Chapter Text
Cale Henituse died at the age of forty as nothing more than a foot soldier, believing that his long and exhausting life had finally come to an end. Instead, through an unfortunate accident, he struck a deal with the God of Death. Yet rather than awakening as Kim Rok Soo, he transmigrated into an entirely different world.
It had all been a terrible accident.
The God of Death had panicked when Cale's soul was suddenly snatched away right before His eyes. No matter how desperately He searched, He couldn't trace where the soul had gone. All He could do was bear the guilt in silence.
He swore that He would find Cale's soul as soon as possible.
What He never expected was that, even with all His divine authority, He couldn't so much as glimpse the world Cale had been sent to. The dimension was simply too high for Him to perceive.
Thus, when Cale opened his eyes once more, he found himself reborn as Cale Hall.
Naturally, he cursed the incompetent God of Death countless times in his heart.
On the very first day of his new life, he cried at the top of his lungs. Not because he was a newborn, but because he was overwhelmed by the cruel irony of fate.
In any case, he had been reborn as the eldest son of the prestigious Hall Family, the wealthiest noble house in the kingdom.
Cale had a different mother from his three younger siblings. From his birth mother, Jour Sauron, he inherited a head of striking crimson hair. Yet what unsettled him most wasn't his new identity, but the woman herself.
When he was three years old and his vision had fully developed, he finally saw his mother's portrait hanging in the family manor.
He froze.
She looked almost identical to the mother he had known in his previous life.
Even her first name was the same. Only her family name had changed.
The resemblance was so uncanny that chills ran down his spine.
It was as though fate were deliberately mocking him.
Even their destinies were identical.
Shortly after giving birth to him, Jour Sauron passed away, leaving him once again without the chance to know his own mother.
From that day onward, Cale never forgot to curse the God of Death every morning after waking up. He even swore that if they ever met again, he would smack that god over the head.
Despite that tragedy, however, Cale's life within the Hall Family was far happier than he had ever imagined.
His father eventually remarried a noblewoman named Caitlyn Morrest.
She possessed a beauty that seemed untouched by time itself.
Her long golden hair flowed in soft waves to her waist, shimmering like spun gold beneath the glow of crystal chandeliers. A pair of tranquil emerald-green eyes, as clear as a secluded forest after spring rain, rested upon a face of exquisite elegance. Every smile she offered radiated effortless warmth, while every graceful movement reflected years of impeccable noble upbringing.
Whether she stood among noble ladies or royalty, she naturally became the center of attention without ever trying.
It was little wonder that nearly every unmarried gentleman in Backlund found himself captivated by her beauty.
Even so, in Cale's opinion, she was only second to his birth mother.
Jour Sauron's hair was the color of roses in full bloom, a luxurious cascade of crimson reaching her waist, adorned with luminous pearls and delicate white blossoms. Every strand caught the light like silk kissed by the evening sun.
People often described her beauty as though it had been sculpted by the hands of a goddess herself.
Long lashes framed a pair of deep reddish-brown eyes, polished like mahogany beneath the final glow of dusk, warm yet impossibly distant. Under candlelight, those eyes resembled aged wine poured into crystal, revealing subtle scarlet undertones.
She carried herself with effortless grace, every gesture embodying the elegance of a noblewoman born to command attention without seeking it. Whether attending royal banquets or private salons, princes would pause mid-conversation, and princesses would find themselves watching her in silent admiration.
In a city overflowing with wealth, influence, and beauty, Jour Sauron still stood above them all.
The title The Crimson Flower of Backlund suited her perfectly.
When she died after giving birth to Cale, countless people mourned her passing.
For an entire day, her grave was covered with flowers brought by grieving admirers. Even the Crown Prince personally granted her a burial ground worthy of her status.
Whenever people looked at the newborn Cale, their gazes were filled with both pity and resentment. They pitied the child who had lost his mother at birth, yet some couldn't help but blame him for the tragedy.
His father, however, never once looked at him that way.
The Earl mourned his beloved wife deeply, but he never neglected his duty as a father.
That alone made him infinitely different from Cale's father in his previous life.
Sometimes Cale thought his father had remarkably good taste in women.
Within the Hall household, speaking about his late mother was never considered taboo. No one avoided mentioning her name, nor did anyone treat her memory as something painful that had to remain buried.
For the first time, Cale never experienced the cold loneliness of being left out.
