Chapter 34

# Chapter 34. <Silently>

Kale stared silently at the teacup Ron had offered.

"...Lemon tea before bed?"

"Yes."

I haven't reached the level of drinking lemon tea before bed yet. Although Kale was not particularly pleased, he picked up the teacup without a word. He took a sip of the lemon tea, feeling Ron's gaze on him.

At that moment, Ron spoke to Kale.

"Master, may I ask a favor of you?"

"Wh-what? A favor?"

Kale's eyes widened at the word 'favor' coming from Ron's mouth as he looked at him. Ron still had a gentle smile on his face. Kale's eyes narrowed, and his mind began to work quickly.

'A favor from this sinister old man? And to me, who doesn't take such things seriously?'

A sense of foreboding washed over Kale. It was as if he had tried to remove a wart but ended up with two. Or perhaps it was like the woodcutter who, coveting the golden axe, ended up with nothing because he claimed both the silver and golden axes as his own.

Kale composed himself and asked as calmly as possible.

"Sure, what is it?"

Ron immediately stated his favor.

"May I take a two-day leave?"

"Ah."

Kale let out an involuntary exclamation. It felt as if the wart had been removed and the golden and silver axes were now a set. Kale put down the teacup and grabbed Ron's hand. Words flowed out of his mouth in a rare burst.

"Sure. Good thinking. Ron, you've worked hard for decades, taking care of this brat. Take as much rest as you need. You deserve it."

Yes, he could take a good, long rest. However, to involve Chihan, Ron needed to come back either before or right after the capital terror attack. These two days were perfect. If he didn't see that assassin's face for two days, how wonderful would that be?

Ron looked at Kale with a peculiar expression as his hand was held. But Kale turned his gaze away from Ron and opened the bedside table drawer. Inside was a money pouch, which Kale took out.

Although he had put large amounts, including checks, in the mansion's safe, there was still a considerable amount of money in the pouch. Kale carefully took it out. As a rich man's son, he had nothing else to offer but money.

"Here. It's not much, but enjoy good food and have a pleasant vacation."

Ron looked at the money pouch Kale had placed on his hand after letting go of it.

'Enjoy good food and a pleasant vacation.'

Ron recalled the times he had to spend quietly. Those times were spent with this brat, the puppy master.

Now, he was about to break free from those times and move again. The future ahead of him was likely to be chaotic. If they had crossed over to the Western Continent, it would be even more terrifying than chaos.

'Then I should leave my son here, too.'

Ron gazed at the comfortable master in front of him.

"Master, is it alright if I do so?"

In response to the question about whether he could have a pleasant vacation, Kale answered readily. His answer was filled with the hope that Ron would enjoy it so much that he would want to leave this brat, Kale himself.

"Of course. You deserve it."

Deserve it. Ron had originally planned to leave without a word a few days later, either alone or with Vikross. But this annoying affection was a problem. So he mentioned the two-day leave to see what this brat would say. He was curious.

Now, this puppy master knew from Chihan what kind of person he was. Ron still had a gentle expression, but his eyes grew cold.

"Master, this is too much money. What if I run away with it?"

Or do you want me to run away? You've heard from Chihan that I'm a strong person and possess a sinister power.

The wrinkles on his face, deepened by the forced smile, revealed his true intentions as he looked at Kale. And Ron saw it.

Kale snorted.

"Do I not know your character? If you were going to run away, you would have done so without a word or told me outright. Isn't that right?"

In the book 'The Birth of a Hero,' Ron actually left that way. Without a word to the viscount's family, he distanced himself from Chihan and his group by mentioning the terms of the contract.

"...Yes, that's correct."

Ron nodded with a kind smile. Come to think of it, this puppy master in front of him had seen more of Ron than his own son, Vikross. Perhaps he was the one who understood the current Ron the best.

'I'm getting old.'

The old man acknowledged the time etched into his age. Just as tree rings don't form overnight, the lines of time were drawn over his true nature. He said,

"I will accompany you when you go to the palace."

