Chapter Text
Cale look back one last time to see his father getting further & further away from him,It wasn't anything new but this time..He's scared.
Of course,He won't admit it or maybe he's just too dense to realize his true feelings but all he knew was if he come along,he'll only get in the way..
Even though he try to ignored his uneasiness since it won't help with the situation & it was trashy of him to not put trust in his father who's risking his life to protect his family & 'a trashy,useless bastard' like him.
No matter how much he try to convince himself,He couldn't help but wonder..What if the same thing happened to his father?
The only thing he could do is pray for his father safety,He's going to meet up with Lily,Basen & Violan soon.
He'll make sure to protect them just like how his father is putting himself in danger to protect them right now.
***
Cale woke up to see nothing but smoke surrounding his house as he could smell fire from all around him.
He try to get up but he couldn't move no matter how much he try as his pupils shook at the Henituse territory completely destroyed.
His legs couldn't move,it's numb..
Did he got crushed under a building?
He panicked for a second but he try to keep his composed as he slowly breathe in & out.
Due to him inhaling nothing but smoke,his lungs couldn't take it & made him light headed.
But Cale still didn't give up as he use all his strength to find his family even with his blurry vision.
All his thoughts was fill with nothing but his family safety,he wasn't even thinking of his life.
But in the end,he had fainted from the lack of air but he luckily survived thanks to someone.
Cale could feel himself getting carry as he used all his strength to open his eyelids to check if it was his family member.
Cale look at Hans who was putting him down as he realizes his family was either saved or still in danger.
"Hans where's my f-..UGH!"
"Young master please don't yell when you're injured!"
Hans was able to get the bags that Deruth before everything collapsed as he quickly took a highest grade potion out of the bag.
Once Cale feel his legs had heal enough for him to walk,He didn't waste anytime to get up & start running to search for his family.
Hans yell out Cale name to get backed since it was still very dangerous & Cale still have some injuries left.
Cale ignored Hans but instead gave him a ordered as he shouted back.
"I'M FINE! GO SEARCH FOR ANY SURVIVORS NOW!"
"Young m..Understood sir!"
Hans stopped calling out & trying to chasing Cale as he changed the opposite direction of Cale to search for survivors but he made sure to hand Cale a highest grade potion.
***
Cale pupils shook when he saw more & more of how much the secret organization had destroyed the Henituse territory & the Roan Kingdom as he ran further.
Cale kept running even though he kept like his lungs hurt like hell as he desperately search for his family.
He kept calling out their name even if it will risk the enemy finding him, Possibly getting him killed.
He clenched the highest grade potion Hans had gave him.
He knew he wasn't lucky but for once, He beg the heaven to let his family live,He beg the God to not make him choose who to saved.
He knew full well hoping for things was a stupid idea & it will only hurt him more if thing didn't go what he wanted,He knew..
Even though how much Cale had force himself to grow up,He had just only turned 18 today.
Cale bit his lips to not let himself fainted,His ears finches when he heard a mumbled.
He stopped his movement as he use all his focused to hear where's the voice were coming from.
He ran to the collapsed building as he use his every strength to move the heavy brick off whoever it was.
Sadly,It's wasn't his family but he wasn't that heartless to leave an injured person there to die alone.
He quickly got the servant out of the collapsed building as he pointed to where Hans was.
The servant nodded as they ran the direction Cale was pointing at without saying a words.
***
Hans was in the opposite direction from Cale,He was able to saved some citizen & servant but there were lot of people who had sadly pass away.
He asked the swordsman to stay with the injured people to protect them while he go to search for more survivors,Everyone look at Hans like he was a hero.
Hans scratch his ear as he wonder if someone was talking shit about him as he hold his spears while keeping his eyes wide open to search better.
***
Cale had just arrived in the Districts between the Henituse territory & the Roan Kingdom,The ground were painted with blood.
It was hard to tell if it was from the citizen or the enemy but he knew it was best to not know these things.
There were also the corpses of swordsman & mage all over the ground,He slow down his movements just so he couldn't step on anyone that had gave their life to protect their home.
Even if he was a trashy bastard,These people had gave their everything to protect their home.
Why couldn't he have respect for them who had protected his family?
He look at the corpses one last time as he wish them a peaceful rest that they well deserved.
