On and Hong's innocent faces that were looking at Cale turned toward Sir Rex. Hong seemed to be very shocked.
"He really is a baby! He doesn't even know about berserk transformation!"
"That's okay. He can learn like our youngest if he doesn't know. He seems like an adult."
On prevented her younger brother Hong from approaching Sir Rex with her front paw as she calmly answered back. Of course, Sir Rex just had a confused expression on his face as he had no idea what was going on.
Cale asked calmly, similar to how On had answered.
"Sir Rex, as a Cat, did you never look up any information on Beast people because you were curious?"
"There was no such information when I was in the slums and I had no time once I became a knight."
There was no way for him to figure out that information when he was young because he was in the slums, and he could not do anything that stood out once he became a knight as he was planning for his revenge.
"Most importantly, I thought that it would be bad if they found out that I was a Cat."
Pat.
Hong, who still managed to approach Rex, patted Rex's foot in understanding, making Rex flinch and stiffen up with each pat. He didn't know why he was subconsciously reacting like this.
For some odd reason, Sir Rex felt a bit afraid of these two Cats. He couldn't explain why, but he sensed some sort of pressure coming from them.
However, On was watching him with an odd gaze in her eyes.
The Fog tribe was known for being the stealthiest tribe among the Cats.
For Cats, being the stealthiest meant that they were the strongest. Even within the Fog tribe, only a select few had special abilities.
On's fog and her younger brother Hong's poison were two of those special abilities.
On was a mutant Cat who had the blood of the ruler of the Fog tribe.
Her brother Hong was still innocent, but On was not that naive. Three years. It wasn't a large age gap with her younger brother, however, On had taken her younger brother and escaped from the tribe that had thrown them away.
They ran away in January of the year that she had turned 10 years old. Spring of that same year was when she had met Cale.
On's eyes looked over Sir Rex once more before turning back toward Cale. Cale saw On lifting her front paws up asking to be held and picked her up, even though this was not her usual tendency.
'On's grown quite a bit too.'
Cale wasn't thinking about much as he picked On up and noticed her weight. He heard On's calm voice in his ear.
"I'm stronger than Sir Rex."
Cale suddenly flinched.
He had brought the kittens because he wanted Sir Rex to have people he could feel close to, as well as because it was nagging on his mind that he had left On and Hong behind last time.
But what was this little girl saying?
"Looks like I'll be getting a new subordinate."
Cale became anxious after hearing On's casual comment.
'Who? Sir Rex? The twelve-years-old On is going to have Sir Rex as a subordinate?'
Cale's pupils shook for a moment.
On the other hand, On was happy that she might be able to help Cale.
Cale looked at On while On looked back at Cale.
The two exchanged glances.
On then smiled before swiftly jumping out of Cale's arms and landing on the floor. She then gracefully walked away from Cale.
'…What the hell?'
Cale watched On walk away in bewilderment.
On and Hong.
The two of them were similar to Raon for Cale.
They were just children that Cale took in.
Lock's siblings were the same.
However, Cale knew that On was not one to speak nonsense. He suddenly realized something.
He didn't know anything.
'There's pretty much nothing that I know about the Cat tribe.'
He only knew the basics.
Part of the reason was because the Cat tribe was a stealthy tribe and not much was known about them in general, however, for Cale who only learned about Beast people through the novel, he had no way of knowing about the Cat tribe that never appeared in the first five volumes.
Of course, he had heard about On and Hong's situation and learned about the Fog tribe and mutants, but that was not enough.
Cale looked at On and Hong and realized that there was one more thing to add to his plate of things to do.
'I'll need to ask Eruhaben-nim for details about the Cat tribe later.'
There was someone approaching Cale who was lost in his thoughts.
Rei Stecker.
The alcoholic alchemist of the slums and someone who ran away after being disgusted by the evil-doings of the Alchemists' Bell Tower.
Currently, he was someone who had been waiting for Cale more than anybody else while not even taking a sip of alcohol.
"Young master-nim."
He cautiously started to speak to Cale.
The white-haired and blue-eyed Cale who was deep in thought was giving off a vibe that made it difficult to even speak to him.
