Raon's voice sounded in Cale's mind at that moment.

– Human! We got a call from Dark Elf Tasha!

The Land of Death where White Star should be. They had received a call from there.

Cale motioned to Bud with his eyes before picking up the call. Bud immediately walked toward the old man.

"Senior, why don't we have a nice chat as we stare at the sunset?"

"Hmm? What kind of chat?"

Hunter Bobe who was enjoying the sunset before the approaching night started to frown at this naive young man that covered his view.

However, Bud just smiled and put his arm around the old man's shoulder as he slowly started to pull the old man away. "Oh, come on, please come this way."

Cale received the video communication device from Raon after seeing Bud winking at him and distracting the hunter away from the others.

"...Ha. I can't believe I was bewitched." Beacrox whose pride was hurt was blankly mumbling to himself in a corner.

Cale could only look worriedly at him before he focused on the connecting video communication device for now.

> Young master-nim, did you take care of everything you needed?

"What's with your face?" Cale instantly started to frown while looking at Tasha's face.

> Ah, it's a bit dusty, isn't it?

"Not a bit dusty, I thought you were a giant piece of dust."

> Ay, look at you joke like that.

"I mean it though."

> ...Is it that bad?

Tasha wiped her face after seeing Cale's serious expression. She then started to frown after seeing her dusty palm.

> ...That Bear bastard, I need to f*ck-

"Ahem. Language." Cale quickly coughed to prevent Raon, On, and Hong from hearing.

Tasha awkwardly smiled before shutting up.

– That's right, Human! We need to f*ck that Bear King up too!

Cale turned to Raon with a disapproving frown after hearing Raon's voice that only he could hear.

Tasha noticed the frown and quickly started to speak.

> I apologize for my language, young master-nim. Anyway, as you mentioned, the Bear King and White Star who were entering the desert with their subordinates teleported away not long after you left.

That was probably when they received Lion King Dorph's call and quickly headed toward the second secret base.

> He really did return after a few minutes too.

"Is that so?"

White Star had returned to the desert chasing after Cale who waved his hand while saying, 'bye-bye.'

> Yes! After that, mm....

"What happened after that? Did something happen?"

Tasha had an awkward smile on her face.

> He is running wild as if he has gone crazy. What did you do? He seemed extremely angry.

Tasha recalled White Star going crazy in anger.

She had watched at a far distance while hiding her presence. Although it might be normal to wonder where she could hide in the desert, the desert was a place where multiple hills were created throughout the day.

That was enough for the Dark Elves who knew the desert better than anybody else to observe from a distance.

> He seems to have stopped his cut left arm from bleeding, but... Anyway, he was flipping things over with a pale expression. It really...

White Star had looked like...

> He just looked like a crazy bastard to me.

He had seemed too vicious. That was why Tasha had taken the Dark Elves who were hiding nearby and Mary who was by her side and quickly went into hiding.

> I thought it wouldn't be good for us to run into him in such a state, so I grabbed Mary and the Dark Elves and hid in the Underground City again.

The old and young Dark Elves who couldn't fight as well as the humans of the Underground City had evacuated already.

Furthermore, they had destroyed all entrances into the Underground City except for one that the Dark Elf warriors and Mary knew about so that their enemies could not find them.

Finally, they had set the one remaining entrance to explode if the enemies tried to force it open.

> We have sent the Wind Elementals to observe White Star for us. He still seems to be searching through the desert. He seems to be with the black mages and focusing on the areas where the power of earth is stronger than normal.

Tasha who had been reporting for a while flinched after looking at Cale's face.

> ...Young master-nim?

He was grinning. Only one corner of Cale's lips was up as he smiled happily.

"Hehe, you're saying he's acting crazy? Heh, he must be very angry. How wonderful."

Tasha shuddered slightly. She had never seen such a crazed look in Cale's eyes before. Unlike his beautiful smile, his gaze seemed like a crazy psycho on his killing spree.

"Very good. Hehe. Hmm." Cale noticed Tasha's look, so he controlled himself a bit. "Sorry, I'm getting too excited. What about Eruhaben-nim?"