If anyone saw Cale bowing & showing respect to someone,They would had dropped their jaw with their eyebrow raised so high up that it could reaches the fucking sky.
He knew his father would be here somewhere & it wouldn't be a pretty sight but as long he's alive.
It's fine.
Just when he said that,He had found his father laying on the cold floor painted in blood.
He rushed over to Deruth,calling out to his father to get a response.
Huff Huff..
Cale knees bent over,trying to catch his breath as his heart was beating so fast that it made him light headed.
Hands trembling with fear feeling his father was cold,he desperately try to find a pulse but it was in vein.
he couldn't even hear his father breathing no matter how much he try, not wanting to accept the reality of losing anymore of his family.
He try doing chest compression since highest grade potion won't work if they're dead or what Cale try to convince himself..
Is that his father was too shocked that he forgot to breath,that's why he needed to do this while also checking for his pulse got restored.
10 minutes had passed but Deruth still didn't show any reaction,Cale arms were hurting as he cover in cold sweat but he still didn't want to accept the reality..
5 more minutes had passed & the result was still the same,Cale stopped since he knew his father was gone forever.
He had already knew this fact,He did saw his mother passed away in front of his eyes when he was 5.
The reason he desperately try was because he was hoping for some sort of a miracle to happen,Maybe if he lie to himself enough..just maybe..
What was he hoping for?
Hoping won't solved anything until you take the matter into your own hand!
He knew that..
Cale bit his lips,trying to stoppedthe emotion building up in his chest as hug his father cold body.
He shames himself for letting his father see him in such a mess but then again why would Deruth would want to watch over a trashy bastard of a son like him?
Mistaking his tears for sweat,Cale didn't try to wiped it off since his sweat was the result of trying to saved his father so he wasn't ashamed of it.
Cale quickly let go of his father after saying him farewell since he needed to search for his other family.
He struggled a bit as he got up,He growled in annoyed since he keep tilting to the side while his head & arm hurt like hell.
When he look at his shaky hand,He realizes his vision was getting blurry in the same time.
He think he was having a heat stroke at the worst timing ever!!
He can't even catch a break,He had no choice but to stay under the tree a bit but at least he've stopped sweating.
Actually he didn't know it was heat stroke or heat exhaustion but he didn't care enough to even try to figure it out since he was now worrying about fainting.
***
Cake woke up in a unfamiliar room,His head still kinda hurt but he was ignored the pain as he observed the place when he saw Hans running towards him.
He felt alert when he saw the joy & relief on Hans face but he kept observing around the room.
He saw some unfamiliar faces around the room & the only person he could trust out of all these strangers was Hans,Cale stare at him.
"Where am i?"
"You're in one of the Inn that wasn't destroyed,young master."
"Huh? Destroyed?"
"Young master did you forgot?"
"Apparently I did."
Hans hesitantly asked.
"What do you remember,young master?"
"I was eating dinner in my room & went to sleeping obviously."
"Oh..I see."
Cale gazes turn sharp at Hans complexion,Everyone complexion here look horrible.
The servant that was with Hans look at each other & didn't know what to do,They were all mentally & physical
exhaustion for this.
Hans didn't know what to do,Should he say it or lie to the young master?
But lying will just hurt Cale more later so maybe..
Cale realised the atmosphere was getting depressing as he look at Hans complexion & expression,It look like something happened.
"Young master.."
"Nevermind,I don't want to know."
"Huh..?"
"You look like shit,Go fix yourself."
"Fix ourselves?"
The servant look offended while Hans smile that Cale despite lost some of his memories,He still care about them but he just didn't how to make it to words.
"I'll make sure to take care of myself after doing all the work young master."
"Good also go get a highest grade potion since you look like you're gonna die any moment now."
"Ah..we ran out."
Cale suddenly stood up & went to grabbed his storage space bag hanging on the side of the room.
He hand the bag to Hans despite being confused why he have it,The servant bow as they took their leave.
Hans was the only in the room holding the bag Cale had gave him while his young master sat on the bed looking at him.
"Young master are you sure you want to hand it to me..?"
"There should be something useful in there,Don't hesitate to take it."
"I'll just take the highest grade potion that young master wanted to give me."
