Chapter 13

# Chapter 13. <Found>

However, Kale felt a chill run down his spine behind the exhilaration. It was because Ron had drunk the lemon tea without a single complaint.

Thud.

Why did the sound of placing the teacup on the table seem so loud? Fortunately, it didn't seem to be just Kale's imagination. Choi Han, who had been quietly savoring his tea, frowned.

"Can you drink it a bit more quietly?"

Ron swallowed a hollow laugh at Choi Han's raised tone, which seemed to be checking Kale's reaction. Today, he had brought a usable sword to Choi Han, one made by the blacksmith who crafted the dining knives of Vicross.

'Wanna spar?'

'I can't deal with someone who tries to cut people with a cooking knife.'

The sword-wielding Choi Han was persistently asked for a sparring session by his son Vicross. After their brief exchange, Choi Han had a good grasp of Choi Han's skills and wanted to know more. But Choi Han refused.

'Huh. What a ridiculous kid. Why do you have to come with a blood-stained sword like you?'

Choi Han closed his eyes and then opened them, answering his son as if making a resolution.

'I. I will become someone who protects. I said I can do it.'

'What are you talking about?'

Ron, who had been watching the cute bickering between his son and Choi Han, followed Choi Han to Kale. He ended up overhearing a precious conversation.

'Can't keep living like a wild child, can you?'

Ron savored the words instead of the lemon tea. Choi Han looked at him disapprovingly, while Kale watched the scene with satisfaction.

'The relationship between Ron and Choi Han in "The Birth of a Hero" was like that. They always went together, even though they were sharp with each other. Bound by a contract, but respecting each other's boundaries.'

Kale thought his actions to avoid getting hit had distorted their relationship a lot, but it seemed the basic human relationships were flowing similarly.

'A little distortion is disappointing, but my life comes first. My life, I can't live it by the book.'

First, me. And as long as the beings in my domain are comfortable, that's all that matters.

"Still, nothing beats green tea."

Kale's casual remark made Ron pause.

A heavy rain was pouring down as the leisurely tea time of the three ended.

"Next time we meet, it will be in the capital."

After the tea time, Kale, who had come down from the third floor, shook his head at Villous, who was offering his farewell.

"I'll be coming every day for a while."

"Is that so? To read books?"

"It's my heart."

"Whenever you come, the young master's teahouse will always be open to you."

Villous, who had pretended not to hear Kale's words, looked at him with interest. Ron watched the scene quietly.

Villous, the illegitimate son of the Flynn merchant, was talented enough to be guarded by his legitimate kin, which is why he had to come to the profitable but remote Hennitus territory. He didn't even have the Flynn surname.

Ron, seeing Villous and Kale getting along, observed them and then clicked his tongue. He wondered why he cared whether the young puppy was friends with Villous or not.

"Tsk. What's this annoying affection?"

"I don't want to feel any annoying affection towards you."

Ron sighed at Choi Han's clueless words.

"Not you, this guy."

Ron's gaze was fixed on Kale.

Ron felt he should go to the capital this time. Something just didn't feel right. Ever since Choi Han had returned from the Dark Forest with a foul smell, Ron had been having these thoughts.

The reason he had to be confined to this territory, the reason he had to flee from the Eastern Continent.

He needed to investigate these people again.

Until then, helping our young puppy master arrive safely in the capital and leave again would be the appropriate final task for a butler.

He had always jokingly said he would always be by his side, but what assassin would tell the truth?

'I need to tell Vicross to prepare the foods our young puppy master likes for the journey.'

He had taken care of Kale more than his own son Vicross. Ron knew all too well how much mischief Kale had done and how his character had deteriorated. But he also knew.

The young Kale who had comforted his father when his mother died. The Kale who, despite hating his stepmother and her family, never caused a scene even when drunk.

'Wild child, tsk.'

Eighteen years. He had watched him for far too long.

* * *

As soon as Kale returned to the mansion and entered his bedroom, he was greeted by two kittens clinging to each other and looking up at him with wide, innocent eyes.

"Oh, you're here."

He should have brought Choi Han, who cherished small animals. Choi Han had gone to his room, saying he needed to become stronger to protect.

Kale had jokingly asked who he would protect, and Choi Han's promise to tell him when he became stronger had sent shivers down Kale's spine. He couldn't understand what a strong person would do by becoming even stronger.

"Master."

