Chapter 8

"Have you three been secretly attacking each other this whole time?" Rosalyn asked.

"No. Not for a long time now," Choi Han answered.

"We haven't had one of our little spars since before we headed to the capital," Ron added.

Chapter 8: Picked It Up (1)

Late at night.

Deputy butler Hans had to stand in front of Count Deruth. He started to make his report while Deruth quietly listened until he was finished.

"He is currently sleeping in his room."

"Ah, I was just doing my job, young master Cale," Hans awkwardly informed.

"I was just trying to make sure you were safe," Deruth said contritely.

"It's fine," Cale waved it off.

Hans finally finished his report and Deruth started to speak.

"The driver reported that he went to the Flynn Merchant Guild's illegitimate son's tea shop. Today, he brought a young man whose identity we cannot verify. In terms of drinking, he only drank a little bit and kept a clear head."

Hans's report was short, but Deruth found that short report interesting.

"Should we put a tail on him?"

Looks were directed in Deruth's direction at that.

He waved his hand to oppose Hans's question. He didn't want to know what his son was doing on the outside to the point he would put a tail on him.

"No need. As long as he is in the city, anything he does is under my authority to handle."

"That's not really great parenting, but I suppose your heart was in the right place," Shickler expressed.

"Thank you. I am very aware now that what I was doing isn't good enough. I made mistakes and failed, but I won't do so again," Deruth affirmed.

"This has been a lesson for both of us and I will do better as well," Deruth* announced while looking at his children.

Deruth cherished Hans the most out of all the young deputy butlers. It was because he fulfilled orders well and was a good person.

"Do what you have been doing in terms of observing Cale inside the house and reporting what you see."

"I understand."

Hans did not say anything else as he bowed his head.

Deruth. He was someone who did not have any special abilities nor any solid networks. However, just like the previous Count, he was able to rule over the Henituse territory and grow his wealth by selling marble and wine. He was someone who was able to protect his territory properly.

"You are a very good Lord to your territory," Zed acknowledged.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

'Cale has changed.'

Cale felt different than normal. It wasn't that he suddenly got smarter or stronger, but that his actions were clearly different from before.

"He's my son, of course I noticed a change. I just thought he was ready to grow up and move on from his trashy act," Deruth stated.

"Ah, Hans."

"Yes, Count-nim?"

"Bring me some information about the Flynn Merchant Guild."

Tea shop owner, Billos. Deruth knew about this bastard son of the Flynn Merchant Guild. This was because the Henituse's largest trading partner for wine was the Flynn Merchant Guild.

"It's always good to know who the people around your children are," Shickler* acknowledged.

Deruth and his counterpart, all three Zeds, Ron, Eruhaben, Shickler, Kim Rok Soo, and Cale all nodded in agreement.

"I will get right on it."

"Great."

Deruth watched Hans walk out of his office as he started to think. There was a lot of things for him to think about other than the change in Cale's demeanor.

"That's not saying you are not important or even less important, it's just that I had a lot to think about to keep all of us safe," Deruth panicked.

"I understand father," Cale replied.

Hearing Cale call him father again felt very good. Especially since he knew the truth now.

The atmosphere around the continent was dangerous. It was like a volcano right before it erupts. Deruth could clearly feel the dangerous atmosphere despite the fact that he was in the corner of the kingdom. It was because he was always receiving an endless amount of information about it. But the message from the Imperial Court that he received today made Deruth even more certain about the current atmosphere of the continent.

Alberu* looked toward Deruth* with interest at that.

'He would make a good ally. I need to speak with him after this.'

Alberu thought is would be a good idea to check out the Henituse Territory as well.

The former Counts of the Henituse territory always passed on a single piece of advice to the next in power.

'There is no need to be recorded in history. Just live for peace and happiness.'

"Indeed, my son. You should have heeded the words of our ancestors," Deruth gently chided Cale.

Cale decided it was best he didn't hear anything and busied himself with enjoying something to eat.

"I guess I need to reinforce the city walls."

He may not be a good fighter, but Deruth was always thinking about ways to protect himself and his family.

"That is a great mentality to have Duke Deruth," Litana supported.

There are times when the body is stronger than the mind.

"Young master, you were sleeping so soundly that I did not wake you up."

Cale had slept in. The fact that Ron brought lemonade instead of cold water again made things even worse. However, Cale could not say anything about it.

