I'll take care of it right now.
- Great.
"Checking contacts".
Alberu could practically see the leash in the Count's hands. It was a disgusting feeling. And then he wondered if he was wearing a collar like that himself. Here was a clear example of how a father's indifference to his child was not always indifference. He shuddered.
Deruth watched Hans leave the office, then became lost in thought. He had more to think about than Cale's change in behavior.
The atmosphere on the continent was heating up. It was like a volcano before it erupted. Deruth clearly felt the atmosphere of danger, despite the fact that his lands were in a remote part of the kingdom. This was because he had always received endless amounts of information about it. But the message from the Royal Court that he received today made Deruth take the current situation on the continent even more seriously.
The Crown Prince knew what the message was about. An invitation to His Majesty's birthday celebration. He noted the Count's ability to sense the situation. He was not as simple as he might seem. It was in their blood, apparently . In order to remain neutral for years in the existing race for power among the nobles, money alone was not enough. One had to have certain qualities. He once again considered the possibility of winning the Count over to his side.
The former Counts of the Hanityuz family always left one piece of advice to their descendants:
[There is no need to leave a mark on history. Just live for peace and happiness.]
- I've heard something similar somewhere before.
Eruhaben chuckled. The strange guy's life motto. In a slightly different formulation.
"You landed in a comfortable family, lucky bastard."
"I guess I need to strengthen the city walls…"
He was not a good fighter, but Derut always thought about how to protect himself and his family.
A slightly dubious statement given what was happening, but no one said anything out loud.
There are times when the body is stronger than the mind.
— The young master slept so soundly that I didn't dare wake you.
Cale woke up. The fact that Ron brought him lemonade again instead of cold water spoiled the boy's mood again. However, Cale didn't even say anything about it.
This was due to the bandage around Ron's neck.
- Are you in pain?
-…Are you worried about me?
- No, it's just annoying.
- It's nothing serious. I was just scratched by a cat with its claw.
Is "cat" a reference to an innocent person?
— Who does he take this humble servant for?
"Exactly for the one you look like."
Cale was sure that they were supposed to have a fateful meeting last night. He avoided Ron's smiling eyes and headed for the door of the room. He needed to move faster to fight off the sleepiness.
— Are you planning to leave right away?
- Yes, I have business outside.
- I understand. Oh, young master...
Ron knew himself well enough to know that his double was stalling on purpose, which meant that something was bound to happen soon. He was looking forward to it. It was bound to be fun. The other him couldn't help but notice the changes in the young master's behavior and was probing him. It had been noticeable "yesterday" when he had asked him about his studies. And now he was also trying to carefully probe the limits of the puppy-master's patience. And given the attitude of said puppy not to get into any conflict with him, this play promised to become funnier with each new act.
Cale grabbed the door handle and turned to look at Ron. The servant had a strange smile on his face.
— What do you think about lemonade?
- Excellent. It's delicious.
Ron's voice dropped an octave.
- Is that so?
— Yes.
"Why these questions?"
Since Ron was someone he couldn't ignore, Cale simply answered the question as best he could while opening the door.
*Whisper*
Then he quickly closed the door back.
While everyone jumped up from the unexpected and loud bang, one old man smiled as if he had received the best birthday present.
"Bingo! It was worth it!"
-… Ron…
Ron walked up to Cale at his call and whispered with a smile on his face:
- Young master surprised? Your guest has been waiting for you outside since yesterday.
Choi Han was surprised.
Cale was surprised. He had seen Choi Han looking at him when he first opened the door, causing him to close it back in shock. His hand went to the inside pocket of his shirt. The ten million gallons in his pocket reassured Cale.
"Oh, right... All you can trust is money, right?"
Alberu felt his eye twitch. Again. For some reason, he was very concerned about this guy's attitude toward money.
Ron looked at his master, continuing to speak:
- I had no chance to tell you because you opened the door immediately. I offered him the comfort of waiting in the room, but he insisted on seeing you and waited outside the door.
"To hell with it! Of course, he didn't have the chance!"
Cale couldn't say anything to the scary old man. He had a chance to say something, of course, but the young man chose to remain silent. Cale stepped back from Ron and opened the door again.
