Spirit of A Slacker

Spirit of a Slacker
Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/35446264.
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning: Choose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Category: F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M
Fandom: 가 가 - | Trash of the Count's Family - Yulyeohan
Relationship: Alberu Crossman/Cale Henituse | Kim Rok Soo, Alberu Crossman &
Cale Henituse | Kim Rok Soo, Choi Han & Cale Henituse | Kim Rok
Soo, Cale Henituse | Kim Rok Soo & Everyone, Hannah/Mary (Trash of
the Count's Family), Alberu Crossman & Tasha
Character: Choi Han, Cale Henituse | Kim Rok Soo, Alberu Crossman, Ron Molan,
Beacrox Molan, Deputy Butler Hans (Trash of the Count's Family), On
(Trash of the Count's Family), Hong (Trash of the Count's Family),
Raon Miru, Tasha (Trash of the Count's Family)
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Spirits,
Crack, Family Feels, Fluff and Humor, Not Beta Read, Not Canon
Compliant, Oblivious Cale Henituse | Kim Rok Soo, Evil Laughter, Poor
Life Choices, What Was I Thinking?, Talking To Dead People, Spirit
World, Slow Burn, Banter, Eventual Romance, POV Third Person, Tags
Are Fun, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Secrets
Language: English
Collections: Trash of the Count Family, Lovely works, Stalker’s Amongst Stalker’s,
Favorite Fics That I Hoard, Alternative Universes of Fandoms I enjoy.
Stats: Published: 2021-12-01 Updated: 2022-09-06 Chapters: 19/? Words:
69826
Spirit of a Slacker
by JustALittleFaith22
Summary
Cale Henituse takes over the ownership of the Cobblestone Complex, the most neglected
asset of his family business due to the rumors of it being haunted.
As if a ghost or two can faze him. He’s basically being followed around by weird spirits
wherever he goes, anyway.
Little does he know that he will be regretting this decision in the next few years.
(Or
The fic where Cale volunteered to own and manage a haunted apartment complex for the
family so that he won't have much work to do but he ended up being very supernaturally
busy.
And that fic where the dark elves are apparently dancing their way in and out of his
backyard.
New Owner [1]
Chapter Summary
The man, the center of some pretty ridiculous rumors, sighed, making the subordinates
behind him flinch—all except for an old man and his grunting son.
He lifted his chin to survey the building from bottom to top, and then peered at one of
his—no, one of his father’s subordinates, with an indifferent gaze.
“Are you telling me that this entire building is haunted?”
Chapter Notes
See the end of the chapter for notes
--------------
There are many things in this world that most people can’t see.
Air could be one of them but let’s be real, everyone has long accepted its invisible existence.
What Cale would consider a better example comes in one word and different forms.
Spirits.
There are spirits everywhere, but at the same time nowhere. Coz not everyone can see spirits.
Not everyone knows that they are there.
--------------
The day was young.
The breeze was refreshing.
The sun should have already risen but alas not a single streak of sunlight touched the young man
standing in front of the luxurious infrastructure in front of him.
The people passing by the road couldn’t help but take a peek at the sight of the handsome young
man.
His hair was a striking red.
Only one person could have that very color in Rain City.
The man, the center of some pretty ridiculous rumors, sighed, making the subordinates behind him
flinch—all except for an old man and his grunting son.
He lifted his chin to survey the building from bottom to top, and then peered at one of his—no, one
of his father’s subordinates, with an indifferent gaze.
“Are you telling me that this entire building is haunted?”
The employee put his head down and pursed his lips closed, just like all the other anxious
employees with him.
But there will always be that one guy who has no trouble speaking out.
“Yes, young master-nim! Every single room. From the first to the fifth floor. It’s been haunted for
a long time!”
‘Oh, Hans, you valiant soul.’
The employees closed their eyes shut.
They all nervously waited for their boss’s son to yell at them, beat them up or throw something at
their direction.
Just like the rumors said he would.
Haunted houses and ghosts are nonsense.
They know that.
And that's why they think it's completely normal to assume that they’re just making things up, but
they swear on their life that they are not.
The rooms always get rearranged.
A weird noise often occurs near the left wing.
And on top of that, some people who've stayed here past midnight often leave while screaming,
saying that they saw shadows of weird creatures in the hallways.
It won't be a surprise if the trash son of the Henituse corporation will hit them here and now for
speaking bullshit.
They all bit their lips, ready for the smacking.
But instead of a hit, all they heard was a surprisingly calm voice.
“Must have been tough.”
The employees looked up at the person who spoke in surprise.
Cale Henituse.
The eldest son of Deruth Henituse, the head of the Henituse Corporation responsible for businesses
related to granite, arts and places to stay.
The guyy who was abandoned in who knows where 10 years ago with nothing but an old and
weakening butler and that butler’s only son as company.
It was just a story they heard.
A story about this red-haired man once being such a headache to his father’s business partners that
his father had to ship him out to sea to save face.
Some say that the young boy was the cause of his mother, Deruth’s beloved wife’s death, while
some say that he spoke against his father’s wishes so disrespectfully that he had to be sent away.
The story of Cale Henituse was a story that many people at Rain City, the heart of the Henituse
Corporatian, would use to scare their children into obedience.
That, of course, is why 99.9% of it was bullshit.
It is only now that the employees are finding out that it might as well be.
Cale glanced at the employees with disinterest in his face, “How does monthly maintenance go if
every nook and cranny is haunted?”
The employees snapped out of their thoughts and one of them nervously yelled, “W, we clean as
much as we can, young master-nim…!”
Cale watched the fidgeting employee with furrowed eyebrows.
‘Why’s he so tense?’
No, why is everyone here tense? He's just asking questions-- he doesn't even have a bottle in his
hand.
He clicked his tongue as he looked away.
The rumors about him must have evolved into some scary stories if they're nervous just by his
presence.
“Ho, that’s not a very concrete answer…”
Cale’s stomach did a backflip when his trusty butler Ron suddenly spoke up from behind him.
Sweat fell down the side of his cheek as he closed his eyes for a bit to compose himself.
‘Right, this scary old man came back with me to Roan.’
He opened his eyes again but stiffened when he locked eyes with the benign old man who started
to smile.
“Young master-nim, this Ron will make sure to check every nook and cranny.”
Cale immediately answered as he looked away.
“No, just check half.”
“Ho. Only half, young master-nim?”

“Why are you asking something so obvious?” Cale murmured under his breath in an annoyed tone
but everyone heard him.
He lightly pulled up one of his sleeves.
“I’ll be checking the other half.”
Flinch.
Ron’s eyes suddenly went cold.
Cale realized which sleeve he had pulled up, and immediately tried to hide it but it was too late.
The employees already saw the ugly burn on his arm.
Some of them gasped.
“Young master-nim.”
‘Shit.’
Ron walked up to Cale, his voice cold as he fixed Cale’s messy sleeve. There was a vicious smile
in his eyes.
“...This is why Beacrox does not allow you in the kitchen.”
Cale Henituse, no matter which country he may be living in, is and will always be an unlucky
bastard.
He was just trying to cook some Korean food back in the hotel when they arrived at Roan but, to
his dismay, he slipped in the middle of it and his arm was embraced by the fires of hell.
He might never forget the refreshing look of disbelief on the vicious father-son duo escorting him
when they came back home only to see him trying to do first aid on his bloody self.
‘What are haunted houses when this scary old man follows me around all the time? Ron is
probably way scarier than any ghost I've seen before.’
Cale pulled his arm away from Ron while keeping a calm demeanor. “Yes, yes. There’s no time to
waste. Let’s just start checking.”
He hastily marched towards the supposedly haunted building before anyone could stop him.
But it’s not like anyone would.
He cussed as he felt the fearful and complicated gazes on his back.
Ghosts, ghouls and supernatural things.
'When the hell am I getting rid of these in my life?'
A normal person shouldn’t be able to even have more than one paranormal encounter and yet Cale
has already bulldozed past 16 at 10-years-old.
The first time he saw a ghost properly, he was attending one of his father’s conferences at 8-years-
old.
He saw a ghost chilling in the conference hall’s marble bathroom, undeterred by the people coming
in and out of the stalls and passing through him.
At first, the young Cale was pretty indifferent with it, too, since…
What is he supposed to do?
Scream?
Shout?
Run for his life?
The ghost waved to him, and he didn’t think much of it as he waved back and sat down beside it.
They both just stared at each other for some time inside the bathroom.
Cale thought for sure that it’s just a one-time weird thing.
‘You’re just a kid, right now, so I understand.’
That’s what his father told him when he talked about another weird thing that happened to him and
his mother, after all.
But, honestly, he should have known from the moment that ghost smiled at him.
No, he should have realized it the moment he saw the ghost in the first place after the long and
tiring concessions and arguments in the conference hall about the death of his mother.
He should have realized that he wasn’t going to be a normal kid from that point onward.
‘Please, please stop looking at me. I’m completely normal.’
Cale massaged his temples as he entered the building with the weight of a hundred ghosts and a
hundred grudges silently whispering to each other on his shoulder.
--------------
Cale arrived in Rain City one week ago.
It was a very awkward arrival since every single employee was shaking uncontrollably when he
stepped out of the car in front of the main house.
Cale liked that the employees don’t bother him, but the shaking is just too much.
He actually thought that they might malfunction sooner or later because of how nervous they all
seem, and that wouldn't be good for the family business.
People are valuable resources, after all. It’d be bad if they break.
Cale doesn’t really fancy living in the main house, anyway, even though he agreed to his father’s
plea for him to come home, after a decade of living in Korea under a fake name.
And he’s sure that his father’s new wife and children think the same.
That’s why not even three days after coming back home, Cale decided to speak up about a certain
matter earlier than he originally planned to.
“Father."
Cale put down his spoon and fork in the middle of the awkward family dinner.
"I’d like to oversee the business of one of our apartment complexes.”
“Oh?"
His father, Deruth Henituse, looked at him in surprise, but then smiled as he raised his glass of
wine.
"Sure. We’re actually constructing a new one over at the Capital, so why don’t you take over
that?”
Cale answered without looking up.
“No need, father. I have decided on an existing complex to take care of.”
“Mm? Which one is it?”
Cale blankly answered with a poker face.
“Cobblestone Complex.”
Pfffffff—
And just like that, Cale’s father almost died by choking and his step family was in a fit of chaos,
trying to reason with Cale.
“N, no! Oraebuni, you can’t go there!”
“Hyung-nim, Cobblestone Complex is an apartment complex that the family has given up on!”
“Cale, I think there are, cough, better options to choo—COUGH—choOSE FROM—cough,

cough!”
Cale silently sipped on some wine.
‘They say that but Cobblestone Complex is still doing pretty good for a neglected piece of
property.’
5 floors, a swimming pool, a rooftop and it’s near the rural side of Rain city, too, so it’s relatively
peaceful.
If his father ever needed him for something, he could just jog to the main house.
Cobblestone complex is known to be a pretty scary place to be in, too, hence the nickname ‘Scary
Cobblestone’, so the employees from the main house won’t be visiting him too much.
The people employed in the Cobblestone complex would most likely be the gutsiest, or maybe the
trashiest of the other apartment complexes for them to end up there.
And that's a good enough reason for Cale to go and own it.
He smiled a little as he put down his glass.
‘I’m the trashiest trash after all.’

But more importantly, Cobblestone Complex is a haunted apartment complex.
To be more specific, it is a place that was accidentally built too close to an intersection road
between the spirit world and the human world.
For Cale’s family and for most of their employees, "haunted" was the only word they knew to
explain the supernatural phenomena happening there every so often, but Cale knows what exactly
makes the Scary Cobblestone a scary place to be in for normal people.
Cale called it an intersection but it was more like a rift to the spirit world.
It was the second biggest rift there is.
All sorts of spirits can randomly appear in that space and, sometimes, normal people can be
dragged into the spirit world for unknown periods of time and never come back.
It's not haunted, it's just... mm, a bad place to be in if you are a normal person.
“Cale, would you please reconsider?”
His stepmother, Violan, looked at him apprehensively, trying to keep her calm while rubbing her
coughing husband’s back.
It wasn’t just her, her children were staring at Cale with pleading eyes telling him not to go.
Cale cleared his throat as he looked away, uncomfortable with the attention.
“I’ll restore Cobblestone Complex. I’ll make sure of it.”
‘Of course, I’ll keep it a tiny bit haunted so that there won’t be too much customers and too much
work for me, but…’
“Haa…”
Cale blinked and looked up after hearing his father suddenly sigh, while holding his temple.
Deruth sat back on his chair properly as he gave in to his eldest.
“It can’t be helped if you really want it.”
A small smile broke out of Cale’s usually stoic face.
His step family and his half-sister still tried to talk him out of it, but what’s done is done.
He already got his father’s permission and he immediately had Ron pack his backs.
That was how Cale Henituse became the new owner of the luxuriously haunted apartment complex
in Rain City.
The Cobblestone Complex.
“Achoo!”
Cale sneezed while dusting off a few empty bookshelves.
“Young master-nim, are you alright?”

He turned around and saw a gingerhead looking at him in concern with a dusting tool in one hand.
It was the guy from this morning who answered his question.
Er… What was his name again?
“I’m fine. But, this room obviously has never been touched by the monthly maintenance.”
Cale casually wiped his nose with his sleeve and continued on with the bothersome work, a bit
annoyed.
“Well, I heard from the seniors that this one is definitely one of the haunted ones, you see.”
The employee nervously laughed.
“Seniors?”
“Ah? Ah! Yes. I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Hans! I was transferred here from the
main house under your father’s orders around 3 days ago.”
‘Oh?’
Cale stared at the beaming ginger in surprise.
‘That’s almost the same time I told my family I wanted to own this complex.’
“What was your job back in the main house?” He immediately asked out of curiosity.
“Mm? Ah, I was the deputy manager.”
Cale almost dropped his dusting tool.
‘…and he was transferred?
What did he do?’
Seeing the look on his new boss’s face, Hans pounded on his own chest with a determined smile.
“Don’t worry, young master-nim! I may look like this, but I was eligible to become an actual
manager once!”
‘No, but like, what did you do to become ineligible for that in one night?’
Cale decided to not ask questions anymore, as maybe that is a subject that should not be touched.
Just then, an ominous sound suddenly seeped into the room from outside like swamp water trying
to get in.
Ooooooo-
“UGYAAAH!!”
Cale blinked in confusion as Hans dove behind him and then hid there, trembling.
‘What?’
“It’s the ghost! The ghost is here!”

‘Aigoo.’
Cale silently walked away from Hans and spread out the newly changed curtains of the room,
feigning ignorance to the supernatural presence making themselves known at that moment.
“Sounds like the neighbor’s cat has sore throat. Do you think it’s alright?” He coyly said with an
indifferent look on his face.
Hans stared at his boss.
‘This neighborhood doesn’t have any cats, young master-nim.’
“I’ll go help another room. It’d be bad if everyone ends up like you just because of some weird
noise.”
Cale clapped his hands together to get rid of some dust before making a beeline for the door.
“Ah! W, wait! Eek! Don’t leave me here, young master-nim!”
As Cale expected, the other rooms had at least two to three people crouching on the ground or
huddled together.
Some were even muttering bible verses and some sun god teachings.
The problem was that there are only at least two to three people in each room, which means, almost
everyone in each room have succumbed to a single weird noise.
But surprisingly enough, there were exceptions.
“Oh?”
Cale had opened the door only to see a room where a grown ass man is shaking while hiding
behind a drawer while another grown man is just casually dusting the ceiling, unfazed.
Talk about the duality of man.
“Looks like we have someone of my kind, here.”
The guy dusting the ceiling almost fell off the chair he’s standing on, when he realized someone
had come in.
It was his freaking boss...!
Cale smiled as he pointed towards the employee.
“You. What’s your name?”
The employee’s eyes darted around in confusion for some time before answering, “Uh, um…
Ben.”
“Nice to meet you, Ben. Hans, please note to give this man a raise.”
“Hm? Oh, sure. By how much?”
"10% for now. I'll raise it again depending on the future."
"Oooooh."
The employee blinked a few times, trying to process what just happened.
‘Did I just... uh, get a raise?’
“Mm… Young master-nim?”
Hans suddenly started speaking out of curiosity after finding Ben’s name in his notebook and
jotting something down beside his name.
He looked up at his boss as he followed after him to another room.
“Do you not believe in ghosts?”
‘He sure is talkative.’
“I do believe in them, actually.”
Cale answered with a stoic face as he opened a door and found the reoccurring image of three
grown men and women dropped to the floor, hugging each other or just bracing themselves like the
world is going to end.
He can’t not believe in them when he’s seen them far too many times to count.
He’d be a fool to keep denying their existence after all the shit he’s gone through because of them.
“Huh. Then is it more like you’re just not scared of their existence, then?”
“I guess.”
Cale helped the employees stand up.
‘I’m scared of incurring their wrath but it’s not like they can do anything to directly harm me.’
The flickering sensation of smoke spread across Cale’s body as he thought that.
As if the things protecting him we’re trying to agree with what he just thought of.
Cale almost smirked when no one was looking at this reassurance.
“Hehe, well isn’t that reassuring?”
Hans grinned as he pocketed his small little notebook.
Cale’s smile immediately disappeared as he looked at Hans.
‘They can’t do anything to me but they can definitely do some horrible things to you, though.’
He just sighed as Hans hummed behind him and went on to the next room.
--------------
Cale flopped unto his bed and just melted on it right there.
‘Finally. Some well-deserved rest.’
“This morning was such a blast, young master-nim! We actually managed to give every room a
decent amount of cleansing!”
'Ah right, this guy’s still here.’
Cale turned around to see the brightly smiling Hans near the doorway, looking like he’s aching to
go out and enjoy his free time before lunch, but is stopping himself.
He raised an eyebrow.
‘Is he really waiting for me to dismiss him? Well, he wasn’t eligible to be a manager for nothing.’
“You can leave now.”
“Oh, thank God. Bye, young master-nim~!”
‘…he must have been transferred because of that mouth.’
Hans waved goodbye and disappeared with a spring in each step while Cale just snorted.
Now, he's finally left alone to take care of some business.
Cale silently sat up, ruffling his bright red hair, as he closed his reddish brown eyes as if to reset his
own mind and then opened it again, his head clearer than ever.
“Ron.”
“Yes, young master-nim.”
Documents of all sorts were scattered around Cale’s spot on the bed.
Some were just coupon bonds that had cutouts from newspapers pasted on them, while some were
actually printed documents that looked like they were some sort of thesis.
[ Whipper Kingdom Civil War: nearing its end! Loss of Monarchy? Will the Kingdom become a
Republic? ]
[ Whales spotted in the north: It’s just early migration during the summer, says Paerun Republic
Scientists ]
[ Roan Rumors Daily: Where is the President's son right now? President's son spotted in Rain
City!]
Cale casually ignored the documents about the on-going news around the western continent, for
now. Like hell he cares if the Whales decided to change their immigration schedule.
He picked up a printed report from Freesia and her team.
It was about traces of people coming in and out of the Apartment Complex without being noticed
by the security guard and by the employees.
This.
This was unnerving.
He had Freesia and the others come back here a month before him to investigate this place, since
he’s been interested in the most neglected property of his family for a long time, but he didn’t think
that they would find the human equivalent of rats waltzing in and out of this place as they please.
What if those bastards were thieves who’ve been looting the “haunted” areas that the employees
didn’t even try to check?
Or weird terrorists that have decided to ruin this place and make it their hideout?
As if Cale can let this slide.
His gaze fell on the map of the Republic of Roan.
There were scribbles here and there and some areas were circled while some areas were boxed.
He took the map with one hand and looked at the area where Rain City is.
‘These people want to trespass and come face to face with a spirit? Then, so be it.’
A certain hill past the slums had a bright red circle around it.
The words ‘priestess’ as well as the word ‘shield’ were written next to it.
‘That is if they have what it takes to breech this complex’s boundaries in the future, that is.’
Cale put the map and the document down and looked out of the window to see the blue sky and
some fluffy clouds.
The sun should be reaching its highest, right now.
If Cale’s going to live in a haunted neighborhood, he might as well make sure he can live as safe
and as peacefully as possible.
Chapter End Notes
Aiya, hello~!!!
Author-nim here, you can just call me Jal/Jalffy/Jalf/Faith/anything, really, as long as

its not related to sponges (I take great offense).
This isn't exactly my first fanfic but it IS my first TCF fanfic so ehe~ I hope it fares
well since I like the concept i thought of for this.
This monstrosity right here, spawned in the middle of the night out of nowhere when i
was scrolling through the AUs of TCF here in AO3. I really just went and thought "but
what if we can talk to dead people" and proceeded to write it, at awe at how it actually
might work out if i write it okayish enough.
My update schedule for this will be every tuesday~ But that could change midway
through the story if my situation changes. I really want to go with twice per week but
I'm not sure if i'd be able to do keep it since im still a student and have to do my
academic requirements.
Thank you so much for reading this and i hope you stay tuned~! This noona guarantees
that this will be worth your time hehe!
Shout-out to my dearest friend, Dough, for picking the title for this story. If things had
gone wrong the title would have been "Scary Cobblestone complex" and not "Spirit of
a Slacker" HAHAHAHAH
Once again, Thank you! Leave a kudos or a comment if you liked this and want to
have more! That would literally be enough fuel for me to go on a writing spree
sometimes, you see!
Take care of y'all's health always and may God bless you!
Sincerely starving in an island somewhere,
Jalffy
Edit: I edited this a bit. Nothing much really changed, just the format of the
storytelling. Continue on haha
---
New Owner [2]
Chapter Summary
Black smoke ascending to the heavens.
Choi Han dropped the herbs he’d been picking up, his black pupils trembling at the
sight of the black pillars coming from the direction of the village.
“A, Ah… ah…”
He couldn't understand the gibberish that came out of his mouth as the basket in his
hand slipped through his trembling fingers and dropped to the ground, too.
And not long after that, Harris Village burned down.
Chapter Notes
----------
Choi Han was a 17-year-old high school student when he tripped and fell in a ditch while sight-
seeing after the intercampus sword art competition he joined in concluded.
He lost his wallet. And a million of his skin cells due to the long way down. But he survived
nonetheless.
Him and his friends from the competition were being toured by their adviser around the Forest of
Darkness of the Republic of Roan. It wasn’t the best sight-seeing spot to go to, as it was a
dangerous place, but their adviser insisted that it’ll be alright.
‘If we just follow the creek at the edge of the forest, we’ll be alright. Trust me.’
And I guess it was alright for the others, but not for Choi Han.
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!”
His screams pierced through the sky over and over again as he scrambled up to his feet and ran
away from the various odd-looking monsters that appeared with the intention of making him a
tasty snack.
Tentacles and spikes.
Twelve eyes and twenty horns.
There were goblins, trolls and orcs.
And they all wanted a taste of his delicious bones.
Choi Han can only be relieved of the pounding heart on his chest and the fear-stricken complexion
of his face whenever these horrid monsters fought each other as he can only be one meal, and he
doesn’t even have the time to thank the gods for giving him a chance to escape.
How many days has it been since he fell down that ditch and tried to get out? He can’t tell.
Trying to survive in this place, he already lost his sense of time.
He learned how to be quiet even when wounds made it impossible to just silently take in the pain.
He learned how to be vigilant of his surroundings and sensitive to the slightest of noise and
movement. To be able to detect bloodlust.
With the bones of the dead monsters found in piles all over the vast and eerie forest, he made
himself strong weapons to swing, and only when he manages to kill a monster on his own does he
thank his younger self for listening to his dad’s nagging about his sword arts and practicing it well.
He learned how to do anything and everything just to stay alive in this cruel place.
1 year… 2 years… 50 years…
It was only when he realized he wasn’t getting a single bit older, when he finally became strong
enough to have at least a few minutes to spare for idle thinking, that he finally entertained this one
thought.
‘This place isn’t normal.’
And so was he for being able to stay here for this long.
Even if he was able to get out of this place, nothing would ever be the same.
But even so, he can’t stay here forever.
If he does, then he’d definitely lose his mind.
“I… am Choi Han.”
He reminds himself of this, every time he has the chance.
His black eyes would look up at the sky of the forest every night when he camps out instead of in
caves as he murmured this to himself over and over again like a chant that will help him stay alive
and keep his sanity in place.
He’s already forgotten the faces of his loved ones. The names of the friends who came with him to
this place. The way he used to live before ending up in this place.
“I am Choi Han.”
If he wants to get out of here and live, he must not forget himself, as well.
60… 70… 100…
He’s already stopped counting of the years at some point.
He hasn’t seen a single fellow person in this horrific battleground of monsters for far too long, and
he doesn’t question it since it made sense that no ordinary person would be able to survive the
same way he did.
But sometimes when he repeats his chant to himself inside a cave or beside a pool of blood he’s
shed while fighting, he would wonder.
What if there’s at least some people in this forest?
What if there’s a place that’s protected enough for people to be living near here?
His memories regarding these kinds of things back when he was just an ordinary 17-year-old
student have already become blurry. But, he thought that maybe… just maybe… it wouldn’t hurt to
actively try to find one.
He wrote a map. It wasn’t very pretty nor detailed. He just wanted to keep track of the places he’s
went to, the sides he’s scoured and the parts he’s explored.
Every day, starting then, he would wander around fighting monsters in one hand and holding the
makeshift paper filled with writings in blood and dirt.
Filling it up.
Crossing things out.
It was surprisingly fun.
At last, after years of wandering, he couldn’t help but drop this map to the floor when he caught
something from the distance. The map’s been filled up with scribbles and scritch scratches at this
point—all except for one place. One place.
And in that one place, Choi Han couldn’t make out the sounds of disbelief and relief spilling out of
his throat as he tried to process what he saw.
A high stone wall.
The sound of other people.
He could barely contain himself as he ran so fast that he staggered a little before jumping over the
wall, jumping to the other side that was so clear and illuminated by the sun’s light that he couldn’t
help but feel anxiety and anticipation along with too many other emotions at once.
He was happy to find something, angry that he had to be stuck in this forest in the first place.
He was sad that he didn’t try to look at this place earlier.
And he was scared that this was just fake hope.
Has he really escaped that damned forest?
Will he really see people?
Actual people?
After such a long time all by himself?
The answer was clear when he accidentally fell off the wall wrong because of his carelessness and
had to crawl forward while groaning, only to be met by a hand.
“Oh my…”
Choi Han’s eyes widened as he looked at where the voice came from. He lifted his chin and saw a
grandmother reaching out a hand—a warm-looking wrinkly hand, with a gentle smile on her face
as she furrowed her eyebrows together.
She looked confused about his arrival, but she didn’t take her hand away and instead just asked.
“Are you alright?”
The black-haired black-eyed man on the ground silently looked at her for some time.
He couldn’t say anything. His jetblack pupils were shaking just at the sight of the grandmother. In
the far distance behind her, he could see some other people rushing towards their direction asking
what’s going on. There were children playing together with a ball and a man carrying a basket over
his shoulder.
It was noisy here, just like in the forest, but this was a different kind of noisy.
This was a noise he wanted to hear for so long.
“Ah? Okay—oh my, um. Young man? Are you alright? H-hello?”
Choi Han blinked and tears dropped down to the dirty ground as he did. He didn’t notice that he
was crying.
Why is he crying? He should be happy.
He knew he shouldn’t be crying but he couldn’t help but continue crying as he lowered his head
and started sobbing, like a child.
It’s been so long.
No, it’s been too long.
He gladly accepted the hand helping him up as he bawled his eyes out while being guided by these
kind people to their village to get some rest.
Some well-deserved rest after god knows how long.
Just like that, Choi Han was accepted into Harris Village, the rural settlement nearest to one of the
biggest spirit rifts in the continent.
----------
Black smoke ascending to the heavens.
Choi Han dropped the herbs he’d been picking up as his shaking black pupils took in the pillars
coming from the direction of the village.
“A, Ah… ah…”
He didn’t understand the gibberish that came out of his mouth as the basket in his hand slipped
through his trembling fingers and dropped to the ground, too.
And not long after that, Harris Village burned down.
----------
The grandmother that held out her hand was holding out her hand once more, while fallen in the
ground, cold and without breathing.
Choi Han stared at her outstretched hand for a moment, in stupid silence. The hand that remained
outstretched even after it was cut off from the grandmother’s body looked like it was calling for
help.
All of them were probably screaming for help.
Choi Han’s unfocused eyes swept through the slaughtered people around him—in this place that
should have been a warm home.
There was blood everywhere.
There was fire, too.
And there was the scent of death in the air.
‘ChoiHan.’
His breath hitched and went uneven as he grabbed the hilt of his sword, unsteadily.
‘ChoiHanChoiHanChoiHanChoiHanChoiHanChoiHanChoiHanChoiHan’
And then he slashed the first intruder at sight.
“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!”
He yelled with a thick brittle voice as he came at the people trying to finish him, the last survivor.
The corpses on the ground must have yelled the same way he did when they were mercilessly
killed like this. They must have begged for their lives just like how these bastards are doing so now
that they’re at the mercy of his sword.
Before he knew it, he was already charging here and there at the unknown people who were
stabbing down at the villagers that have long lost their lives on the ground, while crying out his
heart.
There was the person who always gave him fruits to eat, lying burnt on the ground.
There was the person who gave him new clothes to wear, impaled on her burning hut.
There was the chief of the village who taught him how to read and write, cold and lifeless while
being held by the collar by one of the masked intruders.
This was too much—
His black sword stabbed at the ground as he staggered and leaned on it, blood and sweat smeared
all over his aching and screaming body.
—for a guy who only wanted so little.
Choi Han dropped to the ground in exhaustion, surrounded by the corpses of both enemies and
friends. For the first time in the long life he’s lead so far, all alone in that forest… Choi Han took
human lives. And he buried his face on the ground as he cried out in despair for both himself and
those who died here, whether it was by his hands or another’s.
‘ChoiHanChoiHanChoiHanChoiHan’
Voices ringing in his head calling out for his name.
Hands that have become cold as ice, reaching out as if to grab him.
Choi Han clawed at the ground with his fingers, so much that they almost started bleeding, as he
coughed out strangled noises from his overused throat.
‘I need to go.’
This couldn’t be the end.
He opened his eyes wide, despite the tears that kept squeezing out of them.
‘This won’t be the end.’
He panted as he struggled to stand up, his entire body aching and his entire soul crying. He racked
his head to remember the things that the chief told him. The things he’s been taught.
With a snap, Choi Han’s tears stopped falling.
‘Rain City.’
The city nearest to Harris Village…
He needs to go to Rain City.
----------
“Hmn.”
Cale looked at the different types of assorted bread displayed in front of him. He’s currently in the
snack isle of the nearby grocery store, doing the groceries, and honestly, he just can’t pick between
all the different colors and shapes presented to him.
He crossed his arms together, a small frown on his face. ‘…I don’t know which kind of bread to
pick. Mm. Should I just buy it all? Yeah, that sounds good.’
The redhead promptly nodded his head and then started speaking as he pointed to one corner of the
display table to the other.
“I’ll have all of the bread from here to here.”
The person behind the help desk of the bread isle looked at Cale in silence for a bit, stricken dumb,
and then at the 1-million-won check that the peculiar young man casually handed over like leftover
cash.
“Ah, wait—right. I forgot that Roan doesn’t use won.”
Cale murmured to himself as he pocketed the piece of paper and took out a single gold coin
instead. A gold coin worth hundreds of thousands of gallons. He peered at the person behind the
desk, his face as stoic as ever. “Will this be enough?”
The employee stared at him in a daze for some time, still trying to digest this otherworldly
phenomenon happening to him, but then blinked as he yelped in a tremulous voice.
“Y, yes! Oh my goodness, let me just pack these up for you, ahaha…”
The employee hurriedly took out a bunch of paper bags and started systematically shoving the
bread in it. A golden goose has just arrived and blessed him with such a glorious and benefitting
presence. The employee muttered a thank-you-prayer to god as he taped up the paper bags,
imagining the digits that will be appearing in his bonus. His boss will definitely be astounded by
today’s profit.
As the employee went on and carried the carry bags towards his customer’s cart with wobbling
legs, a pair of hands took a few bags away from him before he could have the chance to topple. A
tanned man sheepishly grinned at the employee as he heaved some of the bags towards the cart for
him.
“Let me help you with that.”
“Ah! Thank you very much!”
Cale watched all this silently, before looking away towards another section of the large grocery
store, eyeing alcohol yards away like it was prey. He spoke simultaneously as he eyed the shelves
of liquor from afar. “You didn’t really need to come here with me, Hilsman.”
The man, Hilsman, a body guard that works for the main house, looked at the young master with a
cheery smile and a loud laugh, “Don’t be like that, young master-nim! I’ve been specifically
instructed to keep the young master safe at all times.”
The employee let out a small gasp at the mention of ‘young master’ and Cale groaned inside as he
heard the 999th gasp from passerbyers since he went out of the complex. There can only be one
man addressed that way in the northeastern region’s Rain City, and unfortunately for him who
wants to lay low, Hilsman is a very, very loud and chatty man.
‘Young master this, young master that.’
Cale scowled a little, kind of fed up with all the young master talk.
At least back in Korea, no one knew who he was and no one called him by that honorific—no one
even knew he was a high-class foreigner since all he did was dye his hair and he looked just like
the natives.
Honestly, the title of young master itself feels a bit restricting now since he doesn’t really have any
plans to take over the family business.
If Ron didn’t keep calling him that whenever they were at the house back in Korea, Cale would
have had some major adapting to do when he came back here and started hearing it all over.
Cale glanced at the huffing tanned mans’ direction, a little annoyed, since this guy is the one who’s
been saying the title the most in the short time he’s escorting him.
Hilsman was the head of the security and body guards back in the main house however he was
temporarily transferred to the cobblestone branch for Cale’s sake. Cale strongly protested against it
but Violan and Deruth insisted on it. Were they trying to keep watch of him or something? Or did
they want the entire city to know that he’s the kid from all those ridiculous bed-time stories that are
still being told to this day? All grown and shit?
Anyway, that’s how a loudmouth less tolerable than Hans joined him and the cobblestone complex
team.
Cale took out a bottle of wine from the liquor section while Hilsman was distracted with the paper
bags and was about to slip it in the cart.
But then the grown ass man named Hilsman suddenly shrieked, bracing himself.
Cale’s eyebrow shifted up.
‘…what.’
It took Cale a while to figure out what was wrong, and his reddish-brown eyes cleared up.
Right, there was that rumor about him going around, wasn’t there?
Well, it wasn’t completely wrong.
“Catch.”
He tossed the bottle at Hilsman, who, thankfully, had his eyes open wide enough to see it coming
and catch it. He’s got no qualms about those rumors nor will he be trying to clear them up in the
future, however, it’s really annoying whenever the employees from his father’s side just crash their
brain when he pours himself some wine.
Cale pointed at the bottle cradled in Hilsman’s arms, a bit annoyed.
“Bring that back home with you.”
The confused Hilsman stammered as he turned his gaze between the bottle in his hands and to the
young master, “I-is that all?”
“Of course not.”
Cale had an indifferent face as he pulled at a separate cart from the one with Hilsman—a cart filled
with so much breakable condiments and the likes, that made Hilsman pale up in sheer horror. He
bluntly gestured towards the horrifying pile of groceries with his head. “All of these, too.”
And then he started to walk away.
“W, wait! Where are you going, young master-nim?!”
“I’m gonna get a third cart for the wine bottles.”
Hilsman’s face turned white in horror as he froze in the middle of the bread isle like a statue
among curious on-lookers, but Cale’s back has already turned from him and was heading towards
the paradise that is called the liquor section.
‘It’ll probably take around nine… no, ten paper bags filled with bread. Damn it.’
Cale silently lamented for his arms as he foresaw the pain they’ll be going through later on, in
order to put his plan in action. He sighed as he started looking through the different kinds of wine
in the liquor section, preparing for a drink to celebrate the sorrows of his first night in his newly
acquired haunted apartment complex.
‘…should I just buy it all, too?’
Cale Henituse is one fucking rich man.

----------
“That is the end of the report.”
Ben said as he reported to a shadow sitting not far away near a desk, organizing some paperwork.
He calls him a shadow but the handsome young man bedazzled by the afternoon rays coming from
the window behind him looked more like the bright and morning sun even under the dim light of
the room.
It’s currently lunch time back in the apartment complex, so it’s technically free time until 1 PM but
it’s not like they have any tenants to give service to, anyway, so it’s more like it’s free time until
they’ll get some work to do.
During that time, the seniors invited Ben and a particularly cheery ginger to eat lunch with them
but as the ginger was coaxed into coming with those seniors to the cafeteria, Ben managed to slip
away to report to his real boss.
‘Should I have told him about the part where I got a raise out of nowhere?’
Ben thought to himself now that he’s standing in front of the person that he’s truly working for, but
figured that it doesn’t really seem that important so he should just let it be. But then, again, this
boss of his might just give him an even higher raise in order to compete with the salary the new
owner of the apartment complex is giving him.
Just to keep loyalty, you know.
‘It’s not like I have any plans to betray the chief’s great grandson, though.’
Ben shook the thoughts away and silently waited for the person working at the desk away from
him.
Several documents were pinned to the bulletin board next to the desk, and several papers were
stacked around the desk on the floor, waiting to be read, signed or discarded. The person behind all
these was silently skimming through the hurriedly made yet still well-prepared report in front of
him. Finally, he spoke.
“So you think he’s a person who doesn’t believe in ghosts and the likes?”
“It’s just an assumption, right now. It’s barely the first day.”
Ben replied, immediately.
A pair of soft blue eyes landed on the name ‘Cale Henituse’ with a hint of intrigue and a husky
voice answered after much thought.
“Right, it’s just the first day.”
There were many rumors about this Cale Henituse going around. It’s been going around even
before he came back from ten years of being ‘abandoned’. But even so, surprisingly enough, there
is little to no information about where he was during those ten years and what he’s been doing.
The only information about him, other than the fact that he was gone for ten years was that
He’s the eldest and only son of Deruth Henituse and Drew Thames
His mother died when he was 8 from a famous incident where a luxurious cruise ship sank for
unknown reasons in the middle of the ocean, and
Cale Henituse was found washed up on the northeastern shoreline.
He was the only one who survived that incident, and his father subsequently shipped him to some
far away country afterwards. And to think this was the only things they got even after paying tons
of gold to overseas information networks.
“The eldest son of the henituse family… “
Ben looked at his boss who ran a hand over his face, as if to keep himself awake.
There was a cold tone that followed that afterwards.
“I don’t like him.”
Ben flinched but didn’t say anything.
He can understand why.
He also thought it was pretty strange, at first, when he saw the man named Cale Henituse and
talked to him for the first time.
Cale Henituse and the bright sun in front of him.
The two of them felt a bit too similar.
“Mm. Should we test him a little bit?”
Ben’s eyes widened and he was about to argue, knowing full well what that ‘testing’ means, but the
young-looking lady with dark skin sitting on the office couch got ahead of him first.
“Oho. Should we scare this rich kid out on his first night moving in?”
The lady looked at her cute little (but-not-so-little-anymore) nephew with a mischievous grin on
her face.
“Alberu?”
----------
Chapter End Notes
AYE, I'm posting two chapters ahead of schedule because I ended up writing a lot and
figured, why not?
I'm hella disappointed in myself for forgetting to put Hans content in this one. I wanted
every chapter I make to have at least 1 smol Deputy Butler Hans shenanigan TvT
But, HEY, at least I got to write Choi Han, Cale and Alberu in the same chapter in as
early as chapter 2!
Thank you for reading this chapter! Don't forget to Kudos or comment if you liked this
one! The next one is a bit short but thats why Im posting it the same time as this one.
Sincerely rolling in bed because of my second dose vaccine shot,
Jalffy
New Owner [3]
Chapter Summary
‘It was the ghost.’
Hans was just straight up giving himself a reason to be scared now.
‘It was definitely…’
“Hans.”
“KYAAAAAAAAAA!”
Chapter Notes
----------
There was no way Cale could carry more than 4 paper bags of bread at the same time. It was
common sense and yet here he is, carrying five and rewriting the odds.
Cale grumbled as he walked through the semi-rural streets of Rain City with the loads in his arms.
So many people were glancing at him, the struggling red head juggling five bags at once, while
whispering among themselves. If Cale could hear them, it would probably be about him being the
abandoned trash son of Deruth Henituse again, but if Cale did hear them, he wouldn’t really care.
He huffed as he tried to balance the fifth unsteady bag on top of the four others.
‘I feel like I’m practicing for a circus.
Shit.’
But it would have been pretty inappropriate to drag Hilsman, who was carrying way more than
him, along to meet some dead person in the slums.
He recalls how Hilsman tried to come with him. Of course, that guy was shut down in 5 seconds.
Hopefully, he’s went back to the complex already instead of waiting in front of the grocery store
with all those paper bags, looking like a kicked puppy.
‘I need my wine cold.’
Cale frowned a little as a bead of sweat dropped down to his arm. It’s been like… 15 minutes since
he carried these things, so this much shaking is expected for his twig of a body.
He really, really hates doing this kind of labor.
‘Ugh, let’s just get this over with so that I won’t ever have to do this that many times. No, wait,
maybe I should just see if I can check out the cart with me next time.’
The redhead silently mulled over the idea of renting one of the grocery carts for one whopping gold
coin, as he passed by two children.
Wait.
Goosebumps broke out on his arm as he felt a cold sensation on his back and turned around.
There were no children there.
----------
Back in the apartment complex, a certain ginger is bawling his eyes out while cleaning a certain
room that should have been cleaned before.
The complex was relatively peaceful since this morning up until this afternoon but all of a sudden,
a small tremor rippled across the entire building, and some dust from the ceiling ended up falling
on some rooms.
Hans doesn’t know whether he should be scared for his job or for his life in this situation since
there was never a text from the national seismology agency that there was an earthquake. If there
was a text, the phone in his back pocket should have vibrated but up until now, it’s just been silent
there.
‘It was the ghost.’
Hans was just straight up giving himself a reason to be scared now.
‘It was definitely…’
“Hans.”
“KYAAAAAAAAAA!” He gave a thin scream as Ron entered the room.
The old man stared at the trembling adult for some time before smiling benignly like he didn’t just
hear him scream like a little kid.
He looked around the room, “This…”
“It was the ghost!”
Hans cried out, not wanting to lose his job, “I swear, I already cleaned this room, before!”
Ron knows that.
But it seems that Hans is just that desperate to think about whether he knows it or not, rationally.
“The young master-nim already said that there is no ghost in this complex, Former Deputy
manager Hans.”
“And how would the young master-nim know that?! Does he have like some kind of supernatural
third eye or some affinity with the undead or…”
Ron’s smile stayed intact.
Hans dropped the feathery dusting tool in his hand.
“…no way.”
“Our young master-nim does not have a third eye.”
“Oh thank you, Jesus.”
“But this Ron does.”
“HIEK?!”
Just in time, someone walked past the old man who was benignly smiling at the horrified junior.
“Oh, this is my son, Beacrox’s room, by the way.”
Hans swallowed the squeak he would have let out had he not covered his mouth.
The cook that looked pale, gloomy and ominous, like the spirit of Halloween, itself, looked around
at the room, unsatisfied—no, he was definitely disgusted. It was dusty. Dusty all over.
He put on the white gloves that he pulled from who knows where and started cleaning the corner
Hans hasn’t cleaned yet, in silence. Hans carefully and politely inched away while pretending to
just be moving to clean other areas, and he ended up going behind Ron.
“What you said earlier… that was a joke, right?”
“Think of it as you’d like.”
“So it is? Right? Right???”
“I do not have a third eye.”
Hans sighs in relief, but Ron wasn’t finished yet.
“But I do have an affinity for those who have already passed on.”
Hans turned white, and nervously laughed as he inched away from the old man.
“Oh, look at the time?! I think I’m supposed to write my daily report to the boss now! See you
tomorrow!”
And like that he ran away.
Ron watched the ginger disappear from his sight with emotionless eyes.
‘…so he was sent to monitor the young master-nim.’
For some reason, Ron couldn’t help but remember something that often happened back when he,
his son and the young master were in Korea, living by fake names. Back then, the young Cale
would often ask him questions about the dead or about spirits.
“Ron, do you think that ghosts have a throat to eat from?”
“A spirit tube, maybe?”

