C433
Cale was the hidden boss of the Seventh Evil. But the original boss of that place was Lupeh.
“Human, was that Lupeh’s territory?”
“Yes. It’s still his territory.”
Count Lupeh. He was killed by the Demon King’s faction, and as a result of the experiments carried out by the Transparent Blood family, he became an NPC in the New World.
“Cale-nim.”
Cale, crouching and hidden in a tree, didn’t even turn his head towards where the sound came from. But Clopeh Sekka wasn’t someone who would be affected by Cale’s reaction.
“From what I’ve heard, the situation in that territory is complicated.”
“Right. Very complicated.”
Count Lupeh, owner of one of the three major corporations in the Demon World, is the richest man in the Demon World.
-Rich!
He ignored the reaction of Fire of Destruction, Cheapskate. Aurora, from the Mediators’ Alliance, said:
‘Count Lupeh’s death is a fact, but we couldn’t find his corpse. As his status is, in fact, closer to missing, there have been several problems.’
The current Demon King’s faction tried to consolidate their power by eliminating Count Lupeh, the richest man in the Demon World, and obtaining his wealth and the corporation he owned.
‘If the current Demon King’s faction had found Count Lupeh’s secret vault and the corporation’s ownership certificate, they would have cleaned up the matter.’
But they didn’t find the corporation’s ownership certificate. The Demon King’s faction couldn’t obtain the main corporation of the Demon World.
‘As a result, Count Lupeh’s estate, Dioruel, is now ownerless.’
In short:
‘They haven’t chosen the next lord yet.’
The Demon King didn’t get what he should have gotten.
‘If the next lord finds Count Lupeh’s secret vault, that person will possess the corporation, so the Demon King is delaying the selection of the lord.’
The excuse for this was the ‘possibility that Count Lupeh, who is missing, might return.’
“Cale-nim, from what I’ve heard, Count Lupeh’s missing status will soon end.”
“Yes. Right.”
But they can’t leave the lord’s position vacant forever. Therefore, the current Demon King put a time limit on the missing status.
“…They said there’s about a month left.”
About a month later, his missing status will end, Count Lupeh will change to a deceased status, and the next lord will be chosen.
“Yes. That’s why Miss Aurora said she will enter the lord’s castle a month later, when the new lord is chosen.”
Count Lupeh’s secret vault. It’s in the lord’s castle. The ownership certificate of the main corporation of the Demon World is inside that vault.
‘Young master Cale, as a result of my conversation with Count Lupeh-’
Aurora explained her overall plan to steal the certificate to Cale.
‘Regardless of whether the new lord is a demon from the Demon King’s faction or not, the members closest to the Demon King who are currently protecting the lord’s castle will withdraw.’
Since they couldn’t find the certificate despite having protected the lord’s castle for years, even they will withdraw from the lord’s castle for a while, even if it’s only to consolidate the new demon’s power. If the new lord is a member close to the Demon King, the Demon King’s subordinates will withdraw even more. There’s no reason to stay.
“From what I’ve heard, two people are expected to compete for the position of next lord: one from the faction of Count Lupeh’s relatives and one from the current Demon King’s faction.”
When Cale nodded, Clopeh continued. While Cale was meeting with Choi Jung Gun, Clopeh gathered information about the Demon World from Aurora.
“According to Miss Aurora, the two factions are quite evenly matched.”
“Surprising.”
Cale was observing the walls where Dioruel’s gate and the lord’s castle are located in the distance.
“That’s due to the characteristics of Count Lupeh’s family.”
Clopeh pointed east.
“As long as that river and the land road exist, this city’s power can’t be simply controlled by the Demon King’s power.”
East of the lord’s castle, a large river flows. A river as wide as several roads combined. In the river, whose depth is unimaginable, many ships come and go.
And north of the estate. There’s a road as wide as that river, where many carriages circulate.
“A mine, right?”
“Yes. There are quite large mines in the north of Count Lupeh’s estate and in nearby estates.”
The minerals extracted from those mines spread throughout the Demon World through this city and the river.
“Count Lupeh’s family owns a certain portion of the shares of each of those mines. I’ve heard there are several corporations that also own shares in transportation.”
For that reason, the Lupeh family’s power was quite strong within Dioruel. Of course, they could pressure them, but the current Demon King, who publicly promotes an ‘open-door policy,’ can’t do that.