> U-Umm, well, he is still in the Dubori territory. The Caro Kingdom's forces are there as well.

"Alright, I got it. Stay underground as long as possible. I will visit the palace and then head over before midnight." Cale's expression became normal again as if the crazed look in his eyes before was an illusion.

> Yes, sir. Hiding is not hard. But what do you mean by the palace?

Tasha was not the only one. The others who were confused after hearing the palace were looking at Cale as well.

– Human! We are not going to the desert right away?

Cale shook his head and said one last thing to Tasha before hanging up the call. "I will be there by the end of the day, so see you later. Ah, don't forget to eat as you work."

Cale handed the video communication device back to Raon before starting to walk. He was heading toward Hunter Bobe who was slowly pushing away Bud's arm that was around his shoulder.

The two of them looked very friendly with each other. Cale could hear their conversation.

"No, senior! I really mean it! I'm an extremely famous and amazing person! Sadly, I'm just an errand boy over here though."

"Ahem, anyway, I heard you were that merchant-nim's secretary."

"Ah, yes, I am his secretary. But I am actually an amazing person! I have many subordinates!"

"Ho, my goodness. Such a young man is so good at telling jokes without turning blue like your hair color."

"Ah, mister. Isn't my hair color cool?"

"...Well, it's bearable."

"Wow, you're so cold!"

'What is he doing?' Cale started to frown more as he heard Bud's voice, but he quickly calmed himself down.

"Huh? You're here?" Bud noticed Cale behind him and started to smile.

Hunter Bobe used that moment to move away from Bud and approached Cale.

"You really did defeat the snake." Bobe was looking at Cale with sparkling eyes.

The sword master had been at the peak as well, but for some reason, he felt as if it was Mr. Merchant Bob who had been at the center of the snake's scales who had defeated it.

"I've always been avoiding that snake and praying that it would disappear someday, thank you for resolving that life-long prayer for me. Mr. Bob, thank you very much."

Nake Mountain was still rough and rugged but able to show off its beauty now that the fog was gone.

Bobe was sad that he could not see it anymore now that the sun had set. However, he could smile as the fog would not cover the mountain anymore tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, nor any day after that.

"I think a lot of people will visit this mountain now. The scary legend will disappear as well."

"Mr. Bobe."

The old man who was sharing his sentiments with a satisfied expression turned his head after hearing the merchant's voice.

"...Gasp!" He then gasped so hard that he almost died. "N-No way?"

He looked toward the merchant, Cale, with his eyes open as Cale gently smiled while handing the item in his hand over to Bobe.

"I am thorough with my deals. I need to keep my promise."

"T-This- such-!"

Bobe's hands were shaking. "One...two... Five... T-Ten......! Ten!"

Ten one-million-gallon checks were placed in Bobe's hand. Furthermore, the checks had been created by the Flynn Merchant Guild, the famous and most discussed merchant guild in the Roan Kingdom right now.

"This is the payment for your help." Cale had given him the 10 million gallons he had promised.

Those checks were just small parts of the money he got from the few golden plaques he received from Alberu.

Bobe looked toward merchant Bob with shaking eyes. Although the night was here, it looked as if there was a bright light shining behind Cale. "I never expected you to really give this much......! That's okay. I don't need the money."

"Please take it. I am rich."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm rich. I'm very wealthy. Don't worry about this much money."

"...Ah."

Bobe who seemed to be unable to think properly snapped out of it and started to speak. "Let's first head down the mountain as it will be harder once it gets completely dark! I will provide you with tea and dinner! We can, uhh, talk more about this money over dinner!"

"No, thank you, senior. We must leave right away."

"Excuse me?"

Bobe noticed a bright light suddenly appear in the air. It was a teleportation magic circle.

Merchant Bob and the others who had come looking for Bobe's help were already gathered together by that light.

Bobe started to tap his foot with anxiety as Cale took the checks from Bobe's palm and coolly stuffed them into the hunter's shirt pocket before stepping onto the teleportation magic circle with a smile.

"Then we must be off now."

"No, wait-!"

Paaaaat!