Cale's gaze headed toward the alchemist, Rei.
"What is it?"
"Umm, you have not introduced those people behind you."
"Ah."
Cale finally remembered the four people behind him.
So he just casually introduced them.
"That's Choi Han who you met last time."
Choi Han took his hood off. The alchemist gulped as he remembered this cold swordsman, but still casually bowed his head to greet Choi Han.
It was the moment his head was about to go down to bow.
"This is the excommunicated priestess, Miss Cage."
Cale continued to nonchalantly introduce everyone.
"And these two are the Saint and Holy Maiden of the Church of the Sun God."
"…Excuse me?"
The alchemist's head shot up as if he was a broken robot.
He could see a blonde man with a pure expression.
It was the Saint.
He had seen this Saint during the celebrations of the Church of the Sun God.
'…Then next to him?'
Alchemist Rei quickly turned his head to the side.
"Gasp!"
He then became anxious.
The face of the person he knew to be the Holy Maiden was there, however, it looked disgusting with what seemed to be black spiderwebs on her face.
She was still blonde and had the same smile she had as a Holy Maiden, however.
'Her expression- her gaze is different!'
The eyes that appeared through those black spiderwebs made her seem like a completely different person. He heard Cale's voice at that moment.
"The Empire and the Alchemists' Bell Tower used dead mana bombs that turned the Holy Maiden-nim like this."
"Ah."
Both alchemist Rei and Sir Rex gasped. This was especially the case for the alchemist Rei who had participated in the dead mana experiments the Alchemists' Bell Tower had conducted on the children of the slums.
Thanks to that, he had to cut off his hand that was poisoned by dead mana and had to hide in the slums while living in regret.
The alchemist started to frown.
The dead mana bombs were made because he had participated in experiments like that.
The Holy Maiden was sacrificed to that bomb.
More importantly, people were starting to be harmed by those bombs.
That fact made the alchemist Rei's remaining hand start to tremble. He realized something at that moment.
'You end up dying if you are poisoned by dead mana.'
That was what happened unless they did something similar to what he had done and cut off the poisoned area right away.
The only other way was to become a necromancer.
Otherwise, you die.
He heard Cale's serious voice at that moment.
"However, thanks to the power of the Sun God, the just power of light, and the power of hope to save the innocent believers who are being used without their knowledge…"
Both Rei and Sir Rex looked toward Cale.
Cale put on a gentle smile and finished his sentence once he made eye contact with them.
"She overcame it."
"Ah."
Both the alchemist Rei and the crazy priestess Cage let out gasps at the same time.
Both of them were shocked.
However, the reason they were shocked were different. Cage looked toward the fake Holy Maiden, Hannah. Hannah seemed to be in disbelief as well. Cale didn't care as he put on a serious expression and continued to speak to the alchemist and the Cat Knight.
"Because of that, she lost all of her divine powers of the Sun God."
The alchemist started to frown, and his shaking pupils focused on the Holy Maiden. The Holy Maiden's face was already in a frown.
'…How hard it must have been for her.'
The alchemist Rei could not imagine how painful it must have been for the Holy Maiden to overcome dead mana and survive only to lose her most important divine powers in the process.
Of course, Hannah was frowning for a different reason. However, she held it in as she waited for Cale to continue speaking. However, Cale's next words only continued to shock the Sun God twins and the crazy priestess.
Cale used his holy-looking white hair and blue eyes to deliver that holiness to the alchemist.
"However, she did not despair over the fact that she lost her divine powers and picked up the sword in order to create a new Church of the Sun God on this ground to brighten the future days of the believers."
Saint Jack clasped his hands together. There were some things that Cale said that were different than the truth.
'But his heart is in the right place.'
That was what the Saint found to be important. Cale was doing all of this in order to save people. He believed that Cale's desire to save people would be the light for this chaotic Western continent.
That was why he could smile gently.
That smile convinced the alchemist as Cale's voice continued at that moment.
"The Holy Maiden-nim's sword and the Saint-nim's original holy healing abilities will join the two of you."
Cale looked toward the alchemist and the Cat Knight.
There was an order he had given the two of them.
'Persist.'
The two of them had done just that.
