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Cale Henituse leisurely steps into his father's room. The smell of paper and ink immediately greets his nose along with something akin to sandalwood. The curtains are drawn, letting the faint sunbeams freely bathe the large, ornate and elegant room. Near the large and wide glass window stands Deruth Henituse, back wide and ramrod straight despite his age. The weight of a duchy cannot be seen on his shoulders.
Cale's face is impassive, "You called, father?"
Deruth turns to his eldest son with a heavy sigh. "Cale, it's about time.."
Cale's expression falls into seriousness and sheds the blank look as Deruth tells him of the things needed to be done.
"..and as for the bride, I'll leave it to you to find one."
Hong freezes on his spot, tail raised in alarm as he hears the word bride. He only heard the word in passing, and he's not really entirely sure of what it really means, but if he remembers correctly.. then that word should mean something like a partner.
He decides to let it be with a nonchalant meow, letting the fretting Hans sweep him up in his arms.
"Little Hong, let's get you some food? Ah," Hans sighs as he gives Hong ear scratched, "Young master-nim is barely home, and it's so lonely without all of you!" Pitying the deputy butler, the young kitten indulges the butler by rubbing his furry head against his chest.
Hans beams brightly. When they are near enough to the kitchens, he asks his question.
"Nya, what is a bride?"
The butler halts in his step, blinking in confusion before humming in deep thought. "Hmm, little Hong, how do I explain this.. A bride is someone who the groom would spend his life with? You know, like with Duke Deruth and Duchess Violan."
Hans' lips are upturned into an awkward grimace-like smile. "The groom and the bride will have a wedding, and they will spend each other's lives with one another."
"Nya." Hong blinks, "Like me and my sister and our youngest?"
Hans shakes his head, "No. You'll understand when you're older, little Hong."
A furry red tail flicks in discontentment and Hong decides to nod with a slight 'nya' as Hans begins to prepare them food. The word still hangs heavy in his mind. He decides he'd just ask Mary later.
—
"Bride?" Mary's stoic voice doesn't faze Hong now. It did before, since he felt like Mary didn't feel like talking to him because she's lacking the joy in her voice. He knows better now though, and he always gets to talk to Mary, their youngest Raon, and his big sister On now.
Life really turned for the best when young master Cale Henituse found them.
"A bride is..someone who'd become a wife?" Mary sounded the same even though her words implied that she's a little bit confused too. The black robe around her flutters as they make their way to Super Rock's Villa where the others are training. "Why did you ask?"
"Nya, young master is looking for one." Hong continues without glancing at the necromancer, "I heard the young master's father telling him to look for one! Young master said 'okay', that means he's looking for one right now, right? Nya? Noonim?"
"Young master Cale-nim.." Mary's voice sounded shaky despite its lack of evident emotions, "Is going to get married?"
"Nya? He said he's looking for a bride?"
"So he is getting married.."
"Who's getting married?" Lock strolls in, his eyes blinking owlishly, he's carrying one of his little sisters.
"Young master Cale-nim is!" Hong chirps his tail swishing back and forth as he says hello to Lock's siblings.
"Eh? Well.. I guess the young master is of age.. And he is a noble. Nobles usually need to marry for power."
"Nya, but he doesn't need power?"
"They also sometimes need to marry for money." Lock adds, shifting his little sister's weight onto one hand as they make a turn for the Rock's villa.
Mary and Hong fall into contemplation. Young Master Cale does love money. In fact, he loves money second to loving his family.
"When people marry, they become family, right?" Mary asks.
Lock nods, "Yes, noonim."
Hong gasps theatrically, family and money? Oh no.
"I need to tell the others!" Hong hastens his steps into a run. He's got news to tell.
"Hold on, Young Master Cale-nim is..?"
"Hm, he is of age.."
"That unlucky bastard? Marrying?"
"My precious dongsaeng…?"
"Marriage?! Cale-nim?!"
"Hahaha! As expected of my friend! Looking for a bride, you say? I'll help him! I'll help him as his friend!"
"As expected of the legend.. He would need an heir to pass all his greatness onto.. That's very good.. Very good.. The bride needs to be perfect!"
"Ah, I'll confirm it with the young master."
