"....what?"

"Cale..."

"...meeting Cale?"

Ah shit, I think I know what this is-

Cale shuddered as he thought about the possibility.

"....ah...that...you might need to take a break before that." Asteria said out of the blue causing her to receive many confused gazes.

"But isn't the chapter ready?" The super rock said while pointing towards the screen that displayed '[Chapter 656- Everything can be connected (6)]'.

"Just...wait. you'll get a good surprise." She said and disappeared.

***

"...huh?" Raon was the first one to sound his confusion out.

"...eh?" The dragons followed after.

"Her presence is gone?" Eruhaben muttered.

Before, whenever she used to leave them alone, they could always sense her presence.

But it's suddenly gone now.

" why do I fucking sense that motherfucking god of death's motherfucking presence...?"

"I....can sense the sun god's presence..."

"I sense despair. A very huge amount of despair."

Cage, the crazy priestess, Jack, the sun god's saint and the blood drenched rock spoke at the same time before looking at each other speechlessly.

"What the fuck-" Cale cursed.

Sun god, God of Death and what? Despair??

"I didn't think they'd be here. Even though we heard their voices....they're actually present here?!" Mila sighed and touched her forehead.

Did they just arrive or Were they present here from the start?

She shuddered at the possibility. If they were here from the start and they hadn't even sensed them, how were they able to hide their presence so well?

Even though they were gods, their presence could not be hidden from their saints and priestesses.

(Aoi: ...not me subtly hinting that the goddess of Stars is more powerful than them.

Yep, definitely not me indicating that Cale won't be harmed by the gods.)

****

"Ah, look, they must have sensed our aura." Angelina said as she looked at the two childish gods glaring at each other.

On another note, she really could not understand why Asteria put all of them in the same room to react when they were all each other's, well, in human words, 'mortal enemies.'

Death would never go well with the Sun as darkness did not go well with the light. Both of them were necessary for the being of the world but never were they seen together.

They were the opposites that never met. (Aoi: they met here-)

But the God of Death and the Sealed god of despair had a conflict on a more...personal level, considering it was Eternal Sleep who sealed the Despair.

Ah, she likes to complicate things very much, doesn't she?

Angelina thought about the black haired goddess, who looked similar to herself as she looked at the gods who turned towards her.

"It seems they did."

"Should we greet them?"

Both of then had a smile on their faces that would surely resemble a certain prince and his dongsaeng's.

Where did their enmity go now huh?

Angelina sighed as she felt like the only sane person- god here.

****

-Aha, looks like my dear priestess found me out.

Cage's face immediately scrunched up in disgust as she cursed,

"You whiny god, why are you even here?!"

-She's certainly a wild one huh.

-she sure is.

"The sun god? Is that you?"

"Another...wave of that ominous aura.."

Alberu shifted uncomfortably as the saint Jack asked innocently and as the blood drenched rock muttered.

Cale looked at the crown prince and understood the situation.

The dark elves.

The very existence that had been cursed by this god.

And he was currently the only one of that race present here.

Raon flew over to Alberu and spoke in his mind.

-Crown prince! Don't worry, the motherfucking gods won't harm you! Star goddess said that they were not allowed to come to where we are!

Alberu was about to respond when the screen shined brightly and a familiar star appeared.

"Ah, it feels so good to be back!"

Asteria turned back to her human form as she exclaimed to herself.

"Star goddess!" Raon called out.

Asteria looked at the young dragon and momentarily forgot about why she went away.

"Little Raon! I missed you!" She turned to a star and flew over to the cute little dragon.

"Where did you go?" It was the cute silver kitten who had asked it.

"It's a surprise~... though I didn't expect it to take three days." Asteria frowned and muttered.

"But-" Alberu was about to ask about how just a few minutes had passed but remembered her previous reply.

"Time even works 'normally' here?"

****

-Asteria. It's done.

-Thanks, Sealed one.

"Star goddess-nim, I thought you forgot about me after leaving me to that damned despair." A voice came.

Cale and Choi Han stiffened up.

Cale knew this voice too well.

It was the voice that once belonged to him.

This is Kim Rok Soo's voice.

"Aye, I was the one who brought you here, okay?" Asteria looked at the black haired man who had just appeared.

The man wore a gentle smile on his face that Cale could never imagine himself wearing.

"Hello, I guess. I'm Kim Rok Soo. Formerly known as Cale Henituse. The one and only trash you all knew a couple years ago."

The man, no, 'Kim Rok Soo' said with a smile, not at all affected by the widened eyes and the stiff expressions on the audience's faces.

"Cale Henituse? Kim Rok Soo?"

The goddess and the black haired smiling man ignored their doubts as they made their way towards them.