“I mean, they can eat, right?”
Ron blinked for a few minutes at the specific moment he remembered, before giving a low
chuckle, that made his stoic son look at him with a raised eyebrow.
That was one of the cute ones among the batch of inquiries from back when Cale was 8.
But every now and then, the questions he would ask while looking up at Ron with those
unreadable reddish-brown eyes would be far too dark to be cute. And far too unsettling.
He suspected, for some time, that maybe his young master knew of who he was before he became
the butler that raised him, but it was only a few years later that he found out why he must have
asked those questions.
Back in high school, an unnamed assailant targeted Cale while he was attending a martial arts
event with a friend. It was odd enough that the young master decided to attend such an event—
especially one about sword arts, when he didn’t have any interest in swords.
The assailant was not captured.
According to the CCTV camera, he disappeared like thin air, leaving the unconscious 15 yo on the
ground. However, when Ron and his son came running to the scene after getting a phone call, they
both could tell from the ominous traces left in his body what exactly attacked him.
Both have killed enough to have an acute sense towards the spirit of the dead.
When Cale was 10, Ron taught him this:
There are two kinds of spirits in this world.
There are the pure spirits who were born in the other side—in the spirit realm—and cannot
naturally exist in this world without a ‘calling’ or a human ‘partner’.
The things they can do in the human world are limited and harmless, and they are mostly innately
undetected and unseen, unless they form a contract with a human or unless they are of a higher
class than most.
And then, there was the second kind of spirits—the spirits who were born in the human world and
can only stay in the human world.
These are spirits who were born as human and then gruesomely died.
The things they can do in the human world is far more broad and dangerous than pure spirits.
They are more prone to harming others—and have a bigger tendency of interacting with those who
are still alive.
Unlike pure spirits who can only manipulate the elements in a limited manner under the command
and approval of their contractors in the human world, the spirits of the dead can do as they please
and run amok the living with evil intentions—there is nothing holding them back from harming
anyone.
Ron has suspected that the young master might have a connection to one of the two kinds of spirits
before, but now he has no reason to doubt his thoughts.
On the 8th of November, Cale Henituse was attacked by a spirit out of nowhere.
He knows exactly which kind of spirit he has a connection to, now.
----------
‘What am I doing with my life…’
Hilsman silently contemplated his existence as he carried the loads of bags in his arms with a bit of
difficulty.
He’s supposed to be beside the young master, keeping him safe from danger.
So why is he walking back to the apartment complex with the groceries in his hands?
‘I’ve been demoted to grocery man… I’m just a grocery man, now.’ The tanned man pouted, while
thanking the heavens that the bags in his arms were piled high enough to cover his face.
Honestly, he’s been waiting for the young master by the grocery store, thinking that maybe he’ll
come back there and pick him up or something similar. But of course, he never came back.
Now, Hilsman understands what those dogs from the sob stories in the internet felt like.
He felt a bit like shit.
‘Really… I was specifically instructed to accompany him wherever he goes and ensure his safety…
but he shooed me away like…’
”Go back home. And put the wine in the fridge.”
Hilsman grumbled under his breath as he remembered how the young master specifically told him
to put the excess bottles of wine that don’t fit in his room’s fridge in the fridge of the neighboring
rooms, especially the ones next to him with big fridge space.
He heaved the load of bags with his knee in order to keep the top bags from falling.
‘Should have just brought our own plastic bags… tsk, why do paper bags have to be so hard to
carry?’
Despite his internal complaints, he still continued to walk forward even when the bags obstructed
his view.
The complex should be just bit of a walk from here.
He lightly bumped on a person standing oddly in the middle of the sidewalk but didn’t bother to
apologize as he went on to fulfill the instruction he was given.
As he walked with light steps towards the complex, the black haired, black eyed man in the middle
of the road continued to stand there as if in a daze, panting as if to catch his breath.
The sun was already setting.
He ran for an entire day, but he barely made it here before nightfall.
The young man grabbed his own thigh to support himself, not wanting to fall down now, after he
had come so far.
He has to tell someone about what happened

Anyone would do.
Or else the spirit of those who died, hovering above him and calling out to him, won’t ever be at
peace.
Choi Han took a deep breath and walked forward, even though he has no clue where or to who he
has to go in such a busy-looking street brimming with people here and there.
He held his breath.
Mm, yeah, he’ll figure it out.
The hands of the dead will surely push him to the right direction.
‘Definitely.’
A murderous glint flickered in his black eyes as he grabbed the hilt of his sword and continued
down the path lit up by street lights.
‘I will definitely avenge them.’
Choi Han has arrived in Rain City.
And a headache is coming towards Cale’s way.
----------
Chapter End Notes
This is a short continuation and opening for the events of the next chapter, hehe.
I already have Chapter 4 and 5 written but I'll stick to the schedule and release it on
tuesday. By that time I may have already written Chapter 6 and maybe even 7 if my
academic requirements comply!
Thank you for reading this chapter! I really appreciate it <33!
Sincerely,
Jalffy
New Owner [4]
Chapter Summary
“…?”
His eyes spelled confusion as it examined the thing that suddenly materialized in front
of him.
Did the shrine just… issue him a damage report or something?
But he’s pretty sure he didn’t destroy anything today?
Chapter Notes
----------
A few hours ago.
‘…they’re definitely following me.’
Cale is 100% sure he saw two kids following him. He can bet his retirement funds that he’s not
seeing things whenever he feels a cold and ominous sensation on his back and catches the glimpse
of silver and red floof somewhere at the edge of his peripheral vision.
Tightening his grip around the paper bags in his hand, he swiftly turns around again with a tense
look on his face, but of course, there was no one there, again.
He felt the hair on his neck stand up.
It’s been like this for the past 10 minutes. He would continue walking forward, then he’d catch the
two children following him so he would turn around but then poof! They’re gone. There is no one
there. There’s just purely breathable air.
‘Fuck.’
He thought as he started walking forward at an unrelenting pace, resolved not to look back again,
lest he trip into another one of those supposedly “once-in-a-blue-moon” paranormal moments that
he despises so much.
‘I’m about to get into something troublesome, again. Nope, nope, nope.’
He came here to appease a gluttonous spirit.
He’s not about to get caught into some other spirit’s business before that.
‘Yes, let’s not look back and just keep walking and do our business.’ He nodded to himself, his
heart pounding in his chest as he did so.
There was a rumor circulating that there was a man-eating tree near an abandoned shrine on top of
a hill in Rain City.
When Cale heard people saying it was a black tree, he thought maybe it was a burnt tree, so he was
a little bit disappointed when Ron handed him a picture Freesia took for him and it wasn’t exactly
burnt.
It was an unusual looking tree that was black from the roots up until the leaves. It is said that if
you were to hang yourself there, your body would be gone tomorrow on its own. The tree ‘eats’ it
and saves the money you’d have used to buy a coffin.
The rumor actually sounds more like an ad to get more people to hang there, actually, which made
Cale a little bit concerned, but he just brushed the feeling off.
The ‘man-eating’ phenomenon that enabled this tree to earn its moniker was, obviously, due to a
somewhat vengeful spirit haunting the tree (and in extension, the shrine, according to Cale’s
research).
He had Freesia and Ron look into it before.
It was the spirit of a glutton priestess who seemed to have died of starvation during ancient times
or what not. He had Ron test it a bit on the first day they came back to Rain City, by hanging all
sorts of things on the supposedly man-eating tree.
A mouse, a sick cow, one of the horses from his father’s private stables (this is Freesia’s doing).
Heck, Ron even managed to catch a rabbit and happily offered it up.
Cale shuddered and sped up his pace when he felt the familiar sensation of the hands of the dead
behind him, reaching out to him while opening their dry and dead mouths.
He’s a living being.
He shouldn’t mess with random dead people.
Is what he is thinking but he is literally climbing up the hill to meet with a dead person as he
thought so.
A puff of air escaped Cale’s panting lips as he reached the top of the hill. He almost dropped to his
knees involuntarily due to the exhaustion of his pitiful stamina, but he managed to hold on and
instead drop to his knees according to his will.
The difference in the pain his kneecaps would have felt lessened thanks to that.
He put down the bags on the ground while trying to catch his breath. He wiped away the sweat on
his forehead and looked up at the brightly shining sun that has already gone past its highest
position in the center of the sky, while sheltering his eyes.
The sun winked at him as a cloud subtly passed by and cast a shadow on him.
Cale just scowled at it in return.
He slowly transferred his gaze to something more down-to-earth. He scanned the surroundings up
on the top of the hill.
There was a pretty short fence around the shrine and the tree, just like in the picture he saw.
If Cale wanted to, he could easily jump over it, but why should he waste his energy on jumping
when he can simply walk through the completely broken front gate?
‘…the land really is completely barren, here.’
It’s just like the photo Ron took, as well as the description he wrote.
Cale took up the bags again just to move them somewhere that isn’t on the ground. He quietly
walked over to the abandoned shrine facing the west and put down the bags near it’s wooden
flooring so that he could tug at the rope tied to the rusty bell inside the shrine.
He clapped his hands together and closed his eyes in solemn prayer.
It’s not like he’s religious or anything but this is the decent level of respect he should give a ghost
that used to be a priestess back when she was alive.
Cale’s reddish brown eyes fluttered open.
‘Okay. This should be enough to appease the part of the spirit that was a priestess.’
With that, he stood up and started going up to the tree with the first few paper bags in his arms,
untaping the first bag quite harshly that it rips a little.
The dark burrow underneath the tree was as pitch black as the tree itself.
Just staring at it for a full 10 seconds was giving Cale goosebumps.
He could tell from the feeling he’s getting, alone, that there’s definitely a spirit hiding under there.
That is where the vengeful spirit resides.
He was readying the first bag for depletion but just as he started doing so, someone yelled from
outside the fence around the shrine and the tree.
“Don’t!”
He turned around, reflexively, and saw two kids outside the fence anxiously looking at him like
he’s some sort of madman.
These…
Weren’t these the two kids who followed him but kept disappearing?
“T, that’s a man-eating tree! You’ll die!”
The younger child with red hair a bit darker than Cale’s own locks called out while he is being
held back by what seemed like his older sister.
Cale stared at them in surprise for some time.
How could he not?
They… look too young to be dead.
He subconsciously blurted out “I wont die.” as if to reassure himself that he won’t die young, like
them.
But the two kids weren’t convinced.
They continued staring at him anxiously from afar while their image flickered now and then,
giving Cale a peek at the condition of their physical bodies when they died.
Air.
Hunger.
Run away.
He could feel various things from the energy oozing out of the two kids.
He frowned a little, but muttered.
“I really won’t die.”
These kids died of something akin to starvation. Enough that even after death, their spirit looks
thin and starving. Actually, they must really feel as though they were starving, as dying by
starvation usually makes it so that one of the easiest ways to temporarily appease them is by
feeding them, or letting them “swallow” some food.
But that’s temporary for a reason.
No matter how many times you try to feed a dead person, they can never really become ‘full’.
Because that was a condition that they could only have back when they were alive. It’s too late to
be fed now.
Cale sighed when the two kids didn’t disappear nor go away after he stared at them for a good 15
seconds, both staying and staring at him anxiously like they’re trying to coerce him to get out of
the fence this way.
He pulled out some bread from the opened first bag and walked over to the fence. “Here.” He
handed it over to them.
The two kids look at the bread, takes it a little bit too desperately and then looks at him,
bewildered.
He doesn’t elaborate.
It’s not these kids’ fault that they died this way.
No one wants to die of hunger.
Hunger is the worst.
He turns around and walks back to the man-eating tree and this time the kids don’t stop him.
Good.
Grabbing, the rest of the first paper bag, he hovers over the burrow with a stoic expression.
He can finally get this over with.
“Eat up.”
Without warning, it rained bread on the burrow.
Different types of bread rolled out of the paper bag, big, small, powdered and what not.
Thankfully the bread in the first paper bag weren’t wrapped in plastic.
It would be bad if the spirit choked.
It’s not like ghosts have the tubes to choke, but, you never know.
Better safe from the anger of a spirit than dead later.
The darkness of the burrow started brightening up after he shoved in about 3 and a half bags.
Cale huffed at the work he did.
‘That’s good enough progress for one day.’
He straightened up his back that was aching from crouching for too long, and then glanced outside
the broken fence gate.
The kids weren’t there.
‘…I didn’t think their hunger would be solved that easily with just a single piece of bread. But
that’s good.’
He shrugged and started picking up the empty paper bags scattered on the grass.
‘I’ll come back here early tomorrow. I might be able to at least fill it up halfwa…’
He suddenly found his thoughts trailing away as that familiar cold sensation started creeping in on
his back once again. He quickly turned towards the shrine and backed away with alarm in his eyes.
Wasn’t the ghost supposed to be under the tree?!
His mind raced as he felt the suffocating presence of a spirit right there, inside the shrine. It was an
even greater presence than the ghost of the glutton under the man-eating tree.
But why is he only noticing it now?!
What kind of spirit is…
Meoooow.
He looked down and saw two kittens mewling as they rubbed their faces on the hem of his pants.
He raised an eyebrow.
‘Cats?’
He looked at the cats and then at the shrine and fell in a deep thought process.
‘…No way.’
He shook his head. There is no way that these cats have a connection to the shrine—yeah, there’s
just no way. The feeling is too different.
“…”
He looked at the shrine for some time, before coming near and pulling on the rope against the bell
again, and praying, not really expecting much from the act. But when he opened his eyes, there
was a piece of paper with some chicken-like handwriting on the shrine.
“…?”
His eyes spelled confusion as it examined the thing that suddenly materialized in front of him.
Did the shrine just… issue him a damage report or something?
But he’s pretty sure he didn’t destroy anything today?
He gingerly picked it up, with a stoic expression.
Not that the expression lasted long.
His face twisted as he read.
Was it contorting out of confusion?
Fear?
Intrigue or interest?
Cale would like to know, too, as he squinted his eyes and unhinged his jaw in bewilderment.
‘What the hell is this…?!’
----------
Ben sighed as he swept the front yard of the complex.
The sun is setting and the sky has been dyed a pretty shade of red. He looked up at the beautiful
spectacle that he couldn’t see thanks to the various buildings protruding off the horizon here in the
city, and couldn’t help but be reminded of his peculiar new boss.
His boss went to buy groceries on his first day, looking all annoyed and grumpy as a security guard
from the main house insisted to come with him. And then there’s Ben’s ‘real’ boss, planning to
scare this new boss later tonight.
‘What did I get myself into…’
He feels kind of guilty but the Cobblestone Complex is the nearest haunted infrastructure to one of
the biggest rifts in the Western Continent. The dead mana coming out of that rift—the power or
‘aura’ of the dead—will prove to be too dangerous for humans.
Chasing the owner and the other employees out will technically be a good thing, since being
exposed to too much spiritual energy can negatively affect the living.
It would be bad if his redhead of a boss suddenly succumbs to those effects when he just came
back from who knows where after a decade.
Just as he thought that, a blur of red suddenly came running past him like he was being chased,
swearing while doing so.
Ben blinked, processing who he just saw, and then stupidly turned around.
‘Wait, isn’t that the owner?!’
“Hm? Oh, Ben, you’re still here?”
Hans came out of the apartment complex just in time, a bit pale and sweating for some reason.
He brightly flashed a strained little smile, “I’m sorry to bother you but do you have the Young
Master’s phone number? I need to tell him that I’m going to go home early and stay there for a bit.”
“I… don’t. But, you probably won’t need it.”
“Hm? Huh?”
“Oh! Hans! Other guy I can’t really remember the name of! Nice timing, please help me with
these.”
A walking talking tower of paper bags suddenly started talking at a distance, wobbling a little.
“Hilsman?”
Hans blurted out, dumbfounded.
‘Isn’t he supposed to be with the young master-nim?’
Ben and Hans both take out a few bags from the body guard’s load, making Hilsman sigh in relief.
“Finally. My arms were starting to grow numb.”
The tanned man proceeded to look around rather expectantly in the apartment complex’s grounds
as he asked. “Anyway, where’s the young master?”
Hans’ stare landed squarely on him.
“That’s what I want to ask you?”
“Um, guys…” Ben hesitantly interjected, his eyes following a certain someone who’s getting
farther and farther away as they speak.
“Wait, he hasn’t come back yet? I thought he’d left me to go home for sure!”
“No, he isn’t here. He was supposed to be with you! What do you mean he—”
“Guys!”
Ben cut off the two, before they could start arguing loud enough for the neighbors to hear.
The two stared at the usually silent employee of the complex in surprise, and Ben only sighed as he
pointed at a direction.
“He went that way.”
“What?”
“The owner went that way. He ran past me just now.”
Hans and Hilsman all stared at Ben like he grew another head.
Ben shifted a brow up at their silent reaction. Did he say anything wrong?
He’s sure that was the owner that ran past him earlier since it’s not every day you see a pretty boy
with red hair.
Though it was quite questionable why he was running.
Without thinking much about it, he ended up questioning the things he heard the redhead swear out
loud. “I’m pretty sure he was running towards that direction, saying something along the lines of
‘Where the fuck would I even find unsalted chicken breasts in this area’…?”
Silence descended on the three employees, before both Hans and Hilsman squinted their eyes,
greatly confused.
“Unsalted chicken what?”
----------
‘Fucking shit!’
Cale Henituse prides himself in the fact that he can keep a straight face and a very slow pace while
walking whenever shit hits the fan around him, or whenever the area around him just gets mobbed
with annoying reporters, however, this is just one of those times where he has to run.
‘What kind of fortune paper was that?!’
His life was in grave danger.
It was written so delicately in ghostly chicken-handwriting however it was too ominous of an item
to doubt.
Cale has had his fair share of experience with accursed items, such that Ron has needed to
chaperone him towards some shady places in Korea just to pawn it, or get himself un-cursed, and
that is why one look at the ridiculous thing that appeared in the shrine out of nowhere was enough
for him to know.
This is legit.
Now where is he supposed to find a place that would sell the thing he needs for his plan?
He’s not sure if spirits retain certain biological characteristics they had when they were alive even
when they’ve already died, however, he has no time to know, so he just has to play it safe.
It’s better to play safe than become one with the dead later.
He doesn’t want to invoke the wrath of one or another in this on-the-spot-plan of his.
“Puha…” Cale panted as he leaned on a wall right before a corner. His mind raced as he
remembered the hecking long paragraphs written on the piece of paper tucked in his pocket right
now.
‘Harris Village? Pffft.’
He pushed himself off of the wall and continued running as the words ‘he’ would have said flashed
by in his mind.
‘You see this bottle in my hand? This one bottle is probably worth more than all the lives from
there.’
Cale wanted to curse the fact that he might actually say these words if he had continued with his
extravagant one-man drinking party tonight and came across the one man he shouldn’t say those
things to while tipsy. He never really liked Harris village after all.
But it wasn’t to the point that he would say that, now that he knew what happened to that peaceful
rural settlement just a few miles away.
The entire paper he read this afternoon by the hill felt like some kind of excerpt.
A fragment of a story—a chapter in a book.
It was so ridiculously detailed and plausible that Cale couldn’t help but suddenly fear for his own
life.
The story of a man with black hair and black eyes.
A Korean, Cale noted, after he found out what this man, the protagonist of that story, was named.
Choi Han.
It was a tragedy, what he had to live through.
Cale wouldn’t have been surprised if he had become insane by the end of the story he’s been
provided with.
He found reading the paper similar to reading a story at first, but then things just had to turn weird
from there.
‘Why…’
His eyes shook when he caught sight of a certain name near the end of the excerpt.
‘Why is my name in this thing…?’
Cale Henituse will be beaten to a pulp for being an insensitive and unknowing prick in front of the
main character of the story, Choi Han.
Back in the present—
“Fuck it!”
Cale ended up swearing out loud as he stopped on his tracks and on his reminiscence.
He really didn’t want to call anyone today but…
‘Billos!’
The sound of a coin slipping inside a piggy bank echoed through Cale’s ear and his ear alone as the
space around Cale rippled without any of the normal people passing by him noticing.
A flickering face of a familiar round fellow appeared hanging upside down in front of Cale with
slits for eyes.
Billos Flynn, the illegitimate child of one of the biggest trading unions in the western and eastern
continent. Being an illegitimate child and all, it’s not a surprise that he ended up dying while
fighting as the bastard son, but Cale knows how this guy actually died.
But that’s not important for now.
The piggy bank-like spirit that’s accompanied Cale for a while now tilted his head to the side,
intrigued and a bit confused. ‘What do you need unsalted chicken breasts for, young master?’
‘I need to be a good person for just one day.’
‘Excuse me?’ Billos didn’t feel like that explained anything to him at all.
‘Just go possess some restaurant chef somewhere and give me unsalted chicken breasts. You do
know how to cook, right?’
‘Er…. Must it taste good?’
‘Just do it.’
Billos sighed at the response he received but immediately put on his business smile as he flew
around in a circle before turning towards the direction of the nearest restaurant. A mischievous
smile spread across his round face.
‘How much money am I permitted to take from your order?’
‘30%.’
This piggy-bank like ghost almost gasped in disbelief as his floating transparent body fell on the
floor due to the shock.
30%?
Really????
That much????
Usually he only gets 15% from all the transactions they’ve made so far!
‘Young master-nim, seriously, what is going on? Why are you suddenly being so generous?’
‘Hurry up and do it or else I’ll bring it down to 10.’
Billos scrambled back into the air and hurriedly flew towards the restaurant, craving for that 30% a
bit too much.
Cale watched him disappear into the body of a waiter who suddenly stiffened up before he slowly
walked towards the restaurant, catching his breath and cooling down his body after running too
much.
He sat down and just as he did, a shadow fell over him.
“Excuse me.” A certain smiling waiter with slits for eyes towered over him while holding a piece
of paper and a pen. “May I take your order…” He opens his eyes slightly, revealing two bright
yellow eyes that are definitely, definitely not normal. “Young master?”
Cale smiled in satisfaction as he handed over the menu that he didn’t even look through.
“Two chicken breasts.” His gaze landed on the obviously possessed waiter in front of him and
quickly added, “Unsalted. Please.”
The waiter nodded and was about to go do the deed he’s been entrusted with when Cale’s eyes
caught something nearby. the redhead abruptly spoke. “Wait.”
“Yes?”
Cale pointed at something lying near the counter, piled up.
“That. Give me that.”
He gave out a very bright and honeyed smile.
“I’ll read as I wait.”
----------
Chapter End Notes
Aye, hello, reader-nims! This is your noona back at it again, writing about starving lil
ghosts while I myself feel like i'm starving to death.
On and Hong are finally here~ And yes, im sorry, they are dead But there's
something about them, really. Billos is also dead here and he's the ghost that helps
Cale with his scams. Billos interacts with the world by possessing business people and
initiating transactions. He also 'eats up' money and you'll get a glimpse of how he
subtly does it in the next chapter
There are lots of other ghosts who hide inside Cale and protect him, too, and some of
them might just be people you know. Say your prayers now that certain characters
arent one lf those unfortunate souls that have already died.
Hope y'all stay tuned on this haha! Thank you for reading!
Sincerely working as a communications officer for my introverted groupmates while

internally dying,
Jalffy
New Owner [5]
Chapter Summary
“Huh?”
The waiter blinked his chocolate brown eyes. He grabbed his temple as he tried to
remember a few things.
“W… what was I doing again?”
A small little crashing noise came from the kitchen, all of a sudden and everyone
looked at the direction of the kitchen door, in surprise.
Only Cale was unfazed.
‘Oh, great, he’s possessed the chef now.’
Chapter Notes
In a small inconspicuous house near the Cobblestone complex, a blonde young man opened the
newspaper while he sipped on some coffee to enjoy the free-time he’s granted himself after losing
too much sleep just to finish all his paperwork and after finally having time to breathe.
Too many things have been needed done, lately.
His dad’s birthday is coming up and he, the spiteful eldest son of that bastard, has to prepare to
celebrate that with the prominent people around the country—as assigned to him by his dad,
himself.
The blonde groaned as he saw the headline of the section he landed at in the newspaper.
[The President’s eldest son, planning to run for presidency after his father’s term?]
Now where in the world did the paparazzi’s get this scoop of theirs, huh? From his younger
brother, that little dipshit who technically wants to do the same?
The article was filled with lots of criticism and some far-out theories that the president is
manipulating his own son in order to lengthen his current term through means that the media and
the people will not take notice.
How laughable it is that they think he’s levels below his old man to be manipulated as such.
They all don’t know that he’s actually been handling a significant amount of the president’s duties
behind the scenes and had come to genuinely like it.
I mean, it’s power. It’s control.
And he really… really does want to protect this place.

He’s always wondered about the kind of president this country would need in the future—seeing
that the neighboring countries are showing some really concerning signs of war.
And honestly…
‘Why not me?’
Riiiiing—
The blonde flinched out of his thoughts as an incoming call rang about from his phone. He swiftly
presses the flashing green button, to be met with a familiar voice from the other side of the line.
“Alberu!”
He subconsciously smiled.
“The trio is ready and Ben has sent a signal saying he's ready, too. We can start the operation
anytime tonight.” His aunt Tasha reported, just like how she always does.
In a complicated family that runs for politics in every generation, Alberu had to persist in such a
cold and bleak environment all alone at a young age after his mother’s untimely death. Since his
father didn’t even as much as look his way, no one wanted to serve the one who pulled out the
short straw.
Even if he is technically the one with the birthright, since he’s the eldest.
A competitive family that scrutinizes every single move and action he takes, and uses every single
mistake to try and abolish his position in the household. That’s the environment he’s had to live
with in such a modern world.
No one from his father’s family—especially his newly found one with his new woman—have any
interest in supporting Alberu and building him up.
But that doesn’t mean shit, because no matter what, Alberu has his mother’s family to lean on,
anyway.
The dark elf family.
“Mm? Alberu? Hello?”
Aunt Tasha, his aunt from his mother’s side, must be tilting her head in confusion at Alberu’s
silence but she wouldn’t know that her nephew was smiling gently while listening to her voice—
the voice of her de facto mother, at this point.
Feeling like he’s in a good mood, the blondie tossed his head to the side as he crossed his legs and
started speaking after an undeniably long silence. “Aunt Tasha, do you mind having dinner with
me tonight? It could be our alibi.”
He was thinking of collapsing in his bed after his 15-minute coffee break but then again—it is a
coffee break so he won’t really be able to sleep for the next few hours at all.
“Oho. Only if the president’s son will be paying.”
“Ah, shut it. I’m not the president’s son right now.” Alberu mocked her as he put down his cup of
coffee, but the way he said it was more playful than mocking.
Right now…
He’s not the president’s son who wants to become the next president even when half of the country
is against it.
Right now, in this place…
He’s just a quarter dark elf, trying to chase out some unlucky guy who went and took the
ownership of a haunted apartment complex.
The call ended after they both agreed to where they’ll meet up and Alberu put down the newspaper
on the table as he started to prepare.
The sun has already set.
It’s time to go.
----------
‘Huh. The president’s son, huh?’
Cale silently read the highlight of this week’s issue with a contemplative look on his face.
If he was in this guy’s position, he would have just gone to his father and asked some money, set
up some businesses and investments, and then ran away to live a peaceful life in some peaceful
beach.
The Ubbarr shoreline would be good place to settle in.
No spirits, no haunted apartment complexes, no jobs.
It’s the ideal slacker life.
Oh, wait—there would be Ron and Beacrox, too, though.
Aish.
Cale clicked his tongue as he flipped the page of the newspaper.
He felt a cold breeze come from outside the open restaurant and shivered.
With how this place was built, it’s natural to feel cold but for some reason, he couldn’t help but
feel as if it’s a bit too cold around the place he was sitting at.
‘Eh, I’m sure it’s nothing.’
Cale casually shrug it off.
Not knowing that he is being surrounded by almost a hundred wind spirits—pure spirits that were
spirits as soon as they were born—and their number was continuously increasing by the minutes.
They’re low level spirits that can only manipulate the realm of the living and stay in the living real
after they’ve contracted humans, so they’re basically just air to Cale, who has an affinity for the
spirits of the dead—those who were once humans—not pure spirits, the spirits by nature.
Cale picked on his own ear, obliviously, as the spirits huddled around him in excitement.
‘This guy smells so weird!’
‘Well, that’s rude! He smells just fine to me. He just has a whiff of the dead around him.’
‘Yeah, there are so many scents, it’s so weird!’
‘Oh, his hands smell a bit different from the rest of his body. I can smell a genius!’
‘No, it’s probably a big brother!’
‘Nay, it’s a farmer!’
Cale shuddered and shook his head.
Tsk.
He should have brought a jacket with him.
Billos, who was still possessing the waiter from afar, glanced at the direction of the red-haired
young master and reflexively covered his mouth, not wanting to laugh at the sight of countless
wind spirits rubbing themselves all over the young master’s body.
Thankfully, Billos could only see them, not hear them—it was like a passive skill he’s unlocked
after becoming a spirit himself.
If he could hear what those weird specters were saying while they were manhandling the
disgruntled redhead sitting cross-legged on one corner of the restaurant, he wouldn’t have been
able to stop himself from yielding to hysterical laughter.
He closed his eyes after promptly going back behind the counter, and then…
“Huh?”
The waiter blinked his chocolate brown eyes. He grabbed his temple as he tried to remember a few
things.
“W… what was I doing again?”
A small little crashing noise came from the kitchen, all of a sudden and everyone looked at the
direction of the kitchen door, in surprise.
Only Cale was unfazed.
‘Oh, great, he’s possessed the chef now.’
Cale just shrugs and looks out of the open restaurant, frowning at how it’s already gotten a bit dark
outside. He takes out his smartphone but realizes it’s dead and sighs.
He didn’t get to tell Ron where he’d be going.
That vicious old man hiding behind the guise of a benign one probably won’t worry too much—
Ron has let him do what he wants to do most of the time, anyway.
He probably would get questioned if he goes on with this plan but hey, he can always just say that
he was just trying to bring in a prospective tenant.
Not that he thinks said tenant would have the money to stay for too long, anyway.
Perhaps that guy didn’t have money on him at all.
He sighs and looks at his reflection on the dead screen of his phone.
He frowns a little but shakes it off.
He’s sure that everything is fine.
Everything will be fine.
Cale would probably faint if he realizes how many missed calls from Beacrox he’s gotten in the
past hour while his phone was dead.
‘Yes, everything is probably okay back at the complex.’
Cale nodded to himself and continued to patiently wait for his ticket out of getting beaten up.
----------
Everything is not okay in the apartment complex.
There are the two employees originally from the main house panicking while pointing fingers at
each other, trying to pin the blame on the other for losing the young master when they had one job
—one job.
There’s the other employee who was actually a disguised dark elf trying to break the two apart.
Then there’s Ron just coldly and silently observing Hilsman and Hans panic like it’s the end of the
world (and their jobs) while Beacrox is coming back inside once again with a phone in hand.
The old butler looks at his son, waiting for what he has to say.
Beacrox shakes his head. “There’s still no response.”
“Aaaaaah—young master-nim! I’m so sorry, I should have come with you, after all! I should
have!”
“I won’t be able to find a different job if I get fired because of this! Ack! Hilsman, this is your
fault!”
‘Aigoo.’
Ben, who somehow ended up staying longer than he was supposed to, closed his eyes as he
listened to the two supposedly exceptional employees from the main house bicker like 1st-graders,
jabbing at each other back and forth.
‘Just what the hell…’
The dark elf bit his lip, getting influenced by the stressful yelling of the two employees with him.
Supposedly, him and a trio sent from outside would be scaring and chasing out the owner of the
complex later tonight… but how would they be able to chase him out if he’s not here?
Where did he even go?

How are they supposed to scare someone who’s not here???
“Hans, Hilsman. I think it’s about time the two of you calm down.”
Finally, Ron, the adultiest adult in the room as of now, stepped in with a serious face devoid of
benign smiling. He tugged at the glove of one of his hands while explaining. “The young master
will definitely come home later on. He is like this, you see.”
“But, Sir Ron! Haven’t you heard of that one story about the crazy woman from the neighboring
city?!” Hans suddenly started. “A crazy woman suddenly broke inside one of the most tightly
secured buildings in the country to steal all of that buildings’ wine and wine glasses!”
To this, Ben just had to interject.
“And your point is…?”
“That woman also broke all of the witnesses’ kneecaps in the process! 300 men were sent to the
hospital in one night, like there was a natural disaster going on!”
‘Wait, wait, wait, that can’t be right—’ Before the level-headed Ben could even interject once
again to argue the validity of Hans’ sources, the ginger had already started crying out.
“What if the young master’s knee caps have been broken somewhere in Rain City???!”
‘That is… a bit too…’
The disguised dark elf just kept silent as he rubbed his temples, behind him was an obviously
affected idiot named Hilsman, concerningly pale-faced.
Ron just silently looked at the frantically crying Hans and the dazed Hilsman muttering something
about knees, and then looked down towards the old flip phone in his hand.
It’s not the best kind but it should be working properly.
Was he worried?
This old man?
Maybe.
He tightened his grip around it with an emotionless face, not a trace of his usual benign smile was
on it.
It’s not like Cale has never gone out and come back home after it’s gotten really, really late.
And it’s definitely not like Cale can’t defend himself on his own against other people.
Cale Henituse is a living person loved by the spirits of the dead.
Even if he were to wander through the streets of a city he’s not completely familiar with without
any bodyguards, he’s never alone.
Ron can’t see it but he could feel it at least.
Even if Cale was attacked by a spirit like a few years back, a spirit will definitely defend him
somehow. In fact, a spirit defended him back then, too.
But the problem is that Cale will definitely faint afterwards or lose consciousness. That goes the
same to the other humans in the vicinity. That’s just the effect of a clash between spirits of the
dead.
If Cale was attacked in the middle of nowhere, he’ll end up fainting in the middle of nowhere, as
well.
The puppy young master would be vulnerable to anyone and anything, then.
“Young master-niiiim…”
Hans wails out as he paces back and forth.
Beacrox looks at the messy duo of Hans and Hilsman and sighs, “I’ll go get a signal and try
again.”
He walks out the door with his phone in one hand.
Ron just watches him leave, contemplating on something.
The puppy young master he’s watched over for 18 years sure is getting him worked up on his last
years before retirement.
----------
“Ow, wait, slow down…”
“No, you speed up. It’s just around the corner over there.”
Alberu rolled his eyes at his aunt’s statement as he got dragged away in the dimly lit sidewalk of
Rain City. ‘That’s what she said a while ago.’
Because Alberu is a good nephew, he decided to put his hands up and let his aunt decide on where
they would eat for tonight, since it would mark a very important occasion—for once, they won’t be
eating ordered food inside the house.
For once they’re actually going out of their way to go out even despite the roaring news about him
and his decisions.
He has lots of complaints regarding this trip, however, he’s the one who suggested it so he could
only shut up and let the aunt who raised him in his mother’s place have whatever she wants for the
next 30 minutes to 3 hours.
No extension.
Tasha goes on and on about the restaurant, talking about the best dishes among its eastern style
menu and Alberu just looked at his aunt fondly until she squeaked and said, “Oh and there’s also
apple pie.”
“Apple pie?” He blurted out, a bit confused. ‘That doesn’t sound like an eastern thing.’
“Ah!”
Tasha’s black eyes shone like black pearls as she spotted the restaurant’s signboard from afar and
excitedly tugged at her nephew’s sleeve.
Alberu could only laugh.
“Did Shawn bring you to this place, or something?”
He got a smack at the back of his head as his aunt answered sternly.
“I’m the one who brought him here, obviously, now come on!”
“Yeah, sure—” Alberu lightly laughed but let his Aunt have her way as she yanked his arm
forward towards the direction of the restaurant. But then suddeny, he ended up crashing on her a
little when she abruptly stopped. “Ah, hey!”
“Alberu.”
Tasha’s black eyes blinked a few times before pointing at someone inside the restaurant.
“Isn’t that… the new owner of the complex…?”
Alberu looks over at where his aunt was pointing and his eyes widened.
There was a blurred patch of red sitting silently inside the restaurant.
He calls it a patch of red because… well, he can’t really see it right. And I mean, how can he see
him completely in this situation?
When the man is completely surrounded by hundreds of transparent spirits casually rubbing
themselves against him and talking amidst themselves about his smell?
Alberu wanted to question his eyes for a bit but seeing as her aunt had the same dumbfounded look,
he’s sure his eyes are alright, and it’s just this situation that is not.
‘That…’
He put his hand near his mouth, not sure what to do and how to react to this situation.
‘He can’t see them, can he?’
Just as he came to that conclusion, the blurry image of the red-haired man yawned from behind the
countless amounts of spirits covering him, like his personal space wasn’t getting invaded by
supernatural creatures and the likes, so nonchalantly.
Alberu watched and wondered if he just saw the guy shiver just now.
He nudged his aunt’s side, and she gave a low knowing answer. “Roger.”
A flickering green spirit flies out from behind Tasha’s back.
‘Hey! All of you! What the hell are y’all doing to this poor, poor man?!’
The aunt-nephew duo can do nothing but watch at this point, as the spirit reprimands her fellow
spirits.
‘Ah, noonim! You came just in time! Does this man smell like a lady, a farmer or a kid?’
‘I’m telling you, there’s the scent of a genius between those fingers!’
‘He smells like an ordinary rich kid, to me.’

‘Cash.’
‘He’s definitely a big brother!’
Alberu watched as his aunt’s face contorted in disbelief at all the things she’s hearing through her
contracted spirit.
‘All of you…’
The spirit slowly started huffing, ready to blow a fuse, ‘Seriously… ‘
Tasha gulped as she felt wind gather around the space of the spirit ever so slightly and then the
spirit screamed out. ‘ALL OF YOU, SCRAM!’
And just like that, a sudden cold gust of wind swept through the restaurant from outside, making
napkins fly and skirts come up along with some embarrassed squeaks.
Alberu only closed his eyes as the end of his scarf fell over his disoriented face, and grunted from
behind the face mask he was wearing, disgruntled.
His aunt on the other hand just gave out a small astonished laugh as she looked at him fixing the
glasses on his face, not like her hair needed any less fixing than his.
The other customers were surprised by the gust but didn’t seem to think much of it.
They were ordinary people—normal people who live their lives without being able to see
spectacles such as this one right now, wherein hundreds of different kinds of spirits are all over the
place, groaning after getting one big slap from Tasha’s contracted spirit.
“Hmn?”
The aunt-nephew duo could only stiffen up when the person who was surrounded by those same
groaning spirits just a little while ago was looking around, as if he felt something was up.
Tasha grabbed Alberu’s arm and started dragging him in the restaurant again, while nervously
laughing, trying to look as natural as possible—but Alberu couldn’t appreciate it very much.
“Ack, wait up or slow down! I’m fixing my hair…!”
“Fix your hair later, and just sit down.”
The two settle down far away from the new redhaired owner of the apartment complex that, mind
you, they have been trespassing in for the past few years.
Far enough as to not have to talk to him but close enough so that they could at least see him.
Alberu’s blue eyes couldn’t help but dart towards the direction of the man they couldn’t find that
much information about.
His red hair was truly eye-catching in a restaurant filled with brunettes.
But more importantly…
‘… He looks good.’
Alberu had to admit that much.

The blonde man proceeds to take in Cale Henituse’s features now that he wasn’t blurred by the
spirits huddling around him earlier.
Pale—his skin looked so pale and fair and soft from far away. Cool red strands that reminded
Alberu of intoxicating wine fell by the man’s ears as the man shifted in his position with an
unreadable expression on his face.
For a moment, Alberu thought he had locked eyes with him, and almost got lost in the brown eyes
that seemed too deep for him to see through.
‘Well isn’t he a looker.’
Alberu pretended that his eyes just coincidentally fell on the man and went on with his business,
before he felt something troublesome by his side. He hesitantly turned towards the woman beside
him—his precious auntie—and almost groaned at the face she was making.
His aunt was looking at him with a shit-eating grin for some reason.
“Hmmmmn...”
“No.” Alberu didn’t even need to slice open her head to know what was going on inside it.
“Don’t fall for him, now.”
“Don’t plan to.”
“Ho.”
He really doesn’t.
Alberu’s blue eyes glanced at the red head’s direction once again, this time with a cold and
emotionless gaze.
“We’re going to show him no mercy tonight.”
“Okay, if you say so.”
Tasha’s grin just grew wider as her eyes crinkled into a smile.
Alberu just ignored her and peered through the menu, but just then, something interesting
happened to the redhead he was eyeing just now.
“U, um! E, excuse me…”
A flustered young woman was suddenly approaching Cale with her fingers anxiously wrapped
around her phone.
Tasha blinks in awe at the scene unfolding before her very eyes. “Huh.”
“Can I please h… have…” The woman stumbled on the words she was about to say, and her face
turned bright red, almost as red as the hair of the oblivious guy in front of her, fiddling with his
phone and with the newspaper.
Well, this much is expected for a guy with that face.
Alberu observed this man named Cale Henituse intently, trying to get a feel on this guy’s
expressions for future uses, but then the red-haired man suddenly spoke up in a way no one
expected him to.
“Miss, I think you have the wrong person.”
The woman’s face burned brightly in horrific embarrassment.
Alberu’s jaw dropped to the floor and Tasha only clicked her tongue, feeling for the pitiful young
lady.
“I… I di…don’t…”
“Aigoo, why did you walk over to this guy, Selie?!”
Thank god, a friend of the woman stepped in, gently hooking her elbow and urging her back to
their table.
Alberu brushed his hand against his face in disbelief.
Is Cale Henituse stupid?
“Wait, but I…”
“Don’t you know who that guy is?”
“Huh?”
The quiet little conversation between the two ladies going back to their table where in whispers so
no one else should have been able to hear it.
But unfortunately, there are two people here with elf blood and enhanced hearing is just one of the
basic genes passed down to them.
“That’s the trash guy. The son of the Henituse Head and the mayor of Rain City with his first wife.
I heard he pushed his own mother off of a ship and she drowned or something, and so his dad
shipped him away for ten years.”
Alberu’s ears perked up, but so did his irritation.
‘What kind of nonsense is that…?’
No matter how many times he’s heard the outlandish rumors about this guy, he really can’t help
but be dumbstruck at how far-out they all seemed.
Just then, there was a loud crash in the kitchen, catching everyone’s attention, and then there came
the sound of yelling and arguing, too. The kitchen was closed off to the customers so no one could
tell what was going on inside but when Alberu turned to look at the red-head out of his gut-feeling,
he could see the frown forming on the man’s face as he whispered under his breath.
“Shit.”
A burly looking man suddenly busted out of the kitchen holding a plastic bag with two chicken
breasts inside it like it was some kind of prize.
Whether it was undercooked or overcooked, Alberu couldn’t tell from its appearance, but the fact
that there was a frantic man with an apron chasing after him gives him a reason to think it might
have been cooked either way.
The burly man hung the plastic bag in front of the redhead Cale Henituse, and then shook it a little.
“Two unsalted chicken breasts.”
“W-wait!” The person behind the man pounced at him, almost toppling him over had his build
been a bit bigger. He looked at Cale, apologetically, trying his best to smooth over this situation
and have the breasts cooked again. “I am really sorry. The head chef isn’t exactly in the right mind
today. Could I please take your order again?”
“Mm. It’s fine.”
“Sorry?” The man blinked in confusion as Cale took the plastic bag with the chicken breasts.
“I’m kind of in a hurry, so it’s fine. Thanks for trying, anyway. Here.”
Cale handed over a single gold coin again.
A single gold coin worth hundreds of thousands of Gallons.
After the man caught it in confusion, Alberu saw Cale pat the shoulder of the burly man who
seemed to have cooked it, exclaiming something out loud in what sounded like a grateful tone.
“I’ll be going. I’ll come back again some time.”
It was a bit odd coming from a supposedly wronged customer but there was a conversation
between the two that only Alberu and Tasha could overhear.
“Get out of there as soon as I go out.”
“…Never make me cook again.”
The man handed over a bottle of wine to Cale, which made the redhead smirk ever so slightly.
“That will depend on future situations.”
Alberu and Tasha exchanged glances. They’re both sure they heard that right.
Cale henituse took his hand away from the man’s shoulder and started walking out, and as soon as
he disappeared from sight, the man—the head chef—started wobbling. This dead give-away
allowed the nearby customers to be a bit too prepared when he suddenly collapsed towards their
table.
The restaurant was turned upside down in chaos, as the staff from the kitchen came running and
the customers looked on in worry, wondering what happened.
Only Tasha and Alberu were the ones who could keep a straight face in this pre-determined
situation.
The noise around them felt distant as the two looked on in serious silence.
It was Tasha who broke that silence.
“I barely noticed it.”