A sigh escapes Cale's lips as he enters the common room for the villa. Everyone's gathered and fresh out of a bath since they trained all morning and have finished lunch prepared by Beacrox. The curious, perplexed, and complicated gazes they're giving him are quite unnerving, but really, everyday is an adventure (even when he doesn't want it to be) when he's surrounded by strong, kinda scary people.
Raon, the bubbly talkative child that he is, first breaks the silence with a question.
"Human!" Fluttering of wings is heard and soon enough, the smooth scales of Raon's head bumps against Cale's hand, "Do you.. Do you have plans..?"
Cale blinks in slight confusion as he sits down. They've got a little (emphasis on a little) free time after everything that happened and he would've loved to spend it all by lazing around and doing nothing but eating and sleeping all day, however.. He's been given some big tasks.
So he nods, wearing the same neutral expression.
"Yes," Is it just him..or does the atmosphere in the room seem a little tense? Why the heck is Choi Han touching his scabbard like that? It's giving him the chills. "I need to prepare for the wedding— ugh!" His words end with a surprised cough as Eruhaben-nim's presence suddenly grew too empowering, his dragon fear triggered. It's not just him who felt it too, but he felt it worse because of his weak constitution.
The beautiful golden-haired dragon blinks, and Cale swears he saw those pretty golden irises in chilling slits instead of their usual round. Eruhaben-nim coughs awkwardly, "I'm sorry. I..felt a threat?"
Before Cale could even croak out his question, a threat of what , Raon beams and bumps into him, a video communicating device on his paws.
"Human! It's the Whales!"
His eyebrows crease, "Hm? Connect it."
Did something happen..?
Witira and Paseton's beautiful faces greet him with warm smiles that makes Cale a bit too iffy. He doesn't know why. He's getting the chills.
"Congratulations, Young master Cale-nim." Witira speaks with eloquence in her tone, Paseton nods a bit shyly(?) beside her.
Congratulations? We haven't even won the war yet?
"Wh-"
"We had hoped that… Well, my brother here, he was.."
"Noona! Stop.." Paseton blushes from the tips of his ears down to his neck, his hands fumbling around and stopping Witira's words without care that he's doing that to the future queen of the Whales. "A-anyway! Young master-nim, I wish you all the best!"
The video cuts off with a sigh from Witira and more fumbling from Paseton that leaves Cale confused as a newborn baby.
"Huh? What?" He tucks a strand of his hair back as he glances at the people surrounding him—Choi Han's smile looks scary . Mary is pacing around. Rosalyn has this twisted smile-like grimace on her face. Ron' smile looks more benign than usual. Beacrox—who's apparently done with the kitchen—is glowering at Cale (he shivers and instantly averts his gaze). Lock looks bashful but curious at the same time. Eruhaben-nim is..glaring at him and muttering something under his breath.
"Wha-"
He's cut off again. By another call, again.
"Human! It's Queen Litana from the Jungle!"
Now what happened?
Raon connects it when Cale nods. There's an iffy expression on his face now as he feels a brewing storm from behind him that he cannot even pay full attention to because of the consecutive call he got.
"Young master Cale." Litana has Ten beside her, who lets out quite a terrifying growl at the sight of Cale. "I've heard the news."
He blinks once. "What-"
"I wish you the very best, young master Cale!" is Litana's quite the emotional outburst, "The war isn't over yet, but you did say you wanted a peaceful life. I understand that you're planning for that life already.."
Yeah, he has no idea what's going on. But he can more or less deduce what Litana's saying.
It's about his words, the one when he said he'd farm after the war. She did say a peaceful life after the war, and farming and slacking around is his only known plan, so it must be it. Right?
"You can settle down on your land here, of course young master Cale. It'd be an honour, our elders can help if you want. After all, it will be quite a complicated but fruitful journey."
Ah. Now he is certain that it's about farming. Litana did say fruitful. So he nods in agreement, he doesn't really understand why it's necessary for the Queen of the Jungle to personally make a call about farming when they're sure to meet in the next few months, but Cale shrugs it off. The Jungle people must really be passionate about farming.
"Thank you," Cale finally says, "I think I'd need help in that journey as well, I am not that versed in it." Litana gasps, and wait— is that the sound of Eruhaben-nim grumbling under his breath even more viciously and Choi Han's sword? Whattheheck— "..I think I'd really need the Elder's tips."
