Chapter 16.5

The corners of Venion’s lips started to go up. He was satisfied. After observing Venion, Cale called out to him. “Young master Venion.” Once Venion turned his head, Cale asked him a question. “Are you done?” “...I am.” Cale crouched down. His expensive clothes started to touch the ground. He then looked toward the shaking hands of the old man. ‘It’ll be dangerous if this continues.’ Cale was certain that he heard it. “Huuuuuuuu~.” The sound of Choi Han taking a deep breath. That had to be the sound of him holding back his anger. The moment Cale heard it, he could feel chills on the back of his neck, and felt that if this continued any longer, the one to get beaten to a pulp would not be himself, but Venion. It didn’t matter to him whether or not Venion was beaten to a pulp, but Choi Han could not punch a noble while he was associated with him. Cale put a hand on the old man’s shoulder. Venion’s eyebrow started to twitch. A noble’s hand was on a commoner’s shoulder. “Old man.” The old man seemed to be extremely shocked as he lifted his head to look at Cale. “Y, yes?” Cale casually asked. “Where’s the bar?” “Excuse me?” “Where can I get some delicious alcohol? As you’ve heard, I am trash. I don’t feel refreshed in the morning if I don’t have something to drink. I need to drink to make sure tomorrow is another great day. So.” Cale lifted the old man’s upper body up. Venion, who had been watching Cale, quietly judged Cale and shook his head after hearing Cale mention alcohol. “Lead the way.” Making eye contact with the shaking pupils of the old man, Cale started to frown as he continued. “Are you not going to get up?” The old man hesitated and looked back and forth between Venion and Cale. Cale just ignored him as he got back up and reached out the hand that had been on a commoner’s shoulder toward Venion. “It was nice meeting you today, Young master Venion.” Cale was asking for a handshake. Venion quietly stood there and looked at Cale. At that moment, one of Venion’s servants urgently approached them and whispered quietly to Venion. However, it was loud enough for everyone to hear. “Young master, we have been delayed enough already.” “...Do not interrupt a conversation between nobles.” Venion looked down at his servant without a smile on his face, and the servant quickly bowed. Venion smiled once again as he grabbed Cale’s hand. “I will just be on my way then, as I am very busy.” He then let go. It was a very short handshake. Cale started to smile like a drunk person, as he responded back. “If we happen to meet in the capital, let’s have a drink together.” “...I do not think we would appreciate the same thing, but sure.” Venion’s smile was lukewarm. Cale decided to do something big to finish this conversation. “Yes. Based on our interaction today, it truly looks like only young master Venion deserves to be the future patriarch of the Stan family. You are a very cool person.” Patriarch. That word made Venion’s eyes get cloudy. As Cale expected, Venion started to smile brightly once again, and offered praises for Cale as well. “Young master Cale is also a very interesting and free-spirited person. Let us meet again in the future.” ‘No. I have no desire to see you ever again. Even if I do, it will be from far, far away.’ Cale hid his true feelings and nodded his head. Venion quickly got back on his carriage, as if he was truly busy, and disappeared. Cale watched the carriage disappear before patting Choi Han’s shoulder. “Half of the nobles are like that.” Choi Han’s shoulders flinched at Cale’s words, but Cale was already crouching in front of the old man again. “Old man. You can’t get up? Did you hurt your leg?” Pat pat. Cale inspected the old man’s body as he said that. He did not seem to be injured. Cale started to observe the man with a confused expression. He then called Choi Han over. “Choi Han.” Instead of responding, Choi Han just looked at the back of the crouching Cale. “You take this old man home.” “N, no, I am okay. That bar you were talking about.” “No need. I’m not in the mood to drink.” Cale stopped the old man from trying to lead him to a bar, and looked toward Choi Han, who was standing next to him. “Since you saved him, might as well do it all the way and take him safely back home.” Choi Han’s mouth opened and closed a couple of times, but he could not say anything. At that moment, the old man’s voice filled Cale’s ears. “My place sells alcohol.” “Hmm? Old man, your place was a bar?” Cale’s eyes showed that he was really surprised. The old man awkwardly smiled, but continued to speak in a slightly more relaxed expression. “Yes, sir. It is this village’s only inn. It has a bar and a restaurant as well.” “Since it is the only inn, that must be the best place. Hans!” Even without Cale saying anything else, Hans quickly approached the old man and helped him up, before starting to ask about the inn. Once the two of them started to move, things started to get rowdy around them. Ron quickly approached Cale and brushed the dirt off Cale’s clothes. The Vice Captain and the rest of the group headed toward the village entrance. The only people left there were Cale and Choi Han. “...Cale-nim.” “What?” “Are you not angry?” “About what?” Choi Han hesitated for a moment, and could not continue speaking. Cale shrugged his shoulders as he started to speak. “The fact that he looked down on me? Or how he made such an unbelievable statement to you? How he almost killed that old man and, instead of apologizing, said that he was an obstacle?” Cale’s voice was calm and firm. He did not seem angry at all. In fact, it sounded indifferent. Cale continued to speak. “Do you have to keep moving when you see someone in front of you? Why didn’t you try to avoid him? Don’t you see that you could have hurt the old man? How can you casually say that a person was an obstacle when you almost killed him?” Choi Han paid attention to Cale, who was looking at a faraway mountain range. At the same time, he made sure to listen to Cale’s every word. Cale continued to speak firmly. “Venion, why is the old man apologizing to you? You should properly apologize to him.” Cale could speak like Choi Han, and there were times he wanted to do that. But. “I am not someone who can speak like that. Nor do I want to. I’m also not that angry.” But this was not the time. Cale knew that this was one of the things that made Choi Han look cool, but he did not want to look cool like that. The old man wasn’t injured, and he didn’t do anything that would get the blade pointed toward his family. The fact that he himself looked bad would be beneficial to Basen, so it was good anyways. “Also.” Cale was someone who always returned the favor, no matter how long it took. If someone looked down on him or does something to him, he will always get his revenge. “That bastard will probably soon be kicked out of his house.” “...Huh?” Choi Han could tell that the bastard Cale was referring to was Venion. That was why Choi Han showed a rare shocked expression on his face, as he looked toward Cale. Cale had a mischievous smile on his face. The two kittens, who were approaching him silently, halted their movement. Cale’s smile grew larger as he continued to look toward the mountain to the right of the village. He thought to himself the thing he could not tell Choi Han. ‘I plan on snatching that bastard’s dragon.’ Once the dragon is gone, Venion will have to face the wrath of the Marquis, and would have a new obstacle in his way of becoming the family patriarch. Shouldn’t someone who doesn’t know when to stop on the road face at least one obstacle? Cale was willing to put a large obstacle in Venion’s way. Of course, it would be done in secret. He casually spoke to Choi Han, who was looking at him with curiosity. “If you’re curious, you can help me out.” “Whatever it is, I definitely want to help.” Choi Han started to smile as well. It was a pretty evil smile for such a good-natured person, but the kittens were intrigued by that smile as well. Cale looked toward the mountain that was supposed to blow up in three days time, and started to mumble. The fact that he was looked down upon by Venion, as well as the blood on Venion’s sleeves and the sight of the old man bowing to Venion were all still on Cale’s mind. “You won’t regret it.” He will be able to pay him back for it. “You definitely won’t regret it.”