(Aoi: yep yep, ignore them with a smile ~)

"Now now, little cuties, make space, let Cale sit together with Cale~"

Asteria looked at them as a small couch appeared just beside. It was a cute light blue coloured one with a bunch of  unfamiliar but appetizing snacks lying on it. They were colorful and would definitely be liked by them.

'This goddess-nim is biased towards little cuties.'

Asteria had this very thought written all over her face.

Raon, On, Hong and Jur Thames were unusually obedient.

Little silver cutie is certainly a quick witted one considering her age.

Asteria hummed. She had seen the little kitten whisper something to them as the cuties nodded and moved to their special couch quietly.

...Then again, she was the only one who seriously acknowledged this bastard's slacker dream. Ahaha.

"I heard that we were going to meet in the future. The star goddess-nim brought me here to see that single chapter." Kim Rok Soo said.

Cale hummed. He looked at the person who was currently swapping places with him

"...Your smile is weird."

That was the first thing he had to say.

"Eh? Really? I think it looks very good."

That was the answer he got.

Asteria held her laughter at the similarity of the scene to the coming chapter.

****

That's the original Cale Henituse?

...He does not look like trash at all?

Many who did not meet the real Cale had doubts about the rumours. While the ones who knew him could not believe their eyes.

****

"...what..do we call..you, sir?" Ron, a little stiffly, asked. He had still not recovered from the sudden appearance of his former young master.

"Ah R-ron, long time no see. It's good that you're still taking care of this ignorant bastard. I hope you continue to do so in the future....r-right, just call me Kim Rok Soo. That's who I am now." He turned away after saying the words stiffly though assassin could see that his eyes were sincere.

Ron looked into his former young master's eyes. He knew it. The former young master had decided to never be acknowledged as 'Cale' again. It seemed to be his own decision.

"This Ron does not have any intention to leave the current young master-nim either. You can rest assured...Kim Rok Soo-nim." He murmured as his benign smile returned to his face.

-Kim Rok Soo, no, the current Kim Rok Soo. You are a genius.

Cale who could listen to the goddess' voice was curious.

Kim Rok Soo looked at the star and tilted his head.

What?

-You literally pointed out his most prominent yet hidden quality at first glance. He is an ignorant bastard! God, no, heavens, you are a literal genius!

What the fuck-?

Cale was completely bewildered as Kim Rok Soo chuckled and replied to her,

Guess my 40 years of cover as trash was blown up with a single sentence.

Asteria laughed out.

Cale was once again confused.

40 years? Wasn't 'Cale Henituse' 18 years old when I possessed this body?

- And that's why I said to brace yourselves. you'll get a lot of information from this chapter. Well, based on his character-

He would find it annoying but still try to deal with it all by himself, right? I know a little of his character. Courtesy to the God of Death.

That motherfucking-

-My goodness, you truly are a genius, Kim Rok Soo.

Asteria laughed again as the others looked curiously at the star that was glowing brighter and brighter by the second.

Wait- that's....mother?!

Kim Rok Soo was so focused on their conversation that he didn't notice the red haired kid who was with the other children.

When he caught sight of her, he momentarily lost composure.

That's actually mother?! Why is she a child here too?!

Here too..?

-Ow your thoughts are so loud. Yeah that's Jur Thames.

She apparently was the owner of the ancient power called 'rings of life' and somehow I obtained it.

-As you know, this unlucky bastard is a bit abnormal and all of his ancient power's previous owners can talk and have their own personality since he didn't fully absorb those powers.

Didn't you say it was a part of their soul?

-Yeah, that too.

No, seriously what the fuck... my mother is in my world, how can she be here?

-A tiny fragment of her soul. That's all. You don't need to panic.

Without waiting for them to respond, Asteria asked everyone.

"Well, let's start, shall we?"

Cale did not want to hear their nonsense anymore so he nodded quickly.

"So, this chapter is when this Cale meets that Cale or well, Kim Rok Soo. Courtesy to Eternal sleep."

Cale couldn't help but curse for the nth time hearing the mention of that particular motherfucker again.

[Kim Rok Soo who was in Cale Henituse's body...

And Cale Henituse who was in Kim Rok Soo's body...

The two of them could not take their eyes off of each other for a while.

"Cale Henituse."

The first to speak was Kim Rok Soo, who was currently using Cale Henituse's body.

"How am I able to meet with you?"]

"There's a single answer to all the source of problems. And that's a particular motherfucker that I can't curse enough. " Cale murmured with a stoic expression.

"We cannot do anything about that though." The glutton shook her head in fake pity as she continued to stuff her mouth with the delicious goodies.

Eruhaben and the others chuckled.

"Wow, he really is an unlucky bastard." Kim Rok Soo said. So was he. He smiled bitterly.