Something sharp is being wielded behind Cale. He just knows it. He can hear the air being sliced quite viciously and he doesn't know why. He's not willing to ask why too.
"I-I see.. Well then, bring her next time, young master Cale! Goodbye.." Litana hangs up with an awkward smile.
Cale tilts his head in confusion, her?
"Ron..?" Cale immediately gulps at the too sickeningly sweet and benign smile on the butler's face, who's holding his newly-polished dagger— why is he holding his dagger like that?!
"What does she mean by-"
Blink. Blink.
There's another call. Another one. Why.
"Connect it." He sighs heavily, his shoulders slumping a bit as he leans on his cushioned chair. There's a nya from On near his leg and a pitiful pat of her paw on his foot.
What's with the barrage of calls when the stupid white thing hasn't even attacked yet?
Splotches of sunshine blond greets Cale. It's Jack and Hannah, who are staying at Mogoru and are overlooking the Church of the Sun God.
Jack has his usual calming and gentle smile curling on his lips. The glass-stained windows glowing a holy-like halo behind that's very fitting for him. Hannah is on his left, nodding silently at Cale with her hand on the scabbard of her sword.
"Young master-nim."
"Saint Jack-nim. Hannah." Cale nods. The gentle smile on the ever-kind face of Jack calms his growing agitation a little. Jack is a ray of sunshine, so they say, albeit a little innocent.
Jack clasps his hands together, "I would like to bestow upon the bride and the groom the highest blessing under the Sun God, may I, young master-nim?"
Oh. The wedding? He has no idea how they found out, but he nods nonetheless since what he was suggesting is beneficial to him anyway. Better to take advantage of the blessings that voluntarily go your way, right?
"Sure, that'd be great, Saint-nim. Thank you."
Jack and Hannah share a surprised look, before Jack shakes his head. "It's nothing Young Master-nim. It's the least that I can do!" The Saint's face looks weird, like he's trying very hard to restrain something. Is he having constipation? Cale wonders.
Hannah stares at him like he's grown another head, but she doesn't say anything else. He turns to check what she's staring so weirdly at, because it couldn't be him, only to be met with a piercing stare of Beacrox.
Cale turns back to the twins. He'd prefer Hannah's stare than Beacrox's. Thank you very much.
"Well then. I'd have someone pick you up from there on the wedding day. Since the war is still going on, the date is not entirely set yet.." His words fall into a murmur for himself in the end, but he shakes his head as if he's physically shooing away the worries of the special day, "Thank you for offering, I believe there's no problem there in Mogoru?"
"No, don't worry." Hannah answers, "If there is, I'd take care of it. No need to fret about it." Jack nods in agreement. What a great pair, very useful.
He nods. It's really helpful to have such powerful people surrounding him. "That's good, see you then."
Cale hangs up first, and then he slumps on his seat, ragged breaths escaping him as he feels his energy slowly but surely getting drained by the piercing stares he's been getting here and there.
"Hm, how do they know about the wedding?" He wonders aloud, mostly for himself but really, with three kids averaging nine years old and a handful of dangerous people around him, his words almost never fall into deaf ears.
"So the wedding—it's true?" Eruhaben asks, tone bordering crude and the frown on his face can be heard dripping from his voice, "You—you unlucky bastard.."
"Yes?" Cale only tilts his head a little for his reddish-brown eyes to meet sparkling gold, "I'm a bit surprised that everyone knows since we were supposed to keep it under the wraps. There's still war after all."
Eruhaben looks quite taken aback, which is a peculiar sight for the ancient dragon who's knowledge far surpasses most people in the room. Then his shock turns to a deep frown that makes Cale flinch with how angry those beautiful eyes are— why is he looking at me like that?!— before it falls into an unnerving stoicism.
"Wh—" Before Cale can even ask why, Raon shoves the video communication device on his face.
"Another call!"
Cale bites back his sigh with a stiff nod. Who is it now?
It's the crazy priestess Cage and Marquis Stan.
Taylor Stan looks polite and proper as usual, to his side is Cage donning her usual insignia-lacking robe. Cage waves at Cale.
"Young Master Cale." Taylor starts, "I've heard about the wedding?"
