Neo sipped on some water as he watched Cale chugging an entire wine bottle, his face flushed from the alcohol. He looked around at the main cast of characters, the two kittens who were playing with Hans, Choi Han who looked concerned at the amount of alcohol Cale was consuming, Ron who was... standing ominously in a corner, and Hilsman chatting with his fellow knights.
"Shouldn't we stop him? He's had a lot to drink," Choi Han said, whispering to Hans.
In response, Hans simply laughed. "Nope! He's not holding anything, which means we're safe! He promised not to throw any bottles, haha."
"...Is that so?"
Neo chuckled at Hans' optimism and took another sip, before being startled at the two kittens staring at him.
"My Lord? Are you alright?" Dante handed him a handkerchief, which he quickly used to wipe his mouth.
"I'm fine. It just went down the wrong pipe."
'Why are they looking at me like that? Don't tell me they know something... I thought I hid my traces pretty well...'
Unbeknownst to him, the blue jay on his shoulder and the cat tribe siblings were having a staring contest.
"It seems like these two are interested in your bird, Lord Neo!" Hans hopped over, noticing the kittens that crowded around the flustered noble.
Neo cleared his throat and nodded. "Is that so? I just hope they won't harm him."
"No, no, they would never! They are very well-behaved, so Lord Neo doesn't need to worry about that. The silver one's name is Ohn, and the other is Hong," Hans gestured at them, the two of them adorably responding with 'meow'. He then looked towards the bird that perched on his hand with interest. "Does this little guy have a name too?"
The blue jay made direct eye contact with Neo, and he froze with a sense of guilt.
"...No, not yet." He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, trying to avoid the bird's pleading eyes.
"Is that so? Well, should we try to think of a name for him?"
Neo paused and took a moment to think about it. "...He's blue, so... Bluey. Or maybe Birdie?"
Hans slapped his mouth in an attempt to keep a laugh in.
The bird immediately thrashed Neo's hair, almost asking if he was taking this seriously or not. "I'm sorry, okay? I'm bad with names. I can't think of anything if you put me on the spot like this!"
Dante laughs and coddles the bird gently in his hands to avoid further damage to Neo's hair. "Please try again, My Lord. Even I thought that attempt was quite pathetic."
'When did Dante speak so harshly?' Neo roughly pats his hair back in place and sighs. "Yes, my apologies. Give me some time."
After some thinking and intense staring from the rest, Neo settled down on a name.
"Dal Yun."
"Oh! How pretty. What does it mean?" Dante curiously asked.
Neo came up with a name that most likely only Cale and Choi Han could understand, similar to Raon Miru's name. The character 'Dal' was a pure Korean word meaning 'moon', and 'Yun' meant 'cloud'.
"To be able to soar in the sky, high enough to touch the clouds and high enough to see the moon."
The bird chirped happily and rubbed its body all over Neo's face, expressing its content.
"How sweet!" Hans said, clasping his hands together.
While the others bonded, Neo glanced at Cale again to check on the situation. It seemed like he was proceeding with the next part of his plan.
"Choi Han. Help me up. I want to go to my room," he called, and Choi Han rushed over just as commanded.
Neo stood up as well. 'I'm not planning to get caught up in this mess, so let's go sleep early!' He had determined thoughts, but he kept a calm face. "I'm tired, so I'll take my leave. It was a pleasure to meet you all."
"Oh, uh, likewise! Please have a good evening, Lord Neo!" Hans bowed, unsure how to react to the polite speech.
Dante escorted Neo to his room, walked to the bathroom entrance and looked back at his Lord's appearance. "Would you like to have another shower? You've managed to dirty yourself right after a bath."
"It's not like I wanted to. " Neo waved him away, entering the bathroom. "It's fine, I'll just quickly wash the dirt off then head to bed."
"It's unusual that you're sleeping so early. Typically, you'd be up until the clock strikes three past midnight. Is there something on your mind?"
He opened the tap and gave a vague answer. "I have a lot of things on my mind."
"Care to share?"
"I do care."
Dante snickered at his quick response, passing him a towel. "Well, please remember that I'll always be here for you, awaiting your next command, as per usual." The moonlight scattered onto his face at just the right angle, and his face shone like it was adored by the moon, the stars, and everything above.
Neo looked at his smile for a moment and then turned away. "...Go rest, then."
"I reject, My Lord."
