Early the next morning, Cale was standing outside of Oorim. Naturally, On was in his arms. Following his order, nobody else was there to watch him enter.

"You will die if you go in ... you cannot come back." The old man from last night seemed to have spent the night there, as he weakly warned Cale from next to the slab.

Someone important to this old man had probably went into the forest, desperate to find the Dragon of the legend as well.

"Old man, I will break the legend and come back, so you can wait for me if you want." Cale smiled at the old man's shaking eyes before he entered Oorim without any hesitation.

He walked quickly and soon found that he could not see very far. It was the fog. The fog had surrounded him.

"Mm, it does look like I will need to use about my front paw's worth of strength in order to use magic. Human, you need to be at least at my level to use magic in this fog."

"Mn, it's only because it's Raon, you really are amazing."

"Yes, I am great and mighty. But what is the Queen's wish?" Raon, who had heard a brief explanation last night, asked for more details from Cale, who responded without any delay.

"Putting out the fire in the jungle."

"Fire?"

Litana, the Queen of the Jungle. She was the ruler of this wide southern territory that was larger than even the empire.

'She's someone who is pretty similar to Toonka.'

She never showed any weakness to the strong while she was very weak to the weak. The reason such a person was secretly in this forest was because she was desperate to find a solution.

Instead of explaining to Raon and On, who were tilting their heads in confusion, Cale started to say something else.

His expression was serious. "Don't worry about the details. Just remember, starting from today, I am a good person. So however I acted, don't expose me."

"But you ARE a good person, Human. What is there to expose?" Raon looked toward Cale with confusion.

On also looked at him with a gaze that seemed to be asking why Cale was stating something so obvious.

This made Cale at a loss of words for a moment, before he chuckled. "Thanks. But I'll be even more of a good person from now on. Then, On, the path."

"Got it." On's eyes sparkled before her front paw started to move. The fog moved away following the movement of her paw. "The fog in here is interesting. It doesn't seem like regular fog. It is similar to a poisonous fog."

Listening to the curious On's words, Cale walked deeper into the fog, fully trust his two children. Even though he could not see anything in front of him because the fog did not disperse, even when it rained.

Cale brushed some rain water off of his raincoat. "Can you see the path through the fog?"

"I can see it!"

"Good, I'll follow your directions."

And as he had said, Cale followed On's every directions into the forest. He seemed very much at peace, as if he had come for a stroll.

"It would be great if we could meet her today." Cale was hoping to meet Litana, the Queen of the Jungle, today.

It soon became night time.

*********************************

Litana, the woman who had earned the title of the Queen of the Jungle, was looking out the cave. It was dark.

She could only hear the sound of the rain.

"I'm sorry."

"Your highness, there is no need for you to apologize!"

"Leader, no need!"

Her five subordinates all urged her, saying that she didn't need to apologize.

Yet, Litana could not help but have a bitter smile after looking at their condition.

They had already been stuck in this 'Path of No Return' for two weeks. Although there were no monsters or enemies, they could not see anything in this foggy forest and their supply of food was going down.

They didn't dare to eat any of the unknown plants of the forest, so they had been surviving off of one meal a day for the last week.

Litana knew what was scaring her subordinates. 'We might die here like this.'

For warriors like them, there was nothing worse than dying without doing anything like this.

'Why did I...?' Litana was angry with herself for the first time.

That damn fire. She had to come here because a portion of the Jungle was burning from a fire that did not spread but instead just continued to burn in that specific section of the Jungle.

She touched the glass bottle in her chest pocket. A portion of that fire was inside the bottle. 'If nothing else works, I will just have to burn my way out of here.'

(Tsuki: oh I didn't this part whenever I read the novel... so the Path of No Return was lost in the [Birth of a Hero] because of Litana.)

Although she shouldn't damage the forest, that was not as precious as the lives of her subordinates and those waiting for her back home. She looked around the cave that they happened to find. They would need to spend the night in this cave tonight.

LItana, calmed herself down as she decided that she would need to make her decision soon.

