Chapter Text
—Human, I want to disguise myself too!
Cale nodded absentmindedly, not having the energy to argue that the so-called disguise would've been invisible as well.
He turned a corner, slowing his steps to the extent that Raon was left hovering in one spot for a good few seconds.
—Human! Should I make you fly as well?!
‘Is he upset…?’
“No thanks,” Cale replied under his breath.
Currently, he was roaming around the streets of the Henituse Duchy with Raon, all the while dressed up in commoner attire with relatively plain, dyed hair.
Unlike usual, Raon was invisible as well, and though Cale couldn't see him either now, there wasn't much they could've done.
It all began with the idea of a simple stroll, which the redhead wasn't quite intrigued with, but when even Choi Han tried persuading him, he concluded it wouldn't be so bad and eventually took out some time to roam with the kids.
A few streets away, on the opposite side of the marketplace, was Choi Han with On and Hong, the duo currently separated from them because of Raon and Hong's vastly different shopping ideologies.
Cale glanced at the line of guards stationed around, his chest feeling lighter than usual.
—Human, look over there! They're giving out free samples!
The increased sense of alarm was thanks to the battle they had fought just a few days ago. Even in Cale's opinion, it was a rather reckless move from the White Star, which meant that the casualty could go well on either side of the battlefield.
Fortunately, no such disaster occurred, but the subsequent increase in surveillance, and his disguise paired with Raon's invisibility near their own territory was proof of how the aftermath had settled in—the fear of what could've happened.
—Human, are you listening?
Cale nodded shortly.
In his view—Alberu agreed on this as well—the enemy had long utilised their resources, and anything that could be potentially useful would be a war of attrition. Maybe that was why, his steps felt lighter as he saw his surroundings—not the bloodied, but the bustling, chattering ones—and noted the underlying peace that he rarely had the leisure to do before.
‘He looks happy as well.’
Cale tried to suppress a smile as Raon flew in circles over his head, his giggles sounding oddly similar to a bird's chirping. The kid was never not energized, but today it felt even more so.
—Human, I'm hungry!
‘Right. Me too.’
A vermilion hue fell over their figures as they passed the food stalls. It was almost past sunrise, and the snacks they had enthusiastically packed had been left behind with Choi Han. It wasn't his fault; Cale was simply under the impression that Raon had it stored and Raon in turn believed that his human would somehow never run out of snacks to carry.
‘...I don't want to walk back, though.’
It wasn't necessarily a far distance, but he wanted to do it even less on an empty stomach.
—Human!
‘Let’s just buy-’
—We can eat there!
Cale turned his head, no, it was forcibly turned by invisible paws grabbing his face and turning it leftwards.
‘Hmm?’
Right in front, there was an inn.
—Let’s go before it's full!
The inn wasn't the problem, but the site it was built on didn't originally have any premises—as far as his memory served him right.
Cale tilted his head, his cheeks still grabbed by chubby paws.
‘Was it newly established?’
He couldn't tell since he rarely had the time to check out such minute details, but looking at the varnished signboard, and the relatively small crowd in front, that seemed to be the case.
Cale finally looked at the dragon who had been staring at him all along.
“You want to eat there?”
He started to speak freely again after checking that they were away from the crowd.
At his question, Raon blinked rapidly.
“Yes!”
“Why?”
“Huh? I, it's a new place! There would be new food!”
“But it won't be better than anything Beacrox makes, though.”
“...that's true…”
Cale smiled as he looked at the black dragon floundering for answers.
“Okay. Let's go.”
He was never going to refuse him in the first place. It wasn't just Raon who wanted to try something new with him; Cale wanted it as well.
Raon's eyes brightened up immediately.
“Really?!”
Cale shrugged, turning around.
From the frequency of Raon's overjoyed laughter, he could tell that the dragon had just then started flying around at speeds he considered moderately insane.
‘Is it something to be so happy about?’
Cale couldn't understand why he was so content with just a cheap meal at an inn.
But what he didn't know was that Raon couldn't remember the last time he had seen Cale have a proper meal, aside from the apple pies he fed him before fainting. Even now, when the redhead walked too slow for his comfort, he didn't bring it up, afraid that he might push the already weak human too much.
So the two moved on, one dawdling, one soaring, but with a similar level of contentment that neither could deny at all.
***
Swish
Raon flew in as Cale opened the door, his eyes curling up in satisfaction at the vintage furnishings. It wasn't that he didn't live in enough luxury now, but the atmosphere was still vastly different from the familiarity his home always held—it was new and unique, and in that sense, exciting.
—Human-
Raon turned back and tilted his head, flying closer to the redhead.