Cale nods, his expression easing a little as he leans into his chair to relax his tense body. After all, it's not odd for Taylor to know about the wedding since Marquis Stan is included in the guest list. The Northeastern nobles are all invited, maybe Alberu too, if he's not too busy? He'd have to ask his hyung-nim.
"I'll call when the date is set," Cale's finger taps gently against his cheek, "The wedding will happen in the Henituse territory, obviously, but rest assured, even if we are at war right now, our territory is safe." Of course, the front liners are almost all staying in Henituse's territory and are guarding — and giving scary stares at — Cale Henituse.
Taylor looks taken aback by something. Cage looks like she wants to cry, why? She mutters something along the lines of, they grow up so fast..
Yeah, he has no idea what's happening. But maybe because Cage is a priestess, she gets emotional whenever there are weddings? Well, she's a little tiny bit crazy anyway.
"I-I see.." Taylor begins to soothe a sniffling Cage, "Ah, don't mind Cage here.. She gets quite emotional when it involves marriage."
So he's right. Cale's brows furrow, or does Cage also want to be married?
Taylor sends him a loose smile that looks bewildered more than anything, "Well then, young master Cale, we've taken too much of your time already. We'll see you soon?"
"Sure."
"Oh, also," Taylor bites his lower lip as if he's hesitating, "Please send my best wishes to the bride."
The room temperature drops at the mention of that word. Cale smiles because he's a little dense when it comes to these things.
"Sure," There's a smile that looks genuine and not his scamming one on his face and he doesn't know how everyone silently lost it behind him. "I'll send her your regards, Marquis Stan."
Cage shrieks, "There's a bride already?!"
"Of course?" Cale blinks, confused, "Why wouldn't there be? She's a beautiful woman."
There's a choking noise from behind Cale, he's feeling a bit too hesitant to check, so he doesn't.
The laugh that escapes Taylor sounds a little unhinged, "Ha-haha.. Of course, of course. Well then, see you!"
Cale nods and hangs up first.
"She's beautiful, huh." Rosalyn comments from behind him, her voice cold. Rosalyn only ever speaks like that when she's angry, and Cale isn't eager to face a future magic tower master's wrath, so he doesn't dare look back.
"Yes. She is." He saw a photo of the woman that Deruth showed. Pretty green eyes and chestnut coloured hair, soft features and a bright smile. She is beautiful. "I'll meet with her soon to discuss some things about the wedding, but my father will take care of the things needed to be done while I am gone."
Ron chuckles, and Cale doesn't know when the scary butler got close to him but when he startles on his seat, a cup of lemonade is right beside his head, with Ron towering and casting shadows over him. Cale gulps when he sees something dark in Ron's eyes.
"Hm, young master, the Duke and the duchess already agreed to the wedding?" Ron asks.
Cale, not wanting Ron's dagger anywhere near him, nods and accepts the cup, "Yes. They arranged everything."
"Why though, Cale-nim? Why did you accept?" It's Choi Han, looking forlorn for some reason, that asks. Raon is beside the swordmaster, tilting his cute head as he gauges for Cale's answer.
He doesn't really get why they're so pressed about the wedding, so his face is painted with colours of confusion that only serves to agitate his party even more.
"Why wouldn't I? It's beneficial for the duchy."
"There are things much better than marriage though, don't take things too hastily." Eruhaben cuts in with ice in his tone.
"Marriage is more convenient."
The simple answer seems to have pissed everyone off. In their minds, they're thinking about things along these lines:
"Even here? Even in marriage? Are you still trying to sacrifice your whole life to chain yourself for the sake of your family's stability?!"
Choi Han, specifically, is thinking of, "Maybe I should have accepted those rewards offered to me? A title and a property.. are those what I need to help Cale-nim even more? Maybe then he wouldn't have to marry, or maybe we could be the ones to mar—"
Of course, Cale doesn't know about this so he looks like he's just stating a very obvious fact.
"If you want power, security.." A shiver breaks through everyone as Eruhaben mumbles, his hands trembling at his sides as golden-white dust begins to circle around his feet in a threatening manner, "Then why don't I give it to you? Don't you believe in me? Don't you think that I can give you what you wa—"
By now, Cale wants to bolt out of there, maybe he could ask Raon to cast an invisibility spell on him? Ah, no, because who he's running from is Eruhaben after all.
Blink. Blink.
Fortunately for him, he's saved by a call.
