Chapter 56: Currently Thinking (4)
Cale felt all the gazes focus on him, and slowly got up.
He was cheering Witira on after watching her send Toonka flying, but he urgently let out his shield because he did not want the knights to get hurt.
Because of that, the inside of the shield was created toward Cale instead of the knights. Thankfully, the knights did not get hurt, but he had just ended up unintentionally saving Toonka.
Cale seemed calm as he stood up, but his legs were numb from crouching for too long.
“Ah.”
Cale frowned as he stood up. He stumbled because his left leg was numb.
“Young master Cale!”
Amiru rushed over with a shocked expression. Paseton, who was also shocked, grabbed onto Cale’s arm. However, Cale pushed Paseton away and stood up straight. Amiru had an urgent expression as she rushed over to Cale.
“Young master Cale! You didn’t need to use your strength! Why did you do it?”
Why? It wasn’t like Cale wanted to do it.
But it would make things complicated if the investigation squad was injured. Thanks to Cale, it was just a small issue, but if Toonka had hurt the knights of the territory, things would get much bigger. Cale could not let that happen because Toonka had to return to the Whipper Kingdom at the right time.
‘Otherwise, I would lose out.’
Amiru inspected Cale with concern and disappointment.
“And why are you completely drenched like this? Are you okay? You are in recovery right now, what will you do if you catch a cold?! Young master Cale! You really!”
Amiru’s words made Paseton and Witira flinch. This was especially true for Witira, who bit down on her lips and inspected Cale as well. She recalled how her tail had drenched Cale earlier, and thought about the expression on his face when he had looked up while crouching earlier.
At that moment, Cale started to speak to the three of them. His voice was slow and seemed to be very tired.
“Isn’t it fine since nobody got hurt?”
His voice lacked any warmth, as if he was frustrated. He definitely was frustrated. His drenched clothes did not feel comfortable, and he wanted to get away from these troublemakers and get some rest now.
Paseton lowered his head while Witira looked around. She could see the shoreline that she had destroyed just a few moments ago, and bit down on her lips once again. Amiru hesitated for a moment before starting to speak.
“...Young master Cale, it is really difficult to understand you. Very difficult.”
Cale just shut up after seeing that a similar situation to the plaza incident was about to happen again. Everything was annoying.
Amiru turned away from Cale and looked toward the two Whale Tribe members. Her gaze toward them was calm, yet angry.
“And who are you?”
This was part of the Roan Kingdom, but this was her family’s territory. Amiru had no intentions of letting such an incident that happened in the Ubarr territory go.
“And Bob.”
Amiru glared sharply at Toonka, who was blankly standing off to the side.
“Who are you?”
None of the three answered Amiru’s question. Toonka seemed to be worried about something, while Paseton was thinking about what to say. As for Witira, she could only lower her head after seeing what she had done.
At that moment, Amiru heard a noise.
“Achoo!”
Cale’s nose was itchy and made him sneeze. He pushed back the hair that fell on his face before looking up. He didn’t care about anything in front of his eyes and ignored all of the gazes that were focused on him before speaking normally.
“Let’s go back first.”
Nobody could say no to him.
***
Cale explained the entire situation before coming out of Amiru’s residence and looking at the three people behind him. Witira, Paseton, and Toonka. He then made eye contact with Amiru, who was coming out behind them.
She took a look at Cale before sternly speaking to Toonka.
“You must leave by tomorrow. You should be thankful that all you are getting for punishment is being banished from our territory.”
Amiru had demanded that Toonka leave her territory by tomorrow. It was because it became blatantly obvious that he was not a fisherman, as well as because he was the cause of the battle.
“The two of you will receive similar punishment if you cause any more issues within my territory.”
The Whale siblings bowed toward Amiru with calm expressions. Cale observed the two siblings who were hiding that they were related to the Whale King, before turning his head.
“Young master Cale, you seem to be catching a cold, so please head on inside.”
“I will.”
Amiru’s gaze became sharp as she turned back to look at Toonka.
“You return our generosity with such actions.”
Cale gently started to speak.
“That is why you are banishing him.”
Toonka’s banishment. That was what Cale had told Amiru to do.
“Young master Cale, you really…”
Amiru had heard from Paseton about how Cale had saved his life, as well as how Cale had no fault, but ended up getting dragged into the mess.
“Young lady Amiru, it was not much.”
