Chapter 9
"You'll want to get into contact with me at some point as well," Fredo* pointed out.
"Thank you for the advice, but why would we need to get into contact with you?" Alberu* asked.
"I happen to be a duke of the Endable Kingdom. That's the kingdom the White Star founded, full of the races with the darkness element."
Surprised murmurs filled group 3 at that.
"There is a kingdom like that? Where is it located?" Alberu* said with shocked interest.
"It's in a sinkhole on the Eastern Continent." Fredo replied.
"The eyes of the gods can't reach there which made it easy for the White Star and his minions to work with the demonic race without drawing the attention of the divine race," Cale added.
"Demonic race!!" The dragons of group 3 sat up straighter at that.
"Yes, the demonic race. They are trying to summon the God of Despair and free him. I suggest all of you figure out how to work together or you will find it difficult to stop," Cale continued.
The dragons realized that this fight isn't one they can avoid and decided it would be best to pay closer attention to the details of the transmigrator's story.
"Thank you for the warning," Eruhaben* nodded at Cale.
"Of course Eruhaben-nim," Cale nodded back.
"Anyway, it's best if you get in contact with me as I can help you from inside the Endable Kingdom," Fredo* brought the conversation back on topic.
"I can probably help with that. My mercenaries can play messenger between you," Bud* offered.
"That sounds like a wonderful idea," Fredo* agreed.
"Thank you both," Alberu* said.
Alberu noted down both Fredo and Bud's names.
Chapter 9: Picked It Up (2)
Cale held a bag that was twice the size of yesterday's bag as he headed back up to the top of the slums. The two siblings were there to greet him once again.
"Yay! It's us again, noona," Hong shouted in excitement.
The children kept their mouth shut as they looked toward Cale. Cale smiled as he took out two small bags and pushed them toward the children.
"Take it."
The young girl slowly approached him. Cale frowned as he watched the girl with coarse grey hair approach him. She had a hand on her side as she limped over to him.
"Hey."
Cale pushed the two bags toward the young boy.
"You come here and take it."
"Awe. You are such a good father, young master Cale," Tasha gushed.
The young boy quickly rushed over and snatched the bags before quickly running back. Compared to Cale's bright red hair, the boy had coarse dark red hair that shook as he ran.
At the comparison, Hong brightened up. He liked that his hair was red like his father's even if it wasn't the same shade.
Cale then turned around and headed toward the man-eating tree.
"Wow."
"It's not bread. It's meat and cake."
"Young master Cale is such a softie. Going out of his way to get something better for the kids than just bread," Rosalyn praised.
He could hear the siblings talking about the food, but he did not care. He continued to walk toward the man-eating tree's territory.
Oooooooooooooong-
"…It's a bit scary."
"Such a coward," Toonka* huffed.
"Oy, stupid. Watch what you say about my friend," Toonka shouted at him.
"Friend? What use does he have? He's weak. Why would you call such a weak, coward a friend?" Toonka* shouted.
"Why should I choose my friends based on usefulness? My friend is my friend," Toonka stated. "You are just too stupid to understand."
"The fuck did you just call me?" Toonka* screamed.
"You heard what I said, stupid," Toonka shot back.
"You fucker! I'll kill you!" Toonka* shrieked while still bound to the chair from earlier.
"Like you could. I'm stronger than you. You are a weak bastard and I'm glad I'm not like you anymore," Toonka said with pride.
While Toonka* cursed up a storm, Harol* looked at Toonka and wondered what the hell had happened to his commander to have changed him so much. He then looked at his other self to see Harol smiling back at him with pride. Looking back at his Toonka, he suddenly felt really jealous.
'Maybe Toonka* can change. The other one did, so I know it's possible.'
The black tree without any leaves seemed to be moving its branches to welcome Cale. This eerie feeling made Cale nervous, but he still poured the contents of the bag into the hole underneath the tree.
The bread quickly disappeared.
It was at that moment.
"…More, give me more."
"Fuck! That's creepy!" Lee Chul Min* shouted.
"What the hell?" Bud yelled.
"What in the actual fuck is that?" Cage questioned.
