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"Slacker life no!" Cale cries as he watches Slacker life run further and further away from him. "Wait for me, please!"
"No," there were tears in Slacker life's eyes as they looked at a desperate Cale, "you're working too much. You're a hero! A Legend! Oh, how could I ever live up to those expectations!"
"You don't have to!" Cale shouts desperately, cursing his stupid legs for being so weak that he couldn't chase after Slacker Life. "Let's do nothing together! I want you!"
Slacker Life stops running and faces him, an enraged expression obvious on their face.
"Nothing?! Do nothing?!" Slacker Life screeched, "the war is over! We're done getting rid of those stupid hunters! Your hyung is the emperor respected by everyone in this peaceful kingdom! There is no big trouble brewing in both continents and yet–!"
Slacker life dramatically falls to their knees, "–and yet you leave me!"
Slacker Life sobbed as it guilts Cale for neglecting them.
"You always run off to even the mention of a 'problem' and come back after fixing it. The only good part is that at least you aren't bleeding or fainting though you cough a little blood once or twice!"
Cale doesn't stop and continues to run towards the weeping Slacker Life but– Slacker Life was disappearing!
"Wait wait, No!" Cale calls, reaching his hand out to the disappearing Slacker Life.
"Maybe this is better, Cale," Slacker Life smiled brightly. "Go and be prime minister, it is what you deserve..."
Slacker Life disappears.
"NOOOOO–khuk!" Cale chokes on his own saliva as he coughed and pats his chest to regain his breathing.
"Human? HUMAN!" Raon panics as he watched Cale smack his own chest while sweating profusely. His human even shouted 'No!' so loudly and desperately that it woke him up from his deep.
He circles his human as his noona and hyung tap his human with their paws, trying to get rid of the fear-stricken expression on his face.
The door opens shortly, revealing Ron who benignly smiles.
"Lemonade gramps!" Raon urgently calls, "it's good you're here! Something is wrong with the human!"
"Young master-nim?" Cale doesn't react and he frowns, "Young Master, this old man is worried about you."
Cale snaps out of his daze and turns towards his butler, "Ah...Ron..."
Ron flinches at seeing Cale's teary eyes and trembling figure. What had scared the young master so much? Did the God of Death perhaps...visit his dream to tell him of another world-ending problem.
Ron smiles evilly, 'perhaps we should find a way to meet up with a God.'
It was possible with several dragons, the 'conciousness' dead dragon lord, and a dragon lord on their side.
"Ron...I'm scared."
Cale admitted and doesn't notice Ron flinching.
They had a talk about this yesterday after everyone noticed that Cale still bottled up his feelings. Yesterday, they told him that he should communicate with them how he felt so that was what exactly he's doing right now.
"This peaceful and normal life is very important to me..." Cale trailed off, his face blank, looking dangerously detached from the real world as he continued.
"I don't want this taken away from me..." he mutters quietly, with a voice so soft that it almost felt...fragile.
"Don't worry, Weak Human, we'll definitely defeat all the bad guys and protect our home!"
Cale flinched and looked at Raon with a fearful expression. 'Why is this kid talking about defeating bad guys?! I just want to slack!!'
The others were worried. Was the next enemy they had much stronger than before that even Cale is scared to fight them?!
On the side, Ohn sighs as she watches her family misunderstand her father figure yet again. She walks to the pillow and plops down. She was wayyy too sleepy for this.
Ron, who ended up to the conclusion that his young master was scared, says, "you're allowed not to fight, young master-nim. Just leave everything to us."
Because even though he already knows that his young master was actually a 36-year-old man from Choi Han's world, the weight he was carrying far succeeded that of a god. For that, he was allowed to rest. He'd done enough.
However, Cale shakes his head, "no."
They all flinch at the determination in his voice.
"I'll definitely get my slacker life."
They frowned, already knowing that slacker life in Cale's dictionary equated to world peace in theirs.
..............................................................
For the next few days, Cale continues to wake up sweating and trembling, as though he saw the scariest things happen in his dreams.
They all get increasingly worried at Cale who always turns pale when asked about who the enemies they were going to fight against. They've never imagined Cale so so in distraught.
At one time when they asked Cale who the enemies were, he gave them a confused look and said, "but there's no enemy though?"
They know it was acting. Cale never shares his problems with them unless he had already come up with a solution. And so, all they could do was wait for him to come up with one as they anxiously let the days pass by with no improvements.
(Everyone did something though.
Alver started to instruct the brigades and army to train harder but quietly. They didn't want to alert the citizens. The same was happening in all other kingdoms as they prepared themselves for what plan the supreme commander was going to come up with.)
And the days passed by like that until it happened.
Cale started his move.
By exercising.
..............................................................
Alver sighed and pinched his nose bridge as he watched the three kids panic over the communication device.