Sometimes he wondered if he should actually be grateful that the transmigration had gone wrong.
If everything had happened according to the original plan, he would have awakened only to find his mother's reincarnation, something he still wasn't entirely convinced about.
Instead, fate had given him an entirely new family.
A father who cared for him. A stepmother who would eventually accept him. Three younger siblings.
And a peaceful life he had once believed he would never have. Even if this strange new world was bizarre beyond saving, he couldn't deny one simple truth.
For the first time in both of his lives, he finally had the family he had always longed for.
….
His stepmother gave birth to three children.
The eldest was a young man overflowing with ambition, Hibbert Hall.
He possessed bright blond hair and inherited his father's striking blue eyes. No matter which angle one looked at him from, he resembled a perfectly sculpted classical statue.
To Cale, however...
...Cough, Alberu. Cough.
He couldn't help but see traces of his former hyung in Hibbert.
Unlike his past self, who had failed to openly care for Basen and Lily until it was far too late, Cale made no such mistake this time. Perhaps it was guilt lingering deep within his heart, or perhaps he simply refused to repeat the same regrets. Whatever the reason, he openly doted on his ambitious stepbrother.
Despite his stern expression, Hibbert was the perfect example of someone with a tough exterior and a soft heart.
Cale found endless amusement in teasing him until the young man flushed as red as a tomato.
Yeah... he really is an Alberu variant.
Unfortunately, that resemblance only became more obvious after Cale publicly announced that he would withdraw from the line of succession.
The decision shocked not only the Hall Family but also the entire noble circle of Backlund. As the next eldest son, Hibbert naturally became the heir apparent.
From that day onward, Hibbert remained unusually wary of his younger brother.
Much to Cale's endless headache. Still, that was Hibbert's own problem to deal with.
At the very least, the warmth within their family never changed. Then there was his second younger brother, Alfred Hall.
If Cale had to describe him in one sentence, Alfred was like a kitten desperately trying to act like a tiger.
The poor boy always tried so hard to prove his worth, completely unaware that no one in the family had ever overlooked him. He was cherished just as much as everyone else.
Perhaps growing up in Hibbert's shadow had left him feeling inadequate. Because of that, Alfred constantly pushed himself, hoping to earn their father's approval.
That was why he eventually chose to join the army. As for whether Alfred intended to compete with Hibbert for the position of heir...
Cale honestly didn't care. It was Alfred's life, and it was his choice. Whatever path his younger brother chose, Cale would respect it.
Lastly...There was the youngest of the family. The sibling Cale treasured the most.
Audrey Hall.
Audrey was breathtakingly beautiful.
She had inherited nearly all of Caitlyn Morrest's features, to the point where Cale genuinely believed there wasn't another young lady in Backlund who could rival her beauty.
Of course...That was probably just his brother complex talking.
As for Cale himself...He was considered one of the most handsome young noblemen in Backlund.
Given that he had inherited Jour Sauron's extraordinary appearance, it wasn't particularly surprising.
Naturally, he was rather proud of that fact. Everywhere he went, he attracted the attention of ladies young and old alike.
Unfortunately for them, Cale's mental age had already surpassed forty. Perhaps even older. Romance simply held no appeal for him anymore. He had no interest in courting women or falling in love.
Remaining single sounded far more peaceful.
That said, refusing a noble lady's invitation to dance would be terribly impolite, so he still accepted whenever etiquette demanded it.
That was also why he declined almost every invitation to noble salons, attending only those hosted by the royal family when absolutely necessary.
Things became even worse whenever he visited Intis to pay his respects to his mother's family.
It wasn't just the ladies who stared at him.
The gentlemen did too.
"..."
The experience frightened him so much that he became convinced his innocent backside was somehow in danger.
Like a startled rabbit, he fled back to Loen as quickly as possible.
Afterward, he solemnly swore never to visit Intis again unless it was absolutely necessary.
Compared to Intis, he much preferred Lenburg.
That nation was filled with scholars and intellectuals. Every conversation there revolved around philosophy, history, literature, or academia.
To Cale, exchanging ideas with people who valued knowledge was nothing short of heaven.
….
Cale's relationship with Audrey was exceptionally close.
Although she often complained that her older brother behaved more like a weary old man in his late fifties than a young man in the prime of his life, she adored him all the same.