It was because there was a bandage around Ron's neck.

"Were you worried about me, young master?"

"Not at all," came Cale's immediate answer. His red ears and lack of eye contact said otherwise.

"Are you hurt?"

"…Are you worrying about me?"

"No. It's just annoying to look at."

"It is nothing much. I was just scratched by a cat's claw."

Is a, 'cat,' another reference to an innocent person?

Cale was sure that someone would have had their fated meeting last night. He avoided the gaze of Ron, who was smiling, and headed toward the chamber's window. He needed to move faster because he slept in.'

"Fated meeting! Haha. Your thoughts are hilarious, Cale," Bud laughed.

"Glad I could be your source of amusement. Although, I do recall a few instances where you may end up being a source of amusement as well," Cale mentioned to Bud's horror.

"Will you be heading out right away?"

"Yes. I'll take care of everything on my own outside."

"I understand. Oh, young master."

Cale let go of the door handle and turned to look at Ron. Ron had an odd smile on his face.

"What do you think about the lemonade?"

"Great. It's delicious."

"Haahhh….just don't think about it. The damage has already been done. That Cale isn't trash anyway, so it's fine," Cale* murmured to himself.

"You aren't trash either, hyung," Basen* reminded him.

"Yeah, you're right. It's just, it's going to take some getting used to. I'll work on it though," Cale* conceded.

Ron's voice became an octave lower.

"…Is that so?"

"Yes."

"That right there doomed you to a lifetime of drinking that horrid yellow fruit," Kim Rok Soo informed Cale.

"Really?"

"Yep."

"Pardon me, young master, but it appears your cup is once again empty. This Ron has brought you a fresh one," Ron said with his usual benign smile as he passed Cale said horrid beverage.

"Pfft." Kim Rok Soo enjoyed Cale's misery and congratulated himself on his escape from the same fate.

Cale turned to him with a betrayed look on his face only for Kim Rok Soo to salute his fallen brother and leave him to his fate.

Kim Rok Soo's amusement quickly changed to panic when he noticed Ron moving in his direction.

'Fuck! Why the hell is Ron heading this way? The barrier is still in place right? He's not going to be able to actually get over here, right?'

Kim Rok Soo panicked as Ron headed toward him, only to relax when Ron stopped right before the barrier.

'Why is he staring at me?'

Ron finally looked away and Kim Rok Soo could breathe easy until he heard the next words out of his mouth.

"Excuse me young miss, but this old man was wondering if you could do me a favor," Ron inquired.

Kim Rok Soo's niece nodded back. "Sure mister."

"It has been many years now since I was able to serve my young master and I worry he may feel nostalgic at times, so I would appreciate it greatly if you would offer him a cup of his favorite drink every now and then," Ron asked.

"Yes! I can do that!" She replied happily.

"Thank you very much, little miss. It just so happens that I can see a cup of his favorite lemon tea sitting right there on the table near you," Ron informed her.

Spotting the cup in question, the little girl hopped from her seat to grab it for her uncle.

"Uncle, here. I got this just for you," she said with happy, sparkling eyes.

"….That's great. Thanks," Kim Rok Soo replied, barely holding back his grimace.

As Kim Rok Soo resigned himself to join his brother in his fate, he caught sight of the truly vicious grin on Ron's face.

'Such a scary old man.'

Then he saw the delighted smile on Cale's face at having his misery shared.

'Petty bastard.'

'What kind of question was that?'

Since Ron was someone he could not ignore, Cale just answered the question as nicely as possible while opening the door.

Slam. He then quickly closed it right back.

"…Ron."

Ron approached Cale at his calling and whispered with a smile on his face.

"Young master, were you surprised? Your guest from yesterday is waiting for you outside."

Cale was surprised. Cale had seen Choi Han staring at him as soon as he opened the door, which caused him to close the door in shock. His hand headed to the inner pocket of his shirt. The 10 million gallons in his pocket calmed him down.

"Hahahaha. You really do use them like a security blanket, dongsaeng," Alberu poked fun at Cale.

"To be honest though, having someone right outside the door when you open it would be scary," Jack reassured Cale.

Ron gazed toward Cale as he continued to speak.

"I didn't have a chance to tell you because you opened the door right away. I told him to wait comfortably in his room, but he insisted that he needed to see you and waited outside the door."

'Didn't have a chance to tell me my ass.'

