Chapter 154 – Rolling in By the Vine (1)

"Hahaha, what a wonderful attitude. I wish I could speak with you more, but I do not have the time."

Imperial Prince Adin laughed out loud before walking past Cale with a disappointed expression. Cale respectfully bowed as Adin casually added on.

"I hope we get the time to chat during the celebration."

'Absolutely not.'
Cale did not have any desire to chat with this Imperial Prince.

'I'll just quietly stay on the terrace.'

Cale made up his mind as he watched Imperial Prince Adin walk away.

There was a combined welcome for the envoy as well as the end of the year celebration after they conducted their investigation.

Cale was planning on quietly staying on the terrace during the celebration.
He heard Raon's voice at that time.

– Human, that Imperial Prince punk seems to be about as strong as our cowardly Vice Captain.

'Hooo.'
Cale started to smile.

Imperial Prince Adin.
The man laughing like an idiot and had used Alchemy to cause all types of issues was a high-grade knight.

At least that was what people thought.

'But he is actually a highest-grade knight?'

Vice Captain Hilsman had gotten stronger, to the point that he had reached the level of a highest-grade expert. However, the fact that Adin was at the same level meant that he was talented.

'How entertaining.'

Cale had read many stories about the Imperial Prince in the novel. However, he did not know as much about the Imperial Prince as he knew about Choi Han or Alberu.
Imperial Prince Adin was not a main character in the first five volumes.

Cale was quite intrigued by Adin, who seemed to be hiding a lot of things.

'However, I can't just get close to him because I'm curious.'

Cale planned on simply quietly doing his thing and moving out.
Raon started to speak in his head.

-Human, human! There is a person who feels like someone from our family over there!

Cale's heart dropped.

'…What? Family?'

Cale was anxious.

'Is it another Dragon? Was that even possible?'

Cale hid his anxiety as he urgently looked around the people who came from the Empire to greet them. He started to speak at the same time.

"Haben."
"…What is it, young master-nim?"
"Are there any people here, mm, are there any people similar to you here?"

Cale ended up turning around to look at Eruhaben. He could then see Eruhaben giving him a, 'what is this unlucky human saying now?' type of gaze.
At that moment, he heard Raon's voice.

– Human, isn't he a Cat? The red-haired guy in your nine o'clock direction.

Cale turned his head in that direction. He could see a knight with red hair. Eruhaben turned toward the knight as well and chuckled as he started to speak.

"Young master-nim, did the little kid tell you?"

The family Raon was talking about were On and Hong.
The ancient Dragon started to speak as if he was amused.

"Hmm, he seems to be quite strong."

The Gold Dragon Eruhaben took a half step forward to stand right behind Cale. He made sure he was close enough that nobody else could hear before he started to whisper.

"The Cat tribe does not like to appear in the world. They also specialize in assassinations."

The Cat tribe was well-known in the Eastern continent, however, not as well in the Western continent.
They lived stealthily while avoiding other people. Furthermore, they were talented in assassination, stealth, and information gathering.

Eruhaben continued to whisper in a curious voice.

"Do you think he is trying to kill someone?"

'…Is that something I want to know?'
Cale felt his ear starting to get cold after hearing what Eruhaben had to say. He learned something useless again.

'Let's forget about it.'

Cale decided to forget about it.
However, things ended up twisting in a weird way.

"This is where young master Cale Henituse-nim will be staying."

The servant from the Empire pointed to one of the rooms in the tower next to the tower Alberu was staying in.
The servant then introduced himself and the people around him.

"You can leave all your errands and random needs to me. These individuals are the knights who are assigned to this tower, young master-nim."

The five knights bowed and briefly introduced themselves.
The red-haired Cat was among the group. It would have been impossible to tell that he was a Cat if Raon had not told him.

'Ha, this…'
Cale avoided the Cat.

"We will not assign any guard to your door as you have brought some guards with you, young master-nim. However, we will assign some knights if you would prefer us to do so."
"No. There is no need for any more of them."

Cale rejected the servant's offer.

"Then please call me if you need anything, young master-nim."
"Sure."

Cale sent the servant away and entered the bedroom. He heard Raon's voice at that moment.