Her black eyes were shaking. She only noticed it at the last second before he left.
There were too many spirits hanging around in the restaurant because of that guy so she didn’t
think much about the spiritual energy in the air, but just now… surely…
‘That was possession. A specialty of ghosts—the spirits of the dead.’
Creak—
Tasha looked up as her nephew suddenly stood up from his seat. “Alberu?”
The blonde nephew of his just grinned at her reassuringly before saying in a hushed voice amidst
the chaos of the restaurant, “Stay here. I’ll go follow him for a bit.”
“What about your food?”
“Order me what you think I’ll like and take it out.”
Tasha stared at him in concern but nodded anyway. She silently watched as Alberu went out of the
restaurant on his own to stalk the surprising owner of the apartment complex.
They were sure he would just be another normal human.
Based on their research so far, Deruth, the head of the Henituse family, is completely normal, with
no connections to the spirit realm and the dead. They thought his son wouldn’t have any either.
But what happened just now changes that certainty of theirs.
And it might definitely change their plans, too.
In the far corner of the restaurant, the assistants in the kitchen slapped at the head chef’s cheeks,
“Hey, hey, sir, wake up!”
Slap, slap, slap.
“Aye, let me try.” One of them shoved the other aside and started slapping the other cheek of the
unconscious scary-looking man.
Slap, slap, slap.
“…”
Slap, slap, slap.
“…this is way more fun than it should be.”
“Ack, stop it, you two!” The manager of the restaurant finally got in between the two and snatched
the fallen check on the ground, worried that it might become invalid if stepped upon. Just how
much did that red-haired punk give the chef for that crummy cooking that he would faint like this?
‘…’
The manager’s eyeballs almost slid out of his eyes.
‘H-hold on, h-how many wh-wha…’
“Huh? Why do I feel like it’s missing two zeroes there…?” The manager’s heart almost jumped
out of his throat when the man with the apron who was closest to the head chef when he collapsed
suddenly spoke up with a perplexed expression.
The assistants in the kitchen scoffed at the guy, “You must be imagining things.”
‘…’
The man skeptically stared at the number in the check but decided that maybe he really was just
imagining things. He only saw it for a brief moment, after all.
“HOH—!”
The previously unconscious head chef suddenly jolted forward with wide eyes, sweating. He
looked like he woke up from one heck of a nightmare in that brief period of being unconscious, and
it didn’t help that his cheeks were red and stinging.
“Aye, big guy, are you okay?!” The crowd huddled around him to check on him.
The head chef blinked, still a bit out of it, before he held the side of his forehead with furrowed
eyebrows.
“I think I almost reunited with my mother in heaven.”
--------
Chapter End Notes
OMG IM SO SORRY, I FORGOT TO POST YESTERDAY QWQ
I got it all prepared yesterday but then I ended up promising my brother that I'l go see
the lights with him. I thought that it would just be like a 1-hour stride around the plaza
but turns out the lights he was talking about, in fact, WASN'T the plaza, and I ended
up going to a 4 hour light fest in a university wearing all the things that students are
NOT allowed to wear---
It also doesn't help that it was nighttime and I wore shorts.
I may or may not have collapsed to bed afterwards and forgot about every other thing I
had to do bUT ANYWAY--
I WILL MAKE IT UP BY POSTING DOUBLE TODAY!
There might be a bit of a gap in the timeframe of the two chapters i'll be updating
because i dont know when my mom's gonna whisk me away to the birthday of a
friend's daughter's son (for free meal haha) but rest assured I WILL make sure to post
double.
Sincerely in a rush and has been lacking sleep due to my brother,
Jalffy
New Owner [6]
Chapter Summary
“Oh, Alberu—”
“Cancel the Plan!”
Tasha’s voice didn’t get to finish as Alberu silently shouted.
“W, what???”
“Cancel the plan, right now! There’s a change in the situation!”
Chapter Notes
“Is another one following me again? Ah, geez.”
The streets of Rain City looked particularly quaint when lit only by the street lights.
Alberu was a dozen or more meters behind the redhead but he still couldn’t help but feel tense at
what he overheard him say with his enhanced hearing. He wasn’t the type to do these kinds of
reconnaissance, however, he just had to see it for himself.
He watched as the resident trash bag of the neighborhood (as claimed by the rumors) kicked a
small stone away from the road and then take a drink straight from the wine bottle in his hand
afterwards.
‘…??????’
Alberu’s mouth was probably bobbing up and down weirdly, unaware of how to react to what he
just saw.
Yes, true, that was quite the picturesque scene for someone who’s rumored to be trash, however,
who the fuck realizes they’re being followed again and then decides to chug some liquor instead of
running away or calling them out?
Is Cale Henituse just drinking his way out of the sorrow of being stalked?
‘What a peculiar bastard.’
This man knows that he’s being followed by a suspicious someone and his reaction is to complain
and get himself drunk.
‘He’s like a typical drunkard making drinking the answer to everything.’
Alberu kept himself from sighing, but then his eyes caught sight of something in the far distance.
His soft blue eyes like the sky when the sun is out—his disguised eyes that can see things that most
others cannot—narrowed.
‘…Who’s that?’
-------
‘It’s him.’
Cale praises a certain piggy-bank like spirit for giving him some wine before this.
He couldn’t possibly go through with this plan without alcohol.
As Cale walked down the street, he could immediately spot a black-haired, black-eyed person clad
in black all over. The Korean who got stuck in the second biggest spirit rift in the continent was
sitting on the floor with his head hung low.
He can’t tell what’s going on in this guy’s head, however, he does know that he must not piss this
guy off. Or else the prophecy of the scritch-scratch fortune slip would come true and he’ll get
beaten til his face is unrecognizable.
A shiver went down his spine.
Cale Henituse hates pain.
And he also doesn’t like to win uncertain and temporary victories.
He could just make it so that he won’t ever need to meet with Choi Han so that he won’t end up in
a dire situation. And even if he accidentally meets Choi Han he could just keep his mouth shut
about anything related to Harris village.
However, doing that would make it uncertain if Choi Han is dangerous to him, or not.
Cale Henituse is efficient in his plans. He’d rather choose 10 years of peace rather than 10 years of
crippling worries about whether or not Choi Han is a friend or a foe that will disrupt said peace.
The redhead casually walked past the man in black and then stopped as he turned to the left.
‘It’s better to get rid of the variables from the get-go.’
There were two kittens, red and silver, meowing and rubbing against each other a bit far away from
Choi Han. According to the fortune slip, Choi Han would end up with a sprained ankle because he
tried to avoid these kittens while he was running around, but he ended up passing through them.
Since they were spirits.
“You can see them?”
Cale’s eyes moved to observe Choi Han, who suddenly asked him a question even though his face
was cast down. He eyed the kittens again—the kittens from this afternoon by the hill—and
shrugged with one hand holding a bag of chicken breasts and another around his wine bottle. “A
little bit. You can, too?”
“…”
‘I expected as much.’ Cale just blinked, indifferent to the silent response.
He squatted down to the kittens’ level, making the silver one hiss at him in alarm but he just patted
its head in response.
‘Cold.’
His hand went through, obviously, and Cale couldn’t help but frown a little at the feeling of his
hand being engulfed in cold air.
The red kitten approached Cale and started rubbing its head on the hem of his pants, just like this
afternoon, and meowing while looking up at him, expectantly. Specifically, at the food in one of
his hands.
Cale kept a straight face as he pretended to realize that ‘Oh, you guys want this food?’ and asked,
“… Are you hungry?”
The kittens meowed.
Yeah, if Cale knew anything about stray cats it’s that they’ll play cute for food.
The redhead took out the chicken breasts from the plastic bag he brought and started cutting it into
little pieces with his hands to help the kittens be able to eat it easier. Or at least, absorb it easier if
that’s a better word.
He could feel Choi Han’s gaze on him.
“They’re dead.”
“I know that.” Cale answered without even looking at him. He watched as the kittens slowly ‘ate
up’ the chicken breasts on the ground, and added, “Don’t you know that there are lots of ways to
appease the dead, even if it’s temporary?”
Choi Han continued to stare at him for a while in silence.
But Cale is sure that he’s starting to think about his own share of dead spirits to appease after
hearing that.
Putting a hand on the wary silver kitten again, Cale asked as if he was talking to the cats.
“…Do you have a place to go? A place to sleep in?”
There was silence.
“Hey.”
Cale stood up and met Choi Han’s gaze for the first time.
Reddish brown meets black.
“Come with me.”
Choi Han looked at the red-haired man in front of him, illuminated by moonlight, as the redhead
continued, casually, without batting an eye.
“I know a place.”
‘The best way to get rid of the uncertainty of whether or not Choi Han will beat me up in the
future…’
Cale thought as he stood in silence in front of the black-haired man whose mouth slowly opened to
speak something.
“I’m hungry.”
A small smile broke out of Cale’s face.
“Okay then. I’ll feed you. So follow me.”
‘… is to give him a good impression. With the power of food.’
-------
‘I knew it!’
Alberu’s eyes trembled at the entire sequence he just saw and overheard.
Cale Henituse can see spirits, even if he claims it is just a little bit.
“Don’t you know that there are lots of ways to appease the dead, even if it’s temporary?”
Alberu held his head as he tried to process this new information that wasn’t available to him until
now. That sentence alone was enough for him to be able to say with confidence that this man, Cale
Henituse, knows more about the dead and spirits than he let on.
It wasn’t just that he could see spirits. The fact that he can oh-so-casually declare that he knows
how to calm down vengeful spirits is already mind-blowing in itself. Does the head of the Henituse
family know his son has this knowledge?
Alberu’s actually surprised that the redhead hasn’t taken advantage of his own capabilities and
earned money by exorcising ghosts and the likes here and there. But that wasn’t the end of
Alberu’s surprise.
The problem isn’t that Cale Henituse can see the dead. The problem is that Cale Henituse
nonchalantly decided to feed a random person in the street by bringing it back home with him and
that random person surprisingly oozes dangerous amounts of spiritual power—specifically from
the spirits of the dead.
That man clad in black was obviously a foreigner, that may even be on the run. Black hair isn’t a
very common thing in Roan.
Alberu tensely watched as the black-haired man stood up and started following Cale down the
street towards the apartment complex.
There is a strong stench of death on him. A strong one that feels relatively recent, too.
Alberu could tell that Choi Han has probably killed a lot of people less than 24 hours before this
encounter, and that’s not helping him feel less distressed over him entering the complex.
‘If this guy comes in, then…’
He fears that the dark elves he’ll send inside tonight would be slaughtered by him if they mess
things up. He quickly fumbles with his smartphone immediately and punches in the emergency
number.
“Oh, Alberu—”
“Cancel the Plan!”
Tasha’s voice didn’t get to finish as Alberu silently shouted.
“W, what???”
“Cancel the plan, right now! There’s a change in the situation!”
“I-I can’t do that now—they already went in a few minutes ago! They announced it in the group
chat and when I tried to call them to tell them to wait, it wouldn’t go through!”
Alberu pinched his eyebrows at his aunt’s flustered explanation, biting his lip apprehensively.
‘Those idiots…’
Now, no matter how much they call them and text them, it would definitely not go through.
Why would that be?
Well, if Alberu learned anything from trespassing that haunted apartment complex a few dozen
times before and from being tightly connected to spirits thanks to his dark elf lineage, it’s tha,
apparently, vengeful spirits have a way to make it so that you really wouldn’t want to live there.
He sighed.
There is no signal inside the Cobblestone Complex.
-------
Hans and Hilsman are still wailing while waiting for the young master.
Ben is also still there, beside the two, reluctantly, as he needs to be in the complex for the mission.
His role as the insider is important.
There’s also the old man looking at his old flip phone with an unreadable expression, but Ben can
hardly notice that this inconspicuous old man is there.
They’ve all silently agreed to stay in Beacrox’s room, much to Beacrox’s dismay, killing time by
imagining the various horrible things that could have happened to the young master and the
various horrible things that could happen to their career.
Ben threw an uncomfortable glance at Hilsman and Hans.
“Shouldn’t you guys go home soon? It’s getting really, really, late.”
“No!”
The two stubbornly wanted to stay.
Right. What did Ben expect.
Hans pursed his lips together as he muttered, “I’m not going home until I know that the young
master is safe. Since I might lose my job, if I don’t confirm his safety.”
Hilsman vigorously nodded his head in agreement, as he was in the same situation as the ginger,
“Yeah!I’m not going home, either! I’ve been instructed to stay by the young master’s side 24/7
after all! Or else I might lose my job from Mrs. Violan.”
Ben stared at the two in pity.
Guess they’ll be chased out along with their young master when he gets back, then.
Creak—
The door to the room opened with a creaking sound. They all turned to see Beacrox coming back
inside with his phone in one hand.
“No signal on the roof, either.”
‘Well, no wonder this place doesn’t have tenants.’ Ben thought, flatly.
They’ve been trying to contact the owner for the past few hours but not a single call has been going
through. Or more like not a single call has been possible inside the complex.
Hans and Hilsman grew quiet after hearing what Beacrox said but you can see the distress in their
face.
Maybe they’ve finally gotten tired of speaking.
Ooooor they’re just scared of annoying Halloween-guy Beacrox, you never know.
There was an unsettling silence inside the room for a while, but it didn’t last long when the voice
message system that connected every apartment to the security guard’s house and the manager’s
house suddenly boomed, out of nowhere.
“Beacrox. Beacrox, are you there?”
Hans and Hilsman squeaked at the same time, their faces suddenly lighting up in hope. They know
who owns this voice, after all.
“YOUNG MASTER!”
The two employees cried out, teary-eyed but relieved, much to Beacrox’s irritation.
Ben thought he heard a sigh from behind him but when he turned around, he only saw the owner’s
old butler who, after locking eyes with him, mouthed, “What did I say?” with a smile.
“My phone died, my bad. Can you cook some steak? I like the one we had back in the hotel at
the capital. Bring one to my room.”
Beacrox grumbled as the young master went on with his request like nothing serious almost
happened. He took the mic from the device wall and answered, a bit begrudgingly, “Alrigh—”
But Hilsman snatched the mic away from his hands, “YOUNG MASTER-NIM! WHERE HAVE
YOU BEEN?!”
Hans squeaked as he came close to the mic to speak, “Young master-nim, you worried us there.”
“Oh?”
Cale blinked from the other side of the line upon hearing the two employees he just needed while
he hung around inside the sleeping security guard’s house.
“Great, you guys are still here.”
He glanced behind him and the security guard who’s snoring away on a chair, and saw a blank-
faced Choi Han looking around the insides of the house, looking like he’s undergoing some culture
shock.
The man who’s been stuck in a spirit rift for hundreds of years was looking at the mic in Cale’s
hand, rather curiously, and Cale can’t believe that just earlier this guy looked like he was trying to
measure whether or not he can kill him.
“Hans, go prepare a room.”
The employees in Beacrox’s room turned to the voice system with an odd gaze.
Cale who can’t see this from the security guard’s house just continued on with an indifferent look
on his face as he announced for the employees to hear.
“We have a guest, everybody. Chop-chop.”
-------
Cale opened the doors to the apartment complex’s common areas only to be met by a crying
Hilsman charging towards him with open arms.
“YOUNG MASTEEEE—ECK?!”
Cale casually sidesteps, making Hilsman crash on someone else instead.
“Welcome home, Young master-nim.”
Ron greeted Cale with a benign smile, as always, but for a moment, there was a sharpness in his
eyes when he laid his eyes on Cale. This made Cale feel chilly for some reason and wonder what
he did that could have earned him this welcome.
But actually, it was someone behind Cale that Ron was looking at.
Cale smoothly avoided looking at the old man, and instead transferred his gaze to the groaning
Hilsman behind him who was yet to realize what kind of wall he collided with.
Said-wall turned out to be a tall 17-year-old foreigner wearing black all over.
Hilsman’s eyes widened as he looked at Cale and then at the intimidating foreigner and then back
at Cale, but Cale only had one thought while watching the confused Hilsman.
‘Choi Han is… mm, quite sturdy.’
Finally, the bewildered Hilsman collected himself and cried out.
“Young master-nim, who’s this?!”
Cale just shrugged as he leisurely strode off, “He’s a temporary guest. Treat him well. I’ll be
paying for his food and lodging for now since it doesn’t seem like he has any money on him.”
An “ah” sound came from behind Cale, and it seems like Choi Han’s just realizing now what
exactly he forgot when he came in the city.
‘Well, it’s not like he would have scavenged the remains of the burning villages and stole their
money, even if he did remember.' Cale told himself as he remembered the description of Choi Han
in the scritch scratch fortune slip.
He glanced behind him to see Hilsman looking like he’s trying to pick a fight with this lost
teenager who’s actually 100+ years old and 100x stronger.
‘Though he was originally going to beat me up in the future, Choi Han is a good person.’
Fueled by justice. Fights for the good. Saves the poor.
That kind of good person, the Main Character kind of person. At least, according to the fortune
slip.
Cale suddenly felt a shiver down his spine and just shook his head lightly before looking towards
his butler and handing over the empty wine bottle he’s been carrying around. “Ron, make sure that
our guest is well fed and is comfortable with his room.”
It would be better for the employees of the apartment complex to have at least one person to serve
as a ‘tenant’ so that their services don’t get rusty. Though Cale is sure his father will handle any
kind of complaint regarding Cobblestone Complex for his sake, it’s better to not earn that much
complaints at all.
‘We just have to be decent and it’ll be fine.’
Choi Han would be a great first tenant for the employees’ warm-up.
The old butler stared at Cale and then at the guest for some time in silence, before bowing
solemnly. “I will do as you say, young master.”
‘Great.’
Cale smiled in satisfaction.
If Choi Han gets nice treatment from here, the chances of him beating Cale up would significantly
lower.
“Young master-nim, I’ve prepared the room… oh, you must be the guest! Welcome!”
Hans came in the common areas and smiled brightly at the sight of a guest. He hopped over and
secretly whispered to Choi Han. “Don’t you worry about a single thing, I got you the safest room
there is. No ghost can touch you there. I even put a jar of salt just in case.”
Choi Han’s expression suddenly turned odd as soon as Hans started talking about ghosts, and he
subconsciously looked over at Cale.
You can see them, too?
He couldn’t help but remember the conversation they had just a while ago.
“Hans.”
“EEK! Yes, young m, master?!” Hans turned around with his hands nervously clasped together.
“It’s already pretty late, so why don’t you sleep over for tonight? Just pick a room and ask Beacrox
if you’re hungry.”
Hans quickly turned visibly pale from the suggestion alone.
Ron, who was suddenly beside the ginger, smiled benignly as he said, “Don’t worry, this Ron will
get you the safest room there is. No ghost can touch you there. I’ll even put a jar of salt, just in
case. Hohoho…”
Obviously, Han’s whispers to Choi Han did not go unheard.
Cale just sighed as he watched Hans give up and prepare to not be able to sleep a wink in the
apartment complex. He then saw Ben from the far distance and his face lit up in surprise, “Oh.
Even this guy is still here.”
Ben awkwardly tried to look away, a bit guilty of something that hasn’t happened yet, but he had to
make eye contact with his boss or else it’d make him suspicious.
Cale patted the disguised dark elf on the shoulder and grinned genuinely, “My eyes aren’t wrong.
You really do deserve a raise. I like your attitude.”
‘…Bury me underground. Right now.’ Ben wanted to internally wallow in his guilt.
Cale retracted his hand and then proceeded to walk towards the stairs. “Well then, I’ll go rest in my
room. If you need me...” Cale ended up stopping as he felt someone strongly tug at his sleeve.
He slowly turned around after hearing the loud and offended “Oy!” from Hilsman and the confused
sounds coming out of Hans’ mouth, and now, he could see that his special guest, Choi Han, the
man who, according to the exquisitely detailed fortune he got from the shrine, would beat him to a
pulp due to certain circumstances, was tugging at his sleeve to stop him from going away just yet.
Cale wanted to nervously laugh but ended up gulping instead after seeing his clear black eyes.
He couldn’t read the emotions behind it.
It’s not like it was hiding any emotion, really, it just felt like… it had too much.
“…Do you need something?” He internally praises himself for squeezing out that question while
looking as stoic as possible.
Choi Han stared at him earnestly, opening and closing his mouth a few times.
For Choi Han who came in the city after killing people for the first time in his life, this red-haired
stranger treating him this kindly felt like a gift from heaven.
But then he shook his head and put it down, not looking Cale in the eye as he answered.
“I… have a request.”
“You have the nERVE—KE?!”
Hans pinched Hilsman’s arm rather harshly before he could finish.
‘Thank you, Hans.’
Cale closed his eyes for a moment to internally thank the ginger for his better judgement.He then
looked back at Choi Han. He has an idea on what his request might be.
The fortune slip was detailed, remember?

So he knows that somewhere near the Forest of Darkness, the village that Cale didn’t really like
when he was young is no more.
It’s been burnt to the ground and everyone’s been slaughtered except for the guy over here, pulling
at his shirt with various emotions swirling in his eyes.
It would be wrong for Cale to say that he could understand this guy’s pain, especially since he also
found out through the fortune just what kind of person this guy is. A guy who’s been stuck inside a
spirit rift for who knows how long, survived and escaped.
Cale’s sure no one would be able to understand that kind of pain. However, Cale understands a part
of what this guy must be feeling as the only survivor in that rural settlement.
Since he was a survivor once, too.
However, Cale’s had enough with dealing with the dead for the day.
So his next course of action would be…
The redhead just sighed and pointed towards the ginger beside the glaring pitbull named Hilsman.
“Tell Hans your request.”
Hans flinched with a funny expression on his face.
…to pass this ball to someone else.
“He was eligible for the position of manager back in the main house. He’ll be able to help you out
with most requests.” Cale explained, feeling the effects of the long day grabbing at his weak
ankles.
Choi Han looked at Cale in silence for a bit, still holding unto his sleeve.
“…you don’t even know who I am...”
“Do I need to know anything other than the fact that you are less priviledged than me?” Cale shot
back, immediately with an annoyed tone as he tried to shake off the hand holding unto his sleeve.
Key word: tried.
‘…dammit.’
Cale’s hands did not move a single bit out of place under the man’s grip, at all.
His mouth formed a line.
Seeing the annoyed expression on the redhead’s face, Choi Han withdrew his hands on his own,
finally giving Cale the freedom to turn away and walk straight to bed.
Cale turned away from him immediately.
Unlike Cale, Choi Han doesn’t have any family members here—like a father. Unlike Cale, Choi
Han didn’t have money on him, only more than a hundred-years-worth of experience in fighting
against spirits in the spirit realm connected to the forest of darkness. Unlike Cale, Choi Han
definitely didn’t own a roof to sleep under.
“Ron, take care of him well and escort him to his room, if you could.” Cale instructed before
heaving him and his tired body up the staircase.
“Yes, young master-nim” was Ron’s reply as always.
Cale felt a sense of relief. If it’s Ron, he’ll know what to do for sure.
The paper stuffed inside Cale’s back pocket quivered a little as Cale disappeared up the stairs,
aching to get himself a few drinks to wallow in sorrow for getting himself involved with yet,
another killer.
‘Since Ron’s killed different kinds of people before, he might understand Choi Han better than
Hans or I would.’ He thought to himself as he looked forward to some well-deserved sleep.
Cale actually thinks the two might even click.
And, boy, was he so wrong.
-------
“… Is this my room?”
Choi Han warily asked as he eyed the old butler’s back.
He’s been escorted to a room just as planned, but his instincts after being constantly in danger for
countless years were telling him something was up as he stepped inside a room and found that
there was another person there.
The old butler stopped walking as soon as he reached the center of the room.
“No. It is not.”
His voice was laced with a hint of hostility that didn’t go unnoticed.
Choi Han subtly touched the hilt of his scabbard, as if to ready himself, and as he did so, the man
next to the bed suddenly pulled out a cooking knife from his drawer and the old man in front of
him swiftly turned around with a dagger.
The two men charged towards him but Choi Han was calm as he dodged, parried and even fought
back.
There’s no reason to be scared of these two people who were attacking him from out of nowhere.
They are weaker than him, after all.
Choi Han’s eyes showed no emotion as he stared at the two men after his life.
“Come.”
-------
Hans stopped walking through the corridor of the 2nd floor and turned around while carrying a
bunch of linen in his arms. “Huh? Did you hear something just now?”
Ben looked back at the ginger with a raised eyebrow. There were some basic needs within his
arms, like new shampoo and soap and other commodities.
He shrugged his shoulders.
“I’m sure it was nothing.”
Hans pursed his lips together, deep in thought.
But in the end, he just shook his head and just continued walking., “Yeah, you’re right. Hey, Ben,
was it? Are you going to sleepover, too? Let’s be neighbors for tonight!”
“Uhm, no thanks.”
“Awww, why?”
The two employees walked towards their chosen rooms under the dim light of the apartment’s
hallways. A spirit flickered into reality as it detached itself from Ben’s back and flew across the
hallway towards three other spirits.
At cue, three people hidden within the darkness slyly smiled as they received the signal they’ve
been waiting for.
It’s time to scare the fuck out of the people of this apartment complex.
-------
Chapter End Notes
AYE!
Time to get blood on my hands, next chapter.
I kinda feel bad that I portrayed three dark elves as idiots coz I personally think dark
elves are "crack but not dumb. Very competent nice people. Crack, nonetheless."
But anyway, YOU CANT SLEEP YET, YOUNG MASTER-NIM BUHHAHAHA
Sincerely laughing menacingly alone in my room with the lights out,
Jalffy
New Owner [7]
Chapter Summary
“You dare ignore our presence like this?” The dark elf kept talking while secretly
gesturing to the two others to play along with his bullshit. “This great and mighty
spirit will put you back to your place.”
Spirit.
Spirit, huh?
Cale slowly turned around to look at the intruders with a scowl on his face at the
mention of spirit.
Chapter Notes
Several empty bottles of alcohol were scattered on the ground.
Clunk.
Another one just got added to the pile.
Most drunks wouldn’t have been aware of what time it is because they’d have already passed out at
this point, but Cale is just built different.
The redhead downed another bottle as he sighed while lying on his bed.
How many sighs has left his mouth this day? He didn’t bother to count, but it’s enough for him to
feel irritated by how things are going.
What happened to living peacefully without having to be bothered by both the living and the dead?
Haaaaa…
He sighed again while massaging his temples.
What an unlucky first day for the owner of this haunted complex.
His gaze fell on at the silent clock hanging on the wall. It’s about time for midnight to strike.
The liquor he brought didn’t really have that much alcohol content so his head was still clear, but
his eyes still ended up being this drowsy as the night gets even colder.
With his consciousness tip-toeing around the boundary of reality and dreamland, Cale couldn’t
help but feel slightly anxious as he put an arm over his head.
Is this really the right decision to do?
In the long term?

Trying to appease the priestess of the hill, giving those children food and bringing back home Choi
Han.
Did he really need to do all that?
His cloudy reddish brown eyes fluttered open a little.
‘Aigoo, the alcohol must really be kicking in now if I’m starting to think this kind of crap.’
How many bottles did he empty?
Mm… 7? Yeah, Cale’s pretty sure it’s around 7.
Welp, that’s enough drinking for him. He wouldn’t want to end up too drunk that he might waste
the safe ticket he earned through the fortune slip.
“Ugh…” He groaned as he threw himself on his big bed, ready to end it for the day.
But just as he had reached out to turn off his lamp so that he could finally go to sleep, the lamp
suddenly blinked out and turned off on its own. The air conditioner turned off, too, as well as the
light from the bathroom.
Cale heard a very distinct scream two floors below him and lazily blinked a few times.
‘…Hans?’
Hans was hopping aroun the front of Ben's room, about to ask Ben if he happened to have a charger
since his laptop died in the middle of a super secret special report, but then the lights in the hallway
suddenly turned off.
The ginger is most definitely crying in the hallway right now, knocking on Ben’s door desperately,
while wrapped in his blanket like a burrito.
Ron looked up to the dead light bulb on his room’s ceiling in surprise while bandaging a wound
around his neck. Beacrox, who was sharpening his kitchen knife while grumbling also found the
sudden blackout odd.
Choi Han, in his correct room now, looked up at the ceiling as soon as the blackout happened, too.
The only one who probably didn’t notice the blackout is the snoring Hilsman, but he’ll probably
realize it later when he starts sweating because of the absence of the air conditioner.
Cale groggily rubbed his eyes just to check if there’s something wrong with his sight.
There wasn’t.
‘Mm… a black out?’
He just snorted in irritation and buried his face on his soft bed.
‘Ah, whatever, this is fine, too.’
The redhead was already halfway to dreamland at this point so he didn’t realize the creeping
presence of the power of the dead coming inside his very room.
Three dark elves grinned mischievously at him while looking at him from behind the darkness.
-------
“…”
“…”
“You said to order anything you might like.”
“No, but why is it……..Haaaa.”
Alberu just shook his head as he ushered his aunt to get in the car, pronto. Tasha just shrugged and
welcomed herself in while holding unto what seems like a take-out order of… apple pie.
“It’s the only food choice you reacted to, I thought you’d like it.”
“It’s not that I don’t like it, but…. Haaaa. Forget it, we have more pressing matters to talk about.”
At this, Tasha’s face immediately turned serious.
The aunt-nephew duo successfully regrouped in front of the Cobblestone Complex, however, a
communication line to the dark elves inside for this routine ritual of chasing people out is still not
established.
Tasha’s contracted spirit is trying it’s best to find its friends inside the building but…
‘Damn.’
If the five floors weren’t good enough, each floor contained a surplus amount of rooms, here and
there. It might take a while to find where the owner’s room is.
Tasha bit her lips as she observed the quiet apartment complex from inside the car.
Alberu could only watch her silently before doing the same. He told her everything she needed to
know through the phone call. The dark elves are a closely-knit family and they were the ones to
support him more than anyone else in his endeavors.
Tasha was like a mother to him and all the other dark elves were like older siblings and cousins.
If anything were to happen to them because of his hasty judgement, he might not be able to forgive
himself.
Alberu clenched his aunt’s hand out of fear and concern and his aunt reciprocated it with a little
squeeze.
She, too, was scared of what could go wrong in this situation. Especially since she fears it might
negatively affect Alberu.
Now, she silently regrets sending in the slightly crazier bunch among the dark elves, but they’re
competent and Ben is with them so she’s hoping that they could at least assess the situation
properly and leave unscathed, somehow.
Of course, they’ve prepared a means for them to escape by stationing this car and a few other
personnel among the dark elves around the complex, so that they could smoothly leave if the
situation calls it, but…
Honestly, knowing those three who went with Ben, she can’t help but feel strangely nervous that
they might try something a bit extreme, like for example, breaking—
CRASH!
A window on the fourth floor of the apartment suddenly broke loudly.
Very loudly.
The shards of glass shone under the moonlight as they were scattered in the air, and the aunt-
nephew duo on the lookout could only gape with pale faces at the sight of it.
That…
It seems they know where the dark elves and the owner’s room are now.
Tasha couldn’t help but nervously chuckle, cold sweat falling down her face.
“…We’re screwed.”
-------
“You! Hey, you!”
A certain redhead stirred in his sleep but showed no signs of waking up.
“Wakey, wakey! HEY!”
The man named Cale Henituse just groaned and tossed to the side.
He seemed to be too far gone in his dreams.
The three dark elves who are supposed to be giving this man the fright of his life looked at each
other and then the dangerous amount of bottles scattered on the floor.
This is… an unexpected situation.
‘How are we supposed to scare this bastard if he’s this wasted?’
“We’re not allowed to hurt him, right?”
They whispered among themselves.
“I think we can hurt him just a little bit. We just have to make sure we don’t accidentally give him
a heart-attack; I guess?”
“Just? How are we supposed to scare him without giving him a heart attack?”
“I don’t know! Anyway, we should just mentally scar him for life.”
“JUST????”
“Hush, he might wake up and hear us.”
“Do you see the bottles by our feet?”
The three quietly argued with each other while hovering over the sleeping prince of the apartment
complex, yapping about how they should give his soul enough damage that he won’t come back.
Meanwhile, the prince in question…
‘Oh god.’
He was wide awake and sweating at the absence of the air conditioner, but he kept his eyes shut
and his breathing very, very still.
‘There’s someone there. No, there’s something there. Is it human? But why is my back feeling
cold?’
Cale didn’t know it since he couldn’t see spirits, but there were exactly three spirits rubbing on his
back and observing him intensely.
Cale shuddered, and the spirits gasped.
‘Hey, hey, hey—I think this guy might actually be able to sense us!’
‘This guy… I think he might actually be awake?’
‘He smells like alcohol! Bleghh…’
“Hush!”
One of the dark elves suddenly silenced his two companions after overhearing what his smart little
spirit had to say.
“Did you hear that?”
The two looked at him funny since they didn’t hear what the spirits were talking while they were
arguing, but the dark elf continued, a wide villainous grin spreading across his face.
“Hey, you… you’re actually awake, aren’t you?”
‘Shit.’
Cale flinched and wanted to swear out loud, but he decided it’s better to keep still and observe for
now.
“You dare ignore our presence like this?” The dark elf kept talking while secretly gesturing to the
two others to play along with his bullshit. “This great and mighty spirit will put you back to your
place.”
Spirit.
Spirit, huh?
Cale slowly turned around to look at the intruders with a scowl on his face at the mention of spirit.
The moonlight going through the unbroken glass window wasn’t enough for him to completely see
them, but he’s heard enough.
He, who had downed 7 bottles of liquor prior to this, was already a bit tipsy, and this, combined
with the magic of needing sleep, made him come to a simple, yet wrong, conclusion.
‘So, they ARE spirits.’

It’s not strange for Cale to wake up in the middle of the night because of the urging of some
loudass spirit. In the first place, these kinds of supernatural creatures are more active at night when
the sun isn’t out.
The feeling of the power of the dead from the three blurred figures in front of him was
unmistakable.
He has no reason to think that they’re not spirits.
That’s why as he is faced by these three dark elves pretending to be spirits, he is not even a tiny bit
fazed.
No, he’s just irritated.
Really irritated.
Because just as he thought that the day was finally over and he won’t have to deal with these kinds
of things until tomorrow, he’s met with these guys.
‘If only I could be nocturnal and just sleep peacefully in the day, instead.’
This complex wasn’t labelled haunted for nothing, he supposes.
The dark elves grinned after finally getting their target’s attention and immediately outstretched
their hands to gather up the power of the dead and make this man tremble and run away with his
tail tucked between his legs.
They started chanting one lengthy chuuni speech about the power of a spirit so dramatically that
Cale’s face slowly started to contort in disgust, irritation and frustration at the same time.
‘…Nope.’
The dark elves could only watch in shock when Cale turned his back on them and their spiritual
ritual, grabbing his blankets with him.
One of the dark elves ended up yelling, “Hey! What do you think you’re doing ignoring us like
this?!”
‘Nope, nope, nope.’
Cale Henituse closed his eyes and ears shut as he tuned them out effectively, like a kid singing
“Lalalalalala” to avoid hearing something they shouldn’t.
“OY!”
The dark elf’s blood boiled at this unbelievably rude bastard in front of him.
Cale loudly said, without looking back at them, “Please get the fuck out of here while I’m being
civil, Spirit-nims. I’m not in the mood.”
“HAH?!”
The dark elf was ready to come forward and make this rich boy eat shit but the others pulled him
back.
Something was weird with this human.

Wasn’t the owner supposed to be a guy who doesn’t believe in spirits?
This trio has scared and scarred many different people so far by pretending to be spirits, but no
one’s ever reacted this way to them.
Not even the ones who don’t believe in ghosts brush them off so casually like they’re nothing.
The dark elves felt uncomfortable with this strange response but it’s not like they could just
abandon their mission because of what they feel.
This apartment is an essential resource for the dark elves faction in order to continue becoming
stronger. Along with the land of the dead, in Caro, of course.
At the very least, they managed to get this guy to believe that they’re really spirits.
The elves looked at each other knowingly and nodded as they started gathering spiritual power
from their contracted spirits on their palms, as well as the power of the dead—dead mana.
They could not underestimate their opponent.
Cale’s eyes cracked open at the foreboding sense of danger behind him and looked back only to
see water and wind suddenly start forming around the intruders in his apartment.
‘Billos. Have you ever tried doing that?’
The sound of coins echoed shortly in Cale’s head, and right after, he heard a nervous piggy-bank
like bastard laughing.
‘I’m afraid I lack the fundamental capabilities, young master.’
Fwooosh!
The wind magic and the water bombs that were conjured htrough spiritual power was thrown at
Cale’s direction on the bed.
Cale’s eyes widened a little but he managed to dodge the strong blast of wind by rolling off his bed
and laying low, as he did not want to be yeeted to his wall.
The other things in his room, however, couldn’t keep themselves safe from the blast.
CRASH!
One of the windows next to the bed broke, making such a loud noise in such a quiet night enough
to alert the people on the lower floors and even the neighbors.
The dark elf responsible for the wind magic blinked, awkwardly as three pairs of eyes (including
Cale’s) glared at him.
“Uhhh…”
Oops, I guess.
Cale frowned from his position on the floor, laying down on his belly.
He avoided the blast but he didn’t get to dodge the water bomb. It was unavoidable.
Now, his wet clothes are sticking to him like glue and it doesn’t help the fact that this was the
same clothes he’s been wearing all day under the sun while he was running around trying to find a
way to live comfortably in this haunted neighborhood.
He silently stood up, wobbling a little from abruptly being forced to leave bed.
The dark elves flinched and gulped upon seeing his expression as he ran his hand over his drenched
red hair.
“I told you to kindly leave, Spirit-nims.”
He was scowling.
He wasn’t getting scared of them at all.
He was just getting more and more annoyed.
“What if we don’t want to?” One of the dark elves narrowed his eyes, not wanting to back down
from the red head’s empty threat.
But it wasn’t an empty threat.
For a moment, the room that should be enjoying plenty of the moonlight seemed oddly dark.
Cale’s frown deepened as he took a step forward.
Tuk.
Reality formed ripples around one foot, and more came when he put down another.
The dark elves could only blink in confusion as they could hear the sound of ripples being formed
but cannot fathom why they were hearing such a thing here and now.
Cale Henituse continued walking towards them, leisurely, like he’s taking his time, but the
expression on his face made them nervous.
‘A…Ah…’
This aura wasn’t something an ordinary young master should be able to make.
With each step he took, countless spirits flickered in and out of his body, aching to go out.
The aura of a hundred screeching ghosts was seeping out of the man whose hair was as red as
blood. And the aura of a hundred more crying spirits protruded from his back like a dark curtain.
Bloodshot eyes no other person can see, opened and looked at the dark elves and spirits contracted
to them, as if they were judging whether or not they were the object of their vengeance.
The dark elves were only starting to notice now what exactly made them feel uncomfortable in
front of this human.
‘I, I can’t see it…’
One of the dark elves held their breath as they felt an undeniable aura of death coming from the
man in front of them.
‘But I know that something…no, a lot of things are there…’
They gulped.
Why did they only notice this now?
Honestly, now that they think of it, why would any normal person agree to owning this haunted
apartment complex that’s oozing with the power of the dead?
The Henituse family has hundreds of infrastructures that fare better and have better reputation than
the Cobblestone Complex, but why did Cale Henituse choose this one?
No, did he even get to choose?
The dark elves found themselves trembling as the red-haired man that felt like death itself was
walking towards them, so, so, slowly.
Just then.
Cale tripped on an empty bottle rolling around and fell backwards.
He shrieked a little but then couldn’t help but wince as his arms ended up crashing down on not
one, not two, but hundreds of broken shards on the ground.
Ah, right, the bottles were thrown to the wall when the blast happened.
Cale wanted to swear as his arms started bleeding rather dangerously from the cuts he got.
Thankfully, it was just his arms. His other areas didn’t land on anything sharp, at all.
The spirits residing inside him may be powerful enough to protect him from other spirits, but in the
end, they can do nothing if the attack is physical.
He hissed, hoping that no glass pieces got in his blood vessels as he watched the floor get smudged
here and there with his blood as he tried to sit up properly.
The dark elves who were petrified for a moment because of the unusual aura of death surrounding
Cale, took this chance to return to their attacking positions and get a hold of themselves.
Wind and water started forming within their palms again.
They may have stuttered in their actions once, but not again—!
“Young master-nim.”
The door opened and revealed an old man with a cold glare.
He was the person whose room was closest to the young master since he has to be at his young
master’s every beck and call.
There was a gauze around his neck, for some reason, and a lot of wrinkles near his eyes, however
there was a vicious smile on his face as he scanned the room, trying to understand what happened.
Cale, who was on the floor, had growing patches of red on the sleeves of his light-colored dress
shirt.
There were broken glass bottles rolling on the ground and there was also a broken window next to
the bed.
There were traces of water on the bed and on the tired young master’s wincing face.
Then there’s the three odd-looking people who had water and wind circling around their palms,
which was definitely not normal.
Ron’s expression turned frosty as soon as he made eye contact with the three intruders who were
neither humans nor tenants.
The dark elf who noticed this, immediately backed away while strengthening the power of water in
his hands.
“S, stand back! Don’t come any closer!”
There was a murderous glint in the old man’s eyes as he pulled out an old dagger from inside his
clothes and started casually walking towards the intruders.
Ron glanced at Cale, once.
“Your order?”
‘This scary old man…’
Cale wanted to avoid Ron’s gaze but something felt out of place.
“Ron.”
Putting pressure on his bloody wounds, Cale cautiously asked Ron a question, with a confused look
in his face.
“You can see them?”
“Of course, I can.”
“…”
“…”
“…”
‘Ha!’
Cale wanted to laugh in disbelief, and the silent dark elves wanted to swear out loud.
They’d been found out.
The standard procedure was to isolate the victim just in case so that any unexpected variables
would be restricted to the things only one person can do, however, that procedure has gone down
like an airplane shot down by one old but scary missile.
Meanwhile, Cale’s slightly drowsy reddish brown eyes had cleared up after taking a good look at
the three people in front of him.
‘They’re no spirits.’
They were either humans… or something else.
“Just don’t kill them.” Cale couldn’t stop himself from smiling. And it wasn’t even a warm smile.
It was a cold, cold smile that made the dark elves feel more scared of him than the old man who
answered “As you wish” and came at them with a freaking dagger as soon as permission was
given.
The dark elves paled up and immediately redirected the direction of their casting.
‘WHO THE HELL IS THIS???!’
They swallowed the words they wanted to scream.
This guy definitely looks like the guy from the report Ben gave them, but this… this…
‘This isn’t what we’ve been told!’ The first one to finally admit and accept that something’s wrong
stopped the casting on their palm immediately and instead sent his contracted spirit out of the
broken window to find their fourth member—
The insider.
The one who’s in charge of the blackout.
At least, he should be able to leave this place unscathed and report.
In time, the dark elf dodged a deadly swing to his shoulder and tripped, but was thankfully saved
by one of his companions who released a scary gust of wind without regards to excessive output.
If there were still some bottles that remained unbroken from the first gust, then they definitely got
broken this time.
The loud sounds of glass breaking filled the night.
The dark elf who stumbled and is now being supported bit his lip enough that it started bleeding.
‘Get out of here while you still can… At least you should be able to…’
He closed his eyes shut, resigned to whatever could happen next.
‘…Ben!’
-------
Choi Han is sprinting across the darkness of the 2nd floor.
He’s sure that he heard a scream just as the blackout happened and a few minutes after that he
heard the sound of glass breaking from above.
After running for some time, he finally saw something in the distance.
Or… at least he thinks it’s a thing?
There was a trembling yellow burrito in the middle of the hall, banging on a door desperately.
“Waaah! Ben! Ben, are you there?!”

