Changing Gear of Fate

Interlude: The Other Side

"Human! You're awake!"

"Cale-nya!"

"Awake, nya!"

Cale makes an "oof!" sound when the kids jump on him.

"Off kids, you're crushing my chest." He grumbles.

"Welcome back to this side, unlucky bastard."

Cale giver Eruhaben a wave, before he pushed the kids off of his chest. They're heavy, okay?!

"How long was I asleep?"

"Eighteen hours."

Cale nodded.

One hour here can last for three to nine days over there, when Cale is 'asleep' and over the Earth 8612. But when he's 'awake' on this side, the time matches. As in, one minute here is one minute over there.

Convenient. Seriously. Convenient as fuck.

"Did anyone come?"

"No. but the Emperor give you a call. Supposedly you were invited to something."

Cale groaned.

This, is one of many reasons he prefers to be on Earth 8612. He doesn't have to entertain nobles on parties and their attempts to suck up on him. If he's unlucky, it was International Party and the sheer amount of headache he has to deal with would multiply. Courtesy of one Clopeh Sekka.

Not that Roan-only noble party would save him from that lunatic if he's determined to join.

"Nee, Human! Human!" Raon poked his cheek. "Tell us! What happens on that world? Did something happen?"

"Oh something happen, alright." Cale sighed. "Remember the Apocalypse I told you? It already happens." And he proceeds to tell the kids and Eruhaben of what is happening at the Earth 8612. About scenario and how the Apocalypse run on different course than one the Sealed God made him went through.

He can tell them because they are one of a select few who know the deal Cale accepts from the Oldest Dream, who in his loneliness, accidentally crashes on Cale's dream. The other who knows are Lord Sherrit, Bud, Fredo, and to some extent, Taylor and Cage.

The reason?

One, they were here when Oldest Dream crash onto Cale's Dream and feel it, and were quickly silenced by the Entity before they could warn others. Two, they were, successfully, persuaded to let Cale help to fulfill the Entity's wish, with only Lee Soo Hyuk and Choi Jung Soo as his back up.

"So you had to do all these things?" Hong asked.

"No." Cale snorted. "I'm constellation. Meaning I watch and give support. Not frontline battle. At least for now."

"For now?" Eruhaben narrowed his eyes.

"At later Scenarios, Constellation can, and in some case, must join as participants. One Scenario in the nineties is practically War between Constellations."

It was clear they are displeased with the news.

"You will be fine, right?" On pressed. "You won't sacrifice yourself, right? Nya?"

"Fuck no." Cale shudders. "Let Kim Dokja and his company handle the worst. I'll be in the rear line."

They knew it would be a lie. But they are willing to ignore it... for now.

Truth to be told they want to join. They are worried because Cale has a terrible track of keeping himself safe.

World Tree Dagger to the Heart scarred them.

Taylor is more willing to take a step back, because he knows he has no say in it. He's just here as a secret keeper. Cage is incessant, and tries to curse the Oldest Dream... only for them to slide off like water on a duck's back. Sherrit, Duke Fredo, and Bud naturally want to complain, but they respect Cale as an adult who can make his own decisions.

The rest of them was harder to placate. They tried to butt in, forced themselves to join. Citing that Cale needs more protection because he is 'Weak'.

But Lee Soo Hyuk shut their attempt down. Citing their insistence is basically disrespecting Cale's wishes and boundaries. That they don't have faith in Cale. While the Reincarnated Individual understands where they come from, he commented that their protectiveness is more of coddling. By calling Cale weak, and protecting him, they never let him grow, keeping him forever weak. In fact, Lee Soo Hyuk stated aloud that they are akin to chained Cale to them and that. Just. Not. A. Good. Idea. Ever.

He uses comparison to shut their protest down when they tried.

To Raon, he compares it to when Venion locked him up. With Cale in Raon's place and Raon in Venion. Except this time, no one would come to Cale's defense because all the 'good guys' are on Raon's side. That they would keep Cale locked, treat him as fragile glass to be adored and bothered when they want, and ignore his wishes when it was not convenient to them.

Naturally, Raon has a freakout and crisis due to the comparison, and others don't fare well either.

Cale was upset with Lee Soo Hyuk for that, which is why he nabbed Choi Jung Soo first as revenge. He doesn't like seeing his kids upset.

Except Lee Soo Hyuk is adamant that he is right and he only did what's necessary: making others see that their protection would only harm Cale in the long run and they need to BACK OFF and let the redhead breathes without them hovering on his shoulders all the time.

And he is right.

Painfully right.

"We really can't tell Cookie Prince, Choi Han, Good Rosalyn and others." Raon sulked.

"No. We can't." Cale shook his head. "They will do something. And they will spread the news. And it won't be long before it reaches Clopeh Sekka and then ALL the nations. East and West continents alike. And then I won't ever get peace." He shudders. "They mean well, but they are prone to overreaction to the point they cannot keep secret when it come to me."

He loves them, gods he does, but Privacy?!

Lee Soo Hyuk is correct.

They're coddling him to an unhealthy degree. Better to back off and draw his line while gathering allies who would support him in case the line is crossed.

"Choi Han cannot be trusted?"

"No, Raon. He is a terrible liar, remember?"

Choi Han cannot lie even if his life depends on it.

And unlike Raon, and other kids, Choi Han's backstory is different. He had never been held hostage against his will with his captor tormenting him, be it physical or emotional. His Isolation in the Forest of the Death for tens of years... left him very affection starved. The Harris Village Incident by the Arm doesn't help his mentality.

No.

Choi Han cannot know. Ever.

Which is why time dilation is a blessing. It can serve as Alibi while others direct the attention elsewhere until Cale 'wakes up'.

"Well. Let's go to Roan." The sooner he's done with political hullabaloo the happier he will become. And the sooner he let others check up on him, the sooner they let him be away... again. Really, what can get past his 'guards'?