‘Huh?’
Cale, despite hearing the dragon's call, was looking around the space, his brows furrowed slightly.
Confused, Raon followed his gaze, but all he could see were customers chatting and eating their meals and waiters moving around serving the same.
Cale shifted in his place, his discomfort evident, before walking aside to a less crowded spot.
“Raon,” he whispered, his gaze still not meeting the dragon's.
—What is it, human?
Cale swept his gaze across in a final check and looked into the eyes of the tense dragon.
‘What should I do…’
Initially, he had been excited as well.
That was, until he opened the door.
No sooner had he stepped onto the weathered flooring than a vague sense of alarm engulfed his mind. Bewildered, he had skimmed through the area immediately, but even the ancient powers didn't detect anything strange, let alone his human eyes.
But how was he supposed to explain it? The ominous feeling making it hard to breathe, the goosebumps rising over his arm doing nothing to help it?
“Let's eat somewhere else.”
A moment passed in silence.
—No!
Cale blinked, taken aback by the firm refusal.
Raon moved closer to meet his gaze, as if emphasising his point.
—We’ll leave after a meal! Just one meal, human!
“But we can have it elsewhere-”
—No! Why not here?
Raon's eyes drooped down, clearly hesitant to argue back but also hesitant to give up on the meal.
In the first place, was it even a wish? He simply wanted to have a meal with his guardian, and he simply happened to pick a place that seemed appropriate, so what problem was there?
Cale kept quiet, feeling unsure of the answer himself.
It wasn't that he didn't understand Raon—if someone asked him to leave a place without any reason, he'd feel off as well.
But that was the problem. His body was stiff, yet he couldn't understand what the cause was. And how could he explain something that he couldn't understand himself?
In the end, he sighed, patting the little dragon's head.
Hesitantly, as if he had just thought of something, Raon spoke up,
—Human…if you don't feel well-
“No. Let's go eat.”
In an instant, Raon's face lit up. Looking at him, Cale tried to smile as well, swallowing the lingering dread down his throat.
***
Just to be sure, he picked a table nearest to the entrance, in a rather obscure space that wasn't as easily spotted from the open. Any other time, he would've booked a private room, considering that Raon couldn't show himself in front of everyone, but he couldn't do so this time.
Thankfully, the little dragon didn't think much about it, remarking that hiding underneath the tablecloth felt ‘nostalgic’ now.
‘Where did he learn that word?’
And how long had he even lived to call anything ‘nostalgic’? Cale frowned and shook his head at the absurd notion.
Soon, their meals arrived. It wasn't anything fancy—just steak coupled with garlic cream sauce, alongside some dessert. Though, why the apple pies were added with the steak was something he didn't want to focus on, but Raon seemed to think otherwise.
—Human! Have the apple pie first, it's your favorite!
“It's not my-”
“Pardon?”
“Ah, it's nothing.”
Cale waved his hand at the waiter, forgetting for a moment that the entity he was speaking to was hidden under the table.
“Please enjoy your meal.”
He nodded shortly, picking up a fork.
Instead of starting his meal, he peeked around a few times, before discreetly slipping a strawberry shortcake underneath the table, to the dragon who had now settled on his lap. Casually, he added the stack of apple pies on the side as well. He was content with just steak.
—Hm, hmm~
‘...What is he doing?’
Cale tried to suppress his laughter at the sudden humming, which Raon was, for some reason, sending directly into his head.
‘I guess he's satisfied.’
Still, he could hum on his own, why send that to someone else telepathically?
Cale shook his head, having long lost the strength to analyse a child's thought process.
With a rather lax movement, he cut the meat into pieces, feeling the cold of the poison detoxifiers in his inner coat pockets. From who knows when, Ron had started keeping it in his pockets, and Cale began carrying the same with him everywhere, even though he had Vitality of the Heart.
—Hmm~
Smiling, he took a small bite, the warmth melting over his tongue as his gaze wandered around.
Click
On his right, someone paid their bill, the clinking of the coins sounding too loud to his ears.
He brushed back the black curls poking his eyes, the unfamiliar color striking him anew.
—Human! Are you eating?
‘What else would I do?’
As if in reflex, his hand moved to pat the black dragon, whose giggles were clear even if Cale couldn't hear him aloud.
On the table, a cold glass of water was kept aside.
Cale looked around the space. There were fewer customers now, but that could be attested to the fact that the inn was close to new.
He took a sip of the coldness.
He looked at the fork kept by the plate, and reached for his collar.
‘Did Ron tie it too tight?’
But his butler never made such clumsy errors—never relating to Cale's comfort.