"Is that unusual?" Deruth asked in concern.
"Not just unusual, it's unheard of," Bud* replied.
'…It's driving me crazy.'
Alberu would have laughed at Cale using the same phrase he tends to use in reference to Cale's shenanigans, but he was too concerned with the weird happenings.
"Should we be concerned about the voice?" Violan inquired.
"We can't do anything about it now anyway, since it's already in him," Eruhaben pointed out.
"You all know that I can hear you, right?"
Embarrassed looks met Cale's question.
"Sorry, we were just surprised and concerned about you," Cage apologized.
"It's fine. Also, the ancient powers aren't hurting me, even if they are somewhat crazy," Cale consoled.
His choice of words did not reassure anyone.
The response he read about in the novel showed up. It was the voice of a weak girl. Yes, the person who starved to death was a priestess who served a god. However, unlike the present day priestesses of the temples or churches, the ancient priestesses were shamans. The majority of the ancient shamans could be considered people who had superpowers or natural forces under their command.
Cale quickly grabbed the bag and started to move.
'Cale, come to my study tonight.'
That was what his father, Deruth, had said to Cale when he went to get some allowance. That was why he had to leave here before evening at the latest.
'Half.'
He came here with the intention of taking care of half of the gluttony of the tree today. He went back down the hill to get more bread. He could see the two siblings looking at him with cake on their lips.
"Tsk."
Cale frowned and clicked his tongue as he walked past the two siblings.
"Awe. Look at Papa Cale being all cranky cause he can't clean his kids' faces," Alberu teased Cale.
"That's so adorable," Rosalyn cooed.
"Such a doting parent," Tasha added with a giggle.
Cale was not pleased with Alberu for starting this round of teasing, so Cale decided to do what he does best and smack his "hyung" in the back.
"My dearest hyung, the shining star of our kingdom, the light of the people, this lowly subject begs your forgiveness, but the golden plaque his highness graciously gifted this unworthy me was destroyed in the fight against the White Star and the sealed god, therefore, this undeserving one requests for the benevolent moon of our kingdom to kindly bestow a replacement onto this shameful being."
Glib tongue activated and powered up to 10.
Complete silence engulfed the room. Every face pointed in Cale's direction with matching looks.
The look of complete and utter disbelief that someone so shameless actually existed.
The silence was broken by a very fed up Alberu.
"Crazy bastard. You're driving me crazy. You'll get your damn plaque when we get back."
The sight of the perfect crown prince cursing at his sworn brother was quite a new sight to most present. The other two Alberus were very shocked that their other self could be comfortable enough around others to show that side of himself.
"Thank you, hyung."
The smirk on Cale's face at that moment was very punchable.
Cale then walked to the street where there were a lot of bakeries. He had already swept the stock of the bakery he went to yesterday this morning, so it would take them some time to restock. That was why he needed to look for another bakery. It was at that moment.
"Y, young master."
A woman's voice made Cale turn his head. A middle-aged woman smiled awkwardly as she pointed to her shop. Her hand was shaking and she was full of fear, but she still had some confidence.
"We have a lot of bread."
Cale started to smile. Now this was a woman who knew how to do business. The other vendors were peeking their way while looking at what was going on.
Cale threw her a gold coin and the woman quickly picked it up.
"There you go throwing gold coins around again. Is that your favorite activity?" Park Jin Tae* asked.
"I think it's more accurate to say it's his second favorite activity. His favorite is collecting them," Lee Soo Hyuk* teased his dongsaeng.
"Give me everything you have. Pack it quickly."
In that instant, the smile on the middle-aged woman's face grew wider. She instantly went into the store and immediately came back out with a large bag full of bread. She had already packed it all up in advance.
"Here it is, young master."
'Wow. She really is a good merchant.'
"She really is. That's a good way to do business," Billos* stated.
This was someone who knew how to make money.
"I can also prepare some more."
Cale liked this woman even more. However, at that instant…
"Young master! We can make even more bread than that!"
An old man across the street raised his hand as he rushed over. He was wearing a baker's uniform. Cale liked his fitting outfit and threw a gold coin to him as well.