"That's probably true too," Hannah laughed.

Cale could not say anything to this terrible old man who definitely had the chance but chose not to tell him. Cale moved a step away from Ron as he opened the door again.

"What's going on?"

Cale pretended like he never slammed the door as he started to chat with Choi Han. He was paying attention to Choi Han's appearance as he asked.

After taking a shower, fixing his hair, and wearing new clothes, a pure and clean feeling was coming from Choi Han. However, it was difficult to think like that after seeing his eyes.

Choi Han was still in a twisted state. That was why looking at his eyes made Cale feel a bit scared. Choi Han was also staring back at Cale before finally starting to speak.

"Pay you back."

"Huh?"

"I will pay you back for the meal."

Choi Han* sits forward in his seat.

'This must be how Choi Han ended up following the transmigrator around like his loyal puppy. The payment must have been to act as a bodyguard for however long the transmigrator demanded. Still doesn't explain his behavior though. Even if he used that excuse, I would have never addressed him with -nim. I would only do that for someone I truly respect. What did the transmigrator do to earn such loyalty and respect?'

Choi Han was speaking formally unlike yesterday. More importantly, Cale started to frown at the words, 'pay you back.'

'Pay me back? Is he trying to make me have a heart attack?'

'What? A heart attack? Why would he have a heart attack?' Choi Han* wondered.

Who in their right mind would use Choi Han for manual labor? Cale just wanted Choi Han to get out of this city as soon as possible.

'Wait, the transmigrator knows all about my skill set and yet his mind goes to manual labor? What the hell? I can't figure out how that guy's mind works at all.'

Of course, Choi Han would agree to help Cale out if he said it was to pay him back. He was that kind of person. However, Cale didn't have anything he needed from Choi Han.

"No need. Is there anything else you need?"

He quickly rejected Choi Han's offer and asked if there was anything else he needed. Choi Han started to observe Cale even more closely. That gaze made Cale think about how Cale got beaten to a pulp in the novel, and his arms started to develop goosebumps. Choi Han started to speak at that point.

"There is something I would like to request for your help."

Cale closed his eyes at the word, 'help.' He did not want to get involved with Choi Han. The, 'help,' that Choi Han would ask about could be nothing other than something regarding Harris Village.

The Cale in the novel called the villagers of Harris Village useless and ended up getting beaten up because of it. Cale thought about that as he opened his mouth.

"Tell Hans your request. He will take care of everything."

'It's good that it's Hans. Hans is reliable. It will be done properly that way.' Choi Han* thought with relief.

After opening his eyes again, Cale made eye contact with Choi Han, who was standing there as still as a statue.

"He is a talented deputy butler. He will be able to help you out with almost any normal request."

Cale then put a hand on Ron' shoulder. He could feel Ron flinch, but Cale decided to get both of them out of his sight at the same time.

"You really are set on getting rid of him. What changed?" Pen asked.

Cale just shrugged and replied with "Arm".

"Ron here is pretty useful as well. He will also be able to help you out. Ron, he is my guest. Make sure to take proper care of whatever he needs."

Cale also gave Ron an order before moving his hand off of Ron's shoulder. He then heard Choi Han calling out to him.

"But you don't even know who I am."

Cale turned around to look. He could see Choi Han still observing him. The scary feeling emitting from him had disappeared, and Cale could only feel an unexplainable purity coming from Choi Han.

"Ah." Rosalyn* gasped. She recognized that look on Choi Han. It's one she started seeing after they had been traveling together for a while. For that look to appear on the other Choi Han so quickly is surprising. That transmigrator has started changing things so soon.

"Why do I need to know who you are? Is there a reason to help someone who does not have as much as I have?"

Both versions of Litana and Jopis smile at Cale's statement.

"Such a great mindset for a noble to have," Taylor states.

"For anyone really, not just nobility," Cage replies.

Many nod at the two's words.

Choi Han started to frown a bit at Cale's words. It was very faint, but Cale, who had been closely observing Choi Han, definitely saw it.

'Is he annoyed that I said someone who does not have as much as I do?'

"Of course not Cale-nim. I was just thinking at that time."

Cale quickly continued on.

"Based on your situation, I doubt you'll ask for something difficult. Well, if it is something difficult, I'm sure Hans will know where to draw the line."

He pushed Ron toward Choi Han as he turned away from the two of them.