Perhaps it was simply the weather. It was quite warm outside, and even the child who just passed by him was sweating visibly as well.
He loosened the necktie, though he wasn't sure if that would help. Perhaps it was simply his nerves, and nothing else. It felt strangely familiar, the only difference being that he hadn't used Record this time.
—Apple pies, hmm~
He looked down and tore another piece apart, though the size was already minute enough that he could swallow it without chewing.
He listened to his kid's free commentary as he swallowed the bit, the taste long gone.
“A room for two, here…”
“What would you like?”
“...enjoy your meal.”
He could make the distant conversations taking place.
There wasn't much left on the platter now.
Clack-
A door opened in the distance, perhaps because it was approaching time for dinner.
Another bite.
A faint warmth emanated from underneath the table.
Badum
The feeling of soft paws settled over his lap.
Badum, badum-
The sound of his own heartbeat, the chill of sweat dripping down his temple.
—Human?
The tick of a distant clock.
His eyes, unblinking, staring at the table.
Closed windows. A quiet noise.
Swish
A passing breeze, even though no one had entered the place again.
Immediately, Cale rose up, startling the dragon who had turned invisible in a haste after the redhead tapped him quickly.
—Human-
Cale snatched the pouch hanging inside his coat, tossing it at the table as he hurried for the exit.
The amount left behind could take a whole month to spend, but he didn't bother to even look at the spare coins that had rolled to the floor.
“Um, Young Master-”
He sprinted straight ahead, ignoring the waiter looking at him questionably, ignoring his hands trembling as he tried to cover his head with a cloak.
Raon, unaware, followed behind hastily.
‘Just there…’
Reaching towards the handle, Cale quickly gripped it.
Click
“...”
Click, click
It was locked.
‘Shit-’
Booooom!
Crash!
Cale threw himself down on the spot, his ears ringing at the explosion.
Stunned, he stared at the place he had just stood at—the same that was now replaced by a crater and the remains of an exploded glass that had been directed at his head instead.
His face drained of color as he scrambled to avoid another blow.
Slaaaash!
Briefly, he could make the sound of Raon's urgent voice between the clamor.
Crash!
Booooom-!
Glass tore through his skin as he raised his arms. A faint light emerged in front of his vision in a sweep, creating a curtain that only protected his figure.
“Shit!”
There wasn't any place to hide; he didn't understand where the attacks were coming from in the first pla-
Booom!
‘What’s wrong now?!’
He couldn't help but curse as he rushed to create distance. The shield, his always trusted companion, was growing dimmer. Each blow sustained by it brought him such an intense agony that he wanted to stab himself instead, rather than running out of the way of stray shards.
‘Super Rock!’
No one responded.
Cale's breath was caught in his throat as he blocked a sword flying to his chest.
Kwaaang!
Was his ankle sprained? Why couldn't he simply run as fast as he wanted to?
‘Ahead, there-’
From the darkness, a sudden flash flew in front of his eyes.
Swish!
“Ugh!”
He didn't know when he managed to avoid the dagger. Did he even block it properly? Was something dripping from the ceiling? Why were his clothes all soaked?
Swoooosh
In the distance, his eyes caught the sight of an open door. His vision was crammed, but no one seemed to be guarding that spot yet.
Crash!
Shwaaa-!
“Raon!”
He shouldn't have called it, he shouldn't have called his kid's name in front of strange enemies uncertain in number who he could barely stand against.
But before he could even reconsider it his hands were raising a table thrown aside, the wind was gathering in front of him with such a ferocity that his own vision was impaired, his feet were shaking but his hands were strengthened as best as they could be as he threw whatever he could manage into the air.
‘Now!’
He couldn't tell, he couldn't even see if he was running straight ahead. Wasn't it still yet to be nighttime? Why was his vision so dark?
Boooom!
Behind him followed a shield with such a minuscule light that it was barely making any difference, his feet were burning and his ears were ringing from the constant shouts and explosions and his heart was hammering at his chest so vividly that he wanted to tear it out instead.
Craaash-!
‘...please-’
Booooom-!
“Huff, huff…”
Bzzzzzzzzz
A ringing, a ringing merged with silence.
“Cough, cough!”
Cale raised his arm against the wood, steadying his trembling hands as he coughed and panted for breath.
“...huff…huff-”
When did he manage to bolt it? Was it even bolted properly? Wasn't it just a door, something so easy to break? How long would it take for it to shatter? How was he supposed to fight afterwards? What went wrong with his powers? Why wasn't anyone responding from the outside? How long before the wood would break? Where would he flee to next? Where was he in the first place? Who were those people and why was he being attacked? Why only him and his kid-!