"Definitely enjoys throwing money at people," Bae Chul-Ho* agreed.
"I will head to your shop next. Have a bag ready."
"Thank you very much!"
Cale was amazed by these vendors. They were still afraid of him because of his identity as the trash of the Count's family, but they had no issues coming up to him to make some easy money. It was probably because they knew that Cale did not hit anybody who was not a gangster, but he still could see why the Henituse territory was doing so well.
The fact that Cale had spent a gold coin to buy a bag of bread yesterday had already spread like wildfire. 1 million gallons. The others gasped at the week's worth of profit while their eyes started to sparkle.
'I can go around to those three places tomorrow to get bread.'
Since he gave each of them a gold coin, he should be able to get another bag from them tomorrow. Cale was happy that things were going so smoothly.
However, there was someone who was watching him from afar.
Those words had everybody in Group 5 sitting straighter in worry. Who was watching Cale?
Everybody, except a certain chef who happened to remember this moment.
"Hmm."
It was the chef, Beacrox. Just like his father, he had a bandage around his neck, and he was watching Cale from behind a corner. He just watched Cale buy the bag of bread and some medicinal herbs before heading back to the slums.
"…Did he go crazy?"
"Our human didn't go crazy."
"Yeah, he is just getting ready to save everyone, nya."
"The terrible bastard would never go crazy."
On just shook her head at her siblings.
Cale seemed like he had gone crazy since yesterday.
Beacrox had never cared about Cale, even when his father had said that Cale was an interesting kid, but, the more he saw, the more he started to agree. It felt like it would be just as fun to watch Cale as it was to watch the black-haired punk. Beacrox's eyes started to sparkle.
"Like I said before, I didn't like nor did I hate the original young master. I didn't spend any time with him, so I didn't know him and therefore didn't care about him or what he did," Beacrox clarified.
Billos, the owner of the tea shop with the highest view, took a sip of his tea as he received his subordinate's report.
"Young master Cale is going in and out of the slums?"
"Yes, Billos-nim."
"I see."
"We also received communication from the capital."
"Is that so?"
"It seems like I will need to have a word with Mr. Billos after this as well," Deruth stated coldly.
"As you wish, Duke Deruth," Billos agreed.
Billos's round eyes, that were hard to see because of his fat, opened widely. The subordinate flinched for a moment before continuing his report.
"Yes. It mentioned that the crown will soon gather people. That is why they wish for Billos-nim to return and get to work."
"The bastards. They will get what's coming to them," Billos mumbled under his breath.
Clank.
Billos put the teacup on the table as he motioned with his chin.
"You can head out now."
The subordinate quickly moved into the shadows and disappeared. Billos stared at the spot his subordinate was standing in as one corner of his lips twisted upward.
"Do they think I will be their dog and watch the house again?"
"It's time to tear that house down," Billos continued to mutter to himself.
His gaze headed out of the window. It felt like his gaze could reach the far away capital.
"This, this isn't bread. Isn't bread."
"And?"
Seeing the young girl who was mumbling, 'isn't bread,' over and over as she held the medicinal herbs in her hand, Cale just snorted as he headed back to the man-eating tree. However, the young boy got in his way.
"Are you sure you hadn't already adopted them by this point, young master?" Hans playfully asked.
"You cannot die."
It was the young boy saying he cannot die now. Cale did not even frown as he just walked past the young boy.
"My hyung was totally bought by cake," Raon said.
"Hey. It wasn't just the cake," Hong defended.
"Yeah, it was pasta and meat too," Dodam joined in teasing his hyung.
Cale, no, Kim Rok Soo.
He was an orphan and didn't have anything to his name. That was why there were a lot of people who showed the poor Kim Rok Soo a lot of sympathy.
At the reminder of his past, sad looks were directed at Cale.
Jack and Hannah know what it's like not to have anything to their name. They know how it feels to have nothing and wonder if tomorrow will be any better. But even through all of that they had each other. It sounds like young master Cale didn't have even that and that makes them sad. They don't like knowing that he knows what loneliness and hunger feel like. They promise themselves that they won't let him feel that again.