Choi Han’s mouth opened a little after hearing the familiar voice that whispered to him just a few
hours ago about ghosts and the likes.
That’s definitely Hans.
“Um…”
“KYAAAAA!”
Yep, that’s most definitely Hans.
As soon as Choi Han spoke, the face of a screaming ginger neatly wrapped in his blanket fell on
his butt out of surprise.
“Y…you’re…”
Hans huffed a little before his teary eyes recognized the black-haired foreigner.
“T-the young master’s guest! You’re Choi Han! I-it’s me, Hans! One of the employees!”
“Are you alright?”
Choi Han asked as he helped the ginger stand up.
“I’m fine… for now.” Hans answered, a bit calmer now that he’s not alone.
But then again, being a bit calmer doesn’t necessarily mean you are calm at all.
“B-but, Ben! Ben’s not opening the door at all! I’ve been screaming out here for some time, that
it’s weird! I think something happened to him!”
Choi Han’s face crumpled at what he heard.
Why would anyone try to do anything to a random employee in this apartment complex?
“H… He… Waaaaaaah, Ben’s been eaten by a monsteeeer!”
Choi Han shut his mouth after hearing that part.
He skeptically tried to comfort the deputy manager by rubbing on his back. That’s how you
comfort, right? He’s sure he still remembers how to do that right… This is what the villagers of
Harris Village did when he came in the chief’s house while crying like a baby.
Unfortunately, the ginger’s wailings didn’t stop even by a little bit. In fact, it grew even louder.
‘Ah…’ Choi Han frowned a little, a bit concerned.
If there really was a monster, then it would have been attracted to Hans’ screaming and Hans
would have been eaten up already.
Choi Han, who was stuck in some separate dimension for decades and forced to fight monsters,
was definitely sure there wasn’t a monster nearby.
“Huhu… waaaah…” Hans continued sniveling. “What’s a salary raise when you don’t even know
when you’re going to be attacked by ghosts???”
Choi Han’s eyes widened.
“Ghosts?”
A cold sensation—like an invisible, frail hand that used to be warm—suddenly broke out behind
his neck at the slight mention.
“Yes, don’t you know? My seniors kept telling me this place was haunted, you know! That’s why I
was against going here in the first place… But my boss’s son wanted to stay here so my boss
transferred me here to be reliable on my last days! Ahhhh… Dear Buddha…”
Hans started crying while in prayer.
Choi Han stared at him silently for a few moments but then decided it’d be better to ask.
“Where’s the owner’s room?”
“It’s on the f… fourth floor.” Hans answered, blinking in confusion, but then he gasped, “Oh, god,
wait, YOUNG MASTER-NIM! No, no, no, no, no—His kneecaps!”
Choi Han decided to ignore the parts of Hans’ words that he doesn’t understand and stood up ready
to run to the 4th floor to make sure that the owner is fine. Seeing that the security guard was
sleeping so soundly, he has reason to think he might not be fine.
Hans also jumped to his feet, still coverd by his blanket, as he ran after Choi Han, crying out in the
dark, “I’m coming, young master-nim!”
The two of them race up the stairs to the 4th floor with Hans occasionally tripping on his blanket
and Choi Han having to stop and help him up.
Choi Han’s mind is racing and he wants to get to the 4th floor immediately but he does not leave
the deputy butler who prepared his room behind.
He thought, trying to persuade himself, that surely this complex wasn’t the next target of the
people behind the burning of Harris village.
It couldn’t be that this place will end up becoming just like that rural settlement—barren and burnt.
He keeps thinking that it couldn’t be but he still makes sure to keep Hans safe by his side, just in
case.
So that in the occasion that it does happen again, he won’t be the only one to survive, at least.
The two of them reach the dark corridor of the fourth floor only to be met by a big figure holding a
kitchen knife in the middle of the hallway.
Hans screamed at the top of his lungs.
“F-FRANKENSTEIN?!”
Beacrox, who was just scouting for danger in the 4th floor with a weapon for self-defense, glared
at the ginger.
Hans blinked a few times after finally recognizing Ron’s son, and cleared his throat to correct
himself. “Uhhh, a handsome Frankenstein ghost. You, uh, looked like a handsome Frankenstein
ghost.”
All he received was a grunt and a cold shoulder.
Choi Han just shoved Beacrox aside as he continued forward without a word, and Beacrox coldly
watched him and Hans, who was hopping on his tail.
As they came nearer and nearer to the owner’s room, Hans’s eyes lit up at the sight of someone
familiar.
“Ben!”
The employee outside of the owner’s door was panting as if he had run up the stairs as fast as he
could.
He looked visibly pale under the dark.
Ben didn’t even look towards their direction when he was called. His shaking eyes were fixed on
the door to the owner’s room.
He received the message from the water spirit of one of his fellow dark elves.
‘Run away!’
He bit his lip as he pounded at his aching thigh.
‘As if I could just run away, when you all are clearly in danger!’
He can feel spiritual power from behind the owner’s door, and he can hear someone groaning and
swearing, too.
“Out of the way.”
He blinked and looked up only to find a black-haired, black eyed man to his side, and a ginger
wrapped up like a burrito in his blanket behind him.
Ben opened his mouth and closed it a few times as he felt a dangerous aura from the owner’s
special guest, but decided to step aside, feeling a bit guilty about this situation.
Choi Han opened the door, spilling the loud sounds from within the room in the process, but then
he closed the door shut as soon as he came in, keeping out Hans who was about to follow him.
The ginger blinked in confusion, as he reached out for the door knob, “Eh? Wait, me…”
But someone suddenly grabbed his wrist a bit aggressively, making him wince.
Hans shifted his gaze and saw his fellow employee, Ben, staring at him weirdly. He nervously
tilted his head to the side, a bit uncomfortable for some reason as he carefully spoke up.
“Ben…?”
But Ben couldn’t hear him.
‘Should I take this guy as hostage?’
He was desperate now. Desperate to save his fellow dark elves.

Dark elves are hated in the continent. By now, they are only known as myths… fables… just made
up stories to scare children, but the appearance of people like them that were not human will
definitely garner negative attention.
He has to get them out of here somehow.
His grip around Hans’ wrist tightened.
‘Maybe it’ll work out if I take this guy as…’
“B, Ben?”
He snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Hans’s quiet trembling voice.
The ginger was looking at him with a terrified expression, “T… That h-hurts…”
‘…no.’
Ben loosened his grip.
Hans has no idea what’s going on right now.
He shouldn’t involve him in this.
‘It was our fault for being careless, anyway.’
In the first place, trespassing in private property is technically a crime.
“…I’m sorry.”
Ben apologized as he let go of Hans’ hand and grabbed the door knob instead, with a sad smile.
“It’s dangerous inside so don’t come in, okay?”
The confused Hans slowly nodded his head.
Ben turned the door knob and after taking a deep breath, put one foot in and walked inside.
He should at least take responsibility and explain to save his fellow dark elves.
And with that, he closed the door behind him, Leaving Hans in the hallway, looking so, so lost.
-------
Chapter End Notes
Aye! Posting this a bit early to make up for the late post last time >:0
I really can't wait to introduce the serial kneecap breaker one day, as well as have
Alberu and Cale meet each other face-to-face and actually talk.
I'm putting in a lot of crack in this fanfic to comfort myself while waiting for Dec 30
;w;
But I hope that it's still enjoyable, nonetheless!
Don't forget to leave a kudos or a comment if you liked this! It's the raw material that
fuels me hehe~
Sincerely fretting over academic requirements despite the christmas break,
Jalffy
New Owner [8]
Chapter Summary
They heard a loud familiar screech going, “M-Mr. Beacrox!” before the door swung
open to reveal the tall cheff, Beacrox, Ron’s son, coming in with a kitchen knife and a
pair of white gloves while being desperately stopped by Hans wrapped up in a yellow
blanket.
Beacrox looked around and saw the three unfamiliar unconscious people on the
ground.
He groaned.
He came here late and didn’t get to take a few swings.
Chapter Notes
Spirits are fearsome creatures.
They’re beings you can’t touch nor see, normally, unless they manifest themselves.
They are creatures of nature that borrow power from nature.
To fight a spirit is to fight nature itself.
And to survive against one is to survive against the elements that make up the world.
As Choi Han stared at the magnificent show of power in front of him, with wind and water
intertwining to fend off a single human with a dagger, he can’t help but realize that the old butler
wasn’t ordinary, after all.
Compared to the things he’s gone through inside the spirit rift, this is nothing, but seeing someone
stand toe to toe with a spirit alone makes him feel a little proud of being human.
He scanned the messy room with one look and immediately stiffened.
There was a bleeding owner trying to perform first aid on his own arms on the ground, surrounded
by glass shards.
“Owner-nim!”
Choi Han called out as he ran toward the redhead, casually crushing the glass shards under his feet
like they’re nothing.
Cale swiftly turned his head and almost dropped the tweezers in his hands in surprise, “You—?!”
‘What the hell are you doing here?!’
“I heard something break!” Choi Han explained as that question was all over the redhead’s face.
“Well, shit.”
Choi Han flinched after hearing the bleeding Cale swear under his breath.
The pale man was obviously in pain as he tried to do first aid on one arm when his other arm also
needs it. There was also an ugly burn on the arm he was treating, too, and it looked like it was
something he’s received not too long ago.
Sweat dropped down Cale’s face as he tried to focus on treating himself rather than protecting
himself from the fight happening right next to him.
Choi Han saw this and decided to step in front of him to cover him from the fight.
His hand fell on the hilt of the sword he’s hiding under his cloak and with one smooth swift
motion, he pulled it out, making Cale gawk at the sight of something he hasn’t seen in a long time.
‘This punk.’
Ron shot Choi Han a cold look.
But Cale, who believed that Choi Han and Ron would click, thought that the vicious old man was
glaring at him, so he ended up trying to treat his wounds faster out of fear, ignoring the fact that his
guest just pulled out a freaking sword.
Choi Han reciprocated Ron’s cold greeting, but then transferred his gaze towards the three
unwanted guests.
‘A SWORD?!’
The dark eleves didn’t have the time to question who would still use such a thing in this day and
age, as Ron’s dagger cut through the water bombs again.
“…It’s not them.”
Cale blinked and looked at Choi Han’s back after hearing the man mutter something.
The black-haired swordsman tightly wrapped his hands around his sword as he watched every
single movement in the room, like a predator quietly observing prey, but for a moment there, Cale
thought he sounded a bit…
...relieved?
‘Aigoo, did he think that those assassins from Harris village would come here?’
“Owner-nim.”
Cale stopped himself from flinching as Choi Han continued speaking without looking back at him,
his voice emanating a vicious and murderous tone.
“I will pay you back for the meal.”
For some reason, that sentence made Cale a little bit scared.
‘No, wait, if you’re going to pay me back, pay me with money not murde…’
“If they’re spirits.”

Choi Han started again, his black eyes focused on the small battlefield.
“I can kill them all.”
‘NO! Oh, god, what the fuck?! Why would you kill them?! They’re not…!’
Cale opened his mouth urgently, to stop the black-haired foreigner from doing anything rash, but
then Choi Han, who was about to step in to help Ron out heard the door open and swiftly turned
around only to see a certain employee come in.
His black eyes narrowed.
“You…?”
The dark elves froze at the sight of Ben coming in with a serious expression.
They shut their mouths and tried to recover immediately as being distracted in a fight is one of the
biggest mistakes you can make.
But by then, it was already too late.
Ron already got through the opening they’ve accidentally created and knocked two of them in one
go.
The last dark elf standing fell on his butt and tried to scramble away, “W, wait!”
Ron knocked him out, too, with much ease.
He wiped the small drops of water that had reached his cheek in the process, but every other part of
his body was clean and dry. Not a single drop touched him at all.
A benign smile appeared on his face as he looked down at the three unconscious intruders and
then glanced at Cale’s direction.
‘These youngsters aren’t much compared to the buff gangster playing with a sword over there in
front of the young master.’
Ben held his breath.
He just saw all three dark elves fall on the floor, limp, but still breathing. He could feel himself
trembling the moment he saw it happen in a flash, but after seeing the old man who swiftly took
care of things in a second or two smiling like nothing was wrong, there were no questions.
Ben just felt fear.
This was the same old man that smiled at him earlier this morning.
Ron gave Ben an indifferent look and then proceeded to ignore his presence as he looked towards
the puppy young master of his who was wrapping his wounds up with bandages, “Young master-
nim, maybe we should bring you to a hospital.”
“I’m fine. I can treat myself pretty well even if I get shot in the stomach.”
“It’s just to be sure, young master-nim. You can never be too sure.”
Cale scoffed as he finished up his own treatment and kicked the first aid kid back under his bed.
He’s suffered worse.
Just then, Choi Han started approaching the unconscious dark elves, with his sword still pulled out
and Cale, suddenly feeling a chill run up his spine, called out to his butler immediately, “Ron!”
Ron immediately stood in Choi Han’s way, looking at the punk with cold eyes.
Choi Han replied with a similar look in his eyes as he slowly opened his mouth to speak.
“…Why are you stopping me when I’m just trying to make sure?”
The black-haired swordsman swung his sword in empty air as if he was demonstrating how to cut
down the intruders, making Ben’s eyes shake.
‘This one, too…’
God, this haunted place is scary for a different reason.
“Ho.” Ron let out a laugh as he coldly glared at the ‘youngster’ in front of him, “I don’t know what
mountain or cave you’ve been stuck in for years, you punk, but in this city, murder is punishable by
the death sentence.”
“Then why aren’t you dead, yet?”
Ron flinched at Choi Han’s whisper-like response.
He peeked at the young master but just replied with a scary silence.
The spirits contracted to the three unconscious dark elves watched all this, trembling a little at the
idea of being sliced by the black-haired foreigner’s sword.
‘Scary.’
‘Eeek, scary!’
‘Mother, please don’t take me yet.’
“Okay, okay, break it up.”
Cale interjected, not wanting to escalate things to horrible heights. He couldn’t see it but there were
exactly three spirits spinning around him in joy and relief. He shuddered a little at the cold
sensations he was getting but shrugged it off.
His eyes fell on Ben who was still standing in front of the door, and he unconsciously wore a bright
smile in his face, “As expected, my eyes don’t lie. You’re a really good employee for coming here
straight away, Ben.”
Ron looked at the young master’s smile, silently. He’s seen that one a few times before.
‘What’s this puppy young master of mine planning this time?’
“Owner.”
Ben suddenly spoke up.
The atmosphere suddenly became as heavy as his complicated expression.

He wrapped his hands around the necklace around his neck and crushed it, making his appearance
slowly change.
Choi Han’s eyes widened but Ron’s gaze just grew even colder.
Pointy ears and a dark complexion.
Ben, who now looked just like the intruders that broke in the young master’s room, spoke up with
pleading eyes, and a firm stance.
“I will explain everything. So please don’t kill them.”
The spirits of his friends ran wild as soon as he said that. They all whispered to him that he should
just run away while he can, but he didn’t listen to them.
At least, his own contracted spirit was supportive of his decision to come clean.
Cale blinked at Ben for a few seconds, in surprise.
But the words that came out of his mouth after that weren’t what Ben expected.
“So, you really were one of them.”
“…”
“…”
“…”
“What???”
Ben wanted to question his ears but the look on the owner’s face was telling him that this wasn’t a
joke.
Honestly, Cale had a rough idea about it.
Ben was the only one who wasn’t flustered this morning by the weird sound, and Cale felt a little
bit of spiritual power from him despite him looking like an ordinary human.
Cale thought maybe he’s just from a priestly bloodline or is used to spirits, just like him.
But even so, he should have reacted a little bit to the weird noise.
Because even if you’re used to spirits and paranormal activities, you’ll still be surprised if you
heard something weird come out of nowhere for the first time.
The way Ben handled the situation this morning made Cale think that maybe this wasn’t his first
time hearing it.
But according to Hans’ notes about Ben in his small notebook, Ben has only been working for the
complex since two days ago.
Even shorter than Hans who transferred from the main house.
So how would he be used to the noise already? Or unaffected by it? Utterly unfazed?
That was when the report Freesia’s team made came in handy.
Freesia may just be a normal human, not someone who can feel spirits nor see spirits, but she’s still
a very stealthy and competent person when it comes to stake-outs and information gathering.
After reading her report and looking through the list of employees who’ve worked for the complex
before and resigned sometime after, he formed a theory.
The reason why the trespassers get in so easily is simple.
They have a man in the inside.
Hired by the complex but hired by them at the same time.
If Cale assumes that Ben is the man on the inside this time around, then it would make sense that
he wouldn’t be surprised by the noise, as he may have already worked for the complex before but
under a different name, or he may have trespassed in it under the guidance of another insider.
Now that gives Cale the question:
Why are these people coming in and out his property like this?
At first, Cale thought it might be to steal things from the areas that have been labelled haunted but
now that Ben came clean and now that he saw the intruders face to face, he has a rough idea of
what they wanted to achieve trying to scare him out like this.
“You guys wanted to chase us out for the dead mana, right?”
Ben’s eyes widened.
His explanation was taken out of his own mouth.
Cale recalled the information he’s read about dark elves.
He came across their name one time while he was in Korea, trying to get a feel at every kind of
spiritual existence there is so that he'd know how to handle unexpected situations.
They were like elves, who were attuned to spirits and close to nature, but unlike them, they were
not only attuned to spirits but also to the power of the dead. They were ostracized for always being
found around the dead.
Seeing a dark elf was akin to a bad omen.
It was like a death flag for some and a foreboding sign of something terrible happening for most
people.
Of course, when Cale dug a bit deeper, he realized the bad omen part was just pure bullshit.
Considering the stories that have been made up about him, this didn’t surprise him at all.
“I overheard those three talking for some time. It seems that the order was to scare us but strictly
not hurt us. Technically, all they did was wake me up and drench me in water, anyway. I fell on the
broken glass on my own.”
Choi Han’s eyes lost its wariness as he heard Cale explain what happened.
“But even so.”

Cale frowned at the employee as his tone suddenly became sharper.
“What these three did is still trespassing, and that can’t be changed.”
At cue, Ben dropped down to his knees and put his head down.
“Please, please don’t kill us for this.”
His mouth felt dry.
He was trembling.
The old butler Cale carried around with him is a killer.
The temporary guest that the owner took in was also a killer.
And they aren’t just simple killers.
He, as a dark elf sensitive to the power of death, could feel an enormous weight of death on those
two’s shoulders.
The two were coldly looking down on him as he prostrated himself on the ground—he could feel it
through his skin like daggers poking at him in amusement and anger—as if trying to discourage
him so that they can do well and get rid of him.
But he has no intention of back down, either.
Dark elves bleed just like every other living creature.
And this dark elf personally does not want to see blood being shed today.
Just then, he heard Cale’s voice.
“Will you be willing to say who ordered you to do this if we don’t?”
Ben blinked with his head still down.
‘Alberu Crossman.’
He’d rather bite his own tongue and die here than let those two words come out.
He remembered what Tasha once told him about what Alberu wants to be.
Though he was just a quarter dark elf, he was the hope of all the dark elves that live together in
hiding.
He has the potential and he has the will.
Ben bit his lips as he cast his gaze on the ground.
He doesn’t want to bring down the hope of their race, even if it kills him.
And the spirits contracted to his friends would probably kill him first if he tries to speak up,
anyway.
Those three idiots lying on the ground with their mouth open and a line of drool going down their
chin would never forgive him if he as much as says a syllable in Alberu’s name, since they feel the
same.
Ben regrettably shook his head to answer the owner’s question.
He just heard a sigh in response.
“I thought as much. Don’t worry, I’m not really interested in your leader, anyway. But what I am
interested in is my privacy and safety.”
Cale pointed at the three dark elves that have been knocked out cold.
“I’ll put these three in jail for trespassing, first thing in the morning. It’s just trespassing so your
boss should be able to bail them immediately. I never really planned to get them killed for a little
prank.”
Ben abruptly looked up in disbelief.
Without even realizing it, however, his whole body had relaxed in relief after guaranteeing their
safety.
“As for you, though.”
Relax, my ass. He stiffened up again.
Cale tried his best to keep the ends of his lips from curling as he looked at Ben with a brilliant idea
in mind.
“If you want to make up for this, then you can start with just continuing to work for this complex.
This place needs more people who don’t scream and cry at the smallest sounds, you see.”
For some reason, the image of Hans came inside Choi Han’s head when he heard that.
Ben stared at Cale for some time.
‘That’s all? That’s all you want me to do?’
He peered at the expressions of the two skilled killers who have long stationed themselves in either
side of the redhead.
Choi Han was just staring into space while Ron was just lowly chuckling, while trying to hide the
unfitting smile in his face.
He felt a bit iffy, but…
“If that is what you wish…”
Ben awkwardly smiled at the proposal as he bowed his head, once more, in front of the redhead.
“…Young Master Cale.”
Cale gave a satisfied smile as the insider finally acknowledged him as his true boss.
Ben started standing up while putting back his disguise—his dark skin turning into a simple tan
and his pointed ears returning to what others would call normal in the process.
And then just in time, they heard loud noises outside the door.
They heard a loud familiar screech going, “M-Mr. Beacrox!” before the door swung open to reveal
the tall cheff, Beacrox, Ron’s son, coming in with a kitchen knife and a pair of white gloves while
being desperately stopped by Hans wrapped up in a yellow blanket.
Beacrox looked around and saw the three unfamiliar unconscious people on the ground.
He groaned.
He came here late and didn’t get to take a few swings.
“Good morning, Beacrox.” Cale flatly greeted with a disgruntled ‘What are you doing here’ face.
It was currently past midnight. A new day had already begun.
Cale felt upset that he couldn’t have a single peaceful first night in his newly acquired apartment
complex but this wasn’t so bad.
The intruders have been identified… somehow.
He’s got a hostage named Ben, who’ll be working for him now, so they won’t try anything funny,
unless they were lunatics, in which case, maybe sending Ron, Beacrox, Freesia and a few more
people to sweep them all away without the public knowing would be something he’ll consider.
Cale doesn’t think that is necessary, though.
‘They’re not bad.’
He could tell from the fact that there was a specific order to not actually hurt him and just scare
him. The fact that Ben came here to bargain and save his companions says a lot as well.
Of course, there’s a chance that only these 4 are the ‘not-bad’ people in their faction, but you never
know.
Cale internally scoffed.
‘I’d rather make friends to suck money out from than make enemies’
Just as he finished his thought process, the fidgeting Hans, who looked like he was debating
whether to step in or keep out of the room, saw the bandaged arms of the pale young master from
behind Beacrox and squeaked.
“Young master-nim! Oh my god, what happened?!”
Ben awkwardly averted his gaze, while Cale just shrugged as he gestured towards the three people
on the floor.
“Apparently, these people are behind all the weird noises and the weird happenings here in the
complex.”
Ben blinked.
‘Wait, that’s not…?’
“Oh???”
Hans’ eyes widened.

“Is that how it is? So there’s no ghost?”
“No ghost.”
Cale confidently said, but Ben could only tense up.
‘That…’
Hans suddenly dropped down to the ground while holding unto his blanket tightly. Relief was all
over his tense face.
“Oh, thank god.”
‘…’
Ben couldn’t get himself to say that there really was a ghost inside this big apartment complex and
that those weird noises weren’t made by them, but by said-ghost.
He shot Cale a pleading look, similar to the one from earlier.
There was no way that this sharp young master wouldn’t know what he’s telling this ginger.
But Cale just ignored it as he ran his hand on his wet red hair as he spoke on, “Anyway, Hans, can
you please prepare a new room for me?”
“Yes, sir, young master-nim, sir!”
Hans energetically responded even though it was already past midnight before he ran off towards
the linen room with his blanket swaying in the air behind him.
Cale could see Ben grimace at this, but he did not care.
Now that everything’s over, he needs his sleep.
And no one.
NO ONE.
Is going to be able to disturb him this time.
“Beacrox.” Cale called out to Ron’s son. He then turned to Choi Han but remembered that he can’t
just say Choi Han’s name since he’s never given it yet. His face twisted a bit as he tried to think of
a way to get around this situation, “Um…?”
“Choi Han.”
The black haired guy answered.
“Right. Nice to meet you, I’m Cale Henituse, by the way.” Cale immediately squeezed in this small
opportunity to get a bit acquainted before he nonchalantly turned towards Beacrox, with his orders
loaded in a gun.
“Beacrox, tie up those three and lock them up somewhere until breakfast.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Choi Han, you can go back to your room, now.”

“Then, I will be taking my leave.”
“As for you, Ben, we’re going to have to talk for a bit. Ron, can you get us a better place for
conversation?”
Cale gave a satisfied smile.
Finally, he’ll be able to go to sleep after this.
He and the silent Ben walked out of the room with Ron on their tail after Beacrox left lugging three
people out, and Choi Han, in deep thought, left as well.
With their absence, the messy room covered in glass shards and small puddles of water became
empty.
Mm… not completely empty, though.
Since the fifth spirit in the room that’s been peeking at what’s been happening was still there with
its jaw dropped.
-------
“Holy… dragon shit.”
Tasha covered her mouth as she listened to what her contracted spirit had seen while peeking
through the broken window.
Old man butler with a dagger?
Random guy with a sword?
The owner was bleeding?!
Oh, thank goodness those three will only end up in jail.
If the owner wanted to, he could have just given an order and it’d be a death sentence on the spot
for those three and Ben.
“What did your spirit say? Let me hear, too!”
Alberu complained but Tasha just shoved his face farther away from the transparent spirit bobbing
up and down in a frenzy, like it couldn’t believe what it saw, either.
Tasha covered her mouth as she held back tears.
She felt a tad bit emotional when she heard that Ben was prepared to not say Alberu’s name, and
that the spirits of the three others told him not to, as well.
‘Ben…’
“Aunt Tasha?”
Alberu asked, flustered by the face his aunt was making.
‘Really… those idiots…’

Tasha wiped away her teary eyes as she felt herself relax after confirming their safety, at the very
least. She turned to her nephew and spoke with a little laugh, as she was still in disbelief that things
went so smoothly.
“They’re alright. We might have to bail them out for trespassing though. It could have been assault,
but the owner seemed nice.”
“Wait, Assault?!” Alberu’s face grew even more flustered.
He remembered the loud sounds of glass breaking echoing through the neighborhood after the
window broke and tensed up.
“The owner was bleeding, but it seemed to have been treated right away.”
Tasha explained, but it didn’t help Alberu’s expression that much.
He couldn’t imagine the red-haired weirdo he saw earlier in the restaurant bleeding at all.
Alberu just put a hand on his face as he sighed, feeling a headache come his way, for some reason.
But he couldn’t deny that this was a much better ending for this case than the alternative—which
was death.
“…How much do we usually need to bail someone?”
“Hmm, it doesn’t really matter. You’re the president’s son.”
“Oh, shut up.”
At the very least, the dark elves are safe.
-------
The sun has risen.
Employees started coming to work, only to be surprised at the sight of the yawning Hans and Ben
on the common areas, drinking a cup of coffee while wearing the same clothes they were wearing
yesterday.
“Pfff—Hey, Hans, Ben, did the two of you get stuck inside the changing room together or
something?”
One of them teased but they immediately shut up.
For some odd reason, there was a scary smile in the usually cute and giggly Hans’ face.
‘W… what? Did we do something?’
The seniors suddenly felt nervous.
His face made them think that they told him something wrong and now he knows it and is angry at
them, but they couldn’t think of anything they said to make him feel that way.
They all transferred their gaze to Ben, who was beside the ginger, as if to plead for a clue or some
form of guidance about this peculiar situation, but Ben just averted the seniors’ gazes as he sipped
on his cup of coffee.
‘I am sincerely sorry.’
Ben internally apologized to the seniors who will have to deal with Hans’ wrath thanks to the
misunderstanding the owner has caused.
His tired eyes looked up at the luxurious looking ceiling of the common areas as he processed
everything that happened last night.
‘It was… a really long night.’
As soon as the employees went away to their own respective areas, Ben felt someone nudging him
a little and looked to the side to see the curious Hans staring at him a bit too closely.
“Hey, Ben, are you really going to start sleeping here starting from today?”
Ben subconsciously inched away, unable to look at Hans’ face straight as he answered,
“...Yeah. I guess you can say that I’ve become both an employee and a tenant here.”
‘In face view, it looks like my salary from working here will end up getting drained by the rent of
living here, but thankfully, young master Cale is letting me live here for free as a kind of
‘favoritism’.
Though technically, the right word would be that he’s just trying to keep me close to keep an eye
on me.’
Not that Ben has any plans to do anything funny, anyway.
Ben clearly remembers his agreement with Cale and intends to keep it to heart.
Cale agreed to let the dark elves have access to the dead mana that can only be harvested from this
apartment complex and from its backyard, but under the condition that it won’t come for free.
He was told to reports this to his boss:
‘If you want the dead mana, buy it from me.’
It’s a good deal, Ben notes, as he sips on his coffee again.
It’s not every day that a stable and harmless source of dead mana would appear for sale like this.
“Mm, should I ask the young master if I could stay, too?”
“PFFFFF—”
Ben choked on his hot coffee as he turned around to see the serious and contemplative look on
Hans’ face.
Hans continued while rubbing his own chin.
“I mean, since there isn’t really a ghost here, I won’t really mind.”
Then he added in a slightly hushed voice, “Plus, I think Mr. Deruth would feel better if the reports
I give include the night-time, considering what happened yesterday.”
Ben blinked.
‘Mr. Deruth? Deruth Henituse? Wait a minute…’
He stared at Hans in disbelief.
‘Is this guy working for another boss, too? And it’s our boss’s dad???’
Hans noticed the look Ben was giving him and giggled, “Why are you looking at me like that? It’s
unfair if you’re the only one who gets to eat Mr. Beacrox’s cooking 24/7, you know. He’s a bit
scary but his food is delicious!”
Ben looked away.
Yeah, no.
He has no plans of exposing this ginger to the boss.
Considering how long it took for Young Master Cale to notice him being an insider, he’s pretty
sure that Young Master Cale might also already know about Hans’ loyalties.
Just then, a yawning Hilsman came down from the stairs to say good morning, and Hans, who
temporarily forgot Hilsman’s existence due to the events of last night, blinked with round eyes.
“Sir Hilsman? Wait, you slept here, too?”
Hilsman rubbed his eyes, his brows furrowed in confusion.
“Mm? Yeah, didn’t you guys see me here yesterday?”
“No, I actually didn’t see you. I don’t think I saw you in the owner’s room last night during the
blackout.” Hans blurted out.
“There was a blackout???”
And here we have a man who slept through all the glass-breaking, nerve-bounding, spirit-shaking
things that happened last night.
Hilsman scratched his head as his eyebrows furrowed, “Wait, what were you doing in the
owner’s…”
His voice trailed off upon seeing the young master’s temporary guest walking towards them from
the opposite stairs.
He frowned a little.
Choi Han, clad in the same black that he wore yesterday, walked towards Hans in silence, bowing
lightly to all the employees he met on the way and then suddenly stopped just in front of Hans and
Ben.
Hans blinked and tilted his head to the side, while Ben warily eyed him.
The stench of death on him may have become faint after a good bath but you can never get rid of
the scent of death completely.
It was then that the black-haired foreigner finally spoke up.
“You’re Deputy Manager Hans, right?”

“Yes, yep. That’s me. Er, wait… when did I get promoted? Uh, thank you for last night, by the
way.”
Hans sheepishly nodded with a smile, not knowing why Choi Han was approaching him all of a
sudden.
Choi Han opened his mouth after this but then stopped.
He held his hands together behind his back, anxiously, as he slowly started speaking after much
hesitance.
“I… would like to make my request now.”
And with that, he told them a part of his story.
-------
PIII—IIING—!
“Ooo… Ugh.”
Cale tossed and turned and then groaned as he woke up to the sound of the beckoning of the voice
system of the apartment complex.
‘This blasted little…’
He wanted to throw one of his pillows at it so that he can get one more hour of sleep but decided
against it.
He groggily got off of bed and made a messy bee-line for the device.
Punching the answer button rather begrudgingly, he answered in an annoyed flat tone.
“What.”
Beacrox’s voice came from the other end of the line.
“The prisoners woke up.”
The sound of loud yelling and swearing could be heard in the same room Beacrox was in.
Cale blinked a few times, still drowsy, at Beacrox’s word choice.
‘Prisoners… really?’
He just kept his sigh to himself and yawned as he doesn’t really want to be bothered by the cause
of his lack of sleep today.
They should have at least saw this coming when they decided to come in and out of this place
without permission.
“Tie ‘em up tighter or something. I haven’t had breakfast yet.”
“Steak?”
“Yes, please.”
“Father brought you some cold water for your hangover just a few minutes ago.”
“Mm.”
Cale frowned a little. He didn’t even hear the door opening earlier.
“He also brought some lemonade.”
“……..ok.”
The young master was definitely not crying inside as he caught sight of the sour beverage sitting
all pretty on top of one of his drawers.
Cale ended the call and stretched a little before going to the bathroom of his newly assigned room
to wash his face.
It's a new day.
A new course of action for a brighter—more peaceful future.
It will only be for him and his people, of course.
He was about to take a bath and change from his pajamas to start a new day when he saw his
clothes from yesterday still hanging in the wall.
He couldn’t help but look at it in amusement.
The blood on the dress shirt is completely dried up now, and now that he can see it under a fairly
decent amount of light, he can see that there was a lot of red patches than he initially thought there
was.
No wonder it stung all over.
He looked down at his bandaged arms that have also gone a bit red, and sighed as he realized he’ll
have to change his bandages and wear dark-colored long sleeves under the hot summer sun today.
Taking a towel from one of the drawers, he walked past his used clothes but then faltered in his
steps.
“Ah.”
The fortune slip.
It should still be in his back pocket.
He suddenly worried about it getting wet and smudging all over because of last night.
He dried up his hands with the towel before fishing it out of his clothes.
‘It’s technically a divine item since it came from a shrine. I should take care of it or else I might get
cursed to live an unlucky life or something.’
Was what he thought as he gingerly took it out and looked at it for some time.
‘Oh? Great, it’s water proof. How convenient.’
As always, there was some scritch-scratch hand-writing there.

Cale smiled in satisfaction, at this.
But then he started squinting his eyes after noticing something… odd.
‘Uh… Wait…’
This wasn’t what was written here yesterday…?
Chapter End Notes
Aye, hello everyone! Finally over with the first day in the apartment complex-- it felt
like it took weeks.
Maybe because it did take weeks.
But anyways, FINALLY, the second day truly begins now.
A few more characters are about to be introduced! Can you guess who those are???
Thanks for reading this chapter, reader-nims! And thanks for all the comments from
the last chapter! It really got me smiling and got me writing hehe!
All of you better take care of yourselves, okay?! >:0
Sincerely writing this outside my mom's radar since i haven't had breakfast yet and its
already lunchtime,
Jalffy
A Secret Benefactor [1]
Chapter Summary
“Ooo…”
“Aunt Tasha.”
“Uhhh, uhh…”
“Aunt Tasha!”
“WU—I’M AWAKE!”
Chapter Notes
The sun was high up already and refreshed faces were all over the people passing by the road in
front of the Cobblestone Complex.
Of course, there were a few of the neighbors staring apprehensively at the complex since they
heard all the scary glass-breaking noises and the single high-pitched scream that came before it all
last night.
However, most faces in the moving people and the people riding past the complex showed no sign
of stress over it as they had no idea about what happened last night.
Not even 3/4ths of the employees know about last night, so how could they possibly?
The employees of the apartment complex were visibly beaming as they scampered around, doing
the tasks assigned to them with a newfound motivation after remembering the warm hand that their
seemingly cold new owner had outstretched to them when they were being pitiful.
The passer-byers were happily chattering and laughing about a weird story that happened in a
nearby popular restaurant last night, even going as far as re-enacting how the head chef suddenly
woke up and talked about his mother in heaven.
There was the confused garbage man who was wondering why there was a mountain load of
broken glass in the garbage bin of the complex when he swore this bin was empty yesterday, but he
just brightly smiled to pretend that he didn’t see anything as something as shady as this should be
none of his business.
If he could, Alberu, who was watching this from behind the steering wheel of his black car, would
have praised the garbage man for his instincts, but he couldn’t do so right now.
He had neither the strength nor the energy.
Amongst all this brightly smiling faces going about with their day, only two people could not look
as refreshed and excited for the day as all the others outside the complex.
And that was the sleep-deprived him and his similarly deprived aunt.
“Ooo…”
“Aunt Tasha.”
“Uhhh, uhh…”
“Aunt Tasha!”
“WU—I’M AWAKE!”
Alberu wanted to brush his tired face after his aunt, who was in the middle of nodding off to space
with a piece of apple pie in her mouth after trailing off during their conversation, suddenly
screamed and then slapped herself in the face.
She was huffing and puffing with bloodshot eyes that need some well-deserved rest and a red hand
mark on one of her cheeks.
But Alberu technically wasn’t in a very different position to say anything about that.
It took him three all-nighters with a dangerous amount of caffeine in order to finish up some things
for the upcoming celebration his father is holding, and right after he finishes all that, he’s met with
a fourth one.
The groggy Tasha calmed down and started yawning again, while rubbing her eyes.
She drowsily pointed at the remains of the apple pie in between the two of them at the front seats
of the car, “So, as I was saying, are you going to finish your apple pie or…”
“Coffee.”
“Hm?”
Alberu answered without hesitation as he tried to keep a composed face while gripping the steering
wheel a bit too tightly.
“Black Coffee. White coffee. Instant Coffee. Please just get me any kind of coffee. Just give me
caffeine, Aunt Tasha.”
His aunt stared at him for a few seconds.
“…Okay, sure. Just wait here, while I...”
Tasha stumbled out of the car with half-open eyes and then waddled away to get some instant
coffee from god-knows-where.
She needs a few strong cups herself.
Alberu watched her get smaller and smaller in the distance before sighing.
If she hadn’t helped, Alberu would have had to deal with a week of little to no sleep, so he’s
forever grateful to his aunt for always lending a helping hand when he needs it.
He sucked in some air as he tried to clear his exhausted mind.

There’s a killer or two in the complex, but the dark elves that were sent to chase out the owner,
who happened to be respected by both killers in a way, were safe.
Those three will have to stay in jail for maybe a couple of minutes or hours, but seeing as how
they’re only getting sued for trespassing and not assault, they should be satisfied with this much or
else Alberu can already see Tasha bashing their heads together in the distant future.
A sigh of relief, different from all the other heavy huffs he’s made before, escaped Alberu’s lips as
he felt his mind waking up.
Yes, this event warrants enough questions for him to not be able to sleep so this is good.
He won’t have to worry about the absence of coffee, here.
Just how the hell did the eldest son of the Henituse family become able to see spirits? Or at least,
sense them somehow???
No, how much does he even know about spirits?
Alberu was a quarter dark elf that’s often surrounded and guided by other dark elves in disguise
and yet even he doesn’t know this “appease the dead” method he had talked about when talking to
the black-haired foreigner.
Was it just bullshit to reel in the killer?
No, wait, did he know what he was doing when he brought in that foreigner?
Impossible. That’s just impossible.
Well, Alberu was right about the ‘to reel in the killer’ part but not the bullshit part.
Since Cale Henituse really does know a way to appease the dead.
‘I only know of a few methods, but those are just plain crazy or illegal. Maybe it really was
bullshit?’
Alberu thought to himself as he tried to analyze the guy that he hasn’t even officially met yet.
If he knew a bit more about Cale Henituse, maybe he would have reconsidered ruling out the
possibility of Cale Henituse’s method being illegal.
There are no such things as ‘can do’ and ‘can’t do’ for Cale Henituse even in the face of the court,
after all.
If he thinks Cale Henituse is a clean and straight man, he has to think again.
A red-haired headache was coming towards Alberu’s direction.
And he doesn’t even know it.
***
Cale sneezed.
He wiped his nose with the tissue that the ever-ready Ron handed towards him out of nowhere as
soon as he sneezed, and then frowned.
‘Is someone talking shit about me?’
“…”
He shook his head.
No, that shouldn’t even be a question. Probably all the citizens of Rain City were talking shit about
him as he’s thinking this, considering all the rumors going around.
“Are you alright, Cale-nim?”
Cale lifted his gaze and saw Choi Han looking at him with a bit of concern on his face. He raised
an eyebrow, skeptically, but then looked toward the two people behind him who were acting all
strange all of a sudden.
There was an oddly serious Hans and a dark-faced Hilsman.
Cale wanted to ask what the hell happened to cause both loudmouths to suddenly become so
ominously quiet but figured that this is fine, too.
The morning peace might just have a long stay.
His gaze went from the two employees towards the benignly smiling old man next to him and then
that old man’s stoic faced chef of a son. Beacrox just grunted as he reservedly gestured towards the
three disguised dark elf prisoners who looked as clean as newborn babies, despite having
incredibly terrified expressions and being tied up individually by strong looking ropes.
‘……. what did you do?’
The redhead’s face was asking that because he knew all too well what the look the dark elves were
making was—it was the look of someone who went face-to-face with death itself and barely
survived—but Beacrox just answered with a cold and unrelenting silence.
Beacrox was truly Ron’s son.
“Cale-nim?”
Choi Han looked even more concerned when he went back to staring at him.
‘This punk… isn’t he getting a bit too eager to show his gratitude over a single meal?’ Cale felt
uncomfortable with the look Choi Han was giving him—it was a look that one might give when
staring at a wet piece of paper that could tear easily.
Cale subconsciously pulled at his sleeves to cover the bandages under his arm more effectively as
he answered with an uncaring tone.
“I’m alright. It was just a sneeze.”
It’s probably because of getting splashed with cold water last night when the dark elves came at
him.
He turned his eyes towards the person behind Ron—the former insider, Ben, who lightly bowed
towards him, as if to apologize as he had the same thoughts about the cause of that sneeze.
Cale just internally snorted.

An agreement has already been made so there’s no use dawdling on the past.
He’ll make sure to squeeze the dark elves faction dry, anyway.
Just the thought of it makes Cale think that the lost sleep was worth it—though he still thinks it
would have been nicer if his arms hadn’t been pricked all over due to his own carelessness.
“Cale-nim, about my request…”
“Tell it to Hans.”
“I’ve already done that, but I figured it would be best to let you know, Cale-nim.”
‘Why?’
Cale tried his best not to openly show his dissatisfaction. He doesn’t really want to hear it—it’s
definitely related to what happened to Harris Village.
But Choi Han had already started speaking before he could protest against it any further.
“My request is to have a conversation with your father.”
Cale’s eyes bugged out.
‘Sorry, what?
My what?’
He turned towards Choi Han, his nose scrunched up in confusion.
Some of the passing employees overheard the conversation and froze in their place, their legs
rooted to the ground after the misleading thing they just heard, but Cale could not give a damn
about what they were thinking.
Why the fuck…?
“It is something that Deputy Manager Hans suggested I do after telling him… my story.”
‘Oh. Oh, okay, so that’s why.’
Cale can make out what the request is now based on the uncomfortable expression on Choi Han’s
face and the reluctance in his voice.
It is still related to Harris Village.
Choi Han needed to tell that story to someone—he needed to give this incident light in order to
properly clean up the mess and maybe perhaps rebuilding the village, though Cale guesses he
hasn’t thought far enough to consider rebuilding anything.
Yesterday was such a long day that it made Cale think that maybe a few weeks had passed by.
However, only one day had passed by for Choi Han.
It’s been only one day since the incident that left everyone except Choi Han dead in Harris Village.
This punk in front of him is definitely not over it yet.

It’s impossible to be over that in such a short time.
No, it’s impossible to ever completely get over such a thing ever—he’ll probably never fully
recover, just like how he’ll never fully recover from the life he’s lead in the forest of darkness.
Cale can understand as much.
That’s why he spoke the next few words as nonchalantly as he can.
“I don’t need to hear it.”
Choi han jerked a bit in surprise, “Sorry?”
He was really ready to pour it out once again.
However, Cale had no intention of making him relive that moment over and over when he already
understood it.
Sometimes, people who go through trauma are expected to talk it out.
And that’s not really bad, but, once is enough. Twice is okay, too. Just a few times in a span of a
few years towards a trusted person is advisable.
No one should demand a traumatized individual to repeatedly explain his or her trauma over and
over just so they can make out the full picture—especially when the traumatized individual is yet
to stabilize from the incident itself.
Cale learned this the hard way.
When he survived a ship that sunk at 8 years old and people kept asking him to explain every
single thing that he remembers, no one believed him even after making him repeat and remember
such a horrid incident over and over again.
“You don’t need to tell me that story of yours if it makes you uncomfortable.”
Cale answered with the same indifferent look in his face as always, but his words held something
that no one would probably understand.
This was coming from the heart.
Choi Han stared at Cale with a complicated expression, just like how he did last night. He closed
his mouth shut, an admittance that he was grateful for those words.
Satisfied with his silence, Cale snapped his finger towards a certain chef.
“Beacrox.”
Cale leisurely pointed towards Choi Han.
“You and Hilsman go and escort Choi Han to the main house. Make sure that he only needs to
explain himself once to my father.”
“…As you wish.”