["I'm not sure. I was working the night shift and fell asleep for a moment to see that you were in this bed. But you see..."

The real Cale Henituse, who was making a kind of smile the original Kim Rok Soo would never make, mischievously asked.

"Aren't you planning on living in that body?"]

"Of course, I am." Cale turned to Kim Rok Soo as he seriously said it.

"Me too."

"I'm planning on living as Kim Rok Soo too." Kim Rok Soo replied.

[The sudden question that was asked mischievously felt quite heavy. The real Cale Henituse shrugged his shoulders and added on.

"I plan on living the rest of my life in this body. That's why I plan on throwing away the name of Cale Henituse and living as Kim Rok Soo."]

"Mhmm.. I expected myself to say that." Kim Rok Soo mumbled.

"Why though?" Hong innocently asked.

Throwing one's name away, running away and disappearing... well,they had done it too in the past but the way Kim Rok Soo put it made them feel like he was not running away.

It was weird.

"Just because. " The ravenette smiled as his eyes never moved away from the screen.

[The real Cale Henituse's eyes were calm. They weren't shaking at all.

The real Kim Rok Soo quietly looked at the person who was in his real body before opening his mouth.

"...So you want me to call you Kim Rok Soo?"

"That's right. Why? You don't want to? Don't you plan on finishing your life as Cale Henituse as well? Then you should throw away the name of Kim Rok Soo now."

"Pffft."]

Cale chuckled too. Of course he was going to live as 'Cale Henituse' now.

Others looked at his smile and were flooded with a strange sense of relief.

They knew it was cruel for them to say this in front of the original Cale Henituse but, they were happy that the young master they knew wouldn't want to go back to his world.

Of course, they has also read the previous chapter and knew the real young master was happy with his life as Kim Rok Soo.

All they knew about 'Kim Rok Soo' was associated to misfortune. They were really curious to see how the man who became Kim Rok Soo was happy.

(Aoi: shit, don't talk about our Rok Soo's misfortune-)

[Kim Rok Soo inside Cale Henituse's body... No, the person who had made up his mind to become Cale Henituse nodded his head and continued speaking.

"Sure. We'll do as you said, Kim Rok Soo."

"Good, Cale Henituse. Now our outer appearances match our names."

Cale looked at Kim Rok Soo, who was laughing and making gestures that he would never have made, and nonchalantly added on.

"I guess you've really been happy."

He recalled the moment he met with Lee Soo Hyuk and got the 'Embrace' ability.]

"The name of that ability was 'embrace' huh, certainly it does not sound like one a swordsmaster would possess."

Mila commented. It was definitely interesting for a man to possess two clashing abilities at once.

The others seemed to have been struck with enlightenment as they turned towards a certain red haired man.

They looked at him for a moment and thought collectively.

Like hyung, like dongsaeng.

Both were the same. This man has so many clashing ancient powers connected to his soul while that man had polar opposite abilities.

They sighed and shook their heads.

[Lee Soo Hyuk had handed Cale the ability and told him about the real Cale Henituse as he disappeared.

'Oh, by the way, the original owner of your body is living well too. He's happy. That is why Jung Soo, I, and everybody is happy.'

Kim Rok Soo had a bright smile that suited a twenty-year-old person and not someone in his mid-thirties.

"Yeah. I met someone I wanted to see for a long time."]

"I wonder who."

Little Jur asked curiously.

It was someone cute like you, My mother.

Kim Rok Soo thought to himself as he let out a soft smile. He was glad he died. He was glad he regressed. He was glad he transmigrated.

He frowned.

The real Kim Rok Soo....this guy is unfortunate. He got tangled in all the mess by doing nothing.

He could not even say more as he had a hand in this too. Had he not made the deal, would the man ever have to go through such extra troubles?

I was just that desperate, I guess.

He laughed self deprecatingly.

[Cale felt quite odd facing Kim Rok Soo, who was smiling in a way he had never smiled when he had been Kim Rok Soo.

"Who was the person you wanted to see?"

"My mother."]

Gasps were heard from those who knew Jur Thames.

"Lady Jur was reincarnated as a little cutie in that world." Asteria explained.

"She calls me 'Ahjussi' now." Kim Rok Soo chuckled.

"And that's a part of her soul."

Cale uncharacteristically spoke up as he gestured towards the little kid who was innocently sitting with the other children, talking and laughing in the adorable way that they would never imagine the 'Jur Thames' doing.

Then again, she herself said that she was quite mischievous as a child.

[Cale was at a loss for words.

It was someone who had felt distant to Cale because she was not mentioned much in < The Birth of a Hero >. Duchess Violan felt more like a mother to him.]

