Chapter 3

# Chapter 3: <Awakening>

Kale carefully examined each dish in front of him, eventually reaching for the salad made of unknown fruits. Having already filled his stomach with meat, soup, and bread, he was drawn to something new.

He took a small bite of a fruit that resembled an orange in shape but had the color of a green grape.

"Hmm."

At that moment, a sweet juice filled his mouth. Despite his usual aversion to new fruits, the taste was so sweet that Kale couldn't help but let out a sigh of pleasure. Just then, his eyes met his father Dert's gaze.

"Kale."

Dert called out his name but hesitated, unable to speak further. He only furrowed his brow and moved his lips slightly. Kale, feeling the awkward atmosphere, bluntly shared his thoughts.

"It's delicious."

"Really? It tastes like garbage—wait, you said it's delicious?"

"Yes, everything is delicious."

Kale picked up another fruit, savoring the sweetness that spread in his mouth, a smile playing on his lips. After all, he was a rascal who knew nothing of noble etiquette.

Even though such behavior was inappropriate during a conversation with his father, the head of the household, what did it matter? He was a rascal, after all.

'Indeed, being a rascal is the best.'

Everyone just accepted his behavior, so it was a pretty good life, as long as he didn't anger the protagonist.

As Kale expected, no one scolded him for his lack of manners. Instead, Dert smiled awkwardly and nodded repeatedly.

"Yes, it's delicious. It's good to see you enjoying your meal."

Indeed, Dert was the only one who truly cared for Kale, even embracing his unruly behavior. If he truly loved him, he should have tried to correct his character. But Kale, now not himself, found such thoughts meaningless.

"Yes, Father, please eat more."

The second son, Vassen, sighed again. Hearing this, Kale glanced back at the dishes. Vassen, 15 years old and three years younger than Kale, was a thorny presence.

Unlike the rascal Kale, Vassen was intelligent, serious, and responsible, making him the favored candidate for the next head of the household. Kim Roksu, now Kale, agreed with this judgment.

'Rather than taking on the responsibility of the fief and living a stressful life, it's better to be the lord's older brother and laze around in a quiet corner of the fief.'

Kale didn't provoke Vassen. Even though he could hear Vassen's sigh of disappointment, what could he do?

When Vassen became the lord, he wouldn't kill Kale, but to avoid injury and live quietly in the countryside, it was best not to provoke him.

'If things get really bad, I can make some money and move to a place where there's no war.'

Kale continued his meal, ignoring Vassen's sigh. When the meal was over, Dert was the first to stand up, a smile on his face, seemingly satisfied with the morning.

'Of course, it was very delicious.'

If this was the quality of breakfast, he would come down every day, even if it meant giving up sleep. Dert looked at the family members who had also stood up, and finally met Kale's gaze.

"Kale, do you need anything?"

Kale was surprised by Dert's sudden kindness but answered honestly.

"Give me some money."

"Sure, I'll give you a lot."

The answer came quickly and decisively.

Indeed, they were a wealthy family.

With a marble quarry and a focus on wine production, the fief was one of the most prosperous before the war, and they were hoarding money.

"Yes, give me as much as possible."

Kale felt the gazes of his two younger brothers but wasn't embarrassed. Asking for money was a minor offense compared to causing a drunken disturbance.

Moreover, having money would make his future plans easier. He was about to gain a significant power, and while he wouldn't be hurt, it would require some funds.

"Sure, I'll give you as much as possible."

Kale smiled in satisfaction at his father's promise. However, when he returned to his bedroom and saw the check handed to him by the underbutler Hans, he was speechless. The check, issued jointly by the kingdom's treasury and magic department, made his heart race.

'So much?'

Was this family not just wealthy but incredibly rich?

While the book mentioned that Kale's allowance was generous, he hadn't known the actual amount. Seeing the number on the check, he realized just how much it was.

'10 million gelons.'

It was equivalent to 10 million won in Korea. This changed his plans. Kale's mind began to work rapidly.

"Master, I'll take my leave now."

The underbutler handed over the check and bowed, but Kale didn't respond. Hans, used to such behavior, headed for the door but soon stopped.

Kale had stood up.

"Ron, let's go to the study."

Hans and Ron were both taken aback.

"…The study?"

Kale was puzzled. Why was this cunning old man so surprised? Was there something wrong with going to the study?

"Yes."

He needed to go to the study to plan. The bedroom had no proper desk or paper, though it did have many rare bottles of alcohol.

"Master."

"What is it?"

Kale looked at the troubled underbutler.

"The study hasn't been cleaned this morning."