Cale would reward these two who persisted.
"Billos."
Cale took something out of his wide sleeve. Billos flinched after seeing the item.
"Young master-nim."
Cale threw that item toward Billos.
"Eek!"
Billos was shocked, but still managed to catch the item.
He looked down at his palm.
A golden plaque.
The golden plaque with the crown prince's insignia was shining brightly unlike everything else in this old house. It was the item that Cale had received for this task.
Of course, this was unrelated to his personal reward.
Billos grasped the golden plaque tightly in order to hide his shaking hands as he looked toward Cale. Sir Rex and the alchemist Rei did not know about the identity of the item and looked at the two of them in confusion.
"Young master-nim, what is it that I have to do?"
The merchant Billos immediately asked for his role.
Cale happily responded back.
"Starting today, gather all alchemy ingredients that you find on the market."
Alchemy. That word made Rei Stecker flinch.
However, Cale wasn't done just yet. He continued to speak to Billos.
"You can use as much as you want."
It wasn't his money anyway.
However, Cale knew about the value of money.
Money could buy many things other than just items. What he needed to buy this time was a bit expensive.
"Buy people's mouths."
Billos immediately understood what Cale wanted.
People's mouths.
That meant rumors.
Cale told the merchant whom he expected to have understood the message that he needed spread.
"The sun will rise again when the Empire is in danger. That day, everyone will face the sun in the middle of the night."
The sun in the middle of the night.
Billos could not tell what Cale was planning.
However, he started to smile as he asked. It was a smile that was full of greed.
"I'll be rebuilding the Bell Tower and the palace once they are destroyed, right sir?"
"Don't ask me something so obvious."
Billos clenched his fists as Cale's response. He could feel the golden plaque in his hand.
Just the fact that he was tied to Cale Henituse was putting him many steps closer to becoming the owner of the Flynn Merchant Guild.
"I will go buy the mouths that will shake the capital."
Billos bowed deeply and accepted his order. The alchemist who was watching this made eye contact with Cale who started to speak.
"Bring other alchemists. They can be ones in hiding or in seclusion. Bring all the alchemists that you can reach."
Rei Stecker would become the core of the new Alchemists.
Cale did not wait for his response before turning his head.
"And Sir Rex."
"Yes sir."
"Gather up all of your group members who are in the slums."
Rex's subordinates who had gathered together in order to take down the Alchemists' Bell Tower.
Sir Rex thought that the time had finally arrived and bowed his head as he opened his mouth to respond. However, he could not help but flinch.
"Meeeeeow."
"Meeow-"
On and Hong meowed and light filled the old house one more time.
Paaaat.
The teleportation magic circle flashed once more.
"…There's someone else?"
"Huh?"
Rei, Sir Rex, and Billos all became worried at this unexpected teleportation, however, Cale approached the person in front of the newly teleported group.
It was a knight.
"This is my guard knight, Sir Eruhaben."
Cale looked past Eruhaben, who was wearing a knight's armor, and looked at the white-robed individuals behind him. He explained to the alchemist and the Cat Knight.
"They are believers and priests of the Church of the Sun God who will be helping us."
Shhh.
The person in front of this new group of white-robed individuals removed her hood.
"Nice to meet you. My name is priestess Freesia, and though I do not have any divine powers, I wish to follow the will of the sun."
Freesia, the middle-aged woman with a warm expression.
This was the woman who was working as a sculptor in the Henituse territory and created Raon's cherished devil rabbit that looked like hell's guard dog, Cerberus.
She was also an assassin who used to be active in the Roan Kingdom's southwest region before daring to kill her leader and escape. Now she was the leader of the Henituse territory's information group that Ron had created.
She had come to the Empire with her subordinates.
'You are priests starting from today onward. At the same time, you will become the stealthiest people in the Empire.'
It was because of Cale's order.
There was someone else with them as well.
The person who was wearing a white robe walked forward.
"Hello everyone. My name is Pendrick, and I may not be much, but I am following the Saint-nim's will to walk the path of the sun."
It was Elf Pendrick who was known for having only healing abilities.
He was here as well.
Cale stood in front of them and looked toward Billos.
