Chapter 89: I Suppose It Is A Gift (2)
Translator: miraclerifle
Editor: Borderline Masochist
Cale and Alberu both just quietly observed each other.
“And?”
The crown prince’s response at the end of that silence was pretty confident. His face was not shaking at all. Cale shrugged his shoulders.
“Just that I can give this to you, but not for free.”
Alberu couldn’t believe Cale had nothing else to say after giving him such a strong blow.
“Ha, haha-”
Alberu started to laugh. It made Cale wonder what would have happened if there wasn’t soundproof magic in the office. Either that, or what would have happened if he hadn’t sent the servants and his subordinates out.
The atmosphere turned chilly in the room.
“I was planning on putting you to work. I shouldn’t have told you to come.”
Alberu was tired of that mug on Cale’s face that was as relaxed as usual. His gaze headed toward the bottle with the black liquid.
Mother.
The weight of that word pierced into Alberu’s heart.
Cale did not say anything else and just sat there observing the crown prince, who was staring at the bottle.
Dark Elf.
They were creatures of the dark that were chastised by the people of the continent because of their affinity to darkness. The base of their power was the dead mana flowing out of the dead.
In the past, Dark Elves tended to be found near graves or villages that were destroyed by illnesses.
That was why people hated Dark Elves, even though the Dark Elves never harmed people nor desecrated corpses.
This led to the Dark Elves living in hiding. They were hiding even better than the Elves.
Alberu moved his gaze from the glass bottle and looked toward Cale. Cale just smiled back at him.
“And you’ll keep your mouth shut?”
“Of course.”
“But not for free?”
“Naturally.”
Alberu spoke his honest feelings.
“You sly bastard.”
“Why thank you.”
Alberu hated how Cale didn’t even flinch at what he said. At the same time, he was relieved as well. Cale had come directly to him instead of going to the favored third prince or the second prince who were aiming for his position.
It meant that Cale wanted to make a deal with him.
That was why he was relieved. It was because Cale was similar to him.
However, he did have a question.
“Are you really not one of us?”
How could Cale know his identity if he was not a Dark Elf as well? Alberu could not figure this out.
The only people who knew his identity were his mother’s siblings. They had helped him so that his father, the king, would not find out his mother’s identity.
They were all on Alberu’s side.
Cale pointed to the glass bottle and answered Alberu’s question.
“I will die if I drink that.”
Dead mana was like an extremely deadly poison for humans.
- Do not worry, human. This mighty dragon will save you no matter what.
Cale just ignored Raon as usual and pushed the glass bottle toward Alberu.
“Don’t you need it?”
Alberu came clean with it.
“Of course, it is good if I have it. It will make me stronger. It is clean as well. There are no traces of poison.”
“Of course. It is a very precious item.”
Cale continued on like what he said next was not surprising.
“Since it is a dead dragon’s mana.”
“...What?”
Alberu could not hide his shock. He then let out a sigh after seeing the smile on Cale’s face.
“You’re driving me crazy.”
“I believe you just need to enjoy it since it is a win-win for both of us, your highness.”
It definitely was a win for the crown prince. Cale would keep his identity a secret, give him the bottle of a dragon’s dead mana, as well as a portion of the Magic Tower’s blueprint in a few years.
He was feeling iffy even though he had received this enormous profit that had a worth that was almost impossible to evaluate in monetary value. It was because Cale was smiling too much.
It was like he was on a field of flowers all by himself.
“Then I will be on my way, your highness.”
“Hurry up and leave.”
Alberu was telling Cale to leave, but he really didn’t want to send Cale away. He wanted to hold Cale here and beat some information out of him. However, he could not do so.
‘The Forest of Darkness, the Northwestern route, and the sea.’
Alberu could not figure out Cale’s intentions in asking for something that was neither money nor material goods.
On the other hand, Cale did not care whether the crown prince knew or not. He quickly got back on his carriage after accomplishing his reason for coming to the capital. There was no reason for him to stay in the capital any longer.
“Are we heading back to the Henituse territory sir?”
“Yes.”
Beacrox closed the carriage door and immediately started to drive toward home.
“Human, are we going home to rest now?”
“Yes. I plan to rest for quite a while this time.”
Cale answered Raon’s question and leaned back into the chair. He should be able to roll around and do nothing for at least 6 months at minimum to a year at maximum.
Then, as long as he safely makes it through the war, what awaits him should be a nice and relaxing slacker’s life.
However, Cale noticed something was off as soon as they returned home.
“What is going on?”
“That, you see, young master-nim.”
Deputy butler Hans was naturally the one who came out to greet Cale.
But something was off.
Hans seemed worried.
“Hurry up and tell me.”
Cale did not look at Choi Han, Beacrox, On, and Hong who were behind him and instead only looked at Hans. He had a bad feeling. An ominous feeling filled his mind.
‘Am I not going to be able to rest?’
Something must have happened, as the other servants and knights around Hans had the same expression.
Cale’s mind became complicated in those short five seconds.
“Young master-nim, Mr. Ron has returned.”
“Ron did?”
“My father?”
Both Cale and Ron’s son, Beacrox, looked toward Hans with shock. Ron was not supposed to be back for a couple more months.
Hans then closed his eyes tightly. That made Cale have an even worse feeling.
Hans opened his eyes again and could not look at Beacrox as he continued to speak.
“Mr. Ron came back injured.”
“Lead me there.”
Hans, who saw Cale’s stiff expression, quickly turned around and guided them into the residence. Cale followed him with Beacrox right next to him.
Hans guided Cale as quickly as possible and stopped in front of a room. It was not Ron’s room but a luxurious bedroom that was reserved for high ranking guests.
“Open the door.”
“Yes sir.”
Hans opened the door after hearing Cale’s stern command.
Creak.
The door opened and a terrible rotting smell filled Cale’s nose.
“Young master-nim.”
Cale stiffened up for the first time since coming over to this world.
“...Ron.”
The assassin Ron, that sly old man, was laying on the bed.
“F, father!”
Beacrox rushed past Cale into the bedroom.
Cale looked into Ron’s eyes and asked.
“...Ron, why is your arm like that?”
Ron had returned earlier than expected and one of his arms had been cut off.