"But young master-nim, what about your guards? I heard that the Vice Captain and the children will remain in Harris Village to work.”
Cale started to frown at Hans’s endless barrage of questions. Hans did not care, as he continued on while picking On and Hong up into his arms.
“You said the Vice Captain was staying back to investigate the Forest of Darkness?”
The explosion in the Forest of Darkness. The Vice Captain knew of the cause of the explosion because Cale explained it to him, but the “official” story was that he was staying back to investigate because they were keeping Cale’s involvement a secret.
‘Young master-nim, I will take care of these tiny roles for now, but I will not remain in this spot forever.’
Cale quickly got rid of Hilsman’s comment to him from his mind. It was useless chatter anyways.
“I didn’t need them anymore, so I let them go at the entrance.”
The Whale siblings had left at the entrance. They naturally had the bottle of swamp water with them. However, half of its contents were with Cale.
Hong’s tail was shaking because he was going to get stronger soon. On as well.
“Hans.”
“Yes sir.”
“Did the crown prince say when I should contact him?”
Cale leisurely asked. However, Hans answered back sternly.
“Immediately. That was what he said.”
Cale started to smile. The crown prince must have been really anxious. Cale calmly started to speak.
“Then let’s go.”
***
Cale sat down on the couch and crossed his legs. The territory’s video communication mage peeked toward Cale.
“Is it ready?”
“Ah, yes, yes!”
The mage gulped before continuing on.
“It is possible to speak with his highness right now.”
The mage was looking at Cale, the person the crown prince was currently looking for. Compared to how nervous he was, Cale seemed to be very calm.
“Then you can head out now.”
The mage quickly bowed and left, although he turned around a few times on his way out due to curiosity. Cale commenced the video communication as soon as the mage left, and a face soon appeared on top of the half transparent orb.
Cale immediately started to speak.
“It is my great honor to speak with the star of the nation, the wonderf-“
- Enough.
The crown prince immediately cut him off, as if Cale’s words gave him the chills. Cale had a sly smirk as he quickly stopped talking.
Alberu calmly observed Cale, who was sitting down leisurely, yet in a way that was still respectful, and then got straight to the point.
- What a mess they made in the Breck Kingdom.
Cale’s smile became wider. It was what he had been waiting for. Why else would he have hurried over like this? It’s not like he enjoying seeing the crown prince’s face.
‘The crown prince’s information network is the most accurate.’
Cale quietly sat there and smiled as if nothing was wrong. Things would all take care of themself.
- Seeing as how you are not saying anything, I guess you’re already aware of what happened.
See? All resolved without having to say anything.
- Princess Rosalyn seems to have made her resolve. How else could she obliterate a Grand Duke’s entire family in a single day?
Cale felt his heart jump at the word, ‘obliterate,’ but he did not let it show on his face. It was because he could see that Alberu was observing him. Right now, Alberu was poking at Cale to see what he could find out.
- She also gave up her claim to the throne.
Rosalyn really did give up her claim to the throne. Now it was time for her to show her true nature as a mage.
- But based on what I heard, there were two very strong individuals with her. Everybody else might not know but I do.
The crown prince really was good at explaining things.
Alberu’s sharp gaze pointed toward Cale.
- Aren’t they your subordinates?
Choi Han and Lock. Cale answered back with the truth to Alberu’s question.
“My subordinates?”
They were not Cale’s subordinates. Choi Han had nothing to do with him and Lock was just someone he was making a deal with. Cale could see the corner of the crown prince’s lips slowly starting to move up. He also leaned back on the couch like Cale and casually spit it out.
- You sly fox.
Cae could not disagree with that. Alberu saw Cale’s lack of reaction and shook his head before adding on.
- Why do you want the Magic Tower?
The crown prince no longer tried to beat around the bush or be glib around Cale. Cale looked toward the crown prince with a serious expression.
“Your highness.”
Cale sat up from his seat, which made the crown prince also sit up with curiosity. Cale then continued.
“Every so often, I have this thought that you and I are very similar.”
The crown prince started to frown.
- Such a terrible thought.
“I agree.”
Cale just pushed aside the fact that the crown prince showed such disdain for the fact that the two of them may be similar and continued on.
“The Roan Kingdom is a kingdom without anything.”
Silence suddenly filled the room. If the mage outside the room heard what Cale just said, he may have fainted. However, the crown prince Alberu was smiling as Cale had expected.
The crown prince seemed to have latched onto the bait.
- Not going to watch what you say now?
“Your highness, you are currently smiling, aren’t you?”
- Well, it is the truth.
The crown prince did not disagree.
The Roan Kingdom was a kingdom where neither the knights nor the mages were very strong. Although it had a long history, it was just average in every aspect.
However, crown prince Alberu knew that, although this would be fine during times of peace, it was not okay to be mediocre in every aspect during times of chaos. He knew that they needed at least one specialty area.
However, that was not something that could easily be created in a short period of time.
Such a large scale issue would take tens of years if they were lucky, but at least an average of hundreds of years if they were not. That was why he had made up his mind.
Take it from someone else.
Take another kingdom’s specialty away and make it theirs.
And a good prey appeared in front of his eyes.