On and Hong know what it feels like to lose their family and be left with nothing. They know very well how hard it is on their own and knowing their father has had to live through the same thing hurts, but they are here now. They, their siblings, and the rest of their family will make sure he never has to live alone again.
Cale's family, friends, and allies unanimously decided that Cale would never again be an orphan with nothing to his name.
Even if they have to loot a continent or two to make sure of it.
'Is there a reason to show sympathy for the needy?'
That was something he heard all the time when he was younger.
'Young beggar.'
'Poor orphan.'
'You don't need a reason to show sympathy.'
There was a time he just took that at face value, but he started to understand the real meaning of it as he got older.
There wasn't a logical reason for the things your heart draws you to do. You didn't need a reason.
They all know that to be true. They didn't need a reason for why they all fought so hard to keep everyone alive.
"So annoying."
Cale hated to see young children being hurt. However, he didn't have any thoughts about nursing the young girl nor thoughts of consoling her. He frowned toward the young girl who was limping toward him and the young boy next to her as he answered them.
"I won't die."
"Tsk. I thought you weren't going to console them," Rasheel* grouched at that human's contrary thoughts and actions.
The siblings finally stopped following him once he said that. Cale was unhappy at the thought that he did something he hated the most. He hated people who got involved in other people's business without being asked, but he had done just that by giving the young girl the medicinal herbs.
"Dongsaeng?"
"Yes hyung?"
"Do you actually know the definition of the word hate?"
"Of course I do, hyung."
"Then why do you insist on generating massive amounts of paperwork for me to work through by sticking your nose into what seems like literally every other beings business on two continents if you hate that?" Alberu questioned.
"I do nothing of the sort," came Cale's offended reply.
"That's not entirely accurate Cale-nim," Choi Han chided.
At Cale's betrayed look, laughter broke out.
"You do tend to get involved in quite a few…instances, shall we say," Rosalyn added.
Cale decided it was best to just ignore them all.
Oooooooooooong.
-More, give me more.
"Damn that's still creepy," Lee Chul Min* complained.
"Yes. Eat it all."
Cale dumped the whole bag into the man-eating tree without caring about how it landed. He was not afraid. The bread instantly disappeared into the darkness that was now too light to be called darkness. Cale could now see a new grey light. However, it would only seem grey to him.
'I guess it is paying off for the money I spent.'
Cale poured the other bag of bread into the hole as he headed back home. He didn't see the siblings anymore, but that was better for Cale.
However, he saw the two struggling cats on his way back home and flinched.
'It's the cats from yesterday. They shouldn't remember me, right?'
"Of course we remembered you Cale," On declared.
"Yeah, we could never forget you," Hong agreed.
Silver fur and golden eyes, dark red fur and golden eyes. The two cats did not even meow as they stared at Cale. Cale did not want to cause a scene, and just looked away as he headed back home.
He then heard something from his father that almost made him faint.
"… Could you please say that one more time."
"Yes. Cale."
Basen was standing next to Cale as well. The story of the Henituse family that was not mentioned in the novel was happening in front of Cale's eyes.
"You shall go to the capital as our family's representative."
"What?!" The Henituse family of group 3 shouted.
Basen* remembers the terror he felt at the capital on that day. He can still hear the screams, smell the smoke, taste the blood in his mouth from where his teeth had cut into his cheek, see the bodies of those killed by the blasts, and feel the heat of the flames. He still has nightmares and sometimes the smell of smoke will cause his heart to race and his palms to sweat.
He remembers how horrible the whole experience was and how he wishes he wasn't there and it never happened, but even then, he would never wish that moment on his brother. He would go through all of it again, if it meant he could spare any of his family members from having to go through it in his place.
Cale could feel a headache coming.
"Originally, Basen was supposed to go. However, you are the first born of our family."
Cale just opened and closed his mouth repeatedly as he watched Count Deruth sitting there with a gentle smile. Going to visit the crown at such a time. Cale was quickly thinking about the contents of 'The Birth of a Hero' as Deruth continued to speak.
"So you really knew, orabuni?" Lily asked shakily.
