Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

There is a cost associated with everything. If you don't give up anything of equal value, you'll never obtain anything.

Does that mean so is my happiness too?

Cale Henituse sat motionless on the freezing ground, his gaze locked on the moon, which shone clearly above the bodies scattered everywhere. In his palms are items that he acquired from the dead bodies that are no longer identifiable.

The hunters have emerged from the shadows after years of fighting, and the demonic race has nearly wiped out the human race. Everything had turned out to be a tragedy because of a miscalculation.

Cale clutched the three gold coins he'd given each of his three children before they went to war. The white spear of his sworn brother was coated with blood, and there was a portion of Choi Han's robe on the floor, as well as other items from his family.

His family was successful in eliminating all of the enemies, but due to a miscalculation, they lost their life. He was protected from the blow by a number of shields, including the bodies of his family.

Shields were shattered in every direction.

His family was, too.

They used their bodies to cover him.

They were victorious in the war... but at what cost?

He is, without a doubt, the world's last human.

Cale Henituse laughed, causing a surge of misery to his already-injured lungs.

He laughed out loud over and over, hoping that one of his family members would wake up and tell him to stop.

'Cale...' whispered the super rock in his thoughts, mournful.

As the sun eventually started to rise, signifying that it was morning, tears flowed down his bloodied face, and his hysterical laughter boomed throughout the barren battlefield.

The sun was supposed to be a sign that he had already achieved the life he desired, but all it means is that his family is no longer at his side to bask in the warmth of the sunlight.

It is possible to go back in time, Cale.

Cale touched the golden bracelet Eruhaben had given him in an attempt to soothe his worries and heard a familiar voice.

The God of Death was pained by the sight of his favorite child looking in a trance at the unending road. He frowned at how dead and blank the other man's stare was, devoid of any soul. The normal glint of mischief in the redhead's eyes was no longer there.

My heartfelt condolences on your loss, my child.

Cale didn't care what the God of Death was saying in his head; all he wanted was to rest with his family. He's already thinking of taking his own life right then and there. He grabbed the gold coins and the golden bracelet he was carrying even tighter when he learned it was possible to reunite with them again.

Cale spoke quietly as he pleaded desperately, his voice shaking as he continued, "Bring me back please, bring me back to my family." His tiredness was obvious on his face as he exhaled deeply.

As you wish. Get the life that you deserve.

Cale saw the sky start to fracture as it all fell apart, a blinding light flashed before his eyes as he felt a hole consume his body, and he gradually sunk until all he could see was darkness.

‘Cale…? Cale, it's time for you to get up.'

Cale opened his eyes to a soft remark from the glutton. Based on what he's seeing, he's currently in the forest of darkness. He was lying over a tree root when he sat up to straighten his clothes.

In a stupor, he glanced up at the calm sky, attempting to keep the tears from welling up in his eyes.

'What are your plans now?' The super rock inquired.

Cale said with a fatigued tone, "I'll have to see the king first, he already knows about the hunters at this time."

He still couldn't get the picture of his family who had died attempting to protect him out of his mind; it was like a broken record in his memory, with the events of his previous life replaying like a broken record.

Perhaps this time he will save Raon and bring him to the Castle of Light, where he will be safe. He'll be on a difficult path, and if at all possible, he wants the three people he considers his children to live in peace. He'll provide a home for the two cats to live comfortably apart from their tribe.

But, on the other hand, he's the only one who can keep the three safe. Allowing them to remain by his side is the safest option, given his current strength surpassing that of the dragons.

Cale chuckled painfully, the memory of the golden dragon dying right in front of his eyes plaguing him. He recalls the golden dragon nagging him to learn how to control mana. The battle was approaching, and they would need all of the power they could have to win.

Cale let out a long sigh before altering his look. The long red hair has been changed by a black color similar to Choi Han's. He chose not to change the color of his eyes since Raon once told him that it looked good on him, and he didn't want to be severely disguised when he finally sets out to save the tiny dragon. Before heading out towards the Roan Kingdom, he covered himself in a black robe.

If his assumptions are accurate, the original Cale must be present in this world, as he arrived in the forest of darkness rather than possessing the body of the original.

"Haaa... how exhausting." His surroundings shifted with a flick of his fingers as he transported to the King's room.

Cale stood in front of the King, who was accompanied by a swordmaster and lifted both hands in submission, indicating that he meant no harm to the king. He looked the other man in the eyes and spoke formally. "Your Majesty, I respectfully want a private audience with you."

"And why is that?" Zed Crossman asked, frowning and motioning with his hand for his swordmaster to withdraw his blade.

“Organization. Hunters. Thames." Before speaking in a quiet voice, Cale enclosed themselves with a soundproof barrier.

When Zed heard the three words spoken by the man in black robes in front of him, his eyes widened and his eyebrows knitted together. He'll have to admit that he was taken aback when someone broke through the barriers placed by a mage and entered his chamber.

But, seeing that the other man had done no harm, Zed gave him a brief nod and signaled for him to go on.

Cale shrugged off his robes and glanced at the other man, whose mouth was agape wide.

“Jour…?" The blonde man was taken aback, and he muttered something incomprehensible.

When Zed saw the man's hair was black rather than red, he shook his head. However, he resembled his friend's son, who was said to be trash. His hair, on the other hand, is longer than that of the Cale Henituse he is familiar with.

Cale found it almost amusing how the man responded to his appearance; even the swordmaster beside the king was perplexed. He left the room, however, when he realized their conversation would be kept confidential.

To screw with the king even more, he took off his disguise completely, revealing his natural red hair while the black threads of his hair gradually faded away.

"Cale Henituse, I'm her son 12 years from the future." He sighed, a strand of his hair tucked behind his ear.

Zed hastily collected his thoughts. He can now recognize the resemblance between his old friend and her son now that the disguise is gone. He did state he's 12 years in the future, so that puts him 30 years old, given that Cale Henituse is currently 18 years old. But, regardless of how you look at it, the man does not appear to be in his thirties. He even appears to be younger than eighteen.

Because of the man's exhausted face, which looks as if he has suffered greatly from many battles, the man in front of him seemed to have lived for over a thousand years, and his eyes reflected the eyes of someone who simply wishes to rest for eternity.

He is someone Zed would call a war veteran. 

Just what happened in the future that caused you to be on the point of self-destruction?

Chapter Text

Is this how the alleged trash young master has always been? He even broke through the barriers that surrounded his quarters!

"If you don't believe me, we can prove it by contacting this time's Cale Henituse and showing that we are not the same person." Cale glanced at him with a blank expression on his face. "I can also offer you anything for a blood test."

After that, he still has to save On and Hong, and then Raon. It will be exhausting, but the results will be rewarding; he will also need to determine whether the ancient powers are still present in this world. 

'Cale, I'm afraid it's already gone. We already fused with them the instant we arrived in this world,' the glutton replied in his head.

Haaa... I'm too lazy to collect it in the first place.

Cale finally gave up when the other guy looked at him in disbelief and said, "I know you will pass your throne to one of your sons soon enough and look for the hunters."

"How?" Zed flinched as he immediately jerked his head to face the stranger.

He spoke solemnly as he said the word "Future."

He's becoming increasingly agitated as time passes. Cale is eager to depart as soon as possible in order to locate his three children.

Cale observed the other man was deep in contemplation and waited there calmly waiting for him to gather his thoughts and respond.

They exchanged silent looks for about a minute before the blonde responded.

"Very well, I believe you."

"It seems weird, I agree," he breathed sharply as he re-draped himself in the robes. The reason he went to the king first was so that he could move around freely without being bothered by the kingdom.

He considered telling his hyung-nim, but he doesn't want to overburden the other man with the amount of information he'll be throwing at him.

"Given how casual you are with me, I assume we will have a deep relationship in the future?" Zed finally appeared to be at ease in the presence of the man. He reclined back in his chair, motioning for the redhead to take a seat.

‘That is some gay shit right there!' the Retrogressive Water exclaimed. 

'Oh my...' said the Sound of the Wind, startled.

Cale sat slouching in a chair with his eyes focused. "First, you didn't want me to get involved in whatever crazy shit you were planning."

"However, as time went on, you almost dragged me around with you, nagging me to do your stacks of papers. You remind me of Hyung-nim in several ways."

Zed chuckled at the man; he can tell that this man is a genius and trustworthy because his future self constantly nagged the other man to complete his paperwork. If he doesn't trust someone enough, he would never ask them to do his own task.

The redhead's following comments perplexed him. “Hyung-nim?"

"Oh, that's your first child." Cale answered, his chin resting on the backs of his hands, with a trace of grief in his voice, "Alberu Crossman, my sworn brother."

Zed was taken aback and stared at him, speechless.

"When the Roan Kingdom became an Empire, his paperwork increased by a factor of two. Cale groaned again, recalling the occasions when Alberu would come knocking on his windows and invite him to their unique bonding called signing thousands of paperwork.

He would've allowed his hyung-nim to stay still and do his paperwork for him if he'd known it was the last time they'd have their special bonding.

"Empire..." Zed shook his head in surprise once more. He feels that his brain will soon ascend to the heavens due to the amount of knowledge he has to comprehend.

"Empire indeed," Cale said with a melancholy smile.

"Then what is your position...?"

“Supreme Commander. I did retire but I—”

"All fine, we'll talk about these kinds of details later. I'd like to ask you a question,"

Zed scratched his temples, his face flushed with stress. He was taken aback when he learned of the young man's position, but it just strengthened his conviction that he was dealing with a genius. Who would have guessed that the alleged trashy young master of Henituse County could be the ultimate strategist and commander?

"Why are you staring at me as if I'm dead? What drew you back to the past?" Zed inquired solemnly. When they were talking about what had happened previously, he noted how the other man would try to avoid his sight from time to time, especially discussing his oldest kid. He noticed how the redhead would rub his fingers together as if he was trying to relax. 

"It's because you did die," Cale clenched his teeth and reacted harshly, attempting to prevent the flood of memories that washed over him like a wave. The man died before them and before drawing his last breath, the man entrusted his hope to eradicate the hunters to Cale.

"I'm the last person alive. All allied continents were annihilated, and the Roan Empire was the next to fall." Cale answered coldly, scratching his palms with his nails to keep his sweaty fingers from trembling.

As the other man continued, Zed realized he was holding his breath, and he shook in horror at the young man's remarks. "This is..... There's a lot to process."

The fall of the Roan Empire is enough to make him shiver with terror. Knowing that the young man in front of him was the last person to live just adds to his fear.

Cale regretfully looked at him, realizing that he shouldn't have entrusted all of his troubles to the other guy.

"No, no," Zed said as he spotted his expression. I'm not blaming you; on the contrary, I should be grateful."

Cale glanced down, his heart aching for the loss of his family members. "I came back to alter it," he said.

"I understand," the blonde said with a nod. "Do what you have to do. I'll assist you in securing your place in the kingdom."

Cale was motioned to collect a bag of gold coins that Zed had placed on the table. The least he can do to protect their kingdom's future is to assist the young man in the shadows.

Cale smiled at him and said, "I'll send you the details tomorrow." He stood up and changed his hair color back to black.

"Get some rest, I'm sure you need it," Zed sighed, he feels as if his age has doubled as a result of what he'd just discovered.

Their future is doomed, and there are numerous imminent wars, which is enough to put Zed under pressure. But it was nothing compared to what the other man had seen in the future. It will be difficult, but he is heartened by the fact that the young man has traveled back in time to assist them.

“Oh… actually, I just finished battling th—” Cale blinked and tilted his head at him, but his remarks were stopped short when the blonde man waved his hand, signaling he didn't want to hear anything.

Cale wants to smack him across the face with a rock because he keeps interrupting him.

"Haa... I'm sure you're going to say something ridiculous again. Just get some rest, and we'll speak about it later," Zed said, palming himself in the face and shaking his head. The redhead has clearly been through so much that he can just simply say frightening things with a blank expression.

"Well, if you say so," Cale shrugged his shoulders as he walked towards the door.

"Also, make sure to secure Hyung-nim's position as the future king," he said, his smile so dazzling it almost blinded Zed. He, on the other hand, simply nodded in defeat.

Cale walked through the doors and was greeted by a familiar blonde and a swordmaster. His hands trembled as he tried to suppress the vision in his head; the sight of Choi Han's body covered in blood and his guts spilling out made him want to vomit.

He shakily inhaled deeply as he drew the hood of his robes even lower, attempting to conceal his face.

Zed, of course, was aware of this. "Enter and close the doors."

Cale shifted his gaze to thank him. He hurriedly tried to withdraw from their sight so he slid in between the two other men who were blocking the exit. As he moved away, he could feel their eyes on his back.

His pulse raced as he gathered his thoughts; the Alberu of this world already has Choi Han as his instructor, confirming his suspicions that he had come to the Birth of the Hero and not his own world.

He feels lonely and hopeless. They feel so close to him, yet Cale, for some reason, feels so far away.

Chapter Text

Cale dashed through the alleys, using all of the shortcuts he knew to get to the two kids as quickly as possible. It was fortunate that he used to explore every nook and cranny of their kingdom for any suspicious spies. They were so determined to put an end to the battle that they searched the entire kingdom for any possible enemies.

He has already sought the assistance of his Wind Elemental in his search for the children.

Cale grimaced as he proceeded on his way, careless about whether he tripped over a pebble or not. He was able to move faster by combining the sound of the wind with the stealth techniques he learnt from Ron.

They taught each other everything they knew, ensuring that if any of them were to become separated, they would have a good chance of surviving.

He ran and ran, oblivious to the fact that his legs were burning and that he had strained himself so hard that he was beginning to feel the consequences of his actions. His appearance may have altered, but the exhaustion he felt after returning from the war not long ago remains the same.

He can cast a teleportation spell to get to them faster, but he has no idea where On and Hong are right now.

Cale can see the beautiful tree where one of his ancient powers used to reside from afar. He inhaled deeply as he accelerated his pace, bouncing from roof to roof to get a better view of the ground.

As he struggled to regain his composure, he rubbed the golden bracelet around his wrist. Choi Han's arrival with his hyung-nim in the palace can only signify one of two things. Choi Han either eventually defeated the dragon who wreaked havoc, or his arrival prompted some events to shift on their own.

It's absurd, but he sincerely hopes it's the latter part.

But he was fully aware that it was not the case.

He hasn't spoken to either of them yet, so he can't make any changes.

Fuck. Has he already made a mistake?

In panic, he grasped his chest and grabbed his other wrist's golden bracelet. Dread gripped him from head to toe, and he felt his entire body turn cold. He closed his eyes and tried not to worry too much, instead, he started filling his mind with good memories of his three children.

Right now, he’s all alone. 

The world feels empty without a child’s voice calling out ‘human’. 

It's frighteningly cold without the warmth of his children's bodies nearby.

When he looked down, he noticed a silver and red color that he recognized. Cale was saddened and angered when he saw two children coated in mud and laying down in an alley, their clothes ragged.

With the help of the wind, he leaped off a roof safely and landed a few feet away from the children. When he observed their current situation, he wanted to run up and hug them even more. But he didn't want to terrify them, because they didn't know who he was.

They don't even know who he was. Cale feels as though the hole in his chest has grown larger, and he is much more lonely than before.

He feels helpless. 

He wants someone to help him get rid of the overflowing sadness inside him for the first time in his life.

His two children were shivering from the cold.

He had assured his children that they would never again have to suffer from the bitter cold. He told them that he would keep them warm forever in his embrace.

Cale no longer cared if anyone saw him, so he removed the robe off his body and draped it over the two children.

On sensed this and flinched as she opened her eyes. She shook her brother's body to stir him up, thinking that if they could get out quickly enough, they could make it.

Cale could tell what she was thinking because he has spent so much time with them that he can read their actions easily. He smiled pleasantly at the two, despite his sorrowful heart.

“Would you like to eat something?"

On feels like that the man in front of her is very sad. It’s suffocatingly sad that it confuses her. 

Why is he sad? 

Hong finally awoke, just in time to hear what the other man had to say. While attempting to protect his older sister, he hissed at the feminine-looking male and attempted to get away.

Cale took a shaky deep breath, his smile remaining unfazed despite the conflicting emotions he's experiencing.

"I'm not going to do anything bad to you. I'll just treat you and provide you with a cozy place to stay to keep you warm. After that, you can do whatever you want," he said calmly, taking a few steps backwards to make the two kids feel more at ease.

The moment he reached out to them, On felt warm. She's not sure if they were calmed by the robes covering them or by the man's presence alone.

She will trust this man completely for the sake of her brother. On doesn't want her sibling to die from starvation. They can take down the man in front of them if he tries to harm them because he appears to be someone ordinary, “Alright.”

Cale murmured loudly enough for them to hear, "You can poison me if I do anything to make you uncomfortable."

Given their circumstances, he doesn't want any of his children to trust anyone blindly. He can't have them trusting someone just because they want to offer them food if they decided to live for themselves and not follow him.

What…?

On scowled at the man, was he willing to go to such lengths to get them to a safe location? Nonetheless, she can't imagine harming the other man. She considered doing what he said, but no matter what she does, she can't imagine making the man writhe in agony due to their poisonous fog.

“How did you know that we can use poison, mister?” Nobody but them knows they can use poison, so Hong questioned.

Cale bitterly smiled as he motioned for the two to follow him. "I know two kids from your tribe back then, they were like my own children."

"How did you figure out we're from the fog cat tribe?" They were both taken aback and asked.

Because I recognize my children even from afar.

“I know one when I see one.”

“Where are they right now?" On asked. 

Cale felt his insides twisting as the two children's questions continued to pile up, but he stood up straight and calmly answered their concerns. 

“They’re living in my memories.” 

On and Hong's eyes widened as they realized that they shouldn't pursue the topic any further.

Both siblings came to a complete stop as they peered into each other's eyes. Both of them appear to be aware of the grief lingering on the man's body.

Cale kept walking even though he knew the two had stopped following him; it was up to them whether or not they wanted to follow him. He made an effort not to stagger by walking slowly, and so that the two children can still catch up to him.

The warmth they had felt earlier began to fade as they watched the black-haired man walk away from them. Their senses were telling them to follow the man and comfort him.

“Noona, I don’t know why, but I feel very sad for him. Should we watch him?" While watching the other man walk away from them, Hong gently tugged his sister's shirt.

On nodded in agreement before transforming into her cat form and running towards the man, Hong trailing close after.

Despite her best efforts to reject it, she feels at ease in the presence of the man. He is sad, which makes her unhappy as well. Did the man adore the kids from their tribe to the point where he was devastated when they died?

She looked up as she walked alongside the man, noting the man's solemn expression. He may be emotionless on the outside, but she has the impression that he is suffering silently on the inside and no one can help him with it. 

On feels sorry for the man because at least she has her brother Hong. She has the feeling that the man standing next to her has no one to lead him out of the darkness. She has the impression that everyone who could help him see the light again has vanished from this world.

Cale stared in a daze at the endless road before him with a heavy heart in his chest. His children might be beside him but he still feels trapped alone in the cold dark where his past resides. 

It just doesn't feel the same.

Chapter Text

Cale feels it's ironic that he wants the wind to whisk him away when he was the one who pleaded to bring him back to his family.

He is even more saddened by the gentle breeze. It's odd that the fragrance of the battlefield from their previous battle soothes him more than the wind he's breathing right now.

He didn't seem to mind the strong wind as he sprinted towards where the black dragon is. With the two children following him and occasionally staring at him as if they were wondering about him, his heart doesn't feel like it's bleeding to the point of bursting anytime soon.

Cale relished the sense of security that the small two children provided. It may not be much, but at the very least he's rediscovering his motivation for traveling back in time.

They are not the same people as his previous family.

At the very least, they serve as a reminder that he was given another chance to make a difference.

Cale will desperately cling to the remaining fragments of his family that has been given to him, even if it isn't much.

“Mister, where are we going?" Hong asked beside him. 

Cale moved his gaze slowly to the child, a tired expression on his face. Despite his exhaustion, he made an effort to lift the corners of his lips and smile fondly at his child, "We are going to save a baby dragon."

On could see the sweat building on the other man's face when she stared at him with worry. He appeared to be exceedingly exhausted, far too fatigued for a person of his age. His face appeared to be noble as well; weren't nobles fortunate with enough money to enjoy the finer things in life?

She believes there's more to it than the deaths of their tribe's two children.

She may be a child, but she recognizes when a man simply wants to rest in peace. It's a sight she recognizes from the faces of the elderly, who have lived long enough to have experienced all of life's pleasures.

This man is different in some aspects, he looks like he wants to rest in peace because he can’t handle whatever suffering or torment he was feeling.

On wants to give him a big embrace and tell him she understands.

She could sense, though, that the young man is attempting to reach out to them while also attempting to distance himself.

Cale silently let out an anguished laugh. He can feel the child attempting to figure him out in silence since On was far too perceptive for her own good.

Cale whispered softly, "Don't think too much about what I said earlier; just concentrate on yourselves first."

As he approaches the location where the black dragon is held captive, he notices that his body is becoming heavier than it was before.

He tries not to be pessimistic, but the terror that is rising up inside him is too strong to ignore.

Cale dragged his foot with him, forcing himself to keep running despite his body's pleas to slow down and rest. 

He's almost there; he won't stop until he feels the tiny dragon's heart beating and his body warm, both of which signal that he's still alive.

Even if Raon is still wounded when Cale releases him from the cell, he will remain by the dragon's side until his fears subside. It will be hard on the process, but together, they can heal.

The more the lingering fragrance of charred trees and dusty concrete filled his nostrils, the more he felt his strength draining away. He broke out in a cold sweat as he ran even faster, wishing he wasn't already late.

His aspirations were dashed by the scenery of such a location where it appeared as if a war had just taken place on its grounds. He stifled a spark of rage that was rising within him. Seeing the grounds, which are riddled with cracks and a massive hole, makes him want to laugh and scream at his misery.

He came to a halt in his tracks as the cats did as well.

Blood. 

Lots of blood.

There's also a little grave alongside it, perfect for a small dragon.

"Raon..." Cale staggered as he proceeded towards the grave, collapsing in front of it. His voice trembled as he felt his eyes burn simply from staring at it. His heart was racing and his body was freezing all over as he shakily exhaled. It's exactly the same as before.

How awful…

How fucking awful…

Why…

WHY DOES THIS KEEP HAPPENING TO HIM!!

"Raon..." he whispers, his fingers numb as he reaches for the grave.

“Raon… Raon… Raon… Raon… Ra..on… R…Raon…” Cale called out to the tiny dragon quietly as his voice cracked. He chanted like a mantra while he immediately used his bare hands to get rid of the small rocks on top of the grave and dug the dirt immediately. 

On and Hong stared at the young man breaking down in shock.

They have no idea why staring at the grave and the sobbing man trying to shovel out the dirt with his bloodied bare hands makes them so sad. As he did so, his hands became coated with caked blood.

The two children rushed over to Cale's side and reverted to their human selves. They assisted him in digging through the soil until they reached the deepest portion, where they discovered a small bloodied dragon.

Cale's hands trembled violently as he tenderly cradled the tiny dragon's cold body, which had previously been radiating with warmth.

It’s all pointless.

‘Human! As he rushed towards the redhead in the rocking chair, Raon grinned warmly at him.

Give him…

'Human, let's tour the world with our family once I'm bigger and taller! I will carry you on my back if necessary!' Raon smugly smiled at him as he puffed up his chest.

back…

‘Human… dad… d…don’t.. d…die..’ As the final blow slammed into them, Raon called out weakly to him.

to me…

‘I… I am g…glad… I.. w..was… able.. t..to.. sa..save…. dad too..’ Raon spoke softly in Cale's arms as the light in Raon's eyes vanished.

“Give my child back to me!!" Cale yelled in agony as he gulped for air, tears streaming down his face as he sobbed uncontrollably.

You didn't have to do the same; simply eat a lot of delicious food and live your best life to repay me.

"He doesn’t deserve this… he doesn’t deserve to live a fucking life like this!" He screamed out loud to the heavens, hoping that the God of Death would hear him and take pity on him. 

Cale’s sorrowful and harsh voice echoed throughout the place.

He cradled the tiny dragon in his arms tightly as he pressed his lips on the dragon’s forehead, murmuring soft apologies as he did so. 

The world was too silent.

Too silent for him to endure. 

Too silent for him to live in.

The image of the tiny dragon's lifeless body in his arms overlapped with the memory of the dragon trying to smile at him one last time while bleeding profusely as he shielded Cale from the blow.

On and Hong unconsciously wrapped their arms around the sobbing man. They didn't know why, but it felt good to hold him close and comfort him. They're scared he'll be the next to join the lifeless dragon.

Tears welled up in their eyes as they grieved; they had no reason to be sad because they had no idea who the young man and the dragon were. Yet, in the back of their minds, a soft silent whisper told them to hug the man and make him happy.

