Chapter 7

Sensing the atmosphere taking a turn for the darker, Lee Soo Hyuk* decides it's time to lighten the mood. The best way to do that, is to tease his two troublesome dongsaeng.

"Hey Cale."

Hearing his name, Cale looks toward Lee Soo Hyuk* only to get an ominous feeling at the smirk on his face.

"Does that mean I made the best first impression on you?" Lee Soo Hyuk* said with a wide grin.

"What?"

"Oh come on, I know you haven't forgotten our first meeting. The first words out of your mouth were "I am hungry" after all." Lee Soo Hyuk* teased.

"I was hungry. I hadn't eaten in 3 days."

"Yeah, but you could have said "Hello" first or maybe even a "My hero" with a swoon." Lee Soo Hyuk* said while exaggeratedly swooning with his hand to his forehead.

The look on Cale as well as Rok Soo's* faces clearly said, "Why the fuck would I do that?" No words were needed.

"Hyung, is there something wrong with your head?" Kim Rok Soo* asked.

"Why would there be something wrong with my head?" Lee Soo Hyuk* asked back.

"Why the hell would I swoon for you?" Cale cut in.

"I did save you like a knight in shining armor rescuing a damsel in distress. I even vanquished the foul beast to do it," Lee Soo Hyuk* pointed out.

Twin deadpan stares meet that statement.

"Either way, I did feed you right after that, so I'd say I definitely earned a best first impression," Lee Soo Hyuk* added.

"Fine. I'll admit you made a good first impression, but I was sleep deprived, somewhat dehydrated, and hadn't eaten in 3 days, so clearly I was mistaken," Cale admitted.

"I second that," Rok Soo* agreed.

"Ouch. That hurts my two troublesome dongsaeng," Lee Soo Hyuk* said while holding his chest.

"Pardon me, but I'm curious as to what exactly you needed to save him from," Valentino* inquired.

"Oh, that. I killed the monsters hanging around where he was trapped under a building that had been destroyed," Lee Soo Hyuk* nonchalantly mentioned.

"I see," Valentino said.

Those in groups 3, 4, and 5 (with the exception of the ones that already know about the apocalypse), just assumed that the other worlds were similar to their own.

While people contemplate the similarities between the world's, Lee Soo Hyuk* congratulates himself on a job well done.

"Hey, Rok Soo, would you like this chocolate bar?" Lee Soo Hyuk* asked with a smirk, a chocolate bar held out toward the young man in question.

Kim Rok Soo* rolled his eyes in reply, but he still took (and ate) the chocolate bar in the end.

Chapter 7: They Met (4)

Choi Han stopped leaning against the wall and pushed his body up.

His body was leaning to his left probably because his right ankle was uncomfortable, but Cale did not help him or say anything about him. There was no reason to be any nicer to him than he had already been.

"Hehe. Definitely no reason to be extra nice to that guy," Cale* whispered to himself.

Cale told Choi Han to follow him as he headed toward the Count's estate. However, an existence blocked his path.

Meeeeeeeeow.

The red furred golden eyed kitten ran toward Cale and rubbed its cheeks on Cale's shoes. Cale started to frown. He didn't like cats, but this one seemed pretty cute. However, he suddenly felt chills all over his body and turned around. Choi Han was staring at him.

"You thought I was cute then. Does that mean you think I'm cute now?" Hong asked Cale with sparkling eyes.

Cale, of course, caved to those eyes.

"Yes, yes. You are cute," he replied with a pat.

"Human, what about me? Am I cute?" Raon flashed Cale his own pair of sparkling eyes next.

"Yes, yes, of course you are cute," he said with another pat.

"Terrible bastard, what about this great and mighty dragon?" Dodam's sparkling eyes were added to the mix.

"There's no need to ask such obvious things. You are cute as well," he delivered a third pat with that.

Upon finishing his praises and pats for the boys, Cale looked over to On to see her watching him with eyes as sparkly as the others.

"Our On is also very cute," he gave in with a fourth pat.

'Damn it.'

Cale awkwardly started to pet the kitten.

