CHAPTER 745: WHEN I'M THE ANGRIEST? (5)
Cale couldn't help but have a warm smile on his face after witnessing the relaxing sight in the dining area.
“No!”
Tang. Raon gently tapped the armrest with his front paw. He then shook his head while shouting.
“I hate veggies!”
“I only want to eat desserts, nya!”
Hong shouted after Raon while On nonchalantly picked up the beans on her salad plate with her fork and moved them elsewhere.
“Young master-nim.”
Ron had a gentle smile on his face as he welcomed Cale.
It made the children averaging nine-years-old flinch for a moment before they avoided his gaze. Cale walked without any hesitation, sat down at the head of the table, and quietly observed the children averaging nine-years-old seated on both sides of the table.
One of the things he had told the test voice about what made him angry…
‘When the children complain about the side dishes.’
This was the first time Cale saw the children complaining about the side dishes.
Raon peeked at Cale and then tilted his head in confusion.
“Human, why are you smiling like that?”
On had slowly put her fork down and was looking baffled at Cale as well.
Cale gently asked instead of answering Raon’s question.
“Raon, how old are you this year?”
“Me? Human, you don’t even know my age?!”
Raon put his fork down and opened up his two front paws.
“I am seven years old!”
‘It’s one year later.’
Cale realized that this illusion was based on next year. Actually, he had some inkling that this was the future since he started this illusion.
‘His highness doesn’t become king even in one year in this illusion?
And he’s swamped with work?’
The corners of Cale’s lips were twitching. This was the joy of someone who was free from work. Raon, who had no way of knowing this, peeked warily at Cale before opening his mouth again.
“Are you… are you trying to say that a seven year old needs to not be picky with his food?! I hate veggies!”
“Okay, don't eat them.”
“…Hmm?”
Raon tilted his head in confusion while Hong stopped sneaking a dessert into his pocket to look at Cale. On simply had a suspicious gaze on her face.
However, Cale was being quite serious.
“Eat whatever you want. You can eat the things you don't want to eat later or whenever you feel like eating them.”
Until now, Cale, with these children averaging nine-years-old… No, children averaging ten-years-old here… He had never seen these children complain about side dishes.
These three kids ate everything well. That was a good thing, but it did not always feel good to him.
These were children who had experienced starvation before.
‘Something like this is nice too.’
Children averaging ten-years-old complaining about side dishes…
Cale had wanted to see this sight at least once. When would he see them complaining about side dishes if they didn't do it while they were young? Cale had never complained about his side dishes other than when he was very young and his parents were both still there. Being able to complain was a luxury.
“…Human, you're being weird.”
Raon was even warier of Cale's gaze as he started picking up his veggies with his fork. Hong put the dessert down and decided to eat real food first. On was shaking her head side to side while eating the beans.
“Didn't I say that you don’t need to eat things you don't like?”
Cale asked with a satisfied smile on his face but the children averaging ten-years-old didn't pay him any attention.
“That was wonderful, young master-nim.”
Ron had a benign smile on his face as he praised Cale.
Cale scowled.
Cale then experienced something he had not even imagined in his wildest dreams.
“Here is some spicy ramen, young master-nim.”
Beacrox placed a bowl of ramen on the table in front of Cale.
This was an unbelievable situation that was only possible because this was an illusion. Cale happily enjoyed the illusion.
“Wow.”
Although it was an illusion, the taste, scent, and everything was the same as reality.
Having ramen for the first time in a long while?
“Taste delicious.”
Cale was enjoying his ramen but Beacrox was mumbling with disgust.
“…Having ramen for a whole month is disgusting.”
“Hmm? Did you say something?”
“No, young master-nim. Should I boil another one for you?”
“Yes. Make it a jjajang ramen.”
“Yes sir.”
‘Wow! He can make jjajang ramen too?’
Cale had to hold himself back from cheering. He felt as if he should ask if bibim ramen was possible too. Cale was peacefully enjoying his ramen as he watched the children averaging ten-years-old eating everything with a satisfied gaze.
‘Hmm?’