"I did," Cale answered her.
"Then why? Why would you go? You knew it was dangerous, that you could get hurt. Why would you change it? You said you wanted to live peacefully and not change things in the novel. Why, hyung?" Basen begged his brother for answers.
Basen doesn't understand why Cale would choose to go to the capital in his place when he knew what would happen. Cale didn't even know him at that time. Why would he do so much for someone he barely even knew when he could have just pretended not to know?
"Why wouldn't I? It benefited me to go since I had things to do on the way to the capital. I went for my own selfish reasons," Cale simply stated.
No one that knows Cale well truly believes the reasons were purely selfish.
"The crown is hosting a big event, and the noble families of each territory have been invited to gather. It will be your first time to go visit the crown, but Basen has been going to similar functions for the last two years. However, I am hoping for you to go this time."
Big event hosted by the crown. That made Cale think about a single incident.
The Plaza Terror Incident.
A secret organization commits a terrorist act when many of the citizens of the capital are gathered in one place. Our hero Choi Han is the one who manages to block about half of their plot. That would be the fourth time that Choi Han and the secret organization would come into contact with each other.
"Half? Only half of it was stopped?" Lock gasped.
"You stopped more?" Lock* asked.
"Yes, we stopped almost all of it. Only two bombs went off and only one of those caused any damages or harmed anyone. Young master Cale stopped the other with his shield, though it did cause him to cough up blood afterwards," Rosalyn explained.
"That is a big difference. It's so much better than we did," Rosalyn* said sadly.
As a result, Choi Han is able to save a lot of the citizens at the plaza and becomes connected with the crown prince. They then quickly develop a friendship with each other.
Cale suddenly got the chills.
Since the novel described the event from Choi Han's point of view, it did not talk much about the gathering of the nobles. All it mentioned was that Choi Han gains some party members before and after the incident, as well as the strong backing of the crown prince.
But he had to go to the scene of that terrorist attack?
Of course, he did not know whether the nobles would gather in the plaza as well. Cale started to recall the information in 'The Birth of a Hero.
Everyone sits straighter and pays close attention to the screen. Groups 1, 2, 4, and 5 to see what was supposed to happen and group 3 to see how accurate the novel was.
[Tons of people were gathered in the plaza. The platform was still empty. It was for the royal family that would soon arrive. Choi Han could see some other people who looked like they held important positions. However, more important to Choi Han, was the fact that a lot of citizens, young, old, male, female, were gathered here. Choi Han's heart started to beat faster.
He did not want to see a group of innocent people dying ever again.]
Would people who looked like they held important positions include the nobles?
Cale turned to look at Basen even as his father was continuing to speak. Basen stood there stoically, looking at his father without giving Cale a single glance.
Disappointed sighs meet the lack of information.
'Deruth said Basen normally goes to events like this. Should I tell him to go?'
"Yes!" Basen* cries out before realizing he spoke aloud.
"Basen*?" Cale* called.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it to sound like I wanted the other Basen to go and get hurt. It's just that when I thought of that Cale going, I thought about it being you there instead of me and I didn't want that. I didn't want any of my family to get hurt. I'm sorry," Basen* apologized.
"It's okay. I know how you feel. I don't want my family getting hurt if I can protect them either," Basen consoled his other self.
Cale's mouth continued to repeatedly open and close. He did not want to go to a dangerous area. However, he could not bring himself to say Basen's name.
A relationship that was neither good nor bad. That was the relationship between the original Cale and Basen. Basen found Cale to be difficult, but that was it.
"We can change that after this," Cale* told Basen*.
"Yes, hyung," Basen* replied smiling.
Cale's mind started to get complicated. Would Cale have gone in the story? There was no way Deruth would send the trash to the capital. Just why was he trying to send him then? Cale was wondering if he had done something wrong to have caused this to happen.
"You will leave in five days."
Five days later. Hearing Deruth say that, Cale knew that the Cale in the novel had not gone to the capital.
In the novel, he was beaten to a pulp by Choi Han four days later and carried into the Count's estate. There was no way he could go to the capital in that condition.