– Human! There is someone hiding in the ceiling above your bed! He is spying on you! Oh, his stealth is at the level of the sculptor who made the amazing rabbit! It's pretty good!

'I knew it would be like this.'
Cale looked indifferent.

Although there were many rooms in the tower where Alberu was staying, they had assigned Cale to the next tower over. It was different than the rest of Alberu's assistants, who were all assigned to the same tower as Alberu.

'Adin must be curious about me.'

Although the Imperial Prince may have been hesitant to spy on someone in the envoy, he must have been curious about Cale.

'Since I put out the Jungle fire.'

Cale was the person who had single-handedly put out the fire in the Jungle.
Originally, a shaman would come over from the Eastern continent at a later time to put out the fire.

'But that is weird as well.'

Knowing that Arm and the Empire were working together, Cale was suspicious of that shaman who had come over from the Eastern continent in the novel. How did the shaman put out a magic fire that water could not put out?

What if that shaman was a member of Arm?
What if that was all part of the ploy?

Then all of those highest-grade Magic stones that the shaman found would have gone to the Empire and Arm.

'How terrible.'

It sounded like a terrible situation.
However, it was a possible theory. That incident would lead to shamans being welcomed into the Jungle.

'It is one of the Empire's preferred methods.'

Implanting spies was something that the Empire did often.
If the shaman became a spy like that, then the Jungle would have eventually fallen to the Empire as well.

"Huuuuuu."

Cale let out a sigh before starting to speak to Choi Han and Eruhaben.

"Let's go out."
"Right now?"

Cale answered the confused Choi Han's question.

"I need to exchange some money. I also heard that Billos was in the Empire. I should go meet my good friend."

Cale said it a bit louder than usual for the spy to hear. He put on a robe and threw masks toward the other two.

"Put on robes and the masks so we can go without any commotion."

Cale headed out of the palace with Choi Han and Eruhaben.
Although it was annoying, they were able to easily get through the gates as the crown prince had given them permission.

'Although, someone is tailing me.'

Cale listened to Raon describe the tail as he leisurely walked toward the Flynn Merchant Guild's location in the Empire's capital.

* * *

The Mogoru Empire's capital. There was a decently-sized building near the central plaza.
This building was Flynn Merchant Guild's shop #1.
Cale showed his joy to see Billos.

"Long time no see."
"Yes, young master-nim. I am so happy to see you here."
"I am happy to see my old friend as well."

Billos started to speak to a staff member.

"I will not be taking any more guests today."

He then turned back to speak to Cale.

"I will escort you to my room."

Cale, Choi Han, and Eruhaben followed Billos to a corner room on the second floor of the Flynn Merchant Guild building. Cale jokingly asked Billos.

"This can't be your room, right?"

It was an average looking room. Billos smiled before pushing the bookshelf on the wall to the side.
A staircase heading down appeared.

Cale sat down on the chair located in this small underground room and started to speak.

"Your room is smaller than I expected."
"It is a nice room because it is modest and quiet."

Billos joked back with Cale. However, he soon got down to business.

"Young master-nim, I found it."

He had found an Alchemist who was not part of the Alchemists' Bell Tower.
Cale drank the cup of tea Billos offered him as he asked.

"What kind of person is it?"
"He is a famous Alchemist in the underworld."

The underworld.
This was something that existed no matter what city or country you went to.
However, it was not important to Cale where that Alchemist was famous. That was why he asked once more.

"So what kind of person is he?"

Billos smiled as he responded back.

"He is a good but bad person."

Cale could deduct a couple of things from that answer.
He seems to be a bad person based on how he works in the underworld, but he is still a good person?

Billos quietly observed the silent Cale before starting to describe some details about the Alchemist. Choi Han frowned after hearing the information. It was different than what he had expected.

Cale said just one thing a few seconds after Billos finished his explanation.

"Good."

He was what Cale was looking for.
A decently good and decently bad person was best to put to work.

Cale casually added on.

"I should go meet him right away."
"Already?"
"Cale-nim, you mean right now?"