Cale had a gentle expression on his face.
- Didn’t you ask me if I could defeat Toonka?
As usual, Cale just ignored the Black Dragon.
After telling Amiru multiple times that he was okay, Cale turned his gaze toward Toonka. Toonka had been staring at Cale as well. Toonka had a blank expression for a while now, no, it was more of a complicated expression.
Ancient power.
It was the only type of power that the non-mages, who focused on physical strength, accepted as strength. It was because they considered it a blessing for someone’s power to be passed down through generations.
Cale was looking at Toonka with no specific emotion.
He was a crazy bastard who ended up becoming a hero, but also showed signs of self-destruction in volume 5.
The Whales approached Cale, and Witira cautiously asked.
“Is it really okay for us to go with you?”
“It’s not like you have somewhere to go. I can give you a place to stay for a night.”
Cale got on the carriage and ordered the Whale siblings to follow. He then closed the carriage door and started to think.
At least Toonka will be going back to the Whipper Kingdom.
Cale, no, Kim Rok Soo’s style was to not create a deep relationship with someone he could not communicate with. This was different than avoiding someone because things could get complicated.
‘Do I need to contact the crown prince?’
How would the crown prince react if Cale said they should bring back the honey-filled hive left in the Whipper Kingdom? He could anticipate the crown prince’s response because they were similar people.
The crown prince would be very happy.
Cale was dreaming of bringing that hive back and living a nice relaxing life in the future.
Cale had to greet deputy butler Hans, Beacrox, the Vice Captain, the ten Wolf children, On, and Hong once he got back.
Hans had originally approached Cale normally before dropping his jaws after seeing the Whale siblings. He then quickly caught himself and started to approach Cale again.
“Young master-nim, are you okay? I heard about what happened.”
“I’m okay. Oh, and show these two people to a room.”
Cale pushed the two Whale siblings to Hans before turning to look at Beacrox. Beacrox, who was dressed flawlessly, as usual, started to frown once he took a look at Cale. Seeing Cale looking like a mess with the boulder dust and dried sea water, Beacrox turned toward Maes and started to speak.
“Heat up the water.”
“Got it.”
Maes calmly responded before approaching Cale.
“Young master-nim, I heard you were dragged into their battle and almost got hurt.”
Cale looked toward Maes, as well as the other Wolf children who were watching him, and casually answered.
“Not at all. There was no chance that I would get hurt.”
“... I understand.”
The extremely bright and pure Wolf children were calm, unlike their usual selves. Cale just brushed it aside and continued to watch the children, who quickly rushed away to heat up the bath water, before looking back at Beacrox. Beacrox started to speak as soon as they made eye contact.
“Young master-nim, please wash up first.”
Cale could see that Beacrox could not stand Cale’s dirtiness, and so he just nodded his head. He tried to head to the bath but a voice called out to him.
“Young master-nim.”
“What is it?”
It was Paseton and Witira. Paseton was the one who called for him, but Witira was the first to speak.
“May we visit you after you have rested for a bit?”
The Whale King. As they were his children, these two were pretty much of the same rank as the kingdom’s royalty. However, the two of them were hiding the fact that they were related to the Whale King. Honestly speaking, there was no reason to hide it. It wasn’t like the humans would know that they were royalty. It was rare to find a person who even knew about the existence of Whale people.
“Come tomorrow.”
Cale answered curtly before turning around. He could hear the Black Dragon’s voice in his head. The Black Dragon had a lot to say since earlier.
- You sneezed! Will you be able to move tonight? Shouldn’t you get some rest? Why are you so weak that I have to worry so much?! Human! It is so frustrating!
‘I’m the one who is frustrated.’
Cale decided to use the fact that nobody believed that he was completely healthy to his advantage. He told everyone not to come to him tonight because he needed rest, before speaking to the Black Dragon.
“Let’s go.”
“...I’ll listen for now.”
On and Hong sent them off as Cale headed to the Ubarr islands with the Black Dragon.
Today was the day he needed to extend these whirlpools’ lifespans to last for another year.
- I do not know why you are doing this when you are not well. This intelligent dragon brain of mine cannot understand.
Cale casually responded to the grumblings of a 4-year-old.
“It has to be done today.”
The territory’s mages would arrive tomorrow, making it more difficult to move. He had to take care of that puddle water and the whirlpool today.