"It's the Mercenary King, human!"
Cale has never been more glad to have Bud call.
"Connect it," He waves quickly, settling down on his seat uncomfortably as he still sees ribbons of gold dust swirling on the floor.
Scary. Eruhaben is terrifying.
"Cale!" Bud's beaming and flushed face shines through the projection of the communication device. Glenn is beside him, and was probably the one to connect the call.
Based on Bud's happy disposition, he probably had nothing urgent to report, and usually, Cale would've asked him to get to the point in that case. Not right now though, not when he's got a seething dragon — for reasons not making sense to him by the way — that is a few ticks away from activating his dragon fear.
"I heard about the wedding!" Bud cheers. Cale wants to ask so badly how and when the rumour of the wedding spread, but he chose otherwise, believing that the mercenaries have their network of information and managed to catch wind of the news.
"Hm, yes. There's a wedding. What about it?"
"Can we supply alcohol for it? You know there's no good wedding without alcohol right after!"
Cale hums, suddenly very interested in the prospect of something that can cut off his expenses and give everyone good alcohol. "For free?"
"Of course! It's the least that we can do."
He doesn't really see the reason to decline, because there's none. He nods, smiling happily, but not too bright since he can't ignore the dark aura all around him, "Sure, I'll have..someone pick it up when the time comes.."
I can't ask Eruhaben-nim for a favour to pick the alcohol up right now..because he seems so pissed by something? Weird, he's not someone who'd get angry easily. Right?
"Great! Now—" Bud looked ready to run his tongue dry with a ramble about good alcohol that he's so passionate about, but Glenn cuts him off. Cale almost looks disappointed. Come on, he's not ready to face everyone yet, he just knows it'll be one big headache.
"Well then, young master Cale." Glenn smiles, "I think you're busy.."
No. I'm not, really.
But Glenn is a smart guy with a sharp intuition, he can see the scrutinising stares from behind the young master, especially the dragon's glare that seems to tell him to hurry up. Glenn hangs up first.
"Cale-" Eruhaben gets cut off by, guess what? Yes, a call.
"Crazy Clopeh is calling!"
His lips twisted into a grimace-like smile, well, Clopeh is better than nothing. Thank you, Clopeh.
"Please, Raon." The black dragon nods, looking at him with unsure eyes.
And Clopeh lives up to his title — his craziness drives Cale into shivers .
The flashes of white greets him, along with a euphoric bliss clearly painted on the swordmaster's face, and goddammit, why is he clasping his hands like he's praying? Ah, whatever, he stopped trying to understand the knight a long time ago. It's not worth a headache.
"Cale-nim.." Says Clopeh, breathless with reverence. Cale shudders. "I have heard about a wedding?"
Of course he did. The redhead gulps, "Yes. There will be one." Can they stop talking about the wedding? Everyone seems pissed off by it. Is it because they think that it's too untimely? There is war, but they should know that Cale wouldn't risk anything if he's too uncertain.
Hm, he'd just reassure them later.
"You're directly involved in it, Cale-nim?" Clopeh asks, breaking him out of his thoughts.
"Yes..?" Of course?
"Oh." Clopeh claps with a delirious-looking grin, "I guess it is also part of your legend! I'm almost moved to tears—"
He's just choking on the sheer creepiness that he's getting from Clopeh — and they're not even seeing face to face.
Clopeh continues anyway, "I'll be forever grateful, until death and beyond that, if you'd grace this humble Clopeh Sekka a chance to be a character for this wedding, maybe gracing me with the chance to play your gro— "
Cale yelps as the communication device explodes into nothingness with black mana surrounding it, and he's thankful. He'd probably lose appetite for a few days if he continued listening to that madman's crazed words.
Speaking of— what Clopeh said…
"Human! Clopeh has gone crazier!" Cries out Raon, the one that made the communication device. The poor cute dragon's blue pupils are shaking. He motions for the child to get close to him, rubbing soothing circles on the dragon's head.
"Yes.." He hums, "Thank you, Raon. You truly are great and mighty, just…forget about that guy for now.."
A sniffling Raon nods, "Alright."
Cale's lips twist into a small smile. This is nice, if he'd forget about Clopeh and the glaring stares behind him, it'll almost be perfect.
"Cale."
"Young master-nim."
"Young master Cale."