Beacrox answered just like how his father would have.
He shot a cold and scrutinizing glance towards Choi Han as he bowed a little towards the young
master.
Their eyes locked.
For a moment there, it almost sounded like one of them clicked their tongue in dissatisfaction but
Cale couldn’t tell who between the two did so.
“Young master-nim, what about you?”
Hans chimed in with a sunny energetic smile as always.
‘This guy’s trying to gather information to report to his boss...!’
Ben tried to keep a straight face while beside the sunny Hans even when he realized the ginger’s
true intention in less than a second.
Cale mulled over it a bit before staring at Hans with an odd expression that made the ginger flinch.
Smile.
The young master of theirs suddenly started smiling.
“Hans, do you want to go with them to go visit the main house?”
“Huh? Yes? Oh, I mean, yes! Uh, wait, why?”
Hans nervously blinked.
Ben internally screamed, ‘I knew it! The young master does know about it!’
Well, duh, Cale does.
But that’s not really the reason why Cale was asking Hans this question.
Hilsman and Hans.
Both of these people were employees from the main house.
He thought maybe the two of them would like to go visit their old workplace.
Maybe they could go recruit some competent hands, in the process.
Cale especially needs a better security guard who won’t fall asleep during his shift like last night
and a few other hands to hold up the complex to attract more tenants and increase the revenue.
He’s not expecting much, but it wouldn’t hurt to let them go there for a bit.
Cale just smiled as he stared at Hans who was trying his best to come off as innocent as possible.
‘It’s not like Hans has anything special to report since it’s only been the first day.’
And that is where Cale is wrong.
There is something important Hans can report.

It’s not the existence of dark elves, nope, Hans didn’t even realize that the three intruders where not
human. It was too dark for him to see, and his eyes were already puffy from crying too much at
that time.
It’s not the fact that Choi Han pulled out a fricking sword and that Ron was holding a friggin
dagger either, since he had left in such a hurry and didn’t really pay attention to the minor details of
the scene he had exited.
The important thing Hans could report was in the form of the bloody bandages hidden under Cale’s
sleeves as Cale continued to smile at him, oblivious to that fact.
“Alright.”
Cale clapped his hands.
“Hans, Hilsman and Beacrox. You will be escorting Choi Han to the main house. Ben, Ron, stay
here and run the place while I go deliver these three to the police station.”
“Alone?”
Choi Han blurted out.
“I’m never alone.” Cale almost automatically said with an irritated tone.
Ben raised an eyebrow but then flinched when he thought he heard the scary old man next to him
chuckle in a low voice.
That’s right.
The young master is never really alone.
As if to support what Cale just said and what Ron believed, the presence of a dozen or so spirits
started flickering in and out of his body, making Cale roll his eyes.
‘Be quiet, all of you.’
The spirits whimpered at the uncaring whisper that Cale gave them, but they retreated nonetheless.
Cale sighed but then stiffened up, again.
Ron had raised his head and put on his trademark benign smile as his and Cale’s gaze met.
“Have a safe trip, Young master-nim.”
And with that.
Both Cale and his three prisoners felt the chills and hurriedly walked away from Ron and towards
the exit of the complex.
‘Scary.’
Their thoughts were one and the same as they shuddered.
‘What a scary old man…’
***
“Alberu, here’s your…”
Tasha’s voice trailed off as she caught sight of something in the far distance.
Red.
It’s bloody red.
She almost dropped the coffee in both of her hands as she saw that and three familiar faces come
out of the complex. The three idiots were obviously disguised—she can guess that Ben must be the
one who casted the magic.
“ALBERU!”
“AAH!!!” The blondie, who had fallen asleep on top of the steering wheel of the car at some point
in his thought process, ended up jolting awake at his aunt’s loud scream, looking like his heart had
leapt out from his mouth.
Tasha shoved the hot coffee in his direction, which he thankfully caught properly before it could
spill, before she squeezed herself inside the car, slammed the door shut and then turned on the
ignition while her dearest little nephew was still recovering from the shock.
With his fake glasses disoriented in the wrong angle on his face, Alberu held unto the side of his
seat as he held his aching head, slurring a swear out of nowhere.
“What the fu…”
But he had to stop when his blurry drowsy eyes finally adjusted to the light and saw the striking
color he would never forget in the distance.
Bloody red hair fluttered in the light morning breeze as a young and handsome man stepped out of
the complex with a stiff expression, wearing long navy blue sleeves with a few thin white stripes
and a casual pair of jogging pants.
He was walking out with a stiff expression but the way he was walking was certainly quite
leisurely for a person who just survived what might count as an assassination attempt.
Alberu wondered if he was still half-asleep when he saw the redhead, looking like a model in such
loose clothing, but then his eyes were suddenly drawn towards the milky collarbone that could be
seen due to the looseness of the top.
SLAP!
“Whut the…???”
Tasha, who was in the middle of fastening her own seat belt stared at her nephew funny, after he
strongly slapped himself in the cheek.
There was a brief silence inside the car.
“…are you alright?”
“...I just wanted to test out if what you did earlier to yourself actually works.”
That was a lie.

But Tasha didn’t have the time nor the interest to delve into it, as more important matters await.
“Ready your wallet, Alberu.”
She said with a gasp-like laughter spilling out of her as she held unto the car’s open window, ready
to jump out once that red-haired rich kid gets out of sight when they get to the police station.
“Yes, yes.” Her nephew groaned as he fixed his glasses and put up his mask to hide the red slap
mark on one of his cheeks.
He grabbed the steering wheel and stepped on the gas.
There were still many questions in Alberu’s head but he’ll find the answer to some of them, for
sure, the moment he hears about everything from those three troublemakers.
“…”
He can still see it from afar.
An ashamed flush was hidden under his face mask as he quietly drove and pretended not to see nor
be bothered by it.
It’s sleep deprivation, he rationalized.
Yes, yes.
It’s deeeeeefinitely sleep deprivation.
***
“Hmn.”
In the nearby city, there was a certain man with long light hair past his shoulder sitting by the
terrace of his room under the dark shadow casted by the sun.
Unable to move his crippled legs, the gentle man stared at the far distance with a look of worry in
his face.
It’s been… what? 3 weeks? 4? Maybe 5?
As he stared at the direction of where Rain city should be from his peaceful spot on the terrace, he
couldn’t help but mutter, as if in a trance.
A worry-wart’s trance.
“I wonder…”
He murmured just as a strong gust of wind ruffled his hair as if to stop him from speaking.
A small smile grew on his face as soon as the wind died down.
“Hmn.”
He turned his head away from the direction of the nearby city, shaking away all his worries.
“I’m sure it’s alright.”

There was a smile in his eyes as he looked up at the blue, blue sky instead.
“If it’s Cage, she might have already knocked out a cop or two, anyway."
Chapter End Notes
Aiya, Jalffy here--ended up being able to update on time after all! I choked on instant
cup noodles while riding a jeepney and have never felt closer to death! >:D Its so
weird to have something other than air in your lungs-- I had to go home by ambulance.
But the trip was worth it, since I got a buy 1 take 1 burger.
Anyway, DOUBLE UPDATE AS PROMISED! LET'S GOOOOO!
Sincerely starting the year with a double update and a dance y'all will never see,
Jalffy
Chapter Summary
“GOOD MORNING, YOUNG MASTER CALE-NIM…!!!”
Cale could only blankly stare as the officers yelled out such an intense greeting from
the top of their lungs.
‘…What the hell?’
Chapter Notes
Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.
“A gathering for young businessmen….”
Deruth Henituse, the head of the Henituse family and corporation, frowned a little as he looked
through the contents of the invitation he received this morning.
The president’s birthday and the 500th year anniversary of the founding of the republic of Roan
happened to be in the same week so it makes sense for there to be more than just one celebration to
attend, but… to specifically ask the young heirs to the family to come?
He stared at the invitation for a while, stuck deep in his thoughts.
Something felt iffy but he decided to brush it aside.
This was the perfect excuse to call his eldest son over to the main house to check how he’s doing.
He takes a mental note to contact his son, later.
Knock, knock.
Deruth straightened himself before answering the knock on the door, “Come in.”
The door opened and revealed the familiar faces of Hans and Beacrox, two of the people he’s
ordered to stick by his son’s side, as well as the face of Hilsman who was loyal to his strict wife,
Violan.
He gave the three a warm smile as they came in, to welcome them, as he had an idea why they
might be here.
The ginger nervously keeping his lips straight as he entered already texted him beforehand.
As the door closed behind the last person, the fourth visitor—a man with black hair, black eyes
and an overall black theme to his clothing—Deruth put his hands together as he stared into those
black eyes.
“It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Choi Han.”
Deruth put on a conversational smile.
A business smile that somehow resembled the smile of a certain redhead who should be inside the
police station right now.
“Let’s chat, shall we?”
--------
“Huh.”
Cale looked at the police station in front of him, arms crossed.
Maybe it’s because he’s the owner of an apartment complex with five floors and a luxurious outer
shell, but he didn’t know what he expected.
‘It’s a bit… mm, shabby.’
But that’s absolutely understandable.
Why would a police station need 5 fucking floors, anyway?
“Hey.”
Cale snapped his fingers, making the three disguised dark elves behind him who have been quiet
and obedient all this time, flinch at his gesture.
He glanced towards them before pointing towards the station.
“We’re here.”
He received no response.
The three elves just continued to stare at him in silence, looking like they were going to cry and it
made Cale feel really annoyed.
They’re finally here. We can finally get this over with and wrap it up for now.
Don’t these three have anything they want to say before losing their clean track records and a few
hours of their life behind bars?
He shot them the most dissatisfied face he could make—a face that deserved the title of trash— as
he asked them a question to somehow get something out of them.
“Do you have any words to say before we go in?”
‘Do you have any last words?’
Was what he meant by it.
He was giving them an opportunity to cuss at him or maybe declare something stupid to be
engraved on their tombstones though they wouldn’t really die, or more likely say that they needed
to go to the bathroom.
Cale has no idea what Beacrox did to these three, but he’s sure he didn’t let them pee all morning.
But the dark elves heard his words differently.
To them, it sounded like this was an opportunity to apologize for their rash actions that caused not
only property damage but also injury.
They’re not stupid. They know they screwed up big time last night.
And they also know to whom they should owe their life to now that they’re going to get off with
only a bit of jail time until they get bailed by Ben or Tasha.
‘Don’t kill them.’
They could have died last night if it had not been for the redhead’s order.
That was why, as a way to redeem themselves, the three dark elves all had the same thoughts as
they lightly bowed down to a surprised Cale who was expecting swears and curses, but instead got
a respectful gesture from the three.
“T… thank you.”
They spoke up slowly in a small voice, as if ashamed of what they’ve done, but Cale heard them.
Thank you for sparing our lives.
The three closed their eyes as they properly took to heart that this man had, in one way or another,
saved them from dying.
Meanwhile, Cale was staring at the three with an odd expression.
‘What the hell? Why are they thanking me? They do know I’m putting them behind bars, right?’
He thought for a moment that maybe he needed to remind these three that he’s here to jail them,
but decided against it even though he felt a bit iffy about it.
At least he knows none of them need to go to the bathroom.
“Yeah, sure.” He responded indifferently to their deepest gratitude and turned around towards the
police station, itching to just get in and get this over with already, as he might need to do a bit of
explaining to the police. “Is that all you have to say?”
“…We’re also sorry for what we did.”
“…That’s good.”
Honestly, this whole conversation sounded like a man talking to three kindergarteners who did
something wrong but it’s better than nothing. The dark elves have learned their lesson and seem
like they’ll be willing to help out Cale in the future to clear their debt and their mistakes.
A small smirk appeared in Cale’s face.
He’ll be able to get these three to do something for him at least once.
Score.
The dark elves jerked backwards when Cale suddenly clapped his hands together once as he
declared with a satisfied smile on his face.
“Alright.”
He looked over at his three prisoners and then gestured towards the station with a smile.
“Let’s go in now, shall we?”
The three dark elves slowly nodded their heads and then followed after Cale as he walked up the
stairs to the entrance of the station.
The police officers all scrambled out of their seats as soon as they saw Cale.
‘Hmn?’
Cale blinked as he watched the officers form a straight line inside the station, like it was rehearsed.
His eyebrows twitched. Something feels off.

‘It’s Cale Henituse…!’
The policemen’s minds fell into chaos as they tried to fall in line in an organized manner.
There was no mistaking that red hair.
Everyone knew who he was.
The eldest son of the Henituse Corporation.
The trash who was sent away for almost 10 years in who knows where.
The new owner of the haunted apartment complex in Rain City…!
The policemen sweated profusely as they’ve retained order among their ranks and looked towards
the redhead who just entered, making sure to be as respectful as possible.
“GOOD MORNING, YOUNG MASTER CALE-NIM…!!!”
Cale could only blankly stare as the officers yelled out such an intense greeting from the top of
their lungs.
‘…What the hell?’
An hour or so before this dashing young man’s arrival, the police station received a call.
It was a call from none other than Violan Henituse, the wife of the richest person (if you exclude
the president’s family) in the country, Deruth Henituse.
Cale Henituse’s step mother, and the co-owner of Henituse corporation.
‘As you may already know, my son, Cale, has been appointed as the new owner of the Cobblestone
Complex.’
She spoke gently to them.
‘But three basta—I mean, three people dared break in and injure him.’
However, they’ve never heard the elegant and uptight Violan Henituse that angry.
‘My son will be coming there soon with three flies in tow. Do him a favor and make it quick.’
The policemen gulped as they deeply bowed their heads towards the young master of the Henituse
family, while remembering the parting words that the cold Violan said before ending the call.
‘Cale doesn’t like his time being wasted.’
“WE SHALL TAKE THE INTRUDERS IN JAIL IMMEDIATELY—”
Smack.
“OY!”
The policemen hit the back of the head of the guy who spoke out too straightforwardly and
unnaturally. Cale just watched this exchange with slightly wide eyes.
‘Ho.’
He blinked.
‘Word sure does travel fast. How did these guys know about the break-in?’
Well, for one, it didn’t really happen so silently so it wouldn’t be a wonder if the neighbors are
gossiping about it right now.
But Cale couldn’t help but feel like someone he’s familiar with told the police beforehand…
Was it Hans? Or was it Ron?
‘Ah, whatever.’
He decided to just shrug it off.
‘This is good, too. I can save time this way.’
“Do I have to explain what happened or…?” He nonchalantly asked just in case he still needs to.
“No, there is no need.”
The highest ranking policeman appeared in front of Cale with a calm and composed smile.
“We’ve already been told of the situation by Violan-nim. It’s nice to meet you, Young Master
Cale.”
‘Oh, so it was mother.’
Cale relaxed but then stiffened up.
‘Wait, how did mother know about that???’
The policeman craned his neck to look behind Cale before promptly announcing,
“We will escort the three men behind you inside a cell, immediately.”
The three dark elves flinched upon hearing this and meeting the policeman’s gaze. They ended up
sticking closer to each other, without realizing it.
‘Aigoo.’
Seeing this, Cale could only sigh before turning towards the policeman.
“Please don’t be too rough with them.”
‘It was only trespassing that could be taken as a prank.’
Was what he meant by it but for some reason the three dark elves stared at him with a teary gaze
once more.
The policeman stared at Cale for a few moments in silence before complying with a slightly bowed
head, “As you wish.”
‘Young kids these days.’
He hid the small smile he had behind his bushy moustache before handling the three men behind
Cale, according to the Young Master’s request.
‘Too soft for their own good.’
Cale watched as the three dark elves were delivered inside a cell with utmost care.
Good.
He didn’t need to explain himself at all.
It helps that the dark elves were being very, very, docile throughout the whole jailing process, too,
and not making a fuss.
The other criminals in the other cells were yapping so much that Cale felt like it would damage his
ears but all in all this is good.
It almost scares him how well things are going, though.
Yesterday was such a really annoying day filled with lots of detours and unexpected variables so he
didn’t have very high expectations for this day.
‘Maybe my luck is getting better?’

Bullshit.
Cale dismissed the idea immediately, and turned around to leave the noisy room when he heard a
sound akin to a bell ringing from the direction of one of the cells.
He froze.
‘Wha… what…’
This feeling. This sensation.
This was the same chill he received yesterday from the abandoned shrine next to the man-eating
tree.
He couldn’t help but be anxious all of a sudden.
What…
Just what the hell is that same aura doing here, of all places?
It was then.
“Ack, shut up, shut up…”
He heard an annoyed woman’s voice amongst the loud criminals in the station.
“I don’t give a damn about that! Just… ugh!”
Cale slowly and cautiously turned towards the direction of the voice that he could barely make out
in the noisy area, his eyes filled with disbelief.
There in the corner of one of the jail cells.
There was a woman with short messy black hair and tanned skin, biting her lips while leaning on
one of the walls and muttering something to herself.
This person.
‘You bastards! You think you can just walk in here and do things like this and leave unscathed?!’
Cale’s never really met her before, but he’s sure that she was that person just by giving her one
long and silent look.
‘Fall into deep darkness with no warmth, no comfort and no bounds! If you even as much as put
one strand of Taylor’s hair out of place, I’ll take away the strength of your legs with either this
curse or the bat you’re about to regret ever putting by the fucking door!’
Cale closed his eyes and held his temples, feeling his head suddenly ache at this encounter that he
absolutely did not sign up for.
‘HUH? WHAT THE FUCK?! WHY ARE Y’ALL ARRESTING ME, YOU PUNKS! AGHH…’
The scritch scratch paper that Cale had chosen to ignore this morning…
‘Taylor! Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fiiiiine! You have to stay alive until I break out, ‘kay? Worry
about yourself! You need to treat this priestess to a meal once she’s out.’
Cale brushed his face.
It just smacked him in the back.
--------
Earlier today, Cale had noticed that the contents of the fortune slip in his possession had
completely changed overnight.
He doesn’t know when it happened or what triggered it, but all he knows as he read the new story-
like excerpt he’s been provided with was that…
‘Phew.’
He was 100% not involved in today’s featured tragedy.
Unlike the contents of the slip yesterday, his name wasn’t mentioned even once throughout the
whole thing.
‘This has absolutely nothing to do with me~.”
He happily hummed as he leisurely stuffed the fortune slip in one of the compartments of his
bathroom’s drawer and headed into his bathtub to relax in the warm water’s embrace while
thinking over what he had just read.
Taylor Stan.
Cale hasn’t stepped foot in Roan for years, but that doesn’t mean he’s so disconnected to the place
that he has no clue about such a controversial person.
Taylor Stan, the eldest son of the Stan Family of the Northwest.
If everything had gone smoothly, he would have certainly become the heir to the family business.
However, not too long ago, amidst the fight for succession, he lost his legs due to the malicious
actions of his younger bitch of a bro—I mean, his younger brother.
The injury crippled him and made him unable to walk.
And as a result, this became a great weakness that made people make fun of him and made his
family practically abandon him.
‘The Stan family sure is messed up.’
Cale thought to himself as he sunk lower in his bath tub, completely relaxed.
Apparently, the successor to the family business is expected to kill his other siblings to assert
dominance or some shit—what an awful family tradition.
He didn’t know it before, but he did notice that something was weird when he looked up about
them once while he was in Korea.
This was information that no man would have known unless they worked directly for the Stan
Family.
Or had a trusty detailed fortune slip like a certain somebody.
Cale was now gazing at the noisy jail cell that contained the woman who seemed to be too busy
cursing at something invisible to even notice that he was staring.
‘Or was a trusty friend of someone from the family.’
“Officer-nim.”
He called out to the highest ranking policeman that just finished locking up the dark elves’ cell.
“Yes, Young Master Cale?”
“That person over there.”
The policeman followed the direction of Cale’s finger as Cale cautiously asked him a question.
“Was she delivered here by the Stan family?”

“Hm? Oh, yes. So you’ve heard of her, too.”
“Heard of her?”
One of the new policemen answered from behind his desk, “Yeah, the rumored serial kneecap
breaker. Though this is her first strike for kneecap breaking, she done in hundreds of people in such
a short time that it’s actually scary.”
The highest ranking policeman with the bushy moustache explained the case without thinking
much of the young master’s question.
“She’s the disaster that flipped over the Stan Estate a week or two ago. More than 300 people were
either unconscious or injured in that incident. She’s here under the crime of breaking inside the
room of the eldest son of the Stan Family and for assault.”
After hearing the explanation, Cale could only blankly stare at the woman who was holding her
head while swearing at her headache.
…It really is her.
The second person who appeared in today’s fortune slip.
Taylor’s close friend, the Crazy Priestess of the God of Death, Cage.
‘Break-in? Assault? What a load of horse crap.’
According to the fortune slip, that night, the crippled Taylor and his only attendant almost got
killed, not by the hands of Cage who’s in jail right now for supposedly “trying” to do so, but by the
hands of the men who are currently recuperating as “victims” in the hospital.
It was an assassination attempt orchestrated by Taylor’s younger brother—the same guy who
crippled him, and all of the people in the house were in on it,
Taylor and his attendant were cornered when Cage broke in through the window, like the crazy
woman she is.
Just right in time, after hearing the voice of the God of Death.
Seeing as even the God of Death was in on the improvised rescue operation, it’s most likely that if
Cage had not arrived in time, Taylor would have died “by accident” to the public and the successor
seat would have fallen into the hands of his younger brother.
Cale doesn’t know if all of the 300 men Cage beat up with a bat would have been accomplices to
Taylor’s murder if things went on without the God of Death’s whisper, but he does know one
thing.
This crazy priestess should not be here.
‘The Stan territory is like a couple of mountains away from here.’
The chances that Taylor will be attacked again, with no Cage to help him, is very high, and the
chance of him dying then is similar.
Cale’s eyebrows furrowed.

‘The fortune slip started with how Taylor got crippled until the time Cage was arrested, so it was a
bit of a cliffhanger but…’
He thought she would have surely broken out of jail by the first week.
She wasn’t as strong as Choi Han but she was definitely capable of knocking out a few policemen.
Cale looked toward the highest ranking policeman next to him.
The policeman warmly smiled.
‘…Well, at least I know the policemen around these parts are doing their job well.’
But this isn’t good.
Cale couldn’t help but frown.
If things continue like this, Taylor might sooner or later die.
He can’t even begin to imagine what an angry priestess of the God of Death would do if that
happens.
‘…just this once.’
Cale told himself as he took a deep breath and made his decision.
He’ll get involved with the people from the fortune slip and lend a hand just this one time.
He’ll give just enough amount of help while doing the least amount of work and receiving the least
amount of expectations and attention.
It’ll be quite easy to do in this situation.
“Officer-nim.”
“Yes, Young Master Cale?”
“Can I borrow a pen and a piece of paper?”
“Sure.”
“Oh, and here take this.”
“Hm—wha? Um…”
The highest ranking policeman blinked at the 1 million gallon in the form of a single gold coin
placed inside his palm and then looked up at Cale.
He eyed Cale suspiciously before asking.
“Young master, may I ask whatever this will be for?”
“It’s not a bribe. Don’t look at me like that.”
Cale answered, flatly.
“Then what…?”
“Today.”
“Hm?”
An oddly bright smile suddenly appeared in Cale’s face as he pushed the paper and pen towards
the confused policeman’s direction.
“I am just an unnamed good person paying for another person’s bills.”
--------
“He’s going out—HE’S GOING OUT!”
“WAIT FOR IT, WAIT FOR IT!”
Tasha was yelling from inside the car, pushing at the door over and over again while being pulled
back by a silently yelling Alberu by the collar.
Just like his aunt said, the redhead they’ve been waiting for stepped out of the police station with
his usual stoic expression and started walking away.
They need to wait until he’s completely gone to be sure.
It wouldn’t hurt to let the three dark elves stay in jail for a few more minutes.
The aunt-nephew duo waited a bit more, apprehensively, as they watched the red-haired man get
farther and farther and finally stop walking and turn towards one of the buildings.
Alberu’s face immediately distorted.
‘…is he seriously going to the grocery mart, right now?’
Yes.
Yes, he was.
The two watched as the redhead disappeared through the automatic sliding doors of the grocery
mart, in silence.
“…”
Tasha held out an open palm towards her nephew.
“Wallet.”
“Yes.” Alberu sighed as he gingerly placed his wallet on the open hand.
“Thank you for your donation~!” Tasha snickered and hopped out of the car while waving the
wallet she has attained in the air.
Alberu held back the complaints of his inner thoughts and decided to just watch as his aunt started
walking towards the police station while scanning the contents of his wallet, most certainly
searching for any traces of a picture of a lover or something close.
Relatives.
Why are they always so interested in his love life?

Tasha uttered a sigh in disappointment as she closed the wallet after finding that her nephew is still,
as always, probably a single virgin.
‘I guess it’s still too much to ask for one-eighth dark elf babi—’
“Oof!”
She bumped into someone on the way to the station.
Tasha grabbed the wallet that almost went flying into the air, tightly, as she looked towards the
person she had bumped into with a flustered apologetic grin, “Ah, sorry! Sorry!”
The person she bumped into, a woman with slightly tanned skin with a tattoo on one arm, just
smiled back at her while holding unto a small piece of paper with elegant writing/
“It’s alright, Unnie. Just watch where you’re going next time.”
‘Oooh, I like this person.’
Tasha subconsciously noted after hearing a human call her ‘Unnie’.
The two exchanged a surprisingly friendly farewell and parted ways with a spring on both of their
steps.
“You three!”
Tasha almost cried out after seeing the three dark elves crouched together on the floor behind bars.
The dark elves’ eyes widened upon seeing her.
“N…”
They cried out with relieved expressions, gripping unto the bars, “NOOONAAAA!”
‘Oh thank god, they look alright.’
Tasha held back the tears of relief that were threatening to spill out of her eyes.
She had packed up the highest grade spiritual medicine she could get just in case they’d been
beaten up or injured by those people from the complex.
But forget injured, they’re faces had a lively complexion, their hairstyles were slicked up and their
bodies looked like it was shining at how clean and spotless it is.
‘What in the world did they do to these idiots???’
Tasha questioned how well-kept the three looked like despite the terrified expressions they wore as
they called out to her in relief.
‘Maybe the apartment complex employees aren’t all that bad…’
If Cale heard this, he’d scoff and say that all the credit goes to the clean freak son of his vicious old
butler, Beacrox—the torture expert who’s also working as a chef under him.
“Miss, are these your brothers?”
“Ah, yes, yes.”

Tasha snapped back to reality and answered the policeman with the bushy moustache.
She put on a sad smile as she knelt down beside the dark elves’ cell and hugged the three, while
loudly scolding them and calling them pranksters to put on a show in front of the police that she
had nothing to do with what they did.
But the Dark elves knew what she really wanted to say as she held the three of them close within
her embrace.
“Thank you for being alive.”
She whispered enough for only the three of them to hear.
The three dark elves teared up and started crying as they hugged her back. They really thought they
were going to die if it had been some other person in the owner seat of the apartment complex.
But they’re alive.
They survived.
The policemen watched the tear-jerker with stone-hard faces, not letting themselves get emotional
over something that had injured a young and innocent person.
It was only the highest-ranking policeman with the bushy moustache who decided to step in with
good intentions.
“…Let’s start negotiating the bail now.”
Tasha looked up at the middle-aged man and then nodded with a thankful smile.
…She’s glad that she’s disguised as a human, right now.
Because she can never receive this kind of consideration had she been in dark elf form, for sure.
As Tasha slowly let go of the three dark elves’ and started to stand up, one of the dark elves clung
unto her arm and yelled, “N-NOONA, WAIT!”
She stopped on her tracks after seeing the fear in the dark elf’s eyes.
The dark elf started stammering, panicked, “T-that guy! The owner! He—!”
“Shh, shh, shh.” Tasha hushed him immediately as she’s already heard a tad bit off what happened
from her contracted spirit. She leaned close his ear and to whisper, “Let’s talk about that later. For
now—”
“N-NO! IT’S NOT ABOUT THAT!”
Tasha jerked back at the dark elf’s loud outcry.
The other dark elves pursed their lips in nervous silence, and it was only then that Tasha realized
that it wasn’t just them—the other criminals were strangely silent for some reason.
When she looked around, it looked like they were all either in confusion or in fear.
These small-time criminals are getting apprehensive…?

Tasha put her gaze back on her fellow dark elves as her eyebrows furrowed.
The disguised dark elf clinging unto her arm tried to grasp the right words to say, his unchanged
black eyes filled with confusion and anxiety.
“Tha—that guy, he suddenly asked about this one person a-and—and then…!”
He recounted only to be cut off by a random criminal in the neighboring cell who finally had
enough.
The dangerous person who got out of jail just now may have not seen or heard it since she was too
busy in her own head, but all the other criminals in this place all saw the exchange between the red-
haired man and the bushy moustache policeman and heard what the redhead had said with an
unnerving smile.
The lunatic jumped unto the rails with blood shot eyes and foam in his mouth.
“THE YOUNGIN’ THAT JAILED YER BROTHERS LET OUT AYE SERIAL KNEECAP
BREAKER, WOMAN!”
Tasha stared at the crazy bastard growling at her with foam in his mouth like some sort of wild
animal and then at the silent policeman with the bushy moustache behind her
Her eyebrows drew together as she blurted out, “Sorry?”
Excuse me?
Serial Kneecap wHO?
--------
A woman with short messy black hair, tanned skin and a tattoo on one arm happily hummed as she
skipped through her steps.
“Well, whaddya know?”
She muttered to herself, her previous headache completely wiped away as a smile grew on her face.
The small piece of paper in her hand fluttered softly in the light morning breeze.
Chapter End Notes
Aiya, reader-nims~!
I completely forgot to mention that my laptop kind of sort of broke in a way that its
still usable but we dont know when it'll just come apart-- QvQ
My brother, that smartass know-it-all, yelled at me for thinking that its fine as long as
its not the power button that divorced with my laptop. I didnt really get what he said
coz he tends to complicate things to prove that one knows nothing but I think I grasped
enough about the situation to be able to prepare countermeasures.
This won't be the first time my laptop's soul has left the world :)
Anyway, I'm excited to write the next chapter and the next next chapter of this
muHAHAHAHAH!
Because a few characters that I wish had more screentime and interactions are going to
be in it, of course!
Its deeefinitely not because im making Cale Henituse suffer~! ^v^
Anyway, I'll take it slow and make single updates for now since classes are starting
again for me.
Sincerely thanking you all for reading this from the bottom of my heart,
Jalffy
Not a chapter
NOTICE: Guys, I dont think I can upload this week ;-;
I already have a chapter written but I havent really reviewed it as much as i need to until today
when i needed to post it, and I just know that I need to fix a lot of things in it (not grammatically
but more on flow-wise). But my brain currently feels like its sinking down a jar of jam without air
supply and my body feels like I wont get rest even if i lay down, and I haven't even mentioned the
fact that I still have to do my academic requirements even though my brain doesnt seem like its
working right ;_; (aNd IM a pHYsIcs CORe StUDenT wiTh a LEvEL 2 mATh eLEcTivE ) I feel
like I need to go have a stroll and use my legs but everyone in my neighborhood is COUGHING
QWQ And my mom is too. I've been talking to the chickens like they're my therapists late at night
but it can only help me to an extent :/ As I write this, my brain just feels like its dissolving into the
air and saying farewell to me.
Bottomline is: I dont want to post a chapter that I'm not confident in or is incomplete or has not
been checked at least 3 times TwT And this one is just... all three of those.
And I dunno how to fix it yet coz Im having a derp moment.
Im thinking of like having a fight with someone over TCF lore just to revive my brain cells again
but then again, I might not work as good as I usually do.
I'm going to go frantically find a way to CPR my brain, but i cant guarantee i can find the way and
fix the chapter before tuesday ends ;v;
So I'm really sorry, but I might have to post today's chapter next week instead ;-;
I hope you guys understand
-Jalffy
Chapter Summary
There’s a saying in the Cobblestone Complex that only people who’ve been kicked out
and deemed trash would know and understand.
‘Rocks that have weathered, stay together!’
No trash is left behind!
Chapter Notes
‘Aah, I still feel iffy about it.’
Cale was currently in the grocery mart, frowning in front of the bread isle for reasons that the
person behind the counter would also like to know about.
This man is already slightly regretting what he’s done.
Right now, somewhere in Rain City, there is a rowdy priestess of the God of Death celebrating her
release from jail with some booze and trying to find a bus to the Stan Family’s main estate.
It wasn’t like Cale was thinking ‘Oh, god, what have I released upon the world’, since he can care
less about whatever Cage the priestess is going to do once she gets her hands on the men who are
currently in the hospital pretending to be victims.
It was more more across the lines of ‘I feel like a tornado of problems will come my way due to
this decision, but, ugh, whatever.’
This has to be done.
Cale silently picked up a piece of bread with both hands and started massaging it for stress relief,
not minding the confused expression the staff had when he started pressing it with his thumb like it
was a phone with buttons.
He has never been the type of person he’d call a good guy.
If he could, he’d loot up people’s houses and relish in the luxuries of not having to do anything
because he’ll have enough money to make it that way.
If he has to, he’ll trick people and scam people and maybe even blackmail them, while he’s at it.
‘In the end what’s important is that I’ll live.’
That’s the type of person Cale Henituse is.
However, he’s also the type who can’t help but be bugged if he knew a good guy is about to
cluelessly die and leave a crazy priestess of the God of Death behind to wreak havoc upon the
world.
The redhead shuddered.
‘I can’t even begin to imagine what that crazy priestess would do if Taylor actually died.’
He’s done what he has done mostly because he’s more repulsed to the idea of an angry priestess
going wild around Rain City after hearing the news about it.
With a bat. Coming for some knees.
The redhead strongly shooed the terrible thought away.
He closed his eyes as he reinforced his reasons quietly while the staff of the grocery mart watched
him, the son of the Henituse family, like an impoverished hawk waiting for a golden turtle to lay
some eggs.
Cale opened his eyes and looked at the assortment of bread in front of him.
‘These are all for the sake of a peaceful life.’
…But he doesn’t really like the thought of carrying all these in paper bags again just like yesterday.
Juggling all those bags is just annoying and inefficient. Isn’t there a better way???
The redhead mulls over this thought.
‘Maybe I should have brought Hilsman with me, after all—’
He stopped in his tracks when he caught sight of something from one side of the market.
Within him, something suddenly clicked.
Why didn’t he think of that?
The staff nervously held unto the table of the bread isle as Cale slowly started to smile out of
nowhere.
‘…Why is he staring at the garbage bags?’
-----
“Lily?”
Basen exclaimed in surprise from the front of his father’s study, hand on the doorknob.
The little girl at the distance just let out a really big and unrestrained yawn in reply as she tottered
over with her chestnut hair in a mess. She blinked, rubbing her eyes and then almost gasped after
recognizing Basen.
“Huh? You, too?!”
It was a weekend so the two siblings were in the main house (which is their house), with nothing
much to do.
But to meet each other in front of their father’s study at such a time…
“Yeah.” Basen answered, reservedly, and Lily almost gasped again.

The two kids were here today for the same reason—they’ve been called over by their father,
Deruth Henituse.
Lily, who was always called over to this place like it was a Principal’s office, was in shock that her
responsible brother, Basen, was getting called over at the same time as her.
She covered her mouth as she completely misunderstood the situation and murmured in disbelief,
“Wow, I didn’t think you’d have it in you, oppa…”
"...Didn't have what?"
"No, it's nothing. Good morning."
Basen eyed the little 7-year-old skeptically as she yawned again and stood right next to her big
brother. He figured it might really be just nothing so he faced away from her as he nonchalantly
spoke up.
"So, you bashed your classmates' heads in with a stick last night during a birthday celebration."
"HIK?!"
The little girl flinched with eyes wide and awake after being called out all of a sudden.
Basen said that with such a straight unperturbed face without even looking at her that she didn't see
the straight coming and got metaphorically hit in the gut.
She recovered pretty quickly however, and squeaked frantically to defend her honor, "They were
talking bad about Oraebuni! I needed to shut them up somehow!"
'...Hyung-nim, huh?'
Basen quietly stared at the door knob in his hand after the mention of their older brother, while his
little sister continued ranting about her innocence.
"I didn't even hit them that hard!"
She says that but that same hit would have had both of her older brothers packing to the hospital.
"Really! It was just a weak hit!"
Lily cried out loud, making her brother sigh.
"I'm not scolding you." He continued speaking with closed eyes, "I was just trying to confirm if
what I heard was true."
Basen opened his eyes and then slowly started turning the door knob before pausing and then
turning towards Lily.
Smile.
"Good job, by the way."
"...?!" Lily jumped backwards, cradling her arms riddled with goosebumps, her face pale.
'Wha--what the heyy?!'

Why was Basen smiling like that?!
Basen just avoided her utterly confused face and opened the door, his expression returning to
normal as he excused himself.
"Pardon the intrusion."
"Basen."
Behind the door, their father Deruth Henituse turned to meet them from behind his desk, small and
neat stacks of paper all around.
Deruth craned his neck and then called out.
"And Lily."
The little girl timidly poked her head inside the room at her father's call.
Lily quietly ventured inside the office, hiding her fidgeting hands behind her back, as she stood
next to her brother.
It was Basen who spoke the both of them.
"What is it that you called us here for, Father?"
Lily clamped her mouth closed. There's no way her father doesn't know about the bitch--I mean,
the meanie that she beat to a pulp last night, so it's no question why she's here.
But why was Basen here?
She sneaked an apprehensive glance at Basen beside her, and just as she did so, their father's mouth
opened.
"As the two of you know," He started speaking with his fingers intertwined in front of him, "Your
eldest brother had just returned from overseas."
The two kids did not answer but they now had an idea of what this was about. Deruth continued
with a grim expression.
"Last night, you're brother... got injured during a break-in."
This is the part where the kids had to gasp.
But they didn't.
'I... already know.'
Basen contemplated for a bit how he should react since his mother already told him about it this
morning during breakfast. His initial shock about the news is already gone in the sink like the food
he had to forcefully cough out when it was suddenly dropped on him like a nuclear bomb.
'So it is true?!?!'
Lily tensed up but kept her mouth as is as she recalled how she ended up overhearing some people
in the hallways talk about her Oraebuni getting in an accident. She thought she was just half-asleep
and delirious back then, but it's true?!
"..."
Deruth slowly raised an eyebrow as he watched the two kids who were oddly silent.
"So the two of you already knew?"
"Mother told me."
"Is Oraebuni okay?!?!?!"
"He's... Haaa. He's fine."
At least that's what Deputy Manager Hans reported early this morning.
Deruth held the side of his head as he remembered that surprisingly vague report about the events
of last night. There were some details that Hans just couldn't remember and thus reportedly omitted
to keep out the inaccuracies.
The young man was competent, that's for sure, so it felt unfair for Deruth to grab him by his collar,
shake him around and force him to remember what exactly happened to his son for him to have
bled according to the report.
That doesn't mean he no longer has the urge to try that though.
Deruth sighed, "Anyway, I'll be inviting your brother for dinner tonight."
The eyes of the two kids lit up, immediately, but he wasn't finished talking yet.
"I'm also planning on perhaps sending him to the gathering that will be happening soon in the
capital." He went on, and carefully glanced at Basen's direction. Until now Basen has been the one
to attend these things after all. "Will that be alright?"
Basen answered with a face that seems like it's having a hard time trying to push the end of his lips
down.
"There is no reason why Hyung-nim can't go."
Deruth smiled at the quick response that had not an ounce of hesitation in it.
He clapped his hands together.
"Alright then, that'd be all for now. Prepare yourselves for tonight."
"Yes, father."
"Okay!"
Deruth watched as the two kids started to make their way for the door but then noticed something
odd and remembered something.
"Lily."
The little girl who was trying to subtly escape from the study stiffened on the spot.
"I heard you swung a stick at the daughter of one of our business partners last night."
Lily swiftly turned around, ready to bring up her defense and her reasons, but Deruth got ahead of
her with a warm smile.
"Would you like to learn how to properly swing it, next time?"
Tuk.
Whatever defense she had, it dropped down to the floor, just like how her jaw did.
Basen lowly chuckled as he turned the door and made his exit, leaving behind the frozen figure of
his little sister who seemed to be processing what in the world she just heard.
Lily's mouth hung open in disbelief, her eyes bugging out as she tried to form a sentence but failed.
"Well?" Deruth smiled at her as if nudging her.
The little girl's eyes sparkled uncontrollably.
A loud and enthusiastic yell echoed throughout the entire main house that day.
"Y-YES!"
-----
Meanwhile, somewhere near the slums...
Two suspiciously bulky black garbage bags were being dragged on the floor by a red-haired man.
This might just be the smartest he's ever been in the unfamiliar field of physical labor.
'Good job, me.'
Cale hummed, wanting to pat himself on the back for this ingenious idea.
The employees back at that grocery mart sported horrified expressions when he started stuffing
garbage bags with perfectly good bread like a madman, but it's not like he's actually deeming all
these bread garbage.
This is to feed a tree's hunger.
But he can't tell them that so he just stayed completely silent throughout the whole process, hoping
his poorly painted reputation as some kind of gangster or unfilial son will handle everything. He
didn't really care about the backlash.
In the end, the employees couldn't do anything but watch with pale faces as he stuffe the garbage
bags, tied it up, paid for it, and left, with a subtle spring in each step.
Honestly, why did he never think of just using these bags instead?
Who cares if they're called garbage bags--They're big, biodegradable, light, and BIG.
The trash of the Henituse family carrying his fellow trashbags filled with bread to who knows
where.
What a sight to help drive the bothersome people away.
Cale tugged at the garbage bags with a satisfied expression but it didn't last long.
'...Haaa.'
These goddamn injured arms.
He would have been more delighted if his arms weren't stinging and making this kind of labor such
a hassle. He let out a sigh as he felt the pangs.
It was then that he felt a brush of coldness at the back of his neck.
He stopped in his tracks and slowly turned around, with a stoic face.
'So they're at it again.'
Silver and red.
He thought the two dead kids would disappear again if he looked at them, just like they had
initially done yesterday, but surprisingly enough they didn't.
And Cale was once again able to see the condition of the poor kids out in the open.
Two pairs of piercing golden eyes stared at him.
Flickering like a candle light, the two kids had their arms linked together in a way that makes it
look like they only had each other to rely on in this cruel world.
These two kids who died a pitiful death were in front of Cale once again.
Cale's eyes scanned them from bottom to top and then he sighed, making the kids momentarily
flinch and step back. They were the ones who decided to appear to him, but it doesn't hurt to be
cautious.
'It's leaking out again.'
Just like yesterday.
Things that Cale didn't really want to hear nor feel was spilling out of them each time they flickered
like a weak fire prone to disappearing at the slightest wind.
"Noona... I'm h-hungry..."
"In the count of 3, just follow me."
"AAAAAAH!"
"It's okay, Hong. We're running away today."
"N-NOONA!"
Cale closed his eyes, not wanting to see the shadows of these kids past without their consent any
more. They don't even seem to realize that they're spilling such personal memories in the air.
He put down his baggage and took out two pieces of bread.
Not a world left his mouth when he handed it over to the silent kids.
The two kids stared at the bread being given to them, hesitantly.
"What? You don't want it?"

