Five Months Later...

Cale Henituse - well, Kim Rok Soo applauded a lot of things.

One is his father, who continues to support Orsena while quietly building Alver's reputation.

Second, Violan portrays herself as a pitiful mother whose son is on his way out the door. This is advantageous for him because there have been rumors that Violan is close to her stepson, and she cannot bear the thought of marrying him. When the subject of marriage was brought up, Orsena Duchy's reputation skyrocketed.

Basen, who is now eight years old, is studying administration and politics. Even though Cale had been declared the heir to the County, Basen had been a positive influence on everyone by studying to assist his older brother with internal affairs.

Fourth, Lily's first word is Oppa. Cale was thus the very first person to receive proper endearment. He had so much fun teasing the Henituse Couple, whose ma and da had yet to leave the infant's mouth. To Deruth's chagrin, he and Basen hold the record for the infant's first words.

Fifth, the black egg unintentionally awakens Vicross' maternal instinct. Cale left the egg in Vicross's care because he had to do some work as punishment. Ron's grandfather's instinct is also at work, as evidenced by the fact that he keeps wiping the egg clean and shiny while speaking to it.

Last but not least, the first Prince Alver's steely nerves while publicly calling him Baby Cale. Cale snorts and refuses to accept the Prince's endearment.

"So... baby Cale... I'll see you in the capital then."

The prince had developed his glib tongue and had been pressuring all nobles to side with him. His father's contribution to faction control is gradually taking over in the conference. A few more laws are passed for the benefit of the citizens, much to Cale's delight, and Alver is at the center of all of these laws.

The people's allegiance is gradually shifting to the Crown. Alver will be recognized as the crown prince in less than a year, just as Cale predicted.

"Butlers and servants are not permitted, Cale," Deruth inquired one morning.

"Yes," he says. He's used to living alone, so acting like a well-versed young master is beneficial to him.

"Lord, the Young Master is as good as a servant in everything... even my son is tempted to have the Young Master help the kitchen if it weren't for the arson incident," Ron replied on his behalf.

Aha. Right. The arson incident. Back in the capital, Alver, who was staying at the Henituse Villa, noticed him going to the kitchen to prepare some food to eat. They were fortunate that the kitchen guardian was not present. Cale expertly prepared Korean-style beef stew, but the prince slipped and broke the bottle of alcohol directly above the fire. Yes, they broke a bottle of brandy and threw it into the fire. They intended to drink over a meal because Ron was elsewhere. They were supposed to stir fry the beef, but the clumsy good prince accidentally set fire to the brandy for the third time. Cale was terrified as he remembered the horrifying sight of fire spreading like wildfire in the kitchen.

Cale's face paled while watching the prince hopelessly try to stop the fire while panicking for the love of shit!

They could hear the dreadful creaking sound of the door opening. And a stern-faced, almost devilish-looking chef entered, holding knives in both hands.

Damn... he didn't want to remember that nightmare, especially the flying knives chasing them without regard for nobility.

Cale and Alver were also thrown out of the kitchen, earning an earful from Violan and a burst of mocking laughter from Deruth.

His father even brags about how he and the prince nearly commit arson in the previous three chapters.

Returning his gaze was fixed on the box in front of him. It was a simple, small black box.

"You asked me about the Thames Family before..." Deruth said quietly, "apparently, even your mother did not tell me about her family." "Aside from the well-known fact that the Thames is fallen nobles and their seclusion, there is no other record about them except being a family of scholars," Deruth said.

He thought so. Cale had been searching all over the rain city's books but there are no records about them.

"There's a forbidden section in the Royal Academy," Deruth explained. "There are other great libraries in existence, but this forbidden section had been one of the most well-guarded libraries in Rowoon. Your mother, Jour, had once said, the previous heads of the academy belonged to the Thames family, who is regarded as the kingdom's versed scholars. I don't know what this box means, but she said this is meant for you."

Cale opens the box and discovers a black key.

These events and variables are beginning to confound him.

But he hopes to accomplish something with this strange key.

He has decided to defer dealing with Orsena Duchy because the duchy has done nothing to merit his attention. He only needed the information in case the family moved. There is war, and Cale must prepare for it by acquiring the ancient powers he intends to use to protect himself.

After training with the knight, he had become quite tough. Much like his laziness, the two ancient powers he possessed nagged at him to first build his stamina. Because his plate is as weak as glass, his frail body will be unable to withstand the ancient powers.

"Are you going to take the black egg with you?" Deruth inquires.

"No," Cale replied, "I can't keep it now that mana is building around it."

"Leave it to me and Violan... Vicross will also be here so it will be fine," Deruth agrees, "the other beasts' eggs you acquired are hatching one by one, I wonder what your plans are with them."

"Hmm, I was planning on releasing them when they could defend themselves."

"I doubt they'll leave even if you intend to... beasts born from eggs usually attach themselves to the entity that first touches or recognizes them," Deruth says, "including the black egg."

Cale frowned at the realization. "Well, we can let them choose whether they leave or not."