There comes the chorus of his name. Somehow, his party manages to make his title sound so vicious and scary. He tightens his hold on Raon, he's still not willing to turn around, especially when he's still trying to recover from the headache that is Clopeh.
"I swear to everything holy if you don't answer us right now—"
Blink. Blink.
Taking out a spare communication device from his spatial bag, Raon blinks up at Cale. They both hear the sharp intakes of breath of the people around him, and of course, the distinct sound of Choi Han's sword and Ron's daggers, but for now..
"Connect it, please." Cale croaks, voice hoarse.
Eruhaben stops Raon by placing a hand on the soft black head, his chilly gaze — his eyes look more like an actual dragon's than its usual human-like appearance — and says, calmly, menacingly.
"This is the last call." the golden dragon's pinky finger twitches, Cale doesn't miss the way golden dust is still circling around dangerously, "After this, we'd have to talk."
He bites back a groan, nodding stiffly. He's left with no choice really.
"It's Toonka." Raon chimes.
Breathing through his nose carefully, Cale composes his face and schools his features into his usual stoic demeanour, and soon enough, Toonka's wide toothy grin flashes before him.
"My friend!" Toonka shouts. Why does he always feel the need to shout? Cale's low energy will surely be depleted in moments if he'd ever try to talk like Toonka does.
Toonka, still grinning, continues talking when Cale flicks his finger, "I heard you're getting married."
The already cold room gets colder. And so is Cale's body—he freezes up, totally rendered speechless more than when he fought that stupid white thing, because.. Toonka is spewing out some bullshit he'd never thought he'd hear!
"Wha- what..?"
The buff warrior pays no mind to his flabbergasted face, or he doesn't recognize the way Cale is looking at him like he suddenly up and declared that he's learning magic, or maybe Toonka just lacks the capacity to understand just what he's saying. Because damn—his loud cheers continue to echo off the villa's walls.
"As expected of my one and only friend! Hahaha! That's right, marriages are important. It is also important to me, as important as you are to me." A solemn expression flashes on Toonka's eyes, and if only he was making sense, maybe Cale could've been touched, but no, he's not. "I wondered, since you are my friend and the one and only Cale Henituse, you need someone worthy to be beside you. You need someone strong—" as if to emphasize his point, Toonka shows off his muscled biceps, "Someone that can protect you! But then, finding someone like that is proving to be difficult—" Toonka shows off a very sad, pained face, and wow, Cale didn't think he'd have so much expression except for his toothy grin and blood-crazed smile.
"But-"
"However! I realized I know someone just like that!" the warrior beams once more, as if he never showed his sad face in the first place, "My friend, I am someone just like that! I can protect you, cherish you, and love you! Will you marr—"
Toonka never really finished what he got to say (thank heavens for that) because Choi Han dashed and sliced the device in half with his aura the same time that the golden dust swirling on his feet curled on it and the mana fluctuated.
Cale breathes a sigh of relief—goddammit, Toonka's fucking crazy. And…
Cale is not the one getting married.
Why the hell would he marry?!
"Cale."
"Cale-nim."
Two hands land on each of his shoulders, and looking up he sees Choi Han's empty smile and equally empty eyes, somehow that emptiness leaves Cale feeling heavy all over. And of course, Eruhaben-nim's pretty hand is hot, he can feel the heat through his thick winter clothes, his eyes bear the same fire, threatening to incinerate him on the spot.
"We need to talk," The dragon says, and Raon seems to feel the tension of everything since the child rams his head on his side. "Don't we?"
"I agree, Cale-nim."
"We do too," Ron calls from right beside him, "Our cute puppy young master."
Cale gulps.
"Wait.." Croaks the commander, his arms curled around the young dragon as he's subjected to killing intent by three most dangerous people he knows. "If this is about the wedding—"
"Of course it's about the wedding!" Is Choi Han's outburst.
"I am not entirely sure why the Duke and the Duchess agreed to it, they're not the type of people to force things onto you, so that must mean that our young master himself suggested such a thing. Tell this old Ron, will you? Why marriage? You're too young, my puppy master.."
"You idiotic bastard! If it's money that you want, I'll bring you some! If it's security, then I'll fucking protect you, alright?! You don't need to settle for life! Marriage is.. You don't actually want to, right?! Cale?!"