“Human-”
Cale's arms dropped to their sides. There wasn't any need to keep it steady—not even a single ray of light was forming in front of him anymore.
And he understood.
He could tell something wasn't right when he had coughed up blood before even drawing the wind, he could tell it was odd when he felt his chest sting after calling the Crybaby, and he knew it wasn't just him when he couldn't hear Raon's voice in his mind anymore.
He knew, he knew…
“Human.”
Cale glanced around the empty space.
His surroundings were unnervingly quiet. There was no wind, no light.
A storage room, presumably.
“Cough…”
His gaze briefly landed on a side window. Conveniently, there were tools around to break that thin sheet of glass. He could’ve used his arms as well, but they were already covered in debris and blood.
He had rushed to the first floor in the mayhem and there just happened to be a window, just a single layer of glass separating him from getting out, from getting away from this annoyance immediately.
And what did his wounds matter? It was fine as long as they-
“Cale!”
Cale's eyes snapped back to the black dragon. His invisibility had now completely disappeared, along with his magic, and his eyes were shaking, waiting for his guardian to speak.
Cale sighed and slid down by the reverberating wall.
He weakly pulled the dragon in his grasp.
“Come here.”
He could escape. He could flee if he just broke that window, he could very well get out in a matter of seconds.
Yes, he could.
Cale met the black dragon's gaze. His own pupils were reflected back in the tremor.
They felt empty.
Pat, pat
He could break the window.
But there were people outside.
His powers were suppressed, and so was Raon's magic.
Even if he escaped, what could he do? Just hope to blend in between the innocent crowd and flee as they are killed in his stead? And considering that no one had yet responded to the commotion inside the inn, it was obvious there were reinforcements nearby maintaining a soundproofing barrier. Would they really let either of them escape so easily?
“Raon.”
And this was his territory, his family's territory. What guarantee was there that this was the sole place under ambush? Could he naïvely rely on the hope that either Choi Han or Eruhaben would save him in time, when he wasn't sure if they themselves were safe? Even aside from his companions, how could he contact the guards, when the communication artifact in his bag was lost in the previous mess?
And what about his kid? If Raon got caught in the process, what would he do?
What would a six-year-old do, defenseless?
“Little kid.”
He never understood why Eruhaben called Raon with that name so often, but now, he vaguely did.
“Listen.”
“H,human- it's my fault-”
“Shh. Quiet.”
Raon felt a familiar pat on his head. His vision was blurred, but he could see. He could see that Cale was looking at him with his usual smile—the leisurely one, the one he always showed whenever the black dragon acted like a child.
“It's not your fault.”
The warmth lingered over his head.
“It'll never be.”
But Cale's hands were quivering.
Blood was dripping down his face, soaking one of his eyes whole. There were glass shards digging into his coat. His breaths were raspy, and his lips twisted into a grimace every so often, as if he was struggling to breathe. The vivid chill of Cale's blood reached his own body. Raon couldn't tell if he was stabbed. Not a single part of his body was unharmed, unbloodied.
“Listen to me now, okay?”
Raon wanted to tell him.
“You have enough mana left to fly, right?”
He wanted to tell the redhead that the latter's eyes were glistening as well.
“There's a window up there, look.”
Raon didn't look away. Cale merely smiled.
“As soon as I break the window, you go right down the street.”
He didn't want to.
“Choi Han will be around there, so just head straight to him, okay?”
He didn't want to leave the weak human behind.
“I'll… get out soon as well, so just go and inform someone till then, yeah?”
But Cale was hugging him now, his arms trembling with such an intensity that Raon felt his body shake as well. He was hugging him as if that was his resolve, as if deprived of it he would crumble all alone on his own.
“Raon.”
So he couldn't refuse him.
“Answer me.”
He couldn't.
Raon weakly nodded his head and the warmth immediately left his body.
Now, Cale was standing in front of him with his usual composed expression, removing the shards obstructing his movement indifferently.
Booooom-!
Kwaaaang
The clamor outside had grown deafening, but it was as if the two were in a completely different world of their own.
Why was that? Was it because Cale, who alone had to face their enemies with his powers blocked, was looking around so calmly, as if the matter wasn't even related to him?
Dazed, the black dragon headed towards the window. Familiar steps echoed behind him.
Cale looked at Raon, silently taking in his features.
He knew what awaited him.
He knew that Raon knew it as well—more than Cale ever wanted him to. If the goal was ultimately their deaths, the method wouldn't have been so subtle. If their lives were all that were needed, there would've been no need to go through such a mess.