"It seems like it likes me. But I have to go. See you next time."

Cale never understood why people talked to animals. However, Cale, who had now become that person that was speaking to animals, quickly stood back up and walked away from the kitten.

Grroooooowl.

The silver furred golden-eyed kitten growled as if it was telling the red-furred kitten to come back while telling Cale to get lost. The red-furred kitten seemed to not want to go back as it continued to look back at Cale as it walked away. However, Cale did not turn back.

Meow, meoooooooow.

"If we had followed you that night, would you have let us stay?" Hong asked Cale.

"Of course. Why would you ask a question with such an obvious answer?" Cale asked back.

"No reason," Hong replied with a happy grin.

The sad cries of the kittens were getting farther away. Cale took a peek backwards. Choi Han was limping, but keeping up with him.

They made eye contact once more. Cale flinched as he quickly turned his head back. He was walking slowly to make it easier for Choi Han to keep up.

"Thank you Cale-nim."

"Young master Cale is so kind," Litana complimented.

"Kind? That's just basic humanity. It's not kindness, just something anyone would do," Cale denied.

"Tsk, dense bastard," Rasheal grouched.

They passed the residential area and Cale took another sip of the alcohol.

The bars. Market. Plaza. They then passed the residences of the wealthy and finally arrived at the Count's estate located in the rear of the city.

"What are you doing?"

Cale looked toward Choi Han, who had stopped moving. Choi Han must have seen how the soldiers greeted Cale, as well as how the citizens avoided him, on their way here.

Choi Han was probably questioning whether it really would be easy to kill Cale.

"What? No!! I wasn't thinking about killing you! Why would I want to kill you?" Choi Han hurriedly defended himself.

"Hahahaha. My instructor-nim is a very vicious and dangerous individual, after all," Alberu teased, causing laughter to spread throughout the room.

"It's okay Choi Han, we know you wouldn't really hurt him," Rosalyn consoled unconvincingly since she was also laughing.

"Yeah, the dangerous dude is more like a loyal puppy around the young master," Bud teased.

Cale asked once more.

"Are you not going to come?"

As expected, Choi Han resumed walking. His reason for following Cale now was probably to get some information as well as to host the funeral for the villagers of Harris Village.

"Y, young master?"

As soon as Cale stood at the main entrance of the estate, the guards and knights stumbled over their words as they greeted him.

'Sigh. I wish they would stop with that y, young master business.'

It was odd hearing them stumbling over their words every time. Since he possessed the body of a trash, he was trying his best to act like one. It was easier to be a trash young master than a noble young master. He was trying to make his life as easy as possible. Cale frowned at the guards' stumbling of words while the guards quickly opened the gate.

"Wow. How did you manage to get so far off the mark with that?" Bud asked.

"You pretty much did the opposite, young master Cale," Paseton confirmed.

"Seriously, you went around practically searching for trouble, you unlucky bastard," Eruhaben lectured.

Nods from everyone in group 5 had everyone in groups 1-4 wondering how someone could be so adamant about doing one thing while apparently doing the exact opposite instead.

"Please head on in."

Cale turned back to look at Choi Han. The rest of them looked at Choi Han as well. They were probably curious about this beggar that followed their young master back. The knights observed Choi Han with suspicion in their eyes.

"Follow me."

Choi Han should know of Cale's status by now. He continued to limp as he approached Cale. Cale looked calm and turned back as soon as he saw that Choi Han was behind him and entered through the gate.

But his heart was going crazy.

'I'm sure he's thinking about taking me as a hostage if something dangerous happens. That is probably why he stood right behind me.'

Several individuals in the room burst into laughter at that.

"Shame, shame instructor-nim. How could you possibly be thinking about taking our dear young master Cale as a hostage?" Alberu asked while chortling.

"No! I wasn't! At least I don't remember ever having thought about using Cale-nim as a hostage. Why does he keep thinking I'm out to get him?" Choi Han answered with a hand covering his red face.

"That's probably my fault. I did sort of give him a beating. Well another version of him and you probably can't blame him for thinking you are capable of the same," Choi Han* reasoned.