"Billos, there is one last thing to purchase."
"What is it, young master-nim?"
Billos was worried that the scale of Cale's tasks was getting to the point that it would be difficult for him to handle. However, he was too greedy to step away.
"White cloth."
"How much do you need?"
Billos noted that Cale wanted white cloth and looked toward Cale, who was wearing a white robe, to get an answer.
"Enough to cover the Empire."
Billos closed his eyes and then opened it after hearing Cale's answer. His greed started to grow once again.
This was not just about money.
This young master in front of him was doing something big in the Empire.
He was using the Western continent's greatest country for his own needs.
Billos understood why the crown prince would give Cale a golden plaque as well.
This smart merchant could tell that the Roan Kingdom was aiming for the Empire.
"I will prepare enough to have extra after covering the entire Empire."
And he too was a citizen of the Roan Kingdom.
Cale started to smile. He could see that the alchemist and the Cat Knight had frozen up. Cale lightly added on in order to release them from their shock.
"We will be creating a sun with our own hands from here. So, I need you to have that kind of mindset."
Cale wanted to show that mindset to them and pointed to himself.
"I am the sun."
The spotless white priest robe and the white-haired Cale fit well together.
A crest for the new Church of the Sun God was created today.
A golden sun was embedded on the white priest robe.
That was the symbol of the new Church of the Sun God.
The golden sun will be created when the Empire was in danger.
"When will danger come to the Empire?"
Alchemist Rei asked and Cale answered back.
"Right now."
"Excuse me?"
"I am going to create it right now."
Cale had a relaxed smile as Pendrick handed him a bill from crown prince Valentino.
The waves of war were already being created underneath the surface.
The Mogoru Empire wished to be the center of the Western continent and get rid of everyone else.
However, unfortunately, the current center of the Western continent was elsewhere.
* * *
"Grrrrr."
This area was still covered in debris from the incident.
It was still burnt black even after almost two years.
"Grrrrrr."
"Grrrrrr."
Cale listened to the cries of animals as he reached his hand out to the woman who was riding on a black animal that fit this desolate region well.
"Young master Cale."
"Long time no see, Miss Lina."
Litana, the Queen of the Jungle.
She grabbed Cale's reached out hand and elegantly got off of her friend, the black panther.
"Young master Cale, is the alliance finally doing something?"
Cale smiled at Litana's question.
The Roan Kingdom, Breck Kingdom, Whipper Kingdom, the Jungle, and the Whale tribe.
The center of the Western continent was the alliance of these four kingdoms and one tribe.
Cale recalled the message from the Caro Kingdom's crown prince, Valentino.
< The Caro Kingdom has agreed to look after the Empire's back. >
The Empire would soon declare their intentions while thinking that the Caro Kingdom had its back.
They will say that they will reclaim Maple Castle.
It was degrading for the Empire to do an ambush. The Empire probably didn't want to do something that even Toonka didn't do.
< Just tell me when. >
Crown prince Valentino was quite respectful as he delivered his message to Cale.
< I will personally bite off the Empire's back. >
< I am still very hungry. >
Cale opened his mouth to speak.
"Miss Lina, when the Empire makes their declaration…"
Cale looked at Section 1 of the Jungle that was burnt down by the Empire and the Alchemists' Bell Tower. He had used the Dominating Water to put the fire out, however, there was no greenery and it was still desolate.
The restoration was pretty fast, however, it was difficult to expect a forest to have regrown after only about a year and a half.
However, thanks to that, there was a large plain in Section 1 of the Jungle now.
Cale slowly continued to speak.
When the Empire declares that they will take Maple Castle back from the Whipper Kingdom…
"…At that moment…"
Cale looked at Litana and the black panther's back that was in front of him.
"…Let us strike the Empire."
Behind Litana in Section 1 of the Jungle. Tens of thousands of warriors that were filling up that entire plain were ready to go fight.
Litana, the ruler of the Jungle and its greatest warrior, had led the warriors of the Jungle up here.
Cale continued to speak to her.
"Your majesty, the time has come."
The Empire had destroyed Section 1 of the Jungle and the homes and livelihood of the Jungle residents.
It was finally time to get their revenge.