Hans approached Kale, who was staring intently at the kittens.

"Master, how are they? Aren't they even cuter, more lovable, and more touching? They're so proud, they won't even let you pet them. Haha!"

He squatted beside the kittens, looking up at Kale with a proud face. His expression was so full of emotion that Kale and Ron turned away. That expression had nothing to do with the kittens' cuteness.

"Really? Isn't that so?"

The strong butler candidate seemed to love the kittens strongly.

"Uh, yeah, sure."

The two kittens, sitting on a luxurious silk cushion of unknown origin, looked even fuller and healthier. What magic had the under-butler performed in that short time?

But the kittens proudly ignored Hans' gaze. Isn't that the relationship between a butler and a cat?

"Then I'll take my leave. Master, if you need me to do anything for our kittens, please call me."

"Get out."

After confirming that Ron had escorted the lingering Hans out, Kale entered the bathroom, ignoring the kittens' sparkling eyes. Their ears immediately drooped.

Right then.

"Hmm."

Ron, who had seen Hans off, approached the kittens. The bedroom now contained only Ron and the two kittens.

"You're children of the Catfolk, aren't you?"

A sharp light began to dance in the kittens' golden eyes. But Ron, not caring about their gaze, checked the closed bathroom door and sat in front of them.

"Good."

Ron's lips curved into a crooked smile.

The Catfolk were the most sensitive to subtle movements and the quickest to assess people. Unlike the well-known Eastern Continent, they were less known in the Western Continent, but Ron, who was involved in assassination, couldn't help but know about them.

Unlike other Beastfolk who became more violent when enraged, the Catfolk became more secretive and sharper. They were a fearsome race, even if not as powerful as the Wolf, Tiger, or Lion clans.

Seeing the two Catfolk children, Ron thought of one thing. It was a sudden thought, and they were still young.

'I can teach them.'

Ron checked the bathroom door again.

The Catfolk valued relationships. Once they trusted someone, they never betrayed them. Though full of caution, they valued relationships as much as the Wolf clan.

These two Catfolk children had come to Kale first. Perhaps he could give our young puppy master a parting gift.

He moved closer to the kittens. Reaching out to stroke the slightly larger silver kitten's head.

Thud. The silver kitten viciously swatted his hand away and took the red kitten to a corner.

"Hmm."

Ron's eyes sparkled with interest. These Catfolk children seemed to have already assessed him. After all, to live long, one must be good at sensing death. Didn't they say a cat has nine lives?

The Catfolk were known for their tenacity and their silent footsteps at night. A smile formed on his lips.

"One is Mist, and one is Poison, huh?"

Silver is Mist. Red is Blood or Poison. Even if not killers, they were excellent material to become shadows.

The silver kitten, the older sister On, turned her head away, and the red kitten, the younger brother Hong, snorted. They were siblings who had no intention of becoming killers or getting close to him, despite the smell of death he exuded.

But the two kittens, who seemed to understand Ron's thoughts, soon stuck together and looked up at Kale with wide, pleading eyes.

"Kneel."

And at Kale's command, they immediately knelt.

"Ron, go to Vicross and bring me some food."

"Yes."

Ron left, and Kale sat on the sofa, watching the kittens. He asked the two kittens, who were now kneeling far from him, rubbing their eyes.

"Are you Catfolk?"

The kittens nodded with their eyes still closed.

"Will you follow me?"

This time, they didn't answer.

Instead, the red kitten slowly approached and rubbed against his cheek. The silver kitten also came closer and gently tapped Kale's foot with her paw.

Kale had already thought about what to do with these two siblings. He nodded, deciding their fate.

"Then earn your keep."

The kittens immediately responded.

Meow.

Meow!

"Answer in human language."

The silver kitten, the older sister On, said with sparkling golden eyes.

"I want to eat meat. I'm still hungry."

The red kitten, the younger brother Hong, nudged Kale's leg, urging him.

"I want to eat cake."

Kale replied.

"I'll give you a lot, okay?"

"Keep!"

"Keep!"

The kittens immediately answered, and thus the young heirs who had been cast out from the Mist Catfolk clan infiltrated the Hennitus household.

Four days later, Kale attended the family breakfast for the first time in a long while. Duke Dert, seeing his son dressed more simply than usual, smiled.

"You're leaving today, then."

Kale was leaving the territory today to head to the capital.