"She is actually a good mother." Kim Rok Soo mumbled.

He never had anything against the three.

He remembered how he looked at the family of four with eyes filled with envy yet there wasn't an ounce of jealousy in them.

He knew he had lost the right to have a mother when Jur died. He didn't feel deserving of that warm atmosphere anymore.

Such a foolish thought.

He was once again grateful to have met his mother again.

[Now that he thought about it, Cale had never heard anything about Cale Henituse's birth mother during his time at the Henituse Estate.

It was pretty much taboo to talk about Cale's birth mother in that house.

Kim Rok Soo shrugged his shoulders and continued speaking after seeing the confused look on Cale's face.

"Cale Henituse, my mother reincarnated in the world you used to live in, the world I live in now."

"...She reincarnated on Earth?"

"Yeah. Earth 1. That's the world Team Leader Kim Rok Soo in his thirties is in."]

"So we literally swapped bodies." Cale murmured.

"Human, this is so confusing!" Raon said while eating apple pies.

[Cale learned that his original world was Earth 1. He also recalled that Alberu's Unbreakable Spear Taerang came from Earth 3.

'Does that mean that the sealed god's test was on Earth 2?']

-To a certain extent, yes.

The Sealed one said.

[Cale pushed that potentially true but unverified thought to the side to focus on Kim Rok Soo's words.

"My reincarnated mother lost her parents when she was very young because of an unranked monster's attack and was left all alone. I'm trying hard to become her family."

A bitter yet proud smile was on Kim Rok Soo's face. Cale thought for a moment before asking.

"If she reincarnated, she should be younger than you, no?"

"Ha. She currently calls me uncle."

Kim Rok Soo shook his head as if he still couldn't believe it.]

Many chuckled as they saw the black haired man shake his head in helplessness while Cale looked at him with strange eyes.

His smile- its weird- he's smiling like that with my former face-

He was sure that smile would haunt his dreams.

[But the fact that he did not seem lonely made Cale understand why the real Cale Henituse made up his mind to live as Kim Rok Soo.

Kim Rok Soo sat up and looked toward Cale, who was leaning on the head of the bed.

"I want to tell you the details, but I don't know how much time we have so I'll stop this story there."

"Okay."

Cale shared his honest sentiments.

"I want to hear the details, but I'm kind of in a rush right now."

He was worried about what might have happened in Puzzle City and how his friends would be fighting while he was unconscious.]

"..another war. "

"Young master-nim really does not know how to take a break does he?" Ron said with a crooked smile.

"And he dreams of a slacker life." Kim Rok Soo said in sarcasm.

["But I've been here a few times to know that I can't get out of here whenever I please."]

"He has been here more than once?" Choi Han asked.

"Yeah, while meeting his team leader, when he fainted and a few other times." Asteria replied.

[Cale could never leave this place on his own accord the few times he had been here.

"Really? I didn't know. I still have a lot of work to do."

Kim Rok Soo nodded his head as if he got some good information before hesitating for a moment and then adding on.

"...The family is all well?"

"Of course."

Kim Rok Soo smiled differently after hearing Cale's nonchalant but firm response. His sorrowful smile made Cale a bit emotional.

That was why he added on.

"Everybody is doing well. Father and mother are healthy. Lily is learning to use the sword. I want to make Basen be the territory Lord. But for now, he is just helping out with the administration of the territory."

"Hmm."

Kim Rok Soo scratched his forehead with his index finger.

"Cale, don't you think that Basen should be the next territory lord?"]

"..he seems so tense while asking that." Alberu commented.

It seemed like Kim Rok Soo really cared about his former younger brother.

"He really acted like a trash. I'll empty Cale's treasury if I am wrong." The cheapstake made his claim.

"Hey, why are you dragging my money in this?!" Cale turned suddenly and retorted with a scowl on his face.

Laughter echoed.

["I'm not going to do it. Lily or Basen can do it if they want. Basen seemed almost willing to do it when I saw him last time."]

Ron smiled benignly.

(Aoi: when the assassin smiles, you know he disagrees.)

[Cale looked disgusted at the thought of becoming the territory lord, and Kim Rok Soo looked at Cale Henituse's expression that he would have never made if he was still in his body and started to speak again.]

"Mhmm, Basen is best suited to be the territory lord." Cale nodded.

I can't handle those paperwork anyways.

Others were speechless at Cale's blatant disgust to something that people usually killed for.

Then again, it was Cale they were talking about.

They shook their heads helplessly.

["His personality is a perfect fit for the territory lord. I guess he still doesn't think that the position should be his though."

Cale stared at Kim Rok Soo when he heard that.

Kim Rok Soo flinched before realizing something and quietly laughing.

