Chapter 42

# Chapter 42: <I Don't Know, I Don't Know>

Hiding his chill and trembling, Kale casually asked.

“So?”

Ron, who usually spoke in a rude and impolite manner, almost smiled gently without realizing it. But he suppressed it and said,

“So, I'm leaving to kill someone.”

“Leaving your son behind?”

“Yes.”

“Is the fox a person?”

Kale knew what kind of smile the assassin Ron had. A smile with only the corners of his mouth oddly turned up. It was a face that made you think it was better not to smile. Ron answered in a rather cheerful tone,

“Yes, I have to kill a pack of foxes.”

But his voice was low.

“Tear them apart.”

Either Ron's body would be torn apart, or theirs. One of the two.

Kale shivered at the word "tear them apart" and pondered.

Ron could see Kale, who was silent for a long time. Our young master, who had sighed several times and rubbed his face, finally said,

“…Go and come back.”

Ron's smile disappeared. Kale, still in the clothes he had prepared to sleep in, lay down on the bed and continued,

“I'll tell Hans to put you on leave, so report back periodically. You can receive the money from the Flynn Caravan using your identity badge. And why are you asking a troublemaker like me to do this for Vikross? You're an adult, so you should take care of your own life.”

Kale decided to think simply. Right now, the group led by Choe Han didn't need Ron. Since Rak could go into a berserk state, the military power of Vikross or Ron wasn't necessary.

But Ron would be needed a year later, for Choe Han and for the peaceful northeastern part of the kingdom.

“In return, your leave will be for one year.”

Kale said, leaning his head on the pillow.

“Come back safely.”

Because he had something to do a year later.

“Don't come back hurt.”

Thinking he had reserved a year of sweet sleep, Kale stretched his legs comfortably. Then he looked at Ron and shuddered.

The old man was silently laughing, his shoulders shaking. Kale's body shrank under the covers at that terrifying sight.

‘Why is he like this?’

Kale's expression hardened.

Ignoring his reaction, Ron silently let out his laughter.

‘I thought this young brat was a bastard, but it turns out I, Ron Mollan, am the bastard.’

Like a bastard, looking at his master in a bastardly way. Ron, thinking about the dog-like situation, replied,

“Sir, can I report back once a month?”

“Sure, do as you please.”

Ron, acting like an assassin, left the room without a sound and closed the door. Before closing it, he said to Kale,

“I'll be back.”

Without waiting for Kale's response, Ron closed the door. Relieved, Kale drifted into an early evening nap.

***

And then came the dawn. In front of Kale stood six beings. They were the ones he had called and those gathered through Choe Han.

Kale said to Rozalin,

“Ms. Rozalin, the brown hair suits you.”

Rozalin didn't know the exact details of today's mission. She only knew about the magic bombs and the seriousness of the situation, and had decided to help. Additionally, he had promised her a reward.

“Thanks. I think it will be easier to run wild.”

Rozalin, with her hair and eyes dyed brown, and On and Hong beside her.

“Rak, can you use the wolf's physical abilities even without going berserk?”

“Yes, I can.”

Rak, who seemed tense, and the black dragon and Choe Han. Kale divided them into two teams. The black orb was already buried in the square by Choe Han, so each team would handle two of the four bombs.

“Ms. Rozalin and Rak, one team. And Choe Han, the dragon, On, and Hong, another team.”

Listening quietly, Rozalin asked a question. Rak also showed the same doubt on his face.

“What about you, Master Kale?”

To which Choe Han, the black dragon, On, and Hong replied in turn.

“Master Kale, he's a bit… physically weak.”

“Weak.”

“We don't need him.”

“He's useless.”

Ah. Rozalin sighed and looked at Kale. Rak had a very surprised expression. But Kale, passing the items borrowed from Villus to Choe Han, said confidently,

“I'm weak and a burden. And since I need to prepare for the event as soon as the sun comes up, it will be difficult for me to go with you.”

They would use the gap between night and dawn, just before the capital guard was replaced by the royal knights, to sneak into the bomb locations and start the deactivation process. Until the black orb activated and caused mana interference, they would wait at their designated spots and monitor the secret organization members and the square situation.

The birthday celebration. It was set to begin at 9:00 AM.

Kale, checking the time, said to the six beings,

“Alright, go to work.”

And added,

“Bring back the deactivated magic bombs.”

At this, Rozalin smiled and said to Kale,

“Remember to give me one?”

“Of course.”

“It'll be a good day’s pay.”

It was certainly a good day’s pay. Kale, now more inclined to go outside, opened the terrace window of his room. The cool night breeze filled the room, and the six beings quickly left through the terrace.

Invisibility or at incredible speed. Watching them disappear, Kale felt anew how strong they were.