Cale stood up again & snatched the storage space bag from Hans when he was searching for the potion,his hand felt something & grabbed it.
"Lily wood sword?"
Hans finches while Cale got more curious as he search what else was in there besides the potion.
Cale look at the bed with all the item he had took out from the storage space bag.
"Violan broken art pieces."
"Basen pen."
"Father paperwork?"
"Lily wood sword."
Cale look at other item above his family item that somehow got in there even though he didn't take them.
"Oh? Lily old plushie is here too."
"And the other are just normal things."
Hans stare at the normal thing you could find in any storage space bag but he wasn't looking at anything else as if something will happen if he do which got Cale attention.
"Uhhh you're good?"
"Yes young master.."
"Really? You look like shit."
"Ha Ha..Maybe a bit exhausted."
Cale took the tissue box that he had placed on the bed that was found in the storage space bag as he now placed it on the table near Hans.
"I'm going to the restroom,Stay here & guard the item."
Hans nodded while trying to reply but no voice came out,Cale look at him one more time as he gently closed the door behind him.
Hans let out a light chuckle,He knew Cale didn't actually use the restroom but was giving him space.
He could see Cale shadow under the door of the bedroom his young master was resting in for 2 days.
Even though he knew Cale was outside,He grabbed the tissue box his young master had gave him.
The emotion suppressed in his heart was finally let free as tears flows down like a river,never stopping.
Cale outside the door could hear soft sobbing,he could barely hear what Hans was saying but he was able to hear him apologizing over & over.
He knew something horrible really had happened as he look at the servant all round him.
He walked down the hallway,The servant reaction were all the same but he didn't care.
He arrived on the first floor to see Hilsman walking toward him with joy & relief,He peek outside the door to see everything in ruined.
After seeing Hans breakdown & the outside,He had a feeling that..
Cale pushed his thoughts away since it was a only feeling so it isn't confirmed that his family is actually..
"Hilsman give me a report on the situation."
"Sure young master."
Cale walked outside when Hilsman try to give a report.
"Young master it's still dangerous!"
"I'll just stand outside the door."
Hilsman hesitantly nodded as he continued to state his report outside the Inn door.
Cale clenched his fist as he listened to the situation causing everyone to finches but Hilsman was the only one who look at him with pity.
"Young master I know it's hard but we can go though this together."
"Get stronger so that fucking Clopeh & bear tribe will fear you all."
Some people eyes light up at the idea of getting revenge for their loved one, once Cale realised this,He quickly went back upstairs so he could saved his trash reputation.
Hilsman look at Cale.
"Haha it's seem like young master has a shy side to him!"
***
Cale frown when he heard what hilsman said even though he was upstairs,The servant stayed out of his path since he looked mad.
He made sure Hans had stopped crying,He opened the door to see Hans looking a bit better.
Cale peek at the trash can to see it was half filled with tissue but he pretend not to notice,He walked to the bed.
"Seem like nothing is missing."
"I made sure not to touch it as well."
Cale look at Hans puffy eyes & his red noise who was smiling like he didn't just have a breakdown earlier.
"You still look like shit."
"Dust got into my eyes,Young master."
"Use the potion,you look weird."
"Haha as you wish,Young master."
Hans pour a bit of the potion onto the tissue,He tap it on his puffy eye & red nose a bit time until it turns normal.
"Is this better,Young master?"
"A lot better."
Hans try to hand Cale back the highest grade potion since he didn't need it anymore but Cale stepped a few stepped back.
"Huh?"
"Keep it since some 'dust' may get into your eyes again."
"Pfffff I think I'll be fine,Young master."
"No no,I don't want to see people saying I beat you up or something all because of your allergies to dust."
"Haaaa I'll keep it then,Young master."
Cale nodded as he put all the item that was placed on his bed back to the storage space bag.
"Keep it safe."
"I'll protect it with my life."
"Hans I have one more request."
"What is it,Young master?"
"Take me to the Henituse territory."
Hans finches but he realizes Cale had said request not ordered as he look at the young master who had lose some of his memories.
He hesitantly agree but he didn't know if it was actually safe so he had requested if hilsman will come along.
All of the Henituse swordsman & mage that had survived overheard Hans asking Hilsman to tag along.
Mass release is over <3
-To be continued
2022.8.28
2791 words