If anyone wanted to say something while looking at the happy old man, they decided to follow the example of the young master.
- What's the matter?
Cale pretended he had never slammed the door in Choi Han's face when he addressed him. Cale had paid attention to the appearance of the "guest" when asking the question.
After taking a shower, tidying up his hair, and changing into new clothes, Choi Han looked rested and refreshed. However, it was hard to think so when you looked at his eyes.
Choi Han was still in a disgusting state. That's why Cale was a little scared when he looked at his eyes. Choi Han also looked at Cale before speaking.
- I will repay you.
- Hah?
- I'll pay you back for the food.
The sword master tensed. He couldn't help but notice the differences between himself now and himself on the screen. That "him" had benefited from the rest, it was noticeable. He didn't have such luxury. The polite treatment was also a little embarrassing. But "that" Choi Han had no problems with the red-haired aristocrat. That same aristocrat had problems with him. Internal. And quite big ones. Although, to his credit, he still hadn't shown it outwardly.
For Choi Han, debts were an important thing. He took them very seriously. And Cale seemed to try to keep all communication with him to a minimum. And so, Choi Han was very interested in what would happen next.
Everyone was curious, though. Cale Hanites's cheerful paranoia would likely make him shun the debt like the plague.
Choi Han began to address him formally, which was different from yesterday. More importantly, Cale began to frown even when he said, "I'll repay you."
"Get back at me? Is he trying to give me a heart attack?"
Who in their right mind would use Choi Han for manual labor? Cale just wanted the protagonist to leave this city as soon as possible!
Of course, Choi Han was ready to help Cale with any issue that the latter pointed out. He was that kind of person. However, Cale didn't need anything from Choi Han.
- This kid never ceases to amaze. Anyone "in their right mind" would have done something like this.
Choi Han frowned. It made sense, if you thought about it. Although it was a bit offensive…
- If he could ask anything, he could ask for help from one of the forces he is looking for. I seriously doubt that they are all lying under different bushes in the same city. Or leave the debt for later. It could come in handy in a war. No matter how many plans you make, everything can collapse at any moment. And he just denies it.
Eruhaben continued to study this strange man. God, this was more interesting than alchemy. Seriously.
The Crown Prince agreed with him completely and thought:
"What a wise elf."
And he doesn't kneel before a dragon. Except for the very first time, when the aforementioned dragon had to be pulled out from under the chair. But that doesn't count. And in general, he doesn't behave as arrogantly as he used to think about elves. He's not an elf, but a treasure.
- There is no need for that. Do you need anything else?
He quickly rejected Choi Han's offer and asked if there was anything else that the novel's protagonist needed. Choi Han began to look at Cale more closely. That look made Cale Hanitus remember how the real owner of that body in the novel was beaten half to death. That look made the young man's skin crawl. At that moment, Choi Han began to speak.
"He's hardly in danger of being beaten anymore. Why does this poor guy continue to worry so much?"
— I want to ask you for help.
Cale closed his eyes at the word 'help'. He didn't want to interfere with Choi Han's affairs. The 'help' Choi Han asked for was nothing more than a solution to the Harris Village issue.
Cale in the novel called the villagers useless, and that's why he got beaten up. Cale thought about it, and then spoke:
- Tell Hans what you need and he will take care of everything.
Opening his eyes again, Cale met Choi Han's gaze, who was still standing in the same place like a statue.
Choi Han suddenly felt relieved, although he didn't know when he had become tense. Hans had been dealing with this issue in their world, so he no longer worried about his relatives being buried properly. The Count was right, Hans had carried out his orders well.
- He is a talented deputy butler and will definitely be able to help you cope with almost any issue.
Then Cale put his hand on Ron's shoulder. He felt Ron flinch, but decided to get rid of them both in one fell swoop.
— Hoooo…
- Ron is very useful here too. He can help you too. Ron, this guy is my guest. Be sure to take care of what he needs.
Cale also decided to give Ron an order before removing his hand from his shoulder. He then heard Choi Han address him again.
- But you don't even know who I am.
Cale turned to look at him. He saw Choi Han still watching him. The feeling of fear that had washed over him disappeared. Cale felt an inexplicable innocence coming from Choi Han.
