are of no use for this mission.”

It was insulting to a family full of assassins. Especially for the Molans, who used to rule the underworld and could still use their skills to even chase little rats if needed to. Ron only smiled as he admired the bravery of the young man who was internally shaking in fear because of him.

“It’s because during the celebration day, where everyone is gathered and about to die from mana bombs—“

Cale raised his voice.

“…”

A beat. Then a second one.

His eyes were serious as he met Ron’s gaze.

“I plan to smack them so hard in the back that I’ll make them bleed.”

The look on Ron’s face changed.

“And I need people to do so.”

Cale’s lips curled up. A sly smile on his face.

“Was I wrong to assume you wanted revenge, Patriarch-nim?”