“Hmm.”
Cale’s gaze lowered.
“But, you say the Chaos God sect is in there?”
He had a square stone in his hand. A stone with blood.
“A group from the Chaos God sect large enough to simultaneously house two Choi Jung Soo-level knights and superior knights.”
If, as predicted, the Pope is also in the Demon World…
“It’s a disaster.”
Dioruel. This rich commercial and mining city must be chaos itself right now.
“There’s one thing for sure.”
Cale responded to Clopeh’s words.
“Yes. Whether from the faction of Count Lupeh’s relatives or from the faction of the current Demon King’s subordinates, someone has allied with the Chaos God sect.”
“Correct. Otherwise, it would be impossible for a group with that level of strength to infiltrate secretly.”
Cale reached a conclusion.
“I need information.”
He remembered the information Aurora had given him.
‘They said there’s a reason why Count Lupeh was the only one who knew the location of the secret vault.’
Count Lupeh didn’t tell his family the location of the secret vault.
‘He said he couldn’t tell them because there were people who were too greedy, and he feared they would do something.’
Cale stored those words in his mind. Then-
“Human, human.”
Raon, On, and Hong approached and whispered:
“Human, don’t you know the location of the secret vault?”
The eyes of Clopeh, who was listening, gleamed. The same happened with the 10-year-old child.
“Yes. I know.”
At Cale’s answer, the four’s eyes shone intensely. Raon firmly said:
“Let’s rescue Sui Khan first! We’ll think about stealing it later!”
Cale indifferently said:
“I didn’t say anything about stealing the vault.”
“Human, don’t deceive yourself!”
Ha. Cale looked at Raon, surprised by his words.
‘Where does this kid learn these things?’
Whether he did or not, Raon, On, and Hong quickly determined their tasks.
“The castle will be crowded. I think I and Hong should look for information.”
“Sister, I can approach the merchants and steal information!”
On and Hong devised a plan to gather information they had learned from Ron.
“Human, Clopeh. Both of you, look at me.”
Raon did it himself.
“I’ll dye both of you.”
He did what he had to do without Cale telling him.
“Since we caused a great commotion at The Primordial Night, the Chaos God sect must have obtained information about us, the Human, and our companions. So we must be careful!”
Uuuung-- Even in the Demon World, Raon released black mana. As Raon has the characteristic of “Present,” he always has mana around him.
Sssshhhh-
A gust of wind passed, and Cale took off his hood. The black hair brushed his hand.
“It’s been a long time.”
He hadn’t used black hair in a long time. Somehow, he remembered his days as Kim Rok Soo. As his current body is a little over 20 years old, he remembered his life as Kim Rok Soo back then.
“Haha. It’s good.”
Of course, Clopeh Sekka was also smiling with black hair. Cale wasn’t in a good mood.
“Ji ji! Both of you are my color!”
At Raon’s words, he simply fell silent. What could he say if the child was happy?
* * *
“Oh. Are you from the family?”
“…Yes. That’s correct.”
Cale reluctantly answered.
“Oh. Black hair isn’t common, it’s surprising that your whole family has black hair.”
The guard said that and raised a seal.
Bang!
An entry permit to the city arrived in Cale’s hands. Cale also received four identity badges.
“Haha. Are you cousins?”
Cale opened his mouth. But Clopeh responded faster.
“We are blood brothers.”
“!”
Cale was surprised. The guard had a conversation with Clopeh.
“This must be the eldest brother?”
“Ha ha, that’s right.”
“Eh? That’s right?”
“Ha ha, it’s nothing.”
Clopeh introduced himself as the eldest brother.
“This is the second brother.”
He gently touched Cale’s shoulder.
“This is the third.”
On.
“This is the fourth.”
Hong. Both On and Hong have black hair today.
“And there’s a younger one, the fifth brother-”
“Didn’t he come with you?”
“Ha ha.”
Clopeh simply laughed.
-Human, I’m the youngest! Clopeh Sekka is good, no, now it seems he has some money! He even took care of me when I turned invisible!
Ji ji. Raon was excited.
-They say we’re all blood brothers! Ji ji! There’s a big age gap between the human and me! Clopeh is funny!
“Puf.”
“Ji ji.”