Cale could see that there were still lights on the central island and landed on an island farther away. This was the location of the second strongest whirlpool, well, now the strongest whirlpool.
“Sigh.”
He then let out a sigh.
- Why is that punk swimming over here? Wait, why is that punk even here? I do not understand.
Cale could hear the Black Dragon’s anxious voice. There was nobody on the island that Cale and the Black Dragon landed on. However, there was someone in the whirlpool in front of the island.
It was such a turbulent whirlpool that it was impossible to see the person inside while up in the air.
“He must really be a lunatic.”
It was a dark night, as the moon had just finished its cycle. Cale started to think after seeing Toonka, who had jumped into the whirlpool on such a night. Cale wanted to know just what that crazy bastard was thinking.
At that moment, Toonka jumped out of the whirlpool and rushed over to the island.
“I knew it! I knew it!”
Toonka kept his gaze on Cale as he approached closer.
“I knew you weren’t just an average person. I knew I smelled a strong person nearby. Are you a mage? How did you fly across the sky?”
Toonka’s eyes started to shake after saying the word mage. His plan was to fight Cale if he said that he was a mage, and kill Cale if he was weak. Toonka was someone who thought that mages were a poison to the world. He continued to quickly walk toward Cale.
“Are you ignoring me because you are a fancy pants mage? Hmm?”
Toonka could see Cale letting out a sigh. Cale looked toward him before casually answering.
“I am thinking.”
Cale was thinking about how to deal with this stupid fool.
‘Do I put him in place or put him to use?’
That was what Cale was thinking about. Cale observed Toonka, who seemed to want to rush over and attack him.
“What are you thinking about that you are ignoring me?”
Cale finished thinking the moment Toonka said those final words. He then immediately acted.
‘Let’s do both.’
Boom!
“Ugh!”
Toonka, who was not prepared, got blown away and landed in the water. A whirlpool was surrounding Toonka’s body.
“What is going on?!”
Toonka, who had a high magic resistance, found it difficult to deal with this wind. The endlessly swirling wind and water from the sea sucked Toonka in like a swamp.
Cale created whirlpools in both of his hands as he approached Toonka.
Splash. Splash.
The sound of Cale stepping into the water could be heard.
He then looked down at Toonka, who was sucked into the sea by the sudden attack. No matter how tall someone was, there would always be a chance to look down at them.
“Mages cannot have ancient powers.”
Toonka could feel the wind around him disappear as he looked up at Cale.
“Bob, a warrior like you should understand what I mean, right?”
A power that was passed down from a human who created that power.
Toonka had heard about ancient powers, but this was his first time seeing one in action. He remained silent for a while before finally starting to speak.
“...Then you are not a mage?”
“Correct.”
Toonka asked another question after hearing Cale’s stern, yet very clear response.
“Then how do you know about the non-mage faction?”
Toonka found this noble in front of him to be weirder the more he ran into him.
‘Yes. He’s a weird one.’
This noble did not care that he was not using formal language with him. He was also someone who worked hard to save others when he was ill. This was also the weirdo who had a scent of a strong person around him, even though he himself was not strong.
Someone who continued to reveal unique powers every time he saw him. He was also someone who tried to save him.
This was Toonka’s first time seeing such a person.
However, Cale’s continued words shocked Toonka once more.
Cale did not answer Toonka’s question. Instead, he asked a question of his own.
“Do you have any thoughts about destroying the Magic Tower?”
“What? What did you say?”
Toonka’s eyes opened widely in shock. His expression seemed to be asking how Cale knew about it.
Destroying the Magic Tower. That was one of the goals of the non-mage faction from the beginning. Cale continued to speak.
“If you plan to do so, please do not destroy it too much.”
Toonka subconsciously let out his thoughts.
“...Crazy bastard, what are you talking about?”
“Ah, but please kick out all of the mages.”
Toonka could finally make a determination about Cale after hearing what Cale had to say. Cale started to smile while looking at Toonka.
The non-mages who win the Civil War lead the Whipper Kingdom to grow before it quickly breaks down. Although natural instincts took down the rationality known as magic, an existence without rationality would be no better than an animal.
Cale’s plan was to take control of the benefits that those animals will end up missing.
“I plan to purchase that Magic Tower. What do you think?”
Toonka started to smile as he looked up at Cale.
“What a crazy bastard.”
Toonka had made up his mind about Cale.