Cale was patient, dependable, and never hesitated to show affection toward his younger siblings. Through countless discussions and careful negotiations, he eventually succeeded in convincing their father to remove him from the line of succession.
Even years later, Audrey could still remember that conversation as though it had happened yesterday.
"Father, I would like to respectfully withdraw from the position of heir."
Cale spoke calmly after dinner, choosing the perfect moment to bring up the matter.
His tone was composed. His words, however, landed like a thunderclap. The entire dining room fell silent.
Even the servants standing nearby stared at him in stunned disbelief.
Hibbert frowned deeply, an obvious look of displeasure crossing his face.
Alfred nearly lost his composure, his eyes widening as he looked at his older brother in complete disbelief.
Their mother paused as well, turning toward Cale with a questioning expression.
At the head of the table, Earl Hall narrowed his eyes. He calmly dabbed the corner of his mouth with a napkin before folding his arms across his chest.
"May I ask your reason?" he said evenly. "If your explanation is convincing enough, I'll consider your request."
The room fell silent once more. Cale cleared his throat before meeting his father's gaze.
The determination in his eyes unconsciously caused everyone present to straighten in their seats.
"Father," he began, "an heir without the ambition to become the heir is like a captain who has no desire to sail. He may know how to steer a ship, but when the storm arrives, even a single moment of hesitation could doom everyone aboard."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"I can govern an estate. I can manage finances. I can negotiate with other nobles if necessary. Those are skills that can be learned. But the determination to devote one's entire life to House Hall is not something that can be taught.It must already exist within a person. I do not possess that ambition. And it would be unfair to both you and our family if I pretended otherwise."
There wasn't a trace of hesitation in his voice.
Only quiet conviction.
This wasn't a decision he had made on impulse. He had spent years thinking about it. He was already twenty-six years old.
Still in the prime of his life, perhaps.
Yet after living through two lifetimes, with more than sixty years of memories weighing upon him, the passion to pursue power had long since faded away.
Earl Hall studied his eldest son's face in silence, searching for even the slightest hint of an ulterior motive.
He found none.
After a long moment, he let out a quiet sigh.
The sternness in his eyes softened ever so slightly.
"...Very well."
Cale's eyes immediately sparkled with joy.
Freedom from politics! Retirement!
Before he could celebrate inwardly, however, his father's next sentence shattered his dreams.
"But on one condition."
"You will inherit the title of Baron."
"That is final."
"..."
Cale opened and closed his mouth several times like a fish before finally lowering his head in defeat.
"...Yes, Father."
Completely absorbed in mourning the peaceful retirement he had just lost, Cale failed to notice the victorious smile that briefly appeared on Earl Hall's face.
Instead, his attention drifted mournfully toward the dessert waiting on his plate.
A minute later, his father's voice snapped him out of his daze.
"Since Cale has withdrawn, the position of heir shall pass to Hibbert as my second eldest son."
He paused.
"Of course, that could always change in the future."
Then, with a teasing smile, he added,
"Who knows? Perhaps Audrey will become the heir one day."
Everyone immediately recognized it as a joke.
Everyone except Audrey.
"Hmph!"
She puffed out her cheeks in protest.
Earl Hall chuckled warmly before reaching over to pat his daughter's head.
No one knew, except Cale, that beneath his father's dignified appearance lurked an utterly shameless daughter-dotting father.
Not that anyone present was particularly jealous.
Their mother covered her lips with one hand as she laughed softly at the harmonious scene before her.
Even Hibbert, who had still been reeling from the announcement that he had become the heir, couldn't help but smile.
No one objected to the decision.
Not a single person.
Cale, on the other hand...
٩(ˊᗜˋ)و ♡*
And that was how Cale Hall became Baron Cale Hall, much to the astonishment of the entire noble society.
As for Audrey...
She couldn't have been happier.
Now that her older brother no longer had to shoulder the responsibilities of being the heir, he had far more time to spend with her.
….
Cale's relationship with his stepmother was just as warm as the one he shared with his siblings.
As Audrey's and her brothers' mother, Caitlyn Morrest was an active and kind-hearted woman who never treated Cale differently simply because he wasn't her biological son. She frequently invited him to join her and the children for afternoon tea, refusing to let him isolate himself from the rest of the family.
Over the years, her unwavering kindness slowly melted the walls Cale had unconsciously built around his heart. Before he even realized it, he had begun to think of her as his own mother.
