<

/young>

‘Is there any way I can not give this speech?’

Cale thought and thought again as he looked at the approaching Henituse Estate.

Honestly speaking, he had planned on firmly rejecting the request when he was first asked to speak at the Academy.

Whether it was the crown prince’s scheming or not, he thought that he could just ignore it, but!

‘Young master-nim, apparently young lady Lily is looking extremely forward to it.’

Hearing Ron’s report from the Henituse family made Cale feel as if he could not reject it.

‘Young master Basen, the Duke-nim, and the Duchess-nim are all talking about going to the capital together and they all seem extremely excited and happy.’

The way Ron smiled benignly as he said that made Cale obvious to the fact that this vicious old man was making fun of him. However, he could not ignore those comments.

That meant that the entire Henituse family was looking forward to Cale’s speech right now.

‘I’m sure they are most looking forward to Lily entering the Academy.’

Lily was the main character.

However, Cale had ended up as an important supporting character.

‘Shit.

I don’t want to give a speech!’

However, the problem was that Cale was quite aware of himself.

‘I’m a terrible son.

A terrible older brother to both of my siblings.’

Cale spent quite a bit of time away from the territory and did not spend much time with his family.

Nonetheless, the Henituse family continued to openly show affection and support for Cale.

He could not just ignore this when such people were looking forward to it.

‘Yeah, no matter how bad I am, I guess I can at least do small things like this.’

He wasn’t going to be the territory lord and he planned on being a slacker and doing nothing once he took care of the Hunters.

In the future, people will talk about how the eldest son of that family disregarded the territory and just wastes his time all day. Wouldn’t it be good to do little things like giving this speech to make them happy while he still could?

‘Yeah, a speech like this is nothing!

I just have to say a few things.’

“Haaaaa.”

Cale let out a sigh. The children averaging ten-years-old and Lock looked toward him.

He heard a benign voice at that moment.

“Young master-nim, are you concerned about the speech?”

Cale flinched.

That vicious old man, Ron, was in the carriage with them. He had forgotten about that for a moment.

After going through Xiaolen and past Central Plains to return back to Roan…

Ron was extremely attentive to Cale’s every need as if he was trying to fully complete his duties as his attendant.

That was why Cale was feeling relaxed.

‘I still need to have a moment of truth with him though.’

Neither Ron nor Beacrox were showing any signs of wanting to chat with him about it, so Cale was just feigning ignorance.

‘I also don’t have time for that.’

Aipotu.

Cale was quite busy with a trip to Aipotu right in front of him.

He looked at Ron’s benign smile and quickly answered.

“Not really.”

Ron’s gentle smile became even bigger.

“But it is still your first time giving a speech in front of students, young master-nim.”

Cale went through his memories after hearing that.

‘The first time-’

While Cale was Kim Rok Soo, he had received multiple requests to give lectures or speeches.

He had especially received a lot of requests to give a lecture during the training for new employees.

Kim Rok Soo had tried to say no because he was already extremely busy and didn’t want to do something so annoying, but…

‘They basically bribed me with the budget.’

Kim Rok Soo agreed to give the lectures after they told him that they would increase his department’s budget.

Cale recalled the memories of that time.

‘So the lecture-’

‘Huh?

I didn’t give any?’

Now that he thought about it, he had received a lot of requests for lectures.

These were not just from his own company but also from the government and large guilds.

He had agreed to give them.

However, he never actually gave any of those lectures.

Cale quickly recalled the reason for that.

‘Things always happened.’

Yes, something always happened whenever he was about to give a lecture.

A big incident would happen so he would not be able to go give the lecture, or…

A terrorist incident would happen at the lecture location, making the priority not the lecture but evacuating people.

‘The most frequent reason was that monsters would appear right around or a bit far away from the lecture location, making me have to go take care of it.’

For some odd reason, things like that happened whenever Kim Rok Soo tried to give a lecture.

Thanks to that, the lecture requests disappeared at some point.

Cale subconsciously looked up at the air and blankly spoke.

“…Huh?”

“Young master-nim?”

He flinched at Ron’s low voice calling out to him and quickly answered.

“Uhh, yeah. I’ve never given a speech in front of students.”

The quiet Raon interjected at that moment.

“Human, why is your face like that?”

Cale ignored him.

His face was quite unsettled, concerned, and leery.

‘Perhaps-

Nah, no way.

There is no way such things would happen in the Roan Kingdom.’

