Chapter 16

# Chapter 16. <Outside>

"Master, are you going to go?"

As soon as he stepped out of the carriage, Ron followed closely behind, and Kale responded indifferently.

"Of course I'm going. Who else would go?"

Ron and the deputy captain immediately followed Kale, who was heading straight to the scene without hesitation. Although the two men surrounded Kale in a very coordinated manner, it wasn't important to him.

A man slowly got out of the carriage. Benyon Sten.

The moment Kale saw him, his brows furrowed deeply. The only line his father, Duke Dert, had given about Benyon Sten's character was:

[A typical and authoritative noble]

Moreover, Kale, Kim Roksu, could also describe him in "The Birth of a Hero."

A typical villain.

However, facing such a typical villain in reality rather than in a book was quite a headache. Kale couldn't just beat someone up because they did something bad or because he was annoyed, like Choi Han could.

When Kale arrived at the scene, the incident had already progressed to some extent. In those few short minutes, Choi Han was fuming, his shoulders trembling with anger.

"How can you block the path of such a noble person?"

"Someone almost got hurt just now, and you say that? Who blocked who? Your side drove the carriage recklessly, causing this mess!"

"Nobles' carriages should be avoided. It's the foolishness of that stupid commoner standing there!"

Benyon's subordinate and Choi Han were arguing, and Hans, standing beside the agitated Choi Han, approached Kale with a troubled expression and whispered in his ear.

"Mr. Choi Han seems very upset."

Hans seemed to have already recognized the identity of the carriage and its owner as someone from the Viscount's family. Moreover, it seemed that the owner of the subordinate, Benyon, had also recognized the identity of his opponent.

Seeing the emblem of the Hennithus Viscount's carriage, the noble person must have stepped out of the carriage.

"Stop it."

The man with luxurious blond hair, Benyon, spoke affectionately to his subordinate. The subordinate immediately retreated behind Benyon, as if he had never been angry. Only Choi Han was still grumbling while trying to calm the shocked old man.

Tsk. Kale clicked his tongue.

The subordinate wasn't angry. Like Hans, the subordinate had likely seen the carriage with the golden turtle emblem from a distance and overreacted, blaming Choi Han for the incident. Knowing this, Hans had approached Kale with a troubled expression.

Kale grabbed Choi Han's shoulder, who was glaring at Benyon and his subordinate.

"Stop it, you too."

"But—!"

Kale understood why Choi Han was angry. This place resembled Harris Village, his second hometown. He was upset by the calm demeanor of someone who had put a life in danger and the lack of apology to the old man.

However, the old man, the actual victim, couldn't be angry. He wasn't as powerful as Choi Han.

"There were clearly other ways to avoid it, yet you almost injured someone. How can you just let that go?"

"Choi Han."

Kale pressed down on Choi Han's shoulder with more force.

"Calm down."

Kale gazed steadily into Choi Han's black eyes. He could see Choi Han, who had been angry, or rather, lost in the memories of Harris Village, gradually calming down.

After confirming this, Kale turned his head resolutely to face Benyon Sten.

With his luxurious blond hair and a calm smile, Benyon wore a neatly pressed suit without a single wrinkle and spotless shoes. However, what caught Kale's attention was the faint red stain on the cuff of his white shirt.

'Probably got splattered with blood while watching the Black Dragon's torture.'

You sick bastard. Benyon Sten was the type who enjoyed eating while watching the Black Dragon being whipped until his skin was covered in blood.

"Nice to meet you. Are you from the Hennithus Viscount's family?"

"Yes, nice to meet you. Benyon Sten, Viscount's son."

As expected, the other party knew Kale. Benyon wasn't just a casual heir to the position. However, he was a bit unlucky.

"Hmm."

Though he smiled kindly, it was clear that Benyon was one of those unlucky people.

"I've heard a lot about the gatherings in this area, but I rarely attend them. I've heard that there's a rather free-spirited and un-noble person in the Viscount's family."

He smiled and scanned Kale from head to toe. It was an unlucky gaze, but one that was hard to criticize.