With the broken soul of the small dragon beside him, the God of Death stood solemnly watching.

He already knew what he was going to do when he noticed the soul's curious stare on the black-haired man.

“Why is he sad?" the soul of the tiny dragon questioned.

“He is crying for you.” The God of Death replied sadly. 

“I don’t understand, why would he cry for me?" The tiny dragon's soul winced at the sight of the man holding his body, suppressing the want to rush up to him and hug him like he always did.

....

like he always did…?

The tiny dragon's soul approached the young man's body and circled around it as if observing him.

"Consider this my gift to the both of you." the God of Death muttered softly as the soul of the tiny little dragon felt like he was getting sucked inside his once lifeless body. 

“Maybe this time, you too, will finally have someone to provide you with home.” the soul looked at the God in shock as he was drawn back into his previous body.

Cale sat there in silence as he continued to hug the corpse of the tiny dragon. 

He’s contemplating whether he should give up or continue to move forward.

He doesn't have any more tears to shed at this point.

Cale can't seem to look at anything right now. He's too tired to do anything, and his heart aches.

Despite this, the little dragon's lifeless body suddenly exhibited a familiar dark glow. Cale's eyes widened in surprise, and whatever light remained on them brightened. He suppressed the urge to close his eyes and snap out of his irrational hope that the tiny dragon would open his eyes once more.

And it did.

Raon slowly opened his eyes, his paw shakily twitching. He gazed up at the man staring down at him with reddened eyes and like a gush of waves, Raon feels warm all of a sudden, like if a gentle sunlight was wrapping itself around his entire body. Just being around the mysterious young man made him feel comfortable.

They were both staring at each other, their gazes trembling as they tried to reassure each other through their eyes.

Raon's stomach flutters with butterflies as the black-haired man smiles affectionately at him.

No words were exchanged as the four of them basked in each other's warmth.

For some reason, Cale feels like he’s getting closer to his home.

Chapter Text

Raon kept his gaze fixed on the human as they walked. His body feels warm and comfortable within the human’s embrace but the black-haired man feels very distant. 

It's almost as though the human can't stand looking at him for too long. The gentle embrace of the human is in contrast with his look. Raon can't explain it; the human was looking at him but he thinks that it’s not actually him that the redhead is seeing. 

He watched how the human desperately held his lifeless body while crying out for a name. He is sure that he hasn’t seen the human before other than the bastard who tortured him. And yet, he acted like he meant the world to him.

Never in his miserable life did he expect someone to grieve so sadly... very sadly for him.

It's even more shocking because when he saw the tears running down the human's face, his heart clenched in agony. The human wore a look of sorrow on his face. He does not want this man to be sad and he has no idea why. 

Nonetheless, he was fortunate to have the opportunity to live again, this time outside of the cage. The mysterious God told him that someone will provide him with a home. 

The human holding him feels like home. 

He has never given up hope of escaping that place filled with bittersweet hope, absolute misery, and torture. When his sanity snapped, so did his hope of getting his freedom.

He already knew he'd die if he used his life force to produce a mana explosion just to get away. If he was going to die eventually, he wanted to do so while still being able to breathe fresh air.

Before killing him, the swordmaster apologized and looked him in the eyes. He has no grudge against the other. He felt relieved that his suffering had come to an end.

And right now, the human that is holding him really resembles himself when he was still trapped in a cage. 

Raon is scared for this human, he feels like the black-haired man will suddenly disappear without anyone knowing. 

He appears to be clinging to the rope's edge, ready to let go at any moment. Just like when he was in the cage.

He’s curious as to what led the human to this point.

Cale sighed as he noticed the inquisitive stares directed towards him. He realizes that it's because he popped out of nowhere in their life and piqued their interest, but when did they become so perceptive that he feels like their gaze is boring into his soul?

He should be used to whatever he's going through because it's happened to him twice before, but when he looks at the tiny dragon in his arms, he can't help but think about Raon's farewell smile before he died. The memory continues playing over and over in his head like a broken record.

He's concerned that by making too many unnecessary expressions, he's affecting the other children's thinking.

"Mister, we've been together for quite some time now, but we still don't know your name nya," Hong said as he strolled alongside the black-haired man who had piqued his interest.

"We have no idea where you come from either. Do you have a place to call home, sir?" On inquired.

Cale struggled to keep his emotions in check as he attempted not to flinch at the question.

Home.

Is there anything left for him to call home now that he's lost everything?

Cale is aware that the child's question was not the same as what he was thinking. He inhaled a deep breath quietly and slowly let it out, along with his negative thoughts. "Once we arrive, you'll all have a place to live."

“You…? Is it just us? Where will you stay at?" Raon inquired, casting a glance at the human, who was doing his best not to show that he wasn't avoiding his stare.

"Anywhere my feet can take me," Cale said dryly, shrugging his shoulders.

"Plus, don't you think it wouldn't be a pleasant living situation if you had to share a place with someone like me?"

'What crap is he talking about?' thought the three children, frowning.

“No! You have to come live with us!" Raon exclaimed. Who knows what this guy will do when he is no longer in their sight? He appears to be exhausted as if he wants to die and to make matters worse, the human appears to be in desperate need of assistance with his trauma.

Raon isn't sure what happened to him in the past, but he doesn't want the human to break and accept death so readily as he did.

"What makes you think we wouldn't want to live with you, nya?" Hong asked.

Cale blinked at the question, eliciting a slightly awkward silence.

"You brought us food, so you're basically our guardian now," On says, delicately clutching the hem of the black-haired man's shirt as if telling him not to flee.

"I've never seen somebody like you before nya, you want to reach out to us while still attempting to distance yourself. We're not sure why you always look like you want to run away from us. Actually, I think you are running away," she said, her scowl deepening.

Looking at it now, The man with the black hair appears to be desperate to get away from them. He glances at them as if he yearns for someone or something while also being unable to endure seeing them.

She had noticed the black-haired man's depressed demeanor whenever he was staring in a trance without a concern in the world.

Cale let out a sigh but refrained from saying anything as he kept on walking, he's too drained from the long war to conceal his emotions any longer. He had forgotten how perceptive On was.

On was struck by the man's perpetual worn expression and stiff shoulders, which appeared to be bearing a tremendous burden. Raon was staring at her with an understanding expression on his face, and she knows the tiny dragon was aware of it as well.

They will do everything in their power to repay the man who saved them.

Cale smiled warmly at them, a trace of nostalgia mixed in with his expression.

"Don't think too deeply about things; you three are still young; you should simply enjoy your youth." He lovingly stroked their hair as he carried the tiny dragon with one arm while holding On's hands with the other.

On just remained silent but smiled afterwards and held Hong’s hands with her free hand as the black-haired man guided them to their new home.

Cale stood silently outside the Henituse Estate just in front of the original’s windows. He had left the children behind after he hugged them to sleep in the Super Rock Villa. 

He doubts he'll be able to sleep because his mind is constantly bothering him by replaying the vision of his family dying in front of him in the back of his head.

If the ancient powers of this time and his own merged together, does that mean he absorbed the other half of the annual rings of life that’s in White Star’s possession too? 

'No, Cale. It will not merge with the one you have because it is still separated into two at this moment. Well at least not until this world's annual rings of life fully fused together,' the Super Rock stated.

Sighing, he ran his fingers through his long, dyed black hair before looking up at the original's room's windows. He intends to lure him so that he can have the ancient power instead.

Cale knelt and picked up a small rock before hitting the original's room windows. He made sure his black hooded cloak was far enough down to cover his magic-dyed locks.

As a familiar red hair emerged from behind the windows, he cracked a slight smirk. A mild bang was heard as the windows opened wide. 

He felt bad doing this to the original, but he wore the most serene expression on his face, similar to that of their biological mother, as he stared melancholy at the redhead gazing down at him from the windows.

'I'm hoping that through the diary, he might at least reunite with his mother,' he thought.

Cale stood there watching as the other man's jaw fell and his face was painted with a shocked expression. He merely stood there motionless before turning around and walking away, a loud 'wait' calling out to him as he made sure to move slowly enough to let the original exit the mansion and pursue him.

However, there was a loud thud, indicating that something had fallen.

Cale's face flushed as he turned around; if he's correct about what he's thinking, he'll be calling the original a lunatic from now on.

He peered at the other, his hood still concealing half of his face, as he noticed the redhead man rushing towards him at a quick pace.

He tightened his grasp on his hood and spun around, sprinting towards the grave and away from the definitely fast man.

He suddenly regrets it; there could've been a better method to keep the redhead from chasing him down like a lion, but it's too late for regrets.

"Wait... don't run!" He heard a voice approaching him from behind.

‘Haaaa… what a crazy bastard’ he thought wearily.

Their chase lasted for quite some time until they arrived at Jour Henituse's grave.

“You… who are you..?" The original Cale panted, sweat running down his brow as he gazed eagerly at the mysterious figure.

Cale drew his hood down, allowing the wind to play with his long black locks. He peered blankly into the other man's eyes before sighing when he was looked at tenderly.

"Mother... no... you look like my mother."

Cale sighed and tucked a strand of his hair behind his ear. Is it possible that this man has forgotten how he looked in the mirror? Even with his colored hair, he looked precisely like the original Cale the last time he checked.

When the original Cale gripped him close around the waist, his eyes opened in shock and a little whimper escaped his lips. Cale noticed the other man's face buried in his chest as he stood there awkwardly caressing the original's back in a soothing manner.

Cale whispered faintly, "I'm not your mother..." as the other man drew his arms away from him and stared him down.

"But I believe you can at least talk to your mother after you obtain the ancient power from her grave," he added before the original Cale could even respond.

Original Cale remained silent as he inspected the black-haired man's features; now that he could see him fully, he recognized how much he resembled the man. The difference is that the other man has long black hair, whilst he has short red hair.

He also noted how exhausted the other appeared simply by gazing at the flickering glow in his eyes; he resembled his mother before she passed away completely.

"Who are you really? Do I have a twin I'm not aware of?" murmured the original Cale, frowning.

Cale answered, cautiously pulling the dark hood over his head, "We're not related, I guarantee you."

"Don't fuck with me, we're identical."

"Don't you want to talk to your mother...?" Cale asked, blinking at the other man and shrugging his shoulders before sitting down on the grass and motioning the other man to go to the grave. "Please do so."

"You owe me an explanation after this," said the original Cale, who then began walking towards the grave but came to a halt.

‘No I don’t.’ Cale narrowed his eyes.

"Wait, no, you might suddenly abandon me," Original Cale said as he grabbed the black-haired man's delicate wrist, eliciting a gentle gasp, and dragged him towards his original mother's grave. As he did so, his frown intensified; the man was unusually thin for someone his age, and that made him feel very protective of the other. He would have loved to introduce the other man to Beacrox's dishes, but they had already left a few days before.

Cale just heaved a sigh, forcing himself to walk as the other man dragged him. He might as well knock himself out after this so he can rest without having any nightmares.

Cale jolted up from his daze when a warm liquid was dropped on his palm, which the original was holding.

He switched his focus to the redhead, who was crying and holding a diary in his quivering other hand.

He thought to himself, 'Oh, so it's been nearly an hour.'

Cale exhaled quietly and reached up to smooth the other man's hair.

It may have crossed his mind that he was dealing with an original Cale who was eighteen years old rather than the one who was already in his forties. He should've anticipated that the redhead would require assistance during his conversation with the woman he most misses.

Well, he guess he doesn’t mind looking out for another child.

The redhead let himself be comforted by the other man, who has a striking resemblance to his biological mother. 

'I'm surely keeping this frail man by my side,' the redhead thought through tears.

They stood motionless in their positions for a long time, exchanging no words.

Cale remained motionless until the other man's cries died away. He massaged his eyes with his fingers, closing them in the process, trying to ignore the intense ache throbbing at the back of his brain.

The original Cale's troubled voice faded somewhat in his ears as the redhead glanced at him with concern.

How odd.

He still has a lot of stuff to do, his life is so fucking terrible.

After this, he still needs to tell the original Cale to help him rebuild the Harris village for the other kids, and after that, he has to go to the Blue Wolf village to save Lock and his siblings… and after that… he needs to see Zed so they will be ready for the Plaza Terror incident...

And… 

How odd.

Why was the original speaking to him in hushed tones? Was it because he was crying that he lost his voice?

He felt his body tilted to the side and his legs became numb as a harsh ringing roared in his ears, and black spots emerged in his vision as his surroundings dimmed.

Cale clenched his teeth in annoyance as he fell down on the redhead's arms. 'Shit, I should have at least rested for a little while before coming here.'

''God, Cale! At least have some rest! Don't do everything in a single day!" the glutton screamed in his head.

"You just finished a war not long ago, please consider resting," whispered the Super Rock softly.

Chapter Text

Muffled screams and the sounds of flesh being ripped apart and impaled by an object reverberated around the place, which was painted the same color as his hair.

A menacing bright moon gazed down at the beings below it, resembling the blood that had been shed in the continuing fight.

As bodies dropped to the hard ground one by one, sounds of anguished cries flooded the battlefield.

Bodies and ashes,

Babies, children, citizens of different continents, no one was spared.

‘…ale….’

Everyone was dead.

‘…..Cale..’

His family,

‘…..Cale..’

All gone.

‘..Cale…!!’

‘Cale, wake up!’

‘Snap out of it!!’

“HUMAN IF YOU DON’T WAKE UP I’LL BLOW THIS MANSION UP!!”

Ra...on....?

Dark reddish-brown eyes snapped wide open as Cale jerked up, almost colliding with the person whose face was so close to his own. As a jackhammer started inside his skull, the black-haired man's hands reached up to grasp at his head with a hoarse groan.

I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine. It won’t happen anymore… I’m…. fine. It’s alright… It’s alright… the children are with me, they’re.. fine… we will be fine.. He took another gulp of oxygen and tried to reassure himself.

He frantically gazed around the room as he tried to look for something on the bed and calmed down when his gaze landed at the familiar deep blue eyes staring at him with concern. He misses how his children would snuggle up to him while sleeping, providing comfort and reassurance that he is not alone. But some bastards just had to take those things away from him.

"It wasn't this terribly painful before," Cale said, wincing and clicking his tongue in disgust at the throbbing ache in his brain.

He took a deep breath slowly, attempting to divert his attention away from the never-ending nightmares that plagued him every time he slept.

"You..."

Cale adjusted his focus towards the individual as a frightened voice jolted him out of his thoughts. He looked at the redhead, who had a worried expression on his face, and he blinked.

"Yes…?"

"You weren't breathing!" the redhead exclaimed. He was scared shitless when the man stopped breathing. He was afraid he was going to lose the other man.

Cale noticed that he was back in his room in the Henituse Mansion; the original must have brought him here. In the mirror behind the redhead, he noticed his pale complexion and a slight tremor in his body. He appeared to look like shit in general.

"I knew it was a wise decision to follow you, weak and reckless human!" Raon flew around him, inspecting his condition. Cale was also relieved to discover the two cats lying beside him.

"Hey, are you even listening to me? I thought you were going to die. Why aren’t you even breathing in your sleep?"

Cale let out a long sigh before gripping the redhead's wrist and tugging him closer to the bed alongside him. He felt horrible that the young man had to deal with his bullshit at a time when he should be enjoying life to the fullest. He's well aware of the redhead's struggles. Despite his trashy behavior, he is a genuinely sweet child.

Furthermore, he isn't cold-hearted enough to allow the redhead to witness someone who resembles his original mother on the approach of death and maybe relive his trauma. Before leaving the mansion, he made a mental note not to faint in front of the other man again, and maybe beat Deruth with his wife's diary. All hell be damned, the redhead deserves to live in happiness and in a healthy environment. 

Cale cut short the redhead's ramblings and questioned, "Did you bring me here?" before intertwining their hands and comfortingly caressing the man's back of the hand, which he felt the other man tightening his grip on.

"I did, and there was no difficulty because you were extremely light along the way."

Cale was a little irritated as he stared blankly at the other man. If he remembers correctly, he wasn't that light. His family made it a point to force-feed him with apple pies and hot meals, so he surely gained a lot of weight.

'Cale, the war had been going on for weeks without a break. It's been at least two weeks since you've eaten anything. I'm terribly hungry,' responded the glutton.

‘I didn’t feel hungry though..’

'It's because you were too preoccupied with others to remember to look for yourself,' the Sound of the Wind sighed.

Cale pushed aside the whispers in his thoughts and inquired, "Through the windows?"

"Through the what?" the redhead asked, puzzled.

"Did you sneak in through the windows to get me here?"

"No? My family would accuse me of being a thief if I did that."

Cale moaned agitatedly, his face buried in his palm. He was attempting to be as unobtrusive as possible. It's entirely his fault for passing out in the middle of nowhere.

'Well, I guess as long as no one sees him carrying me in, it'll be alright.'

‘Uhm…. about that....' replied the glutton, somewhat hesitantly.

"Oh, right, my father said he wanted to speak with you as soon as you awoke."

"What...?" Cale said, his head snapping towards the redhead with a startled and shocked gaze at the same time.

"You don't have to go if you don't want to; I'll just tell them to fuck off so you can rest," the redhead said as he pulled his blanket up to Cale's chin.

Cale frowned and asked, "Why would he want to talk to me?"

He doesn't want to interact with Deruth right now because he knows it will be a hassle. He's one of the victims who died before them, one of the people whose remains were returned to their mansion disfigured. Every night, the man's tormented expression, which could be seen on his lifeless body, gives him nightmares.

He said he'd visit someone, but he never returned. Cale let him go, but he had to wear a bracelet that would alert them if he was in danger. It was only after the corpse was returned to their mansion in the middle of the night after a month that they discovered it had been deactivated.

It had been put up as a trap for them. Deruth deactivated the bracelet that was given to him on purpose in order to prevent Cale and the others from attempting to help him and injuring themselves in the process. It shows Deruth's willingness to go to great lengths for his son. Cale can't seem to get the heavy sensations out of his chest whenever he thinks about it till now.

The redhead whispered earnestly, "I wasn't lying when I said you looked more like my biological mother because of your frail figure and long hair." Although the black-haired man appears to be identical to him, he resembles his real mother more due to his sickly-looking frame and lengthy hair.

"Yeah, human! He continued calling out someone's name! He even called for lots of physicians! He must be insanely wealthy!" screamed Raon, who landed on Cale's lap and made himself comfortable.

Cale sat in deep concentration, stress flooding his entire body as he looked down at Raon in his lap. He may simply leave the mansion as they speak or have a conversation with the man, never to return.

However, he will be unable to do so because he will be required to observe both the original and the reconstruction of the Harris Village.

But he'll be gone for a while since he needs to go to the Blue Wolf's village and stop the Plaza Terror Incident.

He also has the impression that if he suddenly vanishes, Deruth will come looking for him, which is a problem because it implies that his priority of seeing the kingdom first will be for naught if he is bothered.

"Hey, you look like you're going to run away, but I won't let you; as I told you, all I have to do is tell them to fuck off, and no one will bother you," the redhead said, his face serious. Cale snorted as the other man was about to pout.

He overheard the redhead murmur, "I'll make an effort to learn how to get through the windows next time..."

Cale crossed his legs together to create room for the other man on the bed and to make Raon rest more comfortably. "I'll have a conversation with him, then I can teach you something so you can enter and go through the windows without getting hurt whenever you feel like it," Cale answered.

"Whenever you feel like it?"

Cale smiled slightly and said, "Well, it will certainly come in handy if you don't want someone stalking you, no?" He intends to pass on the knowledge he learned from Ron to the other man. So, if he wasn't around to keep an eye on him, the redhead can at least try to protect himself with a better chance of surviving. He doubts he'll stay in the Roan Kingdom for a long time because he'll be visiting a lot of people from other continents.

The redhead growled, gazing menacingly at the wall behind the black-haired man. "Hm, fair enough. Those damned bastards are attempting to keep an eye on me again, and so that I can follow you everywhere."

Cale shrugged his shoulders, completely oblivious to the idea that the other man intends to keep him in his sights. "When do you think I'll be able to speak with the Count?"

“Right now. It is almost lunch anyways, they will probably invite us. Come to think of it, you never told me your name.” 

“Bob.” 

“What the fuck is a bob?” 

"My name is Bob," Cale yawned and laid back down on the bed, as Raon shifted to his stomach.

“Human, you have a funny name!"

He overheard On say to him, "Your name is extremely unique, nya."

“Should we call you Bob nya?” Hong asked.

Cale shrugged and closed his eyes.

Cale grumbled tiredly, "Whatever, call me whatever you want or give me a name if you want." He had never considered revealing his true identity or name since he knew the redhead would freak out if he did. Maybe one day he'll tell him, but for the time being, his existence is unimportant. He can simply flee at this point, and they will ultimately forget about him.

"Alright, then call me Cale," the redhead said, his brows relaxing and his lips forming a real smile.

When the other male stared at him affectionately, Cale shivered once again.

[Read the end notes so I can throw in the next chapter, thanks.] 

Chapter Text

Deruth coughed awkwardly and looked away when the black-haired man who was silently eating his lunch caught him staring. The man resembled a mixture between his late wife and his eldest child, so he was taken aback when his eldest child rushed into their mansion carrying a man.

Cale frowned, glancing at Bob's plate, and asked, "Hey, is that all you're going to eat?" Even his little sister consumes more food than he does. It's no surprise that he's frail and sickly looking.

Bob kept his mouth shut and ate the food on his plate. It's not like he's to blame for developing an eating disorder as a result of the shit war. He didn't have time to rest or eat since he was too busy running from place to place and making preparations and plans for the upcoming wars. Even if he ate a lot, his stomach would refuse to accept it and he would vomit. That is why he was forced to eat in the first place. They realized what he was going through and only fed him small amounts of food to keep him going.

It was annoying, but he missed how they would nag him to eat a good meal at least once a day.

"Mister, we have a lot of food, so please eat well," Basen said, noting that the stranger was someone important for his oldest brother. Because of their striking resemblance, he wonders if the stranger is his elder brother's hidden twin.

Bob kept his gaze fixed on the plate in front of him, trying not to tense up at the familiar voices and looks thrown his way. "Thank you for your thoughtfulness, but this is enough for me," he said slowly as he looked up and tenderly smiled at the youngster.

He will surely throw up if someone adds another food to his plate.

As he stared at Cale in fear, his thoughts seemed to happen. "I can't eat that much," he said as he grabbed the redhead's arms to stop him from putting the food on his plate.

Cale frowned and instead put the steak on his plate, cutting it into small bite-sized pieces. "Why? You're so thin, even the servants eat better than you," he said as he raised his fork and gently pressed it against the man's lips. "I'll cut it up for you, so open up."

The man pressed his lips together tightly as he stared blankly at the redhead.

Cale arched an eyebrow in response to the black-haired man's actions, tapping the fork on the other's lips and motioning for him to open his mouth "Just once."

"Eat up, human! I guess even I am chubbier than you!" Raon exclaimed, nibbling on a piece of meat as he flew around. Bob isn't sure where his kids got it, but he doesn't mind if they take food from the kitchen as long as they're eating well.

"You told us to eat healthily, yet you don't do the same nya," On lectured.

"Noona, he's really tiny," Hong said as he crawled onto his lap and probed his stomach with his paw.

The black-haired man sighed in response to his children's remarks before biting into the steak.

Cale smiled at the sight, satisfied. "Chew slowly."

With a smile on his lips, Deruth observed as his eldest son interacted with the black-haired man. Cale hasn't given him a true smile in a long time. It's not one of those mocking smiles he flashes at the other nobles. He appears to be enjoying the company of the other man this time.

Violan appears to be having a good time observing them. By watching their interactions, he can see that his wife is thoroughly enjoying her lunch.

He also noted how Cale would start the conversation, which is unusual. He also seemed to be very protective of the fragile individual. He'll probably stick with him because the man resembles his mother in certain ways. Is it possible that his oldest kid knew the other man a long time ago?

Cale sensed his father's watchful eyes on them and coughed, causing the black-haired man to stare at him puzzled. "I forgot to introduce my family," he mumbled.

"That is my father, Count Deruth."

Deruth smiled warmly at him, and the black-haired man reciprocated with a modest smile.

"That is Countess Violan, my mother," Cale said again, pushing his fork into the other man's mouth with meat on it.

When the man scrunched up his face but ate the food nevertheless, he snorted amusingly at him.

"Those are my younger brother and sister, Basen and Lily," Cale said, as he watched the other man chew it slowly and make sure he swallowed it.

Lily stated aloud, "Lily, just like the flower," before nervously smiling at the two similar individuals.

"You could say that I like the spring season since everything blooms so wonderfully," Violan continued with a smile. Spring, she believes, represents the beginning of a new life, in which every kid can blossom and grow to their full potential.  It is also a time when children can appreciate their youth and the joys that life has to offer as they grow older.

