C441
“Pleased to meet you, young master Jimon.”
Clopeh Sekka politely bowed to Jimon. Cale also bowed and observed the surroundings.
Main building. Cale, who had entered the main castle around dinner time, was able to meet young master Jimon as night was about to fall. And it was in the dining hall, after dinner ended. Young master Jimon, without even clearing the dishes, was sitting alone in the main seat, waiting for Cale and Clopeh.
‘The housekeeper is also here.’
Housekeeper Hitellis. Besides her, no one else was visibly present.
-Human, I sense a presence on the ceiling!
Of course, as Raon was with them, invisible, Cale wasn’t worried.
‘…There’s no trace of the Chaos God sect.’
Of course, it could be because Cale hadn’t traveled much from the main castle and there was a lot of surveillance around, but he hadn’t yet found any trace of the Chaos God sect. It must definitely be hidden somewhere in the main castle or this Moraka castle.
“…….”
After welcoming them, young master Jimon didn’t say anything. He simply stared intently at Clopeh. Clopeh, with a kind smile at young master Jimon’s piercing gaze, politely continued:
“My name is Kase, and this is my brother-”
“Enough.”
Young master Jimon interrupted Clopeh. On the table where several people seemed to have eaten, with various dishes, he picked up a fork. Pointing at Clopeh, he opened his mouth:
“Stop saying nonsense. You said you wanted to buy the mine, right?”
Young master Jimon. Cale saw him for the first time. After Count Lupeh’s disappearance, when the Demon King’s faction tried to seize Dioruel’s estate, young master Jimon gathered the Lupeh family members to form a force that could counterattack.
‘And the guy who allied with the Chaos God sect.’
What kind of demon is he? Cale had a reason to follow Clopeh.
“Yes, young master. I intend to buy the mine-”
Clopeh politely continued, but young master Jimon again interrupted and abruptly said:
“You.”
He seemed to be someone without scruples, someone very impatient. With a frown, he looked at Clopeh and said:
“How did you convince Terosa?”
“…Eh?”
“Buy the mine? That crazy fanatic wouldn’t send people here just for that.”
Young master Jimon, full of irritation, disdain, and anger, struck the plate with the fork.
Kwaang! Kwaang!
While striking the plate as if he were going to break it, he said:
“Do you think I’m,”
Kwaang!
“A fool?”
Kwaang!
“Are these guys simply trying to take what’s mine? Eh?”
Kwaang! Kwaang!
Did he learn swordsmanship?
Chzerec. The plate he was striking with the fork finally broke.
‘Oh.’
And Cale realized that young master Jimon’s anger wasn’t directed only at Terosa and Clopeh.
‘Chaos God sect.’
There was also anger towards them. Because his gaze was turning to the housekeeper and Clopeh in turns. In particular, when he mentioned the word fanatic, young master Jimon’s gaze turned to the housekeeper and then to Clopeh.
“…….”
Housekeeper Hitellis simply stood there with an expressionless face.
“Fuu-”
It seemed young master Jimon was trying to calm down. He threw the fork he had in his hand.
Tang-!
The fork rolled across the marble floor, but young master Jimon didn’t even pay attention to it. He simply asked Clopeh:
“Terosa. I asked you why she made you help, don’t you want to answer?”
Although his tone seemed softer than before, he couldn’t hide the irritation and anger on his face. He seemed very short-tempered.
“Young master Jimon.”
Clopeh smiled.
“I fully intend to answer your question.”
“Ha!”
At his relaxed attitude, young master Jimon snorted incredulously. And Clopeh calmly and naturally said:
“I told Terosa-nim that I’m Count Lupeh’s only blood relative.”
“!”
Silence fell. Young master Jimon, wide-eyed, looked at Clopeh without saying anything. Housekeeper Hitellis also shifted her gaze from the void to Clopeh.
“……!”
Suddenly, she stopped. Because Kase, the second brother beside him, was staring intently at her. Of course, when their eyes met, the second brother deeply bowed his head. And Clopeh looked at Cale, who had his head down, and then looked at young master Jimon.