The black-haired man himself couldn't help but be surprised at the sight of his other self. He was far from that state. He still felt twisted. If he "felt himself" at all. As strange as that might sound. Often it was a numbness through which grief, rage, and anger rolled like waves in the sea, and then retreated back. Only to return at the most unexpected moment and knock him off his feet.
Was the little kindness the red-haired nobleman showed, hidden under the mask of indifference, really enough to make him begin to emerge from his oblivion?
Moreover, this hidden kindness was for his double. He himself, being on the other side, saw that it was a cold calculation. With a taste of hysteria... Okay, maybe not completely cold, since he did not have to interfere at all, they had already established this, but still a calculation.
He also noted that Cale somehow reads his condition and mood at once. As if he sees right through him. If we omit the remark about taking him hostage, of course.
"Hmmmm."
Or is it better to take it into account?
- Why should I know who you are? Is there any reason to help someone who doesn't have as many opportunities as I do?
Choi Han frowned slightly at Cale's words. It was subtle, but Cale, who was watching his interlocutor closely, definitely noticed the change.
"Is he annoyed that I called him someone who doesn't have my capabilities?"
Cale quickly continued.
- Given your situation, I doubt you'll ask for anything complicated. But if it's not complicated, I'm sure Hans will know how to handle it.
After that, he pushed Ron towards Choi Han, wanting to get rid of both of them quickly.
If you didn't know what he was thinking, it looked very noble.
Although actions are usually more important than thoughts, right?
- Then goodbye. I still have a lot to do.
Cale quickly headed towards his father's office. He needed more pocket money today. He heard Ron's voice coming from behind him.
Everyone in the room heard a heavy sigh.
Looking towards the source of the dramatic sound, they saw the Crown Prince rubbing his temple with his hand.
Noticing the looks on him, he smiled and shook his head, as if to say: "Don't pay attention to me."
Young master, I will do everything as you ordered.
"I don't care whether you do it or not."
What was more important to them than Cale was getting closer and more attached to each other. Shouldn't they get closer to each other since he got them to meet four days earlier?
In theory, this is how it should have happened, but something told the ancient dragon that he would not be so lucky.
Ron looked at Cale, who had walked away from them, before looking at the empty cup in his hands.
- Interesting.
This fearless puppy didn't like sour things. He still didn't like the lemonade. However, he drank it anyway.
Ron touched his neck. It was the first time he had been wounded in a long time, but what was even more interesting was that the wound continued to ache.
The fearless puppy was afraid of him.
Did he really find out something?
"So that's the direction my thoughts were going."
Ron had to agree with his doppelganger. Soul transference wasn't exactly the first thing you'd think of. Or even the second. Or at all.
He was a little disappointed that the revelation was apparently postponed indefinitely, but he had not yet given up hope. It was impossible to successfully pretend to be someone else forever. Everyone had already noticed the difference. The truth would surface sooner or later. It was a pity that the other him would soon leave with a black-haired teenager and would hardly see it.
— Show me the way.
Ron looked at the source of the voice. He saw Choi Han looking at him with disgust. The bastard seemed to have figured out who would be the one getting killed after the brief exchange of blows yesterday.
- Certainly.
The bastard, who also smelled deeply of blood, was pretending to be clean. Ron thought it was funny. That was exactly how such an unusual boy should act.
This boy, whom they had met only last night, radiated a cruel, vile and murderous aura. It was an aura that Ron and Bikros could instantly distinguish from other auras.
Of course, this murderous aura did not belong to Choi Han. The protagonist of the novel received this aura from the assassins he killed, whose blood he was washed with, and whose murderous aura now surrounded the young man.
What was presented to the viewers was a delightful sight, as their own duo of vicious personalities looked at each other with exactly the same disgust as their protégés on screen. The synchronicity was admirable.
I don't think there's any way that people can just cross paths like that."
Ron thought about the events of the previous night as he turned to the boy who seemed to have been through a lot in the last few days.
"Thanks to the young puppy, the misunderstanding was resolved almost immediately."
In their situation, it took divine intervention for Ron to stop suspecting the sword master. And in that case, a shower and a night's rest were enough.