"I'd say autumn is my favorite," the black-haired man said, swallowing his food and staring at his plate blankly.

"Hm? Why so?" Violan questioned, her gaze shifting to the latter.

Cale and the others put down their forks because they wanted to hear what the black-haired man had to say. They, too, appear to be intrigued. It's unusual for someone to have a deep understanding of their mother.

Violan glanced at the man with deep curiosity.

It's uncommon for someone to grasp the significance of her words and even offer their thoughts on the subject. She may feel lonely as the only member of her family who appreciates art and nature.

"Once we reach autumn, it signifies that we have lived a life long enough that we already have seen the half of it." Before placing his knife and fork on his plate, the black-haired man stated with a blank expression on his face.

His words brought the entire room to a pause.

Violan's eyes widened slightly as she gaped at the man's depressing statement, which made her grasp on her fork tighten. She was well aware of what the latter was implying. To say something like that... the child doesn't even appear to be beyond the age of eighteen.

What happened to him that caused him to utter such a heartbreaking thing? She was even more surprised to find his eyes empty of any expression now that she was staring at him clearly with inquiry plastered on her face. It was like being in a void, but it seemed to suck her in. It would be an understatement to say she was a keen observer. She recognizes a depressed individual when she sees one. Cale appears to be aware of the guy's behavior as well. Was this the reason her eldest son brought him home?

Is he being cared for by his family? He appears to be frail and unwell and to top it all off, the boy requires assistance, both physically and mentally.

Cale took note of the gloomy atmosphere in the room, especially how the man next to him appeared uneasy in the presence of his family. He gently grasped the black-haired man's wrist and led him out of the dining area and into his room. He walked slowly enough for the man to comfortably follow him.

He tightened his grip on the other man's wrist after hearing the man mutter a tiny 'thank you.'

Cale observed how his mother gaped at them as if she wanted to ask the other man a question, but she came to a halt when she realized the other man didn't want to interact with them because he was trying so hard to escape their gazes.

His father can come back later and ask the man his questions. He will not, under any circumstances, allow this fragile man to feel uneasy inside his home.

Meanwhile, the aforementioned individual is secretly blaming himself for speaking too freely. Of sure, they'll be curious. Violan is the person who understands him the best. If the woman questioned him, he'd be in huge danger because he'd be unable to provide any information. He should never have tried to make the awkward situation more comfortable by destroying it in the process.

"I know you're trying to blame yourself, but don't, it's not your fault," Cale said as they walked back into his room.

He sighed and sat down tiredly on the bed, "I'm meant to be the observant one here."

"I appear to look older than you, so I should fill the role instead," Cale chuckled and caressed his hands soothingly.

He murmured quietly, "I don't get your point," which caused the redhead to roll his eyes at him.

"What did you mean by what you said earlier, Human?" Raon sank into his lap and raised his eyes to his.

'Hmmm, it's not much. It's just a couple of silly stuff.'

“By what you said earlier, does it still count?” Cale asked lowly.

“What do you mean?”

"You told me to give you a name. Can I still do that?" Cale asked, staring at him in the eyes.

"Do what you want," he stiffened as he averted his gaze and nodded.

Cale was hesitant to speak it at first, but after taking a big breath, he mumbled the word he was thinking of at the dining table. He couldn't think of a better word than what he was thinking right now.

"Ciel."

"Ciel?" he inquired, his brow furrowed.

Cale murmured under his breath, "It means... heaven."

"Human suits you! Will you also give me a name?"

'Mm, I'll think about that,' he said softly to Raon before frowning and staring at the redhead.

"That’s not really befitting of my personality, you know." He grimaced and stared at the other man with a weirded-out expression.

"That's not what I mean," Cale said, palming himself in the face before groaning at the other man's denseness.

He has the impression that the redhead is talking trash about him. "Then?" he questioned, his head twisted in confusion.

Cale shifted his gaze to the side, attempting to avoid the other's interested glance. His ears had a faint crimson tint to them, "A heaven's gift."

Seeing this, he kind of wanted to tease the other man more, "A heaven’s what?"

Cale snapped his head towards the black-haired man and stared at him with a gentle glance, saying firmly, "You are the heaven's gift to me." Even though it has only been a day since he met this individual, he has become calmer and more at ease in his own home.

He feels like his life would be awful if it weren't for the man throwing a rock at his window. He was irritated at first, but there was something about the man that drew him in. Perhaps it was the man's permanent sorrowful look that made him want to protect the other man, or the way his modest touches soothed him and made his heart feel better.

Now it was his time to blush at the other man's embarrassing statement. Heaven's gift... to him? Is he deranged? He's more of an unlucky bastard, as the golden dragon keeps saying. He brings misfortune to everyone he comes into contact with. He basically brings death to all those around him.

‘Is this how awkward people propose to each other now?’ the Sky Eating Water muttered in disgust in his mind.

‘It does sound like the other Cale is proposing to you…’ the Sound of the Wind replied.

‘Not bad! He should’ve proposed with money though! ’ the Fire of Destruction exclaimed.

"Human, he's correct! I like it too! You're a gift from the heavens to us! I know since the mysterious God brought you to me!" Raon said as he flew around the black-haired man.

"We agree nya, it's a good name!" On and Hong said as they sat on his lap and rubbed their bodies against him.

Bob, now known as Ciel, smiled softly at the children. ‘You guys are more likely to be it. But if you love it that much, then I will keep it.’

"I want to be the first one to introduce you to my family," Cale said.

Ciel gave a slow nod before awkwardly staring at a blank wall. "It has a nice ring to it,"

"Of course, I wouldn't choose any name for you other than the greatest," Cale answered, satisfied with what the other man said.

Ciel hummed in agreement, "Then, I will repay you."

"There's no need for that," the redhead said, raising his brow and waving his hand.

"Can you tell me what you'd like?"

Cale let out a defeated sigh. It was enough for him to be able to give the other man a name. When the man received it, he was overjoyed. It had a unique meaning for him. "A family," he said bitterly after a few moments of thinking.

"However, you must first rebuild Harris Village," 

"How come?"

Ciel simply shrugged his shoulders and stood up to walk towards the window, feigning ignorance. Even though the other man hadn't said anything, he immediately understood what he wanted. The desire to find a family is something they both share.

If that's what he wants, he'll just bring a lot of it. Something they can both cherish and protect, as well as someone who will reciprocate. Ron's remarks have a lasting impression on him. That is, to repay grace worth a hundred times of what he receives.

Raon yelled from his side, "Human, are we kidnapping more family?"

‘Kidna… kidnapping.. what?'

Hong curled up on the window frame, "I believe he has a tendency to attract more people into our family nya."

"Do you have any intentions to increase the population of our house and the village nya?" On inquired.

‘Haaaa… these kids.’

Cale glanced at the black-haired man staring blankly outside and sighed. For some reason, meeting this man feels like a blessing and a curse at the same time. A blessing since he finally found a safe haven after the death of his mother, and a curse because he can feel the upcoming headaches that Ciel will give him. Without a doubt, both will be good for him.

"....Thank you," said the black-haired man softly enough for the other man to hear. His blank gaze is still fixed on the skies, and he makes no attempt to move even a fraction of an inch.

Cale lifted an eyebrow, glancing at the other man's back as he spoke, "For what?"

Ciel murmured beneath his breath, "For allowing me to start over." He's been guilty of living for his entire life. When he discovered it wasn't his place, he felt bad, especially since he had been carrying the other's name around as if it was his. His world isn't the same as the one he's living in right now. There is no original Cale in his forties to tell him that he should continue to live his life as Cale Henituse. There are no Choi Han or Alberu Crossman to tell him that it's fine to continue to live as Cale and simply live his life as he wishes.

He's back where he started, struggling to figure out how to tell his family, who are now strangers, who he is. His heart aches with dread, and he's worried that it will continue to do so indefinitely.

"You're worrying too much," a voice behind him remarked, placing a warm hand on top of his head and stroking his long black hair in the process. "Just live your life the way you want to."

His unwavering gaze remained fixed on the skies. Ciel, as he was now known, remained motionless and slowly nodded, "Of course."

Chapter Text

"Are you sure you have to leave?" Cale asked, a scowl staining his otherwise attractive face.

Ciel responded with a hum as he put on his black hooded cloak. He had already intended to inspect the situation to see if anything had changed as a result of his arrival. Ciel is perplexed by the fact that Basen is still in the mansion rather than traveling to the northeastern nobles' meeting. Choi Han and the crown prince aren't supposed to meet yet, but when he came to the palace, they were together.

"Is your household not invited to the conference of the nobles of the northeast?" Ciel asked the redhead as he turned around.

Cale scoffed and crossed one leg over the other in his seat. "Of course, we're invited, but the meeting has been rescheduled."

"Why so?" Ciel inquired, raising an eyebrow in puzzlement.

"It's unbelievable, isn't it, how the moon turned blood red for a week?" Cale replied, "It just got back to normal the day before I saw you." He stood there watching while the black-haired man stared blankly at the ground, as though deep in thought.

'Cale, wasn't that in our original world when we were fighting the enemies?' the glutton asked. 

'It appears to have vanished the instant we came here,' the Super Rock continued.

Ciel moaned and rubbed his temples together. Some things appear to have changed as a result of his arrival.

"Hey," the redhead said, as he shook out of his reverie and returned his gaze.

"Does the Harris Village hold any importance for you?" Cale inquired, his face solemn. He's still resentful of the village, but he couldn't say no if the black-haired man asked him to rebuild it. He can't seem to say no to what the other man wants.

“No?”

Cale looked bewildered and blinked. "Then why do you want me to rebuild it?"

"We can't build our family at the Henituse Mansion, can we?" Ciel glanced back at him, puzzled, before saying in a bored tone.

The redhead's eyes expanded just a tiny little bit. Is it true that the other man intends to grant his wish? Is he truly interested in starting a family with him? Ciel was correct; he would rather leave that house and join the other man in starting a family with him.

"All right, I'll reconstruct it for you." Despite his harsh feelings for the village, he would brush them away in order to give the other man what he desires. He had not anticipated the man to stay with him and perhaps start a family with him. It's a win-win situation for him.

Ciel smiled as he nodded. "Are you planning on attending the meeting?" 

"I have no intention of doing so." Cale closed his eyes and rested back against the chair. "Basen will probably go instead."

"Oh, that's a pity." Cale's eyes widened as Ciel exhaled deeply and said, "I was hoping to meet you there after I'm done with my business."

Before the redhead spoke, there was a tongue click.

Cale mumbled, a sulky expression on his face, "Fine, I can tolerate those insufferable nobles for a while."

"I'll go in with you once I'm finished with my business," Ciel chuckled at the look.

“Even better,” Cale whispered under his breath before standing up and grabbing the black-haired man’s wrist. “I’ll go tell the count then,” 

Ciel glanced at him blankly while allowing himself to be dragged by the redhead. He looked at the children laying on the bed before they left the room.

'Stay here.'

"Are you sure you want to go?" Deruth asked, tapping the table with his fingertips and looked at his eldest son.

Cale responded, "Yes."

“Hm...”

While avoiding the count's stare, Ciel sought to shrink himself on the redhead's back. Cale, on the other hand, softly tugged on his wrist and motioned him to stand by him.

"Are you concerned that I'll cause a total mess?"

Cale's eyes narrowed as he expressed his displeasure. "Ciel will be there to meet me."

"That's not it," Deruth groaned and shook his head, "I know how much you despise those nobles, so I'm very intrigued," he smiled at his eldest before adding, "Seeing as how you wanted to go, I suppose why not?" 

When he realized his eldest kid finally seemed happy, he proudly nodded to himself. Although it has only been one day, his son seemed to have developed a strong bond with the black-haired man. He will let them be as long as the other man does not endanger his eldest son. But he has no information about the child at this time, and he has no idea if the man is capable of harming his eldest son.

"Do you mind if I speak privately with your friend for a few minutes?"

"You don't have to if you don't want to," Cale grumbled as he looked at the man beside him.

"It's alright; we'll just talk about it. I'll see you outside," Ciel said, patting the hands that were holding his wrist, which the redhead noticed and let go of. Cale locked his gaze on his father for a brief while, pleading with him not to scare his visitor away with his gaze before exiting the room.

Before Deruth began, they both watched as the redhead walked out of the room.

"You have a striking resemblance to Cale's biological mother," 

"As I've been told," the black-haired man said, his face flat.

For a brief moment, the room was deafeningly silent, and Ciel felt a pang of fear rise in his chest.

He now regrets not taking the redhead's offer of assistance in avoiding the count, even if only for a little while.

Ciel understands Deruth is a compassionate man, so nice that he will eradicate any risks to his family, even if it means harming the other.

He is currently a nobody.

He is a potential threat to Cale in the eyes of the man.

Because he is not a part of their family. 

Even though he eventually revealed that he is merely inhabiting the body of the original, the Deruth in their world accepted him as his son. He still loved them both and would celebrate their birthdays individually after learning that it was the original's wish to happen. As time passed, Ciel began to recognize him as his father.

Only if the man realized that he is willing to give up his eternal rest in order to go back in time and offer them the chance to live in peace by putting himself in the front lines and confronting the many battles that lie ahead.

He has no choice but to remain mute and let the man find his past and secrets, which he is desperately attempting to piece together in order to avoid breaking down and giving up.

"As far as I recall, Jour has no family or relatives." Deruth disclosed quietly as he peered coldly into the other man's eyes, "Either they had gone into hiding or they were dead." When his eldest brought him home, he had already instructed someone to look into the man's background. He hoped the mystery man was a relative of his late wife's family, but no records of him could be found on any other continent.

It's as if he appeared out of nowhere, with no identification and no nothing.

He stood there watching while the black-haired man returned his stare with a cold stare that was similar to his own. What knowledge is it that he actually wants from this man? Normally, he wouldn't give a damn, but the fact that his face is identical to that of his eldest son makes him want to open the book that the other man appeared to have carefully locked.

"I'm perfectly aware that my firstborn has no identical twin because he was Jour's only child at the time of his birth," 

"Others may not realize it right now, but I am aware that my late wife had no siblings."

He can only think of one thing, and it's ridiculous. His late wife previously told him that it is a very unusual occurrence, and he was distraught when he learned that it was their son who was fated to endure such a thing.

He was frightened that the moment had finally come for his eldest son to encounter such a thing when the moon turned bleeding red, the same color as his eldest son's hair, a week ago.

Either the man in front of him is an impostor who knows his wife's family or he is his eldest son's counterpart who has already had a peculiar experience with time. If he were a younger version of himself, he would have laughed at the later section. Spending time with his late wife and learning about her family's interests broadened his perspective on the world's potential wonders.

Despite the fact that the other man's hands were clenched into fists, he continued with ruthlessness. "I'll let you explain yourself, but know that if you are an impostor who thinks it's amusing to go around imitating my family's appearance, I will not hesitate to exclude you from my territory."

Ciel grimaced inside. He isn't mistaken; he is simply borrowing the appearance of the real Cale. Right now, he's an impostor; he didn't intend for this to happen. He's just a guy attempting to make a family out of someone else's body. "I believe I do not owe you an explanation," he responded, his heart pounding in misery.

Deruth grinned, a sardonic grin on his face. "Young man, I believe you have an obligation to explain yourself to me. My eldest son notices you constantly. It is the responsibility of a parent to protect their children from harm in whatever way possible."

As a deadened gaze stared back at Deruth, whatever light that lingered in Ciel's eyes flickered out, and Deruth nearly wanted to take back every word.

His wife once informed him that he is intelligent, which is why he was able to make his family the wealthiest county in the kingdom. His razor-sharp tongue also aided him in the process. While he is adept at managing money, he is also adept at negotiating, even if it means destroying people's minds in the process. Nobles were afraid to approach him or to deceive him into making them bankrupt.

You're incredibly intelligent my dear, and when you combine that with your sharp tongue, I feel you'd make an excellent interrogator. I don't mind if you use it against those crooked nobles plotting to destabilize our family, but be careful who you use it against, my darling. Your words can be lethal, and if you use them on someone close to you, you risk permanently breaking their minds.

And here he was doing the exact same thing to someone who wasn't in the finest of mental health. If the black-haired man turns out to be an ally, he can only deal with the consequences. Deruth had noticed traces of depression in the fatigued man's demeanor.

“What do you want, Count Deruth?" Ciel gripped his hood with a quivering palm, attempting to conceal his face, which the other man appeared to be digging holes in.

"Tell me, tell me who you are and what you plan to do with my family," Deruth angrily challenged, his eyes now flaming.

Ciel had no business coming here in the first place. After being informed by the original that it's fine to live his life as he wishes, he truly believed he could finally handle everything. Observing how the others respond to his appearance, he realizes that confronting the family he's been working so hard to save will never be simple.

He can’t find any ways to escape. 

It's always been like way; he's spent his entire life attempting to flee. He feels cornered, and he wishes to escape, never to be seen again.

He's exhausted.

He's exhausted from pretending to be someone else.

He's tired of the worry and expectancy of the anguish he'll face once his secrets are eventually revealed.

Ciel finally pulled his hood down and looked straight into the count’s eyes.

He's up against someone he'd gladly die for, but this man sees him as a threat to his family. Given that he is still a stranger to them, he understands entirely. However, being accused by someone to whom you had already grown attached stung like hell.

He didn't think it would damage him, and he assumed he'd be alright.

It's never getting any better. It will never be fine.

Deruth recognizes that the instant those lifeless eyes peered into the depths of his soul, he screwed up. The other man's face was covered in a sea of depressing melancholy, self-loathing, and all-encompassing depression.

The minute the black-haired man murmured something in a broken voice, he felt like ripping his mouth off. His mask had shattered into tens of thousands of fragments. In front of him stood a seemingly frail boy who seemed to be carrying a great deal of pain in his heart and soul.

If his instincts were correct and the man in front of him was his son from another world, he would never forgive himself for giving him such a damaged expression.

"Bodies and ashes, and the fall of every empire and kingdom..." said a broken voice as the black strands of the man's hair began to become a deep red he recognized.

A color that is identical to that of his eldest child.

As a tear escaped from the redhead's eye, Deruth's body became frigid. Regardless, in contrast to his shattered voice, the man in front of him remained cold and indifferent.

He wishes to wipe away the single tear and apologize to the young man. Although it is only a single tear, he believes it contains all of the burdens and feelings that the man was attempting to bottle up.

He believed he was acting in order to protect his family.

It turns out he's only hurting one of his own children.

Deruth's eyes widened when he heard a harsh laugh that jolted him out of his thoughts.

“Cale Henituse,” the redhead who was previously the black-haired man said aloud to reach him. 

Ciel wants to put an end to it all and get on with his preparations; all he has to do now is try to hide his aching heart once more.

"That is who I am," he said as he clutched his hair, trying to ease the dread rising up fast in his gaping heart, "12 years from now."

Chapter Text

The surprising revelation made Deruth's lips wobble and his legs to weaken. He recognized he had overstepped his bounds with his statements. To think that he had practically savored every moment of his interrogation because he believed the other man was on the verge of telling him everything he desired to know. He's disgusted of himself.

Was this the outcome he hoped for? To unearth the secrets that the other man has been attempting to bury deep within his shattered soul?

He was the one who made him cry. He was the one who made his son weep. He appears to be on the edge of collapsing, and it's all his own doings.

He should have heeded his instincts from the beginning, and he wouldn't have had to torture his son in this way. God, he obviously appears to be bearing a great burden inside of him, and he's simply exacerbated it.

His beloved child seemed to be dead on the inside, as if his eyes were mirrors to his soul, which was lacking of any life... it's as if he wishes to slumber...... like he wants to die.

And he's only made things more difficult for the other man. He pushed his heart even harder, causing it to bleed so much more.

Ciel whispered with his breathy voice, staring at the other man, "If that was all you wanted to hear." As he turned around to go, his arms were tiredly plastered to his sides. "I will take my leave now."

Deruth has the sensation that the words he meant to speak have become stuck in his throat. He wants to apologize, to retract every remark he's made about the man, and to assure him that he has a place in this world and within his own territory.

"N..no… son, please…" He tried to reach out to the other man by grabbing his wrist, but he realized that he had messed up even more when he felt the redhead’s entire body shiver and stiffen up as if he didn't want anybody touching him or perhaps he was too traumatized.

Ciel looked around in response to the man's pleading tone. Slowly raising his eyes to meet Deruth's, he was greeted by the misty brown eyes wracked with guilt and anxiety, presumably at his own acts.

Ciel could live with his mental and emotional scars, but he couldn't bear to see his family with this look on their faces as a result of him. Ciel appreciates Deruth's desire to safeguard his family. He'll never resent the man for making him feel this way; he has no idea what's going on and it's perfectly okay. He can close the imperceptible, huge hole in his heart at the end of the day because he is used to doing the same thing everytime he loses someone important to him. Deruth, on the other hand, is not capable of doing so. After knowing that he had broken another bond, his father would have been unable to bear the guilt. He already has a tense relationship with the Cale in this world, and he doesn't really want to worsen the situation and add to the man's problems.

Their guilt, their misery, their despair, everything… Ciel is willing to shoulder all of it as long as their joyful smiles last forever.

He couldn't maintain his family's genuine smiles back then because he couldn't protect them.

“Son… I… I didn’t know.. I’m sorry.”

When he heard the other man's voice quivering, he sighed. He took his time considering the fact that Deruth was probably punishing himself at the moment. Deruth did a fantastic job of protecting his family, despite the harm to his heart.

"I don't blame you," Ciel gradually whispered gently as he took a step nearer to the man, allowing his weary eyelids to close and his forehead to fall upon his father's shoulders. He hopes that by doing so, he can at the very least prevent the other man from developing emotional scars. "As a father, you performed admirably."

Regardless of how hard he tried to find solace in their mere presence, the restless storming torrents attempting to get out of his heart didn't seem to stop. Ciel was well aware that no matter how hard he tried or struggled, he would never be able to find lasting happiness and fulfillment in this world. Even if their features were identical, the relationships he had formed with his true family would always stand as a barrier. He could only embrace the memories they had left with him at the end of the day, hoping that one day he would be contented only with those.

Deruth reached up and softly brushed the man's hair with his trembling hands, which was resting on his shoulders. He was meant to be the one to comfort the young man, but it appears that he is the one being consoled and reassured by the redhead instead. “I’ve hurt you.. an apology wouldn’t suffice…”

This child.... This child is simply too kind and selfless. And he had the audacity to hurt such a sweet and pure person. He's selfish, so selfish, to the point where he’s the one who was seeking comfort by caressing the other man's head.

"It’s alright… I emerged out of nowhere, and it was suspicious, so please don’t beat yourself up over it. I know you didn’t mean to harm me with your words, you were just trying to protect your son in this world." Ciel whispered softly and felt relieved when he finally sensed that Deruth was already calming down.

Deruth is fighting back tears as he listens to the young man's sweet words despite the fact that he wound him to the core. He has a strong desire to hit himself in the face. He had just broken the young man and possibly scar him permanently, but he stood there like a child, listening to Ciel comforting him and telling him that what he had done was okay even though he knows it to himself that it’s not.

“My son…”

Ciel hummed in response to the other man, his eyes slightly half-opened.

They stood there in silence, Deruth stroking the redhead's long hair in an attempt to comfort and convince himself that the young man didn't despise him. He's well aware that his connection with Cale is strained; he can't afford for his other kid to despise him. He adores his sons, but he can't seem to stop screwing things up.

Ciel remained still and unmoving, letting the other man comfort himself using his own presence. A part of him wanted to walk out the moment he revealed his identification, but seeing his father’s terrified expression, he simply couldn’t leave him alone and let the man drown in his own guilt and remorse. He finally opened his eyes exhaustedly as he sighed, standing right up to give the other man a small and forced, gentle smile.

"Cale is waiting for me outside. I should probably go."

Deruth held the redhead in position by softly clasping his biceps. “You will... you will come back, right?”

Ciel locked his gaze on him, his face twisted slightly in a way that Deruth couldn't understand. He just sighed and fixed his attention on the ceiling, not exactly responding to the other man and giving him an answer.

Deruth grimaced and became more anxious as he observed that the man in front of him was slightly different from his son in this world, which disturbed him. What transpired in his life that caused him to become this way? His child appears to be devastated and despondent. He's worried about both Cale and Ciel, and seeing the redhead helped him understand that he's not really a good father for allowing his kid to go through something that made him miserable.

“I will… eventually.” Of course he would, there is still an upcoming war against the indomitable alliance and he would need to come back to the Henituse territory.

After hearing what the other man had stated, Deruth felt a wave of relief rush over him. “About—”

"I'm not going to tell you everything," Ciel said with a little harsh tone, his hair reverting to its previously disguised black shade. "But you can speak to the king about it," he added after a brief pause.

“The king already knows?”

The man with the black hair reluctantly nodded. Deruth was a little wounded that he wasn't the first one to know and that if he hadn't confronted the man about it, he might not have known at all.

