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."

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?"

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."

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.

'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.

"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.

"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.

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.

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.'

"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.

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.

"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.'

"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."

Ron's voice became an octave lower.

"…Is that so?"
"Yes."

'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.

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.'

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 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?'

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.

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."

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

"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.

"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?"

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?'

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 his behind him.

"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?

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.

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?

"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.

"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.'

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.

***

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]