Ironically, Cale's relationship with his new father was far healthier than the one he had shared with his father in his previous life.
The Earl of Hall never looked at him as a painful reminder of his late wife. There was no resentment, no guilt, no hesitation, and no emotional distance between them.
To the Earl, Cale was simply his eldest son.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
If Audrey was celebrated throughout Backlund as its dazzling jewel, then Cale became known among the nobility as the Hidden Ruby of Backlund.
Handsome, elegant, and impeccably mannered, he attended social gatherings only when etiquette demanded it, disappearing almost as soon as he arrived. His elusive nature only added to his mystique, causing rumors and admiration to spread even further among the aristocracy.
After inheriting the title of Baron, Cale was granted his own estate. There, he lived a peaceful life with his trusted butler, his loyal valet, and a modest household staff.
Unlike many transmigrators who struggled to adapt to aristocratic society, Cale never found noble life unfamiliar.
After all, he had already spent eighteen years as the heir to Henituse County in his previous life. The customs, etiquette, and political maneuvering of Loen's nobility felt almost identical to what he had already experienced.
To him, it was simply another noble household with different names and different faces.
Even so, one regret lingered in his heart.
He had never truly known his mother in this life.
She had passed away only moments after bringing him into the world, leaving behind nothing but a single portrait hanging quietly upon the manor wall.
Sometimes, without realizing it, Cale would stand before that painting for half an hour at a time.
Whenever he gazed upon her gentle smile, he couldn't help but remember the mother from his previous life and the warmth she had once shown him.
It was a quiet habit he never spoke of.
A silent remembrance of two mothers he had loved, yet never truly had the chance to know.
….
Cale knew this world was far more dangerous than it appeared.
Beneath the prosperity of Backlund lurked Beyonders, secret organizations, evil deities, and countless horrors that ordinary people would never know existed.
He had heard enough to understand just how terrifying this world truly was.
That was precisely why he wanted nothing to do with it.
At twenty-six years old, combined with the forty years he had lived in his previous life, Cale considered himself old enough to be carrying grandchildren.
Why would he willingly involve himself in dangerous supernatural affairs when he could simply enjoy a peaceful retirement?
Being a Baron already kept him busy enough.
As far as he was concerned, he had absolutely no intention of crossing that invisible line.
Unfortunately...
Fate had other plans.
One rainy afternoon, Cale was strolling through the streets of the capital to buy a few books when he noticed a young man lying unconscious in a narrow alley.
His body was covered in dirt and wounds, while a tattered black cloak barely concealed his battered figure.
At first, Cale intended to walk away.
He had no desire to get involved in whatever trouble the young man had brought upon himself.
But...
He wasn't a cruel person.
With a resigned sigh, Cale walked over and rescued the gravely wounded stranger, who appeared to be no older than twenty.
"You'd better pay me back for this someday..."
He muttered under his breath before instructing his butler to carry the young man back to the estate.
Of course, he first had to spend several minutes arguing with his ever-vigilant valet.
After repeatedly assuring Felix that he was simply helping someone in need and had no intention of getting involved in anything troublesome, his valet finally relented.
Absolutely not because this fellow reminded him of his beloved commander, Choi Han.
Definitely not.
He was helping him out of pure kindness. That was all.
...
After bringing the young man back to the estate, Cale paid for his treatment and offered him a place to stay until he recovered.
He had originally planned to let the young man remain for a week or two, at least until he found a job elsewhere.
Instead...
The moment he regained consciousness, the young man asked to work at Cale's estate. Cale was ready to refuse immediately. Then he looked into those dull, lifeless eyes.
For some reason...He hesitated.
"Please, Lord Cale."
The young man suddenly dropped to one knee.
"I'll do anything. I can serve as your servant, your bodyguard, your stable hand... anything. Please allow me to stay."
Cale nearly choked on his afternoon tea.
Those eyes...Those same empty eyes that kept reminding him of Choi Han...
Were now filled with desperate sincerity. Speechless, Cale looked toward Felix, silently asking for his opinion.
Unfortunately, the valet who had spent the past few days looking after the young man deliberately looked away, pretending not to notice his master's pleading gaze.
"...Traitor."
Cale silently cursed him. He let out an exasperated laugh before rubbing his temples. Finally, he looked back at the young man, who was still kneeling on the floor.