Billos and Choi Han both voiced their shock. Cale looked toward the shocked Choi Han. Cale started to speak once Choi Han flinched at his gaze.

"Choi Han."
"Yes sir. I will escort you if you plan on go-."
"Take it off."

Silence filled the room. Cale looked toward Choi Han, who was standing there with a blank expression, and started to frown.

"What are you doing?"
"Excuse me?"
"Let's change clothes."

"Ah."
Cale took off his robe and took off his formal jacket underneath as Choi Han let out that stupid sound.

"Billos."
"Yes, yes sir?"

Billos, who had been watching with confusion, answered in shock. Cale told Billos what he needed.

"Look up some more information on that Alchemist. Bring me the files. Oh, and Billos, there's a residence you are staying at, right?"
"…There is."

Cale nodded his head at Billos's response and pointed to himself.

"Send me there to get some alcohol."
"…Excuse me?"

Cale did not respond to Billos, who asked that with a blank expression on his face, and instead looked toward Haben, who had been standing there with a smile on his face.

"Haben."
"Yes, young master-nim. Do I just need to switch the two of you?"
"Yes."

Cale pointed to his and Choi Han's hair as he nodded his head at Eruhaben's statement.

"Oh, I thought he was a knight but he is a high-grade mage-nim!"

Billos finally let out a gasp of admiration and nodded his head. It was because he understood why Cale had brought a precious high-grade mage while disguising him as a knight.
Cale smiled toward Billos, who was looking at him as Eruhaben used magic on him and Choi Han.

A moment later, Billos walked down to the first floor and gave the staff member an order.

"Prepare some fruits and food. Get some alcohol as well."
"Right now?"

Billos nodded his head with a happy expression on his face toward the anxious staff member.

"Of course. My old friend, the young master-nim, is here. We need to at least have a drink. Choi Han."

Billos started to speak to the man who was wearing a mask which only made his black hair and black eyes visible. He could see the unique knight's armor between the robes of the man named Choi Han.
"There is good wine at my residence. Go get me some."

He was sending a knight to go get some alcohol. Although it would make sense for him to get angry, the person named Choi Han silently bowed his head and headed out of the building with a map in his hand.

A voice echoed in the black-haired man's head.

– Human, there is only one person following you! The rest are still hiding around the Flynn Merchant Guild building.

'One makes this easy.'

Cale headed toward Billos's residence with light footsteps. Cale showed the butler the message on the back of the map once he got there.

"I will escort you to it."

Cale followed the butler into Billos's study. The butler soon left and Cale looked out the window once he was left alone.

"It is the second floor."

The study was on the second floor.
A moment later, a person wearing a robe headed out through the window.

– Human, the person tailing you is still at the entrance of the residence!

Cale nodded his head and stealthily left the building using the Sound of the Wind. He headed to a place that existed everywhere, just like the underworld.

The slums.
He was walking toward the slums. Cale's hair that was sticking out of the robe was white.

* * *

Knock knock knock.

A person knocked on the door of a house that looked like it was about to break down.

It was in the corner of the slums where no light shined down from the sun. These buildings that even the people in the slums avoided served as a resting place for animals or people escaping from the rain.
This house was located around those broken buildings.

Knock knock knock.

However, there was no response even after knocking for a while. The person who was knocking on the door let out a sigh before starting to knock a bit louder.

Bang, bang, bang!

"My goodness! Why can't you just go away?"
The sound of someone grumbling inside could be heard before the old door slowly opened.

Screeeech.

A tired middle-aged man appeared through the open door. The man slightly flinched before starting to speak.

"… Who are you?"

The man who had been knocking on the door respectfully bowed his head. That action made the man inside the house start to speak with a stoic expression.

"…Why did a priest-nim come all the way here?"

The man that was called a priest.
The man with the long white hair was wearing a white priest robe with no crest on it.

That man, Cale, smiled gently and started to speak. Raon spoke in his mind.
– There is nobody around.

Cale started to speak as well.

"I came because I wanted to destroy the Bell Tower."

The expression of the man in the house, the Alchemist, quickly changed.

***

If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Yu Ryeo Han]

[Translator – Anowa]

[Proofreader – Rai_Mayank]