Snatch.
'Yeah, that's what I thought.'
Cale crossed his arms as he watched the two wolf down the bread in front of him and his garbage
bags. A slight frown formed on his face as a piece of information regarding spirits crossed his
mind.
It is said that sometimes, those who've died too much of a shocking death have the potential to
become harmful spirits.
Usually, the spirit of those who unexpectedly died or brutally died often wander the living realm
with an innocence that seems to have forgotten how they died. Just like these two kids.
It's safe to say that it was probably the spirits themselves who chose to forget and bury such
memories as a way to stay stable even after crossing over.
But the problem is what happens when those memories come back.
Cale subconsciously pulled one of his sleeves down to hide the bloody bandages poking from
under it, but that only caught the attention of the silver-haired kid.
'She's sharp.'
Cale thought as he saw the girl stare at him warily.
'But that sharpness could lead to your ruin.'
Blood.
The most common trigger for unpleasant memories to flash into one's mind.
It wouldn't be too much of a stretch for Cale to consider these two kids potential harmful spirits in
the future, so he thought at least appeasing them this much and not being the one to pull their
trigger is the least he can do for two kids who have already passed on.
He unfolded his hands with a sigh.
'I've fed the stray kids. Now let's get out of here.'
The redhead picked up the garbage bags and turned away from the kids, leisurely dragging the
trash bags on the floor as he move forward, thinking of things such as lunch, getting the tree
appeasing ceremony over with as soon as pssible, and also the goddamn scritch scratch fortune slip
he was considering flushing down the toilet.
It was annoying to know there were far too many things ahead.
But just as he'd walked a considerable distance, he stopped on his tracks and turned around.
A light breeze brushed past his face as he fell in a solemn silence.
"... Let's go."
He murmured to himself as he turned around and continued onward to the hill not so far away.
Tap. Tap.
A small little paw playfully tapped on the wall as the redhead drew farther and farther away from
where the two dead kids used to be.
Two pairs of golden eyes watched the striking red hair as they licked the bread crumbs around their
snouts from the top of one of the hedges of the neighborhood.
"Let's go, nya."
------
“Haa… Haaaaa…”
A designer shoe trudged through the soil as a certain redhead struggled to take another step, back
wet with sweat and lungs needing a break.
He had only taken three steps past his former position when he collapsed on the ground.
Pant.
The redhead cracked one eye open as he gasped for breath on the dirt floor, with two garbage bags
in either of his sides.
‘You are not dying like this, Cale Henituse.’
Cale had a habit of exaggerating pain but he can’t exaggerate this exhaustion.
It may look pathetic to see him groping at the earth to get up on his knees, but trust the universe
when it tells you that he’s trying.
Honestly, it was an understatement to call him tired.
He doesn’t know if it’s because he bought more bread than he did yesterday or because he lost
more blood than he thought around his arm area, but he couldn’t help but feel like he was losing
strength by the minute.
Of course, he persists anyway, since it’s incomparable to many things he’s had to deal with in the
past.
However, that doesn’t erase the iffy feeling he was getting about it.
Cale wobbly stood up, grabbing at the garbage bags at his sides for support as he sluggishly pulled
himself onward.
With his condition, though, he could only take himself so far.
“….Haaa…. Haah…”
The redhead leaned unto something solid as he closed his eyes to focus on his breathing and catch
his breath.
He should really just get this over with and never do it again.
Cale’s eyes fluttered open as he hardened his resolve.

It was only when he opened his eyes that he realized what exactly he was leaning onto and
remembered the other existence chilling on the hill besides the man-eating tree he needs to feed.
“…!”
He jerked away from the beam of the abandoned shrine that he was in touch with just a moment
before as he gave the shrine a long and dirty uncomfortable look.
The redhead brushed his hand against the only patch of grass in this almost barren area.
‘Away with that dirty accursed thing.’
Cale took his gaze away from the shrine as he rubbed at his stinging sleeves.
‘… It’s been weirdly exhausting all morning.’
But he was just a little bit closer to getting his work finished.
He grabbed one of the garbage bags on his way to the tree and opened it up as widely as he can.
It’s time to get to work.
“Bon appetit.”
He nonchalantly said as he made it rain bread on the burrow once again.
Oooooo—
‘It’s getting lighter.’
Cale thought as bread continued to disappear down the hole.
He wasn’t just talking about the bag he was carrying. He was also talking about the darkness of the
burrow eating up all this bread itself.
A smile crept into his face.
‘I’ll take that as a sign that my method is working.’
He emptied the first bag real quick and then grabbed the second one.
By the time the last piece of bread fell off of the bag, the light in the burrow was already pretty
noticeable—enough for Cale to feel like the physical labor was worth it.
The redhead wiped away his sweat and flapped his shirt.
It felt a bit hot. Was it because of the sun or his choice of clothing?
He shook his hazy head and just decided to stand up and not mind it, staggering a little in the
process.
‘…I want to quickly go back to my room and just sleep for the rest of the day.’
Cale turned around, still wiping the sweat by his forehead.
But then he feels that cold sensation at the back of his head again and almost swears.
He boldly shot the object of his frustration a glare.
There it was—the innocent looking shrine beside the man-eating tree emitting an aura of death as
if it was asking him to look there.
As if it was yelling “HEY! OVER HERE, OVER HEEEERE!”
Cale scowled.
Before he wasn’t sure which god this shrine was for, but after experiencing this aura once, in jail of
all places, he’s sure of it now.
This was a shrine for the God of Death.
And that motherfucker was waving at him oh so enthusiastically right now by enveloping this
shrine with the aura of death that Cale was particularly sensitive to.
Cale took a deep breath.
And then sharply turned and started walking away, like he didn’t see anything.
No, the God of Death isn’t waving at him.
No, there is no cold sensation at his neck.
No, there is no shrine on top of the man-eating tree’s little hill.
Sometimes, the answer to your problems is the sparkling magic of denial.
Cale’s arms broke out into goosebumps as he felt the aura of death triple in a heartbeat out of
nowhere.
‘And sometimes it’s not.’
“YA!” The redhead angrily yelled as he turned around, “WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS?!”
He brushed his blood red hair, really annoyed as his sweat continued to go down despite the cold
feeling he was getting all around his body.
“I just want to go to...”
Sleep.
‘Huh?’
Cale felt his voice trail off as he suddenly started feeling lightheaded and felt his feet go unsteady.
His sight darkened.
‘Shit.’
He cussed internally and held his head, stumbling forward and not feeling so in-sync with his body.
He tried to keep his eyes open—keep them wide open so that he can keep cursing the shrine in
front of where he had fallen down on his knees.
But alas, he could only curse the shrine once in his head before seeing everything go black.
Weirdly enough, the last thing he heard was the anxious shriek of a young boy.
“NOONA, DID HE JUST DIE?!”
------
“Hey, did you guys hear about the forest fire by the jungle recently?”
“Woooh, I saw it on the news. It was really big.”
“I bet it’s way hotter there right now than in the Caro republic.”
“Huh? Pfft! Have you been in the Caro republic before?”
“Sure, I have! It was only for a few days though.”
The employees chattered together in the staff room, some holding brooms to continue yesterday’s
cleaning while some sitting down with papers in their hands.
‘They’re all so noisy.’
Ben thought as he minded his own business in one corner of the room.
He glanced at the employees once.
Every single person in this room we’re either the lowest in their field or had at least one or two
strikes on their career while working for the other complexes of the Henituse family. However,
most of the staff were surprisingly great with their hands.
‘Hans is a good example.’
But Ben is pretty sure he was sent here on purpose by his boss and not because of a strike.
“It is pretty hot there, right, Ben?”
“Hm?”
Ben looked up, confused, and realized that his co-workers were all staring at him with smiles.
What? Where is hot?
“The Dubori District. We’re talking about the Dubori District in Caro!” One of the employees
laughed at the clueless Ben who was obviously not listening to their conversation. “You used to
live around that area, right?”
‘Ah, right. I’m a Caro citizen on paper.’
Ben nodded as he sorted out the papers in his desk. “Yeah.”
“See? I told you guys. How is it like in Dubori?”
“…”
That was a good question.

Ben put down the documents in his hand as he mulled over the right answer.
“It… wasn’t very good for some people.”
He unconsciously crumpled his papers a little as he continued with an indifferent look on his face,
“Most of the people there find it so unbearable that they try everything they can just to get out of
there.”
The employees laughed, “Woah, really? Like how you got out?”
“Yeah.” Ben answered, his expression unchanging.
He wasn’t really someone from Dubori but he knew a lot of people from there.
Since that was near the Land of the Dead where the Dark Elves live.
The employees around Ben, who suddenly turned silent and looked glum after being asked, cleared
their throat and nervously laughed as they figured they might have touched a sensitive subject.
“I see, ahaha…”
There was an awkward silence as the employees tried to laugh it off but Ben continued staying
silent as he finished up the papers for his residence in the complex.
“Hey, um, Ben, do you want to have lunch with us later?” One of them asked.
“Hm?”
Ben blinked with round eyes.
The employees were staring at him expectantly like they were telling him “Come with us, come
with us, come join the dark side” with their eyes.
‘…Are they trying to suck up to me coz I got a raise twice in one day???’
No, these people weren’t there yesterday night so they wouldn’t know that it happened two times,
unless Hans blabbed but Hans is still mad at them for something they didn’t do, so that’s
impossible.
So, why are they doing this???
“Y-you see, we were planning on eating out during lunch time in a nearby restaurant but there have
been stories that… s-someone got possessed there and well… we heard from the guy you were
paired with yesterday during the cleaning that you weren’t scared of ghosts a-and… uh…”
The employees sheepishly exchanged looks as they took turns trying to explain.
“We’ll pay for your meal! It’s us seniors’ treat!”
Ben blinked.
‘Oh, so they just want… somebody they can hide behind when things get spooky.’
An employee inched closer to him and whispered, “If you could possibly tell us why our resident
ginger is angry at us, it’d be really great, too. This isn’t a bribe but I’ll give you a lot of coupons if
you could help us out here—oh!”
The employee nervously jerked back when Ben started chuckling.
He sighed before answering, “Sure, I’ll go.”
The employees all murmured a “YUS!” under their breaths as they high-fived each other behind
their backs in celebration.
All hail their insurance!
Ben wanted to roll his eyes and laugh at their reactions as it reminds him of three certain idiots but
he kept it in as he stood up from his seat.
“If you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna have to go make a call.”
“Sure, good luck finding a signal!”
“We’ll call you by 10! Don’t forget to bring some salt!”
“Oh tell Hans he can come, too!”
The employees cheerfully waved at him as he disappeared through the door.
As soon as he was gone, their hands dropped down as they stared at each other and then nodded.
Truthfully, the employees could care less that Hans is angry at them right now since they’ve
already made a friendly connection with him. What they really wanted from this conversation was
to pull in Ben with them to lunch.
To suck up to him?
Nah.
There’s a saying in the Cobblestone Complex that only people who’ve been kicked out and
deemed trash would know and understand.
‘Rocks that have weathered, stay together!’
No trash is left behind!
These seniors are adamant about making sure that the newbies get to fit in and be comfortable in
this haunted place as soon as possible.
They only have each other in this place.
Not even that goddamn security guard who’s always sleeping would help them if anything
happened.
A fire roared passionately in the senior employee’s eyes as they punched the air in victory.
Operation Lunch With Ben.
START!
-----
Ben felt himself shiver on his way out of the apartment complex.
His eyebrows shifted together.
‘What was that?’
Erm, it was definitely not his co-workers going super saiyan inside the staff room after he left.
He stepped out of the complex, covering his eyes as he is momentarily blinded by the morning
sunlight.
Then he heard a voice from the gate.
“Ben!”
He lowered his gaze and saw a certain ginger skipping towards him with a bright smile.
The disguised dark elf greeted nonchalantly, “Ah. Welcome back”
Hans just smiled in response as he stopped in front of him.
Ben looked around the front yard of the complex before cautiously asking, “Why did you come
back alone?”
“Work.” Hans plainly answered before adding in while looking to the side, “The three are out
somewhere buying some things Choi Han will be needing. They’ll probably come back later.”
‘Huh, shopping.’
Ben could imagine Hilsman but not the scary old man’s son and the guy with the frigging sword.
“Anyway, where are you heading?”
“Hm?” Ben snapped out of his thoughts and answered, “Ah, I was planning on calling my family
and telling them some things. A lot happened yesterday.”
"Ah, I understand, I understand.”
The ginger nodded and then pointed towards a certain direction, “In my experience, that place over
there should have the strongest signal here in the front yard during day time."
‘What experience.’
Hans has only stayed here longer than Ben by a day.
Ben just smiled, “Thanks. I’ll go there then.”
“No prob!”
The gingerhead skipped towards the entrance of the complex as Ben went to the opposite direction
going out of the yard with his smartphone in one hand.
As soon as Ben made sure that Hans was out of the radar and no other person could possibly listen
in on him in the secluded area that Hans recommended, he made a call and patiently stood there as
he waited for the other side to answer.
Tchhk—
“Ah, Hello? Ben?”
A woman’s voice came from the other side of the line.
Technically, when Ben said he was calling family to tell them some things, he wasn’t lying.
Ben pushed the phone near his ear.
“Tasha.”
He smiled.
“Hand the phone over to your nephew.”
Chapter End Notes
Aiya, everyone!
Sorry I wasnt able to post last week QvQ I was planning to refrain for only one week
to calm my mind and review the chapter I was supposed to post, but then my mom
caught what seemed like flu and my goddamn brother caught it on purpose so he can
get hugs.
It would have been wholesome if I, his unwilling roommate, didnt end up catching it
as well.
We ended up being three burritoes snuggling together in one room, except I keep
kicking my brother's face away for making me miss not just my update schedule but
also my requirements (so many backlogs TwT)
So much happened in two weeks, really, and just as ive predicted before in an earlier
note, my laptop has finally rested in peace.
Im glad i took measures beforehand and saved backup files.
It was really horrible. There was something wrong with the inside, physically and I
could see it ;w;
Anyway, its a bit uncomfy typing on my dad's laptop coz its a bit bigger than the
keyboard im used to, but all is well.
I wanted to do a double update on my return, but my backlogs are dragging me away

from the fic TwT
My exams are up next week so I might not be able to update then, but rest assured that
when this is all over, I'm going to post A LOT and not even my mother will be able to
stop me.
Sincerely fretting over many things,
Jalffy
Chapter Summary
Hans tilted his head to the side, “Are you not coming?”
“Ah, no, I just…”
Choi Han glanced at the security guard in-charge in the far distance that seemed to be
carrying something out of the vicinity.
“… I thought I heard a meow.”
“HUH?! WHERE?????!”
"...I think I was just mistaken."
Chapter Notes
A lot of things happened when a certain red-haired man gracelessly fell down next to a man eating
tree.
Two kittens suddenly busted out of their hiding place with wide eyes as they ran towards the guy
while anxiously meowing.
"N-NOONA, DID HE JUST DIE?!"
The red kitten squeaked as he jumped to the man's side.
He and his sister saw it through the hole on the broken wooden gate. They saw him weirdly yelling
at the spooky looking shrine next to the tree before suddenly fainting on the spot.
It was weird! Too weird!
"Calm down, nya." The silver kitten put a front paw in front of her little brother to keep him from
poking the man's face just to make sure that he's not dead.
Her sharp golden eyes sized up the condition of the man lying on the ground and breathing heavily
with flushed cheeks before continuing.
"He's still breathing, nya."
But something was definitely wrong.
Her little brother whined as he rested both of his paws on the man's side, "I told him not to go near
the man-eating tree! It must be eating him alive!"
The silver kitten is 100% sure that's not the case.

Something else seemed to have caused this.
It certainly didn't seem like it was due to simple exhaustion, that's for sure, though.
The silver kitten cautiously strode closer towards the man's sleeved arms with an intrigued
expression while her little brother anxiously massaged the man's side with his small paws.
Earlier during their “conversation”, she was sure that this man was trying to hide something under
his sleeves.
It was something that shouldn't be or maybe couldn't be shown to children, and it was something
that can be hidden under clothing.
The kitten could only make an educated guess out of that.
'An injury.'
She pushed at the arm with her little nose but then her silver fur suddenly stuck up by reflex at the
smell.
'This is...!'
The silver kitten frantically jumped back.
Her eyes felt out of focus.
"Noona?" The red kitten tilted his head as he saw the anxious glare his sister was giving the man's
arm.
His sister looked terrified.
Upon seeing this, the little kitten frowned and tried to come closer, "Noona, are you oka--"
"Don't move."
He stiffened up.
His sister didn't take her eyes away from the man's arm even once as she spoke with a voice that
barely got itself together.
"Hong. Turn around for a moment."
"W-what is it? What's wrong?"
"Just do it."
Hong, the red kiten, was worried.
No, he was scared.
"O...Okay..."
The look on his sister's face made him feel uneasy.
As soon as he turned around, the silver kitten looked down at the sleeved arm beside her with a
complicated gaze.
She gulped as she collected herself and proceeded to pull the sleeve up with a clawed paw.
And then she lost it.
"Ukh...!"
The silver kitten felt like vomiting.
She knew it.
She knew the scent was familiar, but she couldn't quite remember where she ever smelled it.
It was blood.
The man's arms were wrapped up in bloody bandages that look like they've significantly loosened
up due to hard labor.
The silver kitten couldn't take it anymore and immediately pulled the sleeve back on to cover it but
the damage was already done.
She's already remembering things that she wished she'd just forgotten forever.
"N-NOONA?!"
A young voice pierced through her painful seizure, at that moment, and when she weakly lifted her
gaze, she saw her younger brother and his red fur.
Her eyes trembled.
'N-noo--Cough! No, Noona--Cough, cough!'
She threw up on the ground and subconsciously started changing into human form, her silver hair
growing longer and messier and her paws turning into shaking pale hands. She coughed and
coughed and coughed over and over again, while in all fours.
It was unbearable.
The flood of memories rushing inside her head felt like it was going to split her head open.
"Hu... Gasp! Haa, haa... Blaargh..."
"NOONA?!?!??!?!?!"
She could barely register her little brother's cries of confusion and worry.
Her eyes, that used to be filled with so much emotion, so much anxiety and worry, was now
nothing but lifeless as she stared down at the fluids that were kicked out of her system.
'What is this stinging sensation in my throat?'
She stretched out an arm and clawed at her own throat before coughing and gasping for breath
again.
'What in the world am I vomiting?'

Strands of silver hair fell over the young girl's pale face as she let out a few tears that have welled
up in her eyes.
'When we're not even alive anymore?'
"NOONA!!!"
The silver-haired girl blinked as she felt a pair of paws on top of one of her fists, clenching at the
ground.
"Noona! Noona, are you okay?!?! Noona, speak to me, nya!" A red kitten sobbed out, pawing at
her hand anxiously, his face a mess for a little kitten.
At the sight of her little brother desperately trying to comfort her somehow, the silver-haired girl's
eyes found itself focusing once again.
"Noonaaaaa, are you hurt anywhere??? Why are you crying, noona?!?! Waaaaaah!"
The young girl stared at the kitten crying on top of her hand and found herself stabilizing a little bit.
"H...ong..."
Right. This was her younger brother, Hong.
And her name was On.
And the two of them...
"N-noona! What's going on--UWAH!"
The red kitten squeaked when a pair of shaking hands suddenly covered his eyes with a tight grip.
'Tsk.'
The silver-haired girl frowned.
She didn't cover the bloody arm properly because her mind felt blurry and all she could think of in
front of it was the need to run away.
He mustn't see it.
That was the one thought that this little girl could make at the face of something she wished she
never saw again.
Her throat felt dry and sore from coughing and she still felt like she needed to cough.
She still felt like she needed to breathe.
But a single yell from her brother and a second glance at the red-haired man’s situation was all it
took for her to go back to reality.
‘It’s not the same.’
This place and that place are completely different.

She’s okay... kind of.
And her brother was safe, too.
"NOONA??????"
Though he was pawing at her hands making it completely apparent how confused and worried he
was.
Her eyes focused on the red-haired man who was breathing roughly while lying on the ground,
pathetically.
‘First things first.’
This guy was still alive.
“Hong, listen to me right now.”
The silver-haired girl called her brother by his name, without showing a single ounce of intention
to take away her hands. She carefully instructed him with the calmest voice she can muster in her
situation. “I’m going to ask for help for the nice man, so stay here…”
“… But no matter what, don’t open your eyes.”
The little girl bit her lips as she stared at the patches of blood all over the red-haired man’s
bandages and then repeated herself, “You must not look, nya.”
He doesn’t know what’s going on but the red kitten agreed anyway since he trusts his sister.
“O-okay! I won’t! I-I’ll stay here…!”
The silver haired-girl hesitated a little but she started to uncover her little brother’s eyes bit by bit,
until she let out a sigh of relief when she saw him shutting his eyes as instructed.
She slowly pushed herself off the ground and up on her feet.
“I’ll be going now, nya. Wait for me here.”
“O-okay! Be careful!”
The silver haired girl paused but the little red kitten continued with a cute tone trying to sound
stern, “Y-you have to be careful, nya!”
“…”
A sad smile formed in the young girl’s face as she watched her little brother fidgeting nervously.
‘Hong…
We’re already dead.’
There could be no way the two of them would get hurt anymore.
They were no longer alive after, all.
But nonetheless…
“I will, nya.”
The little girl answered as she turned towards the gate, ready to go her way.
As the sun shone down on the world of humans, a silver-haired kitten appeared out of nowhere past
the gate of the man-eating tree and landed on all fours, gracefully.
With golden eyes only looking straight ahead, the kitten flickering under the sunlight started
running as fast as she could down the hill to find one person—a person who can see her as a spirit
and a person who’ll certainly recognize the red-haired man sprawled across the ground back in the
hill with bloody bandages.
The black haired black eyed man that she saw talk to the red-haired man last night.
***
Choi Han felt the need to scratch his ear but paid it no mind. He was in no situation to do so,
anyway.
There were a bunch of plastic bags filled with necessities and new clothes in his arms as he walked
down the quaint streets of Rain City with the two men assigned to help him.
"Up, up, up!"
Choi Han blinked when he felt something latching on to the back of his collar, but continued to
walk anyway with his mind in a different place, until he heard the loud screeching of the Hilsman
behind him.
"ACK! STOP! YOU'RE GOING TO THE WRONG DIRECTION!"
The black-haired foreigner stopped on his tracks and then turned around only to see the disheveled
Hilsman latched on to his collar, staring at him with a half-terrified, half-confused and half-shocked
expression.
Hilsman was planning on just lightly pulling this youngster back by the collar of his shirt since he
was going the wrong way.
Little did he know, compared to this so-called youngster his level of strength was adorable.
He was sure that his shoes left some clear historical marks on the pathway due to getting
unintentionally dragged along by a stupidly strong monster of a young man, today.
Choi Han, who realized what happened immediately, sheepishly stared at him in silence, not
knowing what expression to make as Hilsman continued to stare at him in disbelief.
Hilsman’s thoughts were easy to read.
'WHAT ARE YOU?! A BULL?!'
"...I deeply apologize for that."
Choi Han lightly bowed his head towards the still shocked Hilsman, but then heard a chuckle.
He shot Beacrox, the only man behind them, a glare, but the man had already put on a stoic face
like usual.
It hasn't been more than a few hours since the three were kindly kicked out of the main house in
favor of Mr. Henituse's two other kids.
'You can stay in our complex for as long as you need. Let these two help you with the things you'll
need to buy.'
Was what Mr. Deruth Henituse said before having them escorted out.
‘What a generous person.’ Choi Han had thought as the servants politely shooed him and the other
two men with him away.
Not long after, on their way to the exit, they met Mrs. Violan Henituse, Deruth’s wife, who looked
them up and flapped an intricately designed fan as she said with a stoic face:
'You poor thing must have gone through a lot just to get here. Here, feel free to take this.'
Clunk. Clunk. Clunk.
Hilsman’s face after seeing his boss pour gold coins into the hands of a random stranger was
unforgettable.
Choi Han suddenly felt himself much more aware of the golden coins that were stuffed into his
pockets now that he remembers that.
'... Such a generous... family…' He thought to himself in wonder.
There was the owner of the Cobblestone Complex who took him in, his dad who let him stay and
then his mom who showered him with money.
Choi Han couldn’t help but feel warm inside at the thought of such a family.
But Hilsman would beg to differ.
'WHAT IS WITH THIS FAMILY?!?!'
Hilsman doesn't know if anyone from this family remembers, but he was hired as a bodyguard.
Bo-dy-guard.
He’s supposed to be someone who's always vigilant, someone who fights and protects their client.
Hilsman knows his origins as a mere security guard might affect his work one day, but he didn't
think it would reach THIS point.
'AM I A BODYGUARD OR WHAT?! STOP SENDING ME FOR GROCERY RUNS...!'
He wanted to chew on a handkerchief in his grief right now, with plastic bags looped over both his
arms.
It wasn't just the grocery runs.
What's this about someone breaking in the apartment complex and no one waking him up?!
And what's with this stranger that the young master suddenly brought over and started taking care
of like a puppy for free??!
WHY WAS HE SO STRONG???
Hilsman just swiped all those questions off the table as he shut his hanging mouth close at the
foreigner who chose to bow to him to apologize.
Only a sigh could leave his mouth as he tossed an index finger to the left.
"We go towards that direction."
"Thank you for your guidance."
"It's no biggie. Man, it hits me more and more that you're an actual foreigner the more I talk to
you."
The three men continued down the road, their minds occupied by different things despite going
through the same path.
One was mumbling incoherent complaints against his employer, the other thought about today’s
lunch, and then there was Choi Han who suddenly felt tense after showing a bit of his supernatural
strength by accident.
When he reported what happened at Harris Village, he had to omit some things.
It would be harder to explain how he was fully capable of killing several assassins without even
getting injured, rather than to explain why the village was targeted in such a way.
Though he's confirmed in one way or another that the man named Cale Henituse has knowledge
regarding spirits that even he might not know, he can't say the same for Cale's father, Deruth
Henituse.
He can't just say he's been trapped in the spirit realm fighting for his life for god-knows-how-long.
It would require having to explain too many things, including what the spirit realm is, how did he
get there, how old he actually is—the list goes on.
Besides.
It’s not like he can trust these people fully yet.
Choi Han’s expression grew dark.
Even generous people might have ulterior motives, after all.
As the three men approached the apartment complex’s front yard, they were met by the sight of a
familiar gingerhead, who was called separately and sent ahead of time, waving at them
enthusiastically next to the guardhouse.
Hans greeted the three warmly.
“Welcome back!”
“Oy, Hans, help me out with my load.”
“Ah sure!”
Beacrox grunted as the ginger took a portion of Hilsman’s baggage and walked side by side with
them with a bright smile.
It was then that Hans’ eyes lit up like he remembered something.
“Oh, right, by the way, Mr. Choi Han. Your room has been moved to the third floor, next to the
right stairs. Actually, almost all our rooms were moved to the third floor as some kind of
precautionary measure due to last night.”
“Huh.”
Hilsman raised an eyebrow as he let out his thoughts.
“Did you really have to tell him where his room is first before anyone else’s?”
Hans stared at Hilsman with an uncharacteristically frosty smile.
Just who was snoring happily in his bed while Hans was losing years off of his life last night?
He dumped all the baggage he was planning to help Hilsman with back at his face.
“ACK! I WAS JOKING! HANS, YOU PRICK, THESE ARE CHOI HAN’S STUFF, YOU
KNOW!” Hilsman yelled out as he bent down to pick up the plastic bags that fell to the ground, but
Hans just ignored him.
Hans cheered as he led the way inside the apartment complex, “Come now, everyone. I’ll be
leading you all on an all-new tour~!”
A grumbling Hilsman and a cringing Beacrox followed after him through the open glass door.
The ginger held unto the door as he looked back at the last member of their tour group who was
looking at something past the guardhouse.
“Mr. Choi Han.”
The black-haired foreigner looked his way after being called.
Hans tilted his head to the side, “Are you not coming?”
“Ah, no, I just…”
Choi Han glanced at the security guard in-charge in the far distance that seemed to be carrying
something out of the vicinity.
“… I thought I heard a meow.”
“HUH?! WHERE?????!”
"...I think I was just mistaken."
***
The silver kitten ran all around the city to find traces of the black-haired guy somewhere, and then
she remembered the direction he and the red-haired man used yesterday, and came running to that
direction after coming back to the location.
When she arrived at what seemed like a humungous building, she subconsciously gulped and
stepped away as its shadow loomed over her small self.
Something felt… odd about this place.
If it weren’t for the familiar black-haired man about to enter that building, she would have never
thought of trying to come close.
There was one problem however.
Her golden eyes widened as she dashed forward, feeling the urgency of her situation.
‘If that guy enters this big building… how am I supposed to find him?!’
She loudly meowed as she passed through all the people’s shoes and ankles and surged forward,
trying to garner the attention of the only person who might be able to hear her in this situation.
She desperately meowed as she got closer because even as she did, the black-haired figure
continued getting farther away.
‘Please—! Please, listen to me! Wait!’
Her throat was too sore to meow any louder than this.
The silver kitten anxiously stared at the disappearing figure, her desire to be seen and her desire to
be heard intensifying so much that her body flickered once and then stilled under the sunlight
without showing signs of flickering again.
She would normally avoid places with too much people.
She and her brother are subconsciously drawn to places that are more deserted, if anything.
That was the only place where they can be safe.
But she figured that they were already dead anyway, so that shouldn’t really matter anymore.
No one can see.
She took a brave step forward once again, ready to break past the gate and run to the still open
door that a guy with ginger hair kept open for some reason.
‘No one except the red-haired man and that black-haired…!’
“Oh, what do we have here?”
The silver kitten blinked.
And then felt someone casually pick her up from the ground.
‘&%#@?*???’
Yes.
She felt it.

The silver kitten looked up towards the face of the person who picked her up, and was met with
the indifferent expression of a middle-aged man in a security guard uniform who looked like he
had nothing to do.
‘Huh? Is he looking at me? Am I being looked at? What?’
“God, these strays.”
“MEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW????”
“Aigoo, stop being so loud! We don’t have any food to give you here!”
‘No, that’s not what I’m here fo… HEY! Where do you think you’re going?!?!’
The silver kitten’s eyes widened as she realized that the man was trying to get him out of the
building’s front yard.
‘NO! WAIT! I WAS SO CLOSE!’
She tried to claw at the arms holding him and wiggling like a fish out of water.
The black-haired man was finally looking her way…!
She meowed over and over again as she tried to rebel against the security guard that was roughly
escorting her out of the yard but that only annoyed the security guard big-time.
“I said we don’t have food! Now, shoo!”
The security guard tossed her over to a wall a bit far from the gate, and the silver kitten could only
hiss in pain as she hit it, fell down and started flickering again.
Suddenly seeing a cat disappear in front of him, the security guard blinked.
He rubbed his eyes and checked again, “Huh, that’s weird.”
The silver kitten struggled to get up, hissing at the refreshing memory of the sensation of pain, and
immediately feeling the need to run away from this man, but it was then that she heard the man’s
bewildered voice as he spoke.
“Where’d that cat go?”
The silver kitten’s golden eyes widened in shock.
No, it would be more accurate that she did so out of an unexplainable feeling of horror.
Just now…
She was definitely picked up by this man and then thrown to a wall.
That couldn’t have been her imagination.
The man even heard her as well.
‘What is this…?’
The kitten took a trembling step back as the security guard looked around searching for her even
though she was right there in front of him.
‘What is this? What in the world is this?!’
Before she knew it she was running away with a hurt hind leg—running far, far away from the
building and from that terrible man. Her eyes were shaking in fear and confusion.
‘Wasn’t I dead?! How? How did he…???’
It hurt.
The sensation of colliding with stone had hurt her.
But wasn’t she not alive anymore? So, why?
Her breathing rushed as she continued running away not knowing where her short legs will take
her.
When she thought she was finally away, she stopped to catch her breath and calm her racing mind,
her head hung low in a chaotic mix of emotions that she never knew she could feel altogether at
once.
She looked up and saw a random person walking towards her direction, and her eyes widened.
The kitten braced for impact like how she would if she had been a normal human child, but the
shoe-covered foot just went past her flickering body like she was thin air.
‘This…?’
She turned around and then saw that none of the people around were staring at her—none of them
seemed to even notice she was there.
Her eyes widened.
None of them can see her anymore, like how it’s supposed to be.
Now that she’s recovered a bit from the shock, she can’t help but wonder what it could be that
caused her to be seen earlier.
Was that man earlier someone who can see the dead, too?
She couldn’t tell.
But, it no longer matters because she’s lost sight of the black-haired man and she doesn’t want to
ever come near the terrible excuse of a human being that threw her at a wall.
Despite the refreshingly stinging sensation on her hind legs, she decided to continue running
around while meowing desperately hoping to somewhat see if she can trigger it again, even if just
for a short time.
If she can’t bring in the black-haired man to help, she has to make do with what she can bring in
instead.
There’s a soul that’s still alive on the line after all.

She owes the red-haired guy 2 meals.
So he absolutely cannot die, yet.
After aimlessly wandering around and meowing desperately, she found herself catching her breath
in one corner.
Unfortunately, with zero progress.
Her pupils were shaking like her tired legs.
It’s not working.
She has to find a different way to find help.
She shouldn’t rely on a method that she doesn’t even know how to use.
With her head hung low, the kitten slumped down on the ground, feeling hopeless, until she heard a
man and a woman suddenly start talking from somewhere behind her.
“Ah, looks like the cat finally got tired.”
“Aunt Tasha, why in the world are we cat-watching when we can finally go to sleep? The others
have gone to make up for the sleep they lost, why are we still here watching a cat?”
“Hush now, this cat isn’t just an ordinary cat, I can feel it.”
“Is that important?”
“Yes!”
The kitten’s ears twitched and then she slowly turned around.
They were obviously talking about… her, right?
She lifted her gaze and saw a man with stunning blonde hair and a woman with dark skin and short
black hair, like a black pearl, both of them sipping on paper cups filled with coffee in it.
“Uh, I think she’s staring at our direction.”
“Hush, Alberu, she might hear you!”
‘I can already…’
“I think she heard us from the moment the word cat got out of your tongue.”
“You think so?”
The silver kitten skeptically stared at the two, specifically staring intensely at the blonde man who
was wearing a face mask.
‘Are the two of you really talking about me? Can you guys see me?’
The blonde man, Alberu, squinted his eyes at the death glare the cat was giving him.
“…Why is this dead cat being so weird?”

‘THEY CAAAAAN!’
The silver kitten’s heart almost jumped out of her chest in celebration.
She meowed loudly as Alberu and his Aunt Tasha walked around their car to get closer to the so
called weird cat. Her eyes shone as she sees how the woman was staring at her in curiosity.
But she had to pause for a moment when the blonde man kneeled in front of her and then stretched
out his hand as if to pat her.
She reflexively started hissing, just like how she did so with the red-haired man before, only to
blink when the blonde man suddenly started laughing and then gesturing towards her while
speaking to his aunt.
“See? Its asking for attention but at the same time, it doesn’t want to be pet.”
Alberu sighed as he leaned on his arm and continued speaking.
“What does it want? Food—”
“AH!”
He is cut off by his aunt who suddenly gasped out of nowhere, her expression turning serious.
Tasha pointed at the kitten with round eyes.
“It’s the dead spirit of a half-spirit!”
“A what of a what—.”
“Scooch over for a bit.”
Tasha shoved her nephew’s face away as she squatted next to him and zoomed in real close at the
kitten in front of her. She reached out her hand towards the kitten, who kept taking nervous steps
backwards while meowing awkwardly.
And it was then that the kitten froze in place when she felt something rubbing against her face.
‘Oy, what are you doing?’
The contracted spirit at the end of Tasha’s hand that was being forced to rub against the kitten’s
face in circles, grumpily growled.
Tasha kept herself from laughing as she watched the annoyed spirit and the petrified kitten.
“Let’s see…” She continued rubbing the spirit against the cat as though she was doing some kind
of ritual, “Half human. Half cat spirit. It seems like the human part is long dead.”
Alberu blinked next to her, “Oh.”
He stared at the silver kitten with a complicated gaze as he recalls the memories of last night when
he first saw it.
“Hey, there.”
He called out to it and then asked as though he was talking to a 4th-grader.
“Why isn’t the red kitten with you this time?”
The silver kitten snapped out of her daze and she started mewling anxiously again, going as far as
putting her paws on the Alberu’s knee and circling around Tasha.
Tasha practically melted a little at the cuteness but then stiffened up.
“Wait, did you say there was a red kitten, too?”
“Hm? Yes, I saw it with this one last night.”
The two exchanged blank faces before looking down at the silver kitten that continued to meow
loudly like it was panicking, since she lost track of how long she left her brother alone up there.
A thought suddenly came over Alberu.
“Wait. Do you think…?”
“Something happened to the red kitten?”
“But that’s…”
It was an odd thought to have when you know these kittens are already dead.
Tasha shrugged as she leaned unto her palm, “The two of them aren’t completely dead, you know.”
Her face twisted as she realized something and frowned, “Though, yes, they can’t really go back to
being alive as a human, anymore.”
Tap.
The two adults stared at the cat whose paw had fallen unto Tasha’s shoe rather weakly.
The silver kitten was too stunned to speak.
“…Are you sure you should be saying things like that out loud when it’s obvious that the cat can
understand you?”
“I’m saying things like this because I know she can understand me. My dear nephew, let’s review
for a bit. What are the two kinds of spirits?”
Alberu automatically answered like he was reciting out of a textbook, “The ones that were born
spirits and the ones who just died and became one.”
“Correct. Spirits who were born as spirits, for one, can choose the form they’d appear as when they
manifest into the human world and maybe even interact with the world a bit, depending on their
tier. But get this.”
Tasha put an index finger up.
“What if a pure spirit manifests as a human in the human world and falls in love with a human?
What do you think will happen?”
Alberu’s eyes widened.

“Half… spirit.” He ended up answering as if in a trance.
A half-human, half-another-thing.
‘Like mother.’
“That’s right. A half-spirit is most likely to be born.” Tasha nodded her head and continued
explaining despite the dazed look on Alberu’s face and the confused expression on the kitten’s
face. “Half-spirits live as ordinary humans for the first part of their life—until they finally pass
away and turn into both a dead spirit and a natural spirit at the same time.”
“And as you know…”
She reached out to pat something in the air and smiled, sadly.
“Pure spirits are prone to pain, too, just like us humans.”
The invisible contracted spirit she was patting in the air grumbled a little after she mentioned that.
“That is, when they manifest, of course.”
A blanket of silence fell on the surroundings after that.
Tasha stared at the silver kitten and Alberu did, too.
Maybe it was just sinking in on them now that they’re kind of talking to a cat, here.
The kitten staring back at them as if she was trying to process everything promptly looked them in
the eye seriously after a moment of silence.
And then started screaming meows.
“…I don’t think the cat understood everything you said. Like, how old is this cat, anyway?”
“MEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW—”
“Okay, okay! We’ll follow you to check on your friend or sibling or whatever. Aunt Tasha?”
“Roger!”
Tasha pulled out a handbag filled with what looked like boxes of medicine and flashed a smile. She
was getting a good feeling from this cat.
Unlike her however, Alberu couldn’t help but have a bad feeling about all this.
He scratched his blonde head, stared at the silver kitten meowing nonstop at him and then sighed.
‘I’ll recover my lost sleep later.’
He made way for the little kitten.
“Lead the way.”
***
Medicine for spirits fell on the ground.
Tasha blinked, rubbed her eyes and then looked at the situation the gods have sent her and her
nephew in disbelief.
“This… hmm…”
She glanced towards her nephew who was brushing his face with both of his hands as if to keep
himself from yelling gibberish out of frustration right now.
The silver kitten hopped forward and reunited with a healthy looking red kitten whose eyes were
weirdly closed for some reason. The silver kitten circled around her little brother and then strutted
towards the side of the person sprawled across the floor of the earth, sweating profusely while
unconscious.
Red hair, a navy blue long sleeve with stripes and bloody bandages under his sleeves.
Tasha squeaked sheepishly.
“…Maybe it’s just a look-alike?”
Silence.
The two kittens meowed at the two adults and a big groan came out of Alberu’s mouth.
Tasha looked forward, disgruntled, “…Guess not.”
The eldest son of the Henituse Family, Cale Henituse has fainted on a hill by the slums.
And a certain god nearby is in tears holding in his laughter.
Chapter End Notes
Haiya, Jal's back from a very cursed valentine as well as from dragging my brother
who ran away back home! MY EXAMS AND ALL MY BACKLOGS ARE
GOOOONE!
Originally, I was supposed to update last week Tuesday since my exams finished by
then, but I had made a promise with my friends that I'd finish all my backlogs by
Wesnesday so we can all have a sleepover and just finally relax after a stressful week,
so I couldn't bring myself to squeeze it in when every second counted qwq
Im actually proud of myself. More than 10 requirements from Physics, Math and
Computer Science-- done in 3 days! This is the most productive ive ever been!
At the cost of my blood and tears :D
My tutor cried after seeing my math worksheet and i still dunno if its a good thing or a
bad thing til this day.
BUT ANYWAY!
Here's the chapter I owe you guys from last week QwQ
I know you guys say that I dont owe you all anything and I should update or write at
the pace I wish, but I really wanna strive to be consistent in my deliverables, so Imma
slap myself and keep going with this tuesday weekly update.
Thank you so much for reading this chapter!
I promise to deliver enough to make up for the ones i didnt update on time because I
want to do so >:D As a practice of self-discipline.
My future self may curse me but this is HER problem HAHAHAHA!
Sincerely rummaging for snacks in the kitchen drawer to calm the goblin inside my
stomach,
Jal
Hiatus Notice
Hello, everyone. Jalffy here and I would like to thank you all for reading this far and until now. I'm
sad to say that I'm going to have to put this fic on a hiatus until this April or May, since I'm
currently struggling with some work that relates to my future career. If anything, I'd really love to
be a writer and just write til I die, but my position makes it hard. Here's a tip: Don't sign a contract
with anyone just to get permission to let your friends sleep in your house. You never know when
you're actually trading your freedom to choose your college course. If only I could slap my younger
self.
Anyway, I'm thinking of posting some of the other things i've written some time soon just to get it
out before I go handle my stress. It's hard to transition to the adult you wanna be.
Bye-bye for now! See you guys a month or two from now!
Chapter Summary
Tasha sighed and decided to rummage through the contents of her handbag instead of
commenting on how unapologetic her nephew sounded. This was normal in the
younger generation, she supposes.
She gingerly placed down a single cylindrical container on the ground before
flinching.
“?!”
At some point, the cats had approached her closer out of curiosity.
She swiftly flipped one of the corners of the blanket over Cale’s bandages and then
draped herself on the ground to cover the bloody sight, like a fashion model, out of
reflex.
“You—You shouldn’t look at this guy’s noodle arms, that is, uh, very rude for
humans.”
Chapter Notes
Heya! Long time no see, as promised im back this May with some chapters. I'm still
fixing the one after this but expect a double update this week to thank you all for
waiting patiently!
See the end of the chapter for more notes
“I’m really sorry, Alberu.”
“You don’t have to be, Ben. It’s not your fault.
None of us would have thought this would happen.”
There was no helping it.
That was what Alberu had thought to himself earlier this morning as he spoke to the person behind
the other end of the line with his aunt’s phone glued to his ear.
If he had known that Cale Henituse wasn’t an ordinary citizen, he’d have withdrew and observed
for now. Learned his weakness to use it against him. Played safe. Classic Politics.
However, he didn’t know that, so of course things unfolded accordingly.
What’s done is done.