"Then goodbye. I have a lot of things to do."

Cale quickly headed toward his father Deruth's office. He needed to get a large amount of allowance today. He could hear Ron's voice coming from behind him.

"Your excessive allowance has doomed the treasuries of everyone on two continents," Alberu whined.

Alberu* and Alberu watched him with confusion. What happened to him to make him seem so carefree, so happy and unguarded?

"Young master, I will do as you commanded."

'I don't care whether you do or do not.'

Frying and stirring was for them to do as the main characters, not Cale. Wouldn't they get closer to each other faster since they met four days earlier thanks to him?

"We did not," Choi Han said with a flat look.

Ron smirked.

Ron looked toward Cale, who was moving away from both of them, before looking down at the empty cup in his hands.

"Interesting."

That fearless puppy did not like sour things. He still did not like it. However, he now drank it.

"You really shouldn't have allowed that to start. Now you are stuck with the nasty fruit," Cale* snickered.

"Both of you," he added with a gleeful look at Kim Rok Soo.

His mirth didn't last long. It was replaced by terror at the whisper he heard by his ear.

"Young master, this Ron* noticed you looking longingly at the other young masters as they received their tea, so I have taken it upon myself to bring you your own," Ron* whispered to him, benign smile on his face.

Cale* unenthusiastically received the awful beverage and took a sip under the watchful eye of Ron*.

Thus the third victim of the dreadful yellow fruit was claimed.

Ron touched his neck. He had been hurt for the first time in a long time, but something more interesting than the injury kept nagging at him.

The fearless puppy was scared of him.

Does he know something?

"Ah. Yes, that would be the more likely conclusion to have come to," Ron* murmured. "Divine intervention and swapped souls is not likely to come to mind."

"Lead the way."

Ron turned his gaze toward the source of the voice. He could see Choi Han looking at him with disgust. This punk seemed to have figured out that he was someone who has killed after their short spar last night.

"You call trying to actually kill each other a spar?" Bud asked with a shudder.

"Of course. What else would it be?" Ron said.

Bud made a mental note to avoid ever sparing with Ron. Beacrox too for that matter. He's sure the two are far too similar to risk it.

"Sure."

This punk, who also gave off a similar scent of blood, was pretending to be clean. Ron found it funny that such a twisted punk was acting that way.

This punk, that they met last night, gave off the violent, disgusting, and murderous aura of the Forest of Darkness. It was an aura that Ron and Beacrox could instantly tell apart from other auras.

Of course, that murderous aura was not Choi Han's own. Choi Han had gotten that aura from the assassins he had killed, and now that he had showered and cleaned up, the murderous aura was no longer surrounding him.

'I guess there is no way those people would cross over.'

"That is unfortunately the case, Arm had already infested the Western Continent to some degree by then," Ron said maliciously.

Looks of dismay spread among those of group 3 and 4.

Ron thought about the events of last night as he started to talk to the boy who seemed to have gone through a lot in the past few days.

"Follow me."

Ron started to walk in order to follow his puppy young master's order, and Choi Han followed behind him. Choi Han's gaze momentarily headed toward Cale's direction before turning back to Ron.

"How deep does this Arm's influence run on the Western Continent?" Alberu* asked.

"I'm sure it will be covered here, but they have people in various locations throughout as well as a firm foothold in the Empire," Alberu answered.

"The Empire?"

"What?"

"How could they do that without us knowing?"

Chaos erupted at that. Group 3 panicked at the thought that they were already behind Arm.

"The Empire is pretty much the White Star's home base on the Western Continent. It's full of his black mages and where they make most of their dead mana using the slaves and citizens they kidnap. They also brought back those despicable golems as well, the bastards," Cale nonchalantly dropped a bomb on everyone with that.

"WHAT?!!"

Shocked and terrified shouts filled the room at Cale's statement.

'How could something like that be happening right under my nose? Have I been that lax while hunting those bastards?' Zed* thought.

'How are we supposed to fight against the Empire? Do we even stand a chance?' Alberu* thought desperately.

Seeing his counterpart's desperation, Alberu decides to take pity on him.

"We have already eradicated Arm in both the Eastern and Western Continents and can give you the locations of their bases before you leave here," Alberu offered.

"Thank you very much," Alberu* replied with gratitude.

"That is very helpful. Thank you," Alberu also thanked.