While On and Hong suppressed their laughter at the sight of Cale’s face.
“Haah.”
Cale sighed and naturally entered the city of Dioruel. With the identity badges Aurora had prepared for them, they easily entered the city.
“Is that the lord’s castle?”
Cale asked Clopeh.
“Yes.”
And Clopeh immediately answered.
“…?”
Cale’s gaze turned to Clopeh.
“Why?”
Clopeh asked with serious disbelief.
“…Nothing.”
“We’re acting.”
On whispered. Cale nodded.
-Correct. Human, Clopeh is doing a good job right now. Here, everyone is an enemy! Only the five of us are allies! We must act well, hide well, and move! We’ll need to do even better if we want to rescue Sui Khan later!
Raon defended Clopeh.
“Here’s the map.”
Cale went to a corner and unfolded the map, carefully examining the Dioruel estate.
“Second brother, that castle ahead is the lord’s castle.”
“…I know.”
Cale looked at Clopeh sideways.
‘Is this guy enjoying it?’
That was true.
‘Haah. Seriously-’
I’m acting like I’m Cale-nim’s brother! There were several episodes in the legend created by the hero.
‘This would have always been Choi Han’s role.’
But this time it’s me! Ecstasy filled Clopeh’s eyes.
‘Let’s ignore it.’
Cale avoided his gaze due to a strange uncomfortable feeling. And he turned his gaze to the lord’s castle shown on the map. A straight road stretching from the south. The castle was at the end of that road.
‘Did they say that the members of the current Demon King’s faction are gathered there?’
Their argument was the stabilization of Dioruel and the mineral market due to Count Lupeh’s absence.
‘Hmm.’
Cale’s gaze turned to another part of the map. Near the mines in the north.
“Second brother, this is where Count Lupeh’s family currently lives.”
“I know.”
“Still, I wanted to tell you.”
“Shut up.”
“…….”
When Clopeh fell silent, Cale looked at the small castle located in the north of the estate.
An old small castle.
Where Count Lupeh’s family has lived for generations. It was said that the relatives aspiring to the position of next lord and their supporters were there.
“Let’s go there first.”
“Why?”
Clopeh was ignored.
“I’m curious about the reason.”
At On’s question, Cale opened his mouth:
“This.”
He took a bloody stone out of his pocket. The code created by the slanted bar marks.
“Passing point.”
Team leader Sui Khan didn’t consider this place his destination. When he last left this… He considered this place a passing point.
“If we go out the north gate, we’ll find another forest.”
If the path we’ve chosen is correct…
“The marks will continue. If we’re wrong, we’ll return to the city.”
Cale’s group went out the north gate with their faces in view. And when they entered the forest leading to the old small castle… Cale approached a tree at the edge of the road.
“Correct.”
He found Lee Soo Hyuk’s mark.
“Urgency.”
That’s what he had left.
“It seems they’re chasing him.”
Cale’s gaze turned to the sky. The sun was already setting. Perhaps that’s why, on the wide road surrounded by forests on both sides, there were neither carriages nor people. Only silence remained.
Sssshhhh-
The wind blew. Cale was sure.
“Here it is.”
The team leader is in this forest.
“Before nightfall, we’ll find Sui Khan first.”
Cale, although he has the same black hair as the Kim Rok Soo of the past, is no longer the child he was.
Uung-
A slight hum from the golden top. The mana here is different from the world where Cale lived.
“Please do me a favor.”
The wind elementals are also here. Although it’s been difficult due to the large extent of the area, within a forest of this size…
Cale asked the elementals a favor:
“Please find the person I tell you.”
Sssshhhh-
Sssshhhh---
Sssshhhh----
Several gusts of wind shot out into the forest. The wind elementals were moving to find Sui Khan according to Cale’s will.
Cale asked the elementals one more favor:
“If there are other living beings besides that person, let me know.”
Raon asked:
-Human, who else are you looking for?
Cale indifferently answered:
“I must also find the enemies.”
Sui Khan. The guys trying to capture the team leader. He must also catch them. Cale’s eyes cooled and burned.
Mischievous smile. The corners of Clopeh’s lips curled upwards.
Uung. His sword trembled slightly. Clopeh’s sword, which stealthily stalks its prey like a serpent and, at the same time, contains the darkness that protects that light like a shadow of light, was waiting for the situation’s development.