“…It’s not about that.” A small but firm voice murmured through the call, surprising Alberu.
Alberu turned around to peek at the three dark elves getting lectured on their knees by their seniors
and by Tasha a safe distance from the police station. It wasn’t about what happened with these
three sorry idiots?
“I signed a contract with Cale Henituse last night to free the dark elves.”
That sentence widened Alberu’s disguised blue eyes. He wanted to screech, “Are you crazy?!” but
he knew he shouldn’t. Ben probably didn’t have a choice, after all.
“What kind of contract is it?”
Alberu sounded composed, but in truth, he was slightly anxious. It’s a different thing if he was
working with his father’s subordinates out in the sunlit field. This was a situation that involves
people he emotionally values. The dark elves was a family he doesn’t want to endanger.
A small chuckle escaped Ben’s side of the line.
“…?”
Alberu was about to raise an eyebrow but then Ben answered almost in a mumble.
“It’s actually surprisingly nothing much…”
Ben, himself, too was surprised when Cale explained the details of the contract the same night his
arms got bloodied due to the dark elves’ mistake. He remembers those clear reddish brown eyes
that didn’t seem to have any grudges towards him, despite the situation he caused as the Dark
Elves’ current insider.
He only asked for three things. And they were relatively small and doable conditions too.
“One, I must swear on my elemental that I won’t deliver information that he has not personally
approved for sharing to you.”
The redhead was adamant about his privacy.
“Two, if we were to ever need dead mana, we should buy it from the Young Master directly instead
of sneak in here.”
Breaking and entering is technically a crime, after all.
“And three.”
Ben smiled lightly as he saw a few figures walking out of the complex in the distance. A couple of
senior employees waved to him happily as he spoke gently.
“I am to continue to work here.”
Of course, Ben will still get paid the same amount as originally planned.
These three conditions were actually pretty harmless—the second one being beneficial even. A
legal source for procuring dead mana was a precious place. They had the intelligent eldest son of
the leader of this country with them anyway.
At least that was Ben’s take on the conditions.

But Alberu couldn’t have heard of a more ridiculous condition as the third one.
‘HE WANTS TO KEEP A DARK ELF AS HIS SLAVE?’
For the record, Ben never mentioned that the third condition was going to be paid labor to Alberu.
And Cale Henituse never actually mentioned until when Ben was to work for. That was his own
way of telling this competent employee to never stop. Ever.
Alberu sighed as he pinched his nose bridge together.
“…I assume it would be hard to go back on it now?”
“Oh yes.” Ben nonchalantly answered.
‘The scary-looking old servant looked like he’d have slit my throat and dunked my head inside a
pot of hot tea if I ever decide to go back on my word.’
Well, great.
Alberu frowned.
One day as the owner of the Cobblestone Complex and this weirdo named Cale Henituse already
has a mass murderer and a dark elf as his servants, and has already grasped the Dark elf factions’
weakness.
“Seriously…”
Right now, Alberu couldn’t help but brush his face with both hands the more he thought about it.
He looked down at the very same Cale Henituse lying unconscious on the ground.
‘When will this headache just stop?’
Meooooow.
Alberu’s gaze fell on the small kittens circling around him anxiously.
“Alright, alright, I’ll save him!”
He gave up on trying to answer that question.
“But this better be the last time I see this bastard again.”
His aunt who’s been patiently waiting for his signal brightened up as soon as he said that.
Tasha clapped her hands together with a wide grin.
“Alright then! Kitten-nims, please step aside!”
---
“What do you think, Mr. Choi Han?”
A brightly smiling ginger excitedly said as he showed off the room that he took time and effort to
customize the entire morning. Hans had made sure to make it extra-comfortable for their esteemed
guest.
Black curtains. Black carpets. Black sheets.
Everything was somehow a shade of black, one way or another.
The black-haired foreigner with black eyes scanned the luxurious yet minimalistic looking room
filled with a few little trinkets here and there and even a peculiar looking flat metal board hanging
on one wall, and then murmured.
“…it.”
“Hmn?”
“I like it.” Choi Han’s eyes innocently sparkled.
The Hilsman looking over the young-looking punk’s shoulder sported a disgusted cringing
expression when he saw the room that was black all over as if it was in mourning.
“…You just like it since it’s black, don’t you?”
“Hmm?”
“Nothing.”
For once, Hilsman was glad that Hans at least had a good eye for designing rooms coz even though
everything was black it didn’t look that painful to the eye—in fact, it looked good.
The ginger smirked a little as he bragged, “I was eligible for a manager position back in the main
house once, you know.”
“Yes, and you were sent here.” Hilsman rolled his eyes, “Now lead me to my room.”
He had to make a run for it after Hans grabbed a sturdy looking trinket from Choi Han’s room and
chased after him. Did Hans forget to mention that he’s pretty competent in at least 3 ways of
fighting for self-defense?
Loud yelps echoed through the empty hallway behind Choi Han’s door but the man himself
couldn’t hear it as he was too busy looking around his new personal space with a complicated gaze.
“…my own room.”
His room back in Harris Village was nothing like the luxurious one he’s in right now but just the
thought of being able to call it his own made Choi Han think about his old room that was now
burned down back in the village.
He clenched his fists as he looked at the single window in front of him and started speaking.
“What do you want?”
“Ho.”
Choi Han turned around as he met the old man in his door way with a cold gaze.
Ron clicked his tongue.
‘As expected, this punk…’

Cale had thought that being capable of multiple cases of murder would spark an interesting
friendship and camaraderie between Ron and Choi Han, but unbeknownst to him, sometimes, there
are just people who don’t mix well despite having that one similarity.
Instead of pure and honest fellowship over killing, the first few hours of Choi Han and Ron’s first
day “working” together ended up with both of them (and Beacrox) pointing their blades at each
other as soon as Cale left them alone.
It was a very horrible first meeting.
Unlike when he was with Hans or the other employees of the complex, Ron just expressionlessly
stared at the rude little punk in front of him, without his usual benign smile.
There was no use pretending to be a harmless old man right now.
“What is it?”
Choi Han asked with an annoyed tone when Ron didn’t answer his first question.
Ron just quietly looked him in the eye before answering coldly.
“Lunch will be served soon. The dining area is open for all tenants.”
“Alright.”
Their conversation was short and precise.
Neither wanted to do anything more than the bare minimum.
But it doesn’t really matter.
‘…It was washed away.’
Since the thoughts in Ron’s mind as he turned away from the funny punk glaring at him even when
he’s already gone far into the hallway already gave him the answer he wanted to hear.
The reason why he lunged at a 17-year-old looking young man as soon as they were left alone.
And the reason why he and his son were working while in hiding, even going as far as migrating to
a foreign place.
‘It was them.’
The same scent of those terrible bastards had reappeared after more than 18 years.
---
The sound of feet getting dragged on barren soil tickled the kittens’ ears as they watched the two
adults in front of them.
The silver kitten’s ear twitched a little and her little brother’s head tilted to the side his eyes still
covered by his paws but his ears ever so active as they both observed the actions of the two
strangers and the human-sized baggage they were carrying together, very, very keenly.
“A little bit more to the right.”

“…”
“Uh, move a little bit more.”
“Mm.”
The silver kitten, On, was particularly watching and listening to each and every move with
intensity.
“You’re gonna get the hem of his pants all dirty!” The dark elf Tasha nagged as she had the pretty-
looking baggage of theirs by the arms in a hook.
Alberu just hissed, as he held unto the legs, “It’s already dirty.”
“That’s not a valid excuse to half-ass saving a pretty boy, Alberu.”
Tasha only received an uncharacteristic snort.
She sighed, her eyes softening at her grumbling nephew.
‘It’s not every day you see him act this… hmm, loose? No, wait, the right word is probably crude.’
‘No, snap out of it Tasha, that’s not important right now!’
She shook her head.
But, really, it’s also not every day that you’ll see the illustrious eldest son of the wealthy Henituse
family passed out in a hill next to a man-eating tree, with only the stray cats to beg for him.
With a fever, at that.
Tasha leisurely kicked off one of her shoes and adjusted the blanket underneath the red-haired
fellow they were carrying to fully accommodate the man.
“…Okay, it’s good. Now, put him down—Slowly! SLOWLY!”
The two cats watched as the two adults dropped the unconscious Cale Henituse unto the blanket
with a flopping sound.
“…I said slowly!”
“Well, I’m sorry, Aunt Tasha.” Alberu smiled brightly like he wasn’t already exhausted as it is to
deal with this red-haired man’s shit.
Tasha sighed and decided to rummage through the contents of her handbag instead of commenting
on how unapologetic her nephew sounded. This was normal in the younger generation, she
supposes.
She gingerly placed down a single cylindrical container on the ground before flinching.
“?!”
At some point, the cats had approached her closer out of curiosity.
She swiftly flipped one of the corners of the blanket over Cale’s bandages and then draped herself
on the ground to cover the bloody sight, like a fashion model, out of reflex.
“You—You shouldn’t look at this guy’s noodle arms, that is, uh, very rude for humans.”
Alberu perked his head up from the other side of the unconscious young man, face bewildered, but
Tasha just sharply sucked in her breath.
The silver kitten stared at her for a bit before turning away but the red kitten who was technically
just following the noises since he still had his eyes closed stayed until he heard a meow beckoning
him away.
Tasha’s mouth fell slack.
‘So, the silver one had already seen it.’
Huuu….
She watched as the red kitten hesitantly walked away following his sister’s call before sighing. She
sat back up and then turned around to grab the medicine but then blinked.
“Oh?”
Alberu, who was already starting to unfurl some of the bandages and had pulled the medicine
towards his side, looked up from the work he was doing and asked, “What?”
“Nothing, nothing.”
Tasha says but her nephew could see her lips twitching upward.
“Let’s just get over this and get some sleep. I need to be in good shape tomorrow, you know.”
Alberu grumbled as he dipped his hand in the cool green medicine and then stared at the arm lying
limp in front of him in silence for a bit.
He frowned as he dabbed some of the wounds with his medicine coated fingers.
“What a crazy bastard.”
If he was this hurt, then he shouldn’t have overdone whatever it was he was doing and just sat still.
What kind of idiot works while injured? No wait, what even was he doing here n the first place?
Alberu could clearly see two empty garbage bags rolling around the area thanks to a faint breeze.
He doesn’t know what this man was doing with those in this area but now he’s sure the culprit
behind the sudden bread bankruptcy of one of the nearby grocery marts could be him.
There’s no other crazy bastard in the area.
“…You know we kinda caused this injury, right?”
Tasha suddenly murmured silently with a fidgety expression, taking Alberu away from his
thoughts, begrudgingly.
The two kittens flinched upon overhearing that.
“…Let’s just please get this over with.”
Alberu carefully grabbed Cale’s wrist and gently lifted it up so that he can spread more of the
medicine on the wounds underneath. Tasha hummed as she did the same on her side.
The effects of the medicine were immediately effective, even though they scarcely used it.
The wounds slowly started to heal themselves not long after Tasha put down the arm assigned to
her with a satisfied smile. It’s a shame that they didn’t have any water on them right now to clean
up the blood left behind on his arms.
Alberu quietly rolled the bloody bandages into a ball as Tasha stood up and pulled her cellphone
out.
“…What are you doing?”
The blonde man skeptically asked after hearing clicking noises and a flash.
Tasha shrugged as she started typing something really quick on her phone, “Letting Ben know.”
“…What? Why would you…”
“To have someone bring the pretty young fellow back home.”
Tasha said without even blinking as she put the finishing touches and smiled.
“Sent.”
“Huh?”
---
“Another serving of rice, please!”
“And Beer for me!”
“NO. NO BEER FOR HIM.”
“Why’s there apple pie on the menu…?”
“Oh, Ben, you should try this thing called kimchi over here. It’s reaaaally good.”
“Yeah, uh, no.”
“Hm? Did you guys hear something?”
“Mm? Oh, excuse me, I think it’s my phone. Let me just go see.”
“Awww, does our Benny have a girlfriend?”
“Could be a boyfriend.”
“Another serving of rice, please.”
“Maybe it was just fami—huh?”
“Whoa, Ben, be careful! You can’t just drop your phone like that!”
“Huh? Ben? Are you okay? Why do you look like… you saw a ghost?”
“…Oh? Family matters? Ah, see, I was right!”

“Hah, Haha, Ben don’t scare us like that! Seriously!”
“ANOTHER SERVING OF RICE, PLEASE.”
Chapter End Notes
(Silphy, if you are here, hello XD)
Hi, guys! I'm back and in a slightly better position in my life-- at least i like to think I
am despite whats going on here ;-;
Anyhoo, I was actually considering dropping this fic around a month ago because I
thought of a much better version of it but I decided to not exactly drop it.
Just expect that starting from now on, I might update irregularly because this fic won't
be my priority anymore TwT
I'll still continue updating it and I wont drop it, however, my update schedule for this
one is gonna have to relatively loosen up since i still dont have a limit for my chapter
count.
I hope that's okay with you guys :')
Also, i dont know if y'all know what's happening in the Philippines right now, but
yeah. ;-;
Please pray for us-- a literal actor is going to win a seat with no qualifications at all.
Goodness gracious, i am having another headache.
Stay safe everyone!
--Jal craving cookie (and good governance)

Chapter Summary
‘God of Death, you motherfucker. Are you cross-dressing as my mother right now?’
The woman went silent for a moment, as her blurry face stared at Cale in disbelief.
But then in a drop of a hat, as if accepting defeat, the face suddenly went blank—
Empty, like a piece of paper.
A single black crescent appeared as an otherworldly voice echoed cheerfully in Cale’s

head.
‘As I thought, you are interesting.’
‘And as I thought, you are a crazy bastard.’
Chapter Notes
‘Oh my fucking god.
What did Tasha and Alberu do???’
Ben couldn’t help but be pale and restless throughout the rest of his lunch-out with his co-workers.
He was sweating guilty buckets ever since he saw Tasha’s text.
Look who we found by the slums, lol.
It was a short message with a picture attached to it—a picture of a passed-out man on who knows
where and Tasha holding out a peace sign next to the drooling face.
The table he was sitting with his friends was cheery and noisy but Ben really couldn’t keep himself
steady after seeing such a random message out of nowhere—especially after he had just told Alberu
and Tasha about the contract with Cale Henituse and the complex.
‘No, those two are probably not the type to knock out people who spared their close friends and
family, right? Right???’
Ben felt a vibration in his pocket and stealthily peeked at the new text he received.
Can you pls go fetch him? We're done with him now. -A
And just like that Ben lost all blood in his face.
---
There was darkness everywhere.
It seemed hard to breathe.
‘Am I dreaming…?’
Cale thought to himself as he felt himself drifting in nowhere and everywhere at the same time
inside his own mind.
It felt uncomfortable, feeling the strange push and pull all around him, feeling something cool
enveloping him and feeling the darkness that covered everything around him.
“…….move…little….more…”
“you……gonna…………dirty………!”
“….not…….half………….beru.”
“.............lowly……SLOWLY!”
“……sore….”
“……………………………………….noodle…………rude……..”
Cale scrunched up his nose in the darkness. He could hear something—a lot of things, but he
couldn’t understand them, they were all muffled as if his ears were filled with water. As if they
were aliens from another world.
‘That motherfucking god of…’
Cale started to cuss as he realized why all of this felt so eerily familiar to him, and who exactly
triggered such a long-gone memory.
It felt just like that day.
Everything was cold, dark and noisy.
He didn’t know if he was going to survive it. He felt so small—so weak. And he felt himself getting
even weaker as he felt something clawing at his skin as if to pull him down.
A disproportionate amount of bubbles came out of the wincing little boy.
He didn’t want to die.
The little child drifting in the darkness gritted his teeth in helplessness and frustration and cracked
an eye open underwater before—
“Gasp!”
He found himself gasping for breath as he emerged out of the water, coughing salty seawater out of
his lungs desperately. His red irritated eyes stared down at the shadow his own submerged body
cast over the water.
‘I’m out.’
Cale blinked in disbelief, his head spinning and his entire body feeling weirdly numb as if he had
fallen down and kissed the ground with the back of his head.
‘I managed to get out.’
“…?”
It was then that he stilled.
“………..?!”
There was a voice.
He couldn’t make it out but for some reason he felt like it was a voice calling for him.
His eyes clouded over as he lifted his chin and looked around him, noticing something off about
the lighting of his surroundings.
This…. wasn’t the ocean.
Drip.
He blankly stared at the familiar marble tiles of the floor and the familiar smooth stone walls
while sitting in a bathtub with soap on his hair and bubbles all around, water dripping down his
hair.
“Cale.”
A pair of warm hands suddenly cupped his face and made him turn to the side, made him look at
the person who’s been talking all this time but could not be registered in his confused mind, just as
he thought he heard someone call him by his name.
His eyes widened. In front of him was the hazy image of a person talking to him in words he could
not hear.
‘Ah.’
Wet red strands of hair fell down towards Cale’s pale cheeks as he looked at the similar locks of
red running down the person’s shoulders and the way the woman’s eyebrow creased as she
scolded him with worry all over her face.
‘…mom?’
Cale’s hand subconsciously tried to reach out to the image as if to check if she was really her.
The person who is no longer here.
He extended his hand and then touched the silky looking red lock of hair sticking towards his
direction, playfully. Almost longingly.
But it was also at the same moment that his lips tugged upwards.
There was no way this person of whom he couldn’t even see in detail properly was truly his
deceased mother.
‘…You’re not my mom.’

The woman in front of him with red locks flinched as soon as he internalized that thought, and it
could do nothing but to pull the ends of his lips even higher, as he smirked.
‘Gotcha.’
There was only one bastard this woman—no, this person could be.
‘God of Death, you motherfucker. Are you cross-dressing as my mother right now?’
The woman went silent for a moment, as her blurry face stared at Cale in disbelief.
But then in a drop of a hat, as if accepting defeat, the face suddenly went blank—Empty, like a
piece of paper.
A single black crescent appeared as an otherworldly voice echoed cheerfully in Cale’s head.
‘As I thought, you are interesting.’
‘And as I thought, you are a crazy bastard.’
Cale hissed as he boldly splashed the disguised god with the bathwater, his complaints shooting
forward like a gattling gun.
You see, there were many things wrong in this situation.
‘Can’t you see that my 8-year-old self is enjoying a nice bath here? Why am I taking a fucking bath
in front of you? What are you, a child predator? Get the fuck away from me—and stop using my
mom’s appearance, you freaky little—’
‘Cale Henituse.’
Crazy bastards nowadays really had nothing better to do.
‘What?’ Cale said in irritation as he grabbed the dream shampoo at the side of his bathtub, ready
to try being one of the few humans to throw shit at a god this century.
‘I quite like the new story you are making… It’s true.’
The red-haired face of the god suddenly twisted into an even bigger smile.
‘…but just how far can you write it, I wonder?’
Cale paused and stared at the empty face, with a confused look, “Wh—?”
The empty face just now has become pitch black.
Completely black with an ominous white smile.
He felt the chills just looking at it and opened his mouth to ask what nonsense he’s going on about,
however, the fake face of the god was faster.
‘You should probably not carry this much death with you, you know?’
Cale froze but the otherworldly voice coming through his ear continued rather ominously as
darkness started seeping into the dreamscape.
‘I’m looking forward to your beautiful death, you who changed fate.’
‘What? Hey, wait a minute—’
The little red-haired boy in the blurry dream rose up to chase after the retreating figure but as
soon as he clamped unto the side of the now-black bath-tub, he yelped as he was tossed down to
the ground by some unknown force.
It would have been fine if that was the end of it.
“Ugh—Whoa, what in the—”
He lurched forward as he felt the floor suddenly start rolling—why the fuck is the floor rolling?!
“………….out………….hill……..”
“He………….fever…….what…………dinner?!”
“……..room…………young master………”
Cale gagged a little as he tried his best to stay put on his floors on top of the moving ground
underneath him and couldn’t take it anymore. The voices he was hearing added all the more to the
pain in his head.
“Ugh… Urk—Guuuuuh……..”
In the end, the redhead ended up vomiting an unknown black liquid unto the ground while in tears,
clutching his stomach.
Gasp—
And then his eyes flashed open as he woke up almost immediately afterwards in a cold sweat.
Cale was staring up at a luxurious looking ceiling, while comfortably tucked inside soft white
sheets.
He could hear the distant sound of vehicles—the proof of the existence of people’s everyday lives,
and he could feel the warmth of the blanket tucked over him, gently, as if to wish him a safe
recovery.
It felt unreal to Cale for a moment to be in this situation.
The redhead was vaguely sure that he was throwing up just now, but then clarity finally dawned
upon his hazy mind as his eyes widened at the recollection of a horrible—horrible, dream.
Adrenaline rushed up at the newly-awakened young man as he rose from his bed.
“THAT MOTHERFVCKING GOD OF—”
Crash.
A glass cup filled with what eerily resembles lemonade crashed onto the ground after slipping out
of the grasp of the man at the doorway, wearing a ridiculous pink apron on top of all black
garments.
Cale, who was about to throw a pillow at the door out of sheer frustration, stilled upon recognizing
who was standing by his door.
He slowly put down his hand, a confused look in his face.
“Am I still in that terrible dream or…”
“Cale-nim…!”
“…I’m going back to sleep.”
---
A lot of things happened while Cale was brought back to the apartment complex by a flustered
group of employees, lead by Ben. Hans can attest to the utter chaos of it all.
According to the testimony of the employees, they had just finished eating lunch outside when they
all collectively decided to take the long way back to the apartment complex. They basically just
confessed their desire to not go to work just yet, but anyway—
Hans looked down at his hands on his lap as he sat in the common areas where all the other
employees were pacing back and forth, anxiously.
It’s been 6 hours or so since Cale was found collapsed on top of a hill.
If Ben hadn’t thought of checking out the top of the hill to lengthen their travel period, they
wouldn’t have found him until the next day, for sure.
“Mm.”
Hans nervously bit his nail.
This was gonna be hard to report.
It was then that a cup of coffee was suddenly shoved in front of his face.
“Here.”
The ginger blinked for a bit and then looked up to see an exhausted Ben offering him a cup of
coffee. If he remembers right, it was Ben who personally carried the owner back to the complex
when they found him.
Hans smiled a little, though still a bit fidgety, “Thanks.”
He took the cup and then took a sip as the quiet Ben sat down next to him with a cup of his own.
Actually, everyone in the common areas right now really wanted to check up on the young
master’s condition. Before he is their boss, he is also just an 18-year-old boy, after all—not that
Hans was a lot older than him to look at him that way.
But one look at the young master’s old butler was enough to make them kick themselves out of the
room and instead settle for waiting for news here in the ground floor.
“Come to think of it, the young master-nim has lived with only Sir Ron and Sir Beacrox by his side
overseas…”
Hans murmured under his breath.
He couldn’t imagine what kind of life it would have been like to be in an unfamiliar place with
unfamiliar people and only two people to depend on.
“Maybe it was a health condition. It will probably be fine.”
Ben blurted out before taking another sip from his coffee, face as neutral as always.
‘You say that, but you’re sweating really hard right now.’
Hans decided to bite his tongue instead of pointing that out as he drank his coffee little by little,
“Yeah, you’re right. It’s probably gonna be fine.”
‘Ben is so reliable.’
The ginger smiled innocently as he downed his coffee while putting Ben’s words in mind, but that
only worsened the knot that was already twisting and piling up inside Ben’s guts.
‘I am screwed.’
The disguised dark elf bit his lip as he stared down at his coffee, eyes shaking.
He wanted to curse and swear and just lash out right now—Tasha, you little… ugh.
Inhale. Exhale.
‘Calm down, Ben.’
A small breeze tickled Ben’s cheek as a spirit circled around him as if to pacify its tense contractor.
Ben couldn’t help but reflexively relax at the touch of the pure nature spirit.
Yeah, he needs to calm down.
No one’s suspecting him of being related to this—and he might not even be. He has no idea what
exactly happened to the owner, however, after carefully inspecting him back when he lured
everyone into the location that Tasha sent him, he saw that there was not a single injury on the
man.
In fact, it was pretty strange.
There should be an injury.
He wasn’t saying that you needed to get smacked somewhere to faint, no—He was talking about
Cale’s already existing injuries which he and some others had witnessed before.
The ugly burn from the first day and the cuts from last night.
He doesn’t know what Tasha did but all of those injuries were suddenly gone by the time they
found Cale passed out up in the hill.
It was something that can only be explained supernaturally.
Maybe, Mister Ron and Choi Han would suspect his involvement in this, but the others won’t even
begin to do that—since to others, he was the most unnaturally detached employee there is when it
comes to these strange phenomena.
In the first place, he didn’t do anything to warrant suspicion—and he didn’t do anything to Cale,
really.
Ben took a deep breath as he cleared up his mind.
Everything is going to be okay.
“Hm? Eh?”
Ben was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard some confused noises coming out of the ginger
beside him. He looked to his side and raised an eyebrow in concern, “What’s wrong?”
But the ginger head didn’t look back at him and just looked straight forward, puzzled.
His lips parted and muttered something that no other person in the room should be able to hear but
Ben who had heightened senses heard it.
He heard it loud and clear.
“But… I didn’t even report it yet…?”
Just then, the glass doors of the apartment complex’s ground floor swung open.
Hans looked completely confused when he looked at the people that marched inside the facility in
a hurry, expressions tense and feet heavy, meanwhile Ben looked like he was gonna need a blood
transfusion with how pale he had become at the sight of the people who have arrived.
A man in his middle ages marched towards the nearest employee and didn’t even hesitate to grab
the employee by the collar of his shirt. He was breathing heavily like he had ran as fast as he can,
and the woman behind him as well as the two children could be considered in the same condition,
their eyes wide in worry.
Ben has only seen this family in pictures during investigations before but he can tell who they are
immediately based on the circumstances of their unannounced visit.
“Where is my son?”
Deruth Henituse, the head of the Henituse Corportation and the father of the owner of Cobblestone
Complex, asked with a vicious look on his face.
‘Aigoo.’
Ben couldn’t help but think of Tasha and the three idiots’ smiley faces as he sat there on his seat,
holding a cup of coffee.
‘This job is going to be the death of me.’
---
“Hey, Alberu, my dearest nephew.”
“What.”
The shining son of the dark elf faction mumbled not-so-elegantly as he lay slumped down on his
bed in the secret residence of the dark elves, face kissing the dreams that come with his sheets.
His equally not-really-currently-functioning auntie, who was draped over the couch like a boneless
blanket, snorted at his uncharacteristically dead response.
“Don’t what me—Ben is probably cursing us in his mind right now.”
She chucked a pillow at him, but the young man promptly caught it with one hand without even
looking as he grumpily groaned.
“And whose fault is that?”
“Sleep deprivation.”
“Hah.”
‘Well, if you need something to blame, then go ahead.’
Alberu massaged his head as he sighed, not really up to handle this right now.
The redhead, the potential serial murderers, the knee-cap breaker and the problem with Ben…
He’ll handle it all later.
Right now, all he wants to do is sleep.
Chapter End Notes
Aiya! Jalffy here with the promised double update this week.
This same week I'm gonna be having long tests once again :D So I may or may not
have rushed this and wasnt able to check it the same times i usually do.
In the coming era here, getting good grades is essential. In case anything happens, if I
have good grades, I can hopefully have the choice of going outside my country and
bringing my family with me.
It may sound not so patriotic but really, thats what my parents hope for me, as well.
I actually fear that some of the people I know end up going protesting in the streets
only to be met with violence.
I just, just hope that everything will be alright.
On the other hand, I'm really surprised that this fic is reaching 20k hits.
Thank you so much for staying with this story for the past 6 months though it was
stagnant for half of that time :')
Sincerely trying my hand at business while all alone in my classroom coz I'm the only
F2F student,
-Jal (╥﹏╥)
Chapter Summary
The man, Choi Han, wearing a pink apron across his chest, lifted himself up from his
feet, announcing with renewed fervor:
“The owner-nim has woken up!”
A silence blanketed the hall.
“Oh, hello.”
“WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?!?!” Basen and Lily screamed.
Chapter Notes
“What’s going on? What happened to my son?!”
Deruth Henituse was beyond furious- No, it was more than just fury in the man’s expression. There
was concern, confusion, and fear mixed together and muddled.
Thankfully, before the Henituse Patriarch could go and shake the life out of the poor guy he’d
gotten a hold of as soon as he entered the common areas of the apartment complex, Ron presented
himself in a calm manner: “Allow me to explain.”
Deruth turned towards Ron, the old butler responsible for his son and slowly started to calm down.
The employee in Deruth Henituse’s grasp stared at Ron with awkward gratefulness, as the lapels of
his shirt were let go.
Ron hesitated for a minute when the father of his charge started looking at him with hopeful eyes
as if he could enlighten him and his family. He stood there for a moment, not really minding the
stares nor finding them uncomfortable, just trying his best to think of an answer that would satisfy.
In the end, he could only settle for one thing, finding lying a bad move to do right now when he,
himself, has no idea what exactly happened to their young master.
“…In truth, we also don’t know what happened to him.”
“Mr. Ron, please!” Deruth frowned, moving to approach, “Tell me properly. Is he okay? He just
got attacked by random men yesterday night- Did he not get himself checked?!”
The man was starting to look really desperate, and Ron can’t blame him. Ron can only recall a few
moments when the young master’s father, his own employer, had looked this anxious. The first
being when he first learned of the sudden disappearance of the cruise that his wife and son had
boarded and the second being when the young master had disappeared in the middle of a
conference regarding the death of his wife, and he almost lost his mind trying to find him.
Cale was found inside the comfort room that time, completely fine and unperturbed.
He even looked unwilling to leave, looking back at the comfort room a few times, but after his
father had practically launched himself and sobbed on the young boy’s pale frame, the boy was
coerced into going home and abandoning the place.
It’s no coincidence that both times of utter desperation and anxiety had something to do with his
son, Cale.
As a father himself who also lost his wife to a tragic death, Ron could empathize with him—at
least, as far as assassins could hope to. He was merely one of the few murderers in the world who
had been blessed with the concept and understanding of family.
So, Ron tries to explain what happened last night and today to the man in a concise manner. Of
course, while taking out everything spirit-related- which, by the way the Henituse Family
members’ faces were scrunching up in horror, was probably worse-sounding than what really
happened in the end.
“So, you’re telling me,” Violan started speaking, her manicured nails pinching her eyebrows as she
tried to summarize what they’ve been told, “a black out happened yesternight, during which three
unknown assailants managed to infiltrate the complex due to its general emptiness, allowing them
to get in my son’s bedroom while he was drunk and- and they assaulted him?”
Ron was silent for a minute, having not been there for the beginning part to know.
But then his mind wandered to the moment he entered, when Cale looked as though he’d been
thrown unto the floor that was littered with shattered glasses, his arms bleeding, and his eyes wide
in horror, and he decided-
“Yes.”
He gravely answered, schooling his expression as to not reveal the urge to go back to the police
station and skin those dark elf bastards alive tingling in his bones, “I have reason to believe that
they played a little with the Young Master while he was drunk, breaking his windows and
throwing water from the bathroom at him who was in the bed.”
Violan’s hand holding the fan shook terribly, and it looked like she was one second away from
doing as what her husband did and grabbing someone by the collar and shaking them, aggressively.
She looked like she wanted to say something but her eyes flickered towards the people loitering in
the common areas, hyperaware of their presence, and she closed her mouth, jaw tense.
“And this morning,” She started talking once again through gritted teeth, a scary flash in her bluish
grey eyes as she dared to look Ron in the eye, “You are saying that he escorted the trespassers to
the station all alone and that he was later found in some hill in the slums, passed out with a slight
fever?”
Ron nodded, though he knew that this was taking things out of context.
He knew why his young master was on that hill with god-knows-how-many bread, but he’s not
telling them that.
Violan let out a stifled breath that sounded like years of self-restraint and discipline straining on
edge and then grabbed Hilsman, who had stood next to her at some point after their arrival, and
looked him in the eye, “What in the world happened to being his bodyguard?”
The tanned man gave a small noise of indignation but did not speak back, guilty.
“No, what in the world is wrong with this place’s security?!” Violan exclaimed then harshly
pointed outside of the common areas with her closed fan, “When we came in through the gates, the
guard was sleeping like a pig, the gates were wide open!”
Deruth gave a sigh of exasperation to her side, face in his palm, while both of her children had
different expressions of horror and fury and protectiveness in their faces.
Lily, in particular, was outraged, “What the fu-“
Hilsman promptly clamped the little girl’s mouth closed before she could finish her sentence,
sweating profusely, having been the one to unintentionally teach the young girl the crude words.
Violan shot him a look and he avoided her gaze.
“Is… Is Hyung-nim okay, now?”
All eyes stared at the young Basen who had spoken up, his face filled with concern.
The boy pushed his question forward when no one answered and merely stared at him, now
strengthened with the resolve to find out anything and somehow help the situation, “Is he awake?
Is he alright now?”
Ron opened his mouth for a bit to answer, but then a man in black tumbled down the stairs in a
moment of dishevelment, causing some solid thuds and thwacks as he did.
The man, Choi Han, wearing a pink apron across his chest, lifted himself up from his feet,
announcing with renewed fervor:
“The owner-nim has woken up!”
A silence blanketed the hall.
Hilsman covered his mouth from where he was standing behind the kids while Ben had to rub the
ginger head in the background who had choked on his drink upon the sight of baby pink on their
ominous guest who should be mourning, hiding the laughter escaping his body with the aggressive
coughs that he didn’t even need to fake.
Choi Han blinked and looked around, seeing new faces in the crowd of people waiting for the
owner of the complex to wake up. He awkwardly looked at the Henituse couple whom he met this
morning and then at the two kids and then at the ridiculously pink piece of clothing he was wearing
and then cleared his throat, not really finding any point in being ashamed now.
“Oh. Hello.” He waved.
“WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?!?!” Basen and Lily screamed.
Deruth Henituse decided at that time that some introductions and a different kind of explanation
may be in order.
---
‘Ah this is gonna be so annoying.’
Cale thought to himself as he watched Lily, Basen, his parents, and employees barge into his room
altogether.
“CALE!”
“Hyung-nim!”
“ORABUNI!!!”
“YOUNG MASTER-NIM, ARE YOU OKAY???”
“Haaa…”
He sighed and tucked himself under his blanket like a newborn child under three layers but
apparently, that wasn’t enough to shut out the barrage of questions that were immediately thrown
his way by the chaotic audience he found himself needing to entertain as soon as he woke up.
Like properly woke up.
That time he woke up and started cursing and throwing things until he saw Choi Han doesn’t
count.
Who the fuck gave him that apron, by the way? Also, haven’t these people learned that you
shouldn’t overwhelm a sick person who just woke up?
Thankfully, all it took was him complaining that his head hurts for every moving mouth in the
room to shut up, but it didn’t stop the concerned looks being thrown at his face so.
He was fine, though, so he doesn’t understand why they were all being like this.
In particular, Cale did not want to understand why the vicious old butler and his chef son were
standing menacingly by the doorway unlike all the others.
He averted his gaze and tried not to look at the father-son duo’s faces as much as he can.
It was only after a random man amongst the crowd of people that flocked in his room raised his
hand timidly and stammered, “E-excuse me, I’m a doctor…” that everyone actually made way to
give the newly awakened Cale some space.
The poor family physician that had been dragged by the Henituse family in the middle of the night
to attend to their eldest son in the rumored haunted apartment complex in Rain city was completely
forgotten by the said-family as soon as they entered the building. It was only thanks to the oath he
took as a doctor that he managed to compose himself even in the notorious haunted asset of his
employers and mechanically went up the numerous stairs to get to the patient’s room.
‘Aigoo, my poor life…’