Such insignificant details, but what a huge difference.
- Follow me.
Ron walked forward, intending to carry out the young master's orders, and Choi Han followed behind him. The young man's gaze briefly followed Cale before returning to Ron.
Cale held a bag that was twice the size of the one he had carried yesterday and walked confidently towards the slums. His brother and sister were waiting for him at the hill to greet their "breadwinner".
The children kept their mouths shut, looking at Cale. The young man smiled, took out two small bags and handed them to the children.
The kids were actually there. Amazing.
- Take this.
The girl slowly approached him. Cale frowned as he watched the girl with the coarse gray hair. She held her hand to her side and limped as she moved toward him.
"Hey," Cale pointed his hand with the bags towards the boy. "You, come here and get them."
The boy quickly ran up, grabbed the bags, and ran away just as quickly. Compared to Cale's bright red hair, the boy had coarse dark red hair that trembled as he ran.
Once again the dragon was visited by a feeling of déjà vu.
Then Cale turned around and headed towards the man-eating tree.
- Wow!
It wasn't bread. The bags contained meat and cake.
— Not only did he remember them at all, but he also didn't just buy them off with bread.
"He must care a lot about children to be so attentive to this," most thought.
The boy heard his brother and sister talking about food, but he didn't care.
"Or not".
Cale continued walking towards the hill where the man-eating tree lived.
— Ooooooooooooooooo!
"…It's a little scary."
The black tree without a single leaf seemed to move its branches to greet Cale. This eerie feeling made Cale nervous. But he still did not give up on his idea to put all the contents of the bags into the hole under the tree.
"I would definitely cut it down," the sword master thought again.
The bread quickly disappeared.
At that moment a voice was heard:
- More... Give me more!
- What?
The ancient dragon and the crown prince straightened up, looking at the screen.
Everyone looked at them, not understanding what was wrong?
"It drives me crazy."
The answer that was described in the pages of the novel appeared. It was the voice of a weak girl. Yes, the person who died of hunger was a priestess who served God. However, unlike the current priestesses of temples or churches, the ancient priestesses were shamans. Most ancient shamans could be considered people who had superpowers or natural forces under their control.
Cale quickly grabbed his bag and hurried away.
The young master seemed unsurprised by what was happening. He had been expecting it. Perhaps it was normal? They knew little about the Ancient Powers. The transmigrator had much more information on the subject.
But neither the prince nor the dragon stopped frowning.
It was still weird.
"Kale, come to my office tonight."
This is what his father, Derut, told Cale when he came to collect his pocket money this morning. That is why he had to hurry today so as not to be late for his father's in the evening.
"Half".
He set a goal to reach half of the gluttonous tree's satiety today. The young man went down the hill to get more bread. He saw his brother and sister looking at Cale with cake stains on their lips.
— Tsk.
Cale frowned and clicked his tongue as he walked past the couple.
- Umm... Young master...
A woman's voice made the young man turn around. The middle-aged woman smiled awkwardly, pointing to her shop. Her hand was shaking, the baker was clearly wildly afraid, but she still found the courage to address him.
— We have a lot of bread.
Cale tossed her a gold coin and the woman quickly caught the money.
- Gather me everything you have. Pack it quickly.
At this point, the smile on the middle-aged woman's face widened. She immediately entered the store and returned almost immediately with a large bag filled with bread. Everything had been packed in advance.
- Here he is, the young master.
"Wow. She's a really good trader."
She was the one who knew how to make money.
- I can also prepare something else.
Cale liked this woman more and more. However, at that moment…
- Young master! We can make even more bread!
The old man raised his hand and ran across the road toward them. He was wearing a baker's uniform. Cale liked his suit, so he tossed the old man a gold coin.
- I'll go to your store. Prepare everything.
- Thanks a lot!
Cale was amazed by these vendors. They were still afraid of him, a nobody from the earl's family, but they had no problem getting easy money from him. Probably because they knew that Cale didn't beat anyone who wasn't a bandit, and so the territory belonging to the Hanityuses didn't suffer much.
Money works wonders."