Mischievous smile. The corners of Clopeh’s lips curled upwards. The corner of Cale’s lips, who had his head down, was also raised. As he realized he was about to smile, he bowed his head to hide his smile.
‘Clopeh.’
Before coming here. Cale-nim, who had left everything in Clopeh’s hands, gave a suggestion.
‘When you meet young master Jimon today, not only find out about him, how about shaking both young master Jimon’s faction and the Chaos God sect’s?’
‘Shake young master Jimon too, ah!’
Clopeh immediately realized why Cale had given that suggestion. Because he remembered what Raon had said the previous night when he went to see Aurora.
‘Lord Cale, thanks to you, I realized something I had overlooked.’
Clopeh deeply engraved Cale’s teachings in his mind and looked at Jimon.
“Yes, you say you’re your uncle’s only blood relative?”
Young master Jimon was Lupeh’s nephew.
“Yes.”
Clopeh’s answer was short and without hesitation.
“Should I show you the birth certificate?”
Clopeh energetically walked towards young master Jimon. As he approached, Clopeh unconsciously looked down at young master Jimon.
“…….”
Young master Jimon looked at Clopeh with a trembling gaze. Housekeeper Hitellis also approached Jimon. She also lost her composure for a moment. An expression of surprise crossed her face.
‘Count Lupeh’s blood relative?’
Her mind was filled with confusion. If Kase really is Count Lupeh’s blood relative, and if Terosa, a confidante of the current Demon King, decides to support Kase…
‘Legitimacy and power. Jimon will lose both.’
It’s very likely that the Lupeh family’s support for young master Jimon will drastically decrease.
‘…Problematic.’
Hitellis didn’t care what happened to young master Jimon. She didn’t care if he lived or died.
‘The great plan is about to begin…!’
Soon, the gray disease will spread throughout the Demon Kingdom. And the Chaos God sect planned to present themselves as heroes by solving this.
‘And the starting place is Dioruel…!’
As it’s a city with developed commerce and logistics, the rumors spreading here will quickly reach the entire Demon Kingdom.
‘And it’s a city the Demon King hasn’t been able to control.’
The Chaos God sect chose young master Jimon because of those many advantages.
‘This will be problematic.’
Terosa seems to have already sent one of the Demon King’s daggers here.
‘Is the person they used to hide that dagger Count Lupeh’s blood relative?’
Then, Kase is also a dagger. A dagger that can immediately change the power map of Dioruel’s estate.
‘Let’s stay calm.’
Hitellis quickly calmed her mind.
“Here’s the birth certificate.”
Clopeh unfolded the birth certificate and placed it on the table.
“Ah. It’s quite dirty.”
Of course, he couldn’t place it on the dirty table because of the broken dishes.
“Look at it.”
Instead, he placed the birth certificate in young master Jimon’s hand.
“Here’s Count Lupeh’s seal, engraved with his mana. You can verify if it’s real. Terosa-nim already verified it and sent me here.”
Hmm. Hitellis groaned upon seeing the seal on the certificate. She didn’t know if it was Count Lupeh’s, but it was a proper mana seal.
“…”
Young master Jimon’s hands, holding the birth certificate, trembled. His face no longer showed anger, and his pupils wandered aimlessly.
‘Oh.’
Hitellis realized that young master Jimon was dazed.
‘Well, as he presented himself as Count Lupeh’s nephew… As he’s about to lose, he must feel desolate.’
Young master Jimon’s mouth opened.
“Th-this is impossible-”
To him, in a trembling voice… Clopeh put his hand on his shoulder and gently stroked it, and with his other hand pointed at the seal. Then he kindly said:
“Don’t you know your uncle’s mana?”
“…”
Jimon slowly turned his head. And he looked at Clopeh. Young master Jimon, looking at Clopeh smiling, trembled from his lips, and his eyes wandered aimlessly.
‘Oh.’
The housekeeper could barely contain a sigh. Young master Jimon, who couldn’t hide his anxiety since Terosa said she had sent someone, had gone to see the Pope to ask for help. He thought he would be easy to use because of his impatient and short-tempered nature, but his appearance of being completely dazed was a bit problematic.
