Cale had no time to focus on the chills on his back.
Cale's pupils started to shake.
“Young master-nim! Please get on!”
A knight and a group of warriors came over with a carriage.
It was a carriage with the Henituse family crest, but…
‘…It’s too fancy.’
It was an extremely, no, extravagantly fancy carriage.
Why was a carriage like this by the city walls?
Cale subconsciously looked toward the knight who answered as if it was nothing.
“Lord Deruth had this carriage built for when he was to go to the capital, however, Lady Violan insisted on building a carriage that showed the Duchy’s wealth off even more so this carriage was left by the city walls as a spare.”
That meant that they had created an even more extravagant carriage than this already too luxurious carriage. That carriage was currently at the capital with Duke Deruth.
Cale started to speak.
“…Anybody who takes a look at this carriage would say that Lord Deruth is extremely wealthy.”
“Hahahaha! Isn’t that the truth, young master-nim? We are an extremely wealthy territory and the family has been saving money for multiple generations!”
The knight responded as if it was normal.
He then opened the door of the carriage.
“I will escort you right away! Please get on, young master-nim!”
Blink blink.
Cale blinked twice. He heard Choi Han’s voice at that moment.
Choi Han, Ron, Beacrox, and the children averaging nine-years-old were currently with Cale.
“Cale-nim. Over there-”
Choi Han stopped talking.
Cale looked toward where Choi Han was pointing.
Just a moment ago… There had been some soldiers who had entered the city not too long before Cale. They had turned around and were walking in formation toward Cale.
“Mm. Hilsman.”
“Young master-nim!”
Cale noticed that the knight leading the soldiers was Hilsman.
Vice Captain Hilsman had been with Cale when he first went to the capital and knew all about Cale and his friends.
“Young master-nim! Sob!”
Hilsman started to cry as soon as he saw Cale.
‘What the hell? Why is he like this?’
Cale anxiously took a step backward.
Hilsman didn't care as he got off his horse and ran over to him.
“Young master-nim! You look so terrible, shabby, no, I am so sad to see you looking like this! Sooooooooooob!”
Cale thought Hilsman looked extremely sad right now.
“I'm so glad that you returned safe and alive, young master-nim!”
He was holding back his tears now but Hilsman’s eyes were red as he clenched his fists and continued to speak in a shaking voice.
“I knew that you would even overcome a god’s test, young master-nim! You're always…. For our territory… for the kingdom… No, you're always on the move to protect both the Eastern and Western continent.”
Cale was at a loss for words.
Hilsman thought he could see the pain and suffering in Cale's eyes that were still stoic despite his pale complexion.
Of course, that was just his own thinking.
“I, Hilsman, know about it all even though I have not been able to be by your side! Young master-nim, I know how hard your days have been as you try to achieve your noble goal!”
‘…Is being a slacker a noble goal?’
Cale couldn't help but have that thought.
He then made up his mind.
‘Let’s tell him.’
He wanted to tell Hilsman that his goal was to be a slacker.
Maybe this atmosphere would change a bit if he said that.
But Hilsman didn't give him the chance to do that.
“I!”
Hilsman pounded on his armor.
“No, our soldiers!”
He then extended his arms and pointed behind him. There were numerous soldiers standing in formation with expressions full of admiration.
“No, the citizens of our territory! We will all escort you to the Duke’s Estate, young master-nim!”
"Wooooooooooo-!”
“Waaaaaaaaaaaah-!”
The soldiers shouted and the citizens cheered.
They all looked toward Cale and admired his unshakable dignified look on his face.
The truth was that Cale was so anxious that he had frozen in spot.
“Young master-nim.”
He felt chills once more after hearing Ron's low voice before slowly walking toward the carriage.
The others got on the carriage behind him.
“…Fuck-”
He covered his face with both hands.
“My goodness, you always get so shy, young master-nim. Hahahaha!”
Hilsman laughed out loud before closing the carriage door and got on his horse before escorting Cale's carriage with the soldiers.
Clunk. Clunk.
The ride was smooth as the carriage headed toward the Duke’s Estate.
The cheering outside only got louder.
Cale peeked out to see that there were some citizens throwing what looked like flower petals from baskets.
He had no idea where they got such things in November.
“Meeeeeeeeeeow! It feels like a festival, nya!”
“Meeeeeeeow. This is fun, nya!”
‘…Haaaaa.’
Cale held back a sigh.
***
Cale saw Duchess Violan as soon as he got off the carriage at the Duke’s Estate.
“Mother, I'm home.”
Violan calmly watched him as he greeted her and slowly started to speak.
“Yes. Welcome back.”
She then turned around and headed inside. Cale watched her head in when he heard her voice.
“How long will you be here?”
“I plan on spending the night if nothing changes. I feel as if we need to quickly put an end to this White Star issue.”
Both of their voices sounded stoic.