Citizens quickly forgot about the danger of property destruction. They even called for it themselves. Although, for a gold coin it was possible to make repairs. And not even once. Ohhhhhh…
"Tomorrow I can come to these three places to get bread."
Since he had given each of the three shopkeepers a gold coin, he should have at least gotten another bag of bread. Cale was happy that everything was going so smoothly.
Derg. Derg.
However, there was someone who was watching him from afar.
— Hmm…
It was Chef Bikros. Like his father, Bikros wore a bandage around his neck. The man was watching Cale from around the corner. He simply watched as Cale bought a bag of bread and some medicinal herbs before heading back to the slums.
"...Has he gone crazy?"
Cale seemed to be out of his mind since yesterday.
Bikros had never been interested in Cale, even when his father had said that the Earl's eldest son was an interesting child, but the more he saw, the more he agreed with his father. It seemed that Cale was as interesting to watch as the black-haired brat. Bikros's eyes sparkled.
Bikros was very surprised to see himself spying on the young master. What did his father tell him that interested him so much?
He stoically ignored the sharp gaze of the black-haired swordsman.
Choi Han continued to glare at him. He was no youngster, damn it.
The picture meanwhile changed to the next unexpected character.
Bilos, the owner of the tea shop, took a sip of tea with a serious face as he listened to his subordinate's report.
— Young Master Cale goes in and out of the slums?
— Yes, Bylos-nim.
- It's clear.
— We also received a message from the capital.
— Is this really true?
Bylos's round eyes, usually hard to see because of the fat, widened. The subordinate winced before continuing his report.
- Yes. It says that the Crown will soon be calling for people. That's why they want Bilos-nim to return and get to work.
*Klank*
Bilos placed the cup on the table, grasping his chin with his fingers.
- Now you can be free.
The subordinate quickly moved into the shadows and disappeared. Bylos stared at the spot where his subordinate had stood a moment ago, and one corner of his lips began to turn up.
- Do they really think that I will be their faithful dog again and will guard the house?
His gaze turned to the window. It seemed as if his gaze could reach even the distant capital.
Alberu noted to himself that Bylos would be a very valuable ally. A tenacious trader who kept a close eye on everything that was going on around him. Not everyone did that. And he was apparently at odds with his family. That could be exploited.
The excitement surrounding the change in the Count's eldest child's behavior did not go unnoticed by the adults. He had been here for, what? Two and a half days? Of which the first had been spent in the study.
Did you also follow the present?
Meanwhile, the image returned to Cale.
- This is not bread... This is not bread...
- AND?
Looking at the girl who was muttering "not bread" over and over again while holding the medicinal herbs in her hand, Cale only snorted as he headed back to the tree. However, the boy stood in his way.
"Or maybe yes."
- You can't die.
The boy said he couldn't die. Cale didn't even frown as he simply passed the boy.
Cale, no, Kim Rok Soo.
He was an orphan and had nothing to his name. That's why there were many people who showed a bit of sympathy towards Kim Rok Soo.
"Is there any reason to show sympathy to those in need?"
It was something he heard all the time when he was younger.
- What a little beggar...
- Poor orphan.
Everyone winced.
- You don't need a reason to show sympathy.
There was a time when he simply took it all for granted, but it was only as he grew older that he began to understand the true meaning of those words.
There was no logical reason for what the heart did. You don't need a reason.
"So what is the reason..."
"So annoying."
Cale hated it when children were hurt and made to suffer. However, he had no thoughts of caring for the girl or thinking about comforting her. He frowned when he saw the girl limp towards where he and the boy were. So Cale replied:
- I will not die.
- He's not going to court the girl, but he brought her meat for breakfast, bought her medicine, and calmed her down for the road. And all this because it's "So annoying." Did I get it right?
The prince looked at his neighbors with a clear question in his eyes.
Seeing several nods of agreement, he calmed down a little. He wasn't imagining things.
However, the fact that the young master's thoughts periodically diverged from his actual actions turned into a trend and became increasingly clear to everyone.
The siblings finally stopped when he said that. Cale was dissatisfied, and it occurred to him that without realizing it, he had done what he hated most. He hated people who meddled in other people's affairs without asking them, but he had done it by giving the girl the medicinal herbs.