He hears Hong sniffling from the back, "He's..gonna replace us.. I heard when they marry they make a new family.." Mary soothes them with no emotion evident in her GPS-like voice.
That comment triggers something in Raon, for the black dragon snaps his head forward, his chubby paws clutching at Cale's clothes, "Human! No! You're gonna leave me?! Wh-what did I do? Tell me! You promised! You promised, you won't leave!"
Rosalyn coos at the Cat children, along with Lock who picks Hong up. Beacrox clicks his tongue, frowning visibly.
And Cale—he hasn't felt this surprised since.. Well, for a long time now. He feels like crying and laughing at the same time. He doesn't like the way the children are sad though.
"You bastard! What's with that look, huh?! You wanna face a dragon's rage?!" Eruhaben seethes.
Cale knows he should put a stop to this, a part of himself finds amusement at the absurdity of the situation though.
"The wedding, it'll go on, it cannot be cancelled." The words make everyone's eyes sharper.
"I can… destroy everything! I'll destroy everything!" Cale soothes the young Raon with his caressing hand. No one's calming down.
"I'll attend the wedding," Cale's eyes sweep over everyone, before letting his lips curl into an amused, but comforting smile, "It's my cousin's wedding after all. I'm an honoured guest, I can't turn the invitation down."
"Silly human! I tell you, I'll burn—eh?" Raon lets go of his shirt, blue eyes blown wide as he stares at his saviour.
"Y-your..cousin?" Rosalyn says gently, voice almost cracking.
Cale looks at her, eyes serene. "Yes, my father's side. My cousin apparently found love despite the war. He's also a knight, so the noble bride wants to marry before my cousin enters the battlefield once more."
"Oh." Everyone says. Mary stands out with her voice.
Ron immediately steps back, lips twitching as he tries to maintain his usual benign smile. Cale can see his butler's eyes creasing into crescents though, and he knows the smile is turning into a genuine one.
The pressure that was silently permeating the room finally eased, and so did the golden dust. Eruhaben's reptile-like eyes slowly turn roundish, more human and less scary. He hums, all beautiful and glowing.
"Hm, send my best wishes to him then."
Cale turns to him, lips upturned on one side, "Would you like to come with me to the ceremony?"
Eruhaben's gaze lingers on his face, before he turns away, waving a nonchalant hand. "Hmph, are they worthy of a dragon's presence?"
So that's a maybe. He thinks the ancient dragon would come though.
On is comforting a sighing and crying Hong, Lock is helping them as he has this huge silly grin on his face. It seems like the children were all scared for a moment because of the silly thought that Cale would leave them. Cale decides that he'd take them out for hot chocolate later. Mary seems to like chocolate best after all.
Rosalyn is biting her lip, nodding at him and mouthing, "Sorry."
Cale shrugs at her, lips twitching upwards.
The mage sighs, "I better clear up things with everyone then.. They're all expecting the young master Cale to marry after all."
"Oh," Cale recalls the barrage of calls he received, how everyone seemed weird (not as much as Toonka and Clopeh), and everyone kept sending their best wishes. He doesn't want to personally deal with that mess, so he nods at Rosalyn, "Please. Thank you."
Choi Han is the last to speak up, "I feel silly."
A chuckle escapes Cale as he comforts a slightly teary six-year-old mighty dragon, "I feel like that too."
"Of course.. You won't marry."
"Of course," Choi Han looks relieved at the confirmation, Cale knows that he shouldn't, but he's having the impulse to tease the not-so innocent swordmaster, "Not around this time, no. Maybe after everything?"
A forlorn expression falls on Choi Han's face, "W-what..? Ah.. Of course.."
Cale chuckles once more, "I'm kidding, Choi Han."
Charcoal black eyes blink away the sadness in them, surprise coloring in those pupils as Choi Han sighs with a small smile on his lips, "Haa.. Of course you are, Cale-nim."
He only hums back, turning to Raon and the Cat children to tell them about his plans to get hot chocolate later, when the swordsman adds something that makes Cale's spine go ramrod straight.
"I told his highness about it though, he said he'd personally talk to you. Expect him in a few minutes? He cleared his schedule for the day to come here."
What.