‘As he’s still our ally.’
Young master Jimon. He was the owner of this castle where the Chaos God sect resided. He was still useful.
“Sir Kase.”
Housekeeper Hitellis softly called Clopeh, like a warning, and removed his hand from Jimon’s shoulder.
“Young master.”
And she gently took young master Jimon’s arm. Because she needed to wake the fool up.
Tac!
“Don’t touch me!”
But young master Jimon raised his voice and removed the housekeeper’s hand. And he jumped up.
“This is unbelievable, unbelievable!”
He grabbed the birth certificate as if he were going to crumple it and said:
“I must verify this! Are you my uncle’s blood relative? You?”
Clopeh shook his head.
“That’s problematic. Couldn’t you damage the birth certificate?”
“…What?”
Young master Jimon became furious.
“How dare you underestimate me!”
In one leap, Clopeh approached him. And took the birth certificate he had in his hand.
“If you want to verify it, come with an appraiser later.”
Clopeh looked at Jimon without smiling.
“…….”
He couldn’t say anything. He simply looked at the birth certificate with a dazed expression.
“…….”
Clopeh looked at him and then slowly moved his gaze. And looked at housekeeper Hitellis.
‘Hmm.’
Hitellis again realized that that guy called Clopeh wasn’t easy. Unlike the second brother, who was behind, with his head down and scared, the atmosphere was cold because the man in front of her wasn’t smiling.
“Housekeeper, it seems the young master isn’t in the mood to talk now, so we’ll withdraw.”
Clopeh put away the birth certificate and continued speaking softly:
“We have enough money to buy the mine, and if you wish to discuss the authenticity of the birth certificate and the mine purchase anytime, you can come to the pavilion.”
That’s when.
“Hey. You-”
Young master Jimon opened his mouth.
“Why did you reveal your existence-,”
After a pause, he continued:
“Why did you reveal your identity?”
At that, Clopeh looked at the void for a moment.
-Clopeh, you conveyed what our human told you well.
Clopeh shifted his gaze from the void to young master Jimon.
“Count Lupeh said that.”
With a kind smile, he said:
“That blood relatives are trustworthy.”
Young master Jimon couldn’t hide his complex gaze. He trembled all over his body.
“Terosa, the Demon King’s faction surely harmed Count Lupeh. I can’t help those kinds of people. As Count Lupeh’s blood relative. Isn’t that right?”
Clopeh’s gaze was simply calm.
“Isn’t that why young master Jimon is fighting against the Demon King’s faction?”
“…….”
Jimon didn’t say anything. Clopeh gestured for Cale to leave and headed for the door. But before leaving, he said one last sentence:
“Young master, I hope we can enjoy a good meal together next time. Not like this deal.”
Housekeeper Hitellis could feel the calmness in Clopeh’s smile as he looked at young master Jimon. Isn’t it the smile only a winner can show? On the other hand, young master Jimon had his head down, his fists clenched, and he was slightly trembling. As if he were containing his anger. Hitellis didn’t see the tears in young master Jimon’s eyes, who had his head down. Young master Jimon, who had contained his tears, finally didn’t raise his head.
“Then, we’re leaving.”
Unlike when he entered, Hitellis spoke after Clopeh and his group, who seemed self-assured, as if the castle were theirs, disappeared:
“Young master Jimon.”
Jimon raised his head. Hitellis, with impassive eyes, gave an answer for him. No, she gave an answer for the Chaos God sect.
“That guy will also die.”
Birth certificate? If that blood relative dies, it’s over.
“……!”
Jimon’s pupils trembled. Hitellis tightly grabbed young master Jimon’s hand, who had dared to remove her hand. And slowly said:
“We’ll take care of that. Just stay still.”
At that, young master Jimon’s trembling pupils calmed down. But he avoided Hitellis’s gaze. Hitellis smiled at that action. Yes, that was the appearance that suited him.
“That-”
Young master Jimon opened his mouth.