"Is that so? It doesn't matter if it's not cleaned for a day."

"No, that's not possible."

The underbutler was unusually agitated. He smiled broadly and held up a finger.

"Please wait just one hour! I'll clean the study thoroughly, as if it were used yesterday and not left untouched for ten years!"

"Alright, then."

An hour was a reasonable wait.

"Yes, I'll report this to the lord."

"No, that's not necessary, but if you want to, go ahead."

"Yes, Master, I'll go now."

"Alright."

The underbutler, trained properly, closed the door silently and left, his back looking somewhat dramatic. Kale had heard that the three underbutlers were competing for the butler position, which explained his enthusiasm.

"Ron."

"Yes?"

"What's wrong? Why are you so spaced out?"

"I'm sorry."

"There's no need to be sorry."

Ron's expression was strange again, but Kale, carefully placing the valuable check in his inner pocket, asked a question he had forgotten to ask in the excitement.

"What's the date today?"

It was an odd question, but the attendant Ron answered kindly.

"It's March 29, 781 Pelis."

"Hmm, something big happened."

"Yes?"

"Never mind."

Kale held the 10 million gelons in his hand, feeling that money was the only thing he could trust.

Not today, but yesterday. March 28, 781 Pelis.

The year when the protagonist, Choi Han, escaped the Dark Forest, felt human warmth again, and created people he could call family and friends in Harris Village. The village was massacred by an unknown organization yesterday.

This was a secret organization that even Kale, who had read the first five volumes, didn't know about.

Someone might say:

'He was supposed to be so strong. What was Choi Han doing while the village was being massacred?'

Yes, one could think that.

But there was a reason why this story was titled "The Birth of a Hero" and not "The Power of a Hero" or "The War of Heroes."

"Birth."

It was a story of a person overcoming countless hardships, overcoming past pain, and becoming a hero. In the process, friendship and love emerged, and enemies and allies were formed.

An essential part of this journey was "awakening." Choi Han, despite his explosive talent and decades of survival in the Dark Forest, was still a pure and kind person who couldn't bring himself to kill humans. He had killed monsters but was weak when it came to humans.

To turn him into a hero, the story took a bold step. Choi Han, who had entered the Dark Forest to find a precious herb to cure the illness of an aunt who had cared for him like a son, had gone deep into the forest and returned to find the village massacred, the bodies of the villagers, burning houses, and the killers about to leave.

At that moment, Choi Han's eyes turned red, and he committed his first murder. The targets were members of the secret organization, which would occasionally appear in the story and clash with Choi Han.

After killing all the members of the secret organization, Choi Han regained his senses, realizing he had gained no information from them and fell into deep despair. He buried the bodies of the villagers and made a vow.

'I will kill them all. I will kill everyone who created this.'

Choi Han, experiencing his first murder and the sorrow of death, became mentally exhausted. Of course, he later met companions, regained his affection for humans, and grew into a true hero.

"…Ron."

"Yes, Master."

"Can you bring me a glass of cold water?"

"…Understood."

As Ron left the bedroom, Kale covered his face with his hands.

The problem was that the city Choi Han, who was mentally exhausted, first arrived at after leaving Harris Village was Western City, the center of the Hetunis fief.

There, Kale, who had accidentally become involved with Choi Han, provoked him and ended up getting beaten, but also gained a sturdy kitchen master, Bikros, as his first subordinate and companion.

'…I wanted to help beforehand.'

The best scenario to avoid getting beaten was now out of reach. While he had a slight desire to save the villagers who had cared for Choi Han, what could he do?

Now, the only thing left was to avoid getting beaten by Choi Han, who would arrive in Western City tomorrow, full of rage and moving at a mad speed.

'Avoiding the protagonist is not a good strategy.'

He needed to become involved with Choi Han to connect with Bikros and Ron, and for the three of them to leave the fief and start their journey. The answer was clear.

'Get involved and then back off.'

If possible, with a good first impression.

"Master."

"Ah, thank you, Ron."

Kale took a sip from the glass Ron handed him, but his brow furrowed.

"This isn't cold water?"

"It's lemonade."

Indeed, the cunning old man. Knowing that the original Kale, like Kim Roksu, disliked new things, he had brought lemonade, which he preferred over cold water. Kale wanted to be angry at the sour taste but was too afraid of the old assassin to say anything, so he drank the lemonade reluctantly.

"Very good."

"No, Master, it seems you can move to the study soon."

"Yes."

The kind smile on the old man's face gave Kale the chills, so he held the 10 million gelon check tightly. Indeed, money was the only thing he could trust.