A terrorist attack?

‘After the fall of the Mogoru Empire… The Roan Kingdom is seen as the kingdom that will most likely become an Empire. Someone is going to commit a terrorist attack here?

At the Academy where all of the Roan Kingdom’s future important figures are gathered?

At a time when Young Master Silver Shield is present?

No way.’

Furthermore, there were no more Monsters in this world.

Cale felt relaxed again.

‘Yeah, there is no reason things will happen here as they did on Earth.’

He erased the thoughts in his mind.

He had a thought at the same time.

‘He pushes something like this to me and steps back?’

Crown prince Alberu Crossman.

That guy was so annoying.

‘Is there no way to push this onto him?

Should I push the speech to that guy?’

Cale contemplated it for a moment before his face turned into a scowl.

Alberu Crossman. If that guy ended up giving the speech…

‘He’ll enjoy it.’

He would ardently say sweet words to drag at least one person into the Royal Palace.

“Huuuuuu.”

His sighing became deeper.

Lock bit down on his lips as he watched before returning to normal.

‘Lock. The next world I am heading to is called Aipotu.’

‘Aipotu?’

‘Yes. It is a world ruled by Dragons.’

Cale didn’t say anything like how Lock may be the key to save that world.

‘That is an extremely dangerous place. That is why I plan on taking the strongest forces I have.’

Lock recalled how Cale had looked extremely relaxed as he asked him.

‘Do you want to go?’

Lock had subconsciously answered out of reflex.

‘Yes sir, I want to go!’

He saw how his response made Cale’s face turn unsettled.

‘Are you thinking things through before you answer?’

Lock answered immediately once again.

‘I’ve wanted to go with you since a long time ago!’

Cale didn’t say anything and just nodded his head.

Hong, who had been watching, quickly rushed toward Cale.

‘I want to go too, nya! I’m going to go, nya! I can absorb all of the Nine Kings poison if I have some time, nya!’

On slowly walked over, hugged Hong, and quietly observed Cale.

Cale had sighed and nodded his head after seeing that gaze.

‘I’ll see if we can work something out.’

Cale then told Lock to take care of the kids and went to have a quiet conversation with the Tiger shaman, Gashan.

Lock could not hear that conversation and had to head out of the room with the Dragons who had been in the room from the start and the children averaging ten-years-old.

He had made eye contact with Eruhaben at that time.

‘You-’

Eruhaben was about to say something but could not say it in the end.

Lock quietly looked at him, making the ancient Dragon chuckle and pat his shoulder.

‘You’ve grown taller and bulkier.’

Pat pat.

‘But why are you looking so timid? Open up your shoulders.’

He then disappeared with Lord Sheritt.

“Human, do you want some apple pies?”

“I want some candied fruits, nya!”

“I have some candied fruits too!”

Lock snapped out of his memories and watched as an excited Raon and Hong chatted away. A faint smile appeared on his lips.

However, he could not smile brightly.

A thought that remained in a corner of his mind kept stabbing him like a thorn.

‘Do you want to go?’

When Cale had asked that…

Lock had answered out of reflex.

Because-

‘I’ve always felt apologetic.’

Raon, Hong, and On, these kids that were younger than him were always working so hard. In contrast, he felt as if he was living too easily.

He was also envious while hearing about how Choi Han and the others fought together with Cale.

That was why he had always wanted to be by Cale’s side.

He was waiting for such an opportunity to appear.

However, hearing Cale finally saying that made him immediately answer, despite an emotion arising in his mind.

‘Is it okay for someone like me to go with him?’

Aipotu.

That was truly a dangerous place.

He could feel it the more Cale explained.

‘Someone who can pull their weight needs to go for fights in such a dangerous place.

Is it okay for someone like me to take such an important spot?’

Lock was tired of how he had such thoughts and hated himself for it.

He wanted to become more confident. He wanted to trust himself.

However, these thoughts always held him down.

Of course, things were different from before.

Lock did not fear stepping forward for his family and friends.

He was ready to give his everything and fight for them.

However-

‘Will my existence mean anything in battle?

Even if I push myself forward to fight, will it mean anything?

What if I am not helpful and my lack of abilities hinder the others?’

A different type of fear and hesitation was holding him down.

Of course, he knew how things worked.

Friends were people who supported each other’s weaknesses and fought together.

But he didn’t want to harm others.

‘I want to be a cool adult.’