"???"
"I simply said I'd be waiting, not accept."
"..."
Neo sighed and shuffled into the bed, facing away from Dante. "Whatever."
It wasn't soon before soft snores came from the bed, indicating the young lord had already fallen asleep.
Dante glanced at his features that typically remained as a scowl towards him or a facade to others, now unravelling into nothing but peace. He may have changed and matured, but to Dante, he's but a young master who's a still child at heart.
"Sweet dreams, My Lord."
-
Neo groggily sat down by a table, his hair decorated with flowers that Dal Yun had collected during the night. Dante served breakfast to the both of them, looking at Neo's weary eyes.
"My Lord, you don't seem like you slept well."
"What exceptional observation. I woke up several times because it felt like someone was watching me... but I didn't find anyone." He had a small suspicion as to who it might have been, but there was no way that he would have taken interest in him. Neo sighed and removed the flowers, so he'd stop attracting eyes and embarrassment. He felt an angry peck on his cheek but paid no mind.
"Shall I stay by your side as you sleep?"
Neo choked on his food and chugged down a cup of water to relieve his throat. "No thanks. It was probably my imagination, so don't bother."
"That doesn't mean it's completely safe. It'd be better if I increase security."
"It's really fine. We'll be leaving soon anyway. We can relax in the capital, so don't worry about it."
"...As you wish."
As he looked outside, Neo extended his mana towards the door. Dante looked at him in confusion as he acted like normal, slowly chewing his breakfast. He wanted to appear non-existent to the individual who would soon come knocking at the inn's door.
Knock knock.
"I'll get the door," Hilsman said. He opened the door and a knight belonging to the Sten Family began his investigation. Choi Han and Cale stepped down in time to see Hilsman being interrogated, but the red-headed young master paid no mind and sat down for a drink.
'Does this guy have two livers? He drank so much last night and yet he's drinking again.' Neo looked at him with disbelief. Cale caught his stare, but he didn't realise. He was being dragged into the interrogation, much to his dismay.
"Ah, Lord Neo. I came here to report that Marquess Sten's vacation home was robbed yesterday, and was wondering if Lord Neo knew anything..."
Neo sighed and wiped his mouth. He'll just give a strong statement that would mostly clear him of trouble. "Unfortunately, I do not. I arrived at this inn and headed to bed when the clock struck nine. If you are that suspicious, then I do have eyewitnesses who are willing to help out." Neo crossed his arms and smiled. "Although it is property belonging to our Viscount, I cannot claim to know everything that happens within."
"I... I see. Then, has anything similar occurred..."
A resounding slam interrupted the conversation.
"What are you looking at?" Cale copied Neo's pose and scowled.
The knight, unwilling to get on the Henituse's nerves, quickly dismissed himself and gave the two transmigrators a sigh of relief.
'They won't suspect Cale, but they will suspect me.' Neo delved deeper into his concerns and regretted his decision to sleep early last night. It wasn't even like he slept well. 'I should have left a day sooner, dammit...'
"I'm curious. Why has Lord Neo stopped here instead of heading straight to Perthle?" Cale swished his wine around before he took a sip and glanced at the man leaning on a chair.
"To check on this village."
"...Is that all?"
"What else would I have come here for?"
Cale laughed. "Indeed. The wine here is delicious, too."
"I'm glad you like it. I'll tell the inn owner to pack you a few bottles."
"Why, how gracious of you. I appreciate the gesture."
"Sure. Take it as a farewell gift." Neo collected his coat from Dante and nodded at him. "Get ready to leave, and tell the old man to get him a few bottles of that fruit wine."
"We'll be meeting soon, though. Aren't our destinations the same?"
He swiftly wore his coat and smiled. "A small gift for a brief farewell."
Cale scoffed and took another swig of wine, saying nothing more but a smile on his face.
Hilsman, Choi Han and Hans bid their goodbyes accordingly, and the two cat siblings rubbed their faces on his pants, meowing at Dal Yun and Neo. Ron smiled and bowed at him, while Viscross gave him no mind.
Seeing all these faces, it occurred to him once again that he was truly living in a manhwa. No— this was most definitely reality. It was a world that he once knew as a manhwa.
'Whatever. It's too late to have any regrets. Isn't adapting what I do best?' Neo sat down in the carriage and chuckled.
"Let's go."
"Yes, My lord."
'To Perthle.'