Chapter 4

# Chapter 4: <Met>

With the food right in front of him, it was impossible to think of anything else. However, he couldn't stop the sighs that escaped his lips.

"Wow, it's so delicious."

At the sound of Kale's voice, the butler Hans paused. Kale was sitting alone at the table, with Hans standing by his side.

The Hethunis family usually ate their meals freely, except for breakfast. In fact, due to their individual schedules, they had no choice but to do so.

Who said being a noble was an easy job?

Especially if they took on a position in administration or politics, they had to move according to a tightly packed schedule.

Duke Dert, as the lord, had to handle his duties, making it difficult to eat with the family. His siblings ate according to their study schedules, and the duchess was busy with the influential families in the territory or cultural affairs.

'Come to think of it.'

A sudden thought struck Kale, and he put down his fork. Hans, who had been watching, tensed up with a look that said, "I knew it." He was worried about when the fork might fly at his face.

Kale, ignoring Hans' tension, was lost in thought.

'There are many hidden masters among artists and craftsmen.'

The Rowen Kingdom was quite advanced in art and architecture. Sculpture, in particular, was highly developed due to the abundance of marble in the kingdom. Thanks to this, the Hethunis territory, being the fifth-largest marble producer, had accumulated considerable wealth.

Moreover, the territory was mostly mountainous. Despite its northeastern location, it received plenty of sunlight, allowing vineyards to thrive on the mountain slopes, producing high-quality wine in limited quantities.

However, Kale's mind was filled with thoughts of 'the strong' rather than such information. He had been thinking about this non-stop in the study, even skipping lunch.

'Well, there are many masters in this land. It's not like a martial world.'

There were truly many hidden masters, almost like in a martial world. So, Kale made a decision.

Don't provoke anyone.

An ordinary-looking cook could be an expert in poisons, and a tailor could kill people cruelly with iron wire. This was the kind of place it was.

"Haa."

A deep sigh escaped Kale's lips. He was just about to come up with a plan to survive any situation without dying.

"Master."

Kale, who was about to sigh again, turned his gaze to a very cautious voice. It was Hans.

"Why?"

"Should I prepare another meal for you?"

"What?"

Hans swallowed his sigh at the sight of Kale frowning and widening his eyes. He braced himself, thinking Kale was about to overturn the table. Hans wondered why the duke had assigned him to Kale, feeling a mix of emotions as he waited for Kale's reaction.

And Kale reacted.

"Why would I need another of this delicious meal?"

"…What?"

Kale picked up his fork again and cut the meat. Dinner was even more luxurious than breakfast. Having never eaten such food when he was Kim Roksu, it wasn't just delicious; it was a feast that suited Kale's taste.

Kale, who was used to only the finest, found this quite satisfying. Everyone knew to bring only the best, which he appreciated.

Kale, savoring a piece of medium-rare steak that was perfectly cooked on the outside and juicy on the inside, asked Hans with a dismissive attitude.

"Hans, who made this food?"

"Oh, it's the head chef of the second kitchen, Vikros."

…His appetite suddenly diminished.

Vikros. He was a neat and tidy man, the son of the steward Ron, who, unlike his father, specialized in swordsmanship rather than assassination. Obsessed with cleanliness, he would polish his blade daily, cutting off his enemies' heads without a drop of blood.

'…He's an expert in torture.'

This man admired Kale's martial arts and followed him around. Ron, his father, joined to help Kale and his son through a contract with Chaihan. Despite his stern appearance, Ron doted on his son.

Kale swallowed a few times, looking at the slightly red juice in the steak.

'If this red juice becomes my blood, that would be bad.'

He cut another large piece of steak and put it in his mouth while looking at Hans.

"It's really delicious. Ron's son, right? I didn't know Vikros was such an excellent chef."

"…I'll tell Chef Vikros. He'll be very happy to hear that Master Kale complimented him."

"…Oh, really? Tell him I enjoyed the delicious meal."

"…Yes."

Hans looked at Kale with a dubious expression, but Kale resolved not to provoke Vikros. He needed to behave well.