"I guess that's true," Choi Han pouted.

"Oi, Gramps Choi Han. How dare someone of your advanced age be thinking of using such a young, innocent soul for your own nefarious purposes," Bud says with a straight face only to lose it a second later when the entire room bursts into uproarious laughter.

Choi Han's face went from a pout to burning red in an instant.

'Cale-nim doesn't need a secretary anymore, right? I'm sure Bud would enjoy being retired. He can take a permanent vacation.'

Those and other vicious thoughts swirled around in Choi Han's head while he waited for the floor to swallow him to spare him from any further embarrassment.

He was sure that Choi Han would not kill him. However, just thinking about being taken as hostage caused serious mental strain that Cale frowned as he looked at the two knights who were following them.

'Don't follow me.'

The knights flinched at Cale's clear order. They looked back and forth between Cale and Choi Han before one of the knights approached Choi Han and Cale with a stiff expression on his face.

The knights cared about their creed more than anything else. It was fitting of the knights that Deruth treasured.

"It is indeed," Deruth concurred.

'Well, I guess they have to act like this to be good knights.'

Cale was satisfied at the knight's response to this beggar-like foreigner and left the knight alone to follow them. He just led Choi Han to the entrance of the Count's residence.

"Young master, you're back."

"…Yes, Ron."

This scary old man. He had been waiting for Cale outside the door. Cale didn't expect him to really be waiting. Cale was scared, but thought that it was actually for the better.

Ron's gaze turned toward Choi Han, and his benign smile suddenly stiffened.

'Ron should be at a level where he can estimate Choi Han's strength.'

"While that is true, it was more the scent clinging to him that had me cautious," Ron clarified.

Choi Han also stared back at Ron. Cale didn't care what kind of attacks they were sending each other through their eyes and did what he needed to do. He was not done just yet.

"Follow me."

Cale called out to Choi Han once more and started to walk. The servant, Ron, quickly followed Cale.

"Young master, what is going on? I will take care of this guest if you tell me what is needed."

"Hehehe. Take care of. Knowing the Molan patriarch, I'm certain that was code for offing the suspicious guest his irresponsible young master brought home," Bud sniggered.

Glenn apprehensively glanced toward Ron, but secretly agreed with his friend.

"No need."

Someone else approached Cale as Ron was speaking.

"Young master. You returned after drinking today."

It was the deputy butler Hans.

'Ah, he was responsible for me.'

Cale clicked his tongue and ignored Hans's statement. Instead, he lifted up the alcohol bottle and pointed toward Hans. It was at that moment.

"Aaack!"

Hans covered his face with both of his arms as he curled up. Silence filled the air.

"That's…my apologies young master. I have seen the error of my ways."

"Tsk."

Cale clicked his tongue and Hans looked up with a face completely red from embarrassment as he looked back at Cale.

"Put this away."

"Yes."

Hans received the alcohol bottle from Cale with a blank expression on his face.

"I will actually throw it at you next time."

"Should have just thrown it, not said you would next time. True trash wouldn't give a warning," Kim Rok Soo educated Cale.

"Yep. Always throw first and ask questions later," Cale* contributed.

"Cale*. You are no longer acting as trash, so please don't teach your brother bad habits," Deruth* gently admonished.

"You either Kim Rok Soo, don't teach your impressionable younger brother to misbehave any more than he already does," Deruth said with a laugh to Kim Rok Soo.

"Why would I need their help being trash? I'm already trash," Cale grumbled to himself.

On just shook her head at her father's stupidity once again.

Hans turned pale at Cale's words. Cale did not seem to care at all as he continued to walk. With the inclusion of Hans, there were now a total of four people following him.

Cale peeked every so often to make sure they were following him properly and arrived at his destination.

Kitchen #2. Cale pushed the door open as soon as he saw the sign.

"Young master?"

He could hear Hans's confused voice behind him. However, there was a thick smile on Cale's face. The end was near.

Smothered laughter was heard around the room.