"You mean to tell me..." he rubbed his forehead, feeling a headache coming up, "Cale Henituse, self-proclaimed slacker, is exercising?"
Just the thought of it was utterly ridiculous! The Cale he knew would even rather spend the little breaks he had by rolling and lazying around. This same Cale was exercising!
"That's what I'm saying crown- Emperor Cookies!" The communication device is then pointed to a sweaty Cale doing jumping jacks. Cale then stops at his 20th jumping jack and slumps down the ground, panting and exhausted.
He hears a chorus of panicked 'young master-nim/Cale/Cale-nim/Human's before the communication device is left rolling on the ground facing a plant.
He looks at the stack of paperwork he had to do and groaned.
So much work to do...he should pay a visit to his troublesome dongsaeng.
(He was definitely not making excuses for him to avoid work, thank you very much.)
..............................................................
"Hooo!" Eruhaben scoffed as he watched the red-haired man in front of him pant as though he couldn't breathe.
After doing 20 jumping jacks, Cale was having a light fever and yet he was here, breathing like he was in between life and death.
'How does doing jumping jacks lead to a fever and a fever to a life and death situation?!' He deadpanned and cursed Cale's weak body.
"What happened?" Alver arrives with a bit of sweat on his forehead as though he came running here. He was in his dark elf form which no one really paid attention to since they were more or less used to it by now.
"Haaah..." Eruhaben sighed, "this unlucky bastard got a fever from 20 jumping jacks. And now we're having a problem since even after being healed by that saint kid, Jack, he still won't wake up and is breathing heavily even though nothing is blocking his lungs."
Alver groaned in worry. Why was his dongsaeng so–so– infuriating?!
"Nghhh," Cale shifted as he raised his arm in his sleep to clutch his chest, "noo– stop..." he pathetically sobbed as he writhed on the bed as though in pain.
Everyone frowned and panicked as they watch the red-haired sob and tear in his sleep. Particularly Choi Han and Raon.
"Cale-nim please wake up!"
"HUMAN IF YOU DON'T WAKE UP I'LL DESTROY THE WORLD!"
"Ghuuu–" He huffed and– "AAAAAAH!!!" shouted as he immediately sat up.
Eruhaben moves fast and hugs the younger man. Cale sobs and trembles in his grasp.
Everyone stared, worrying about the red-haired man. They'd never seen Cale like this before. Were their enemies really that strong this time?
"I'm cursing the fucking God of Death," Cage turns to leave, 'how dare he dump all the work to the young master?!'
"I'll join you," Choi Han followed her out, "Let's burn the God of Death's temples."
Who knows what he'll do if he stays inside that room for another minute.
[Meanwhile, the God of death panics as he prepares to connect to Cage.
"Hey? Hey! It really isn't my fault this time come on!!]
.
Inside the room, Cale's sobbing dies down a little as he finally regains enough of his mind to be able to look around to see that most of his family were here.
"Ah," he immediately wipes off his tears, "is there a problem?"
They all flinch.
"You stupid bastard," Alver flicks hia forehead, "do you even know how worried we were?!"
Cale looks at the confusedly before forming an 'O' with his mouth at the realization, "you don't have to worry. I just had a nightmare."
"Yeah, quite a nice nightmare you got there to make you this scared," Alver scoffed at Cale's extremely pale face.
"Young master Cale," Rosalyn called, turning Cale's attention towards her. "May we ask what the nightmare was about?"
Cale hummed as he thought, 'I did promise to start opening up to them about my feelings and problems.'
Alver sighed as he feels a sense of deja vu at the current situation after seeing Cale thinking and nodding as though satisfied with himself.
"It's about my slacker life," Cale starts.
'Ah, so about world peace,' was everyone's collected thought.
"It's being stolen away from me. I have to work hard to get it back. Hmmm...I think I'll have to exercise so I can catch up to it. Ron, please arrange a fitness instructor for me. Let me start at the very basics."
Everyone nodded solemnly and Ron walked out to do as his young master told him so.
For the reference, this is how they understood Cale's statement:
"Something new is threatening the world. I'll have to bleed and faint again to fight against it. I have to get stronger and not just rely on my ancient powers."
Alver simply nodded, "I should prepare everything too. Including informing our allies."
"Ah," Cale looked at him, confused, "I can do this by myself though?"
"..."
"Hah!" Alver laughed maniacally, "you–! You crazy bastard!!"
Cale simply looks at him, confused as to why the ever-shining emperor was acting like a lunatic.
"Hooh!" Eruhaben laughed, amused at Cale's confusion, "you unlucky bastard...why are you always like this?"
"Huh?" Was all that Cale could utter.
"Human what do you mean you'll do it by yourself?! This great Raon Miru will always stay by your side! You're weak, human!"
"Haah?" Cale says as he gave an offended expression. Why was he being insulted right now?!