It truly was not easy.

Lock subconsciously held back a sigh.

He did his best to smile.

“Lock, do you want some candied fruit?”

“They’re delicious, nya!”

It was because he saw Raon and Hong looking at him.

Lock played along with the two kids. The smile on his face seemed quite bright.

On was quietly watching Lock’s changing expressions.

She then suddenly felt a sense of déjà vu and looked away.

She could see Cale looking at Lock.

On slightly smiled.

Lock seemed to have something weighing on his mind.

The fact that Cale already knew about it made On feel more relaxed.

‘Hmm?’

Cale thought that the way On was looking at him and smiling was similar to Ron.

‘What a scary thought!’

He quickly erased such rotten thoughts from his mind.

He then quickly alighted the carriage.

“Young master-nim~~~~!”

Someone was running toward him while shouting in a sentimental voice. It had been a while since he had heard this voice.

‘Who is it?’

Cale forgot for a moment before quickly remembering.

It was Deputy Butler Hans.

It was someone who had traveled with him at one point.

‘A family feast has been prepared for tonight, young master-nim. Hahaha!”

Cale nodded his head and entered the Henituse Estate.

“Lock.”

“Yes, Cale-nim?”

Of course, he said something to Lock first.

“After the dinner feast, let’s chat for a bit.”

“Excuse me? M, may I ask about what?”

Cale gave a simple response

“Future counseling.”

“…Excuse me?”

Cale looked at On as well. On flinched for the first time. He didn’t care and said what he had to say.

“You’re next after Lock. Some future counseling for you too today.”

Before they head out to Aipotu…

He felt as if he needed to have a serious conversation with these kids.

“Hyung-nim!”

“Orabuni!”

His two younger siblings approached him without being able to hide their joys in seeing him.

Basen and Lily…

Cale spoke as soon as he saw the two of them.

“Here are your presents.”

Cale handed them an ink and brush set and a greatsword before speaking with a serious look on his face.

“Basen.”

“Yes, hyung-nim?”

“You are the first. And Lily… You are second.”

Cale immediately explained for the two confused people.

“Future counseling.”

“Hyung-nim?”

“Excuse me?”

Basen, Lily, Lock, and On…

It was time to talk to the four of them about their futures.

It would be more serious than before.

As Cale decided to pay more attention to his family’s affairs for the first time in a long while…

“Cale.”

“Mother.”

Duchess Violan walked over to Cale with a smile on her face. Her hair was perfect without a single stray hair as usual as she spoke.

“It looks like you will need to chat with me first. Future counseling. That is a wonderful way of phrasing it. You will need to have some future counseling with us as well.”

“…Excuse me?”

‘What did I just hear?’

Cale questioned his hearing.

However, Duchess Violan got close and whispered in a quiet voice so that Lily and Basen could not hear.

“His highness told us. You almost died from your head exploding?”

‘That damn mother**ing crown prince!’

“Cale. Your father has not been able to sleep properly since he heard that.”

‘Mm.’

Cale, who had been cursing the crown prince in his mind, stiffened up.

He looked into Duchess Violan’s eyes. He could finally see the expression on her face.

Concern and worry… Sorrow was also visible in her eyes despite her trying to hide them all by being stern.

“Future counseling. No.”

However, the Duchess was strong.

“Cale. It looks like you will need some life counseling today.”

Not future counseling but life counseling.

Cale felt a chill and touched the back of his neck.

He felt it would be quite troublesome after tonight’s dinner.

“Hoohoo.”

He could see Ron laughing to the side.

“That’s wonderful, young master-nim.”

Cale could not say anything to that.

He knew why the crown prince had acted like this and Ron was reacting like this.

However, Cale timidly responded to the Duchess.

“Mother, I am very healthy.”

Of course, the Duchess looked as if she did not believe him at all.

Cale’s shoulders sank down.

However, Cale had to face a difficult time even before dinner.

“…Cale, I, you see, I……”

Duke Deruth could not speak properly.

The leader of the Duke’s House of Henituse had red eyes.

Anybody would be able to tell that he had been crying.

He was biting his lips trying to remain as calm as possible.

“Cale, I know y, your greater good, but… However… Your father, I-”

Cale could not say anything and had to listen to Deruth with his head bowed and both hands on his knees.

He was more scared of what he was dealing with right now than the Dragons of Aipotu.

—

Translator’s Comments

Crying Deruth definitely scarier…

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