“I'm not sure what to do... what should I do now?”

"Start by taking proper care of Cale and trust him with what he does. That would be enough.” Ciel sincerely stated, taking a step back and turning around to head towards the doors and leaving the room.

The sight of Cale resting against the wall with his eyes closed was the very first thing he saw when he stepped out. Ciel sighed and decided to pull at the redhead's sleeve hem gently, causing the man's eyelids to flutter before intertwining his hand with the one that was tugging at his sleeves previously.

“What took you so long?” Cale grumbled grumpily before noticing the man's exhausted demeanor. He frowned and said, "You look even worse than before."

"Is it a terrible thing?" Ciel responded with a quiet chuckle.

Cale grunted and rolled his eyes as he dragged the feeble man away from his father's office. "Of course not," he mumbled, “I just don't like seeing you exhausted.”

"You need to prepare for your departure soon," Ciel replied with a genuine smile at the other's reply.

"You're right... the earlier I arrive, the sooner I will be able to meet you."

Ciel snorted at the reply, “You really dislike those nobles huh?”

Cale raised a brow at the playful tone of the other man, “That… and, I don’t want to be separated from you for too long.”

'Haaa... this man,' Ciel thought to himself and shook his head. "Say, could you help me in sneaking someone into the meeting?"

“Only if you will keep your promise to go with me.”

“I will.”

Ciel stood gravely atop the temple, his cloak flapping in the breeze as his gaze wandered to the people conversing with one another beneath him, seemingly unconcerned about the world. He is envious of their current state of tranquility. He never had a chance to rest throughout the struggle against the hunters. He was either fighting or commanding on the front lines, or he was training by pushing his body to its limits. He would only be able to sleep if he had passed out, been knocked unconscious, or been killed.

“Is she the one we are looking for, human?” Raon muttered, looking at the individual with a curious expression on his face as he pointed to the woman with short brown hair who was dressed in dark attire.

He responded with a murmur and a nod, then motioned for the dragon to drop the message he had written just above the woman's head. When Ciel arrived in this world, the ancient power that Taylor was attempting to obtain had already vanished. And such power wouldn't be enough to solve his problems. Right now, all he can do is push him back towards the crown prince.

Cage gritted her teeth in annoyance; ever since the moon had returned to its original color, the God of Death had been speaking to her, instructing her that if she ever encountered someone with black hair and carries the surname of the Thames, she should follow him like how she follows her lord.

The Thames family has been missing for decades. How would she ever come across someone with the surname Thames if they were either dead or hiding from the world? And what about dark hair? In their kingdom, no one has black hair. Even if she searched every continent, she would not discover someone with black hair as their natural color. Just what kind of shit is the God of Death trying to tell her?

It’s like telling her to look for someone who doesn’t even exist in the first place.

She gasped and almost shrieked when she felt something light fall down on her head while she was kicking a random stone on the ground. She hurriedly raised her hands to remove the piece of paper, which she read with her mouth open in surprise.

Her hands trembled upon seeing its contents. 

Taylor… her bestfriend would benefit from this.

She looked around trying to find the person that drop her this note but can’t seem to find anyone close to the area except for the people who are immersed in their conversation.

According to the note, the crown prince has an ancient power to heal anything.

She knows that her bestfriend is slowly losing hope of regaining his ability to stand up again. Her lips trembled in excitement when she realized that there was still hope for Taylor. For the first time in her life, she’s thankful to the God of Death for convincing her to come to this place. He kept on spouting nonsense things like their savior has arrived. She thought it was utter bullshit at first, but now she truly believes her lord.

A savior, huh? Is it possible that they have a close relationship with the God of Death? Perhaps a saint?

Cage was about to fold the note to keep it in her clothes with a brilliant smile on her face when a rapid and small fiery rose-gold thunderbolt struck the paper, burning it to ashes but leaving her unscathed. She gasped as she panickedly gazed up at the sky; her initial idea was that she had enraged a God to the point of being struck by lightning. But then she spotted someone wearing a dark cloak on top of the temple.

As they both established eye contact, she felt her palms turn somewhat cold.

The man's eyes were emotionless and blank, and he gazed right through her. She shuddered at the stare she received, but quickly dismissed it, asking to herself, "Who is this person...?" 

In a sudden, she remembered the God of Death advising her to seek out someone with black hair.

She was even more convinced that the person on top of the temple was the one she was looking for when she noticed that he was wearing a cloak that seemed to cover his entire body.

“You...” Cage stopped short of her own sentences and dashed up to the mysterious figure. She may have appeared insane at this point, but she needs to thank the man beneath the cloak. She had already deduced that he was the one who handed her the message. She must definitely thank that person!

“Prepare the teleportation magic circle...” Ciel whispered gently to the dragon beside him as he noticed the priestess reaching up to see him. He clutched a little bottle filled with the dragon's dead mana in his hands as the two cats got closer to him, patiently waiting for the priestess to arrive.

He won't present it to Alberu directly this time because he doesn't have any time to do so. He pondered handing it over to Cale, but he didn't want to give him a headache. His hyung-nim is a person that bothers people once they have sparked his interest, which is kind of annoying.

Ciel smiled longingly at the remembrance, and a wave of nostalgia washed over him. As the circle encircling them flashed intensely, he sensed footsteps approaching him.

When Cage realized the person was attempting to flee, she reached out to grab him, but her hands slid to the hood instead, after stumbling down due to her lack of balance.

‘Fuck..!’ she cursed silently.

As her fingers gripped the cloak fiercely and successfully pulled the hood off the man's head, the circle gleamed even stronger than it was before, and the long silky strands of black hair fluttered gracefully in the wind. She admits she was taken aback by the mysterious person's stunning appearance.

But when Cage realized her prediction was true, her eyes brightened and her lips spread wide, creating a gleeful smile.

“At long last, I've found you!”

The young man with the gorgeous face gazed at her with an amused expression on his face, as if the situation was humorous to him. As he crouched down and placed a letter on the ground with a small bottle on top of it, his figure began to vanish owing to the teleportation circle acting up.

“I will be waiting for you,”

Cage heard a gentle soothing voice filling her ears before the man’s entire figure vanished, leaving her alone. She collapsed, gasping in pain as the body that had been supporting her vanished. If she had known the man was waiting for her, she would not have attempted to leap at him.

She hastily snatched the note and the little bottle when she noticed them. And once again, she was taken aback by the contents. He appears to be deserving of worship, just as what the God of Death promised.

Chapter Text

"Cale Henituse, you really should quit showing up in my office without warning," Zed said, palming himself in the face and sighing heavily.

Ciel sheepishly stared at him as he sat tiredly on the couch with a deep sigh, surrounded by the three children who had made themselves at home. “My name is Ciel now.”

"You're going to give me a heart attack next time, Ciel," the blonde grumbled as he returned his attention to his paperwork, but not before casting a glance at the sleepy guy and saying, “I presume you're here to tell me the details?”

“We should talk about the approaching celebration of your 50^th birthday first,” Ciel began, humming and resting his cheek on the back of his palm before continuing, “I will tell you all the other information next time.”

"How come? I have all the time in the world to listen," says the blond.

"I know you do," Ciel responded as he concentrated his gaze on the other guy, “I just don't think you will be able to sleep properly if I tell you everything today.”

Zed blinked for a split second before rubbing his brow in frustration. He's already having difficulties sleeping because he knows their kingdom will be destroyed in a few years. He is unlikely to be able to understand all of the information in a single day. He's appreciative since the man is concerned about his health. “That... I think you're right.”

The black-haired man gave him a faint smile before handing him a thin pile of papers with information and an exquisitely detailed hand-drawn illustration of locations and individuals he appeared to know. “What is the purpose of these drawings?”

“On the day of the royal festival celebrating your 50th birthday, magic bombs will be set off throughout the capital and within the plaza,” Ciel explained, occasionally stopping to observe the other man's terrified and shocked expression before pointing to the image he had secretly drawn in the Henituse Mansion and saying, “These are the locations where the magic bombs will be placed.”

"Throughout the capital?" Zed appeared to be deep in contemplation, interlocking his fingers as he stared at the photographs. "A lot of people would die if a magic bomb exploded within the plaza."

"There are also magic explosives attached to people," Ciel said, nodding and pointing to the paper with the sketches of various people.

“This is... this is far too dangerous.”

Raon moved closer to the table and examined the documents with interest, saying, “Human, I will help you! I can detect any magic bombs!”

“We can help too, nya!” exclaimed On and Hong, then purred when the black-haired man lovingly caressed their heads in response to their comment.

— It’s alright, we will go somewhere else instead.

“That's why," he said, pausing with a sigh as he looked into the other man's eyes. "I want you to discuss this with your eldest son and let him handle it.”

"Is there a reason for that?" Zed questioned, intrigued.

“Hyung-nim is more capable of handling situations like this than you believe,” Ciel responded. “Besides, you won't be able to move around by yourself since they will be suspicious.”

“And you think they won’t be suspicious if my son does it instead?”

Ciel let out a quiet chuckle before tapping the tables with his fingertips slowly, "If you aren’t aware, your son has a swordmaster and two former assassins of the most famous household in the eastern continent up his sleeves, and soon enough, he will have the future wolf king by his side."

Zed observed as the black-haired man amusedly tilted his head at him with a light chuckle before the man continued, "Your eldest child didn't become Emperor and acquire the favor of the Sun God for nothing."

Ciel proceeded to compliment the crown prince as he observed the king gasp and look at him in astonishment.

"I want to remind you of the fact that your son did all that without any ounce of support from the royal family," he stated sternly, recalling the times when Alberu told him about how he had to work himself to death simply to appease the nobles and gain their support without any royal family members helping him other than his aunt.

With Choi Han as his instructor now, the crown prince should be in safe hands. Alberu would probably know what to do after discussing the details with his father. Ron and Beacrox will also be able to get rid of the magic bombs faster without getting caught as long as they saw each location he had drawn.

"I... I have always thought he was someone deserving of the throne," Zed reflected, pleased with his eldest son's accomplishments. Just thinking about it caused his heart to burst with pride.

“Don't worry about it; we'll be there to keep an eye on your son, and you can rest assured that I won't let him get injured.”

Zed gave him a puzzled look before saying, “We?”

— You can show yourself as much as you want but don't give him a heart attack.

Ciel made a gesture with his hands to the air, which the blond followed.

After a brief moment of silence, a child's loud voice filled the room.

"Hello! I'm this weak human's protector!" Raon suddenly appeared in front of Zed's face, and the dragon almost made him jump.

As he watched the black dragon soar around the room, Zed stuttered, with a bewildered expression on his face. "A... a dragon..."

He's finished. He's had it with the countless surprises that the black-haired man keeps throwing at him. Perhaps he'll pass out from shock one of these days.

Ciel misses the way the black dragon would ordinarily identify himself in his own name. He definitely needs to find a way to finally name the dragon. He wants Raon to confidently introduce himself, just as how he would in his own world.

Ciel boasted, "He is a very great and mighty dragon."

As he reintroduced himself, Raon cast a glance at the black-haired man with stars in his eyes. "Yes, I am a very great and mighty dragon!"

Zed took a deep breath as he glanced at the black-haired man who was staring at him funny. "Where... where did you even get him?"

Ciel averted his look and shrugged his shoulders before rubbing the two cats on the head who were invisible. “Who knows?”

— Go ahead and introduce yourselves.

"I'm Hong nya!" exclaimed a red cat, who appeared on top of the table and gave the blond the shock of his life.

"I'm On! We're from the fog cat tribe!" On announced confidently, and the black-haired man gave them a supportive smile.

"I don't... I don't even know what to say anymore," Zed said weakly, his gaze falling helplessly on the other man, who wore an amused grin on his face. It's incredible to think that the man possesses a dragon and two members of the world's most powerful cat tribe. It's just too insanely incredible to believe.

"My father will probably meet you soon to talk about things," Ciel mumbled, humming monotonously and staring blankly at the wall.

"Then what do you want me to do?" Zed asked the man, his face furrowed.

"You can say whatever you want, but don't tell him where I am; knowing him, he will try to drag me back to the mansion."

"Will you be going somewhere?"

"Of course, I have to get rid of a bothersome bug in Blue Wolf Village."

Chapter Text

"H-human, it's awful here," Raon muttered as he hurried after Ciel and the two cats.

Ciel turned his head, but he didn't stop racing to the very center of the village as he tenderly glanced at his three children. "Stay close to me."

“Y-yeah, we will!"

As he came to a halt beside the tree, he frowned in concern at the black dragon's distressed voice. He could tell the three children were a little frightened.

Sighing at his own ignorance, he examined the three and confirmed that they are afraid.

"It's alright, you don't have to go with me," Ciel whispered softly before taking them in his arms and placing them down on the softest patch of the grass, motioning the three children to sit there and wait for him.

They may be strong enough to flatten a mountain, but they are still children who can be scared just by seeing a wrecked village. Ciel is unwilling to force his three children to put up with it simply because he would feel more at ease if they were within his sight.

He sighed when he saw the perplexed expressions on their faces as they approached him. He should not have brought them with him to begin with.

“No! We will follow you!" Raon cried and dove towards his stomach, but Ciel caught him in his arms.

"Our youngest is correct nya!” Hong scratched the black-haired man's slacks in an attempt to gain his attention.

Ciel arched an eyebrow at the three before settling down on the grass with his children. He looked them in the eyes, a concerned expression on his face. "You three are my children; it is completely fine to express your concerns."

“But…”

"Come here," Ciel said softly as he stretched his arms to the black dragon.

Raon hugged Ciel fiercely, burying his face in the crook of the man's neck. The black-haired man murmured soothing comforting whispers while the two cats rubbed their heads on the black dragon's body, showering him with warmth and calming him down.

“It’s okay nya!”

“We will protect our youngest nya!”

Ciel and the two cats exchanged protective glances as they all fell silent, hoping to assuage the dragon's fears and concerns.

"Did you feel scared?" With a soothing tone in his voice, the man carrying the black dragon whispered.

“I-I’m not scared at all!” The black dragon shook his head aggressively as he felt the other man's warm hand caress his back softly to comfort him.

Although the black dragon insisted that he was not terrified, the small quivering of his body made it clear that he was.

Ciel chuckled as he let go of the dragon's hug and stared into the dragon's piercing deep blue eyes. “I will be quick I promise. I will return to this exact same spot and then we will go home together.”

"I want to go with you!" Raon exclaimed as he stared back at the cloaked man with certainty in his eyes. He continued with a shaky voice, as if he was close to crying, "You are a weak human and you might faint again…" 

Ciel blinked a few times, suddenly comprehending why the black dragon was terrified. Raon isn't afraid of where they'll go; he's afraid for him, which made Ciel's heart skip a beat. The black dragon seemed to have been affected by his previous act of fainting.

He repositioned the three youngsters on his lap, completely understanding the situation, and watched the frightened looks flash over their faces. They weren't terrified in the first place; they were just concerned about him.

The four stared at each other for a long time, with Raon repeatedly looking at him with such intensity while trying to squish himself even closer to the man.

“Human… I really want to go with you. Can I?”

Ciel didn't respond because he was preoccupied with how to ease his children's fears when he felt a slight tremble coming from his spatial pocket bag, which was hidden behind his robes.

He frowned. This is the first time something like this has occurred.

Ciel hurriedly grabbed his spatial pocket bag, which trembled even more when the children scooted closer to examine it.

His eyes widened slightly as he cautiously opened the bag and saw the items inside. The three gold coins he had given his children in his world, which were slightly covered with blood, shook violently inside the bag as if begging to be taken. While attempting to maintain his composure, he forced his surging emotions together with memories buried deep within his body.

The gold coins weren't ordinary because they were encircled by his own mana, which served as a special magical tracking device. It's a necklace version of the bracelet he presented to Deruth of his world. It was something Ciel and his children made for pure entertainment, and the kids decided to make it in the form of a gold coin because it reminded them of the man and was the first thing Ciel had given them.

Why are these items in his spatial bag? He remembered leaving it on the battlefield when the God of Death transported him into this world. Hell, even his hyung-nim’s white spear is inside.

"Human, what is that?" Raon and the two cats asked, pointing to the vibrating objects.

"It looks like a necklace nya," Ona said, pointing to the strings, each of which was colored differently.

Ciel hummed dreary in agreement, “It is a special necklace.”

"What does it do, nya?" Hong asked, joining the two in their examination of the necklace.

"Hmmm... it is like a sensor and a tracking device; it sends a warning to the owner whenever the person wearing the necklace is in danger, and vice versa," Ciel explained to the children who were looking at him with fascination.

"Human, we should develop something like this too so that we can know if you're in danger!" Raon exclaimed, his wings flapping excitedly behind him.

Ciel chuckled at the amusing sight before collecting the three necklaces with strings that matched the colors of his three children and cleaning the dried blood off of them.

“I don’t want this to alert me alright?” He muttered as he slowly and carefully tied the necklaces around the necks of his three children, which were a perfect fit.

When Raon received the necklace, his eyes twinkled with delight, and his whole body trembled with joy. It's the first time the human has given him something!

The human also doesn't want the necklaces to alert him. It indicates that he does not wish for them to be in danger.

It made him even more happy when he realized that.

“It even has our color nya!” Hong smiled brightly as he poked the gold coin dangling from his neck.

On carefully examined the gold coin dangling from her neck, observing dried blood splattered across some of its surfaces. She was carefully holding it with her paws to have a better look when a clear voice reverberated inside her thoughts, sounding similar to hers but a little more mature.

— can you finally hear me nya!? I can only speak for awhi...

And it suddenly faded.

Ciel frowned in concern when he noticed On's unexpected stillness. While watching his child stare at the necklace in a stupor, he gently placed a palm on top of her head. “Is there something wrong with it?”

“No… I just think I heard something.” On replied, still confused.

Ciel clicked his tongue in dismay, returning his spatial bag to his clothes. On has always had strong senses. It’s probably the bastards that have arrived.

"Are you sure you want to go?" he asked, rising from the ground and looking at his children. “You have the option of changing your mind at any time."

“I feel fine now! I will go with you, human!” Raon soared through the air, his paws protectively clutching the necklace.

"If you say so," he said, a small smile on his face.

Ciel's instincts didn't allow him to think about the consequences of his actions. He almost lost control as the wind enveloped his feet and he flashed to the blue wolf children who were surrounded by individuals wearing the Arm Organization's robes at almost inhuman speed.

He had no idea when this catastrophe would occur; all he knew were the dates. When he observed the children's frustrated and terrified expressions, a sliver of rage ignited within him. Maes was almost skewered with a blade right into his throat while defending his siblings, and he couldn't even imagine how terrified they were.

As everyone processed what he had done, there was a moment of stillness. Ciel's palm was buried deep within the chest of the guy who attempted to slit Maes' throat, while traces of the rose-gold being used light crackled all around him.

Despite his determination not to kill directly resonating in his mind, his palm smoothly gliding within the skin felt weirdly nice.

— Please put a shield around them.

"Human, you were very powerful just now! But don’t hurt yourself, okay!" Raon yelled in his mind while the dragon surrounded the wolf tribe children with a shield. 

‘Cale, don’t hesitate to use my shield okay?’ —  the glutton murmured her voice tinged with worry.

He answered with a quiet yes inwardly before withdrawing his hand away from the man he had just impaled with his bare hands and letting the body drop dead on the ground immediately in front of the other men.

He noticed the dark and threatening eyes directed towards him as he waved his hand dismissively before tilting his head to the side mockingly and said with a slight smile on his lips, "Ah... that was an accident."

"You bastard... you dare to meddle with us?"

Ciel narrowed his eyes, disregarding the glares of the robed men around him as he proceeded carefully towards the children, who were still quivering in fear. He knelt in front of them and smiled sweetly.

"You did an excellent job of defending your siblings. I will take it from here," he said, his tone kind and soothing in contrast to what he showed the other men.

Maes nodded subconsciously as he glanced at the lovely black-haired man. He felt as if his mouth was tied tightly, and he was too terrified to express his gratitude to the man who had saved him from being slaughtered. They were separated from their oldest brother, who had gone berserk; he was entrusted with fleeing into concealment while his older brother killed the other enemies.

"Don’t worry." Noticing the kid's behavior, Ciel raised his non-bloodied hand towards Maes’ head and patted him, "Starting from now on, only their blood will be shed and spilled on the grounds."

Maes’ lips wobbled, small drops of tears falling down on his shirt. His siblings clutched his clothes tightly as if trying to comfort him. He had to act as an adult and lead his siblings away from the village while panicking. He’s only a kid; he didn’t know what to do. He started to think that maybe the Gods hadn’t really abandoned them since the black-haired man appeared right in time to save him as if he had been sent from the heavens.

Ah.. did I frighten him? — Ciel sighed inwardly.

"We're getting cocky, aren't we? But that is what all wannabe heroes do,"

Laughter erupted from the shrouded individuals.

"Human... I'll destroy them for you," Raon said coldly as he menacingly gazed at them.

“I want to watch them writhe in pain…” On said darkly, scowling at the other men.

‘These vicious kids…’

Ciel shrugged his shoulders boringly, to which he received scowling looks from the other men.

“Ha… haha… are you fucking with us?”

“You were the ones who kept on assuming things.”

Ciel stood there watching as the men clenched their teeth in frustration at his lack of interest in them. Despite this, none of them moved, perhaps for fear of being impaled by his own bare hands once more.

"I’ll make sure you won’t escape from this place alive." The man who looked like he might be the leader of the team stared at him with a crazed look on his face. He was laughing loudly, like a maniac. He expected nothing normal from the organization anyways.

“I guess I can help you with that,” Ciel said dryly as he raised his palm, and a magnificent radiance emerged, shooting towards the heavens and encircling the individuals inside. In the sky, a silver shield with two wings on each side can be seen gleaming brilliantly. It served as a barrier to the outside world, but it also served as a prison for those who were inside.

Who said his shield couldn’t be used to entrap individuals inside? Years of broadening his knowledge about the use of his ancient powers brought him to this idea.

“Are you an idiot? You just made the situation hard for yourse—”

He was about to say something when a small reddish flicker of lightning interrupted him. The sound of a muffled hissing noise caused the individuals below to feel a tingly sensation and stop what they were doing.

They all looked in fear at the roaring heavens as the skies turned bloody red with hints of gold mixed in.

“W-what are you doing!?”

The dark red clouds obscured the brightness provided by the brilliance of the moon as the rose-gold flashes of lightning followed. Ciel stayed serene even when an ominous loud clap of thunder resonated around the area. The thunderous flame surrounding his hands surged up to the heavens as the hue of the sky changed to that of his flames which resembled the rising sun.

"Beautiful, isn’t it?" He smiled towards the panicking individuals with a tranquil expression etched on his face.

“What…. What monster..." a trembling, scared voice can be heard, but this time it is not from the children, but rather from the organization that has dared to hurt Ciel's family.

HAHAHAH! Let’s burn them into ashes! — the Fire of Destruction known as the cheapskate laughed loudly in his mind.

“Human, is it your doing? It’s beautiful yet destructive at the same time!”

“Ciel is strong nya!”

Maes and the kids were stunned as they looked up at the sky. It's the first time they've seen the skies turn red since the moon took on the same shade as the skies they're seeing today. Was it the stranger's doing that the moon had turned that way before?

“Run….. run!" The group's leader screamed and trembled as lightning flashed violently across the sky, threatening to strike them at any moment. They are not strong enough to avoid such a nightmare!

As the rose-gold thunderbolts wreaked havoc, completely destroying everything in their path under Ciel's command, he lazily moved his hand towards the ground. Several beams descended and struck every square inch of the ruined forest, obliterating the other members in the process.

Some attempted to flee but were stopped by the silver shield that surrounded them.

"This is a massacre…" The man fell down on his knees as he watched in fear as a beautiful yet deadly rose-gold lightning bolt descended upon him, destroying him in the process. 

The black-haired man's beaming face locked on him was the last thing he saw, and it was enough to frighten the devil.

What exactly did they get themselves into?

Chapter Text

Ciel stood silently watching as each member of the organization was struck by lightning, recalling the painful memories of fighting alongside his family.

The thunderbolts continued for several minutes, annihilating all of the Arm members in their surroundings until none remained. As the last member who yelled at the top of his lungs was completely removed from the face of the world without mercy, only the thunderous noises of rumbles and cracks could be heard.

It went on for a few more minutes until the heavy crimson clouds that had been blanketing the heavens dissipated and the serene scene reappeared. Each thunderbolt faded into the background until they were all gone.

Ciel sighed tiredly as he stared up at the sky.

He turned around as he felt a hand tugging at his cloak, and saw the children staring up at him, their eyes wide with wonder. With a little smile, he returned their stares and patted each of their heads.