"Dongsaeng." Alberu is standing before his commander in his quarter dark elf form. His brown eyes are glaring at the redhead who looks lax and is cuddling with the cute black dragon. He immediately notices that Raon has his face buried on Cale's side.
Did he cry that much? Stupid dongsaeng. You crazy bastard, I thought.. If you needed money, you should've come to me! No need to marry someone else!
"Hyung-nim," There's a hint of amusement in Cale's eyes, but determination is the most evident in those reddish-brown. "To what do I owe this visit?"
"You're not marrying," You don't love her, do you? You can't, all you've been doing is fainting and saving people around! How can you fall in love so easily?! "If it's to gain stability and power, then I'll help you. You trust your hyung-nim, don't you?"
Cale nods, still calm. "The wedding will go on, hyung-nim. In fact, may I invite you?"
Alberu's eyebrow twitches, his fist clenching at his sides. "No." He says, his voice carrying the winter chill that rivals the North.
"Ah.." Cale has the gall to look disappointed.
Does he love her that much already?
Alberu is all too ready to shake Cale out of whatever love spell he's in, when—
"My cousin and his bride will surely be sad. He was hoping for even a small acknowledgement from you.."
"You crazy bastard, do you know what marriage—" Alberu's mind finally processes the word said, "What?!"
Cale continues, and Alberu swears he sees the redhead's lips shaking as he stops his smile, "In fact, he'd get rather forlorn if he finds out that the crown prince himself tried to stop his—"
Wait, wait— "What?!"
"My cousin's wedding." The headache that is Cale smiles.
"Your cousin's wedding." Alberu repeats back, stupidly.
He can now see the black dragon, trembling—holding back his laughter.
"Yes, my cousin's wedding."
"Not yours?"
Cale scoffs.
Alberu blinks, his mind slowly, painfully, recalling the panic he was in when he heard from an emotionless Choi Han about Cale Henituse's wedding.
He is already swept over with work, being a ruler comes with shit ton of responsibilities after all. But he dropped everything and pushed urgent things away because of this darn wedding.
Cale Henituse's cousin's wedding.
Not Cale's.
Alberu collapses on the couch right behind him, his burning handsome face buried in his palms.
"I feel stupid." He mumbles. He..felt something, like heavy weight—imposing yet empty at the same time—when he heard about the news of Cale's marriage, it was enough for him to personally come to the Henituse territory by himself, ignoring all his vassals.
Cale Henituse, the root of all his headache and joy, hums and chuckles.
Alberu groans.
"Well, now that you're here, hyung-nim, why don't you spend the day with us? I'm planning to take the children out, or maybe everyone if they want to come along? I need to find a gift for the bride too.."
The dragon finally lifts his head up, and the quarter dark elf sees the mischief-filled blue eyes of Raon Miru.
"You got me, Raon-nim." He smiles softly.
"Hehehe.." The giggle Raon lets out makes the two men's lips quirk up, "The human said we could prank you, crown prince! It's so fun! It's as fun as looting people!"
"You took longer than Choi Han expected you to be though, hyung-nim." Cale comments, head tilting. Alberu's eyes drink every motion.
"Well, I had everything thoroughly.." He coughs, praying that his dark skin will hide his burning cheeks, "I. uh.."
"Yes..?"
"I had to check over the nobles' names and families to find the woman you'll marry to have an idea if she.. Uh.."
"Ah." Cale nods. "That must've been..a lot. "
Yes. Yes, it was a lot, more than the work he was supposed to do today. He finished them all under an hour though, and left his office looking like a mess just for—
He eyes the pretty redhead who's talking to the young dragon right now.
All for Cale Henituse that he thought he'd lose.
Damn it.
"Hot chocolate then?"
"Yes, I'll come with."
Bonus(?):
Sayeru and Dorph flinch as a barrage of wind, fire, and other elements along with mana surge in the room, destroying everything but them inside.
"Barrow—"
"You mean to tell me," The White Star takes out his sword and slashes at the stone walls, "That Cale Henituse is getting married?!"
"Well ye—" Sayeru gulps. Yes, Cale Henituse is getting married, but why are you so affected?!
"That bastard!" Cale Barrow continues to kick everything down his way, "I guess he's got so much free time that he can go around frolicking, huh?!"
The two bite back a sigh.
Everyone's obsessed and besotted with Cale Henituse, in one way or another. Even the White Star.
end.