"That was just the beginning, young master," Mary said with a smile.

Now, Beacrox and Choi Han will meet. Cale's heart was beating fast. The door easily opened. Cale's expression stiffened at the scene in front of him inside the door.

Clang. Clang.

Second Chef Beacrox was smiling while sharpening his blade. He seemed to be enjoying himself while sharpening his blade all alone in kitchen #2. However, that smile disappeared as soon as he saw Cale.

That was why Cale was scared. It was always scary to deal with lunatics. You never knew what crazy things a lunatic would do.

"Lunatic?" Beacrox muttered looking over in Clopeh's direction before shuddering.

'The young master sees me the same as that nut job?'

Cale made a move before Beacrox could respond. He put a hand on Choi Han's shoulder and pointed at him.

"Give him something to eat."

"Excuse me?"

Beacrox asked with a stiff expression on his face. The sharp blade in his hand was shining as it reflected the light. Cale calmed his shaking heart as he said it once more.

"Give him something to eat. He's hungry."

Ho. The knight let out a shocked noise from the back, but Cale did not have the time to pay attention to that right now. He waited for Beacrox's response with anxiety. Finally, Beacrox answered with a stiff expression still on his face.

"I will do as you instructed, young master."

It was done.

Beacrox and Choi Han. And even Ron, someone that he did not expect. The three of them were connected now.

"Knowing myself, that probably didn't go as well as he thought it would, did it?" Ron* asked the three.

Choi Han looked a bit sheepish, while the Molan duo had matching grins on their faces.

"It did not," Beacrox confirmed.

A bright smile formed on Cale's face. He could finally relax as he gave Beacrox another order with a slightly higher tone.

"Also prepare something for me. I'm hungry."

Cale thought about the steak from last night's dinner.

"Your steak last night was the best. You are a great chef."

The slight smile on Beacrox's face showed how happy those words made him.

The tip of Beacrox's knife slightly shook.

"Something like that steak would be a wonderful meal. Prepare it quickly."

Cale turned around without waiting for Beacrox's response. He then left the kitchen and headed towards his chamber. The knight and Hans followed him, and Hans quickly asked.

"What should I do about that guest?"

"I guess he is my guest. You take care of it."

"A true legend knows how to delegate the small unimportant tasks," Clopeh praised.

Choi Han took offense at being referred to as an unimportant task.

Since he connected the three of them, he didn't want to deal with anything else for today.

Beacrox and Ron should be able to tell Choi Han's strength. In the novel, Beacrox originally swears his loyalty to Choi Han because of his strength, so he should pledge his loyalty after figuring out Choi Han's strength this time too. Of course, Cale had some other plans in the case that Beacrox was unable to determine Choi Han's strength.

"I don't remember swearing loyalty to anyone," Beacrox* states.

"We travel and work well together, but it's more of an arrangement than loyalty," Choi Han* confirms.

"It seems that novel doesn't really have a good grasp on the interpersonal relationship between everyone," Ron* mentioned.

All Cale had to do was make Choi Han beat someone or something up, without it being him. Oh, and Beacrox had to be there to watch.

Even if it might have some holes, Cale had thought about a lot of different things.

"Hans. Stop annoying me and just bring the meal over to my chamber when it's ready."

As expected, Ron did not follow him. Cale left the knight and Hans outside his chamber door as he closed the door and laid down on the bed. He was happy. His exhaustion and the alcohol made him fall asleep before the food ever showed up.

That was why he did not know that Beacrox's cooking knife slashed toward Choi Han's neck and that Ron's sharp dagger was flung toward Choi Han's heart. Of course, both of their attacks had failed.

"Woah!! That did not go well at all. So much for best first impressions," Bud said with surprise.

"I didn't think it would go as planned," Ron* sighed.

"Did young master Cale ever find out about that?" Lock asked Choi Han.

"No. He didn't. Although, he does now," he replied looking over at Cale and his dumbfounded look.

Well, this was actually a situation that nobody, other than the three involved individuals, would know about.

"At least not without divine intervention anyway," Bud* chortled.