𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐏 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖 | Trash Of The Count's Family

이십사

𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐇𝐔𝐌𝐀𝐍
Chapter XXIV

    Fifteen soldiers, five knights, and one special guard. Cale's envoy, which consisted of this protection squad and then some other people, Hyun Hee's Military in addition which comprises of a whole faction, finally started to head toward the capital.

    Cale understands why that is the case, while Hyun Hee is more than capable enough to protect herself, her power or abilities are not stable- her mana too. She might go berserk at the slightest mistake, there's a reason why she was the 'Mad Dog' of War. What he doesn't understand is for Hyun Hee to bring so many soldiers along, why not just hire a capable person?

     Then again, everything is monitored by the Duchess Dowager so that might not be a good idea. If she were to hire one, they must be someone she can trust. As of now, no one fits the role.

     Of course, as with most fantasy world travels, it was not a very uneventful trip. Nobody dared to touch Cale's carriage in the Henituse territory. The carriage did not have the flag that represented the family, but the carriage itself had the Golden Turtle, the symbol of the Henituse family, drawn on it. It was representative of the Henituse family's love for wealth and longevity.

     However, as soon as they left the Henituse territory, they ran into a situation.

     'As expected, they really do show up.'

     While they were rushing through a mountain range, tens of people suddenly showed up in the valley.

     "Pay the toll if you want to cross this mountain!"

     "Take out everything you have! If we find anything after you claim to have taken everything out, it will be 1 slap for every 1 bronze we find!"

     Hyun Hee rolled her eyes inwardly. She signaled for the man riding a horse outside to refrain from attacking- General Na. This much should be taken care of by Cale's people so there's no need to exert effort.

    The man nodded at her and made a sign to the military to not make any moves. Hyun Hee started to rethink her decision of bringing an entire military faction... 'At this point, they'll just be more mouths to feed... but it's not like they can't take care of themselves.'

     "You think they can't see the symbol on my carriage?" Cale asked though Hyun Hee was not too sure who he was asking.

    "I guess so," she replied.

     "Idiots! Beginners!" Ohn and Hong assessed.

      Cale was not afraid of bandits. Why would he be?

      Knock Knock. The knocking came from the small window by the driver's seat before the window slightly opened, and Ron looked inside.

      "Young master, it looks like we will need to take a break. There seem to be quite a lot of rabbits here."

      Rabbits. Cale shook for a moment. Ron went, 'Ah!' before smiling and added on, "Ah, this rabbit is different from the rabbit I was going to catch for you, young master. Of course, these rabbits will not be caught by me but by other people."

      Hyun Hee raises a brow lightly as if asking what the old man meant by catching rabbits, surely he's not talking about killing someone in front of Cale?

      Hyun Hee was well aware that Cale was being protected by someone who was scarier than the bandits. She listened to the sound of the bandits' screams coming from outside the carriage without a care.

    Cale started to calculate the time. "About a day and a half," he said.

    In about a day and a half, they would arrive around the area where the Black Dragon was being tortured. It was earlier than when Choi Han arrived in the novel.

    This was the reason he had made them rush forward without taking any breaks.

     Now that he thinks about it... why is Hyun Hee there in the first place? She should be back in the Duchy since the Young Master Min Ryung should also partake in the banquet. And anyway, that child's godfather is the King.

      Because of that Hyun Hee is even more closer to the Royal Family.

     What is Hyun Hee doing there when the dragon attacked?

——— • ———

    In order to achieve the results he wanted, Cale had to choose to camp outside. Hyun Hee has no problems with it, which shocked some, after all she is a noble lady. Now that Cale thinks about it, her fighting in the war wasn't something quite well-known.

    Most people know her as the diplomatic hostage sent by the Royal Family to Guin Kingdom and she helped in the war- but it wasn't revealed to the masses just how she provided help.

     Of course a large number of military personnel from Guin Kingdom knew as they fought alongside her, the Guin Royal Family, Roan Kingdom's Royalty, and a few more nobles. The rumors about her in the battlefield will remain to be just rumors as Hyun Hee as well as everyone involved is keeping people who knows in check for the information to not leak anymore.

     Hyun Hee was comfortable traveling since she's used to it, her camp during battle probably does not compare to this.

    Anyway, There were no villages along the way until the village near the hidden cave of the Black Dragon.

    "Meeeeeow," The red Cat Tribe kitten Hong meowed and wagged his tail, as if he was excited. It was because of the delicious smell filling the area.

     'The joy of the day comes from eating a delicious dinner.' That was what Cale was thinking. A warm dinner was the signal to end the long and tiring day and the start of a relaxing night.

     Tonight's main course was a soup with rabbit meat.

     "Damn it." It was not Ron's doing. Cale turned his gaze to the side. Choi Han, the person who had caught the rabbits, was happily eating his soup.

     "He seems to like small animals in many kind of ways, be careful Ohn and Hong," Hyun Hee teases the two kittens.

    "Meeeeow," the two hurriedly hid behind Cale.

     "To think he's stopping me from cooking birds but he's out here catching rabbits for supper," she said as she took another sip of her rabbit soup.

     Cale deadpan.

    "Speaking of birds, where's the bird that you've taken under your wing?" Cale asked.

    Hyun Hee pointed at the branch of a tall tree, surely, there was the bird named Bartholomew. Cale wasn't sure but isn't that bird glaring at Choi Han who was eating peacefully and completely oblivious?

     "You don't like rabbit stew?" Hyun Hee asked Cale.

     "Do you?" he retorted.

     "One shouldn't be picky with food, there are people out there begging on the street for scraps."

     Cale deadpan once again, he sounds like a mother... he realized quickly that she was actually an acting mother to a young heir.

     "What's that have to do with me? If they come to me asking for this stew I'd gladly hand it over," Cale smirked.

    Tap. Tap. On and Hong were tapping on Cale's leg, asking him to give it to them if he didn’t want it.

     Hans had a wide smile on his face as he cautiously approached the
two children, “Would our precious kitten-nims like to eat the jerky that I prepared for you? It is very healthy, without any salt or preservatives.”

     Naturally, On and Hong ignored Hans. Hans, who did not know they were part of the Cat Tribe, found that sass to be cute as well and continued to linger around them.

     Hyun Hee knew though, of course she would know. She is very familiar with non-human and half-human beings.

     Since she's also one of those beings.