Well, the Henituse family pays generously so he can’t really complain.
The doctor looked over Cale with his instruments for a bit to check up on him, but then it was at
that point that he remembered what exactly his employer brought him here for.
He carefully instructed Cale to hold out his arms so that he can roll up the sleeves.
For some reason, the temperature in the room dropped and the doctor felt a scary feeling emanating
all the way from the doorway, and he shivered though he couldn’t understand why.
According to the information he received beforehand, the Young master had ended up with
dangerous cuts to his arms, just a shy away from his wrists, after slipping and falling unto broken
shards.
However the arm in question…
‘…It’s clean. It’s very clean?’
The doctor is not sure if he received the information wrong or if his eyes are just seeing wrong.
The incident must have happened last night so surely the reported wounds couldn’t have suddenly
healed. There wasn’t even as much as a trace of a scar.
Looking up to check the Young master’s face, the Doctor saw that even the young man was
confused and surprised at the sight of his arms.
One of the employees then tilted their head, eyes fixed on the young master’s hand.
“Huh? Wait a minute, something’s odd.”
Many other employees reluctantly nodded their heads in agreement, feeling a similar sense of
incongruity though they could not point out exactly what it was that made them feel this way.
It was at that moment that one of the employees gasped.
“The burn!”
Everyone in the room who was present the first time the young master arrived made similar noises
of surprise as they all remembered that moment.
“I’ll be checking the other half.”
That was what the young master had told his old butler before pulling up his sleeves and
accidentally revealing a burn that they could only infer, based on the words of their old butler,
came from a kitchen accident.
It was an ugly burn that contrasted the young master’s pale and frail physique so it was seared into
their minds.
The doctor who does not know this could only stare at the employees around him and ask.
“Did the young master used to have a burn?”
“Yes! It was a really ugly one on one of his arms- Ah! I mean, not to say that you’re ugly, young
master-nim, you are the most handsome of all!”
A gingerhead among the employees laughed nervously as the young master shot him a glare.
‘This punk…’
The more Cale hung around both Ben and Hans the more he wanted to raise the salary of the
former because of his wisdom for words and lower the salary of the other for his unfathomable
rudeness.
Despite all that, however, Hans does a good job in the work assigned to him and Ben wasn’t one of
his people originally so he preferred Hans way more than the latter.
‘Now, regarding this…’
Cale looked down at his arms that were clear of any traces of cuts and burns and felt himself
frown.
‘…. What am I going to do with this.’
One look at the situation is enough for him to know that something supernatural happened to him.
He couldn’t have healed himself through normal means, and he doubts that the God of Death could
have done such a thing in his sleep. He’s sure that the Gods aren’t supposed to intervene like that,
anyway.
So, how is he going to explain this when he, himself, has no idea about it?
“That’s… strange. There are no signs of any sort of burn on the young master’s arms, neither is
there any trace of the injuries from last night.” The doctor started to ponder while looking at Cale’s
arms with a complicated expression and Cale wanted to curse as soon as he heard the words that
came after.
“Young master, do you remember everything that happened before you passed out?”
The redhead bit his tongue to force himself to make a straight face.
He has to calm down.
In situations like this, it’s risky to come up with a lie without knowing the truth, so there is really
only one course of action for him to take.
“I… don’t.”
Lie about the truth you know, tell the truth about the parts where you can’t.
In other words, provide a half-truth, half-lie.
Only Ron knows why he’s gone back and forth to the slums this past few days but even he would
have a hard time figuring out if what he’s saying is true or not.
Cale raised his head as he spoke quietly, “I only remember buying a lot of bread from the grocery
mart. After that, it’s all blurry, but I think I met someone at that time and they helped me.”
Bullshit. The guy I met with was a goddamn god and he was cosplaying my mother.
Cale smiled weakly as if he wasn’t thinking such vicious words towards the divine, “I don’t know
exactly what happened to me but I’m sure that I have a secret benefactor out there who was kind
enough to help me, no matter who they were.”
The deadpan look on both Ron and Beacrox’s face would be hilarious if Beacrox wasn’t holding a
table knife and deliberately showing it for the young master to see.
It was obvious that the two could tell that Cale was acting but they couldn’t tell if what he was
saying was truly true or not. In the old butler’s perspective, the part where Cale was buying bread
is definitely true because he knew already that Cale was buying bread to appease the spirit-nim
near the slums and that was the place where he was found, but unfortunately, he could not confirm
the last part about meeting up with someone who ‘helped’ him, especially since no names nor
special characteristics were mentioned.
Was there really a Secret benefactor?
They can never know, and Cale has no idea as well. Maybe he can look into it in the future, but not
now. It wasn’t really important anyway.
“To heal such injuries and even a long-time scar in less than a day…”
The doctor seemed to be muttering to himself, trying to rationalize how such a thing could be
achieved, but there was no use. There is no such thing in medical science that could make such a
thing possible.
He started sweating as he felt the reality of the situation.
It’s either this impossible feat truly happened or his employer’s other employees were lying about
multiple things at once. Neither seemed plausible to him.
‘…should I call the police? No, what do we do when faced with something as unnatural as this?’
Maybe when he gets back home later, he’ll try and study some more. Maybe it was actually
possible and he just doesn’t know how yet, or maybe it’s a secret technique only expert doctors
working for the underground know.
The doctor gave a long sigh and finally let go of the young master’s arms and clearing him in front
of his family and employees.
Whoever that secret benefactor could be, they must be a great doctor.
---
As soon as the doctor was done talking to his family and as soon as most of the employees have
calmed down from the mysterious event that happened to their young master, Cale Henituse
quickly addressed the one thing he’s been aching to ask since they all barged into his room.
“That.”
He pointed at the innocent-looking Choi Han standing by the doorway.
“Why the hell is Choi Han wearing that?”
There were sheepish looks all around as everyone belatedly realized that their young master’s guest
was still there and still wearing a pink apron with a straight face. Even Lily and Basen flushed in
embarrassment, remembering their overreaction to seeing a grown as man in menacing black wear
baby pink- a combination that could easily overpass the shock that Choi Han had when he first saw
a cellphone.
The man in question who was wearing the ridiculous apron opened his mouth to answer, unfazed
by the question, but Hilsman spoke faster.
“Ah, you may not know this, young master coz you weren’t here this morning, but a few hours
before finding you passed out on that hill, Choi Han officially became your bodyguard since he
technically needed to be an employee to keep staying for free.”
“Sir Choi Han sulked when you were found collapsed in the city just hours after he became your
bodyguard and so, to make him feel better, we decided to give him a little punishment!” Hans
happily added.
All the while as the two chatter-heads spoke, Choi Han was casting his face down on the floor,
obviously still sulking.
“Cale-nim should not have been let out without a bodyguard when he was still injured…”
Basen and Lily fervently nodded in agreement, the latter even going as far as saying out loud,
“That’s right…!” but Cale wasn’t listening. His mind was in a different matter.
‘Hm? Choi Han? My bodyguard?’
Clear memories of every single detail pertaining to what the innocent-looking Choi Han had done
to those who crossed him, those who killed the villagers, and those who insulted them (meaning
the drunk Cale from the fortune slip) passed through his mind and Cale thought he might be at the
verge of passing out once again.
‘You have to be kidding me- he was originally going to beat me to a pulp!’
Not only had they made this monstrous munchkin in disguise his bodyguard, like how they made
an assassin his butler, they also punished him by making him wear a frilly pink apron like this-
Cale keeps on realizing it time and time again but he’s convinced that Hans and Hilsman know no
fear.
If they only knew what that innocent face can do to people who run their mouths too much.
With a sigh, Cale decided to move on from the subject, not wanting to know more.
“Who found me?”
The employees all raise their hands at the same time but then stared at each other in betrayal and
shock.
All except Ben, who was making sure to look at anything and everything as long as it was not
anyone related to Cale.
“It was Ben.”
Ron answered, making Ben internally scream.
All eyes turned towards the disguised dark elf in the room, and Ben wanted nothing more than to
shrink into the size of nothing just to disappear from their sights.
It was then that his coworkers started blurting out words of agreement and acceptance however.
“Yeah, actually that makes sense.”
“Now that I think of it, If Ben hadn’t suggested we take the long way to maximize our lunch
time…”
“Oh and he was the one who carried him back, too! Ben was so frantic that time, haha!”
Ben pleads with his seniors using his eyes- Please, please shut up, he tries to tell them with his
pitiful gaze and the biting of his lip alone.
Stop putting the spotlight on me, please, please, please!
Unfortunately, the seniors merely took his anxiety for bashfulness and heartily looped their arms
over the man’s neck, cooing at him, “Awwww, our Ben is so shy!”
‘No, seniors, your Ben is going to die-STOP!‘
Ben was this close to bursting into frightened tears as he felt the sharp stares of every single person
in the room, especially the more knowing glances that Choi Han, Ron, and Cale were shooting
him.
It was then however that Deruth Henituse suddenly went across the room and grabbed his hand,
making him stiffen.
“Young man,” Deruth started and then looked at the disguised dark elf with unbearably grateful
eyes, “Thank you, thank you so much.” He looks towards all the employees who had found Cale
and bowed his head to them, “To all of you, too.”
The employees smiled, bashfully.
They were all employees who were pushed to this place by their managers for being too annoying,
for being lacking and for being too clumsy or over-bearing with their work- and this was one of the
first compliments they’ve received in a while since they were pushed to this haunted complex.
Hans was practically keening with pride, even though he wasn’t even part of the group that found
Cale.
Ben on the other hand felt like he might evaporate on the spot, unable to register words.
He was so confused and guilty for absolutely no reason at all, now.
And as this all happened, Cale was just watching everyone in the room giggle and point at each
other, watching his father shake the excited employees’ hands and laugh, his reddish-brown eyes
taking in everything in solemn silence.
It was… rather comforting to be reminded that you’re still alive.
A sensation of flickering smoke was all the response he received from the countless deaths that
hung on his back, but it was enough to remind him of more than just the fact that he was living and
breathing unlike all of them.
‘You shouldn’t really carry this much death with you.’
“Oraeboni?”
Cale blinked out of his stupor and turned to look at the round-eyed Lily who has practically draped
herself over his bedside, her chestnut hair tousled and messy. His little sister was worried about
him, and so was Basen, his brother, who was just behind the little girl.
“Hyung, are you hungry? Do you want to eat dinner?” Basen asked, leaning closer to the bed.
It takes a moment for Cale to process the fact that he said ‘dinner’ and not ‘lunch’.
“Of course, he’s hungry.” Violan snaps her fan shut with a stern tone before using it to point to the
nearest employee in the room, “You there, get a headcount and tell the chef to prepare dinner for
everyone here!”
She rests her fan on her hand as she let her gaze swipe through the many employees and then
spoke, “…This is my token of gratitude to all of you, who have contributed to bringing my son
back safe and sound.”
The lady bowed, flustering the employees who stammered out replies that weren’t very easy to
comprehend, steam leaving their burning faces at the show of sincerity and gratitude.
Violan looked over at Cale, “Just wait a little bit and we’ll serve you the most delicious food.”
“Ron’s son is a good cook.” Cale retorted, casually, and then dropped his head to eye the blankets
laid on top of him, the new clean bandages on his sleeves, and the comfy silken pajamas he was
wearing.
He knew that technically it was Ron who probably had this all done for him, being his butler and
all, but he still couldn’t help but feel compelled to say something to his step-mother.
Maybe it was the influence of that god-forsaken dream he had and that bloody God of Death
cosplaying his real mother. Or maybe it’s just because of the fact that they all rushed here as soon
as they heard about what happened to him.
He felt as though he owed them a few words.
‘Later.’
The redhead tells himself as he just stared at the happy group of people all around him.
It seems every night is eventful in this apartment complex.
---
That night there was a nice little dinner in Cale’s room.
Beacrox brought the food up to the 4th floor with several employees’ help and the employees aside
from the doctor, Ron, Choi Han and Beacrox himself feasted on their head chef’s heavenly
cooking in the hallway just outside of the young master’s newly assigned room.
Sitting on the floor together in a circle, there was nothing but laughter and hearty cheer.
“Well, what do you know? The apartment complex at night might not be as scary as we all
thought!”
“Ugh, if I could eat food like this everyday, I would…”
“Hey, hand over some more rice!”
In a relaxed atmosphere such as this, Hans flourished with sunny brightness as he laughed and
chugged down his glass of the alcohol that their young master kindly shared with them for this
impromptu occasion.
Letting out an exhale as he finished his glass, he beamed and pointed at one of his seniors, saying,
“See? I told you it’s fine at night as well!”
A mischievous grin appears on the gingerhead’s face as he presented an offer.
“If you guys want, I can prepare some rooms for you guys just for tonight. We barely have any
tenants here, might as well be our own tenants even for just one day!”
It was a good idea presented in a joking manner.
The ginger wasn’t qualified to be a manager for nothing back in the branch he used to work in.
Unlike him who was personally being sponsored by his true boss, Deruth Henituse, the father of
the owner of the apartment complex, and Ben who caught the eye of their young master, if these
guys were to accept this offer, then they would need to pay for it, even if its only one day.
If they liked their stay, they can stay longer and be a true tenant. If they don’t, well it’s okay.
The complex still gets paid from that one day they stayed.
It was a brilliant idea framed as both a challenge, an offer and a joke, in a situation where they
were experiencing the luxury which is Beacrox-nim’s cooking for something other than lunch and
where they were experiencing the so-called scariness of the night in these halls.
Amazing, really.
But only Ben could think that since he’s the only one with a fully-working brain in the group.
The employees, oblivious to the way Hans was casually trying to get the apartment complex some
money through such a jokeful mean, fell into thought with smiles that show that they were actually
starting to consider it, despite still being a little bit afraid of the possible ghosts that live here at
night.
Finally after a minute or so of discussing amongst themselves, they came to a conclusion meant to
redirect the joke with another joke.
“Only if Ben is here too!” They all cheerfully grinned.
Well, of course.
Ben, resigned to being the employee’s human shield against ghost stories and the likes, could only
sigh before continuing on with his meal.
‘…shit, the scary old man’s son really knows how to cook well.’
Eating this kind of delicious food makes it feel like the rollercoaster of emotions he was subjected
to today was all worth it. Forgotten and forgiven. Thrown to the side.
“…But Ben already sleeps here with me, though?”
Ben chokes on his food in the background as Hans raised an eyebrow at his seniors at work,
surprised that they don't know about that yet.
What was more surprising is how inappropriate he made it sound, though.
“He what.”
The employees eyes fell squarely at Ben who was coughing so violently and hitting his chest at the
side that he almost looks like he was dying.
Ben whipped his head towards their direction, expression ever so calm yet eyes very chaotic.
“We’re on the same floor. Young master-nim offered.”
The way he quickly tried to clarify that just made the employees feel more suspicious of him,
however, so that just backfired on him.
“Ah~”
Teasing smiles growing as they all huddled together like some sort of gossip group during
lunchtime at school, the employees don’t even try to cover the shit-eating grins on their faces as
they wriggled their eyebrows in “understanding”.
“We get it~ We get it~”
No, you don’t get anything at all- We only met a few days ago, too???
Ben takes back what he said. No amount of luxury food can save him from any of the heart attacks
and problems that he’ll have to face while living in this apartment complex.
Knowing that denying it wouldn’t work now that his seniors are set on making the two of them an
office pair, Ben could only sigh under his breath and avert his gaze in favor of looking towards the
room of the owner whose door was left ajar.
He locked eyes with Choi Han who was dutifully standing by the doorway.
For a moment, the two of them just stared at each other like that, with Ben nervously sweating and
the other just calmly observing him from afar.
Then soon after, the black-haired young man suddenly inclined his head to bow.
Ben blinked in surprise.
It was a bow of gratitude for saving the guy that he owed something to.
‘…I’m half-sure that my employer is responsible for one of the two things that happened to the
young master.’
The dark elf couldn’t help but smile wryly, but in the middle of his musings, one of the seniors
arms hooked around his neck as the cheer of the team intensified. Laughter and the popping of
more bottles straight out of the young master’s refrigerator echoed within Ben’s sensitive ears.
“Drink until we pass out!”
“Pass the servings!”
“Another cup of rice please!”
“Oh, shut it, you’ve had enough- go on a diet!”
As warm laughter erupted all around Ben at his co-worker’s banter, he looked down at the single
plate in the middle of their little circle out here in the hallway, containing different kinds of snacks
and finger food, shared between the dozen of their lot.
His smile felt a bit more genuine this time as he chuckled behind his cup of wine while the seniors
all around him made a fool of themselves.
"Hans, Ben, Albert and Sasha. Ron asked if the four of you can go get two additional mattresses
from the stock room and bring them here?"
"Hm? Sure!"
The night won't end just yet.
Chapter End Notes
Aiya! Jalffy here, after an excruciating vacation, another fanfic from a different but
still gay fandom, and a summer internship that I am required to take >:D I worked at
our school’s guidance counselling office! Though I think I was more of a content
creator and facebook page manager because that’s what we mostly did.
You guys have no idea how much existential crisis I’ve had because I started
pressuring myself to write longer chapters at the expense of the writing schedule
instead of just short chapters to stay on track. The other fanfic I’m making is driving
me nuts, though it’s more because I’m overthinking too much because it’s a relatively
big fandom and I, once again, started another fanfic that’s gonna take a loooong time
to finish.
Compared to this one though, I think that one would be faster. This one is going to be
slow burn. Like really slow burn. Very slow burn. Mostly because we’re not only
talking about the main couple: We’re also kind of developing a modern world where
spirits exist.
This chapter was originally going to be longer but I felt as though I shouldn’t bring my
bad habits from the other fic and should just settle with writing the other parts in the
next chapter so that the “A Secret Benefactor” part of the story equals 8 chapters just
like the New Owner part, so here we are now!
I hope you enjoy this chapter, as we are about to move on to the next part of the story
soon
Sincerely wishing I will not vomit more than 2 times when I have to go and ride a boat
to get to a certain somewhere and deliver books to kids as promised,
-Jalffy
Chapter Summary
Cale stilled.
“Father was hoping to talk to me.” He said it like a statement though it felt more like
he was trying to search for answers.
Basen arced an eyebrow, unsure why his hyung-nim was saying this, but then his
older brother repeated himself, incredulously.
“Father was hoping to talk to me???”
“Hyung-nim, please stop talking this way, it’s concerning me.”
Chapter Notes
Hiya! Edited this chapter to be twice as long as what it used to be. Almost the entire
thing was overhauled. XDD
If you read this before August 30, 2022, then you should probably read it again
because many things changed.
See the end of the chapter for more notes
“You’re going to stay here for the night?”
Cale stared questioningly at his father then at his stepmother, surprised, and both parents could
only smile in reply.
It was well past midnight already in the Cobblestone Complex but the lively mood outside of the
redhead’s room was still going strong and the Henituse Family were still here in the redhead’s
room, refusing to leave. Cale was already worried that his stock of booze is going to be squeezed
dry by his own employees, but then he hears that his family is hoping to stay in his haunted
apartment complex for one night.
“The mansion is just a jog away and the kids have school…” The redhead tried to argue but his
father already had a counter prepared against that.
“It is exactly because it’s just a jog away that we should just stay here for the night, so we get to
spend more time with you.” Deruth rationalized as he sat next to his eldest son’s bedside with a
rueful expression.
Cale had stayed in Korea for ten years- ten years.
That is more than half of his life that Deruth could not witness for himself.
Deruth didn’t spend the entire evening plus the entire car drive here trying to find a way to get to
spend more time with his estranged son only to lose this golden opportunity to get to bond with
him, even if just for one night.
“Besides, we live in the same city so it doesn’t make any difference if Basen and Lily sleep here or
at home before going to school. Though, Lily might have to skip school for one day so that we
could clarify and fix some things with the business partners after what she did.”
At the mention of his youngest sibling needing to skip school, Cale raised an eyebrow and then
stared at the little girl in question, who was sprawled across the other side of his bed, snoring and
already up and away in Dreamland.
‘…what did she do?’
“Just let us sleep here for the night, Cale.” Violan’s huff stole Cale’s attention away from the
sleeping Lily but as soon as he looked up to meet his stepmother’s eyes, she added with softness in
her eyes, “Please. We’re worried for you.”
Cale was quiet.
“…I know.”
But that’s not the point, you see. The place they’re about to sleep in is not just some ordinary
apartment complex- It’s an apartment complex that had been built in the crossroads between the
human realm and spirit realm by accident.
Having the protection of dead spirits who have an intense desire to stay in the living realm already,
Cale was immune to the possibility of getting spirited away, but his family?
They were nothing like Ron and Beacrox who had enough stench of death with them to be able to
swat away the arms of whatever spiritual phenomena wants them to visit the realm of the
supernatural, and they were definitely not like Choi Han who can probably stab the rift itself
should it try to drag him back in there.
Cale listened to the hearty cheers outside his room and then glanced at the expectant gazes of his
parents. If he just look a little bit to the right, he’d also see Basen’s pleading face but he does not
turn to look and instead closes his eyes and sighs.
“Okay.”
“…!” The Henituse family (or at least the awake ones) lit up at his response.
“But all four of you are going to be sleeping in my room. We’re getting two additional mattresses.
There are no buts.”
Cale probably said this thinking that these four would find it a hassle to sleep in the same room as
him, but what he did not know was that this was the most overjoyed that both of his parents have
ever been in their entire parental life.
Deruth, who has never slept in the same room as his son since his first wife’s death, and Violan,
who has never been given the chance to try such a parent-child bonding moment with her stepson.
Both of these immaculate figures in the renowned Henituse Corporation were battling tears, very
moved.
“Ron, tell Hans and the employees to get it done.” The culprit behind the husband and wife’s
current state instructed his old butler with his arms crossed, unaware of how much he stirred his
parents’ hearts.
“Yes, young master-nim.” Ron, who saw it all at a great angle, merely pretended not to notice
before bowing his head and leaving the room, biting back an old man’s amused grin.
It was really fun when the Young Master is around.
Cale turned towards his parents who have now smoothed out their expressions as soon as Ron was
out of sight. He raised an eyebrow, “Well?”
Deruth grinned at him, “Nothing. We have no complaints.”
“Are you still hungry, Cale? Would you like us to ask Beacrox-nim for snacks?” Violan added in,
holding her fan on her lap with a similar expression to her husband.
Cale stared at the two of them oddly before thinking to himself.
‘Basen didn’t eat much during dinner.’
“Yes. Please have him send over snacks.” He decided, without glancing at his younger brother’s
direction.
“Alright then.”
Deruth moved to stand up to do it, but Violan also stood up to do it. They both stared at each other
surprised before spiraling down to a game of “Oh, sorry, you go do it” “No, you stood up first, so
you go do it”. Their two sons watched them play this very interesting game with twin blank faces,
until the two of them decided that going together is honestly the only option they can both agree
on.
As soon as they were away, the atmosphere in the room loosened a little now that it was only the
two brothers and the sleeping Lily in it.
“…Hyung-nim. How has it been?”
Basen’s question was quiet but it was a question that he had really wanted to ask.
The employees here seemed to be nicer than he thought they’d be but the past two days were too
uneventful and had kept involving his older brother into dangerous scenarios so he couldn’t quite
make up his mind about how he feels about this… this, mm, place.
In the end, all that mattered to Basen was his hyung-nim’s opinion of his new home.
“It’s been good.” Cale shrugged his shoulders though he couldn’t help the grimace that came with
the memory of the past few days, “Could have been better but this is the choice I made and this is
the place I want.”
Because it’s the best place for living quietly and unbothered by everyone. Especially for someone
like me.
Staring into his brother’s eyes, searching for any sign of falseness, perhaps a hint of uneasiness,
Basen quietly put his hands on his lap before murmuring, “I see.”
Well, that was good.
At least, this was what Hyung-nim wants.
“How about you?”
“Hm?”
“How’s school?”
Cale didn’t miss the small flinch that his younger brother did as soon as school was mentioned. His
reddish-brown eyes narrowed as his mind started to run and operate gears at a fast pace.
“…It’s the same as always.”
“Is that good?”

This time, at Cale’s question, the younger boy did not hesitate to answer, eyes steeled, “Yes. No
change is a good thing. It can’t get any worse than it already is.”
…Cale hopes that his brother is talking about the subjects because if it were anything else, then
there seems to be a problem.
“By the way, I couldn’t help but notice that the four of you seemed to have been… dressed up.”
Deciding to change the topic, the redhead smoothly pointed out one of the many things that had
bothered him as soon as he woke up, aside from the ridiculous pink apron that Choi Han was
wearing. His eyes wander towards the clothes that the sleeping Lily was wearing as well as the
attire his very much awake younger brother was sporting.
“Were the four of you going to… a church or something?”
Basen flushed pink before squirming a little, suddenly uncomfortable with the suit that he was
wearing.
“…No.”
“Oh, were you going to a family date?”
“NO!” Basen shrieked, horrified, and Cale’s lips quirked into a smile.
“I’m glad. I would have liked it if I’ll be informed if my younger brother finds someone he
fancies.”
Cale smiled, eyes tender.
He’s been gone ten years and Basen had grown into a fine young man.
Even though Cale couldn’t hope to be like a true brother to the smart brown-haired youth, he was
hoping that he could at least see to it what he started til the very end, since he had trusted the
family business to him that day when he was merely 8 and when the boy was just 5.
‘Hyung, don’t go! I’ll be better! I…’
Gone was that crying 5-year-old who had clutched unto his shirt 10 years ago at the airport while
the horrified and terrified butlers tried to tear him away from Cale who was bound to Korea.
In front of him right now, there was only a red-faced 15-year-old boy sputtering.
“No, we were dressing up to have dinner with you!”
Hm?
Wait, what?
Cale blinked at his younger brother, his deep thoughts shattered and swiped off the table.
“Why would you guys…” He started his question but was unable to decide what exactly he wanted
to ask about that statement. Why would you guys have dinner with me? Why would you guys dress
up for me?
The look on his face must have said something because Basen just needed to give him one
thoughtful glance before sighing, “As I thought, you hadn’t heard from Hans nor Ron yet. If you
had passed out around lunchtime then it’s no wonder you weren’t told.”
“What exactly is this I’ve not been told about???”
“Father had invited Hyung-nim to come over for dinner, but things happened and we still had
dinner together anyway so everything ended up fine.”
Cale stared at Basen who answered his question with the same stoic face that must run in the
family, blood or not, before asking cautiously, “…Why would Father invite me over to the mansion
for dinner?”
Basen tilted his head to the side, “Why wouldn’t he?”
“No… that’s…”
The redhead could only weakly answer in his confusion.
Did his father not get the memo that his servants don’t function well with him around?
“Wait, actually, now that I think of it, there was a reason for the dinner.”
Oh, thank God.
“But I’m not sure that father would still bring it up after…”
“I’m fine. I want to know what it’s about.”
Basen stared at the relaxed smile on his brother and felt a bit iffy about the situation, but decided to
tell him anyway, like how a proper young brother should.
“There’s a celebration coming soon in the capital for the President’s birthday. Apparently, it’s
meant to be a gathering of sorts for different businesses to mingle with each other and make
connections. For some reason though, the heirs to these invited businesses are meant to attend, and
as such, father was hoping to talk to you about it.”
Cale stilled.
“Father was hoping to talk to me.” He said it like a statement though it felt more like he was trying
to search for answers.
Basen arced an eyebrow, unsure why his hyung-nim was saying this, but then his older brother
repeated himself, incredulously.
“Father was hoping to talk to me???”
“Hyung-nim, please stop talking this way, it’s concerning me.”
The redhead ignored the mildly anxious look on his younger brother’s face in favor of thinking to
himself, disbelievingly.
‘What the heck- why is he going to talk to me for something that requires the heir when I’m not
even the heir anymore?! Isn’t Basen supposed to be the one going to something like this even if I
saw I want to? Because I already relinquished that position to him?’
His first thoughts were one of bafflement and slight fear.
‘No, no, no, I already got away from having to succeed father in the family business- there’s no
way.’
He shook himself out of those thoughts, calming down his beating heart before putting his
attention into rationally thinking over what could happen if he was the one to attend this grand
social gathering.
If it was hosted by the fucking president of the country, then of course, it wouldn’t be small in any
means.
Many different people of renown all throughout the country would appear there for sure, coming
from all kinds of backgrounds and practicing different trades.
Ten years.
Cale, the eldest son of one of the wealthiest families in Roan, had been absent from the social
world for a decade, leaving behind nothing but rumors and speculation about his identity and
whereabouts.
To appear now after practically being a nonexistent figure for ten years straight would just draw
unnecessary attention towards him- not that he doesn’t have one thing that would draw unnecessary
eyes towards him already aside that.
Who in their right mind would take over a failed not to mention haunted apartment complex, after
all?
He should look like the epitome of bad business, right now, especially since there were horrible
rumors going on around his name, courtesy of his own machinations, but his father was hoping to
talk to him about a gathering for the heirs to countless businesses?
If anyone ever heard this, they’d think Deruth Henituse was trying to embarrass himself on
purpose.
‘…Is it an attempt to reform me, or something?’
Could it be that his father is still against him managing the Cobblestone complex?
A frown marred Cale’s delicate face.
“Hyung-nim?” Basen echoed, worriedly at the sight of the change in his brother’s expression, but it
was at that moment that the door opened revealing both of their parents stalking in with plates filled
with snacks in each hand.
“Cale, ahem, we didn’t know what you would have liked so we just brought the four available
snacks from the kitchen.” Deruth cleared his throat as he brought over the plates with a sheepish
expression, unaware that he was being talked about just a few moments ago.
Basen almost flinched as he turned around and realized they were back.
Violan rolled her eyes fondly from behind her husband before setting over the plates in the room’s
table and saying, “It’s already late in the night so we only brought light snacks.”
“Hm?” Cale blinks and realizes that his sense of time had been messed up by his long nap.
“How late exactly is it?” He asks after looking around for a clock.
If it was already past midnight…
“A little over midnight?” Violan checked her wrist watch. Cale is sure that wrist watch costs a heck
ton if she’s the one wearing it.
“No wonder I’ve been feeling sleepy already again.” Cale stoically exclaimed.
“Do you want to rest, Hyung-nim?”
“No. I’ll just go and wash my face with some cold water for a bit. This is my room from this
morning, right?”
“Yes, of course, Young Master-nim, but if you feel tired-”
“I’m fine, Ron.”
Cale shooed the scary old man away when it looked like he was going to try and help Cale up
when he could perfectly stand up on his own. His white sheets have been tossed and crumpled but
oh well.
Making a bee-line for the bathroom, Cale looked behind his shoulder and pointed at the snacks.
“Don’t mind eating without me. Basen, you should stuff yourself silly and eat more. Girls like cute
chubby cheeks.”
“Hyung-nim!”
Cale chuckled at his younger brother’s horrified noises of shame as he entered the bathroom but as
soon as he shut the door behind him the smile on his lips dropped and the only thing left on his
face was a cold look as he looked at the person in front of him.
At the reflection of himself, red hair and brown eyes, in the bathroom mirror.
The words of the God of Death echoed inside his mind once again as he stalked closer to the mirror
and put a hand on it.
‘You shouldn’t really carry this much death with you.’
Flickering shadows twirled around the outline of his body, especially at the palm of his hand, but
none of this appeared in the mirror no matter how long Cale stared at it. In the end, only he can see
the way these spirits were writhing because he was the one who gave them the permission to do so.
For the first time in a long while, he wanted to hear them out.
Capital.
Route.
Revenge.
The spirits hiding within him wildly swirled around his arm with an overwhelming blood lust that
made him cringe. A darkness that seemed to know no bounds was visibly starting to creep out of
his hand and oh shit Cale is terrified now.
“Stop- Stop. I get it.”
He hurriedly ordered the hungry ghosts living inside him, sweating a little at the pressure he
received from his own arm. When it didn’t look like the shadows were going to obey nicely and die
down, he repeated himself again, sharpening his glare.
“I said I get it, already, you bastards. The route to the capital. Your chance at revenge is there,
right?”
YesyesyesyesyESYESYES-
‘Fuck, they’re not listening at all.’
Maybe the God of Death was unto something when he told him not to carry too much of this
troublesome little shits.
We are your troublesome little shits-
“Okay, really. Stop.”
At the rare serious authoritative tone from the redhead, the dead spirits silenced themselves and
slowly started to retreat as if to apologize for their excitement.
‘…what are they, really? Spirits or dogs?’
Sometimes, Cale can’t tell the difference.
He shot his hand a look again before taking back his hand from the mirror and then looking at his
reflection once more. Reddish brown eyes meet reddish brown eyes.
“…I’m going to get rid of some of you this month.”
The shadows were quiet but he could still feel it dancing around inside his body in glee as if to
scream, “YES!”
He deadpanned, “It’s either you get your revenge or I get you exorcised, though. I’m not putting up
with you guys for any longer. I’m gonna make a deal with a better ghost.”
There seemed to be gasps of offense and mutterings of betrayal somewhere in that sea of death
hiding inside him but he let those thing go in one ear and out of the other, even though he actually
can’t do that because he can hear them all in his mind.
He doesn’t have to go to the party itself as a heir, but he can just accompany and chaperone Basen.
Make it look like he’s been forced to babysit when in public, hopefully to spark new rumors about
himself so that no one would dare cross him even more and think of him as trash.
This was a great opportunity.
‘…That bastard talked about it like it was a bad thing, after all.’
He doesn’t want to trust that God of Death but it would be bad to ignore such a warning.
Because Cale Henituse did not want to die.
He’s had enough of death.
Clenching his hand before relaxing and brushing back his hair with a sigh, Cale thought to himself.
It wouldn’t be bad to lessen the baggage.
His gaze turned frosty again as he talked to the spirits one last time for the night.
“I’ll give you what you want. Before that, behave or get lost. I’m not going to help punks who
can’t stay still.”
He spat it out so coldly that the dead spirits actually sounded like they were going to cry.
Well, Cale doesn’t care if they do. They have to pay for their fucking rent.
‘Now that that’s over.’
The redhead’s eyes moved towards the nearby drawer, where a certain piece of paper should be.
It was time to do what he truly came here to do.
---
Alberu’s morning has never been fresher.
He’s had 8 hours of sleep, a healthy breakfast, a shove in the back from his aunt, and has a
relatively average amount of documents to work on.
It was like a blessing from the heavens-
But for some reason he couldn’t get rid of the feeling that something was definitely going to
happen.
‘It feels too much like the calm before a storm.’
It was hard not to be paranoid of the sudden onslaught of peace when you’re used to having a lot of
emergencies you need to fix on the spot. The silence of the present just makes Alberu think that
something big could happen at any time and he has to be wary.
A stupid feeling, really, but Alberu knows enough not to brush it aside.
He frowned as he typed on his laptop with the speed that his dear Aunt would always brag about
back in the Dark Elf City, but schooled his expression immediately as soon as he took a sip of the
delicious black lifeline of his-
Black coffee mixed with dead mana.
Hah.
It felt like Alberu’s whole life was turned into a drink.
…It doesn’t actually taste that good, if you ask him though, but he still drank it because he needed
it.
Just as he took a sip of his coffee and then put it down far, far away from his laptop, his aunt
barged in his room.
She made her way to the center of the room without saying anything and then flopped unto the
couch, holding up two plane tickets in one dark hand triumphantly.
“Well, hello there, Aunt Tasha.”
Alberu simply greeted.
Noises of death were coming out of his auntie's buried face.
“…The line was so fucking long, dearest nephew. Why couldn’t you just order the flight online
like a modern person…?” Tasha grumbled, burying her face deeper on the couch pillows.
She remembered the intimidatingly long queue she was met with when she went to the ticketing
office just to get these two things that a normal person could have gotten with the power of the
internet and one click.
“You had nothing to do and it’s better this way. I don’t want my ticket being mixed up.”
"..."
So basically, Alberu wanted to work her like an ox.
Tasha snorted as she rolled to her side and carefully placed the tickets on the table, putting a bit of
a paperweight on top of them before glancing at her nephew.
“So how’s the planning so far?”
“It’s running smoothly.” Alberu replied, not bothering with the details.
‘I put my little brothers’ planned seats lower than my platform. A small revenge for that time one
of them tried to poison me with coffee.’
Petty but satisfying, and also ironic when you think about what he was drinking before just now.
It’s also his way of telling all the guests that he’s the one with the functioning brain cell among the
three sons, but it's not like the guests would notice it anyway.
“The invitations?”
“I’ve sent those a long time ago.”
“Well, duh, I know.” Tasha huffed as she rolled 360 degrees on the couch like some sort of rotating
fish. She anchored her chin unto the couch pillow before clarifying herself with a teethy smile, “I
meant, the replies.”
Alberu stopped typing at that moment.
...because in truth, he hasn’t actually checked that.

The past few days was such a wild ride what he hasn’t had the time to look through his emails and
his real mail to see if any more of the invited guests replied and confirmed that they were
attending.
‘…Why do I have a bad feeling about this.’
It wasn’t a question. It was a statement in his thoughts.
He quickly tapped out of the document he was editing on his laptop and pulled out his email tab
for a quick skim, regardless of the foreboding feeling of a headache coming his way if he did.
There were newly arrived confirmations for attendance from various family businesses in the
northeast.
The okay-to-talk-to Wheelsmans.
The Tourism-based Ubbars.
Oh, God.
Alberu didn’t hide his grimace at the sight of a response from a family he didn’t particularly like.
The Tolz were coming.
He was kinda hoping they wouldn’t.
They were a family working under the Stans from the Northwest but the problem is that their
current heir… wasn’t the most pleasant to deal with.
Venion Stan.
That guy was one of the people in his younger brothers’ inner circle, and after finding out what
happened to his older and much more competent brother, Taylor Stan, it was hard to not have
suspicions about him.
‘Well, there’s no helping it.’
The Stans were the ones overseeing the Northwest.
Their family members were in different positions all throughout the territory, commanded by the
head of the family.
Alberu frowned a little at this blatant political dynasty going on.
He was about to open one of the next emails belonging to the Stan businesses, already knowing the
contents and who will go before reading it, when he caught sight of a certain surname.
In a flash, he skipped the Stans without hesitation to click on that one instead.
The Henituse family.
‘…Hm?’
The blonde man stared at the details of the email.
‘This… this isn’t Basen Henituse.’
He knew who the man in the picture attached to the message was. Has seen him just yesterday,
actually.
If he recalls, that man was passed out cold on top of a hill in the slums of Rain City.
You know, like a weirdo.
‘Why are they sending him?’
“Hey, hey, Alberu, Ben just sent me an ominous text. Did you tell him that we healed the owner-
nim?”
Tasha’s voice brought Alberu blinking out of his thoughts.
“Yes? Wait, no, I didn’t. What do you mean? What did he text you?”
Tasha gestured for him to come closer while she positioned herself so that she could sit properly on
the couch. Alberu went out of his seat to approach her and the smartphone screen she was waving
with one hand.
He looked over the message.
Deruth Henituse is searching for the one who healed the owner.
“Oh, is he, now?”
Wait, did Ben get permission to say this to them-
Do you know anything about that?
“Well.”
Tasha and Alberu exchanged glances.

Yes. Yes, they actually do.
When they turned to look at the screen again to form a decent reply to utilize this situation and get
the most of it regardless of the pain it’ll be to both of their asses, however, the chatbox’s contents
changed.
Or more like the last two messages had been deleted.
[This message has been unsent.]
[This message has been unsent.]
Both messages had been unsent for some reason and now the aunt-nephew duo could not keep
themselves from gaping at it, already feeling something looming over their heads.
Ben probably won’t get a knife on his throat for sending that without permission… right?
Tasha flashbacks to the shit her elemental had seen that day her three idiotic dark elf dongsaengs
had failed to scare the owner of the apartment complex and felt herself grow uneasy.
No. Everything is fine.
Tasha decided to put her trust in the owner-nim who had spared the three dark elves.
That was the only thing she can do right now, anyway.
---
In Cale’s defense, so many things happened in the past two days that he may or may not have…
hm.
Forgotten that his phone existed?
It was already the morning of the third day since he became the owner of the Cobblestone
Complex. He had sent off his family earlier this morning- A rueful Deruth and a seemingly
satisfied Violan, both keeping the 7-year-old Lily from gluing herself to her eldest brother’s leg
like a cicada.
Cale was surprised with the girl’s arm strength even though he knew from the common status
updates he receives from Freesia and the others that she was more interested in martial arts than
business for some reason.
Given that Cale had been gone for ten years and Lily was 7-years-old, obviously, he wasn’t there
during the entirety of the little girl’s life. If anything, the only presence he had before in his little
sister’s life was the gifts he would meticulously pick and send over every year on every special
occasion without fail.
So, what made him more surprised than the 7-year-old’s inhuman arm strength was the fact that
she seems to be very attached to him.
‘There’s no way… did I somehow buy her affection through all those gifts?’
That was Cale’s thought as Hilsman struggled to take the little girl off his pajama-clad leg. It was
far too early for someone like Cale who likes to sleep in but he figured he had to send them off
properly, pajamas or not.
Basen was much more quiet and accepting, though his face was scrunched up at the sight.
Cale wondered for some time if perhaps Basen was feeling jealous of the affection Lily was giving
him but he was later proved wrong by his scary old butler who had appeared out of nowhere going
“hohoho” like a menacing Santa Claus, eyes fixed towards the brown-haired teenager.
“Deja vu much now, Young Master Basen?”
Basen’s eyes lit up with realization as if he finally understood why he was having such an iffy
feeling and his cheeks burned as a memory resurfaced for him. A memory came back to the
forefront of Cale’s mind as well.
‘Hic, Hyung-nim, don’t goooooooooooooo-‘
“AAAAAAAAAAH-“ Basen covered his ears, shut his eyes and started singing incomprehensible
songs as he turned around to get in the car as fast as he can.
‘Ah, they grow up so fast.’
Cale smiled as he watched his younger brother disappear until Choi Han came around and easily
plucked his little sister off of his leg.
His smile wavered as he stared at Choi Han blankly.
‘…goodness gracious, this one is inhuman too.’
This punk took the little girl away so effortlessly that it looked like the open-mouthed Hilsman’s
struggle to do the same thing was pretend.
Anyway, as the four got in their car and waved goodbye to him, his father peeked out of the
window for a bit and yelled, “Call us when you can! We miss you!” shamelessly in the apartment
complex’s front yard, garnering a bit of surprised looks from all around, and it was then that Cale
finally remembered something he had forgotten for the past two days.
Right.
He had a smartphone.
That was how Cale ended up in his current situation.

“No.”
“…Hans.”
The ginger head who was standing protectively in front of the staircase leading downwards did not
budge and remained with his arms spread out in front of the place.
“Young master-nim, no.”
“…I just need to catch a signal…”
“Actually, according to the doctor, Young master-nim, you need to rest.”
‘…Look at this smart ass.’
Cale clicked his tongue in slight irritation but couldn’t find it in himself to get angry. It was then
however that Hans spoke once again.
“Do you know what is the worst thing about the Cobblestone Apartment Complex, Young Master-
nim?”
The redhead stared at Hans expressionlessly.
‘…should he really say whatever it is that he’s about to say in front of the owner of this complex?’
Regardless of his thoughts and whether or not he was the ginger’s boss or not, however, the
extremely incensed Hans burst out with a passionate flare in his eyes as he yelled.
“WE DON’T HAVE AN ELEVATOR!”

“…”
Actually, he has a point.
“Young Master-nim, you passed out yesterday and even got injured. No matter if some miracle or
not happened to you, are you seriously going to force your noodle legs to move up and down this
complex’s floors when you can just lounge in your room and take a sick day?!”
“…”
Hans almost got him there.
It was a tempting offer, but noodle legs? First of all, why?
“This Hans will take no buts from even you, Young Master-nim! Doctors’ orders supersede your
own!”
‘…Who in the world is paying you your salary…?’
Cale shook his head in defeat. There was no way to persuade Hans like this…
But he really did need to move today though.
The earlier he finishes up the things he has to do and the earlier he prepares for the road trip to the
Capital, the more time he gets to roll around in his bed until the decided time.
Wait.
He remembers a document that Ron had handed him earlier this morning.
It was a record.
Apparently, last night, Hans had managed to persuade all of the employees who stayed behind to
stay for the night.
It was a tempting offer because nothing much was actually really happening in half of the rooms
that the apartment complex had, and because the rent was relatively cheaper. Beacrox’s cooking
seemed to have played a part in that, too, but in the end, it was all thanks to Hans’ machination that
a few of their own employees had decided to live in the complex for a bit.
“Hans.”
“Young master-nim, the doctor said—”
“You did well.”
“—to… huh?”
The ginger blinked at him and inclined his head to the side in confusion.
Cale gave him a smile, “I heard that you convinced some of our employees to become tenants.
Even though it might look weird to others, you got us some tenants and some money. Good job.”
He gave him a thumbs up.
The ginger looked at the thumbs up, then at the smile in the young master’s face, before
scrunching up his nose, still baffled.
“…Are you trying to flatter your way out of the doctor’s orders, young master-nim?”
“…”
Welp, it was worth a try.

Cale just made a run for it, slipping under Hans’ arm like red butter and leaping down the staircase.
“WHA- YOUNG MASTER-NIM?!?!”
The red-haired young master didn’t look back and just continued his way down the stairs even as
his ginger-haired subordinate gasped in horror as he watched him disappear down the staircase.
“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-”
---
‘I guess he didn’t follow me.’
Cale glanced behind his back for good measure as he exited the apartment complex’s front yard.
It seems that his ginger-haired employee’s complaints about the stairs have some personal
substance to them, since it seemed like he didn’t even try to follow after, traumatized by the many
staircases.
When he figured he was a decent distance away from the front doors of the haunted building, he
whipped out his phone, his dearest smartphone whomst he forgot the existence of for two days, and
went to check on his conversations immediately.
There wasn’t much in his inbox, except for his family fussing over him and some childhood friends
from before he left Korea whom he stayed partly connected to.
It was funny looking at the messages.

5 unread messages from Basen
- Hyung, did you arrive safely in the apartment complex? (sent two days ago)
-Hyung-nim, are you alright? (sent two days ago)
-Hyung-nim, mother said someone broke into the complex and hurt you. Are you alright? (sent one
day ago)
-Hyung-nim, are you coming over for dinner? Father wants to talk about something. (sent one day
ago)
-Hyung-nim? (sent last night)
Cale could actually see his brother’s text messages fitting into the timeline of what happened.
Meanwhile, the unsaved number next to it on the other hand…
110 unread messages from Unknown Number
-Orabuni, it’s me! Lily! Mother got me a phone (sent two days ago)
-Well, actually, she gave me Basen’s old one and just changed the cards we use for now, but
anyway! (sent two days ago)
-ORABUNI (sent two days ago)
-PLEASE BE CAREFUL OF GHOSTS AND VAMPIRESS (sent two days ago)
-I HEARD FROM A FRIEND OF A FRIEND OF A FRIEND… (sent two days ago)
-THERE WAS A KNEE-CAP BRAKRE- (sent two days ago)
Cale has no idea how his 7-year-old sister was able to send so many messages in two days but he’s
impressed. He even beat the number of messages his father sent him, trying to check on how he’s
been doing, as well as the ones from his three childhood friends combined.
She also noticeably had a lot of typos too.
He quickly saved the little girl’s number in, plainly as it is.
Lily.
He saved it and then moved on to checking the next chat boxes, pushing replying for later.
15 unread messages from Eric Hyung
-Cale, are you back to Korea already? (sent three days ago)
-Amiru, Gilbert and I were thinking of having an out-of-town hangout near Rain City. Do you think
you’ll be free to join us or humor us? (sent three days ago)
-Don’t worry, we won’t bother you much. (sent three days ago)
-Cale, is it true that you took over that haunted apartment complex??? (sent two days ago)
-Cale, please answer this hyung TvT (sent two days ago)
-Cale, please QvQ (sent two days ago)
3 unread messages from Amiru
-Is there really no signal in a haunted house? (sent two days ago)
-Hi, Cale, I’m just here to tell you that Eric is still waiting for your reply ^-^ (sent one day ago)
-Please reply when you can, thnx (sent one day ago)
2 unread messages from Gilbert

-Cale (sent last night)
-Eric is descending into madness (sent last night)
Cale stared blankly at Gilbert’s message before deciding that he could reply to a few ones right
now.
‘…Eric hyung is too anxious.’
He remembers how the spectacled man reacted when Cale got the burn on his arm and had to
dictate to Beacrox what to type to tell the three of them that he can’t text for the meantime. Eric
looked like he was one step away from booking a flight to the capital to check on him when they
did facetime for better communication.
Speaking of the burn.
Cale raised his arms as he stopped walking for a bit to properly examine it again.
No matter how many times he looks at the clean patch of skin where his ugly burn used to be, he
can’t stop marveling over it.
He dropped his arms to his side as he pocketed his phone, shrugging a little.
‘I’m thankful but I won’t search for them.’
Obviously, this was another supernatural case to add to his book.
Cale is not very keen to pursue whatever it was that healed him like this.
The redhead figured it’s about time he gets his plans going as he raised his head and looked left
and right by the side of the road only to pause when he saw something in a short distance away,
only visible to him thanks to the glorious angle from where he was standing on.
Ron stared at Cale.
Cale stared at Ron and then at the person that the old man was holding by the scruff of his neck.
Ben nervously held unto his cellphone while being held by the neck in what seems like the perfect
secluded spot in the apartment complex’s front yard for murder.
There was silence.
‘…What the fuck.’
Did he accidentally interrupt the makings of a murder in his own property?
“Good morning, young master-nim.” Ron benignly smiled as if he wasn’t holding a disguised dark
elf like how he would do to a cat.
“…Good morning. Ron.”
Cale covered his face and sighed.
He pointed at the entangled duo with a frown.
“You. Him. Both of you- In my room. Right now.”
Ben looked at him with fear but the redhead didn’t give a shit because he was too out of the loop to
know what was going on.
Looming over the disguised dark elf like a shadow, Cale crossed his arms and bluntly spoke.
“We’re gonna have to have a talk.”
Chapter End Notes
Hiya! Jalffy here, dragging her body from hell and back.
School is about to start so many things are bound to interrupt me from writing, but I
hope you guys trust my tenacity when it comes to the things I’d like to do. It doesn’t
help that I’ve recently started a new fic again, this time a reaction fic to TCF.
Rest assured, that despite the times, I’m still going to find a way to update somehow,
unless I get truly busy that I cannot write in my free time. My new update schedule
will be every Tuesday before 10 PM, Philippine Standard Time
Wish you all guys the best for this school year! Stay healthy!
Sincerely vibrating in my seat for the orientation day,

-Jalffy
Hiatus Notice
I'm SORRY EVERYONE Q__Q SCHOOL IS MUCH HARDER THAN I THOUGHT. I BROKE
DOWN FIVE TIMES THIS WEEK AND BARELY HAVE THREE HOURS OF FREE TIME TO
DO ANYTHING AND EVEN THEN, I END UP USING IT FOR MY ASSIGNMENTS.
I HAVE THOROUGHLY UNDERESTIMATED HOW RUTHLESS A PHYSICS MAJOR

CLASS CAN BE-
I cannot guarantee that I can post anything at this point unless I manage to get free time-- but even
then, it's going to be hard I don't know when I could possibly post again given that I have no
time to write.
I hope you guys understand ;-;
I'm really sorry!
Sincerely trying not to burst into tears in the girls' comfort room in the lab building because of the
combined forces of Physics, Math and Research in one rainy day,
Jalffy
Please drop by the archive and comment to let the author know if you enjoyed their work!

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Spirit of a Slacker

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/35446264.

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

“Are you telling me that this entire building is haunted?”

See the end of the chapter for notes

Not everyone knows that they are there.

The day was young.

The breeze was refreshing.

“Are you telling me that this entire building is haunted?”

‘Oh, Hans, you valiant soul.’

The employees closed their eyes shut.

Just like the rumors said he would.

Haunted houses and ghosts are nonsense.

They know that.

The rooms always get rearranged.

A weird noise often occurs near the left wing.

They all bit their lips, ready for the smacking.

“Must have been tough.”

The employees looked up at the person who spoke in surprise.

It was just a story they heard.

That, of course, is why 99.9% of it was bullshit.

Cale watched the fidgeting employee with furrowed eyebrows.

He clicked his tongue as he looked away.

“Ho, that’s not a very concrete answer…”

‘Right, this scary old man came back with me to Roan.’

Cale immediately answered as he looked away.

“No, just check half.”

“Ho. Only half, young master-nim?”

He lightly pulled up one of his sleeves.

“I’ll be checking the other half.”

Ron’s eyes suddenly went cold.

The employees already saw the ugly burn on his arm.

Some of them gasped.

“...This is why Beacrox does not allow you in the kitchen.”

But it’s not like anyone would.

He cussed as he felt the fearful and complicated gazes on his back.

Ghosts, ghouls and supernatural things.

'When the hell am I getting rid of these in my life?'

What is he supposed to do?

Run for his life?

‘You’re just a kid, right now, so I understand.’

‘Please, please stop looking at me. I’m completely normal.’

Cale arrived in Rain City one week ago.

"I’d like to oversee the business of one of our apartment complexes.”

Cale answered without looking up.

“Mm? Which one is it?”

Cale blankly answered with a poker face.

“N, no! Oraebuni, you can’t go there!”

“Cale, I think there are, cough, better options to choo—COUGH—choOSE FROM—cough,

Cale silently sipped on some wine.

He smiled a little as he put down his glass.

‘I’m the trashiest trash after all.’

It was the second biggest rift there is.

“Cale, would you please reconsider?”

“I’ll restore Cobblestone Complex. I’ll make sure of it.”

Deruth sat back on his chair properly as he gave in to his eldest.

“It can’t be helped if you really want it.”