Violan stopped moving and asked a question.
“And after that?”
“Of course I would come back home.”
“Here?”
“Yes. I plan on moving back and forth between here and the villa.”
“But you’ll be staying within the Henituse territory.”
“Yes.”
Cale could see Duchess Violan’s back and her hair that had been twisted up.
Her hair was still perfectly made with not a single hair sticking out.
Cale looked at it for quite a while.
He then heard Violan’s voice again.
“That’s good to hear.”
Cale walked up next to her as she answered.
They then started to walk toward the door together.
He nonchalantly made a comment.
“Please make sure to watch your health as you work. Please eat well and sleep well. Those are very important issues.”
“I wish to tell you the same thing.”
“There's no need to overwork yourself.”
“That is what I wish to say to you.”
Cale hesitated for a moment before starting to speak again.
“Where are Basen and Lily?”
"Basen is handling some documents while Lily is training with the soldiers outside the city walls. Basen should have already heard that you are here while Lily is probably hearing about it now.”
"What is father doing at the capital?”
“What you usually do.”
“What I usually do?”
“Flipping the palace over.”
“Ah.”
Cale looked toward Duchess Violan at a loss for words.
Smile. Violan started to smile.
She continued to walk while looking forward.
“Cale.”
“Yes, mother?”
Screeeech.
The door to the estate slowly opened.
She looked at the opening door and continued to speak.
“You know, those things called gods or Roan or whatever… Ignore them all if they are harmful to you. You don’t need those things.”
Smile. Cale started to smile.
She still did not look at Cale and simply continued to walk forward.
Screeech- Bang!
And through the open door…
“Hyung-nim!”
Basen was rushing out.
“Basen. You escort Cale to his room. I need to go back to work.”
“Excuse me? Ah, yes, of course!”
Duchess Violan turned toward the Lord’s Castle instead of the Estate.
Cale realized that she had walked back to the house with him just to greet him.
Violan finally turned back toward Cale.
“Make sure to rest properly.”
Her voice was calm and she had no smile on her face but Cale slightly bowed toward her after looking into her eyes.
Eyes often told more than things that could not be expressed through words.
“I'm leaving now.”
Violan also did not say anything and walked away from them.
Cale slowly turned his gaze.
Basen had been constantly looking at him without saying anything.
“Basen. I don’t need an escort to my own room.”
This was also his house and it wasn’t like they had built a new home. He didn't need an escort.
“I'll still come with you.”
“Well, whatever then.”
Cale nonchalantly nodded his head and stepped into the house.
“It's the same as usual.”
Basen quietly smile after hearing Cale’s remarks.
He looked much calmer now.
“There were no reasons for it to change, don’t you agree?”
“I guess that is true.”
Ron, Choi Han, and Beacrox entered the house in that order and all started to move in different directions. Their movements were very natural.
They each had their respective places in this house.
The people inside the estate greeted Cale as usual unlike the citizens outside.
They were as calm as if they were looking at the young master of the house who had just gone out to play.
Cale liked their attitude and it made him really feel right at home.
He liked this peaceful atmosphere.
Violan probably made it this way knowing Cale's personality.
Cale started to walk toward his room with Basen as he started to speak.
“It doesn't look like you’ve been well.”
“Excuse me?”
Cale had already looked over Basen from head to toe by the time Basen flinched his shoulders.
“Make sure to take care of your health as you work. Getting a good rest is a necessity. Making sure to eat is even more of a necessity.”
Basen noticed that Cale’s gaze was focused on the tips of his sleeve and quickly moved both hands back.
Basen’s sleeves were dirty and covered in ink.
They looked as if his sleeves had gotten dirty because he had been writing something for a while.
That was indeed what had happened.
"Are you busy because of me?”
“No, not at all!”
Cale did not ask anything else after hearing Basen’s energetic response.
He wasn’t the type to answer just because Cale asked him anyway.
Instead, Cale asked Basen, whose appearance made it very clear that he had been working hard.
“I know you’ve been doing work for the territory for a while now; it’s not too hard I hope?”
Yes, hyung-nim. It’s not hard!”
“Really?”
“Yes!”
Basen responded without getting flustered this time.
“It’s fun! It’s not too bad.”
“I guess working for the territory suits you?”
“I think so. I think the territory's internal affairs area suits me best. That’s why it is not hard.”
There was something Basen wanted to say.
He wanted to say that he was not having a hard time because of his brother and that he was working hard because he liked what he was doing.
He wanted to say that he enjoyed doing his part to help out the territory.
This was the truth.
Basen’s goal since a long time ago was to work for this territory.
He wanted to work here with his brother Cale and sister Lily.
Cale noticed that Basen was telling the truth when he said it was fun.
That was why he stopped walking for a moment and looked around.
Nobody else was around them except the children averaging nine-years-old.