‘Take good care of him.’
Choi Han had warned him.
‘And you grow too.’
And he also advised him:
‘You’re a genius.’
Clopeh Sekka, whose swordsmanship talent was recognized by Choi Han. This time, he harbored the desire, or rather the belief, to become a true companion of the hero.
“I’ll go ahead.”
“Yes.”
Clopeh entered the forest, not by the road, but by the trail. The reason was simple.
Sssshhhh-
‘It seems there’s something here!’
A wind elemental showed Cale the way, and Cale pointed there.
Sssshhhh-
The sound of the wind enveloped Cale and his group.
Tac!
Under the twilight sky, Cale’s group entered the forest where night had arrived prematurely. Cale said:
“Raon, send a signal to the sky.”
Clopeh opened his mouth:
“Won’t the enemies discover us?”
“It’s alright. They just need not to know who we are.”
How will the enemies know that Cale has arrived by seeing the signal? They’ll simply think that Sui Khan’s allies have arrived. That’s necessary.
“We’ll announce our presence.”
To the enemies and the allies. To the Chaos God sect guys. To the annoying team leader who’s causing all these problems.
“We must let them know that we’ve arrived.”
Cale proudly announced it. That he’s looking for them. Won’t both enemies and allies pay attention to us? Of course, Cale was observing his surroundings.
Marks. Cale’s eyes worked harder than ever to find the marks Lee Soo Hyuk would have left in an emergency situation.
-Human, I’ll launch the signal!
Uung- After a brief vibration.
Piiiiiii---
A burst of light rose into the red sky through the forest.
* * *
“Haah. Haah.”
Sui Khan, leaning against the base of a tree, gasped.
“Damn it. They’re persistent.”
The guys chasing him were really fanatics, too persistent.
“My body isn’t very resilient yet.”
His body, which wasn’t yet that of an adult, was weak.
‘Damn it.’
If he hadn’t made mistakes, he wouldn’t have been injured.
‘But, after seeing what those guys did-’
How could he restrain himself? For a moment, he couldn’t contain his emotions, and that’s why he was discovered in his hiding place. He had always made mistakes like that. His stubbornness, which he didn’t deliberately correct, was also a problem.
“Haah. Huk.”
A rough breath came out of Sui Khan’s mouth.
Piiii-
That’s when. He heard a sound in the distance.
“!”
Sui Khan quickly climbed a tree. And looked at the sky.
“Ha, ha!”
He saw a white dragon soaring into the twilight-covered sky. When he was team leader, two people always came to find him. Kim Rok Soo, who found the marks and guided the way. And Choi Jung Soo, who fought and destroyed.
A white dragon rises into the sky.
But it’s not Choi Jung Soo’s.
“It’s mana.”
It’s a dragon made of mana. Then,
“Raon.”
And the only guy who would launch that as a signal is:
“Kim Rok Soo, this guy-”
As expected, he was going to come. Lee Soo Hyuk moved towards the direction of the signal. That smart guy showed himself on purpose. That means he’s ready to face anyone, whether enemy or ally.
“I must go when I’m called.”
Sui Khan tightened the bandages on his wounds even tighter, the cloth made of torn clothes, and moved quickly.
Tac. Tac tac. His steps, as he crossed the trees, were light.
* * *
Cale told his companions:
“From today, we are Wanderers.”
Cale, openly showing his appearance, plans to impersonate a Wanderer before the enemies and the Chaos God sect.
“We are the Three Emperors’ henchmen, no-”
For a moment, he almost used the language from when he was team leader Kim Rok Soo.
“We are the Three Emperors’ subordinates. Understood?”
“Understood!”
“Understood.”
“Yes, Cale-nim.”
After Hong, On, and Clopeh.
Raon said:
“Understood, human! We are the Three Emperors’ henchmen!”
Cale tightly closed his eyes, reflecting.
Correct words, polite words.
“…No, we are the Three Emperors’ subordinates.”
“Yes! Understood, human! We are the Three Emperors’ subordinates!”
“…Yes.”
Cale deeply realized that the influence he has on the vocabulary of the children averaging 10 years old is quite large. He still had his eyes tightly closed.
Sssshhhh---
And towards the forest heading into the night, towards where the signal was launched. Allies and enemies began to head there.