Kale relaxed and enjoyed his meal. He had a plan to send Chaihan away from the territory, which he had already set in motion.

He finished his dinner as he did with breakfast, leaving the plates clean. With a satisfied smile, he stood up, and Hans followed.

"Hans, why did you suddenly become my personal attendant?"

At dinner, Hans had mentioned that Duke Dert had assigned him to be Kale's personal attendant after Chaihan left. Kale, unaware of the Hethunis family's situation, knew Hans was the most capable and likely to become the next steward.

Hans bowed slightly and answered.

"Master, the duke heard that you were skipping meals and spending time in the study. He instructed me to ensure you eat properly, so I'm now in charge of all meal-related matters."

In other words, Hans was now responsible for meals.

"Is that so? Father did a useless thing. I can take care of myself. But if Hans hadn't been here, I might have skipped dinner, lost in the study."

Kale had been busy transcribing all the events from the first five volumes of the novel onto paper in Korean.

As they left the dining room, Kale smiled at Hans.

"Hans, I'll be counting on you."

"Ah, no, I should be the one to work hard."

Hans stuttered a bit, but Kale dismissed it. He frowned at the sight of the waiting steward Ron.

"Ron, didn't I tell you to go eat?"

He had told Ron to go away because he didn't want to see his face, but Ron kept lingering around. Even when Kale was in the study, Ron waited outside the door, which was quite unsettling.

"I need to serve you, Master."

Seeing Ron's gentle smile, Kale clicked his tongue and got annoyed.

"Fine. I don't need you, so go eat. Why don't you go when I tell you to? Don't follow me. You know what will happen if you do."

Kale gave Ron a threatening look and headed to the study. Glancing back, he saw Ron with a stern face and Hans sighing.

'Did I overreact?'

Kale, scared of the assassin's stern face, quickly entered the study. The desk was empty.

The documents he had written in Korean before dinner were already burned. He had told everyone not to enter the study until he finished.

'Anyway, I remember everything.'

Kim Roksu had always had a good memory for things he found interesting, like manga and novels. He could remember characters and appearances even years later. Of course, he forgot things he disliked.

Kale leaned back in his chair, thinking about what to do next.

'First, I'll see Chaihan tomorrow and…'

His lips curled up slightly.

'I need to find a shield.'

To survive and live long, he had no intention of fighting.

First, he needed defense, then healing, followed by speed, and finally the strength to kill without getting hurt.

Of course, the top priority was to avoid any place where blood might be spilled, including battlefields.

He refined his rough plan, feeling full, and slowly closed his eyes. Even as he fell asleep, he thought,

'When the time comes, I won't get hit.'

An unbreakable shield. This was the first intangible power he wanted to possess.

* * *

An important day. What is needed to relax and perform well? Kale thought a hearty breakfast was essential.

He felt like he had been eating constantly since coming to this world, but he decided to enjoy it today since he would be busy from tomorrow.

"Ahem, I heard you fell asleep in the study last night."

"It just happened that way."

He answered Duke Dert's question casually, focusing on his meal. His lack of attention might seem disrespectful, but it was appropriate for a troublemaker.

Kale finished his meal first and stood up. The creaking of the chair drew everyone's attention.

"I'll go ahead."

It was impolite, but Duke Dert seemed to find his son's behavior endearing. He looked at the clean plate and Kale, then smiled.

"Go on, then."

"Yes."

Kale had to leave quickly due to his busy schedule. As he was about to leave, Dert grabbed his ankle.

"Do you need pocket money today?"

"…Yes, I do."

Indeed, it was a wealthy family. Kale suppressed a smile at the mention of pocket money through Hans and left the dining room without a thank you. He briefly met his brother Bassen's gaze but ignored it and headed out.

He waved at the steward Ron, who was about to follow.

"Ron, I'm leaving. Don't look for me."

Don't look for me. This was a signal that the troublemaker Kale was leaving the Hethunis estate, located behind the lord's castle, to go drinking in Western City. Ron always smiled and bid him farewell.

"Are you not going to the study today?"