Ciel crouched down and smiled tiredly at the kids, "You did a good job surviving such a frightening situation, your brother would undoubtedly be proud of you."

When the wolf children, including his three kids, suddenly embraced him fiercely, he fell down on his bottom with a tiny gasp. He could sense the tremors in their tiny frames, their bodies trembling as they all burst into tears.

With a sigh, he spread his arms wide, allowing the children to calm down a bit and relax in his embrace. Ciel comforted them by whispering softly and massaging their backs. "I assure you. It won't happen again,”

Ciel eventually relaxed and closed his eyes after seeing the nods on the children's faces.

— It doesn't appear that I'll be coughing up any blood any time soon.

But…. but it's strange... you're bleeding from the inside... I can't seem to stop it! I'm just able to slow things down! — the Vitality of the Heart cried out in a panicked tone.

— What exactly do you mean? I wasn't even hurt?

T-The world tree… maybe the world tree knows! — the Vitality of the Heart’s voice trembled, causing Ciel to frown.

The children stared at Ciel in bewilderment as he rose from the ground. His anxiety is rising as a result of the crybaby's terrified voice. "Your brother will be here in a few minutes. We'll have to leave now, I'm afraid."

"Sir, do you think we'll get another chance to see you?" Maes took the initiative and spoke up.

"Perhaps," Ciel answered, ruffling the kid's hair as he stared blankly at him. "Tell your brother to go with a man who has black hair like me, he should be with a red-haired woman."

Maes gave an enthusiastic nod. "We will follow your instructions,"

"Where will we go now, human?" Raon asked as he circled him, observing the black-haired man's tired appearance.

Ciel grimaced as he started casting a teleportation magic circle. He has an unusual sensation in his throat, as though bile is rising.

He shrugged the feeling off, motioning the two cats to come closer to him.

“We’re going to pay a visit to the worl—” He came to a halt when the temptation to cough became overwhelming. A frightening amount of blood poured from his lips as he grumbled at his destroyed shirt now stained with blood.

"H-human! You are bleeding!" Raon screamed in horror and distress when he noticed that the blood wasn’t anywhere near stopping soon. It’s like the water in the dam bursting out. He didn’t even bleed that much when he was tortured!

When the wolf children were about to approach him, Ciel raised his hand, signaling that he didn't want them to approach him, and the youngsters immediately obeyed.

A jackhammer sound echoed in his mind once more, similar to when he initially awoke in the Henituse Mansion. Ciel clenched his teeth and drew his cloak close to his mouth, attempting to capture the blood that was pouring out of his mouth at an uncontrollable rate.

C..Cale… this is much worse than before! — the glutton yelled at him.

The teleportation magic circle brightened as a blinding light engulfed them, finally sending them to where the World Tree is located.

Ciel collapsed next to the world tree, the blood still not stopping no matter how hard he tried to prevent it from coming out of his mouth.

"Human, d-don’t you dare die…" Raon’s voice was shaken as he tried not to scream when he realized that the man’s head must be hurting from how tightly he was clutching his hair.

On panicked as she reverted to her human form and assisted the black-haired man to rest against the tree. “No… no… no, you’re losing a lot of blood!”

Hong trembled in panic as he assisted his older sister and went closer to them.

“It’s f…fine… don’t cr—” Ciel coughed out loud harshly than before, letting out more blood.

The sound of approaching footsteps forced them to stop what they were doing. Several elves stood far away, watching them.

“Someone please inform Eruhaben-nim!”

When Ciel discovered the elves had already appeared, he pulled his children closer to him. He proceeded to cough up blood to the point that he believed he would die as a result of the amount of blood he had lost.

"How did you get into this place!?"

When something unbelievable happened, they decided to cease approaching the mysterious man.

The elves observed as the World Tree's roots moved and surrounded the black-haired man's body as though protecting him from danger for the first time in their lives. Red petals grew magnificently on the roots, the same color as the blood that the man was coughing, gifting their eyes with a beautiful sight of a man being embraced by the world tree.

Several elves murmured in astonishment, “A human... a human who has received the World Tree's protection...”

“…s…stay close to me…” Ciel muttered tiredly as his arms holding the three children went lifeless, blood still dripping from his mouth.

Child…

Did you go back in time as well...? — Ciel questioned, perplexed that he wasn't in any pain.

I have a connection to every world. Therefore, I do not need to travel back in time.

I didn't overuse any of my ancient powers. What is causing me to bleed so much more than usual...? — He asked, frowning.

Consider it a backfire of your unexpected disruption in the world. Two identical people cannot exist in the same world at the same time. As a result of this, the world will continue to try to eradicate your existence. The only reason you can stand straight right now is that you are connected to me.

Ciel laughed bitterly. So he wasn't allowed to even exist in this world? He was like a parasite attempting to fit into a place where he didn't even belong. — Connected to you?

You were connected with me as soon as you stabbed your heart with the root.

What can I do to stop the bleeding? — He asked with a click of his tongue, oblivious to the fact that he was practically connected to the world tree. He didn't care anymore whether he dropped dead or not.

It will naturally stop at some point. However, whenever you are making some changes in this world, your body will receive a backfire, causing you to bleed an insane amount of blood or faint for a long period of time. It is like having an incurable disease, but it won’t kill you. If anyone checks your body, they will only see internal bleeding. You will suffer as long as your existence is still deemed unacceptable in this world.

You must understand that you are currently an abnormal existence, Cale.

Ciel laughed grimly, realizing that the reason he was coughing up so much blood was because he had saved the wolf children who were destined to perish in this world. — Well, I suppose that solves all of my questions.

Child, try to smile a little more. My leaves aren't as vibrant as they used to be. We are connected, as I already stated. The tree will represent what you are feeling deep inside. — The World Tree's voice had a tinge of worry in it.

Ciel closed his eyes and drifted into a deep slumber, hoping to wake up soon or preferably not, ignoring the last words of the World Tree. How can he smile when every time he gets a chance to be happy, he is devastated by yet another piece of awful news? He sometimes wishes he could it in his heart to just give up.

On the outside, a man with long golden hair stood nearby, watching the black-haired man who was enveloped by the world tree's roots protectively. He was perplexed and troubled when he observed the golden bracelet around the feeble man's wrist, which he recognized.

He sensed the presence of a dragon and two other beings in the surroundings of the young guy, but they remained invisible.

"Interesting... a human child protected by the World Tree," Eruhaben observed the man intensely, his attention fixated on the golden bracelet he had had with him ever since he created it hundreds of years ago.

"He even has the bracelet I've been carrying around with me ever since it was made; what a mysterious existence you are."

A golden bracelet he made with his own mana and dust, which he promised himself he would present to the person he holds most dear before he dies. If his memory serves him correctly, he has never met someone who is qualified to receive the object he has created, much less handed it to a human child.

Eruhaben approached the human child and sat down alongside him on the grass, intently scrutinizing his features. He became aware of the blood that seemed to never cease running from his lips. Each drop of blood that comes into contact with the roots turns into a reddish petal. The man's serene countenance just added to the grandeur of the scene. He appeared to be sleeping in the midst of a thorny flower field.

"Hm... I believe we have a lot to talk about; I hope you wake up soon," Eruhaben muttered to himself as he wiped the blood off the man's lips with his white fingertips, feeling something in his body tingle slightly at the quick skin contact. It burned slightly in a pleasant way.

“What a truly odd existence you are.”

Chapter Text

“97… 98… 99… 100…. 1… 2… Human, I s-swear if you don’t wake up I’ll destroy everything…”

“You said we will go home together… human, you are a liar…”

“Don’t cry nya! I’m sure he will wake up soon…”

Ciel can clearly hear a child muttering in a shaky voice that sounds like the child is about to cry.

Aside from that, his body feels very light, as if he hadn’t gone through an insufferable amount of pain before. His throat feels so much clearer without the insane loads of blood coming out of it. Overall, he feels better as if he’s gone through a body modification after getting hit by a huge boulder.

Was it because I was healed by the world tree?

That appears to be the case, Cale. You were gone for a while. Do you feel any better now? — the Super Rock asked, concerned.

“This weird handsome man keeps on staring at Ciel nya!”

“Noona, I feel like he can see us...”

I feel much better— weird man…?

Ciel whimpered and tried to open his eyes, only to be dazzled by the sunshine. He promptly closed his eyes and forced them open once, blinking many times to allow them to adjust. It had been a long time since the sun had given him such a sense of satisfaction to look at.

Even the sky looked to be in despair throughout the battle as the sun went into an eternal hiding, finding refuge behind the heavy dark clouds.

"Look nya! The roots are starting to— Ciel!" Hong exclaimed as he saw the guy awaken, then transformed into his cat form and climbed into the man's lap to shake him awake.

On followed her younger brother's lead and used the man's cloak to wipe the remaining blood from his shirt.

"Human! You're finally awake!" Raon launched like a rocket towards the black-haired man, straight into his chest, and squeezed himself closer to give the other man a hug after the roots had finally been cleared.

As he carefully caressed the black dragon's back, Ciel's eyes eventually came into focus. His eyes leisurely glanced around the enchanting environment while he remained motionless in his posture, and when they came to a halt at a certain point, his eyes almost exploded out of his skull.

"It appears that you have awoken."

The sudden voice startled him as Ciel through his sheer willpower, tried not to back away the moment he saw the man’s stance. It was domineering and authoritative, he radiated intellectual ability without even trying to.

The person who had spoken to him was a man who appeared to exude elegance and grace wherever he went, with long golden hair that glistened even brighter in the sunlight and a gentle yet suspicious gaze locked on him.

The man’s mere presence brought a gentle succor that spread throughout his entire body.

Ciel is not particularly fond of skin-to-skin contact, yet he feels the need to hug the man strongly in order to ensure that he is still alive and well.

The bubbling sensation in his chest arose as he felt his eyes burning slightly. Maybe it’s because of the sun's direct brightness that was focused on him that was starting to hurt his eyes, or perhaps it was his emotions that wanted to burst out through tears.

When the man's attention came to a halt just in front of him, Eruhaben grimaced a little, as if the other man was surprised to see him in such a strange light. Being the one who receives the man's stare makes him feel uncomfortable.

A gaze that was focused at him in a daze that is filled with regret and desolation.

The ever-familiar expression of someone grieving for the loss of a loved one.

The human child is looking at him as if he were grieving for him.

It's as if he's a significant figure in the life of the child who recently passed away.

This made Eruhaben more curious about the man.

"Human...?" Raon called out gently to the other man, seeing that he had been staring at the elf-looking man with the smell of a dragon for about a minute without saying anything.

Ciel subconsciously hugged the black dragon closer to him when the elf with beautiful blonde hair frowned at him. He slid his arm to hide it beneath his cloak the moment the man’s gaze landed on the golden bracelet around his wrist.

"That golden bracelet," Eruhaben began, noting how the other man flinched slightly in response to his question but quickly returned to his calm demeanor. "Can you tell me where you got it?"

Ciel inhaled deeply and silently, trying to think rationally. Despite the suspicious glare leveled at him, he remained unfazed. He's at a loss for words when it comes to responding to the question. He has no idea if the golden dragon made the bracelet out of thin air and gave it to him to help with his stress on the spur of the moment, or if it was something valuable and precious to the other man.

So, he did the only thing that came up to his mind.

It is to remain silent.

He noticed how the man froze at his question and Eruhaben's fingertips twitched slightly. Thousands of years of existence had made him aware of his environment, including human emotions. He would've assumed the man simply refused to respond, but he knows that's not the case. It's almost as though the other man is unsure of the exact answer to his query.

His observant gaze helped him pick up the utter confusion, discomfort, and distress in the man’s stance, as well as the silent scream of help in his eyes.

The child is very confusing. He had looked at him as if he were relieved to see him. He even noticed tears welling up in the man’s eyes, yet they were immediately replaced with cold and indifference towards him.

As Eruhaben's body moved on its own, he didn't have any time to think about anything. He walked closer to the child than before, and slowly reached his hands up to slowly and carefully caress his head. He felt the child’s body stiffen up, and he almost frowned when the boy glanced at him with something akin to uncertainty.

Eruhaben noticed emotions flashing across the man's mirror-like stare, which he generally saw in someone who had been out on the field for a long time and had forgotten what friendly human contact felt like. He initially assumed the child simply disliked skin contact, but based on the man's reaction, it appears like it’s been a long time since the latter felt close to someone.

It's possible that the boy had previously been sold into slavery, or that he had encountered a devastated and ravaged world, desolate and dying, similar to what a war veteran would experience.

There is also something else he can sense that has been plaguing the child.

Trauma.

A horrifying thing that has the potential to break someone’s soul. Most of those he knows who have it, particularly the children that were sold into slavery and survived the place, either end up dead in the end or they’re on the path to destroy themselves.

The child's lifeless and blank gaze frightens him even though he isn't meant to be terrified of it. Eruhaben's chest clenched when he saw the image, and he felt terrible for some reason. It's as though he's a contributing factor to the child's grief.

Ciel's jaw clenched as he felt the golden dragon's keen stare fall on him, scrutinizing his entire existence. He might have been wearing his emotions on his sleeves without even realizing it.

Before asking the question, Eruhaben took a deep breath. "I'll ask again... where did you get this?" he asked, grabbing the man's wrist and raising it to his eye level with a golden bracelet wrapped around it.

The black-haired man reacted with a breath of air, his face expressionless. "It was given to me by someone."

Ho? Eruhaben began to wonder if there really is someone who could produce an exact replica of what he had created. "Who?"

The black-haired man responded almost hesitantly, "Someone... I consider as family."

Eruhaben's brows arched in bewilderment when he heard the answer.

"Is that so...?" He hesitated for a moment, debating whether to pursue the matter further or simply observe the child. But his inquisitiveness got the better of him. He was certain that he was the only one who could use a particular attribute, such as golden dust. "Can you tell me where I can meet that person?"

Ciel shifted his gaze to the side, caressing the bracelet that was on his wrist to ease his growing anxiety. "I’m afraid you won't be able to meet him, sir."

Why now? Just why did he have to meet the golden dragon now?

Eruhaben feels that his head is filling up with questions as their conversation progresses. "How come?"

“He’s dead,” Ciel said flatly.

Eruhaben's gaze darkened as he detected the other man's gloomy demeanor. He opted to leave the subject for the time being because he didn't want to push the child any further. After all, there are instances when that is appropriate. Furthermore, he appears to be unprepared to conduct that kind of conversation.

"I see," he said, letting go of the wrist he was holding, and the man promptly yanked it back.

"How did you get into this place?"

"I believe the tree can answer that question better, sir," Ciel says, without giving any reason; he can't just announce he's directly connected to the tree. Furthermore, he is aware that the World Tree will not divulge his identity, thus it is safe to let the tree respond to the man's queries instead.

Eruhaben sighed at the other man's politeness, a little perplexed that the child addressed him as sir. There's something wrong with it, but he can’t figure out what it is.

"My name is Eruhaben; please address me as such; it sounds strange to hear you address me as sir."

The response caused Ciel's eyebrows to furrow. He recalls how much the golden dragon enjoys being addressed politely, so why is he disturbed by him?

He did, however, nod gradually. "Eruhaben-nim."

When the black-haired guy whispered his name, the elf felt a tingling sensation. It sounds pleasant; it feels strangely familiar, as if he was previously accustomed to the child calling him by his given name. The minute he was called out by the child, it was as if his parental instincts kicked in.

Eruhaben couldn't speak because he was too stunned. He sighed deeply before asking, "What's your name?"

Ciel was so engrossed in the other man's penetrating stare that he didn't realize what he was about to say.

"Ca..." he hissed in pain as he bit his tongue to come out of his trance. “Ciel… my name is Ciel.”

"Cale..." Eruhaben whispered to himself absentmindedly, his gaze fixed on the man's eyes. The name that sprang to his mind sounded much better. It's even better for the child.

Ciel’s eyes widened in shock as he felt a cold sweat forming on the back of his neck. Cale? Did the dragon just call him Cale? Does he remember? Did he travel back in time t—?

"Ah, pardon me. Ciel it is," Eruhaben corrected himself immediately, his face contorted in uncertainty, possibly at what he had previously said.

When the golden dragon addressed Ciel by name, he felt like he was short of air. At that moment, he felt a surge of excitement in his chest. But it all came crashing down as soon as the golden dragon spoke.

"It appears that I haven't woken up from the dream that I've been having for the past few days; please forgive me."

"Dream?" the confused black-haired man questioned.

Before speaking, the elf gave him a brief glance.

“I was protecting a child named Cale.”

"Someone who has a distinguishing trait, a child with hair the same color as these petals," Eruhaben said as he sat down beside the man, collecting a cluster of crimson petals in his hands that the black-haired man had previously vomited.

"However, it is a little strange..."

"What do you mean?" Ciel asked, looking over at the man next to him.

"In my dreams, I kept dying trying to protect the child," Eruhaben stated coldly as if he wasn't amused by how he kept dying in his confusing dreams. "I'm not sure why I kept on shielding him in my dreams; I have no idea who the child is, nor does he carry any significance in my heart for me to keep trying to protect him."

Ciel clenched his fists till his knuckles turned white. Even though he understood the other man was only confused, the statement pained him a little.

"I want to die naturally, therefore I have no idea why I kept doing the same thing in my dream," Eruhaben added dryly, and all Ciel wanted to do was apologize.

Ciel wanted to reveal himself and remove his disguise as soon as the golden dragon reported seeing his figure in his dreams, but he is now afraid that it will go wrong. He can feel that the golden dragon is not pleased by his continued efforts to defend the child in his dreams, which is him.

He clenched his teeth. Even if the golden dragon had expressed his desire to die naturally, he dragged him off to the battle and was killed in the process. Should he? Should he still consider inviting the ancient dragon to join him? Or should he just leave him alone so he can have what he's wanted since they met in his original world?

"Speaking of death, I'm not sure whether you already know this, but you appear to be dying," Eruhaben stated, jolting him out of his trance and frowning at him.

So that is what the World Tree was referring to. A backlash that would give the impression that he is on the verge of death as a result of internal bleeding. But he wasn't going to die; he was just going to suffer. But he noticed that his ancient powers had become even more powerful than before. He benefits from it because all he has to do now is deal with the consequences afterwards and hope he really doesn't die as a result of the blood loss.

He will just have to withstand the tripled amount of suffering he felt when he first obtained the Sky Eating Water. The feeling of being stabbed by thousands of swords and he can't even run away from it.

"Wait a minute, human, what does Goldie mean by that!" Raon exclaimed in his mind.

“Ciel nya… you’re… you’re dying…?”

“Human, you’re not allowed to die! I won’t let you!”

Ciel grimaced at the screams flooding his mind.

“You seem to be aware of it.” the blond elf spoke.

Ciel chuckled dryly, “I have an incurable disease if that’s what you wanted to ask.”

Eruhaben was taken aback by the response. "I'm sure there's a method to fix it."

“None can,” Ciel answered with a genuine saddened smile on his face. However, to Eruhaben, it looks like the child has already accepted his fate a long time ago and it makes his heart throb in fear and confusion.

“Human… I will figure something out! I am a great and mighty dragon! I won’t let you die!” Raon yelled anxiously as Cale glanced at the dragon to give him a smile.

Surely there must be a method to cure it? Eruhaben is determined to discover a cure for the child he has only met recently and to whom he has already attached himself. There is something in him that wants to take care of this human youngster that piques his interest.

"I can try to make a remedy, but what type of disease is it?" Eruhaben's frown intensified, and he appeared intrigued by the disease.

“It’s alright. You don’t have to waste resources on me, Eruhaben-nim.” Ciel replied with sincerity in his tone.

Even if the golden dragon created a cure, it would not work on him, regardless of how skilled he was at creating them. Because it was his soul that was being tormented directly, the only way he could be healed was to return to his original world.

Where only he exists. A world where he would never want to return to.

The blond elf grimaced at the response. Wasting resources? He would never do something like that. But he considers it an accomplishment if he can even aid the child.

“I’m not someone who would waste resourc—”

"Even the World Tree and my ancient healing power can only slow it down, Eruhaben-nim," Ciel interrupted the blond's sentence, earning him a look of disbelief.

Eruhaben's pupils dilated slightly. If the World Tree can't even heal the child, then there is no way he would be able to help either. Is this why the man seemed so accepting of his fate? Because there isn't a solution to cure his illness?

"There's no need for you to be concerned; the only way I'll die is from blood loss." Ciel joked, attempting to lighten the situation, but it just seemed to worsen. He will never die, no matter how much blood he loses.

Eruhaben is now in full panic mode, and the other man's nonchalant attitude toward the prospect of death makes him even more concerned.

Sighing deeply, Eruhaben has made up his mind. “Having an incurable disease that even the World Tree can’t heal… it seems like you are an unlucky bastard, huh?”

As he arched his brow in confusion, Ciel felt nostalgic about the nickname.

“Well, it looks like I’ll just have to make sure you won’t suddenly drop dead, right?”

“What?”

"Tch. I'll make sure you don't die, so you better live a long life."

You're still young. You shouldn't be welcoming such a horrible fate with open arms. This is what Eruhaben genuinely wanted to express.

The black-haired man became even more confused as a result of this. "What, exactly do you mean?"

"I will be your guardian from now on, so you must repay me by living a long life, are we clear?" Eruhaben remarked confidently, with a touch of threat in his voice.

Ciel blinked several times before nodding slowly, still baffled. "Okay…?"

“Also, tell those three to remove their invisibility magic. It feels like they’re eavesdropping on us.”

Ciel nodded once more, slightly concerned that the other man was threatening him sweetly.

Minutes after Ciel teleported to the World Tree

"It looks like we are late," Choi Han grumbled as he looked around the forest, which appeared to have received a divine punishment. It appeared to be even worse than the place where Lock was fighting with the other members of the Arm.

Rosalyn sighed and shook her head in disappointment. If they had come sooner, they might have been able to save the other man's siblings.

"Maes... no... my siblings…" Lock dropped down to his knees as he noticed the blood that was starting to dry on the grounds. It was splattered; he couldn’t even bear the sight of it.

"I'm such a failure..." He sobbed silently, burying his face in his palms.

Rosalyn knelt alongside the boy and comfortingly patted him on the head. There are no bodies to be found, but she does notice ashes scattered around the area.

Those bastards. They not only slaughtered Lock's siblings, but they also set them on fire.

Choi Han gritted his teeth violently, snatching a fistful of the ashes on the side. It was a heinous massacre. This was even terrible than what his village had gone through.

Rosalyn perked up when she noticed a small amount of mana in the vicinity. It was a tremendous one, the kind that only dragons could create. She stood up and wandered around, drawing puzzled looks from those around her. The faint mana grew stronger as she continued to walk deeper in the forest.

She kept following the traces until she came to a halt.

Her brow furrowed as she observed a transparent shield. Her eyes widened as she saw what was inside.

She couldn't believe it when she realized what had happened. Who were those people if the ashes did not belong to the children?

"The children are here! They're alive!" Rosalyn exclaimed to the others as she dashed towards the children who were surrounded by a strong and powerful barrier. Surprisingly, it disappeared the moment she passed through it.

Lock swiftly inhaled a considerable amount of air as he looked in the direction of the voice. Alive. His siblings are alive?

Choi Han was surprised, as well. He approached the other boy and helped him stand before following the voice.

"Are you guys okay? Is anyone harmed here?" Rosalyn said, gently checking the children's bodies for wounds.

Maes relaxed in the presence of the red-haired woman whom their savior had informed them about and answered politely.

"None of us are wounded, ma'am; we were saved by someone," he explained. He will be eternally grateful for that. He hoped he could do something to help the man who had saved them when he began coughing up an enormous quantity of blood, but their savior made it apparent that he didn't want them to help because of his actions.

Lock eventually arrived, accompanied by Choi Han. He felt a little weak from his grief when he realized his siblings were no longer alive.

But seeing his siblings breathing and well, he felt like crying.

"Maes!" he yelled as he dashed over to his siblings, who were curled up together and clutching each other fiercely.

"I'm so glad you're safe," Lock said, his voice trembling.

"They were saved by someone," Rosalyn said again, her curiosity growing. "Who protected you?"

Choi Han arched an eyebrow at the other woman upon hearing this. “The ashes and the blood… could it be them?”

“It’s possible.”

"It's a man with the same hair color as that hyung, but his hair is much longer," Maes explained, turning to face Choi Han.

"Did you have any siblings, Choi Han?" Rosalyn questioned. The color black is extremely rare in their country, and it was the first time she saw the natural color of black after meeting Choi Han.

"Was it him...?" Choi Han pondered, recalling a time when he met someone with the same hair color as him. A long strand of black hair was covered beneath his hood, but he caught a glimpse of it.

He originally wanted to follow the man at first because it was the first time he saw someone with the same hair color as him since arriving in this world, but he had to inform the crown prince about the red moon.

“Who?” Rosalyn asked.