Trend.
— Oooooh!
- Give me, give me more!
- Yes. Eat everything!
The tree's talkativeness still worried the two blonds, but they decided to trust the red-haired one, who seemed completely unconcerned by what was happening. He considered the swaying branches to be the scariest thing, not his intelligence. Although it was strange. In a "man-eating tree", it was the latter that should be unnerving.The dragon noticed the difference with the other intelligent tree. This tree didn't need to be touched, for example. And he wouldn't have risked it. There was an ominous aura around it. He was glad that the boy also had enough brains not to touch everything.
Cale threw his bag at the tree that was considered a man-eater, not caring where exactly the bag landed. He was not afraid. The bread instantly disappeared into the darkness, which was now much lighter, so much so that it could no longer be called darkness. Cale could now see a new gray light. However, it was still not enough.
Unlike the first time, now the difference was obvious to everyone.
"I think the money I spent is starting to pay off."
"Okay. This is probably a really smart investment."
Cale dumped another bag of bread into the hole and then returned home. He never saw his brother and sister again, but he thought it was the best option for him.
However, he saw two kittens fighting on his way home and shuddered.
"These are the kittens from yesterday. They shouldn't remember me, right?"
Eruhaben congratulated himself on the confirmed hypothesis that cats were not so simple. Would the boy understand this? I wonder.
Silver fur and golden eyes, red fur and golden eyes. The two kittens didn't even meow as they stared at Cale. The boy didn't want to get into any more trouble, so he turned away and walked home.
But there, hearing his father's words, he almost fainted.
-… Please tell me again…
— Yes, Cale.
Basen stood next to Cale, the story of the Hanityuz family, which was not mentioned in the novel, playing out before his eyes.
Something unexpected had obviously happened to cause such a violent reaction in a man who was less frightened by even the damned tree than he logically should have been. Everyone was wary.
- You must go to the capital as a representative of our family.
Cale felt a severe headache.
And the crown prince also began to feel a headache.
He completely stopped understanding what was going on in this family.
What drives Count Hanithuse? What's the point of sending his eldest son to the capital? For ten years he's been turning his every action into sheer chaos. Three days of silence is not yet a sign of personal growth. It turns out that he's replaced his strange, noisy activity with even stranger, quiet activity. This is not a sign of sanity. On the contrary, it's a reason to be wary. And that's clearly not what's happening here.
Does this mean that the Count knew about his son's hypocritical nature? But, again, why didn't he interfere? And then, seeing a glimmer of calm, decided to send him to the Royal Court?
Although he doubted that the Count knew anything. And then the question "why and for what reason" became more and more acute. What was going on there? So much for a quiet family.
He needs tea.
He wasn't the only one in shock. Choi Han, Ron and Bikros were also looking at the Count with wide eyes.
Rosalyn, Mary, Locke and Vitira just looked on with curiosity.
Eruhaben was amused, and the black dragon just watched. It didn't concern him.
- Initially, Basen was supposed to go there, but you are the firstborn of our family.
Cale just opened and closed his mouth, watching Count Deruth sitting at the table with a gentle smile. Visiting the capital at this time… Cale thought about the contents of "Birth of a Hero," while Deruth continued to speak:
For some reason, Albert really, really didn't like the reaction to the news about the red-haired nobleman's journey. He took a piece of paper and prepared to write.
— There is a big event being held in the capital, and the noble families of each territory have been invited. This will be your first visit to the capital, although Basen has been attending this event for the past two years. However, I hope that this time it will be you who goes there.
A big event in the capital. This made Cale remember one incident.
Terrorist incident.
Everyone froze. It seemed like they even stopped breathing.
Here it is. Information about the future that had enormous significance. Horrible significance.
The secret organization will commit a terrorist act when many citizens of the capital gather in one place. Our hero, Choi Han, will be the one who manages to block about half of the plot. This will be the fourth time that Choi Han and the secret organization come into contact with each other.
Which, given the proximity of the event, was a very alarming sign of the organization's activity.
The thought, although it flashed through their heads, did not stay there for long. Everyone was too busy trying to comprehend what they had heard.