Bobe reached his hand toward Cale, but he had disappeared before Bobe could touch him. He blankly stared at the sky before taking out the checks from his pocket.

"...J-Jackpot."

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

Cale appeared in the middle of a beautiful garden filled with fall flowers. He sat down on a bench while looking at the stylish sculpture fountain.

– Human, the way it sparkles is so pretty!

As Raon mentioned, the sparkling magic fountain brightened the area. It was nighttime, but the magic lights around the garden were giving it a different kind of beauty.

"Hey, I didn't expect you to really give him all that money. Ten million gallons. Aren't you being too generous?" Bud who was plopped down on the ground looked up at Cale and asked.

Cale caressed On and Hong's heads that were on his knee as he responded to the question. "He placed himself in danger of being bewitched and dying for us, so I should give him the money I promised. Oh, also..."

"What is it?"

"Can you deploy some mercenaries around Mr. Bobe and Nake Mountain?"

"Is this a commission?"

"Yes. It is a commission. I need someone to make sure the hunter doesn't say anything weird to others and to protect the hunter and that village in case White Star drops by."

"How thorough of you. I got it. I was planning on properly building a Mercenaries Guild on the Western continent as well, so I might as well bring some of them over to slowly get that rolling."

Cale started to speak as the way Bud was responding did not make him look trustworthy at all.

"You better do it prop-."

"Hey! You, you-!"

However, Cale was cut off and someone else's voice filled the area around the fountain.

"You, you-!" The person huffing and puffing as they headed over to the fountain was pointing a finger in disbelief at Cale while touching their forehead with the other hand. "You, you-"

That person heard a voice in his mind at that moment.

– Hey crown prince! Why do you keep going, 'you, you-!' like that? It's only been a few days, but it is nice to see you again! Do you not have any cookies today?

"Hiya, Hyung." Cale waved his hand with a smile.

Alberu Crossman. He clenched his eyes closed after hearing the voice of the young but great and mighty Dragon and the smiling bloody Dongsaeng.

It had happened while he was having a serious conversation with his close confidants a moment ago. Rosalyn had come looking for him, telling him that it was something urgent.

She had then said the following. "Young master Cale is here."

"...Excuse me?" Alberu had subconsciously responded foolishly.

Rosalyn pretended not to have noticed and gently answered him. "He's in the garden behind the palace right now. I kept young master Cale's visit a secret from everyone else."

"This is driv, no, I will head over."

Alberu had called the meeting off right away and headed to the garden.

"Oh, Rosalyn, you're so great. You managed to call Hyung over so quickly."

Cale happily greeted Rosalyn who was entering the garden behind Alberu.

Alberu had a serious frown on his face as he listened to Cale. The gentle and handsome crown prince was nowhere to be found.

Cale made contact with Alberu at that moment. The crown prince could see Cale's relaxed smile.

Cale was even waving his hand as he started to speak. "Hyung, have you been well?"

'Ow, my head.' Alberu felt a headache coming on.

"...Cale Henituse." He briskly walked toward Cale.

Alberu had messy hair and wrinkled clothes, unlike his usual appearance.

Cale's relaxed smile slowly disappeared while looking at Alberu's heinous face and powerful walk. "You're not gonna greet this Dongsaeng? What's happened to make you like this?"

Alberu Crossman walked up and lifted the paper in his hand in front of Cale's face as Cale started to frown.

"Wow..." Cale's eyes opened wide while looking at what was written on the paper.

He read the first line of the text. "...White Star has started a war with the Caro Kingdom. Hero Cale Henituse has saved the Caro Kingdom and disappeared into the Land of Death with White Star. I, crown prince Valentino, am seeking helped from our allied kingdoms......?"

Crown prince Valentino had urgently sent this document around. The Caro King's stamp was on the document as well.

At the end of the document was crown prince Valentino's urgent and eager statement.

'...When did crown prince Valentino send something like this? Hmm, it's wonderful that we could rope in Caro Kingdom.' Cale's mind was in a complicated mess. 'I should be happy, but... I feel like I drag a lot of innocent bystanders into this war...'

Furthermore....