"Basen... Yes, you're curious about Basen, right? You've probably been thinking about his age. We're only three years apart. You probably thought it was weird. It wasn't mentioned in The Birth of a Hero after all."]

"Mhmm..There was never any particular mention about the second young master of the Henituse family in the past chapters... wait, How do you know about that book?" Eruhaben asked.

"When I woke up as Kim Rok Soo, it was there on the desk and I.. well, read it."

["The Birth of a Hero? You know about the book?"

"Of course. I was in your room when I opened my eyes and the book was there."]

"Did you find the sixth volume of that book?" Cale asked curiously. He had not gotten the chance to read past the fifth volume before he ended up here.

He was curious how the story went.

"Nope. There were only five volumes. I never found the sixth one." Kim Rok Soo stared in space as if he was recalling.

Cale frowned.

He was sure he kept it in the bookshelf of his office.

Haa...why am I even curious...

[Kim Rok Soo answered as if it was nothing before debating for a moment and looking at Cale.

"When I first spoke to Basen..."

It had been less than one month since Basen came to the Henituse County with Countess Violan.

"I said these things to that kid at that time."]

Everyone leaned in as if they were watching an interesting part of a TV show.

Kim Rok Soo looked at them weirdly before shrugging.

He didn't expect himself to ever tell about it to another person.

But of course, fate always likes to play with you.

[Kim Rok Soo recalled that moment and repeated the words he said to Basen to Cale.

"Basen. You are part of the Henituse household. Remember that. No matter where you go, your family name is Henituse. Got it? Don't you remember what father said? Listen to me unless you are an idiot. Tell people that the Henituse blood flows through you. Tell them that no matter what."

Basen had responded back saying he couldn't do that, and the young Cale had responded like this.

"Shut the hell up. Do as I said. Otherwise, you won't be able to live in this house. Do you think that the cousins and the collateral family will leave you alone? Are you going to be dumb?"]

Quiet gasps were heard.

"This guy xxxx turned out to be an xxxx self sacrificial bastard too!" Sky eating water muttered in frustration.

How would they deal with two sacrificial bastards when only one was giving them so many headaches?!

She shook her head in despair as the glutton fed her apple pies imitating what Raon did to Cale when he was in a bad mood.

Mmm...it indeed lifted her mood.

And with a single sentence, the emotional atmosphere and the small talks of how the original young master was a warm person and other discussions which made Kim Rok Soo shift uncomfortably, came to an end as the people looked on speechlessly, alternating between Cale and Kim Rok Soo.

"I can't believe it." Alberu sighed in frustration mirroring the ancient power's expression.

["Hmm."

Cale made a noise as he quietly listened.

"Cale."

Kim Rok Soo gently grabbed Cale's shoulder.

"I don't know whose blood flows through Basen Henituse's body, but that kid is my younger brother, Lily's older brother, Count Deruth's son, and Countess Violan's son. He's definitely someone with the mindset of Count Henituse's family."

Cale looked at the emotions flowing through Kim Rok Soo's eyes before closing his eyes for a moment and then opening them back.

He recalled Basen's face in his mind when he closed his eyes. Even if their hair color was different... He could see the weak yet stubborn face that resembled the pale Cale's face than Deruth's or Violan's.

"Basen is my dongsaeng as well."

"......He is. What else do you need other than that?"

Kim Rok Soo removed his hand from Cale's shoulder while looking at Cale's expression that seemed to be saying that there was no need to respond to him. He then added on.

"You can ask Countess Violan about the details. You'll probably need to chat with her if you want Basen to be the territory lord."]

"As if she'll agree. She's bent on making me the count."

-It's going to be 'Duke' in the future~

"What?!"

Cale looked at the star in horror as she spoke in his mind.

He never got a response.

[Kim Rok Soo shook his head with nostalgic eyes, as if he was thinking about the past.

"...Haaaa. No matter how much I acted as trash and the cousins wanted to kick me out, the Countess and Basen wouldn't budge. You'll need to convince Countess Violan if you don't want to be the territory lord."]

"It's going to be difficult escaping the fate of a successor... aigoo my slacker life..."

Cale sighed as he rested his hand on his head.

Others looked on in pity.

(Poor young master and his betrothed {the engagement that is almost annulled} slacker life.)

"I was right! I knew he acted! Let's throw away some money since I was right, Cale! Kahahahaha!"

The cheapstake laughed out as super rock reprimanded him.

"What's the difference between you winning and you losing then?"

["Ah."

Cale let out a small gasp. Kim Rok Soo looked at him with confusion as Cale sternly corrected him.

"It's the Henituse Duchy now. It's no longer a County."]

-I told you~

Cale sighed.

Gasps of admiration were heard.