“Their description matches the person I was trying to look for.”

"The one you've been looking for ever since?"

"Exactly. I have confidence in my ability to track someone down, but I just can’t seem to find him. It’s like he’s avoiding me." Choi Han clicked his tongue in displeasure, his eyebrows furrowing. "If we had arrived earlier, I might have had the opportunity to meet him."

"It's okay, I'm sure you'll meet him soon," Rosalyn said as she patted the other man on the back.

"I won't let him go out of my sight once I catch him," Choi Han whispered, rubbing the sheath of his sword. Perhaps that guy is from the same world as him. He wants to find that man so that he can still have a family beside him.

“Please find him, sir. He was bleeding a lot when he left but he didn’t want us to help him.” Maes pleaded, his face painted with concern.

“He’s bleeding…?” Choi Han asked, repeating what the child had said. “Then that blood over there…”

“Yes, sir! It was his! He suddenly disappeared while he was still bleeding!”

Choi Han was becoming increasingly frustrated. Did the man suffer a major injury? Hearing that makes him even more determined to track down the man.

"I'm going to look for him, and I'm sure the crown prince will be happy to assist."

"Let's get them to safety first," Rosalyn whispered quietly as she helped the children go to a safe location.

“You don’t understand, Taylor!”

Taylor groaned as he palmed himself in the face for the hundredth time. It's been an hour since his best friend has been screaming about a black-haired man, and she doesn't appear to be stopping anytime soon.

"Why are you looking for him in the first place?" Cale asked, rolling his eyes at the woman while Taylor offered him an apologetic expression.

"You two look identical! Are you hiding your secret twin brother from me?" Cage flashed an accusing look at the redhead, to which the latter smirked at her in response.

"I don't have a hidden twin brother," Cale remarked, a mocking smile on his handsome face.

Cage held her hair firmly in distress, giving the two other guys the impression that she was insane.

“He told me he will be waiting for me! I've already searched the entire kingdom! I'm fucking convinced he's hiding from me!"

Cale raised an eyebrow in amusement at the other woman's statement.

 What exactly did you do to this crazy priestess, Ciel?’

Taylor exhaled softly and rubbed his irritated brow. "I'm sure you'll find him soon."

"Of course I will! I might as well flip the entire continent just to find that mysterious man! My lord said he's the savior of our world, you hear me?" Cage sipped another bottle of whiskey, her face stressed.

"I'd rather worship that pretty man than the God who was constantly bothering me in my dreams!"

"I owe him gratitude, but he dares to hide from me!"

"He said he will be waiting, and here I am searching for him all across the continent; I'm very convinced he's trying to avoid me!" Cage shouted, inebriated from all the alcohol she had had.

Taylor sighed, burying his face in his palms, trying not to cover his bestfriend's mouth. He is immensely grateful to the unknown stranger since his hopes of eventually being able to stand on his own feet once again have begun to rekindle.

Cale sat there and watched the entire situation, slightly irritated that someone was attempting to pursue Ciel. However, he is relieved that the black-haired man is not trying to avoid him.

'Should I also hide him?’

Chapter Text

“Father, you wish to talk to us?”

"Come in," Zed responded calmly, his gaze concentrated on the stack of documents presented to him by the time traveller.

Alberu seriously nodded and clenched his fist in concern as he motioned for the individuals behind him to enter. His father was not supposed to be aware of his movements at the moment. He has, however, discovered who he was cooperating with.

How did his father find out? Even the two Molan members were called on this meeting, he was certain that he had kept his distance from them in order to keep them from being discovered.

He took a deep breath and raised an eyebrow, observing that the count of the Henituse is seated in front of his father, as if they were just talking about something. The Henituse County is well-known for being politically neutral and unconcerned about royalty. So, what brought him here in the first place?

Alberu also observed the barely perceptible presence of a man concealed in his cloak standing behind the king. Despite the fact that his face is hidden, he can sense the calculating glint in the man's eyes that are concentrated on him. That alone is enough to make him shudder in his presence.

Even with the man's covered physique, the coldness and indifference emanating from his body could not be hidden. He emitted a powerful, domineering aura. The man stood motionless, unconcerned that his party was staring at him with interest.

Come to think of it, wasn’t this the same person they saw when he first introduced Choi Han to the king? 

Choi Han’s grip on the hilt of his sword tightened as he stared hard at the shrouded individual behind the king, who was not even giving him the slightest bit of attention. He’s trying his best not to call the man since they are in the presence of a royalty.

He estimated that it would take him weeks to hunt down the man because he suspects that the other man is avoiding him. But just as he was about to give up looking for the man, he appeared in front of him. It's as though fate is constantly messing with him.

Rosalyn observed the man's behavior and nudges him with her elbows, "Is he the one you're looking for?" she asks.

Choi Han responded with a solemn nod.

"Are you sure you agree with the plan?" Zed broke the oppressive silence with an abrupt question, his fingers entwined just beneath his eyes.

Deruth hummed, examining the papers that were scattered on the desk. "As long as my sons wouldn’t be in danger."

The other man's statement perplexed the two Molan who stood behind the crown prince. The count's sons? In danger? What kind of scheme are they discussing that has them summoned to the palace?

"Alberu," Zed said to the other blond.

"Yes, father?" He responded fast.

He wouldn't normally be nervous in front of his father. But what's going on at the moment makes him frustrated. The man had never summoned him on the spur of the moment unless it was for a really vital reason.

"Come over here and tell me what you think," Zed said simply, maintaining a neutral demeanor. Ciel was the one who specifically told him to hand the matters in his eldest child's hands, so he would support him naturally. 

When motioned to do so, Alberu stepped over to the two men and sat in front of the count. Zed handed him the documents that the man had been reading as he stood there. He noticed his instructor standing alongside him, likely curious about what was going on as well.

"The rest are welcome to look," Zed said, motioning for the other members of his son's group to come forward.

Before standing behind the crown prince, they all muttered a small greeting out of courtesy. All of them cast a careful glance towards the shrouded figure before reading the files in Alberu's hands.

50^th birthday… bombs… organization… locations of each bomb…?

Alberu averted his sight from the document and cast a frightened glance at the two men who were peacefully speaking with one another, a calm determined expression on their features as if they were confident enough to avoid such a bloodbath.

He resumed his focus to the paper after noticing that they were calm enough to be discussing matters he had no understanding about, and the more he read what was written on it, the tighter his grip on the paper became.

As he reviewed the contents of each document, complete stillness descended over the room. How did his father even know of this? More specifically, how did he obtain these documents?

The precise locations and identities of those who were expected to carry the explosives were meticulously detailed. Is this why the two men were relaxed and acted as if it wasn't much of a big deal?

Alberu let out a sigh of relief. It was actually a very good thing that they had these documents; otherwise, a lot of people would have died because they had no idea what was going to happen if it hadn't been for the documents that were scattered on the table.

They only have a few days until the royal festival, and they are fortunate to have been given plans and instructions on what they should do.

“Father, if I may just ask something.”

"Speak freely," Zed said, a little hesitantly at first.

"How did you manage to find out about this? Each piece of information is so precise that even the placement of the bombs was represented correctly. As if the perpetrator himself owns these documents."

Zed gave a quick glance at the black-haired man who had finally come to stand alongside him. Ciel observed this and decided to speak out on behalf of the other man, explaining, "Spies exist all around the kingdom, your highness."

The mysterious man eventually spoke, and everyone around Alberu tried not to grab and uncover the shrouded man with a relaxing and soothing voice that sounded familiar to some of them.

‘Young master?’ Ron thought, frowning.

Alberu is curious. He's extremely interested about the cloaked individual, as well as the one who wrote everything. After reviewing the documents, it was abundantly clear that neither his father nor his secretary had organized and planned all of it.

“Then are you saying you are a spy sent out by my father?”

“Perhaps.” Ciel replied dryly, his face blank under the hood.

"Were you the one who planned this whole thing out?" Alberu stared hard, but the man only gazed down on him, a look of sorrow and detachment hidden in those reddish-brown eyes that made him squirm slightly in his seat at how overwhelming it was. 

"I was simply carrying out the king's commands," a bland remark came.

Zed frowned at this, was the man planning to give him all the credits? Ciel was the one who planned all of it for fucks sake. He didn't even do a single shit. 

The man didn’t exactly give him an answer.

Alberu frowned at the increasing tension in the air before awareness washed over him. Was he asking too many questions?

"What do you think about it, Alberu?"

"It is perfect and planned out nicely." he expressed what he's thinking.

Surprisingly, the plans were devoid of any flaws. Years of following in his father's footsteps taught him to understand and be familiar with how he plans everything, and this kind of writing style differs from that of his father. That is why his father usually summoned him to finalize all preparations and events.

He actually had a suspicion that he was being summoned to express his opinion on a certain subject once more because Zed isn't exactly a strategist to come up with a plan like this.

If he may say so, it is the work of a genius who can think of thousands of backup plans just in case the other one fails based on its contents alone. But it's not like it will fail; he can already sense the success and benefits they can reap from it. 

Satisfied, he nodded to himself.

"We wouldn't be killing them, your highness," Ciel said quietly, reminding the crown prince, who was deep in thought.

"I know," Alberu heaved a sigh, puzzled as to why he can't kill them. While it would be beneficial if they were able to obtain additional information from the perpetrators, individuals like them are incredibly stubborn and would not divulge any information, thus it would be a waste of time.

"At least not until I've returned them to their rightful owner."

Choi Han arched an eyebrow at this, "Owner? Are they acting on someone's commands?”

Ciel hummed in response, concentrating his gaze on the other guy as he spoke darkly, with no emotions present in his voice. He cast a glance at the two assassins in the room and continued, "The same owner who commanded its hounds to annihilate a particular village and an assassin household."

That should suffice, Ciel reasoned. At the very least, they'd have a better picture of what's going on around them, and they'd be able to keep Ron from going insane and pursuing down the organization on his own.

When Ron heard the phrase "assassin household," his fingertips twitched slightly. How did this ostensibly young man know of their existence? He made certain to mask their trails so they wouldn't be linked to the Eastern continent's assassin family. He's not a fool; he's aware that the man is referring to them, and it slightly pissed him off.

Tch. They should've just gotten rid of their surnames.

“Young man, I don’t think you know what you are talking about,” He spoke coldly to the other man while wearing his usual benign smile.

"Each document scattered in this room speaks out on behalf of my knowledge, sir." Ciel wasn’t amused in the slightest bit. He snapped back sternly while apologizing in the back of his head for being impolite towards the older man. 

The last thing he wants is for his credibility to be called into question. There are multiple approaching wars and he doesn’t want any of his family to run wild and be reckless just because they won’t believe the information he is going to hand over to them. Though, he used to be reckless himself.

He doesn't have time to quarrel with the man, despite the fact that he wants to talk to him. He hasn't quite moved on from the outcomes of the war, and he prefers to keep their conversations short and quick in order to avoid attracting their attention.

Beacrox’s hands clenched into fists, his face contorted in pain and longing. It had been a long time since he had heard anyone mention their fallen household, let alone someone with a decent knowledge of the organization they were attempting to catch. 

He flashed a glance at the man, who returned his gaze, prompting him to flinch slightly.

"Sir, if I may ask, where did you come from?" He cut in respectfully, not wanting to irritate the man who appears to know everything like the back of his hand. If the man is originally from the eastern continent, it would address his queries regarding how the man knew about their family and their background.

But the man merely continued to prove them wrong. He wanted to slap himself across the face as soon as he heard the man's response since he had made a terrible decision.

“I belong to the Henituse Household.” Ciel didn’t even bother to glance at the man as he responded reluctantly.

Deruth with a pleased smile on his face, nodded in agreement.

Who would have guessed that the person who can assist them is originally from the household that they have already abandoned?

‘So that is why the count is present in this meeting. How strange, I’ve never seen this young man in the mansion before.’ Ron thought, a frown forming on his face.

Choi Han, who was constantly listening, was enraged and perplexed. He was angry because he remembered his people being killed without mercy, and he was confused since he had never seen the cloaked guy at the Henituse mansion before, even when he beat the count's oldest son.

Alberu frowned, peering at the enigmatic veiled figure before returning his gaze to his father.

“You wanted me to handle this.”

“Exactly.”

Alberu's eyebrows went up in surprise but made no comment. He just gave the man in the black robes a sidelong glance, his calculating eyes attempting to pierce the figure. He doubts the man is a spy; he's more like the strategist who works behind the scenes to help the king.

And, if his instincts were correct, he was the one who provided them with the information they needed to prevent an impending bloodbath, no matter how hard the other man tried to deny it.

He locked his gaze on the man for a few moments more before Zed coughed quietly, jolting him out of his trance.

‘Haaaa.. son, are you trying to scare our only strategist away?’ Zed sighed tiredly.

"While it's good to get rid of the magic bombs as soon as you get your hands on them, it would be preferable to use it against them."

Noticing everyone’s attention on him, Ciel continued. “We will also be needing a mana disturbance tool.”

Rosalyn, being a mage, cocked an eyebrow at this.

"One that will function against natural mana," Ciel replied as he surreptitiously peered at the crown prince in front of him, who gaped at him, his eyes widening in horror.

‘Does he know…?’ Alberu pondered, concerned that his secret would be blown.

‘It can’t be… right?’

Despite observing the crown prince's anxious expression, Ciel proceeded. "As well as one that works against dead mana."

‘Shit!’ Alberu's jaw tightened, and his palms began to sweat abundantly as a result of his nervousness.

Ciel noticed the distressed crown prince. Alberu looked at him with fear fully shown in his eyes, and Ciel responded with a barely noticeable smile. Alberu was shocked to the core at how the other man snorted at him as if he was entertained because of his reactions.

‘He knows… he knows! Just how?’

Alberu is already planning thousands of ways to bargain with the man in order to keep his secret.

Although, that wouldn't be necessary for Ciel had been on his side since the very beginning.

A standard mana disturbance tool would not work on a device that operates on dead mana. Knowing the organization like the back of his hand, he is certain that the majority of their devices rely heavily on dead mana to function.

"Uhm, sir," Rosalyn lifted her hand to pose a question, to which the concealed man glanced at her with a blank look.

She sucked in a breath before continuing, “While it’s easy to find a mana disturbance tool that works against natural mana, I think it would be impossible to find something that works against dead ma—”

When a black device the size of her palm was dropped on the table, she was startled to the point that she stopped speaking.

“This… is this…?” She peered closely, observing the small device. A better one than the standard mana disturbance tool because it can fit in someone’s pockets.

“I-Impossible…” Rosalyn gazed at the device on the table, her hands slightly trembling. There have been numerous attempts to create a mana disturbance tool that works against dead mana. The mages ultimately gave up since it appeared to be impossible, and the results were invariably futile. Furthermore, it was difficult to find an actual dead mana to test it on.

But how did the man in front of him manage to create something that is absolutely impossible to construct?

Ciel already knows what she's thinking. Of course, the pressures of battle can compel your mind to think of anything, and that includes performing the impossible.

“Just… what are you?”   

Ciel shrugged his shoulders, pointing his hand at the device and beckoning the girl to accept it.

“An ally.”

The man infront of them is their ally.

Despite their curiosity, that was enough to reassure them. They have a lot of questions they want to ask, but they are hesitant to address them because the other man appeared to be detached from the world and aloof, despite his voice being so strangely comforting.

The man is like a walking contradiction.

“If I may ask, where are we going to use the mana disturbance tool?”

The corners of Ciel’s lips formed into an unsympathetic smile, “It will be a hassle if they get the chance to teleport away, no? After all, their group consists of mages.”

“Wait, they have mages?” Alberu frowned and Ciel nodded.

"Moreover, where will we be attaching the magic bombs if not to them? It’s the only best gift I can think of to send to that bastard." Ciel chuckled dully, and that was enough to send shivers up everyone’s spine.

The room was deafeningly quiet after that brief laugh.

Deruth, too, was taken aback by the reaction.

Zed gave a deliberate nod, satisfied with the man's responses.

Ron, on the other hand, had a menacing smile on his face. He consented to this scheme. He wants those fucking bastards to taste their own medicine by bringing destruction on their own base once they returned to their master.

He can already envision their horrified expressions when they realized the bombs they manufactured to wreak devastation on the Roan Kingdom would be used against them. Furthermore, they would be able to destroy one of their bases without doing anything.

“Are you saying we’re going to let them escape either way?” Alberu finally found the courage to ask the man while avoiding his gaze.

Alberu can detect a smile behind the man's cloak as he is stared at. That, in itself, is sufficient to qualify as a yes.

“I’m counting on you to replicate this device,” Ciel spoke once again, placing a piece of paper on the table. Its contents consist of instructions on how to create the device step by step. Perhaps he will have someone deliver the resources to the mage later.

Rosalyn held the paper in her hands as if it were a valuable gem. Her lips trembled with eagerness, and she can feel her entire body twitching.

She can't believe she's been given the opportunity to create something impossible; to think she'll obtain anything like this makes her very thrilled!

Rosalyn smiled broadly and said, "I won't let you down." Coming to the Roan Kingdom seems to have been the best decision she's ever made.

“Of course, I expect nothing less from the future master of the magic tower.”

Rosalyn's heart skipped a beat as she heard that. She hasn't had adrenaline run through her veins in a long time, and just thinking about it makes her feel ecstatic. Should she go ahead and name the other man her teacher right now?

“Can I call you—”

"I’m afraid I’m not qualified enough to be your teacher," Ciel responded immediately. It’s true, while he is adept at controlling mana, having been taught by the golden dragon, he still lacked when compared to Eruhaben. 

Rosalyn gazed at the man, perplexed. He succeeded to construct a device that is thought to be impossible, yet he dares to call himself unqualified? Isn't this man too humble for his own good?

Alberu cast a jealous gaze at the two. Somewhere deep down, he wishes to receive something from the intriguing man as well.

Ciel witnessed the crown prince's confused brow furrowed with a glower on his face. Is he jealous? It's not like he'll benefit from such a device; shouldn't he be scared of it because it operates against dead mana?

Furthermore, he's about to give him a dragon's dead mana through Cage. Isn't that sufficient enough?

Ciel cocked his head to the side, realizing that the swordmaster was staring holes in him. It's best if he ignores him; if he manages to spark Choi Han's curiosity, nothing good will come out of it.

"The meeting is adjourned. We'll talk about the other issues later." Zed eventually spoke up again.

Ciel nodded in agreement, his gaze indifferent as he looked at each of his family members who gave him a puzzled look. He diverted his attention to avoid them as he walked around the table and towards the doors.

Zed and Deruth exchanged words with each other while both of their gazes were fixed on him.

All of them gave him space as he passed by them. He can deal with his emotions later; the safety of his family is more important right now. With one last side glance, he eventually exited the room.

“Wait!”

Ciel turned around to face the voice that had called out to him, his arms uncomfortably resting on his sides.

Alberu came to a halt in front of him. Choi Han, Rosalyn, and the Molan duo stood behind the crown prince.

He scowled. Are they planning to corner him? Even Choi Han looks like he’s ready to chase him to the ends of the world.

"This may seem odd, but would you like to join us for a cup of tea?” Alberu has flashed one of his dazzling smiles, one that resembles his previous smiles. He cringed internally at how fake it appeared.

Ciel can see the mischievous glint in his eyes, and he understands that responding to the request practically means bringing misfortune upon himself.

"I believe I am not worthy enough to be in his highness' presence," Ciel responded, his smile matching Alberu's. However, it was hidden beneath his robes.

"You are far more deserving than that. You did, after all, demonstrate your brilliance. Many people would perish if it weren't for you." Alberu answered enthusiastically, hugging the man covered in his black robes, who flinched visibly.

Despite the dread squeezing him suffocatingly from head to toe, essentially rendering him a prisoner of his own emotions, Ciel shakily sucked in a deep breath before speaking, attempting to ignore the other man's body pressing on him.

"The king deserves the credit. I was merely carrying out his commands, your highness."

"My father is not someone who can make that type of plan." It's the truth, Zed may be smart but he knew that his father will choose to stop the event and close down the kingdom instead, at least not until the enemies are hunted down. Zed is not a risky type of person. Also, they lacked mages. It would be a pain in the ass if the perpetrators consist of many mages. But somehow, the man infront of him managed to get that information. Whether he is a spy or not, he was sure that this man was the one who did all of it. 

But to continue the event so that they could smack them from behind? He doesn't want to admit it, but he was thrilled as well. They're going up against a formidable organization, and strangely enough, he's confident they'll win for the first time.  

Ron frowned with concern on his face as he watched the mysterious figure in front of him clench his trembling hands into fists. “Your highness, I don’t think you shou—”

"I know it was you," Alberu spoke solemnly into the man's ears, loud enough for the others to hear.

Ciel automatically pushed the crown prince away from him as soon as the words reached his ears, breaking the suffocating embrace. He gulped and replied in a distressed tone, “I apologize.”

"I will join you at another time, your highness."

Ciel adjusted his cloak and drew his hood down. "Please excuse me," he spoke quietly as he turned around, not paying attention to the swordmaster who was calling out to him.

He doesn't care whether it was improper to do that to a royalty, but the crown prince is starting to get on his nerves no matter how much he loves him.

It was annoying to him that Alberu kept on fucking with him through his mind games, and he wasn’t in his best state to deal with the other man’s taunting. He already felt tired and anytime soon, he felt like he would go insane. 

Choi Han clicked his tongue, his displeasure visible in his demeanor. Somehow, he feels like it is going to be a long time before the mysterious man will finally show himself to them again.

Alberu grimaced, feeling slightly guilty that he had caused the other man to feel uneasy in his presence. It certainly looked like the man was uncomfortable with being touched. He really wanted to get to know the man better and perhaps get closer to him. 

He's fascinated by the man. How far does his knowledge extend for the man to recognize him as someone who uses dead mana?

Chapter Text

"Your Majesty, the King," Ciel said as he entered the room, before asking, "Why did you summon me?”

"I somehow feel uncomfortable hearing you call me that," Zed said, his face unhappy.

The raven-haired man sighed and drew his hood down. "Did you need anything?”

"Yes," Zed said seriously, nodding. “I actually want you to come to the meeting, which I'm sure you've heard about." He sat there and watched as the man took a seat in front of him.

Ciel nodded, his brow furrowed in perplexity. "Of course, I'm on my way there to see Cale."

It was now Zed's time to raise his brow and point at the other man's robes.

“Surely, you’re not planning to go there all covered up?”

"If that's what you're afraid about, I can keep myself invisible."

"That isn't the point." Zed sighed deeply and rubbed his brow. "I'd like you to come to the meeting so that I can officially introduce you as my representative."

Of course, Ciel understood what he was saying, but he's not going to call the man out on it. A representative is no different from a minister. But he presumes it's good because it would make his work much easier; after all, he is essentially permitted to act in the sovereign's name.

Ciel inclined his head. “Is it the right moment for that?”

“Hm. You'll finally be able to move around freely without being bothered by unnecessary questions," the blond replied, drumming his fingertips leisurely on the table.

Ciel looked at him for a minute longer before reluctantly nodding. When the occasion arises, he can simply bribe the man to remove his status. He can't be both a representative and a supreme commander at the same time, or else a crowd of nobles will descend on him, which will be extremely irritating.

“Is there anything else?”

Zed was deafeningly quiet for a long time, with only the sound of his fingers tapping to be heard. He let out a sigh before speaking somewhat hesitantly.

"Also, to show to those nobles that I intend to hand up the kingdom to my eldest child as soon as possible."

Ciel smiled lazily, his cheek resting on the back of his hands as he gazed at the decorations on the wall in front of him. If Alberu had known about this, he would have died of shock. He is someone deserving of the crown; of all the princes, he was the one who worked the hardest for the position without receiving any assistance.

Zed appears to be using him to showcase his support for Alberu by sending his one and only envoy to the man.

"It looks like you have finally chosen to publicly declare your support for him, Your Majesty."

“I already had someone prepare clothes for you, so you better get moving.” Zed decided not to answer the question of the other man as he averted his gaze, dismissing him with a wave of his hands.

"Take the carriage for a ride; the main hall is a bit far away."

Go ahead and make your spectacular entrance. Is how Ciel interpreted it.

Ciel merely stared at the other guy blankly, making no effort to say anything, and stood up when a butler knocked and entered the room to bring him out to get dressed.

Fair enough, at least he can still enter with Cale as promised.

"He should be here any minute," Cale said, his gaze fixed on the small gold-colored clock in his hands. He was growing impatient, and he wanted to meet the black-haired man as quickly as possible to get rid of the image of that cretin Neo in his head. It was fortunate that Eric and the others were able to separate the man from him.

“Who are we waiting for?” The crazy priestess grumbled in response, her hands fiddling with the wheelchair’s push handle.

“Are you waiting for a friend?” Taylor asked calmly.