"We still have some room for them to hang out," Deruth said with a smile.

Cale admired Henituse's incredible strangeness in accepting facts no matter how shocking they were.

Cale took a seat beside the dragon egg in his room. The egg has been fussy and appears wherever he goes. So, even when it is still an egg, it can use mana?

"I can't bring you to the capital with me... Vicross and Father will be with you," the egg protested, "don't worry... it'll only be for a few years..."

The rolls on the bed protest, but Cale stops it with his hand and gently pats it. "so grow safely and hatch when you're ready... you'll be safe here... when you hatch, I'll take you wherever, so stay here for now."

Finally, the egg stopped shaking and settled comfortably in his hands. Cale hums after appeasing the egg and then takes it in his arms to his parent's room. He'll be leaving for the capital today. No servant is permitted to enter the rooms, and the egg will always be under Violan's supervision and beside Lily. He gently placed the egg beside his sister and cooed at the baby happily gurgling beside the egg.

"Don't worry," Violan says, patting his egg, "just do what you need to do... and be careful."

"Thank you very much, mother."

"There is no need to thank you... just return safe," Violan says after hugging him and patting his head. Kim Rok Soo recognized the numerous misunderstandings that existed between the original Cale and the rest of his family. There is no excuse for Deruth's neglect of Cale in the novel, but Violan is a good woman and a good mother. Despite Cale's refusal and indifference, she tried to understand him and supported him.

"I'm leaving then."

"hm," Violan says as he rubs his back in soothing circles before letting go to meet Deruth.

Cale ran into Deruth on his way out the door. Their walk was very quiet, but it was also very comforting. Kim Rok Soo is pleased that he was able to establish a relationship with his current family. He was able to have something he did not have in his previous life. He had given up everything and only wanted to survive, but having them by his side made him want to live and not abandon them.

"the academy," Deruth smiled, his gaze fixed on the road ahead of them, "that's where I met your mother."

Cale had learned this from Ron.

"red hair... reddish-brown eyes... although you had my face, you still looked like your mother..." Deruth smiled even more, "She was a brazen woman, too strong-willed to the point where even me and the king were unable to deny anything she demanded. Despite our differences, and despite Henituse's refusal to marry her, I married her and lived happily without care for the world."

Deruth may not be a good father in the novel. If Kim Rok Soo hadn't intervened, Deruth could have become a bad father.

"I was devastated to the point where nothing mattered anymore when she died," he said, his face contorted, "to the point where I can't bear to look at you during that time."

That time... when he mourned and clutched him as he stared blankly without crying or wailing.

"holding you that time... I feel relieved and in despair... to the point, I was foolish enough to ignore and neglect you... but I was happy... that you made me realize how much of a useless father I've become after her death," Deruth almost whispered. "I was happy... really... that you were born as my son."

Cale wanted to respond to him and break the momentum, but he couldn't because Deruth's true feelings were being conveyed to him properly for the first time.

Deruth kneels before him at the entrance to the Henituse Castle. His hands are on his shoulders, and his brown eyes are fixed on him.

"Cale... You will be entering the academy where traitors are lurking all over... You are in a place where I can't reach, and danger may befall you... But Cale... there is only one thing I ask of you... Before anyone else... before you consider others... I want you to think of us... of yourself... if you ever come into a situation where you have to choose, I want you to choose your safety and survival... I told you right?

Cale - Kim Rok Soo looked at the count for a long time before smiling at him. "I'll return home," to where Deruth is. To where this family is. "I will be fine."

"Of course, you'll be fine," Deruth said, "you're always fine."

He laughs and wraps his arms around Deruth's neck. Kim Rok Soo, who had never had a family, lover, or anyone he held dear in his heart, was able to gain something far more important in this world, in this fantasy world. "I'll be back home soon."

"I'll be there to greet you when you return."

Home... Kim Rok Soo relished the thought of returning home. That is for him and only for him.

He had decided to live as Cale Henituse now.

[-------]

The trip to the capital was quick and quiet. They decided to travel indefinitely to reach the capital as soon as possible. Vicross and Ron must return. Cale will be safe because he has the shield and the vitality of the heart, and there is also the first prince.

They stayed at a nearby inn before entering the academy after arriving in the capital. Cale had no idea how the blasted prince had done it, but he'll be sharing a room with the first prince, Taylor Stan, and Antonio Gyerre. Well, it worked out pretty well for him because he planned on bringing Antonio over to their side, even though the duchess was on the side of another prince. So, three days later, when he returned to the academy, he met Taylor Stan casually greeting him as any respectful Young Master would.

"Hello, Young Master Cale," Taylor Stan, who was sitting in his wheelchair, said.

"Hello, Young Master Taylor. I see you're doing well, but you don't need that, do you?"

"For the time being, it's great to fool my father and Venion," Taylor replied. "Venion was ecstatic after learning of my condition, and my father also ruled out my succession; I can resign at any time."

They needed to build what needed to be built. Taylor may have been a little above the average noble, but Cale praised him for his tenacity and hard work. He agreed with Taylor that the only thing that will never betray a person is hard work. But money is the greatest thing that will never betray anyone, according to Cale.