In the first place, they had known that not only Cale, but an invisible mage would be entering the inn too. Considering that he was disguised yet still attacked, it was obvious they were aware that the black dragon was with him, perhaps from the very beginning, even before he had left the Henituse mansion.
But it was fine.
Whatever their schemes were, wherever the spies—at least, Raon would get out unharmed.
Cale wasn't one to be optimistic, but maybe Choi Han or Ron would get to him before anything could happen. Maybe they were already on their way, and only he was unaware of it.
So there was no need for some useless fear, no need for any irrational thoughts.
He picked up a stray rod kept aside, sweat coating his hands.
Cale took a shaky breath.
“Ready?”
He spoke, emphasising the word, so it wouldn't show his terror.
Cale couldn't tell if the dragon nodded or not, there was no time left.
Crash-!
BOOOOOOOM—!
‘Alright…’
Right in time, Cale turned on his feet, conjuring up a final shield while suppressing the blood rising to his tongue.
Oooooong!
Behind his back, a chill breeze sent shivers up his spine, but he could finally sigh in relief.
Raon had escaped.
He could now make the chatter of the outside world, perhaps at the sudden broken window, but even those murmurs filled him with relief now—he had made the right choice. He had to stay behind, he had to let the focus remain on himself and no one else.
Slaash!
Kwaaaang!
Instant—he wondered if he should make use of that ability now.
Could he make it out in time? In the first place, where was he even supposed to go? Everywhere there were Roan citizens, innocent people who'd be sacrificed in the midst of a useless brawl. Was he supposed to protect them with a half-dead body, or with a barely conscious mind? It didn't matter if Choi Han would reach him soon for help—as long as even one life was sacrificed in his place, Cale wouldn't be able to bear it.
And, wasn't there something else as well?
Slash!
The reason he had to stay behind, the one he didn't tell Raon.
Booom!
It was—disregarding every other concern—for information.
Swish-
There were spies in his territory, traitors who would still be monitoring his kids in one way or another.
So, he needed to know. He needed to understand their motive, their reach, the extent of the devastation that they had in mind.
He had to stay behind.
There was no other choice—none.
Shwaaaaa
Finally-
“...”
The shield broke.
Even in that despairing moment, Cale's expression was tranquil, as he wordlessly observed the mesmerising curtain of gleam that shimmered through the room, as if purifying it. The light fell over his eyelashes, over the silhouettes of darkness approaching close.
Cale didn't know how to fight well with swords, if there were any spare swords around him in the first place. He couldn't fight comfortably with most weapons in this world, and the only support he had was stripped away as well.
Swish-
His knees buckled under a foreign blow. Cale winced at the sudden contact, the glass stuck to his body digging deeper at the movement.
Vaguely, he could make the screams and some quick orders when he moved his hand, having only the wind left to use.
Swooooosh-
There wasn't much time left now. His senses were growing dull, and so was the wind shielding him from attacks.
Claaaang!
Cale tried to look ahead.
Strangers filled his entire sight, strangers eager to have him fall. He couldn't tell if all the ‘customers’ he had seen were involved since the beginning as well. Briefly, he hoped that the child he had seen before was not caught up in the fight.
“Huff…huff…”
No sound reached his ears.
Only his heavy breathing echoed.
His gaze dropped down. Beneath his knees was a familiar crimson, but one that didn't offer any solace this time.
Swish
He couldn't tell if his hands were bound or if he had fallen himself.
Someone yanked his hair up, but even that felt so distant that Cale couldn't care much.
Slam-!
Briefly, as his head was smashed against the pavement, as his hands were crushed under someone's boots, he thought back to the meal he had eaten a few moments before. It didn't matter if that was what started it all. It only mattered that the sauce was as good as it could've been, maybe because Raon liked it so much.
“Bind him.”
And though he felt rather reluctant to admit it, the apple pies tasted good as well—warm, of course, but familiar.
“We can't locate the dragon!”
And maybe that was why. Maybe that was the reason he continued eating quietly, even when he knew something wasn't right.
“He mustn't have entered the room; leave it be.”
Maybe that was why he felt comfort even as his breath suffocated—because his kid was smiling, happy, and that made him happy as well.
Something blocked his vision.
Had he shut his eyes himself?
"..."
He couldn't hear anything.
Wasn't it nearly time for dinner?
Cale felt tired.
He wanted to rest.
Just an hour, nothing more.
Raon was safe, so were his people.
He could rest now, it was fine.
Just as his consciousness faded, Cale briefly hoped that the little kid wouldn't blame himself. He hoped that there would be adults around to comfort Raon, as he swallowed down the fear in his throat and firmly replaced it with relief.