But today, Ron asked a rare question. Kale frowned.

"Ron, that's none of your business."

"…Understood. Master, I'll wait for you."

The word 'wait' made Kale's frown deeper.

"Don't wait."

Kale signaled to one of the servants at the main gate, and they left together. Kale still looked annoyed, and the servant followed silently.

As they left the main gate, the entrance to the Hethunis estate was visible in the distance. Kale sighed and glanced back, seeing Ron's stern face through the closing gate.

'Good that he didn't follow.'

It was fortunate that Ron didn't follow, but his stern face was scary. As an assassin, Kale decided to be a bit nicer and less provoking in the future. He left the estate in a carriage.

After a short while, they arrived at their destination.

"Master, is this the place?"

The carriage driver opened the door and cautiously asked Kale. He kept glancing at the shop in front of him, looking confused.

"Yeah, it's the right place."

Kale, dressed in the simplest of his luxurious clothes, stepped out of the carriage. The carriage with the Hethunis family crest had already cleared the area.

Kale looked up at the shop sign.

[The Fragrance of Tea with Poetry]

It was a teahouse that sold tea along with poetry books. The three-story building was quite clean and looked expensive. The owner was indeed wealthy, even richer than Kale, being the illegitimate son of a large merchant. Of course, he lived a hidden life.

'He will probably go to the capital around the third volume and meet Chaihan there. Despite being an illegitimate son, he vowed to become the head of the merchant.'

The character who had sworn to Chaihan, crying, to become the head of the merchant. Kale had only read the early part, so he didn't know if he succeeded, but as the protagonist's supporter, he likely would.

Kale, sweating, ordered the driver, who was staring at him blankly.

"Go."

"Excuse me?"

"Want me to repeat myself?"

"No, no, do you not need to be escorted?"

Kale answered casually and opened the teahouse door.

"Yeah, I'll be here for a while."

Huh. He heard a sharp intake of breath behind him, but a brighter, softer sound caught his attention. Ding. A pleasant, clear bell announced his arrival.

Kale stood at the entrance, looking around the teahouse. It was early, and there were only a few people. He could feel their surprise at seeing him.

After all, everyone in the territory knew Kale, the notorious troublemaker who often destroyed shop items.

"Welcome."

But the owner greeted him kindly. Kale stared at the man behind the counter, who looked like a baby pig.

'That's the owner.'

The wealthy illegitimate son, Villos. As described in the book, he had a round face and body, resembling a baby pig, and his cheerful smile was very likable.

'He looks like a piggy bank.'

Kale took out a gold coin and placed it on the counter.

"I plan to stay on the third floor all day."

Villos smiled and looked at Kale. Kale glanced at the bookshelves.

"Anything but tea. Do you have any novels besides poetry?"

Click. The sound of someone placing a teacup loudly echoed. Kale, thinking someone had put down their cup forcefully, looked at Villos. He preferred novels to poetry.

"Of course, we have many novels, Master."

"Great. Bring me the most exciting one and a cup of tea."

"Understood."

Villos' plump hand caught the gold coin. As he was about to give change, Kale turned away.

"I'll have more tea later. Keep it."

"…That's too much."

One gold coin. A million gelons. Equivalent to a million Korean won. Kale, feeling adventurous, said,

"I have a lot of money. It's a tip."

Money talk. Even though Villos had more money, it didn't matter. And there were many opportunities to make money. Kale casually pointed to the first-floor tables.

"Well, if it's too much, you can offer a cup of tea to the people here."

Golden Bell. He had always wanted to try it. When asked for pocket money, he received three gold coins, each worth three million gelons.

"Master, still—"

"Shut up. Just bring the tea."

Indeed, a troublemaker. Kale acted rudely, heading to the third floor. He heard murmurs behind him, but the rumors about troublemakers were already widespread, so he ignored them.

"Indeed."

It was early, and the third floor was empty. Kale sat in the farthest corner and looked out the window.

'This is the right place.'

The view of the northern gate of Western City was perfect. Today, Kale planned to watch for Chaihan from this spot.