The room he was left in.

Rumble—

Kale gently stroked the giant shield and silver wings that appeared before him. As long as he had this, he wouldn't die even if something unexpected happened.

“…If I need to use it, I'll use it lightly.”

Kale tapped the shield, now more sacred with the heart pattern, and resolved to use it as discreetly as possible if needed.

Kale, practicing using the shield lightly while sitting on the sofa, suddenly looked at his reflection in the mirror.

‘I'll be fine.’

The bloodthirsty mage. He was obsessed with the color red. After seeing Rozalin at the 'Hero's Birth' event, he had said he wanted to keep her red hair and red eyes.

Kale, running his hand through his even more flamboyant red hair, thought,

‘Will I have to face him up close?’

If so, he could just have Choe Han kill him. Kale's own head wouldn't be cut off.

Kale, thinking comfortably, waited for Ron to wake him up. When the time came, Kale said to him,

“Today will be your last service.”

“I can serve again in a year.”

What a terrifying thing to say. Kale would send him to Choe Han as soon as the year was up. But with the thought of getting rid of two burdens today, Kale felt light-hearted and said,

“Let's get ready.”

Kale, having finished all preparations, headed to the palace. The noble heirs were supposed to gather and move together. And the black dragon would come to the palace to give a progress report.

Kale got into the carriage at the main gate of the mansion. It wasn't the carriage of the Hennitus family today. He would be sharing a carriage with someone else.

“Why are we going together?”

Getting into the carriage, Kale asked. Amir, with his usual calm smile, replied. Amir was the one who had contacted Kale first to go together today.

He immediately got to the point without greeting, and Kale did the same.

“Master, what if a naval base is established in our territory?”

Kale's lips curled up.

<You've been patient enough. It didn't go well.>

He had already received a letter from Eric saying that the crown prince and the tourism investment project had not yielded good results. He heard that Gilbert and Amir were quite disappointed. But Amir didn't seem disappointed. Instead, he seemed to have made a big decision.

He said, looking at Kale,

“The answer is something you've already decided, isn't it?”

Amir nodded slightly.

“Yes. I couldn't decide alone, so I contacted the head of the house, my mother. I also plan to discuss it with Master Gilbert today.”

Establishing a new military base was not an easy task. It was often more difficult due to the interests of the region rather than the cost. Especially in times of peace.

That's why the royal family had set their eyes on the northeast. It was the only area with a sea, and most importantly, the power dynamics were similar. It was difficult for noble families from other regions to exert influence.

“Then, are you worried that the royal family's power will become too strong in your territory?”

“Yes.”

Answering firmly, Amir said to Kale,

“That's why I asked you to this meeting today.”

It meant he had something to say. Kale, leaning back in his seat as if it were his own carriage, asked Amir,

“I'm curious about what you have to say, but there's one thing I need to clarify.”

He thought he knew why Amir had come.

“The Hennitus family's money is decided only through the Earl, our father. I, the troublemaker, have no decision-making power.”

The royal family would grant permission to build the naval base and invest a large sum of money. Once that happened, the control over the naval base would naturally shift to the royal family.

When the royal family and the noble families jointly trained troops in a territory that wasn't directly under the royal family's control, many detailed contracts were made to determine control and actual command.

This was vastly different from the simple tourism investment project involving the coastal cliffs and the sea.

Amir and Gilbert's territory, to be honest, was just an average territory, lacking the resources and manpower to block such a difference.

Amir would want to stop this. If so, there was only one way.

Borrowing money from someone with a lot of money.

“Is that really so?”

Amir's smile looked intelligent. After Kale left, he had entered the crown prince's room with Eric and Gilbert at the wine party.

At that time, he had sensed the crown prince's interest in the northeastern coast, despite his reluctance about tourism. That day, Amir, thinking about Kale's words after returning to the mansion, understood their meaning.

“His Highness the Crown Prince was wary of the Wiper Kingdom and the northern kingdoms. I could feel it clearly in our conversation. So I commissioned the information guild to find out.”

Indeed. From Amir's words, Kale sensed that the crown prince and the royal family had noticed the signs of an impending civil war in the Wiper Kingdom and the northern knights gathering their forces.

‘Surprising.’

And Amir's decisiveness was unexpectedly good. Given that Amir's territory was in a poor state, relying heavily on the Wheelman family, the amount of money spent on information from the information guild about a foreign country was significant. His decisiveness to invest that money for one certainty was quite impressive.

Amir, seeing Kale listening quietly, continued,

“I heard that the walls of the Hennitus family's castle are under repair. Given that your territory has always been impenetrable by any danger, I think you would be very interested in military matters.”

