Sliding the black cap down to hide his face, the youth heads towards the slowly dwindling market. Many of the vendors were closing their stalls for the day. Scanning the area, he approaches a small bakery and notices a middle aged man wearing an apron behind the counter.
"Y-young Master! W-welcome!"
Cale just nods at the man who is bowing so low that it looks like his head might touch the ground. He could hear the baker gasp, but he pretends not to hear it. He knew the man was scared of him. After all, he was well known as trash.
"Give me some bread."
"Excuse me?"
"Whatever you have left. I'll take it all."
"E-everything?"
"Yes."
"B-but this is just the scraps. The remains of today's sales."
"That's fine. I'll take it all."
A gold coin lands on the counter with a spin.
"Pack it all up."
The baker seems to be frozen in place as the redhead continues to speak.
"Oh and I'll also take your stock tomorrow, too. Have it ready for me first thing in the morning."
The man's dark brown eyes quake in disbelief. The man known as trash was wanting to buy his bread? He was a noble who was known for only enjoying the most expensive luxuries. Just what was happening?
"Two or three more gold coins should be enough for a week's worth of bread, right?"
The baker's gaze, which had been on the shining gold coin, moves to the youth. It was way too much for the bread. Just what was he thinking? Was this a dream? Wasn't he such a terrifying man that was known to destroy things in his rage?
"I can go somewhere else if you don't want it."
"N-no! It is nothing like that! I will pack it all for you as fast as possible, Young Master-nim!"
The baker was now being extremely respectful for a different reason than he was before. He moves quickly and gathers the remaining bread together. After a few minutes, Cale left the bakery with a decently sized bag of bread over his shoulder. In his hand was a small loaf that he had decided to keep separate to snack on. Even though it was bread, it actually weighed quite a bit. The weight made him start to frown.
Ignoring the baker who was watching him in wonder and shock, he steps into the street. Immediately he notices that anybody who made eye contact with him would quickly turn and walk away. The majority of the lingering citizens in the market simply ran away in order to avoid him.
<It really is different from Korea. This is truly a fantasy world.>
His red-brown eyes wander around the area as he takes in the scenery. It was truly a sight to behold, however, he couldn't get rid of the growing pain in his chest. They all feared him. Well, he couldn't blame them since he was trash. Shaking his head, he walks past the marketplace and heads towards the western part of the city. He was headed to the slums.
<No matter how wealthy a territory may be, there are always going to be poor people.>
Cale could feel the stares as soon as he entered the boundaries to the slums. This place had the weakest and the most vicious people living together. Furthermore, the poor definitely knew his face. They may not know their liege's face but they all knew about the Henituse's trash. After all, these people who had nothing needed to pay even more attention to the type of person that would cause a ruckus wherever they went. For them, that was Cale Henituse.
However, even though they all knew the stories about him, they couldn't resist the sweet smell of the bread in Cale's bag. It didn't matter how frightening he was, starvation was much worse for them. He knew and could relate. He had gone hungry many times when he lived as Kim Rok Soo. That was why he couldn't help but feel bad for them. He wanted to help them, but he knew he needed this bread to obtain the ancient power. Thus, he just ignored their gazes as he continued walking towards the hill.
After a period of time, an unknown stench began to creep its way into Cale's noise. He glanced down and saw that his shoes were slowly becoming dirty from mud and rancid water. A frown spreads across his lips.
<The slum's conditions aren't much different compared to the other world.>
Picking up his pace, he climbs the side of a small hill. He needed to get to the top. Thankfully, as he got closer to the peak, the gazes and steps of the people following him started to lessen.
<It's better here.>
After escaping the stench, he stood at the top of the hill and looked down at Western City. The original's hometown. The scene of the setting sun was truly breathtaking. Red-orange rays slowly creeping across the roofs of the buildings. The gentle breeze passes by him and rustles the branches of some nearby shrubs.
Coming back to his senses, he heads towards the tree that was fenced off in all directions. The rotting planks of the wood were each the width of his body. They broke easily with a push or kick.
At the center of the enclosure stood a large dark tree that seemed to have lasted untouched for hundreds of years. The reason was simple. The reason could be heard in Cale's ears. There were only two people who continued to follow him when he left the slums. A boy with dirty, red hair was clinging onto the tattered dress of a girl with long silver locks.
"Y-you can't approach that t-tree!"
He ignores her warning as he takes another step towards the tree.
"Y-you can't go there! I-its a man-eating t-tree!"
The man-eating tree. A dark tree that nothing could grow around. Not grass or weed. Anyone who hung themselves on it's branches became mummies overnight. Furthermore, any blood that lands on its trunk instantly disappears. This was the tree he was looking for.
According to his records from the 'Birth of a Hero' there was once a person who loved food so much that their gluttony got them kicked out of their place of worship. In the end that person ended up starving to death. This tree is said to have grown on top of their body and that person's grudge as well as strength were both resting in it. The Indestructible Shield that Cale was looking for was here.