"It's a duchy now!"

"Looks like the unlucky bastard won the war."

"Of course, Cale didn't lose."

It was Lock, Eruhaben and Asteria who said that.

["Wow. That's amazing."

"Yeah. It is. We're quite an amazing household."

Kim Rok Soo had a bright smile on his face as he watched Cale nod his head. Cale frowned.

"...Hey."

"What's wrong?"

"...You... Don't the others say anything when you smile like that in my body?"]

"Exactly. The way you smile now-" Cale was speechless as he saw the man smiling at him even more as his eyes shook.

No, nope, get that record out of my mind this instant. I would never smile like that.

-pfft hahahaha.

Cale grimaced as he pushed the record to the back of his mind.

[Kim Rok Soo touched the corners of his lips as if he was wondering what the issue was.

"What's wrong with my smile? They were all happy that their team leader-nim let them go home early."

"...Are you doing your job properly?"]

"I am." Kim Rok Soo mumbled even though he knew it wasn't him who was being asked.

"Me too." Cale answered.

["Of course. I'm going to make sure to save this world I'm living in right now. I'll make it so that the people around me can live in peace."

Cale closed his mouth after hearing Kim Rok Soo's response. He had the same desires as the real Cale Henituse.]

Mhmm.. the world I am in, is the world that I definitely have to protect.

....Not because I'm a uselessly kind person, but because the problems will become a hurdle to my slacker life.

Yes, that's all I need to survive.

Cale thought with a determined look in his eyes. He had to kill that damn white star. His slacker life was at stake.

[This world where he was living as Cale right now... He wanted to protect this place. He would definitely protect this place.]

His companions let out a small smile as Cale tried not to look at them.

They frowned the next moment.

If the protection he was talking about was him coughing blood everytime then....

The faces turned expressionless as they drilled their gazes onto the poor young master's back.

["Ah, but is my smile really weird?"

Kim Rok Soo was still touching the corners of his lips.

"I think it gives off a mature feel and makes me look charming."

Cale almost scoffed in disbelief.

"Ho. You're talking about a mature feel with my face-"]

This was a rare moment when they saw Cale losing his composure.

They chuckled.

"Looks like my dongsaeng really obsesses over looks." Alberu commented casually.

-Of course, remember, in the first chapter, when he woke up as 'Cale', he first thought of how good looking he was.

The sun god chimed in.

"Our cutie and I like people who are good looking! What's wrong with that?"

Little cutie Jour exclaimed with puffed cheeks as she heard her cutie being teased by the others.

Cale let out a small smirk at the others as the children jumped on him.

"Of course. First looks, then personality."

Looks are important for scamming too.

Besides, aren't they all good-looking themselves?

He thought as he shook his head, unaware that the latter one of his thoughts was transmitted their minds mysteriously.

-Definitely.

Asteria spoke in his mind with a smiling voice already imagining a certain chapter he would be flabbergasted with himself.

"Yep!"

"I agree with you human! Everyone here is good looking!"

"Yeah nya"

"You're right nya"

The little children agreed with him too.

[He felt as if he would get a headache for a different reason. He had never imagined meeting the real Cale Henituse, but he definitely did not expect to hear such bullshit now that he somehow did meet him.

Kim Rok Soo responded as if there was no problem.

"Of course. I'm over forty years old after all."

'What?'

Cale's gaze turned sharp as he looked toward Kim Rok Soo.

"...Why are you forty?"]

"Forty? How? Wasn't he like, 18 when he transmigrated?" Witira voiced out.

"Mhmm continue reading, you'll find out."

[Cale had opened his eyes inside the 18 years old Cale Henituse's body.

Kim Rok Soo looked right into Cale's confused eyes and opened his mouth.

"The moment Choi Jung Soo died, the God of Death offered him a deal."

He was asked whether he wanted to stay alive and be transported to a different world or to save Kim Rok Soo.

The God of Death told Choi Jung Soo to make the decision, and Choi Jung Soo chose his death.

"The God of Death offers you a deal at the moment of your death or if you are in extreme danger that could potentially lead to your death. When I was forty... Umm, basically, the God of Death offered me a deal when I was about to die and I accepted it."

Rok Soo. The real Cale Henituse had accepted the deal with the God of Death.

"The conditions the God of Death offered me were simple."

Cale could finally see the remorse deep inside Kim Rok Soo's eyes that was clearly different from Kim Rok Soo's bright smile.

That emotion was similar to Cale's own emotions.

Kim Rok Soo continued speaking to the one person he could share the conditions of his deal with.

"As soon as I returned to the moment I met Choi Han, the starting point that could change the fate of our world, I would go into the body of a person named Kim Rok Soo in a different world. That was the condition of the deal."