Alver clicked his tongue, "now spit it out, you crazy bastard. What's the plan?"
"What plan?" Cale dumbly asked, having understood absolutely nothing about the current situation.
"Are you going to stab yourself again?" Alver tapped his chin in thought, "Ah maybe you'll give yourself up to the enemy in exchange for then not attacking?"
"What?!" Cale shouted, 'what the–did they decide to kill me?!'
"I hope not," Alver smiled a smile a bit too threatening for such a dazzling expression, "or else we really might just go crazy."
Cale shivers and decides that yeah. He'll definitely cause no trouble. He'll only exercise and catch up with slacker life. Once he catches up with slacker life in his dream, he'll gladly stay very very put.
..............................................................
Raon taps the ground in agitation as Ohn and Hong are positioned as a loaf on each of his sides.
"I don't understand!" He shouted as he watches the human run as fast as he could for the 10th time, "does the human need to be fast to fight the enemies?"
"!!!" Hong's eyes widen in realization. Ohn merely facepalms, already feeling the chaos brewing.
"What if–?!" Hong shouts, "What if he's training in running so he can outrun us?! So he can sacrifice himself before we can catch him?!"
Raon's jaw drops, "Weak Human can't outrun us! He's too weak!"
"Yeah, but he has his ancient power nyaaa!" Hong points out and gestures at Cale's ankles, "was it sound of the...sound of the wings?"
"Sound of the wind," Ohn casually corrects.
"Sound of the wind!" Hong taps the ground confidently as though to prove his point.
"B-but...I can fly faster than he can run..." Raon pouts, "and we can just teleport. He can't outrun strong Choi Han too."
"Ohh..." Hong drops, "T-then why is he running?"
They both melt to the ground as they thought of reasons. The eldest female could only sigh at her younger brothers' shenanigans.
..............................................................
A good few days later enemies started to pop up one by one and Cale becomes agitated. Of course, everyone notices this especially as Cale calls them increasingly and asks them to take care of the little problems.
'Haah, this is annoying,' Cale thought as he unconsciously started to jog faster, 'I can't focus on being a slacker if they keep annoying my family...'
He thinks deeply, 'should I just get rid of them then?'
Meanwhile, his family looks at him in worry.
"Lo-look at him!" Raon shouts, exasperated, "Human is plotting something dangerous again I'm sure!!"
"Aigoo that unlucky bastard..." Eruhaben palms his face.
Cale, who doesn't know about their thoughts, simply approaches them and announces, "starting from now, we will be getting rid of all the flies."
The annoying people. Pests.
"It'll be easy," he nods to himself in satisfaction. He also thinks about catching up to slacker life after they're done cleaning the flies out.
"Yes, I'll be able to do it," he lowly mutters to himself, "it's doable."
His eyes shine with determination as he steels his will to definitely get a slacker life. He won't let it disappear before he can reach it!
As he thought of this, he was completely unknowing of the fearful gazes of his family to him who had already assumed the worse.
'This-' Eruhaben widened his eyes, ' what is this unlucky bastard planning?!'
..............................................................
He planned nothing much.
Just a few households disappearing, a few organizations falling, the sudden disappearance of a mountain, and a sudden rain of gold blessing a certain poor city.
And he managed to finish that all in one week.
(Alver cries as he looked at the stack of paperwork that multiplied by ten.)
...
In the villa, Cale has a free expression as he skip-walked in joy.
Finally! Tonight was the night!
He was in pure bliss.
He'll definitely reach slacker life this time!
"Noona...the human's expression is scary," he overhears Raon telling Ohn.
Cale frowns and turns, looking at Raon who was cowering behind his sister. Hong was doing the same on top of Raon, trying to hide behind the dragon's round head.
'But I'm smiling though???' Was what he wanted to ask.
He sighed and decided against it.
After all, it didn't matter. After tonight, everything was going to be back to normal.
..............................................................
Cale wakes up in a familiar place and he doesn't waste time. He is immediately up on his feet and is already running in a certain direction which he remembers thanks to his records.
"WAIT UP YOU FUCKING BASTARD!" He shouts at Slacker Life who screeches and runs even faster.
He chuckles, amused, before using his wind ancient power to assist
himself. He laughs maniacally as he held Slacker Life's neck in his hands.
"MWAHAHAHHAH!" There was even thunder at the back as a dramatic effect of his victory, "I finally caught you."
He hums in satisfaction.
..............................................................
Cale peacefully smiles in his sleep, completely oblivious to the fact that he'd scared three certain brave children to become frightened figures at the corner of the room.
"MWAHAHAHHA!" He laughs in his sleep.
"Noona protect me!" Raon cries as he hides behind the kittens. He was great and mighty alright, but he was confused! His human was laughing like crazy Clopeh!
"MWAHAHHAHAHA!!!"
"NOONA!"
Ohn sighed.
Raon cried that day.