"Normal speech"

'Thought'

Past Narrative

"Past speech"

'Past thought'

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In order to achieve the result he wanted, Cale had to choose to camp outside as there was no village along the way until the one near the hidden cave of the black dragon.

It's good to be Trash at the time like this, Cale could be unreasonable and no one would actually try to tell him otherwise.

Hong was wagging his tails as soon as the delicious smell filled the area. Cale, on the other hand, lost all his appetite. Today main course was rabbit meat soup.

Cale frowned and glared at the soup in front of him. Who in the right mind would be able to eat rabbit meat after seeing the bloody scene of Choi Han cutting off limps of the bandits, the bandits that Ron had specifically compared to as rabbits?

'Ron is definitely the one hinting Choi Han to catch the rabbits. To make thing worse, Choi Han was eating the food quite happily. Ugh.'

On and Hong was tapping his leg, asking him to give it to them if he didn't want it. Cale was thinking that the two really had strong mentality.

Hans had a wide smile on his face as he cautiously approached the two children.

"Would our kitten-nims like to try the jerky that I prepared for you? It is guaranteed to be healthy, without salt or preservatives."

Naturally, On and Hong ignored Hans. Who would want to eat jerky when there are fresh meat soup?

Hans, who was ignored by the two kittens, found that their sass are very adorable, so he continued to linger around them.

Contrary to the fact that they had just fought the first battle, the atmosphere was very relaxed and peaceful. Though, Cale could see how the knights kept sneaking a glance at Choi Han who was enjoying his soup next to Cale.

"Tsk" Cale clicked his tongue in annoyance. 'Just come to talk to him if you want to.'

Cale's envoy had fought with tens of bandits. As expected, Choi Han defeated most of the bandits alone at a very fast pace at that.

Even though he didn't killed anyone, he had no problem cutting their limps. As if he wanted to make it as bloody as possible, and that's the cause of Cale losing his appetite.

At the end of the battle, the vice captain had come to report to Cale with a shocked expression on his face, when Choi Han approached with a bloodied clothes and said in a light tone as if he hadn't fought just a moment ago.

"It was a light battle, not even enough for a warm-up."

Cale, who had seen how the vice captain flinched at the word and the smirk that Choi Han showed to the poor guy afterward, felt proud for no particular reason.

'Hah! Serve you right! Choi Han even beaten the Count's son like me, of course he won't let you walk all over him.' Cale couldn't help feeling happy over the vice captain's suffering.

"Do you have no appetite, young master?" Ron's concern voice brought Cale's back to reality.

"Nope. No appetite at all." Cale grumpily answered Ron, staring at him hard to convey the message that this was entirely his fault.

Ron had actually already told Beacrox to make something else for Cale. He just couldn't resist the urge to tease Cale. After all, Cale's reactions to his teasing always so adorable.

But someone just doesn't read the mood.....

"Are you not feeling well, Cale-nim?" Choi Han asked in response to Cale's statement.

"No, it's nothing like that. I'm fine." Cale waved his hand to tell Choi Han that he's fine.

However it made Choi Han looked at him with serious eyes. Cale suddenly felt very iffy. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Might it be the first time you experiencing a battle?"

Cale was dumbfounded at the unexpected question. "Battle? Earlier with the bandits?"

"Yes" Choi Han nodded.

"I've never seen that many bandits before." Cale responded casually.

'Well, I didn't lie. I just doesn't answer his question. Battle? I've spent nearly two decades fighting monsters in the apocalyptic world. You have no idea how many battles I've faced before.'

"I see" Choi Han nodded again then quietly mumbled to himself. "...Must have been your first time facing potential death then."

Ron glared at the insensitive punk as soon as the words left his mouth. 'How dare this punk say this to his young master?'

"Hah!" Cale let out a loud gasp as if he was in shocked. 'First time facing potential death? It's so funny hearing that.'

Some records started to play by itself inside his head. Cale who was lost in his memories, loosen his hold on the spoon, making it fall down into the soup bowl.

That's how he missed the understanding gazes from the soldiers and the knights.

Ron, however, looked at Cale with sympathy. He resisted the itch to punch Choi Han. He decided to walk toward his son to see if the dinner for Cale was ready yet.

"Cale-nim"

"Huh?" Cale snapped back to reality.

"The first time is always hard to handle"

Cale avoided his gaze. 'I know that, but it's not the problem. The main problem is I have a damn ability that made me remember every potential death I've faced and I never got used to it at all.'

Cale sighed heavily, clenching his fist tight to stop the slight shivering from his hands. "What exactly do you want to talk about?"

Choi Han smiled slightly at how the weak young master was trying to act tough. But his face turned stoic and he asked Cale in a serious tone. "Cale-nim, do you not consider learning any martial arts?

'It's not like I can't fight at all, I did fought sometimes as Kim Roksoo. Haa.... But Cale's body is very weak. I guess I really can't fight. But I don't have time to train my body, I'm already busy enough.' Cale answered differently from his thought. "I don't see the need for that."

"Shouldn't you at least need to be able to protect yourself?"

Cale could hear the concern in his seriousness, and it made him smile. He was grateful that Choi Han cared for him to this extent even though they only know each other for several days.

"I have many ways to protect myself. Everyone here, you could see them as well, right?"

Although Cale didn't really like how the knights behaved but they were after all the people of his territory. Not to mention that everyone here is stronger than Cale, even the two children, On and Hong.

Cale smiled a bit wider. "I trust them, and I trust my heart. I will live."

Cale put a hand on his left chest, where the heart and the Indestructible shield were at. 'I promised my mother that I will live. And as long as I got my hand on Vitality of Heart, I could strengthen the shield further.'

Choi Han looked at Cale with shaky eyes. 'How could a person be so weak and so strong at the same time?'

Meow~ Meow~

"Hmm, what's wrong with you two?"

On and Hong stopped eating and approached Cale. They put their paw on his legs, making him frown a little. The kittens quickly stopped and rubbed their head against his legs instead.

Choi Han picked up his sword that was beside him and got up. ".... I'll be practicing with my sword now."

"Right after eating?" Cale asked, a bit concerned.

"I suddenly feel like I'm not strong enough. I need to get stronger."

"Ah. Okay then. Just don't overwork yourself." Cale accepted the reason easily.

'He is stronger than any normal people now, but he needs to be stronger if he's going to meet that White Thing (WS) one day.'

At that time, Beacrox brought a new dish for Cale. "Please enjoy your meal."

"Thanks" Cale quickly eat the beef steak in front of him. He enjoyed the meal very much, until a glass of yellowish drink was placed in front of him.

"Bitter drinks like lemonade are best to restore your appetite."

This is the first time Ron had handed him lemon drink since their interaction at the tea shop. Cale ignored the lemonade to finish his steak first.

"If everyone had finished eating, we will start our evening training session soon."

Cale could hear the vice captain's loud voice and started to think. 'Hmm, that's more like it. I guess Choi Han motivated them.'

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Tsuki: Enjoy!