The God of Death had also told him that his mother had reincarnated into this Kim Rok Soo person's world and was living a lonely life.

"Do you know why I accepted that deal?"

Kim Rok Soo put his hand against his forehead as if he had a headache. He closed his eyes.

The eyes that were full of remorse could no longer be seen.

"Where should I start... Hmm..."

He was silent for a bit before finally starting to speak again.

"I hate Harris Village."]

"...hate it? Why?"

Kim Rok Soo looked at the man who had the same raven hair as him now.

"My mother died after she visited that village. I hated it. That was the reason why the Choi Han of my world had gotten into a conflict with me. It was foolish, but haha, that was the only thing I could blame at that time."

He revealed his thoughts to others at this time.

They'll forget this anyway.

He didn't mind letting his weakness out if it was meant to be forgotten eventually and inevitably.

He felt that he was selfish.

He definitely was selfish. He smiled.

...Another oblivious bastard who did not know about the complicated gazes on him.

["Harris Village?'

Cale recalled the information about Harris Village after unexpectedly hearing about it.

The Forest of Darkness was one of the Forbidden Regions.

Harris Village was the village separated from the forest by a single wall. It was where Choi Han first met people of this world after finding his way out of the Forest of Darkness and where the Tigers, Wolves, and Cale's friends resided right now.]

"Correction, its cutie's family." Little Jour calmly raised her head and acted like a little adult.

"Yes yes." Others  nodded as they tried not to smile at her serious expression.

[Choi Han left Harris Village and headed for the Henituse Lord's Estate after the people of the village were massacred by Arm.

Kim Rok Soo's eyes were still closed as he continued to speak.

"My mother said that she was going to visit Harris Village. There was something she needed to bury there. I found it odd that my mother needed to go to a village she had no connections with, a village that was just one of many in our territory."

His voice was calm, but the things he was saying were quite shocking.

"My mother left for Harris Village even though it was pouring rain and the wind was strong. I was quite worried because her body had always been weak. And then..."

Kim Rok Soo stopped for a moment as if it was difficult to say before continuing with a stoic expression on his face.

"She ended up seriously injured because the carriage tipped over on her way back due to the storm. She received treatment back home after that but unfortunately, she passed away."

Cale felt as if he could hear the roaring wind from that day despite never having heard it.

Kim Rok Soo was calm.

"But the carriage accident was not the reason my mother passed away. It wasn't that bad of an accident. Nobody other than my mother got hurt either. But everybody thinks that my mother passed away because of the injuries from the accident."]

"It wasn't an accident huh." Alberu said with his resting his forehead on his hand.

He, along with a few others could not bear to read any longer. They had lost their mothers in a similar way.

They were around that age too.

Sigh...we're such pitiful bastards too.

They thought collectively.

(Aoi: again, you know, you know. You don't,  you don't.)

[He sighed while keeping his eyes closed.

"I only learned about the real reason for her death after meeting the God of Death. My mother..."

He stopped for a moment and opened his eyes to look at Cale.

"I think that my mother expected things would end up like this."]

Kim Rok Soo bowed his head as he could remember that day he made the damned deal.

He remembered the day his mother died.

How she smiled. How she caressed his head. How her eyes shook yet she never complained about her pain out loud.

He remembered how even the Death itself seemed to pity him, pity his life.

He hated it. He felt he was useless.

Then again, he was making the deal with a god.

He was agreeing to live as someone else while pushing all his responsibilities to that person.

Just so he could meet his mother again. Even if she didn't remember him anymore.

I'm really the worst, aren't I?

He smiled bitterly.

-...I...really didn't expect you to be an ignorant bastard too....

Yes. Though I don't exactly agree with the 'too' part.

He heard two voices in his head as he turned to see Cale looking at him with a stoic expression on his face.

A star was sitting on his shoulder and seemed to flicker fiercely while hearing his thoughts.

Ah right, I forgot you could hear me.

- You really... haa...look,  this ignorant bastard got a family here while you  reunited with your mom. This is an equal transaction. Just that a few wars were added for that guy to get the life he wanted. You are fighting the monsters in that world too right? What's done is done.

Right.

Cale nodded. He did not mind those battles if it meant that his slacker life will be achieved.

Thinking about how far it was though....

Cale slumped right back on his couch with a sigh.

[As if he was opening a chest that had sunk deep down inside a lake... Kim Rok Soo started to share these old stories with the person who was living as Cale Henituse in his place.

"Cale."

Kim Rok Soo spoke with sorrow visible on his face.

"My mother possessed an ancient power."]

Cale nodded. He wasn't really shocked since he seemed to have possessed it in the future.

['...What?'

Cale couldn't hide his shock this time.

