Choi Han's lips were trembling as he looked at the thick smoke. A scream threatened to escape from his mouth.
"Ah....aa.."
However, before the scream could escape his mouth, Choi Han suddenly saw a bright light appear behind the thick smoke and then he saw bright red-colored hair.
A little tension was released from his body as soon as he saw that color. His favorite.
Cale Henituse was still standing tall. He seemed okay.
"What is that....?"
Choi Han's mouth was agape wide as soon as he saw the shields that were protecting the people and shielding the two suicide bombers.
The two shields had different colors but the shield that covered the two suicide bombers looked brighter than the shield that was protecting the people.
After a moment, the two shields slowly disappeared. The two suicide bombers disappeared into the thin air as the bomb exploded. It showed how strong the bombs were making the people shiver in fear.
Reddika also already disappeared as soon as he realized that his plan had failed.
Many people die but not as many as in the previous timeline and Choi Han knew why. It was because of Cale.
The two shields belonged to Cale. Choi was sure of that even though only the silver shield that covered the suicide bombers was connected to him.
Choi Han didn't care how Cale got his power at all. All he cared about was whether Cale is fine or not.
"Cale!"
Choi Han immediately stood up and then ran towards Cale without caring about anything.
"What-"
Pap.
Choi Han hugged him tightly. His body was trembling but he cared none about it as he tightened his embrace.
"Oh, Cale... Please don't put yourself in front like that. It scared me."
"Wha—Who the fuck are you?!!!"
Choi Han's eyes widened when he felt a great force when Cale pushed him away. He was hurt but what can he do? He forgot that he and Cale was still stranger to each other.
In the previous timeline, around this time, Choi Han still held great hate towards Cale since he was insulting Harris Village so wasn't supposed to treat Cale so close like this. He got a little carried away.
"I'm... Sorry... I."
Choi Han didn't know what to say when a young master with grey hair suddenly shielded him away from Cale.
"You lower commoner! How dare you touch a noble not to mention hug him!"
Oh, this man... Choi Han knew this man.
Ah. And that look in his eyes....still the same.
Choi Han still remembered, how this young master looked at him in the previous timeline, so full of hatred and disgust. Even though rumor said that he was very kind and gentle to Choi Han, he didn't seem to be like that.
The dislike was clearly showed on his face as he looked at Choi Han. Choi Han didn't know why this noble hated him. He never does, even now. He wanted to know but can he ask?
He's just a lowly dirty commoner to this young master.
"You deserve to be pu- Cale!!"
The grey-haired young master immediately held Cale tightly even before he could finish his words.
Cale was coughing up blood and the sight make Choi Han petrified.
Blood? No no!
When Choi Han was about to hug Cale again, someone stopped him. It was Vicross.
"Stop it! What's wrong with you?!" Vicross was whisperings at Choi Han but his voice was clear that he was holding back his anger by gritting his teeth.
"Cale is... Cale is.."
Choi Han was unable to speak as he watched him keep spitting out blood, showing no sign of stopping.
"I have to do something!" Choi Han slapped Vicross' hand away to approach Cale but before he could, the grey-haired young master shouted out loud making Choi Han back away a few steps.
"Call a priest now!! Hurry up!"
The grey-haired young master was shouting towards the two other nobles that were near them.
Choi Han trembling even more as blood kept pouring out of his mouth. He lost too much blood until he became even paler than he already is.
"Let's go, young master Gilbert!"
"Sure, let's move fast, young lady Amir!"
Choi Han looked at the two nobles that were rushing toward the nearby priest. The dark brown-haired nobleman is named Gilbert while the deep green-haired noblewoman named is Amir.
Choi Han remembered how those two people were always by Cale's side protecting him. Choi Han's eyes lit a little after knowing that they will get a priest for Cale.
"I'm okay, Eric hyung-nim..." Cale said as he kept coughing up blood.
"Shut up, Cale! Just sit down!"
Finally, Choi Han knew this grey-haired nobleman's name. It took him more than 20 years including the previous timeline for him to learn his name because whenever he asked Cale about him, Cale didn't say anything and just kept quiet.
"Cale..."