Cale didn't say anything as he dragged his gaze to the carriage with the royal family's insignia that was approaching them. As a languid, teasing smirk grew across his lips, he shoved the hand clock into his pockets.

“He’s here.”

“Who?” Cage squinted her eyes, attempting to figure out who was inside the royal family's carriage.

"The person you're searching for," Cale said quickly as he rushed towards the carriage to greet the person he'd been expecting to see.

“Look! He said Ciel is finally here!” On shouted to the other two.

The carriage doors slowly opened to reveal a black-haired man dressed in a three-piece black suit with gold embroidery that complimented his almost light bronze reddish-brown eyes. Ciel's hair was tied in his usual method, but this time a little gold-colored clip held some of his hair together.

"Human, we did exactly what you told us to do!  We protected the other human!" Raon screamed enthusiastically as he circled around the carriage.

"We even tripped the bastard who tried to pick a fight with him, nya!" Hong cheered joyfully.

“Yes, human! We forced him to trip six times!”

“It was seven times nya…” On corrected.

He mumbled a brief thank you in the back of his head, trying not to think about what the vicious kids had done to one of Venion's minions.

"You're late," Cale grumbled but extended his hand to the other man nevertheless.

Ciel blinked at the sight of the redhead waiting for him outside, and a hand reached out to him, signaling him to take it. He grasped Cale's hand as he helped him, and he was met by some known faces as soon as he get out.

"How come you aren't inside yet?" he frowned, confused.

Cale responded to the frown with a mischievous eye roll and a slight smirk on his lips. "You said you'd accompany me."

Ciel snorted and dragged him away from the carriage until they were just a few feet away from the other two, "And how about them?"

Cale groaned and shook his head. "You might have driven that woman insane."

Ciel shot a glance to the priestess, whose eyes were as wide as saucers and who was openly gawking at him. He had to suppress a cringe as he looked at her hands, detecting the slightest tremors. The priestess seemed to have gone completely insane.

Did he do something?

“You!” Cage said loudly as she leaped at the man and clutched his hands together so firmly that even Cale didn't have time to respond and get him away from the woman, “Where were you!?”

“In the kingdom?” Ciel cocked his head, puzzledly looked at her.

“Lies!” Cage screamed, intensely shaking his hands in a push-and-pull motion. "I spent hours searching around the kingdom, and you weren't there!"

He shot a glance at the redhead, who responded with a shrug, suggesting that he didn't know anything.

“But I’m really in the kingdom?” Ciel lied as he frowned, his shoulders easing somewhat as he adjusted to their presence.

Cale sighed and tugged the black-haired man closer to him. "She's been screaming for days now, and it's becoming rather irritating."

Taylor sighed softly and smiled apologetically at the two of them. "It's true, she's been looking everywhere for you."

"You said you'd be waiting for me, but I'm the one who waited for you!"

Ciel blinked again, mildly surprised. Was the priestess ever this aggressive in the past? What the hell did the God of Death feed her?

"Well, I'm here now, so let's go inside first," he replied, gently resting a hand on Cale's shoulder.

"All well, but you're not allowed to run," Cage said, gazing at him intensely as Ciel sought to hide behind the redhead.

“Entering, young master Cale Henituse of the Count Henituse family!”

As the four of them entered one by one, a booming voice announced their arrival. A lot of stares were focused at them, especially at the unknown man with the uncommon natural color of black hair and the face of Deruth Henituse's eldest son.

The hall was filled with hushed whispers about the mysterious man, the topics of which included the trash young master's concealed identical twin and so on.

Even Alberu was taken aback; he was about to meet the three people he recognized and speak with them because they were late for the celebration, but the sight of the man stunned him and glued his feet to his spot, unable to say anything.

Cale frowned at the nobles' stunned expressions. He is well aware that the other man is a literal eye candy, but can't these scumbags be more covert about the looks they're throwing at Ciel?

The entire palace became silent as they awaited the announcement of the unknown man's name and identity. As they waited for the announcer to speak, they all gulped in suspense.

“Entering, the King’s Envoy, Ciel Henituse of the Count Henituse family!”

"The King has finally chosen his representative!?"

"Impossible! We weren't notified of this!"

Ciel proceeded to walk inside with a blank expression on his face, unconcerned about the stares he received. He's more focused on comforting the dragon and ensuring that Raon doesn't blast the chandelier, causing it to fall just above Venion's head and potentially kill him. 

"Human, that bastard..." Raon exuded a menacing aura, giving Ciel a chilling sensation.

Ciel had foreseen something like this happening. He nodded softly towards the black dragon, repressing his own sigh.

“I know… you promised me that we will give him a fate worse than death. Human, I can wait.”

Ciel gave a pleasant smile to the black dragon that was currently obscuring his view. Raon is patient even in this world. He's proud to have a child like him. Raon has the right to inflict pain on that son of a bitch ten times over for what he had done to him.

Recognizing the dragon's frown and solemn demeanor, he blew slightly on Raon's face to catch his attention.

‘Alright, let’s make him trip before we leave later?’

It's childish, yet his children appear to enjoy fucking with Venion's minion. He has no qualms with tripping them as long as they deserve to be tripped.

“Ciel finally agreed nya! Let’s trip those bastards who dared to hurt our youngest nya!”

“Let’s trip them a thousand times nya!”

“I will make you proud, human! I will make him trip until he decides to cut his legs off!”

Ciel deadpanned at his children's venomous statements but chose to disregard them.

Meanwhile, loud gasps from nobles from different factions can be heard, and the entire place has devolved into turmoil and chaos. They all turned to look at the second and third princes, whom they had been supporting, and quietly expressed their disappointment.

The King sending a representative to an event hosted by the Crown Prince? It was a direct declaration that the crown prince has now the King's entire support and that he may take the throne shortly.

The nobles' perplexed queries filled the chamber to the point where the 2nd and 3rd princes were agitated. However, the crown prince is still taken aback by what is going on. He's fixated on the man who aroused his curiosity the day before. He had no idea he was acting as his father's representative. But he is persuaded that the man deserves it, and he enthusiastically approves of his father's good decisions.

“Does the trash young master have a hidden identical twin?”

"More importantly, why is the representative coming from a count's household? Shouldn't it be someone in a more high-level position?”

"I thought King Zed favored the third prince! What the hell is going on!?”

"Have you ever seen that man in our kingdom? How did he come to be appointed as the King's representative?”

"I'm even more perplexed; I thought the Henituse County was a neutral party? Why did the King appoint the Count's hidden son as an envoy?”

“Shit! We should have stayed on good terms with the count!”

Cale laughed coldly, his gaze searing the man who had just stated that. Neo Tolz is an imbecile.

He gently grabbed Ciel's wrist and led him to their seat, where the trio was sitting.

“Tch. I've always suspected Count Deruth is a cunning man, and to think he's been hiding a treasure in his home. How did he manage to keep that man hidden for nearly 20 years?”

"I'm beginning to suspect that the King and the Count have been plotting it since that man was born."

"Does this then imply that the Crown Prince will undoubtedly succeed to the throne?"

Ciel rolled his eyes at their conspiracy theories. Even he was unaware that he had been appointed as the King's representative only an hour before. Their assumptions are preposterous, even worse than White Star's.

He sat down as he cast a glance at the Crown Prince, who was gazing at him in a stupor, jolting him out of his reverie.

Alberu coughed loudly, interrupting the nobles' conversation. They all returned to their meals, their gazes still fixed on the enigmatic man with a blank expression on his face. While they eat, their thoughts turn to how they may catch the man's attention and possibly befriend him for power.

Ciel observed as Taylor and Cage approached the crown prince to discuss something, while Cale was occupied conversing with his hyung.

"You should have told us you were expecting your... twin? We would have waited with you," Eric said.

"There's no need for that," Cale answered quickly, eyeing the black-haired man who appeared to be completely unaware of the stares aimed at him. It's as though he's accustomed to attracting a lot of attention. Despite this, he persisted in his inquiry. "Are you feeling uncomfortable?"

Ciel shook his head slightly, gently patting the redhead on the leg next to him. "No, I'm not. Thank you for being concerned."

Amira inquired, her brows furrowed, "Young Master Cale, is he your... twin?"

The crown prince decided to seat the other two guests at their table as soon as she asked the question. Cage sat with Taylor by her side and looked into Cale's eyes before asking, "I thought you didn't have a hidden twin brother?"

Cale frowned for a short moment before replying in a plain tone, “Well, I have one now.”

Ciel rose up, attracting the attention of everyone in the palace. In his hands is a gorgeous golden box that can only be opened with a precise mana signature. Inside the box are magical explosives that will be used to replace the enemy's bombs, but they don't have to know that.

“Where are you going?” the redhead asked.

“I’ll be right back.” Ciel smiled down at him before leaving the table.

They all watched as the raven-haired man rose from his seat and approached the Crown Prince.

To them, it appears to be a present for Alberu, but it is nothing more than another problem Ciel will bring to the crown prince.

As Alberu approached him, Ciel walked up the stairs. They locked gazes while Ciel smiled, “Greetings, your highness.”

He presented the exquisite box to Alberu, and the nobles around them were watching intently, trying to figure out what was inside. Ciel, of course, is aware of it.

Their fingers brushed against each other as Alberu removed the luxurious present from the man's grasp.

Ciel mouthed the word 'plan,' and Alberu instantly knew what that meant.

Alberu mentally sighed, his face flushed with stress.

The two princes attempted to overhear what the two princes were saying, but all they could hear was the box being passed around.

Robbit clicked his tongue in nervousness, and he eventually turned around to see what they were up to.

But he was unprepared for what awaited him. He flinched when the visage of the black-haired man smiled down at him coldly. His eyes are dark and attentive as if there is a lingering monster behind those pupils watching his every move and ready to strike him down at any moment.

And just like the lifeless gaze of a doll’s eyes, it was terrifying enough to make him want to shit in his pants.

Ciel continued to smile down at him. Even when he bowed and lowered his head a little bit to show courtesy, his eyes still remained focused on Robbit, and his smile never left his lips. 

"Enjoy your meal, your highnesses," Ciel spoke pleasantly as he walked away, not forgetting to look at the 3rd prince, who likewise flinched as they made eye contact.

And, like a spell, Robbit feels like he can breathe again the instant the man diverted his sight and headed down the stairs to his own table.

‘How horrifying… that man is terrifying!’

Alberu chuckled at his half-brothers' scared expressions, quietly thanking the other man for teaching them not to eavesdrop on someone's conversation. It appears that the two will not trouble him for the foreseeable future, and having the man's support allows him to rest a little.

He looked down at the man's descending back as he diverted his sight to the thin piece of paper wedged between his fingers; the man presumably slipped it in when their fingers brushed.

“Human, that crown prince is kinda weird…”

Ciel knowing what’s making the little dragon confused, he decided to answer.

‘He is a quarter dark elf.’

Raon looked confused for awhile before nodding, “So that’s why!”

Ciel returned back to his seat and settled back against it while the nobles’ gazes are still on him. Does he look like a source of entertainment for everyone?

“What did you give him?” Cale asked.

“Bombs?” Ciel replied straightforwardly. Cale nodded, not bothering to ask any more questions. He was already aware of what was about to occur, and he felt honored that the man informed him of the plan before coming to the King to discuss it.

“Wha… why?” Now it was Cage’s turn to be curious.

Ciel shrugged, not responding to the question.

"If I may ask, why did the King suddenly have a representative? He did have one before, but he's an old man," Taylor decided to question, his face furrowed in uncertainty. It was true that having a representative as young as Ciel was unusual for the king. He even appears to be younger than Cale.

Ciel took a moment to survey the folks seated around the table before sighing softly. In any case, they are trusted. Furthermore, it will be convenient if he can reach an agreement with the Ubarr immediately.

"There will be a temporary alliance," he said gently, just loud enough for everyone to hear.

“Alliance? With another kingdom?” asked Gilbert.

“Close. In the future, there will be a temporary alliance between the allied kingdoms and the secret organization," Ciel remarked quietly. Eruhaben is most likely conversing with the World Tree at this time.

Amiru gasped softly, a little surprised. "Between the allied kingdoms and a secret organization? How huge would that be...?"

Ciel looked at them blankly before saying, "The King hasn't spoken about it yet, but there is an approaching battle." He paused for a moment to see if anyone else had a question. "The alliance will be massive, and if necessary, it will be all the continents fighting together against one race and a handful of bastards," his brows furrowed before adding.

And that’s exactly why he didn’t hunt Redika in the Blue Wolf Village, since he’s the only one who will appear at the start of the novel who can at least communicate with one of the higher-ups from the Arm because of his magic being at the same level as Glenn’s. 

Somehow, Cale has a sneaking suspicion that Ciel will be at the center of all of this.

Ciel remained his gaze on Cage before he added, “The alliance will be done in a place where the two parties will have an agreement to. It is going to be something where the Gods will have no choice but to intervene.”

Cage shivered and grimaced at the remark. An alliance in which the Gods have no choice but to intervene? How huge is this conflict that the Gods will want to become involved in?

"And when that day comes, the Roan Kingdom will be the one to lead the alliance on our side."

That is why, before the intended alliance can take place, he must gather all of them. The people who battled alongside him. Because even if they fled into hiding, the world would still be destroyed. They will have no choice but to fight. They will be forced to battle just for their survival.

The eyes of the individuals around the table were wide opened, feeling goosebumps all over their skin.

Their kingdom? Their kingdom will be the one to lead the alliance? It sounds unbelievable because there are empires out there that are stronger than the Roan, but when those words came out from the man’s lips, it somehow felt like it was true. 

It wasn't just simply arrogance and confidence; there's something in the man's words that makes them believe everything he says is real.

Cage's eyes twinkled with mischief as if she was ecstatic. So this is what the God of Death has been attempting to convey to her. He was telling her that if she wanted to live, she needed to cling tightly to the man.

She wasn't the only one who felt adrenaline coursing through their veins; all who had heard the man's remarks felt energized as if they'd been prepared for war since the beginning, as if it was second nature to them. The mentions of war still frighten them somewhere deep down. However, when they visualize the raven-haired in the middle of it all, they feel confident that everything will be just fine.

Perhaps this was why Zed Crossman made Ciel Henituse his representative. Because he will be the one who’s going to be at the center of the alliance and possibly, the war.

Chapter Text

“Finally, it is over.”

“Are you sure you don’t want us to accompany you outside, young master?” Amiru asked, her eyes filled with concern and sympathy for the redhead due to a certain waste of space that kept on taunting him.

“Don’t bother and go ahead, we will follow shortly,” Cale replied blandly to which he earned a nod from the woman.

“Take your time, Cale. Don’t worry, we will deal with him.” Eric remarked with a pleasant smile, while the small smirk that crept up on Cale's lips went unnoticed by many.

“Alright then. We will see you there,” Amiru offered them a nod before turning around on her heels together with the two who walked beside her on their way out.

Cale rested his palm on his hip, his attention fixed on the black-haired man who was staring at his lap.

“Ciel,” He called out, the name that rolled off his tongue sounding better each time he pronounces it.

“Let’s leave.”

The man blinked at him in surprise and followed it with a nod, “They left already?”

Ciel observed his surroundings, the people seated at their table were finally gone and so were Taylor and the priestess. He assumes they’re getting ready to meet with the crown prince anytime soon.

With a frown on his face, Cale answered, "They did."

Was Ciel so engrossed in his thoughts that he didn't notice the others leaving? What was he thinking, exactly?

“I see.”

Cale waited patiently for the black-haired man to stand up, an amused smile on his face as he watched Ciel yawn tiredly.

With a pat on his lap, dusting off whatever dirt there was, or simply straightening the wrinkled fabric, Ciel finally got out of his seat and faced the exit.

“Alright, let’s leave.”

“Ciel, wait.”

Alberu's voice rang out loud and clear, blending with the resounding footsteps of the remaining nobles as they exited the palace.

"Your highness," Ciel returned graciously while standing motionless on his feet, his expression unsurprisingly stoic, as if encouraging the blond to be quick and say what he needed to say.

“The day before…” Alberu started, shame and regret circling his whole body.

The grip of the redhead beside Ciel tightened against his clothes, feeling a slight tug.

He swallowed as he finally peered into the man's eyes and instantly tried not to look away at how distant it was, brushing aside the sensation of guilt that seemed to be tied down in his body since the day he made the raven-haired uncomfortable in his presence.

Nevertheless, despite the aloof gaze fixated on him, he continued with his words.

“I apologize.”

The apology made Ciel’s eyebrows raise in bewilderment that even an invisible random question mark appeared on top of his head.

Even Cale was taken aback by the crown prince's unexpected statements.

“I’m sorry?” Ciel’s eyebrows knitted together.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about, your highness," Ciel admitted honestly as he recalled their past encounters, trying to recall what mistakes the crown prince had done that prompted him to apologize suddenly.

Alberu's shoulders tensed as he chuckled incredulously.

Don’t tell him that the other man had already forgotten what had happened previously?

"I touched you and stepped out of line; please accept my sincere apologies."

Cale's lips pressed together tightly as he locked his gaze on the crown prince. In the sweltering heat, his expression was frigid. And his blood was boiling for the other man like the scorching hot as the weather.

“You did what?” Cale’s voice was interrogating, a tinge of anger traced in his words. It may have gone unnoticed by the black-haired man, but Alberu can feel the stinging hatred in the redhead’s gaze.

“You touched him?”

Alberu’s frowning face fixed on him merely fueled his rage.

Ciel immediately tugged at the hem of his shirt, snapping Cale out of his anger.

Cale clenched his fist, attempting to avoid grabbing the bottle of wine on the table and throwing it in the crown prince's face.

He has thrown bottles at those filthy bastards bothering other people without hesitation in the past, and anyone who dares to touch his family, may it be someone from a royal family or a higher being, no one will be an exception.

“Your highness is a good-natured person, please accept my apologies for reacting badly to it,” Ciel spoke as he observed the other man whose heartbreaking face was staring at him. It was as though Alberu had disappointed a God to the point of being unable to sleep because of what had occurred previously.

Cale is now completely perplexed. How could someone apologize for having a negative reaction to being touched?

"Please don't say that," Alberu groaned, the look of understanding directed at him making him feel even more awful.

“Ciel,” Cale called out furiously while the other man did nothing but shake his head towards the blond.

Ciel could see Cale’s temper immediately flared up as he opened his mouth to deliver an angry outburst, his face turning red, much like the color of his hair, but Ciel beat him to it and spoke up first, his tone being nonchalant and nearly bored.

"I was a little fatigued that day, so I didn't have the opportunity to return his highness' welcoming hug."

Cale’s anger dissipated and was instead replaced by pure confusion.

"However, if it concerns you so much, I forgive his highness; in exchange, I hope his highness can pardon my impertinence."

As he said this he kept his gaze on Alberu who stood frozen on the spot. It looks like the man really was bothered by how he reacted before.

Cale who was still perplexed, remained silent while maintaining a protective posture next to Ciel.

After moments of hesitation, Alberu gave the black-haired man a nod.

“Well then, I forgive you.”

Ciel only shrugged, a small genuine smile forming on his face as a rush of nostalgia washed over him at the crown prince’s response. God knows how he misses messing with this man so much.

With a shake of his head, Alberu muttered, "Seriously... you— aigoo..." It appears that his apology was unnecessary, but he felt the need to express it nevertheless.

Somewhere deep in his soul, he feels like he absolutely cannot stand to disappoint this man. He never wants that cold and distant gaze to be placed on him again. The calculative gaze and commanding stance, an aura that resembles that of a king, make him feel like it is necessary to prove himself worthy of the man's presence. 

And for that reason, he asked, almost a bit hesitant and unconfident.

“Do you think I am deserving of this position?”

Ciel tilted his head to the side in a confused manner. Was he asking him this because he had just recently received the position of being the king’s representative?

Alberu had mentally prepared himself for the worst. If he's like the other nobles who believe he's unfit for the throne, he can only expect himself to be disappointed. Even to his father, the king, he had never wanted to prove himself worthy of such a position this much.

He seeks the man’s acceptance and only that. Because soon, Ciel will have to work under him once he receives the throne, and he can’t work with someone who thinks otherwise, especially if that person is the man infront of him.

 “Do you want my honest opinion, your highness?”

Despite not wanting to hear any rejection coming from the man, he gradually nodded albeit hesitantly.

Ciel hummed as he observed the blond frowning at him. When did his hyung-nim start seeking validation from other people? Has his confidence gone low?

"Well..." Ciel started, and Alberu’s frown began to deepen. It looks like the black-haired man appears to be at a loss for words with him, and so he is already bracing himself for the worst.

Alberu's fist was clenched and his face was tight as he gazed him dead straight in the eyes.

Ciel sighed, then looked back at him with a soft smile to honestly answer his question. His hyung-nim asked for an honest opinion and he would respond with only the truth.

“I believe no one can rule this kingdom better than your highness, the crown prince.”

Although, he still can't get over the fact that his hyung-nim is starting to doubt his capability of leading the kingdom and taking the throne.

"I..."

His words did not contain any lies, and Alberu believes him.

"Does your highness' silence imply that he believes everything I've said?"

Ciel teased and remarked, his voice tinged with amusement. His hyung-nim has always held himself in high respect, so he couldn't believe the blond actually came to him seeking acceptance. If their connection was the same as it was before, he would consider it normal, but they are merely strangers right now.

He can't have his hyung-nim seeking validation from every random person he encounters.

Alberu laughed, his mood lifting a little. He couldn't understand how Ciel could read him out in two days as if they'd known each other for years. As if they had bonded for a long time. For years, neither his attendants nor his family, who had been serving him since he was a toddler, were able to figure him out.

But there he was, appearing as if he were an open book exclusively for Ciel to read.

"I believe your highness has the ability to turn our kingdom into an empire at some point in the future."

Despite the beautiful smile on his face, Ciel murmured with a trace of melancholy and longing in his tone.

Alberu’s heart ached because of the sad tone. He's curious as to what the man has been through. He had never seen him in their kingdom and had not heard from him until only a few days ago.

Was he originally from a fallen empire before moving to the Henituse County? Judging from the black-haired man’s tone, he seemed like someone who had lost more than he could ever have. It makes him concerned for the man’s well-being. Perhaps after this, he will send someone to investigate the man's past so that he can at least help him. He can't help but feel protective of the other man.

However, the words caused him to return the stunning smile of the black-haired man, and he felt his chest flutter with a rapid heartbeat. Heavens forbid, his pale skin might be flushed red, and it would be preferable if he were in his original form, but it was the first time he had been complimented as a crown prince— no one can rule the kingdom better than him, he is meant for this position.

He is constantly reminded of how he is 'unfavored' and 'undeserving' of his position. Never an honest compliment was given to him.

Now he feels as if his efforts for the kingdom were worth it. All of his efforts had been paid for just by a single sentence that the man had told him. Maybe it's because it came from the man, or maybe it's just his heart jumping in joy.

Succeeding the throne is one thing, but turning their kingdom into an empire means a lot to him.

“Very well,” Alberu said, his usual dazzling smile coming back to his face and Ciel feels relieved that his hyung-nim returned back to his usual self.

Ciel was the only one who saw him in a good light. The only person who recognized his efforts, and probably someone who will encourage him to strive harder in the future.

Therefore, it is only fair that he gives the man the prize he very well deserves soon.

Alberu’s smile widened, flashing his perfectly white teeth.

Ciel, for some reason, feels as if something he doesn’t want is about to come into his life. His hand subconsciously moved to grasp the redhead’s hand. He believes it’s starting to become a habit for him to hold the other man’s hands whenever he’s stressed.

His hyung-nim appears to be overjoyed, to the point where he is becoming uncomfortable.

Alberu is happy, too terrifyingly happy.

“A king’s representative, hm? I believe being the prime minister would suit you better.”

Chapter Text

Even in this dimension, and even if it is a different version of Alberu, his sworn brother constantly manages to catch him off guard with his comments.

Ciel inclined his head thoughtfully, languidly brushing a few loose strands of hair out of his eyes. He looked at Cale, who was wearing a scowl on his face for a half-minute before returning his gaze to the blond and shrugging.

“I will have to deny that offer, your highness.”

A dumbfounded look crept onto Alberu’s face as he studied the black-haired man.

"Why so?" he asked, only to be answered with a faint smile.

"I won't stay in this place for too long," Ciel whispered quietly, and Alberu sensed a shadow of something sorrowful and dark behind those words. He has a strong suspicion that there's another meaning behind those phrases, but he lacks the courage to ask for fear of making the male uncomfortable again.

— Where are we going, human?

— Will we travel somewhere nya?

Ciel just gave a bittersweet smile in response to the queries reverberating in the back of his mind.

"I see..." Alberu mumbled, shaking his head absentmindedly in response. Perhaps he is correct in his assumption that the other man is originally from another kingdom, because he could permanently continue to stay in the Roan Kingdom and earn the second-highest position, and yet, his offer was still rejected.