It was probably to be considerate of Cale.
‘This is good.’
Cale had been thinking that he needed to set things straight at least once before it was too late.
He decided it was the best time to bring it up since they were talking about related issues anyway.
“…Hyung-nim?”
Basen looked toward Cale, who had suddenly stopped walking, with confusion.
He could see that Cale’s extremely calm gaze looked more serious than ever before.
Anybody would be tell that Cale was about to speak the truth.
Cale started to speak.
“Basen.”
“…Yes, hyung-nim?”
“You be the territory lord.”
Cale then observed Basen’s response.
But Basen was weird.
“…Hyung-nim.”
Basen’s voice was shaking.
Cale felt something was off and looked at Basen’s face. Basen's pupils were shaking.
“I-”
Basen couldn't help but act like this.
His father and mother had both told him about it.
They couldn’t tell Lily but they had stealthily told Basen since he would eventually find out while handling the internal affairs of the territory.
They told him that there might be a great battle that has not happened in hundreds of years starting in Puzzle City soon.
The Henituse household’s number one priority during that battle was-
‘To make sure that Cale survives.’
His father and mother’s voices echoed in his mind.
His father had also said the following.
‘Our Henituse household’s goal is to live peacefully and happily.’
There was no need to be recorded in history.
There was no need for fame.
All they wanted was to live their life well.
‘That is my number one priority as the patriarch of this family.’
Basen’s heart sank after hearing Cale telling him to be the territory lord because of what his parents had told him.
The great battle that could happen in Puzzle City…
They told him that there was no way to know how many people will get hurt or die.
His hyung-nim was the person who was most likely to stand in front of everybody else in that battle.
That same hyung-nim was seriously telling him to be the territory lord.
It sounded as if he was saying he wouldn't be there to take that position.
That sounded like-
‘H, he thinks that he might di-’
Basen did not dare to finish that thought.
Cale dying at the end of the battle and he becoming the territory lord?
“I-”
Basen’s lips were shaking as he started to speak.
He clenched his eyes shut and shouted out.
“I really hope that you return alive, hyung-nim!”
“Have you not gotten much sleep because of work?”
“…Excuse me?”
Basen flinched and asked back after hearing Cale’s immediate response.
"Why are you saying something so obvious?”
Cale chuckled and nonchalantly added on.
“Of course I'll come back alive.”
“Then… Why are you talking like someone who is leaving-”
Basen could see Cale's eyes open wide after hearing that statement.
Cale urgently started to speak.
“Why would I leave?!”
“…Excuse me?”
Cale looked at the blankly asking Basen and waved his arm around as if to tell Basen never to say something like that ever again.
‘Leave?!
Why is he saying such sad things?!
Why would I leave this rich family behind and go elsewhere?!
I have a lot of money but having even more money is better!’
Cale sternly shook his head.
“I just want to stay near Harris Village and the Forest of Darkness and get some rest. I will frequently visit home as well.”
“Ah.”
Cale shared his plans with Basen.
“I also don’t plan on leaving the territory once things involving that White Star bastard are resolved.”
He might have to help the children averaging nine-years-old travel the world.
But that would just be traveling for fun and should not have any issues.
“My goal is to live peacefully and quietly.”
‘Yes, yes indeed.’
Cale, who nodded his head as if he was agreeing with his own statement, flinched after seeing Basen’s face.
Basen was smiling brightly.
He was full of emotion after hearing Cale share the goal of the Henituse household.
“Yes. Hyung-nim, that is a very good goal!”
“Right?”
“For sure!”
Cale smiled with joy, thinking that Basen smiling again meant that his desires had been properly delivered.
“Meeeeeow!”
Hong walked around the two smiling people.
Raon was spinning in air while invisible.
Only On…
On was the only one taking a close look at Cale and Basen's expressions as she recalled their conversation.
She then started to shake her head side to side.
On then mumbled so quietly that nobody else could hear her.
“…I think a slacker life will be hard, nya.”
On went over and patted Cale’s foot as if she pitied him.
“Hyung-nim, it is only one day but please rest well tonight.”
“That’s the plan.”
“We will make sure they prepare a feast.”
“Very good.”
“Yes, hyung.”
The two of them looked very happy as they started to walk again.
However, at that moment…
Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing- Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing-
Cale’s expression stiffened up.
There was a sharp sound echoing through the house, the Lord’s Castle, and the entire Rain City.
This was an alarm for when enemies were invading.
It was a Special-Grade warning.
Cale’s first battle…
This alarm had been heard during that battle at the Henituse territory.
“…What the hell?”
‘Is it the White Star? Who could it be?
What son of a bitch is trying to mess with our territory again?’
Cale's face looked cold with anger.
“Cale-nim.”
Choi Han was rushing toward him.
“Follow me.”
Cale immediately turned away from the direction of his room.
He then started to walk out.