His chopsticks stopped moving. His gaze stopped at the window for a moment.
‘What is that?’
His body slightly headed toward the window as if he was going to stand up. However, he had to turn his head without being able to continue his thoughts.
“Cale-nim.”
Choi Han walked over and spoke with a serious look on his face.
“I couldn't find it.”
“Huh? Find what?”
“What we should do to play today.”
‘Hmm?’
Cale blankly looked at Choi Han who turned away from him as if he was disappointed.
“Me too! I couldn't figure anything out either!”
“There's nothing to do now, nya!”
Raon and Hong spoke with disappointment while On shook her head as if she was sorry.
Cale recalled something else he had told the test voice.
‘When I can’t think of anything to do.’
‘Heh.’
The corners of Cale’s lips started twitching. He quickly moved his hand up to cover his mouth as he answered seriously.
“Oh well. I guess I have to just do nothing and roll around the bed today.”
“Please cheer up, young master-nim.”
Ron handed him a cup of lemonade.
Cale enjoyed the bitter taste of the lemonade after not having it for a while and energetically finished the rest of his ramen.
His true slacker life started after that.
* * *
"This is great.”
Cale rolled to the right. The bed moved.
Cale sprawled out on the bed, looked up at the ceiling, and mumbled to himself.
“This is so great.”
Nobody came to wake him up.
Needing to hurry up and get up but keep wanting to sleep. He said that it made him angry when nobody comes to wake him up. That was another thing he had told the test voice.
“Heh.”
He felt as if the fatigue that had built up inside of him was completely washing away.
Although it was only one day, Duke Deruth, Duchess Violan, Basen, and even Lily seemed extremely energetic about Cale not even hearing the ‘w’ for work.
Alberu wouldn't even pick up his call saying that he was too busy. He simply told Cale to play.
Choi Han left to see Lock and the Wolf children, saying that he will try to find something for them to do.
On, Hong, and Raon. The children averaging ten-years-old went to attend Ron’s lesson. They might come to see Cale after their morning lessons finished.
For reference, ancient Dragon Eruhaben was supposedly busy building a new lair. Rosalyn was busy with the Magic Tower.
‘Everybody other than me is busy.’
“Heh.”
Cale was even happier that he was the only one doing nothing.
“…But hmm…”
Cale was smiling brightly as he mumbled to himself while letting the soft bed take him.
“How do I finish this test?”
The situations until now where he was supposed to feel wrath…
Being chased away from work.
Eating ramen every meal.
Hearing the children complaining about side dishes.
Rolling around the bed.
Sleeping in.
None of these situations actually made him angry.
Forget wrath, he felt as if he was experiencing the future of his dreams.
‘I’ve experienced all of the angry moments I shared with the test voice including taking a nap.’
Cale wondered if this wrath test should end now.
Just one day.
He had rested for a day so it was time to go charging forward again.
“…But hmm…”
Cale looked outside the window again.
“…Something is a bit weird here.”
The smile on his face slowly disappeared. Cale got off the bed, put on some slippers, and walked over to a window with a terrace.
His gaze was focused on the middle of a mountain that was visible from the territory.
Starting from the middle and all the way to the top…
He observed something on the mountain.
It gave him an unknown sense of discomfort.
He grabbed the window handle to take a closer look at the thing in the distance. He wanted to go onto the terrace to get a better look.
At that moment…
“Human!”
Knock knock knock. Bang!
He heard some light knocks on the door before Raon burst in while calling his name. On, who had been the one to knock, walked in behind Hong and Raon.
Cale looked at the children averaging ten-years-old for a moment before looking out the window again and nonchalantly asking.
“Raon.”
“What is, human?”
"What is that black thing on the mountain?”
The mountain was quite visible from the Duchy. It was far away but he could tell that it was one of the mountains where they mined marble.
From the center of that mountain to the top… Up until the place where the marble was located…
“…That thing that looks like a picture of a snake.”
There was a long black line drawn vertically like a snake.
Cale did not remember something like this in the Henituse territory.
Boom. Boom. Boom.