"Where are you going?" Cale interjected, raising his brow.

“It’s not like I’m going away soon, so there’s no need to talk about it,” Ciel replied nonchalantly as he lifted the corners of his lips slightly to assure the redhead that he isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

"Do know that you are always welcome to consider the offered position; no one qualifies for it better than you," Alberu added as he gave him an eye-smile, hoping that his charm would persuade the other guy.

Ciel, on the other hand, could only sigh inwardly as a result of this. Years of being at the blond's side have given him a thorough understanding of everything his hyung-nim does, including the other man attempting to woo him into becoming the Prime Minister.

Ciel chuckled quietly at the memory, drawing astonished expressions from both men surrounding him.

Alberu grinned subtly as he took in the scene. He was completely oblivious to the fact that the redhead was openly scowling at him for making such an expression.

"You should smile like that more ofte—" His words were brought to a halt when one of his attendants drew a quick bow in the direction of all three of them before turning his attention to Alberu.

"Your highness, someone has requested a private audience."

Alberu grimaced, mentally cursing at himself for being interrupted in the middle of his chat with the other man. He waved his hands dismissively at his attendant and returned his gaze to Ciel, who gave him a nod, suggesting that he should take care of his business.

He let forth a wistful sigh before he started speaking with his usual smile on his face, attempting to keep his face from showing any eager reactions towards the other man, "At the royal festival," he said. "Will you be there?"

Ciel blinked and he was quick to nod his head. “Yes, your highness,” he replied slowly. “I will be there with Cale.”

— Human, we will go with you too!

‘Mm, yes you will.’

Alberu cast a peek at the redhead, who was glaring daggers at him, clearly unconcerned that he was doing it to a member of the royal family.

"I see," he whispered, a little disappointed that he wouldn't be able to converse with the other man in the royal festival without the redhead being protective of Ciel, but he shook it aside and smiled brightly at the two, concentrating more on the black-haired man. "I expect to see you there."

Ciel arched an eyebrow in response to the blond's disappointed expression but then nodded slowly.

"I suppose you have some important matters to attend to, your highness," he began, observing the blond's fatigued demeanor before adding, "Please take care of yourself; we will be on our way as well."

Alberu's eyes softened in response to the other man's concern. He couldn't put it into words, but he could see in the man's eyes that he was genuinely concerned for him which strengthened his desire to get to know the man better and take their relationship to the next level, like brothers. A warm, fuzzy feeling rushed over him, and he could feel his cheeks heating up again, right up to the point where he couldn't help but place his hand to cover his flushed face before sucking out a trembling breath.

"Yes..." he mumbled under his breath, his mind wandering off at the thought of the other man being concerned about his health. "Please remember to look after yourself as well."

Ciel gave him a puzzled look, tilting his head to the side a little bit and slightly frowning. Was he really that exhausted?

And with a nod, the two bowed and turned around to go, with Cale gently dragging the feeble man out of the palace as if he couldn’t endure breathing the same air as the crown prince any longer.

Alberu locked his gaze on Ciel's back for another minute, savoring the rare opportunity to see the man without the black cloak covering his entire body. His visage, which resembled that of the redhead, was nonetheless startling. Despite the fact that the twins have identical features and even their smiles are slightly the same, he only finds himself smiling back genuinely when he sees the black-haired man's calm, peaceful, and satisfied countenance blessing him with the rare sight of a pleased expression on his face directed towards him.

His lips curled into a smile. “I hope to see you soon.”

Choi Han arrived at the palace's training grounds early the next morning, surprised and delighted to see that the man he was desperately looking for was already there. The black-haired man was resting at the base of the same tree where he frequently sat. His body posture gave the impression that he was sleeping, except his eyes were slightly open as he gazed at the sky, seemingly deep in thought.

The black-haired man's gaze captured his as he approached him closer. For a brief moment, they remained in that position, staring directly into each other's eyes. Choi Han wished he could escape his sight, but it was as though he couldn't. The deep reddish-brown eyes were sad— and lonely. Even though he had suffered physically and emotionally as a result of the destruction of his village, he couldn't grasp the sorrow lingering behind those eyes that seemed to know his very existence.

Those were the eyes of a man who had lost everything— even more than he ever had. They appeared to be wise and knowledgeable to the horrors of the world as if they were carrying the weight and the huge burden of the world behind his feeble frame.

Choi Han seemed to be a part of it all based on the way he looked at him. The black-haired man then raised his head slightly to have a better view and blinked. The other man's deep sadness, which seemed to be drawing him in, dissipated in an instant and was instead replaced by a faint smile.

For a brief moment, Choi Han blinked at what he had experienced before turning his head away. The man then greeted him, which is understandable given that they had been staring at each other for a long time.

"Hm," Ciel hummed softly as he observed the man standing nearby, then nodded contentedly, as if he liked and approved of him. "You seem to be the crown prince's instructor?"

Choi Han nodded slowly, his expression indicating that he was still perplexed by what had occurred. “Yes,” he replied.

The man's face appears to be so familiar to him; he reminds him of the son of the count he battered before leaving. But his features are softer, and simply by glancing at him, he can perceive the weary air that lingers around the man.

The man he beat up never looked like the one he is seeing right now. They might have the exact same features, but the way they carry themselves is very different. He remembered that the man was from the Henituse household also— perhaps the two were twins?

"What is your name?" Ciel asked, sitting up straight and looking up at the man.

"Choi Han," he responded quickly, pausing to savour and appreciate the sight of the other man's exposed face.

"I see," the man said quietly in response to his answer, and Choi Han couldn't help but notice how the man's smile that formed on the man's face seemed slightly forced yet somehow genuine at the same time.

"I was given the name Ciel," he introduced himself, taking Choi Han off guard when he extended his hands to offer a handshake. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Choi Han stared in astonishment before eagerly taking the man's hand in his own and carefully shaking it, fearful of injuring him in some way. "It's also a pleasure to meet you."

Ciel shrugged and rose from where he rested, and Choi Han moved quickly enough to allow him some space. He noticed how the swordmaster seemed to be embarrassed and awkward in his presence. His forehead furrowed in confusion. After all, he hasn't done anything to make the situation awkward.

Thankfully, the weird atmosphere in the air was broken when the leader of the knights and a mage coming from Zed’s side rushed up to them and bowed to greet the two with a bright smile on their faces, their breathing kind of heavy from running.

"We have done exactly as you told us to do, sir. We were also able to replicate the device you handed over to us." The mage stated respectfully, her eyes beaming with politeness towards Ciel. After all, who wouldn’t? He was in charge of the king’s mages, and he provided them with information and knowledge that would be very useful to them and assist them in enhancing their skills.

They're even considering following in the footsteps of the intriguing black-haired man and learning under his tutelage.

Ciel shifted his gaze away from the other guy and nodded at the mage who was speaking with him. "You did a great job," he complimented, a pleased smile on his face. "Please proceed with what we have planned."

"Sir, our training regimen has been changed," the knight respectfully replied, his tone brimming with excitement. "It's a step forward from where we were previously, and we're clearly making progress."

Ciel hummed in response, softly nodding his head once again at what he had heard. "That's good," he muttered, a faint smile emerging on his face as he remembered the Choi Han of his world in command of the empire's knights back then. He was convinced that the outcomes would be excellent, just as they had been before, because Choi Han, one of the most powerful swordmasters, had trained them.

Choi Han is the person to whom they should express their thanks if there is someone to whom they should express their gratitude.

"Focus on strengthening the defense and get some rest afterwards," Ciel spoke, earning the teary-eyed expression of the leader of the knights. If anyone of them is tired based on their appearances, it surely is the king’s representative having it hard the most.

They couldn't bring themselves to consider how much weight and responsibility the man was carrying. They can't even stand the idea of leading the mage and knight factions at the same time while dealing with the kingdom as the king's representative all at once.

"Y-yes," he stammered, bowing respectfully once more. "Please get some rest as well, sir!"

Ciel blinked, his face once again turning blank as he waved his hands dismissively. "Don’t worry about me. Please focus on taking care of yourselves." After all, they are going to be the ones who will be protecting the citizens.

How could such a selfless individual exist? Nonetheless, the knights' leader nodded enthusiastically as he saluted with his arms outstretched before continuing on his route. But he can't help but sigh in the back of his mind about how the person in charge of them isn't taking care of themselves very well. They have no choice but to compensate him with positive outcomes.

"I will handle the rest of the remaining devices," Ciel said, focusing his gaze on the mage. "Don't overwork yourselves, and take a break every now and then."

And once again, he frowned when the mage’s face turned into a sad expression— it certainly looked like she was about to cry.

"W-we shall do as you command, Ciel-nim!" she exclaimed before immediately bowing and fleeing, and Ciel was certain he heard the girl sniffling before she burst out crying.

Choi Han cocked his head, little perplexed by the events unfolding in front of him yet awestruck by what he was hearing.

And so, he blurted out. “You would make a great commander.”

Choi Han could tell from how Ciel gave them orders as if it was natural to him and how he cared about his allies that he was someone who had been given the role of a commander before. Perhaps he was once from their fallen kingdom, like how the crown prince deduced— the other black-haired man is very natural at it. If someone is befitting of a commander, it would certainly be Ciel.

However, Ciel's faint chuckle indicated that he found that statement amusing, and Choi Han was bewildered by the following comments.

Ciel spoke nonchalantly, “I wouldn’t.”

“What?” Choi Han arched a brow at the almost sad tone.

“I wouldn’t make a great commander.”

Choi Han was at loss for words. “Why do you say so?”

Ciel shrugged before responding, “That title is too heavy don’t you think?” he paused. “Someone like me,” who had failed as a team leader and a commander, “Wouldn’t fit for a position like that.”

‘For someone who is very fitting for such a position, his self-esteem is too low.’ Choi Han thought, somewhat saddened.

“I really think you would make a great commander, maybe even the best one there is.”

Ciel did nothing more except shrug. “You haven’t even seen me lead a war.”

Well, that’s true. Choi Han frowned at the man who keeps on disagreeing with him.

“If the situation arises and someone will need to step up as the commander, will you take it?” he said solemnly and Ciel could see the hopeful look coming into his dark eyes.

Ciel narrowed his eyes, his hands travelling up to brush back his hair as he glanced at the other man. “Well, that situation hasn’t arisen yet.”

Just what is up with them forcing him to become the Prime Minister and the Commander when his hands are currently full with something like strengthening their kingdom and gathering some allies?

"It will be up to the royalties to choose a commander," he sighed at the other man's slightly disappointed expression. "I will have no say in it."

And then again, the hopeful look in Choi Han’s eyes came back. "I see," he said, and a smirk crept across his face. "I’m sure the king is a benevolent man. Surely, he would listen to his people’s choices."

Ciel is now beginning to regret ever saying that to the man.

He retorted once more, "I'm sure there are better ones." This time, it would be preferable to work behind the scenes. It’s not like he wants to distance himself from his previous allies; he just doesn’t feel the need to get closer to them once again.

“You can leave that up to me, Ciel.”

Stress began to fill his head as he shook his head. "Do as you wish.”

Ciel sat on the window ledge, his gaze fixed on the outside world. He paid close attention to the moon. It seemed like an eternity since he felt so at ease staring at it. He may have been traumatized by the bloody moon glaring at them throughout the entire battle.

It feels completely inappropriate; it feels as if he is committing a sin by thinking such a thing. Despite the fact that a war against the White Star is on the horizon, he still somehow feels peaceful. It was small compared to the one he knew. The sun shone brightly during this period, unlike the sun during their time, which sought refuge behind the black clouds. The river was still free of blood and debris, and the air was free of the rotten stench that made it feel nice to breathe in. And there are still people left around him, not like in his time when he was the only one left alive. The horror and devastating situation they would soon face in the war against the organization was nevertheless more peaceful than the one he had left behind.

He feels like shit for comparing both wars when there are still people dying left and right, where there are still lives being lost.

‘You would make a great commander’

He smiled bitterly at the statement.

"You are making that face again," a familiar voice echoed in the back of his head as his gaze lingered until it came to a halt in front of the golden dragon who had unexpectedly appeared in his room. He sighed and returned his gaze to the elf after a brief peek at the children asleep in the bed.

"Would you mind sharing what you've been thinking?" Eruhaben leaned back against the wall, arms folded, as he observed the child's sorrowful expression.

"I was just reminiscing," he murmured quietly, returning his gaze to the moon, which shone brilliantly above them.

"About what?" Eruhaben inquired and wished he hadn't asked and instead had simply offered the man his presence as consolation. He was concerned that his carelessness would cause the child to relive and endure some of his unsaid trauma.

"About the lives I have failed to protect," Ciel replied calmly and slowly as he felt a gentle caress on the top of his head, which lingered there without moving an inch. He relished the comfort of the golden dragon that had been bestowed upon him.

Eruhaben made no attempt to question what the child meant by that or to pursue the subject any further. He could see the child's grief and misery on his face and realized that the only thing he could do was soothe him. What might the child be protecting at such an early age?

Chapter Text

The morning sun bled gold over the palace grounds. Too warm, too bright, too awake for someone like Ciel, who would rather be under a blanket pretending the world didn’t exist. Instead, he was here, dragged to the training grounds like some tired child being forced to go to school.

Alberu Crossman stood waiting, posture casual, expression sharp. He leaned against the railing as if he owned the morning itself, but his gaze kept flicking toward Ciel’s thin frame. The thought slipped into Alberu’s mind unbidden: He looks like he could be blown away by the wind.

“You’re late,” Alberu remarked, voice smooth and teasing. But the faint furrow of his brows betrayed a different truth—he was worried.

Ciel adjusted his cloak, expression unreadable. “I wasn’t aware I had a schedule. Next time, perhaps send a servant with a bell.”

Alberu smirked, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Don’t tempt me. I’d tie one around your neck if it kept you from collapsing in random corridors.”

The words were mocking, but the weight behind them was far too soft for someone who should see him as a stranger.

Ciel’s lips twitched, but he said nothing.

In the field, Choi Han was already waiting with his sword. He glanced at Ciel’s too-pale complexion, the slight tremor when Ciel adjusted his hood. He doesn’t look well enough to spar…

“I’ll go easy,” Choi Han said quietly, almost gently, lowering his sword to a less threatening angle. “This is just to test compatibility, nothing more.”

Ciel shot him a dry look. “Go easy, and you’ll regret it.”

Yet even as he stepped into the field, his movements betrayed a lingering heaviness. Alberu noticed—of course he noticed—and his arms twitched slightly as if to steady Ciel, though he stayed put.

The clash began.

Choi Han’s blade moved with lethal grace, but every strike slowed a fraction before reaching Ciel, as though he were subconsciously cushioning the impact. Ciel deflected easily, the wind at his command wrapping around him like an old companion. Still, Choi Han’s gaze kept darting to Ciel’s breathing, to the faint pallor spreading across his features.

Alberu’s eyes narrowed. He looked less like a Crown Prince evaluating a fighter, and more like an older brother watching someone precious stumble too close to the edge.

“Enough,” Alberu cut in sharply as Choi Han pushed forward again. “You’ll tire him out.”

Choi Han hesitated, sword freezing mid-swing. His dark eyes met Ciel’s, searching. “You’re pale. Should we stop?”

Ciel clicked his tongue, thinking to himself. "I should've brought Cale with me..."

He brushed invisible dust from his cloak, straightening with tired dignity. “I'm alright, thank you.”

Alberu stepped down from the railing, his shadow long across the grass. He stopped just close enough that Ciel could feel the warmth of his presence. “You haven't slept, hm?” His tone softened, almost imperceptibly. “If you insist on playing strong, at least let someone catch you when you fall.”

Ciel froze, the words striking far too close to old scars. He turned his face away, unwilling to let either of them see the flicker of grief in his eyes.

Choi Han sheathed his sword, quiet as ever, but he lingered near Ciel’s side like a silent guardian. Alberu, meanwhile, tilted his head with that princely smile that concealed too much. And yet, his gaze softened whenever it landed on Ciel.

The three stood together in the morning light—an uneasy trio bound by circumstance. For Ciel, it felt suffocating. For Alberu and Choi Han, it felt like the beginning of something neither dared to name.

The summons came sooner than expected.

Ciel barely had time to disappear into thin air and escape the two before a messenger from the palace announced that the King required his presence. The way the servant said it—with hesitation and a flicker of confusion—made Ciel consider vanishing into thin air just before the message ended.

But before he could, Alberu's hand is already on his shoulder as if he knew that what he was planning.

“You’re coming with us.” The Crown Prince’s tone left no room for protest. He gestured toward the waiting carriage with a casualness that implied Ciel had no choice in the matter.

Ciel raised a brow. “Us?”

“His Highness, myself, and you,” Choi Han said quietly from behind Alberu, his voice even but watchful. He glanced over Ciel’s thin frame, noting the blank look that the man is giving him. “…If your body allows it.”

Ciel’s lips curled into a humorless smile. “I assure you, it has carried me through worse.”

Alberu clicked his tongue softly. “Then it shouldn’t be a problem to sit in a carriage and let others do the walking.” His words were teasing, but the subtle way he positioned himself at Ciel’s side—close enough to catch him if he swayed—betrayed something gentler.

Why is he doting? Ciel thought irritably, already finding their presence too clingy than his world's hyung-nim and Choi Han. It’s not like I asked him to.

The mission, according to the King, was simple: investigate suspicious movements near the border. Rumors of hunters, of shadows, of an organization that did not belong. To Ciel, it sounded painfully familiar. His stomach tightened with the weight of memories he tried to bury.

The carriage ride was suffocating. Choi Han sat across from him, hands folded neatly over his sword, though his gaze strayed often to Ciel’s face. Alberu lounged beside him, deceptively relaxed, but every bump in the road made him glance sideways, as if expecting Ciel to crumble.

Finally, Ciel sighed, rubbing his temples. “If either of you continue staring, I will jump out of this carriage.”

“You’d break your legs,” Alberu replied smoothly.

“I’d catch you before that happened,” Choi Han added calmly.

Ciel stared between them. “…Wonderful. Two gaolers in different disguises.”

Alberu smirked faintly. “If you insist on looking half-dead, you can’t blame us for treating you like porcelain.”

The words should have irritated him. They should have dug under his skin. But something in Alberu’s tone—unconsciously soft, threaded with concern he likely didn’t even realize—left Ciel unsettled in a different way.

When they arrived at the border village, the atmosphere shifted. Shadows stretched long, the air heavy with unease. Soldiers saluted Alberu, who dismissed them with sharp efficiency before turning back toward Ciel.

“Stay close.” The order slipped out instinctively, as natural as breathing.

Ciel stared at them blankly, finding no words to utter out about how they are treating him like a porcelain glass. “......” 

Alberu only gave him that infuriating smile. “I wouldn't want my future Prime Minister getting even a slightest bit of scratch.”

Choi Han stepped forward, blade drawn but not threatening. His posture was protective, subtle. He spoke quietly, only for Ciel’s ears: “If you feel unwell, say something. Don’t push your body.”

Ciel almost laughed at the absurdity. Two strangers, versions of people he once knew, treating him as though he might break at any moment. Even if this is another world, they still feel like it is still them. He feels guilty for finding joy in their presence. Deep inside, a part of him, the part that had died with his family, felt the faintest flicker of warmth.

The border village was silent, unnaturally so. Not the peace of dawn, but the hush of people hiding behind locked doors.

Choi Han’s hand rested lightly on his sword as his sharp eyes scanned the empty road. “Something feels wrong,” he said quietly.

“Yes,” Ciel agreed, his tone even, almost knowing. “A place should never be this still when the sun is already so high.”

Alberu, walking at his side, noticed the faint drag in Ciel’s gait. He shifted closer without thinking, his hand brushing the edge of Ciel’s cloak as though steadying him from a stumble. The motion lingered a heartbeat too long.

Ciel glanced at him, expression mild. Alberu cleared his throat, smirking to mask it. “You walk as though the ground offends you. I wouldn’t want you to stumble..”

Ciel’s lips curved faintly. “Your concern is appreciated, Your Highness.”

Choi Han looked between them, his gaze lingering on Ciel’s delicate features. “If your body feels strained, say so.”

Before Ciel could reply, the silence broke.

Figures emerged from the alleys, cloaked in black. Their masks gleamed dully, each marked with a symbol that made Ciel’s stomach tighten. The Arm.

He exhaled softly. “Ah. So it is you.”

The first wave surged forward, blades flashing. Alberu drew his sword with sharp precision, stepping in front of Ciel instinctively. “Stay back,” he ordered.

Ciel tilted his head, his voice calm, almost kind. “I can manage.”

With a flick of his wrist, the wind answered. Invisible currents surged across the ground, scattering masked figures like leaves caught in a storm. The air cracked, sharp and final, leaving Alberu momentarily still.

Choi Han moved in tandem, his strikes clean, efficient—yet always angled to shield Ciel from the heaviest blows. His eyes flicked toward Ciel again and again, as though every breath the man took mattered more than the enemies before them.

The Arm faltered, retreating as quickly as they had come. A test, not a true assault. Ciel knew the pattern all too well.

Alberu sheathed his blade with a flourish, then turned immediately to Ciel. “Well,” he said, smirk curling at his lips. “At least you’re not as fragile as you look.”

Ciel smiled faintly, lowering his hand. “That is kind of you to say, though I am afraid I gave a rather poor impression. My apologies for worrying you.”

Choi Han stepped closer, voice soft but firm. “Your breathing is uneven. You pushed yourself.”

Ciel blinked at him, then chuckled softly. “Sir Choi Han, you notice too much. But thank you for the thought.”

Alberu arched a brow, half amused, half annoyed. “See? Even he agrees with me. You should rest before I’m forced to carry you.”

The two of them—one openly doting, the other quietly mindful—flanked Ciel as they walked back through the uneasy village. And though he felt the weight of their gazes, Ciel remained composed, his tone polite and distant.

“Truly,” he murmured, the ghost of a smile on his lips, “you are both far too kind.”

The carriage wheels rattled steadily against the dirt road, carrying them away from the border and back toward the capital. Afternoon sunlight streamed in through the window, broken into fragments by the swaying curtains.

Ciel sat angled toward the glass, arm resting lightly against the sill. His posture was relaxed, his gaze turned outward, following the landscape as if it were nothing more than a moving painting. Calm. Composed. Almost detached.

Across from him, Choi Han’s eyes lingered. He told himself it was habit—he was trained to read people, to catch the smallest changes in an opponent’s stance or a companion’s breathing. And yet, with this man, he found himself measuring too often.

The slight tremor in Ciel’s fingers when the carriage jolted. The way his breath seemed steady at first glance, but deeper scrutiny revealed the faint irregularity of someone suppressing fatigue. His skin, pale in the afternoon light, looked too fragile for someone who had commanded wind sharp enough to tear through the Arm with effortless precision.

He looks delicate, Choi Han thought, grip tightening slightly against the scabbard of his sword. But power like his doesn’t come from fragility. He hides strength behind that calm face… strength, and something else I can’t see yet.

Beside him, Alberu shifted, lounging with a casualness that fooled no one but himself. His smirk was in place, his posture perfectly at ease, yet his eyes had been drawn to Ciel from the moment they sat down.

Every rut in the road made his hand twitch as though to steady him. And when the carriage struck a particularly rough patch, Alberu moved without thought, catching Ciel’s arm.

Ciel turned slightly, his voice calm and measured. “It was only a bump, Your Highness.”

Alberu smirked to cover the instinct. “And if you’d crumbled into the floor, I’d be the one explaining it to my father. Better to be cautious.”

Ciel’s lips curved faintly in what might have been amusement before he turned back to the window. He seemed not to notice how Alberu’s hand lingered a heartbeat too long before letting go.

Alberu leaned back again, studying him with sharp eyes. He talks as though nothing touches him, but that composure… it’s too practiced. Too clean. Anyone else would show something—tension, unease, even arrogance. But him? Nothing. It makes me want to press harder, just to see what lies beneath.

“Your breathing,” Choi Han said suddenly, his voice quiet but unwavering. “It’s uneven.”

Ciel inclined his head slightly, as though acknowledging an obvious fact. How obsessed is this man on measuring my breathing? “You notice much, Choi Han.”

Choi Han fell silent again, but his gaze did not waver. Alberu’s smirk twitched, but his thoughts were less playful now.

They both notice, but for different reasons, he thought. Choi Han watches him like a man guarding something precious. I— his eyes flickered to Ciel’s profile in the sun, serene and untouchable —I watch because he unsettles me. Because I don’t know what he is hiding, and I want to know.

The silence pressed in again, broken only by the sound of wheels on stone.

Ciel seemed content in it, his expression calm, his presence steady. To him, perhaps it was nothing more than a carriage ride home. To the two men watching him, it was a study in contradictions—fragile yet unshakable, distant yet strangely grounding.

Neither of them could look away.