'The Caro Kingdom's war against White Star... Doesn't the fact that they are seeking help from the other kingdoms in the Western continent mean that he's asking pretty much the entire Western continent to raise their weapons toward White Star? Did the scale just grow significantly all of a sudden?'

Cale looked away from the document and slowly peeked toward Alberu.

Alberu started to speak with an annoyed expression. "Where the hell is the punk who said he was just going to go lightly smack White Star from the back and why the hell did the Caro Kingdom that said that they would just sit back and watch, declare war on White Star? Furthermore, why is the hero who is said to have disappeared in front of my eyes? Hmm? Dongsaeng, talk to me. Hmm?"

Alberu had a vicious glare. "No, why is the punk who said he was just going to light a bonfire causing a fire through the entire continent? The Roan Kingdom is getting calls from all over the Western continent right now. They're asking if the person responsible for the Indomitable Alliance and the Mogoru Empire's black magic is aiming for the Caro Kingdom. They're asking if we need to band together to rise up and fight."

Cale slowly avoided his gaze and started to grumbled. "Why am I the one to be blamed? It was that bastard White Star who pulled Caro Kingdom in. He even put Choi Han in a despair illusion and let Raon experience mana disturbances."

"You're driving me nuts." Alberu Crossman stared at Cale, who was avoiding his gaze, with a piercing gaze.

– Hey, crown prince, is the Western continent going to war again if this continues?

He listened to Raon ask the question in a cute voice as he organized the mess in his mind. However, the words that actually came out of his mouth were simple. "I'm going to go crazy."

"The war will happen sooner or later anyway...." Cale trailed off.

Crown prince Alberu had given Cale the golden plaque to ask for the Caro Kingdom's understanding, thinking that Cale was going to pull a fast one over White Star in the Land of Death.

That was what Cale had expected at first as well.

'Who knew it would be like this?'

However, things didn't go as Cale expected.

Cale and Valentino had felt a giant earthquake and seen a large pillar of fire in the Dubori territory as soon as their conversation ended well.

That was the beginning of Cale having to fight against White Star in the Dubori territory, unlike his original plan, while Valentino had to lead the Knights Brigade to the Dubori territory as well.

Furthermore, crown prince Valentino had pulled in troops from the nearby territories as well, surrounding the Dubori territory with a large number of troops.

Valentino had then faced White Star's group who were attacking the territory and the residents of the territory once he entered into Dubori.

'...I guess crown prince Valentino and the Caro Kingdom saw that as White Star declaring war on them.'

It was indeed a declaration of war.

White Star's original plan was to use Illusionist Elisneh to control the territory lord and blame Cale for everything.

However, that had failed, leading White Star to earn the wrath of the Dubori Lord's relative who was a strong power player in the Caro Kingdom. He had also earned Valentino's wrath.

"Dongsaeng, why are you not saying anything?"

"Maybe it's a little bit my fault... sorry..."

Cale awkwardly smiled toward Alberu who was standing with his arms crossed while looking at him.

'Just a bit?' As Alberu became even more flabbergasted and was about to scoff...

"Your highness." Choi Han interjected into the conversation.

Alberu greeted Choi Han. "Oh, instructor-nim, how many days has it been since we saw each other?"

"Your highness, please speak normally."

"But I am speaking normally, instructor-nim."

Cale and Choi Han made eye contact.

The two of them realized that Alberu was very upset because of this complicated mess.

Choi Han coughed before starting to speak to Alberu again. "It looks like crown prince Valentino revealed most of White Star's evil deeds through this document he sent around the Western continent?"

"Correct. He seemed to have been in a rush or extremely angry. Well, maybe he was filled with a desire for justice as he wrote about pretty much everything White Star has done."

Only vague rumors about this existence known as White Star had spread to others who were not closely involved with the situation. The information about this evil White Star had been publicly revealed after Valentino's document went around.

Choi Han started to speak.

"That must mean that the other kingdoms are chaotic right now too."

"That's right. They must be scared."

White Star's actions that were now revealed to be true and not just rumors had caused fear, anger, and anxiety in the other kingdoms.