"Ah! So if I hadn't been beaten up, it could have been me," Cale* said remorsefully.
"Cale. Before Basen started to do it, you had participated in all of these ceremonies. Think back on those times and have a relaxed journey."
"Father."
Deruth looked toward Cale at his calling. Basen slowly turned to look at his older brother as well.
"I am a bit anxious because of this sudden development. I have not gone to any of these since two years ago. I don't understand why I would suddenly have to go. Please let me think about it."
"Haven't gone to them ever is more like it," Kim Rok Soo joked to try and lighten the atmosphere.
Deruth agreed and told his two sons that they could leave. The siblings quickly left the study. Cale was busy thinking about all sorts of things. If Cale threw a fit and caused a scene, Deruth would probably send Basen, but that would leave a bitter taste in his mouth.
"Young master Cale is truly kind. He can't even bring himself to send someone he only recently met into a dangerous situation instead of having to go himself," Jack pointed out.
Many smiled at that and thought it was very true.
It was at that moment.
"Hyung-nim."
Cale could hear his young brother, Basen's voice. Cale turned his head. He could see Basen still stoically walking without looking at him. The 15 year old Basen always talked like this without ever making eye contact.
"Hyung-nim, there is no reason you cannot go."
"Did I make you choose to go when I told you that, hyung?" Basen wondered.
"What nonsense are you saying now? I told you I went for my own selfish reasons. Nothing you said made any difference," Cale denied.
Sigh. Cale let out a sigh.
Basen did not even look at Cale as he left the study and headed to his own room. Cale stared at Basen for a long time.
"…It's not supposed to go like this."
Cale had been pushed out of the successor spot. Cale could not stop acting like trash even when his younger brother flat out acted like he was the family's successor since two years ago. He was the joke of the family.
That was why there were a lot of reasons he should not go as the family representative to the crown's summon. However, Basen was saying that there were no reasons not to go to the event.
Basen was saying that there were enough reasons for Cale to go as the family representative.
'Things will become complicated like this.'
Cale stated to frown. He did not like how things were going.
But the other problem was…
'It's worth a shot.'
He thought it was worth going through the events that were about to come up.
The reason was that the chances of Cale coming back without dying or getting hurt were pretty high.
Cale could feel the eyes on him after those words appeared on the screen.
"What?"
"I thought you said they were selfish reasons," Mila said.
"They are. If Basen were to die, he couldn't be the territory lord, so making sure he survived and didn't get hurt was for my own benefit at that time," Cale reasoned.
'It will also make it difficult for me if Basen dies without being able to take the Count position.'
"See? Selfish reasons," Cale reasserted.
In order for Cale to live a peaceful life, Basen needed to survive. There was still their youngest sister, Lily, but she was too young. Furthermore, Cale needed to head out of Rain City after taking the ancient power located at the man-eating tree in order to take some other ancient powers located outside the Henituse territory.
"More selfish reasons," Cale reiterated.
Sighs filled the room at Cale's insistence that his reasons were purely selfish.
The scale inside Cale's mind started to tilt.
He started to stare at deputy butler Hans who was heading his way. Hans's expression was intense, but not dark. He seemed to be a bit bitter, but his eyes were clear.
"Young master, the request that your guest has asked for-"
"Hans."
Cale cut him off as he said something else.
"Bring that guest here."
"Excuse me?"
Cale was not going to be pushed around. If he was going to have to move, he might as well do it in a way that was most comfortable for him and in a way that was most beneficial for him.
"Ah, if he doesn't want to come, just tell him this."
Based on Hans's expression, Cale was certain that Choi Han's issue was settled properly. In the novel, Count Deruth gave a proper funeral for the villagers and took care of everything even after Choi Han beat Cale to a pulp. That shouldn't have changed at all.
"Thank you again for that," Choi Han* nodded to Deruth*.
"Of course. Those were my citizens. It's only right I do that much for them since I failed to protect them," Deruth* responded.
"Payment."
"Pardon?"
"Tell him to come because a way for him to pay me back has come up."
"Oh." Choi Han* mumbled.
'This must be it. This must be when he makes the other him work as his bodyguard.'