Cale felt his heart beat oddly.
An instinctual sense of discomfort rose from within him.
‘What is going on?
This is the first time something like this has happened during the test.’
Cale could not figure out the answer. However, Raon soon gave him the answer.
“Human, you don’t even know what that is?!”
Raon nonchalantly responded, as if he was baffled that Cale would ask such a thing. Actually, he sounded excited as he responded.
"That was a lesson from the White Star-nim!”
‘…What? What-nim?’
Cale subconsciously clenched his ears.
‘Am I still half asleep? Who did Raon just call with a nim?’
Cale repeated the name back to Raon as if to ask about it.
“…White… Star…nim?”
Hong nodded my head.
“That’s right, nya! The White Star-nim! The White Star-nim descended the black power on that mountain to help us have enlightenment!”
“We must listen to the White Star-nim! Otherwise, the marble will disappear from the Henituse territory! Human, that would be very bad!”
After an excited Raon made that comment, On calmly added on as well.
"The Whipper Kingdom's farmlands lost all of their values because they did not listen to the White Star-nim, nya. It led to a third of the Whipper Kingdom's citizens dying of starvation.”
“That’s right, nya! That’s why Toonka listens to the White Star-nim very well now too! We must also listen very well!”
Hong nodded his head at his sister’s comment and excitedly added on what he knew.
“Human, you don’t even remember that? Or did you pretend not to know because you thought we wouldn’t know?”
Raon was looking at Cale as if he was weird.
“Ha, haha-”
Cale simply laughed.
‘Yes. There was no way that this test would be easy.’
Cale realized it at that moment.
‘Ah. I need to hurry up and get out and put an end to that motherfucking White Star.’
He realized something else as well.
‘…I'm a bit angry?’
Cale was slowly filling up with annoyance and anger.
"But, human.”
"What is it?”
Raon approached him with a look of excitement and anticipation as he cautiously asked.
"When are we going to go pray?”
“Hmm? Pray?”
‘No way, right……?’
“We need to go pray to the God of Despair-nim!”
‘Holy sh*t.’
Cale covered his face with both hands.
This was a future world where the White Star and sealed god worked hand in hand for their victory.
“…This is… making me quite angry?”
The smile on Cale’s face started to warp.
* * *
“T, this can’t be!”
"General-nim?”
“…Please leave for a bit.”
“Yes sir! I understand!”
Click.
The office was silent now that the knight left.
“Fuck—!”
The man could not hold back his anger and crumpled the paper in his hand. Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.
“This makes no sense!”
Huff. Huff. He was breathing heavily without being able to hold back his anger. The man’s gaze headed toward the window.
The white hair and green eyes reflected off the window… Clopeh Sekka’s face was red with rage while his eyes were on fire.
He observed the scene outside the window. He could see the peaceful and beautiful capital of his homeland that was slightly desolate as with all nations up north.
“…The legend… the legend……!”
He looked down.
He wanted to ignore it because he could not believe it, but everything here was a test he needed to overcome.
The document that was crumpled on the ground…
The headline on it…
[ Urgent news: The trial date for the defeated Cale Henituse and his subordinates has been set! ]
The green eyes that resembled a lush forest were burning as fierce as boiling lava and as dark as the deep night.
“How dare they turn the hero into a loser……?!”
Bang!
His two fists slammed down on the table.
He was boiling with rage the more he thought about it.
“So why am I?!”
Heroes suffer from time to time to reach legend status.
That could be being unfairly framed, being injured, or all sorts of things.
Great heroes rise from overcoming those trials and tribulations.
It was hard for Clopeh to understand such a thing but there were people who said things like that.
However, there was something that made him angrier than anything else.
“Why am I not one of his subordinates? Why am I not in prison? Why am I not being tried?”
Although his voice was calm the suppressed heat of rage sounded as if it could blow up at any moment.
* * *
“Ah, is it because I am so angry? I suddenly got goosebumps.”
Cale shook his shoulders a bit and sighed.
Currently, the people who had arrived at the final test were Cale and Clopeh. Only the two of them were here.