"Normal Speech"

'Thought.'

***********************************

Choi Han didn't say anything the whole way. However, he would still help Cale get back inside the room. They were a little awkward.

As soon as they got inside the room, Ron could smell the scent of blood. He opened the door hastily but he was still making sure it wouldn't cause commotions.

"Young master, are you hurt?" Ron went to support Cale off Choi Han's back.

"I... I'm fine, Ron. It's not my blood. I wasn't injured." Cale said lightly to reassure Ron.

He still didn't turned to look at Choi Han. "You should go rest, too, Choi Han."

Choi Han bit his lips. "Okay. Rest well, Cale-nim." He climbed back out of the window.

Ron finally had a chance to look closer at the outfit Cale was wearing. He froze and subconsciously applied pressure on Cale's shoulder.

Cale finally realized that he forgot about the organization outfit he was wearing. He looked at Ron's face that turned complicated.

"I-I can explain." Cale touched his old servant's trembling hand. "Ron! Snap out of it. Please."

Ron took a deep breath. He was reminded of the night filled with blood and burnt corpses of his family. "Yes, I apologized. Please change out of this bloody clothes first. I'll go get a bath ready."

"That sounds good." Cale said tiredly. Cale felt really bad. 'Maybe I should have lied to Choi Han. Now, what should I tell Ron? What could I tell him?'

Ron tried hard to calm himself down while getting the bath ready. 'Why would young master know about that outfit? Why would he have that outfit? He knows about me, did he know everything?'

Ron touched the dagger that always by the side. He held the handle tightly. He left for Cale when he finally calm down.

Only to see how his exhausted young master sat on the floor, resting his head on his forearm.

"Young master, are you really okay?" Ron sighed. "You don't have to explain now, if it's hard for you."

Cale immediately looked up. "I'll talk. You are also have it hard. You don't need to be considerate of me. But really, let me get out of this damn clothes first."

Cale got up and walked toward the bathroom, took a quick bath just to wash off the blood that had seeped through the clothes.

Cale walked out in his pajamas that Ron had put in there. He sat on his bed and motioned Ron to sit on one of the chair.

"I... I have a source of information. While I was getting information about the assassins that massacred the Harris village, I found that that organization had some connections to the Marquis Stan."

Cale spoke calmly the excuse he thought of. "I also found out how Venion had been torturing a young Dragon, so tonight, I went with Choi Han to save that Dragon."

Cale looked at Ron. "From your reaction, I assume that the same organization also did something to you. I know you have a dangerous aura around you sometimes, I know you're not an ordinary old man."

Cale closed his eyes for a bit. He doesn't like to lie at all, even though he lied until he was an expert at it already. But to lie to people he considered family, it didn't feel good at all.

Cale opened his eyes. "I... I found out the latest news was that they plan to do something during the King's birthday celebration."

"Is that why you choose to come instead of young master Basen? Getting such a dangerous unidentifiable young man like Choi Han? Agree to bring me and my son on this trip?" Ron asked, finding it a little hard to believe. "And you can't talk about the source of your information."

"Yes. I can't. Not to anyone."

"Okay. Are you planning on involve yourself in danger during the celebration?"

"Of course not. Isn't that why I bring all the strong people with me? There's Choi Han, and some other people....." Cale trailed off.

"You never planned to involve me or Beacrox."

"W-Well, you said that you needed to go to the capital for something. So I thought I shouldn't involve you." Cale grumbled. 'Well I know that the thing you need to do might be the secret organization, but I'm not going to say it to your face.'

Ron smiled his benign smile. "Young master, please don't exclude me in whatever you want to do if it's involved something dangerous. Especially anything related to this organization. Got it, young master? Or I won't put any honey in your lemon tea for a year."

"Eh? You're so vicious!" Cale laughed a little. He was grateful for this distraction. He didn't want to think about Choi Han right now. "Ah, it can't be help. I don't want to drink bitter lemon tea for a whole year everyday."

Cale yawned. "You should go and rest now, since we're done talking."

"Then I won't disturb your sleep. Oh, this was what the children brought back when you were in the bathroom." Ron placed the small pouch with black orb in Cale's hand. "They had gone for a late night snacks as we have to talk."

"Oh okay. I was wondering what took them so long to return. It's okay as long as they are safe." Cale laid down on his bed. "Maybe you could train my useless body." Cale mumbled incoherently.

Ron chuckled and covered Cale with blanket. "Maybe I will. Don't regret it, young master."

*************************************

Ron left the room, although he still thought about what Cale said about the organization and the mysterious source that Cale talked about.

He felt a bit more assured that his worrisome young master had at least make a promise to include him in his plan in the future.

'But it seems I have to change my plan. I couldn't leave him with just that punk and the children now that I know he involved in dangerous situations with the secret organization. No matter how throughly he is, he's still just an 18-year-old young man.'

Ron decided that he could ask the kittens about the location and then went to take a look at what the group had done tonight.

Ron had met with Choi Han midway, as Choi Han was returning back to the inn.

As a matter of fact, Choi Han haven't gone back to his room to rest like Cale suggested. He went to check the situation at the cave and the villa, so he could make sure no trace will lead toward the inn.

What he doesn't expect was, the cave was partially destroyed, especially the entrance that they took to leave. The trees and grass around the area are burning.

Chaos could be seen at the villa as the knights and soldiers left the village to report to their superior.

Choi Han was watching all this for a while before turning back to return, only to bump into Ron. 'Did Cale-nim tell him about the dragon? They trust each other to that extent, even though the old man is so dangerous?'

"What are you doing here?" Choi Han asked.

"To check my young master's good deed. He saved you, he saved the children from Cat tribe. He even save a Dragon now."

"...." That reminder made Choi Han felt worse than he did. He should have responded to Cale's question at least.

He really did thought that Cale might wanted to manipulate the dragon at his first thought. He regretted not believing in what he saw in Cale the whole time he was getting to know him.

'Cale-nim was never one to show his honest feelings toward strangers. He always acts mean, to be the trash he was called as. However, in all those mean acts, those mean things he spoke, there are always a hidden kindness behind it.

What happened to the old inn owner is the best example. But he was being honest with me. He could've lied about it, but he didn't. And I doubted his words and questioned his intentions.

I don't know what his plans are that he even wants a Dragon's help. But I can't think of him as a bad person at all.'

Ron watched how Choi Han clenched his fist and stood there in silent. He left a word before leaving Choi Han alone.

"Talk it out with the young master. He tends to think a lot on his own. Don't make him waste the kindness he showed you."

***********************************

Tsuki: ugh... I wrote this chapter totally from scratch... but I got the inspiration from [Lazy_kale]'s [Damn it, not at that moment] in Ao3. Enjoy!

Tsuki: I feel like adding this... but don't want to alter the story.... Let's think of this situation as the situation after Ron left Cale to sleep...