It was at that moment.

Rustle.

"Hmm?" Litana grabbed her spear. She sensed someone outside the cave.

Rustle, rustle.

Drip, drip.

She could hear the sound of the rain and some footsteps.

Someone was headed their way. The gazes on the faces of Litana's subordinates who were around the fire started to change.

Rustle. The sound was getting closer. Soon, a shadow appeared by the fire.

Swiiish-

"Who are you?" One of her subordinates spears pointed toward the person's throat.

"Well, you see." They could hear the common language of the continent. The fire slowly started to light up the man's face. "I saw some lights and headed over with joy."

A red haired man was looking at the speartip and putting on an awkward smile.

The fancy yet gentle looking man gulped while looking at the speartip and cautiously asked. "If it is okay, may I sit by your fire tonight?"

Meeeow.

There was a wet kitten in his arms and both of them were shaking. "My raincoat ripped and we are so cold after getting hit by the rain."

The shabby looking man and kitten with a ripped up raincoat.

Litana was cautious, but soon she started to speak. "Get him a blanket."

She couldn't help her mentality of a Queen, who was taught that she needed to protect the weak.

The red haired man, Cale, was shaking as he approached Litana's group.

– Human, beware of catching a cold. But it's okay, I've already used temperature maintaining magic on you. You seem to act differently from normal as well, is this what you talked about when we've just entered the Forest?

Raon's voice, which required him to use a paw's worth of strength, reached Cale's mind.

However, Cale was focused on his acting, as he simply received the blanket and responded with a gentle smile and a respectful attitude. "Thank you very much."

He didn't look like his usual relaxed simple self, but an upright proper noble.

The kitten On looked toward Cale knowingly. 'Ah, he started his acts.'

Cale was slowly setting the bait. And they were taking the bait.

All of the members of Litana's group had odd expressions on their faces while they were watching Cale, who slowly walked to a corner of the cave and sat down.

"Thank you for giving me a place to stay tonight." It was a gentle and humble tone. Naturally, Cale was the one who said it.

Litana shook her head at the average looking red-haired man. "It is only normal between travelers. You seem to be cold from the rain, so please rest by the fire."

However, her subordinates remained wary of him. Even if he looked shabby from the rain, he was still a stranger.

– *giggle* He wasn't hit by the cold rain at all! I did it with warm water!

Raon was happy that people got tricked just like what his Human had said.

Cale had ripped his raincoat nearby the cave while Raon used warm water and temperature maintaining magic on him before he moved toward the cave.

Cale patted On's back for acting her part well.

Meeeow. On seemed happy at being praised as she looked up at Cale.

Litana was looking at the two of them with a stealthily sharp gaze. 'He doesn't seem like a normal person.'

Litana didn't sense it when her subordinate had pointed his spear at Cale earlier, but taking another look at Cale, the person in front of her had a different feel than a traveler or adventurer.

He seemed fit, but his posture and walk made it clear that he had not practice any sort of martial arts. However, he did not seem like he was a mage nor any other type of strong individual either.

Her intuition was spot on.

Even though Cale had trained for a while, the result wasn't shown on his body at all. Cale was slightly disappointed in his body, he missed Kim Roksoo's body.

– You seem as strong as the tip of my claw again.

Even though Cale's body was viewed as weak, it was surrounded by the Dominating Aura right now.

While Litana was observing Cale, Cale was also observing Litana through the corner of his eye.

The people of the Southern Jungle, otherwise known as the Southerners, were known for their bronze skin and firm physique. Having a natural location like the jungle as their home, they were very close to nature.

Close to nature. That closeness to nature developed into a very different culture when comparing the Whipper Kingdom's citizens and the Southerners of the Jungle.

While the Whipper Kingdom developed a sense of 'survival of the fittest' and 'struggle' the Southerners developed a sense of 'win-win' and 'leader and followers'.

An awkward silence filled the cave.

The voice that broke the silence was Cale's casual voice. "The rain seems to be getting stronger. We should leave the forest tomorrow, right, On?"