Cale Henituse's birth mother possessed an ancient power. He had never expected that.

The Birth of a Hero...

The story of someone who was neither the main character nor a supporting character, the story of an extra in the story was being shared.

However, it was also the story of someone who just lived her life, even if it wasn't mentioned in the story.]

"She wasn't mentioned in the novel, but had an important role in Cale's life while also possessing an unmentioned ancient power. Is it safe to assume that she's going to be an important character in the future?"

Rosalyn asked as if she was really reading a novel.

"That's right."

Asteria replied to her.

She looked at Kim Rok Soo who stood up and was walking towards little Jour.

"So, you want to go back or continue?"

"Nah, I'll go back. I've already seen what I wanted to see."

"Hmm. Fine."

Kim Rok Soo looked at the goddess who was looking behind him. He looked at the little version of his mom here and laughed.

It was a wise choice to come here wasn't it?

The world was at peace, well, almost, his former family was living well, the man whose place he took accepted his new family, he himself got to meet his mother, his own world was near peace too.

He turned to Cale who the goddess was looking at as she was urging him to compete the conversation the chapter had cut off.

He shook his head and spoke in his mind.

Cale.

Cale turned his head to the man whose eyes were full of fatigue and sorrow. Just like he once had.

My mother knew she would die.

Since she had the rings of life?

Yeah. Hey, are you curious what happened in the future of birth hero?

Of course, it would be lie to say he wasn't.

The war against the white star lasted for 20 years. It lasted till I took my last breath.

After so many years, I found out on the day of my death that the white star had  a similar ancient power as my mother.

Cale frowned. Had white star killed Jour Thames then? That motherfucking-

No, he did not kill mother.

On that day, he was facing off against Choi Han when he suddenly grabbed his arm and said, "your time....its twisted."

You know, the funny thing is that, those were the exact words that I had heard from my mother. She had said that my time was twisted and I would have to face difficulties in the future.

That was the last thing i heard before the white star had killed me too.

Did you notice something?

The white star did not figure out your warped time?

Yeah, that was when I realised. He only had the ability to look into the past. He only had half of the power.

After I died, The god of death offered me the deal. When I would regress, I would immediately swap bodies with Kim Rok Soo. 

-He was someone who could change the fate of that world after all.

The god of death spoke.

Cale and Kim Rok Soo flinched as they snapped out of their conversation.

Yeah, that was what it was.

..I see...

Well, it's still alright isn't it? You have someone to protect, I have someone to protect.

Yeah.

-Man, how did you even talk in your minds while nonchalantly talking to the kids as if there's not another, important and emotional, conversation going on in your minds??

Cale and Kim Rok Soo shrugged at Asteria's grumbling.

"Its time to go."

Kim Rok Soo nodded.

"Well, Cale, you might have to struggle a little, bit I hope you have your peaceful life in the future. Just remember the Henituse family's motto."

"Yeah. You live well with your mother too."

Both shook their hands as they said together.

"Goodbye."

Others smiled. It seemed as if the lonely backs of both of their young masters were finally not looking alone as they accepted themselves as who they were now.

-Don't worry! I'll definitely make you both and the others meet again!

Asteria was very enthusiastic when she said it. They suspected it to be true but shrugged it off.

"Sure." Cale uncharacteristically nodded.

He would want to see those from earth too. Knowing that the goddess could do it, he didn't deny.

They watched as Kim Rok Soo disappeared into the void at the end of the hall.

"Seems like sealed one doesn't like that guy at all." Asteria mumbled when she saw Kim Rok Soo being violently sucked into the portal as he shouted 'damned despair-!'...

Well, he'll go back safely anyways.

"Well, then, next chapter? We'll go with a lighter one this time. Okay?"

They nodded. Yeah. This much angst was enough fo the time being.

*****************************
(7438 words) longest single chapter reaction until now! Yay!

Anyways, long time no see, dear readers!!

How have you all been?

Did you like the chapter? Did I miss out on something??

Also, I'm so sorry that the concerned parties, Ron and Beacrox could not react much....

It's just that I couldn't find any place for them...

Sowwyyy

Feel free to correct me if you ever find something lacking. I'd appreciate it.

Well, Don't forget to vote and comment!

See ya!!

Wait wait-!

I almost forgot!

Ahem ahem, *prepares myself for some self advertisement*

So,...uh.... 

Well.....

I..kinda published two messed up oneshots for tcf?

Well, one is a spin-off of the other...

Read it if you have time, will you? *puppy eyes*

Their names are:

'Please...Never Again'

'Never Again.'

(Yeah, I just published the second one since there was no update this week-)

Don't judge them by their names, I really have a bad naming sense so...haha...

Read it okay???

Bye for real now!