The Whipper Kingdom that used to be the kingdom of mages.
Cale and Alberu made eye contact as Alberu commented.
- You sharp bastard.
The two of them had similar smirks on their faces. This time, it was Cale’s turn to speak.
“The Magic Tower for me. And for you, your highness-“
Cale and Alberu answered at the same time.
“Mages.”
- Mages.
A short silence filled the room before Alberu covered his eyes with his hand and started to laugh.
- Haha. Interesting. At first, I thought it was terrible that there was someone else like me.
The crown prince laughed for a while before removing his hand and answering.
- I will give you whatever you need.
Alberu then waited for Cale’s response.
“Thank you very much.”
Just that sentence and nothing else. However, that sentence struck Alberu properly. Alberu was curious about this confident attitude of Cale’s and asked.
- But why is it that you want the Magic Tower?
Cale noticed that the crown prince seemed to be observing him again. He really was a difficult person to handle, but there was no reason to be so worried.
I’m sure he wants to know if I know about the North”
There was an existence that was a source of concern for the Roan Kingdom in the novel, the Northern Kingdom of Knights. Crown prince Alberu was wary of that kingdom while preparing for their invasion.
War is a time of chaos, and chaos will provide opportunities for the prepared. One of those opportunities was the mages running away from the Whipper Kingdom.
The crown prince, who didn’t have much influence in the kingdom, would use them to strengthen his power and increase his influence inside the kingdom.
If Kim Rok Soo had read past the fifth volume of, ‘The Birth of a Hero,’ he would probably know the two powers that develop as new heroes. One would be a knight from the North.
‘And the other would probably be the crown prince in front of him right now.’
Especially because the Black Dragon told him that the crown prince was not human. Cale started to smile. The crown prince was trying to figure out whether Cale knew about the North’s movement and wanted the Magic Tower for that reason.
“I just want to own a Magic Tower.”
- .. I shouldn’t have asked.
Alberu could see the sly smirk on Cale’s face as he shook his head.
“Then why is it that your highness needs the mages?”
Alberu started to smirk in a similar manner.
- I just want to give them a home.
Both answers were terrible excuses, but neither of them called each other out. The two people who were both sitting back casually like they were part of a painting just continued to chat with each other.
- When do you plan to head out?
“I plan to go in about a month.”
One month later. Cale would be finished with his preparations and head to the Whipper Kingdom at that moment. The Civil War would be close to ending by the time he arrived at the Whipper Kingdom. Toonka’s stupid face seemed to be shining gold in Cale’s mind.
- How will you get there?
“By ship.”
- And your guards?
Guards. That word made Cale start to smile and Alberu realized his mistake.
- I guess that was a useless question. Cale, make sure you are careful since your body is still weak. You know what to do, right?
“I will bring back any and all good things.”
- Sometimes we really are on the same page for no reason.
Cale and Alberu, although the two of them were very different people, the smirks on their faces looked so similar right now.
Three weeks later.
Cale slowly opened his eyes and started to roll around. He rolled around his large bed and started to yawn.
It was 3pm. He had just gotten up. He started to rub his eyes and looked up at the ceiling.
“I win! He woke up one hour later today!”
“Our youngest wins again. I really don’t know why he keeps waking up later and later.”
The Black Dragon and Hong looked back and forth between Cale and the clock while chatting with each other. Cale rubbed his belly with his right hand. He had only gotten up because he was hungry.
“...Ah, the life of a rich person who doesn’t have to work.”
This was the definition of happiness.
Cale had not done anything for the past three weeks.
He had come up with a name for the dragon, but asked for another month to think about it, and ordered other people to take care of all of the things he needed to prepare for the trip. He slept early and woke up late every day, just fooling and rolling around doing nothing inside the house. It was great that his family kept telling him to rest to recover. So he listened to them and did absolutely nothing.
But Cale’s happiness finally shattered.
“Human, it looks like Choi Han is back.”
The Black Dragon whispered in Cale’s ear as he smiled.
“This is great. I have been so bored lately.”
Cale sat up on the bed with a stoic expression.
Choi Han’s group was supposed to arrive today. Since it was 3pm, they were probably already here and waiting for him.
Cale stretched before getting up from the bed. These past three weeks of doing nothing resolved his mind even more.
‘Make money so I can do nothing forever.’
Cale’s eyes looked very determined. He decided that he would take care of the Whipper Kingdom and the Queen of the Jungle at once so that he could sit around doing nothing again. Cale headed into the bathroom while the Black Dragon approached Hong once he saw the door close.
“The weak human’s eyes only seem full of spirit whenever he is going somewhere.”
“You’re right. But I’m glad that I am stronger now. I can make sure he does not get hurt.”
The silver kitten On who had been listening to the Black Dragon’s conversation with Hong had an odd expression on her face. She thought about the smile on Cale’s face as he rolled around the bed and mumbled to herself.
“Are you sure it is full of spirit?”
“Yes. I am right.”
“Noona, it definitely is.”
“Mm, I guess so.”
On finally agreed and brushed her fur. On and Hong’s furs were much brighter now. The three of them sat around waiting for Cale to come out. They were looking forward to heading out of the house again after such a long time.