As a result, Choi Han is able to save many citizens in the square and gain the favor of the Crown Prince. Then, their relationship quickly develops into a strong friendship.
Cale suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.
Since the novel was written from Choi Han's perspective, they didn't say much about the nobles' actions. All that was mentioned was that Choi Han would gain several people in his team after this incident, as well as the strong support of the Crown Prince.
But why did he have to go to the scene of this terrorist attack?
Of course, he didn't know if the nobles would gather in the square. Cale began to recall the information from the novel.
[Many people gathered in the square. The platform remained empty. This was the place for the royal family, who would arrive later. Choi Han could see other people who looked like they held important positions. However, what was more important to Choi Han was that many ordinary citizens had gathered here: children and old people, men and women. Choi Han's heart began to beat faster.
He didn't want a group of innocent people to get hurt again.]
The Crown Prince's hand, which was supposed to take notes on everything he had heard, was still hanging in the air, never touching the paper.
Do nobles include those people who "looked like they held important positions?"
Cale turned to look at Basen, even as his father continued to speak. Basen stood stoically, looking at his father and not giving Cale a single glance.
"Derut said that Basen usually attends such events. Should I tell him to go this time too?"
"Please no!"
Cale's lips continued to open and close repeatedly. He didn't want to go into the danger zone. However, he couldn't bring himself to say Basen's name.
The relationship between them was neither good nor bad. It was a bond between the real Cale and Basen. Basen thought Cale was difficult to deal with, but that was all.
Cale's thoughts began to get complicated. Was Cale in history? There was no way that Deruth would send him, a nonentity, to the capital. So why did he want to send him now? Cale wondered if he had done something wrong to make this decision?
The nine frozen creatures waited anxiously for the young nobleman's decision. It was as if they were afraid to scare him away with one awkward sigh, although they couldn't do that even if they wanted to.
Only the black dragon shuddered from the tension that had accumulated in the room.
- You're leaving in five days.
Five days later… Listening to what Derut was saying, Cale knew that it was not his predecessor from the novel who went to the capital.
In the novel, he was beaten half to death by Choi Han four days later and carried off to the Earl's estate. In this state, he simply could not go to the capital.
- Cale, before Basen took over these duties, you were the one who participated in all these ceremonies. Remember those times and relax.
Forget about the meaning of the word "relax" altogether.
- Father…
Derut looked at Cale after his words. Basen slowly turned and also looked at his older brother.
Everyone was looking at him. And for them, hearing the answer was much more important than for the Count.
— I'm a little worried about this sudden turn of events. I haven't done this for the last two years. And I don't understand why I suddenly need to return to it. Please let me think about it.
Derut agreed and told both his sons they could go. The brothers quickly left the office. Cale was deep in thought about everything that had fallen on his head. If Cale made a scene and threw a tantrum, Derut would probably send Basen, but that would leave a bitter taste in his mouth.
At least he didn't give up right away. So there's hope.
At that moment, the following was heard:
- Hyun-nim.
Cale heard the voice of his younger brother, Basen. The young man turned his head and saw that his brother was still striding forward bravely, not looking at him. Fifteen-year-old Basen always spoke like this, never raising his eyes to him.
- Hyun-nim, there is no reason why you can't go to the capital.
Cale sighed.
Basen didn't even look at Cale as he left the office and headed to his room. Cale stared after Basen for a long time.
The observers were still looking at the eldest of the brothers with intense interest. At any other moment they would have been interested in the seemingly casual phrase, but not now.
"…It wasn't supposed to happen like this."
Cale had been displaced as the successor. He couldn't stop acting like trash, even when his younger brother, through subtlety, took his place as the family's heir two years ago. Cale himself was the laughing stock of the family.
That's why there were many reasons why he shouldn't have acted as the family's representative at the event in the capital. However, Basen said he had no reason to refuse to attend the event.
Basen said that Cale was capable enough to become a representative of the family.
"Things suddenly got complicated."
Cale frowned. He didn't like the way things were going at all.
Albert also didn't like how everything was going. Categorically.
But there was another problem...
"It's worth it."
He thought it was worth going through the events that were about to happen.
The reason was that Cale's chances of returning alive and well were quite high.