<It truly is a mysterious ability.>
Taking out a couple of individually wrapped loaves, he carefully observes a hole that was the size of an adult human's head. He needed to send these children away before he could focus on his work. He did not want them to accidentally get hurt because of him.
"You're going to die! Don't do it!"
A shaking voice shouts in desperation. The young child was growing even more anxious as she could no longer see him from outside the fence.
With a sigh, he massages his temples and turns around to face them. The girl seemed to be around 10 years old. Her bright gold eyes were full of concern. To her side was the young boy with matching gold eyes.
<Siblings? They're quite young.>
Seeing that Cale was frowning and staring at her, the young girl mumbles, "It's a man-eating tree. Y-you're going to d-die."
"I won't die."
<Why is she so worried for me? I'm not human. Besides, even if I'm in this state, I doubt a tree could kill me.>
With a quick motion, he threw the loaves of bread towards the little girl. He could see her flinch at the action and her eyes stare at the bundles resting on the ground in front of her.
"Take that and get lost."
The young boy instinctively grabs the bread, but the girl hesitates. She didn't want to see this man die and she didn't know why she felt this way. She had just met him. Just what was this feeling? Who was this man?
In the end, Cale needed to use his identity to chase them away. "You don't know about Cale the Trash?"
The young girl's face turns pale. Her younger brother just stares at him as he tugs on her arm.
"Noona."
"Uh huh."
The young girl looks back and forth between him and the tree.
"You can't die."
"I won't."
With a gentle smile slowly creeping across his face, he watches as the two children scurry away.
<At least they'll be safe and won't be as hungry. Children their age shouldn't have to starve.>
Making sure nobody else was around, he sat down on the ground underneath the tree. He was now out of view of passersby. If someone was to try and spy on him then they would have to come right up to the fence. He would definitely notice them if they did so.
"Alright. Let's get started."
He starts by taking a loaf out of the bag and putting it into the hole at the base of the trunk. His gloved hand soon disappeared into its darkness. To his surprise, his covered skin tingled. It was like the tree was trying to swallow his whole hand. However, when he pulls his hand out he notices that the bread is gone. The darkness in the hole remains the same.
"If you die with a grudge, you have to resolve that grudge."
The tree born from the starved corpse was not actually a man-eating one. It was a tree that would literally eat anything. An unfortunate side effect of the ancient power, but it definitely made it seem more realistic. Albeit slightly comical.
<The novel said I need to feed it until the darkness disappears. When it does, so will the grudge.>
According to his record, one person must continue to provide a large amount of food. It could not be done by other people. After the grudge disappears, the light hidden underneath will appear. Once he obtains the light, the 'Indestructible Shield' will become his.
"Eat all you want."
Cale put the opening of the bag into the hole and emptied all of its contents. In a normal situation, the small hole would have been filled with bread, however, only the darkness remains.
"I guess I'll need about ten more large bags."
The darkness in the hole was slighter fainter than before.
An odd cry rumbles out from the tree. It seemed to be saying that it was hungry and asking for more food. Cale couldn't help but feel like the darkness might try and reach out to grab him.
<It is a bit scary.>
Getting up quickly, he continues to look into the hole.
"Just what can a stupid grudge do?"
Gluttony was definitely a scary thing.
"I'll come back tomorrow."
Cale said goodbye to the thundering tree as if it was a person and exited the fenced area. He noticed the sibling duo eating their bread as soon as he entered the slums. He was glad to see that they were enjoying their food.
"Is it good?"
With a gentle grin he notices their eyes glance at the now empty back. They were probably curious. But what could they do? They couldn't do anything. They were probably too scared to even go near the tree. However, it is always good to be on the safe side.
<Starving children have no fear. Death is always around them so they do not fear it. Even if a blade was coming their way, they would accept it if they would get a grain of rice as a reward. They feared being hungry far more than death.>
It was something he had personally experienced as Kim Rok Soo. He had suffered abuse and starvation for years. It wasn't anything new to him. However, these children were too young. They should not have to experience the same fate. That was why he decided to speak to them.
"If you want to eat bread again tomorrow, don't say a thing."
Immediately, they followed his order. The girl who had been hesitant earlier, put her hand over her brother's mouth while pretending not to see him leave. Cale smiled again and thought that she was pretty smart. He needed to hurry. He still needed to do a couple more trips before he could return to the estate.
The people in the slums who knew Cale had gone to the top of the hill were looking at him wondering what sort of crazy thing he was doing now. He liked that kind of gaze. However, the people outside of the slums looked at him weirdly as well. He didn't care much about their gazes. He was so absorbed in his tasks that he didn't notice he was being followed.
"Just what is the Young Master up to?" A voice whispers from the shadows with growing uncertainty.
After a couple more trips, the Cale heads back home. His body weary from his work. Without even getting into pajamas, he collapses upon his bed and falls asleep.