“The Demon King killed my uncle, right?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
Hitellis said the truth without hesitation.
“…Yes.”
Young master Jimon weakened and slumped in the chair. Hitellis finally patted young master Jimon’s shoulder and said:
“Tomorrow night, the demons sent by Terosa and Kase’s group will die. So rest easy. Tonight, tomorrow night. All future nights.”
Young master Jimon looked at her.
“Ha, ha-”
Laughter came out of his mouth. Hitellis smiled broadly upon seeing him. Because a puppet’s laughter sounded quite funny.
“Ha ha-”
And Jimon couldn’t stop laughing. The moment Kase presented the birth certificate… A child’s voice was heard.
-Jimon. Count Lupeh is still alive.
-The mana in the certificate is the proof.
* * *
The next morning. Cale, who had slept soundly after a long time, recalled Count Lupeh’s words he had heard through Aurora, the Mediator Alliance leader, while waiting for breakfast.
‘Jimon was the child who followed me the most. They say that child allied with the Chaos God sect? I can’t believe it.’
Count Lupeh didn’t trust some of his relatives. He said he couldn’t predict how they would act because of their greed.
‘Jimon lost his family as a child, and I raised him by my side until he reached adulthood. He received the small Moraka castle and the mine thanks to me. It’s strange.’
Toc toc. Just in time, the employees from the main building came to deliver breakfast. After the food was served in the second-floor dining hall and everyone left, an elder remained. He approached Clopeh.
“Pleased to meet you.”
Clopeh asked the bowing elder:
“Who are you?”
“I’m the butler.”
At that moment, Clopeh and Cale’s eyes met. Clopeh opened his mouth:
“The real one has arrived.”
Not Hitellis, but the real butler. The person who originally managed this Moraka castle. One of the subordinates Count Lupeh had assigned for young master Jimon. According to rumors, he was pushed aside when young master Jimon tried to become the lord. However, he still introduced himself as the butler. It must be young master Jimon’s will.
‘As expected.’
Young master Jimon might not have betrayed Count Lupeh. Clopeh, looking at the butler, from whom experience was felt, abruptly said:
“How did you avoid the Chaos God sect?”
“!”
The butler’s eyes widened. He wondered how he knew about the Chaos God sect, something even the Demon King’s faction didn’t know. But the butler didn’t recklessly open his mouth. Clopeh, looking at this with satisfaction, calmly told him:
“What do you mean?”
The real butler, unlike the rumors that he was polite, realized that was Clopeh’s true appearance, who was looking at him as if he were a noble.
“…He said we should be careful tonight.”
“It seems the Chaos God sect plans to kill us.”
“……!”
Leaving the butler speechless, Clopeh looked at Cale. Nodding. When Cale nodded, sending a signal, he opened his mouth:
“Both the Chaos God sect and the Demon King’s faction. To them, you and I are probably just annoying variables.”
Clopeh, sitting in the main seat, looked to the left. The real butler also looked there. The second brother, known for being clumsy, was there.
“Tell young master Jimon.”
Clopeh’s calm voice reached his ears.
“If he wants to meet Count Lupeh, tell him to come see the person who rescued him.”
And Cale smiled at the butler. He straightened his hunched shoulders. The second brother’s gaze, who was leaning against the chair’s backrest, looking at the butler. He felt something in that calm expression and gaze.
If Kase has the gaze of a noble…
Second brother. He saw the gaze of someone he had seen from afar in the past.
‘Yes, it’s similar to his.’
The previous Demon King. An indifferent but piercing gaze. The clumsy guy wasn’t there. There was only someone with a cold and deep gaze. Cale hadn’t yet done anything against the Chaos God sect, who had done that to Lee Soo Hyuk, Choi Jung Gun, and perhaps also Choi Jung Soo. He was simply recording and waiting for the right moment.
“Butler.”
Cale used some Dominating Aura on the butler, who was Jimon’s eyes and ears. The pressure that filled the space. Cale, at the center of it, conveyed his will.
“Where is the Pope?”
Cale smiled comfortably for the first time while looking at the trembling butler.
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