"I've heard that for the past two years, you've been representing Bassan Hennithus at various gatherings and meetings of the northeastern nobility—"

Knowing everything and still asking. Kale wasn't good at such conversations. So, he smiled brightly and replied politely.

"Yes, that rascal is me."

Rascal. The moment the word came out of Kale's mouth, Benyon's subordinate hesitated.

"A rather well-known rascal among rascals."

Benyon's lips twisted in a mocking smile. It was as if he had never seen such a crazy person before, but Kale didn't care.

The Sten Viscount's family. A powerful faction, but even they couldn't casually meddle with a noble heir who hadn't yet been officially recognized, let alone a commoner without a title.

Viscounts usually announce their official heir for protection and authority, but the Viscount didn't.

'There are still five of them.'

Benyon had two younger sisters and one younger brother, and the Viscount enjoyed the competition among them. The stress led Benyon to take watching the Black Dragon's torture as a hobby, while the Viscount viewed his sons' competition as an entertaining spectacle. Naturally, the fate of the eldest son, who had been crippled, was a result of this competition.

It was a crazy household. Compared to this, the Hennithus Viscount's family was a much better place.

"You're an interesting person."

Benyon smoothly responded to Kale's words.

A wealthy viscount's family that had stubbornly held its ground on the outskirts of the northeast, not belonging to any faction. Who would dare to offend such a family? They would rather covet it.

However, Benyon's true feelings were that he didn't like Kale. The rascal eldest son and the rather smart second son. Benyon, understanding the relationship between Kale and Bassan, would think of his own older brother when looking at Kale.

Nevertheless, as a noble, Benyon offered a solution to the incident in a polite manner.

"Although we were delayed by an unintended obstacle, it's quite a good thing that we could meet like this. I've also had the pleasure of meeting Lord Kale."

Unintended obstacle. He was referring to the old man. Benyon regretted only the delay caused by the old man and wanted to conclude this matter positively.

"Also, you should educate your subordinate to distinguish between those who have the right to run on the road and those who should stop."

He offered this advice softly, as a non-official heir of a prestigious viscount's family to a rascal of a viscount's family. It was a condescending tone, teaching that he was different from Kale.

Of course, Kale listened quietly but was not one to listen to barking.

After finishing his words, Benyon looked at the person who was most anxious in this situation.

Thud. The old man, receiving the gaze, knelt and bowed deeply.

"I'm sorry."

The old man's hands trembled as he bowed so deeply that his head almost touched the ground. Watching this, Choi Han's hands also trembled.

The posture of the commoners in each territory varied greatly depending on the nature of the ruling noble. This viscount, like the Sten Viscount's family, was very noble and authoritative.

Benyon's lips curled into a satisfied smile. Kale, who had been watching this, called out to Benyon.

"Lord Benyon."

Turning his head, Benyon asked Kale.

"Are you done?"

"…Yes, but—"

Kale squatted down. The expensive fabric of his clothes touched the ground. He stared at the trembling hands.

'This is going to be a problem.'

Kale heard it clearly.

Huff.

The deep breath Choi Han took. It was definitely the sound of someone holding back anger. At that moment, Kale felt a chill down his spine and was certain that if anyone was going to get beaten to death, it would be Benyon, not himself. Whether Benyon got beaten or not wasn't his concern, but Choi Han, being part of his group, shouldn't hit a noble in front of others.

Kale placed his hand on the old man's shoulder. Benyon's eyebrows twitched. A noble's hand on a commoner's shoulder.

"Old man."

The old man, startled, looked up at Kale.

"Yes, yes?"

Kale asked indifferently.

"Where's the tavern?"

"Huh?"

"Where can I get good drinks? As you know, I'm a rascal. I can't start the day without a drink. I need to drink for a refreshing morning tomorrow. So—"

Kale helped the old man up. Watching this, Benyon sighed silently and shook his head at the talk of drinks.

"Guide me."

Meeting the old man's trembling gaze, Kale frowned and said.

"Aren't you getting up?"

The old man hesitated, looking back and forth between Kale and Benyon. But Kale ignored the gaze, stood up, and extended the hand that had been on the commoner's shoulder to Benyon.

"It was nice meeting you, Lord Benyon."

Kale offered a handshake.

Benyon stood still