The expression on the man's face as he gently spoke to the kitten was as warm as the fire.

On tried hard not to look at Cale's unusual actions, it looked very fake, even if the tone was his normal ones.

– ... Human, I'll let it go this time. But don't act like this again, it's very ....

Raon couldn't find the right words for it at all. He felt that Cale should just behaved like he was normally do with their family and it would be fine. He was a good person, after all. This kind of intentional acting was not good at all.

Cale couldn't do anything even after hearing Raon's complaint. He was already deep into the acts to change the script now.

Even though it was seen through easily by his children, it seemed like it was good enough to trick other people, as Litana and her subordinates all looked toward Cale with stiff expressions.

Litana was able to make a guess based on what the man had just said. "Umm, Mr.-."

"You can just call me Cale."

"Yes, Mr. Cale."

Litana could see that the man had a magic bag on him, but did not have a sword or anything else, as if he had just come into the forest for a stroll. He also seemed to know his way around.

He had an odd atmosphere around him. She suddenly thought of something. '...Is he the Dragon?'

She recalled the legend about the Dragon that would grant your wish. The legend did not say anything about the Dragon's appearance nor how it showed up.

Litana knew her thoughts were probably wrong, but she could not help but become full of anticipation.

It was at that moment.

Litana made eye contact with this man named Cale and could see him start to smile. "I am not a Dragon."

Ah. She flinched as she let out a gasp. She could see Cale brushing back his wet red hair that had fallen onto his face.

"However, I do know the way in here."

"...How?" Litana and her subordinates, who had no issues around the complicated and irrational Jungle, were lost in this forest.

However, this man in front of them knew the way in here?

Seeing Litana's confusion on her face, Cale started to smile and answered back.

"This child is from the Cat tribe." Cale petted On with a gentle gaze that seemed to fit the gaze of a saint. "I happened to run into this child in the slums on a rainy day like this in the past."

He looked out the past. He seemed to be nostalgic about the day they had met. On recalled that day as well and knew that it was a nostalgic moment for her too.

Meow~

"Ah. This child, On, can control the fog."

"What a rare power." Litana thought about the fog covering Oorim and let out her admiration.

"It is. I learned about this place while traveling outside my territory. I read in an ancient text that this place was controlled by the fog."

Litana turned her gaze from On to look back at Cale. She sensed elegance in his actions and tone the longer she spent with him. He was definitely at least a noble.

"That was why I headed into this place with this child." Cale's eyes started to sparkle by the fire.

Litana and her subordinates could see it as well.

Cale's calm yet passionate voice filled the cave. "We came here because we thought that we could use our power to give hopes to the people who lost their way, as well as their family members who are desperately waiting for them."

– ...Human, I almost believe it, too, if I don't know you are acting right now. You clearly coming for her. But it's a good thing, so let's do that after you're done.

Raon was mumbling to himself while On was just quietly wagging her tail.

Cale had a tiny smile on his face after seeing Litana's gaze starting to change. "Thankfully, I was right. We were able to see the path once On controlled the fog."

He quickly explained the secret of the fog. He explained how it could make someone hallucinate and cause mana disturbance as well.

"I see." Litana couldn't hide the bitterness in her heart. "The legend... it probably does not exist."

If it was fog and mana disturbance, the legend about the Dragon causing this was definitely a lie.

Disappointment filled Litana and her subordinates' faces. However, at the same time, Litana thought it may be for the better. It was a much better situation now than when she was debating whether she had to set this forest on fire.

"Then is it possible for us to ask you to guide us to the exit when you are leaving tomorrow?"

"Of course. We have to help each other in times of need."

Litana's gaze became more gentle and warm toward Cale. He was as good of a person as he looked. She probably felt that odd aura around him because he was such a good person.

Cale then had a disappointed look on his face as he looked toward her. "I'm sorry. I'm sure you had a desperate wish as well."

"That is okay. There is nothing I can do about it. I am just glad that I do not need to set the forest on fire."