Kale nodded at her words and replied,

“I'll try to speak to my father.”

“We will also send a formal request.”

Kale and Amir smiled at each other.

If this naval base were to be established, the northeastern region's control would be in the hands of the four families, including Kale and Eric. And if the Hennitus family contributed money to the construction of the naval base, forming a certain level of practical control, they would gain help in various aspects of the sea, not just military power.

Amir hesitated for a moment and then continued,

“Actually, I'm a bit worried about the whirlpool, but since there are established shipping routes and the whirlpool could be an advantage against foreign invasions, I want to try it.”

Whirlpool. Hearing this, Kale suppressed a smile forming on his lips.

That whirlpool would soon be under his control, moving freely.

‘Maybe I can build a house on the cliff by the sea and enjoy my retirement.’

If he handed over the territory to Basson, it would be difficult to stay within the territory. During the war, he could hide in a corner, and after the war, he could build a mansion in Amir or Gilbert's territory and live by the sea. It would be convenient, being close to the Hennitus family.

“Master Kale, I'm counting on you.”

“Ha-ha, a troublemaker like me? I have no power. I'll just pass on the message.”

Kale waved his hand and smiled. Amir no longer believed his words.

‘Amir, if you have no power, you should be cautious. But if you want power, you must be bold.’

His mother, the head of the house, had said this and approved the naval base. Amir resembled her, trying to be cautious while also being bold. This was also how she dealt with people.

“Just passing on the message is enough.”

Amir extended her hand, and Kale shook it. She let go lightly and added,

“Come visit Ubar next time. There are many places to see.”

“I will if I get the chance.”

The sound of the wind.

It would become Kale's swift feet and a useful whirlpool for defense and attack. Kale thought about the front sea of Ubar territory, where this power would be.

“I hope the opportunity comes soon.”

With that, the carriage arrived at the palace. Kale got out and looked around.

Current time: 8:00 AM.

The capital's Glory Square would have been gathering people for the celebration for the past hour. And at 8:30 AM, the royal knights would control access, and the square would be filled with people.

A time when no one could easily leave or enter. Thirty minutes after that, the celebration would begin, and Kale would start searching for hidden images at 8:30 AM.

Necklaces, bags, pendants.

Various shapes of magic bombs hidden on people. Kale's group would find those people. Well, it didn't matter if they didn't find them. The answers would eventually be revealed.

“Hey, you're here?”

Kale, greeted by Eric and Gilbert, stood beside them with Amir.

“Everyone came early.”

“Yeah, we start moving at 8:05 AM.”

Eric said this and communicated with Kale through his eyes.

Stay quiet, stay quiet today.

Seeing this, Kale nodded and reaffirmed,

I don't know anything.

At that moment, the crown prince appeared before Kale. Today, the noble heirs would follow the crown prince.

Seeing the person next to the crown prince, Kale covered his mouth with his hand. His lips had curled up.

“Goodness.”

“How could this happen?”

Eric's exclamation and the exclamations of the noble heirs around him were heard. But Kale, ignoring them, lowered his hand and looked ahead. His relaxed expression returned, and he met the eyes of the person next to the crown prince.

The abandoned eldest son, Taylor Sten.

He was standing next to Crown Prince Alber on his own two feet. Taylor gave a slight nod to Kale when their eyes met.

At the same time, Kale heard the voice of the black dragon in his head. The black dragon had come to the palace to give a progress report.

-I'm here.

Kale nodded slightly, and the voice continued,

-The magic bombs planted at the location are being deactivated. They will be deactivated by 8:55 AM.

Everything seemed to be going smoothly.

-Then I'm busy, weak human. Use the shield if you feel sick.

After that, the black dragon's voice disappeared. It seemed he had hurried back. The black dragon, who subtly did the work he was asked to do, was someone Kale wanted to keep using.

‘What shield? I don't think I'll need it.’

If everything went as planned, Kale thought he wouldn't need the shield.

“All preparations for departure are complete.”

A knight announced, and the crown prince got into the parade carriage, instructing the noble heirs getting into the plain royal carriages,

“Let's go.”

Kale also got into the royal carriage. The carriage soon started, and Kale, with his arms crossed, had a sullen expression.

“Nice to see you all again after the last banquet.”

Taylor, not in his wheelchair, greeted them.

“Nice to see you. I'm Amir Ubar.”

“…Nice to see you.”

Amir Ubar, and Neo Tolz, the bell of Benyon, were in the same carriage. Was this the crown prince's arrangement?

It was Kale's turn to greet, but he kept his mouth shut and turned his gaze to the window. A troublemaker like him could get away with this much rudeness. He watched the approaching Glory Square with his arms crossed.

The chaos was not far off.