"Sure."

Ron, seeing Kale's indifferent response, picked up the money pouch.

He couldn't let this puppy master, whom he had taken care of, be shown poorly compared to other nobles and royals. He didn't want to see him in a bad light.

After this, he would leave.

"Then I'll go now."

"Sure, sure."

Kale, sitting on the bed, saw Ron off and then fell into a deep, sweet sleep for the first time in a long while.

Of course, when Kale woke up around lunchtime the next day, Ron had already left on his leave early in the morning. As a result, the one who attended to Kale was the butler, Hans.

"Mr. Ron said he would be uneasy if it wasn't me. Haha, I must be quite something, right?"

"Just be quiet."

Kale turned away from Hans and looked out the open bedroom door. In front of the door stood Chihan, who had been there since early morning. Wondering what this was about, Kale stared at Chihan, who, with a look of trust, answered without being asked.

"Mr. Ron entrusted him to me."

What was Ron thinking when he did this? Kale, with a serious face, took the cup Hans offered and frowned.

"Hans, why lemonade?"

"What? Master, don't you like lemonade?"

Ha. Kale sighed deeply and drank the lemonade. It was more refreshing than cold water and good for settling the stomach.

Chihan, standing outside the door, recalled the conversation with Ron from the previous night as he watched Kale and Hans.

'Where are you going?'

'Yes.'

'Where are you going?'

'It's none of your business, brat.'

'Is it because of Master Kale that you came to me?'

'Figure it out yourself.'

After saying that, Ron left the mansion as soon as the sun rose at dawn. Chihan saw in Ron, who left the mansion, not the usual Ron but the assassin Ron.

"Chihan."

Lost in thought, he looked up at the call. Kale was getting up from the bed and heading to the bathroom. Kale asked Chihan, who was looking at him,

"Is Lark awake?"

"Yes."

Indeed, the wolf clan recovered quickly. Kale gauged the time. The bastard of the Flynn merchant family, their piggy bank Villos, would likely arrive in the capital soon. Kale had made plans to have a drink with him.

And the place was already decided by Kale. It was the inn where he had instructed Chihan to stay. The inn also had a bar, famous for its drinks.

'And the link that will connect Chihan and Villos is there.'

Thinking of the merchant who would be with ten wolves at this moment, Kale asked Chihan,

"What about the people at the inn and the merchant?"

"I plan to visit them after Master Kale's meeting ends."

"...Meeting?"

Confused, Kale turned to Hans, who approached and said,

"Master, the invitations from the young nobles of the northeast."

"Oh."

Those were there. They were not important, so Kale had completely forgotten about them. Frowning slightly, he pondered. What kind of mischief should he do when he returned? As Kim Roksu, Kale had never met these people before, but what did it matter? He was a brat, after all.

"And a guest wishes to see Master Kale."

"Is it Ms. Rosaline?"

"Yes. She said she can adjust to any time."

Indeed, Rosaline was a perceptive person. She likely guessed that the mana aura she felt yesterday was from a dragon. She had never seen a dragon, but such mana power could only come from a dragon.

Kale opened the bathroom door and entered, instructing Hans,

"Prepare breakfast in the room. And after that, ask Ms. Rosaline if she would like to have breakfast together."

"Yes, I understand. And it's already noon, so it's lunchtime now."

"...Hans."

"I'll prepare it diligently!"

Kale, looking at Hans' enthusiastic response with disapproval, gave his final instruction and closed the bathroom door.

"And leave the terrace door open."

The black dragon might come in at any time. Strangely, it seemed to prefer sleeping outside, especially on trees near the window.

* * *

"I'll bring Ms. Rosaline in."

"Sure."

Kale, sitting at the table where breakfast or lunch, depending on who you asked, was prepared, dismissed Hans. Vikross had put a lot of effort into the food, which was lavish. The table was full of dishes, probably because he had asked for them all at once instead of course by course.

"Master Kale."

Chihan approached.

"I'll be with Lark during the meal."

"They're taking turns nursing