Fire. That word made Cale's eyes sparkle for a moment before it quickly disappeared. "Fire. It is a very scary word. I can feel how much struggle you must have faced since you are a Southerner who treasures nature."

"Do you know about the south?"

"Not much, but I have read about it in books. I enjoy traveling and love beautiful sights."

– Hoh, I see, I see, Human. I've learnt something again.

'What have you learnt, Raon? Everything I said isn't entirely true.' Cale felt the chills after hearing Raon's response but continued to speak as brightly as possible.

"I read about how beautiful the Jungle's mountains, lake and everything else is. Now that we will be able to get out of this Oorim, I plan to visit there in the future."

"I see." Litana was full of disappointment, bitterness and sorriness.

She could not lie or feign ignorance to this person who was looking forward to the beautiful scenery of the Jungle. Her subordinates' faces turned gloomy as well.

"Unfortunately, the Jungle you will see once you get out of this Oorim will not be beautiful."

"...What do you mean?"

The Jungle was about a day's worth of travel from Oorim. It was quite wide as it took up the majority of the south.

However, why would Litana have come to this Oorim? It was because it was close to the location of fire.

"There is a fire in the Jungle?"

"What? Then shouldn't you put it out right away?"

"... It is a fire that doesn't spread but also one we cannot put out."

Seeing Cale's chaotic gaze, Litana started to explain about the fire in the jungle. "One day, Section 1 of the Jungle, oh, the section of the jungle by this Oorim is Section 1, a sudden fire started there. Water, magic, incantations, nothing seemed to work on it. We were very worried, but it just remained in Section 1 without spreading elsewhere."

She started to mumble with a bitter expression. "I'm not sure whether that is good or bad."

It was an odd fire. However, Cale knew the identity of this fire. A fire that could not be put out through magic or incantations.

The answer was alchemy. Alchemy was more scientific than magic. And the Mogoru Empire was very developed in Alchemy and nothing else. The Empire with the Alchemists' Bell Tower was the one who caused this fire.

'To be more accurate, it is the imperial prince of the Mogoru Empire, the subordinate of the White thing.'

In his past life, Cale had seen how Mogoru Empire obeyed that damn White Star's orders instead of opposing him like other kingdoms.

Specifically, the imperial prince, Adin, who called that White thing 'my liege' so naturally like he had done so for a long time.

The reason imperial prince Adin stealthily set the fire was because he was worried about Litana who managed to unify the fifteen sections of the Jungle.

However, Cale had only found out the cause of the fire because of [Birth of a Hero].

By the end of volume 4, Litana, who caused a fire in Oorim to escape finds out that the imperial prince is responsible for the Jungle's fire and partners with Toonka, even though his philosophy of 'survival of the fittest' was not a match with theirs, to take on the Mogoru Empire.

The Queen who rode a Black Panther instead of a horse led her warriors to protect the Jungle.

'But I couldn't do anything big yet, as it would cause suspicions. I'll just help them put out the fire, sneakily get the Magic Stone mentioned in the novel, and go back to Henituse territory. There's something else that needs my attention.'

Thinking about that Adin, Cale couldn't help thought of Alberu as well.

Roan Kingdom's crown prince Alberu and the Empire's imperial prince were similar people. But Cale found that they are very different.

Crown prince Alberu cared about justice. That was why it was easy for Cale to talk to and put him to use.

However, the Imperial Prince was not like that. He only cared for himself. He was also very sly and insidious.

Cale pushed away his thoughts about the Imperial Prince who wanted to take control of everything at the center of the Western Continent for White Star out of his mind for now.

'Steady mind and stable plan.' Cale reminded himself and quickly moved the muscles of his face. He made himself look concerned. "Is it a big fire?"

"...I have never seen such a large fire in my life. It shoots high up into the sky whether it is day or night, making it feel like there is an explosion every day."

"Then it is probably difficult to approach as well."

"Yes. Neither animals nor humans can get close. Just getting close makes it feel like we will get burnt."

"Terrible, sigh, it is very terrible."