Cale took a casual look around. The academy room is quite large. There are five sections, four for personal space and one for common use. Cale settled his things on the section with his name written on it. After several minutes, another person entered the room. Antonio Gyerre was the man. Gyerre's haughty heir looked at him and Taylor.

"I'm Cale... Nice to meet you," Cale said, breaking the long silence.

"Hello, my name is Taylor... nice to meet you."

When the other two nobles did not introduce themselves without their respective family names, the young master must have been taken aback. "I am Antonio... Nice to meet you too."

The other two nobles smiled and continued to arrange their belongings in the cabinet. Cale didn't bring as many items. He intended to buy simple clothes at the market whenever they were permitted to leave the academy. He only has the bare necessities, such as clothes and uniforms. The majority of his possessions were novels to pass the time when he wasn't going to read anything.

He didn't need academic books. He had the greatest cheat no person thought of having.

"Cale... are you possibly Cale Henituse? The brilliant young master of Henituse county rumored to have a photographic memory?" Antonio inquired, watching Cale expertly handle all his belongings.

"ah. You, overpraise me... Please call me Cale. I just despise studying so much back home, so I had to work hard..." Cale replied, slightly bowing his head.

Cale reasoned that because he had the highest grade in the academy, everyone assumed he was an arrogant young master. Antonio's expression was quite shocked at my actions.

"You, too, are down to earth; I hope we make the best of these years."

"Yes... ugh..."

"Antonio... as you are calling yourself without your family name, please address me casually as well," Antonio hums, smiling.

Ugh! This individual's standard is higher than heaven itself. At the very least, Cale is certain that Antonio Gyerre is keeping an eye on him. This person is a crazy bastard whenever the word "nobleness"' is mentioned.

Antonio Gyerre is obsessed with becoming a true noble.

The awkward atmosphere suddenly lifts at the arrival of the last person in the room. "Baby Cale!"

Cale frowns as Alver bursts through the door and rushes to him in a tight hug.

Antonio looked at him puzzledly, "baby?" muttering the fantastic nickname that the prince dared to call redhead.

"I heard the rumors, but I didn't think they were true," Taylor said with an owlish grin. Cale frowned even more at Taylor, who knew where the baby came from.

"Please forgive my poor manners... I was just so excited that I will be roommates with Baby Cale," Alver, who noticed the three nobles, especially Antonio, said.

Anyone who hears this will be misled. If their ages are ignored, it appears that Cale and Alver are in a relationship.

"My name is Taylor, your highness."

"My name is Antonio," both nobles said, bowing slightly.

"ah... please disregard the formalities... please address me as Alver..." Alver finally let go of Cale and shook hands with the nobles. "as we are in the academy, we are of equal standing."

The aura he exudes is one of royalty. Cale noticed Antonio flinching at Alver's hands and his slightly awkward smile.

"I hope we all get along for three years then," Alver says.

The prey inside the room, Antonio, flinched. It was as if he was aware that he was in a cage full of predators.

Knock, knock!

Alver pushed open the doors. Outside the door stood a middle-aged man. "Please be at the academy grand hall in a few minutes for the ceremony."

"Yes... thank you very much, we'll be there," Alver responded.

"I am the history and humanities professor... I am delighted to meet the young masters of the noble families. My name is Vestia Floyd. *looks at Cale* Red hair." The man smiled at Cale, "it is an honor to meet the young master who perfectly scored my useless questions."

Ah. However, Cale. There was one section of the exam that he didn't understand. He approaches the door and shakes hands with the professor. "no... they were interesting; I was expecting an older man whose knowledge can no longer be questioned, but seeing you know, I am quite impressed!"

The professor smiled at Cale and gave him a few more short compliments.

"If I may... May I ask you, what do you believe is the beginning of the end, master of space, pillar of creation, an entity that continues to flow but drastically changes a person?"

Cale looks at the professor. Reddish-brown eyes look at him. He had the foreboding feeling of home and belonging. The sense of familiarity is taking over.

"Time," Cale replied without hesitation. He didn't even think about it until he noticed the man's bright side smile.

"Right... I look forward to teaching you all. Have a nice day," Vestia said before leaving.

"Baby Cale," Alver said, looking at him. His hands trembled slightly. He wasn't aware of it, but the anxiety was slowly infiltrating his being.

"I didn't think it was time," Antonio reflected.

"I assumed it was something to do with divinity or bloodline," Taylor said.

Cale decided to let it go.

"Let's go, Alver?"

Cale nodded and approached Taylor. "let's go."

"I appreciate it very much, Cale."

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"Cale Henituse!" says the student representative of the year.

Cale has a murderous scowl on his face.

"GO BABY CALE!" exclaimed Alver.

"GO CALE!" Taylor agreed.

"You are being called, Cale," Antonio remarked coolly.

"WHAT BULLSHIT IS THIS?" exclaimed Cale, drawing a round of applause.

I'm hoping the entrance speech is free of curses.

TBC