Choi Han reached his hand for Cale but was unable to do so as Eric kept preventing him from coming close to Cale and also Vicross that keep holding him still to keep him in his place.
"Who the hell are you?! Why are you keep calling Cale Henituse by his first name?!"
"I..."
Suddenly someone patted Choi Han's shoulder. It was Ron.
"You crossed the line, you punk. I never thought that you will be acting like this. Let's get away from here before guards come and take you away."
Choi Han looked at Ron the Cale. He still refuses to budge. He needs to see that Cale is surely fine.
"We have a priest with us!"
Amir ran towards Cale together with Gilbert and the priestess by her side.
"Good, now treat young master Cale."
The priestess immediately nodded her head and then kneeled so that she could touch Cale who was sitting on the ground.
Choi Han could see that the priestess frowned as soon as she touched Cale's hands. She seemed to be confused.
"He is f—"
"Not fine. Not fine, right? He should be resting for three to five days, right?"
A man with long soft blonde hair touched the priestess' shoulder making the priestess flinch and nod her head.
"Y-young master Taylor is correct. Young master Cale should be resting for 5 days. His condition is pretty serious since he seems to be overused his power but he will be fine."
Choi Han was still unable to calm himself down since Cale seemed to still spit out some blood. However, Ron and Vicross just harshly dragged him away from the nobles' area.
"Stop acting so reckless around the noble. I didn't know why you suddenly hugged young master Cale like that but you shouldn't do that. We are just lowly commoners, one simple mistake in front of the noble can get us killed," Vicross nagged as he pulled Choi Han by his collar.
Choi Han knew that. He knew that exactly.
In the previous timeline, he used to interact with the nobles because of his title as the youngest swordmaster and the only swordmaster in the Rowoon Kingdom. He once witnessed how an innocent commoner was executed just because of a simple mistake he made in front of a noble which was accidentally scratching the noble with his nails.
"I know that," Choi Han said blankly as his eyes were still on Cale. Cale was now talking with the crown prince, Alver.
Choi Han used to be close to Alver in the previous timeline. He obeyed all the orders that Alver gave to him without hesitation.
He remembered how he was forced to be in the same group as Cale on the front line even though he hated Cale at that time and Alver knew it. But thanks to that, he was able to get close to Cale and became one of his important people.
Can that still be the same?
"Wait a minute, you black-haired young man."
Choi Han looked at Alver as soon as he called for him.
"You also help protect the citizens with your sword. I would love to invite you to the palace."
Choi Han looked at Ron and Vicross that already let him go then slowly approached Alver. He then bowed his head slightly as soon as Alver was in front of him.
"I'm here with my group...."
Alver smiled gently and then patted Choi Han's shoulder.
"They're welcome too."
Choi Han then bowed his body 90° as he said his gratitude towards Alver. When he lifted his body back, his eyes immediately landed on Cale's again.
Their eyes met each other and Cale was the one who broke the eye contact.
For some reason, Cale looked weaker than in the previous timeline. He remembered the first time he met Cale before he beat him up, his body was fit and had some muscles but Cale in this timeline was thinner and paler.
Is he sick? There's no way, right?
Choi Han could see Alver going towards Cale and looked very concerned. Alver even support Cale as he walked toward the carriage that Alver prepared for him.
For Choi Han and his group, Alver had prepared another carriage that was a little bigger than he had for Cale.
Before Alver walk into the carriage, he pointed at Rosalyn.
"Treat the young lady over there like royalty. Prepare the best for her."
The guards that were with Alver immediately nodded and prepared another carriage for Rosalyn alone.
"Choi Han...."
Rosalyn looked at him and Choi Han nodded his head.
"Go ahead."
Choi Han looked at both Rosalyn's and Alver's carriage who also had Cale in it and moved away. He then sighed.
This didn't suppose to be like this. Alver's eyes seemed to be on Cale and not him. Choi Han know that Alver was interested in Cale's power but it still didn't sit right to Choi Han. It's not like he's envious, it's just like he didn't know how he was supposed to get close to Cale. However, he puts that thought aside and then looked at the Molran.
"Let's go," Choi Han said to both the Molran as he walked into the carriage.