"...Sit on the sofa first. You make it look as though I'm some heartless lord."
"Yes!"
The young man immediately scrambled to his feet and hurried onto the sofa. He sat perfectly upright, staring at Cale with hopeful eyes. Those once lifeless eyes now shone with unmistakable anticipation.
Cale felt goosebumps rise along his arms beneath that fanatical gaze.
"...Lunatic."
He muttered under his breath before clearing his throat.
"I can offer you a position here."
He paused. looking at the handsome face in front of him.
"But... aren't you worried about your family?"
The young man's expression didn't change. he still exclude that hunting dog aura.
"I don't have one."
"..."
The atmosphere instantly became awkward. Cale coughed lightly.
"...My condolences."
Another silence followed.
"Ahem... Anyway. You want to work here.I can arrange that. How about becoming my assistant butler? Well... after my head butler approves of you, of course."
"Certainly."
The young man answered without the slightest hesitation.
"So confident?"
Cale raised an eyebrow in amusement.
Is this kid really that eager to get beaten up?
"I'm confident I can hold my own against your butler, Lord Cale."
The young man spoke calmly as he glanced toward a shadowed corner of the room.
"Oh?"
The corner of Cale's lips curled upward.
He turned to Felix.
"Prepare the training grounds."
Cale had long known that his personal butler was hiding nearby.
She had been assigned to him by his father after a lengthy discussion, and despite his initial reluctance, Cale couldn't deny that she was exceptionally capable.
His butler...Was a woman.
A woman no one should ever underestimate.
Even with her elegant appearance and delicate beauty, Cale could always sense an overwhelming aura hidden beneath her calm exterior.
She was nothing like the refined noblewoman she appeared to be.
His personal butler was named Erlina. Cale knew nothing about her background. All he knew was that she was exceptionally beautiful, with delicate features and sharp eyes. She carried herself with a cold, aloof demeanor that naturally kept others at a distance. If his mental age weren't already approaching fifty, Cale admitted he might have fallen for her. As things stood, however, he simply regarded her as another one of his cabbages.
Erlina remained hidden in the shadows at all times and rarely appeared unless Cale was in danger. She could wield both fire and ice, cast curse spells, and possessed agility far beyond that of an ordinary human. She even carried a magic wand, which had piqued Cale's curiosity for a while before his father finally explained it to him. According to the Earl, Erlina had once been an assassin who retired for reasons unknown and had served the Hall Family faithfully ever since. As long as she remained loyal, Cale saw no reason to question her past.
Now that someone had challenged his butler, Cale had no reason to refuse. Instead, he simply agreed and went to watch the match at the estate's training grounds.
No one had expected the young man to fight so ruthlessly. He held nothing back, even knowing his opponent was a woman. To make matters worse, the provoking smile on his face somehow made Cale want to punch him.
How does someone's face become so punchable?
Cale stared at him in confusion. Is he an Extraordinary too?
After a moment's thought, Cale quietly instructed Felix to update the information they had gathered on the young man before turning his full attention back to the duel.
Every strike the young man launched was aimed precisely at Erlina's vital points. He fought like a hunter who had already locked onto his prey. Meanwhile, Erlina remained calm, retreating and defending before counterattacking with swift, deadly precision befitting a professional assassin.
As the fight continued, the two of them exchanged a few words that Cale couldn't hear. He only noticed Erlina's expression gradually becoming tense before she suddenly attacked with genuine killing intent. Cale frowned in confusion. He had no idea what they had said to each other, but the spar had somehow turned into a life-and-death battle, something he had never intended.
"I only agreed to a spar. What is this?"
Cale rose from his seat with a frown and glanced at Felix. His valet had already understood his master's intentions and stepped forward without hesitation. Raising one hand, a majestic aura erupted from his body as his voice echoed across the training grounds, overpowering the clash of blades.
"Imprison."
Cale recognized the word immediately.
It was Hermes.
He slowly turned to look at Felix with a thoughtful expression.
...Was my valet an Extraordinary too?
Why are all the people around me so dangerous? ( ,,⩌'︿'⩌ꐦ,,)
Am I the only normal person here? (ᵕ—_—)
Forget it.
For now, calming those two hot-blooded lunatics was more important.
And that was how Cale ended up with yet another dangerous person by his side.
Even then, he still couldn't understand why Erlina and Cain had fought each other with such murderous intent.
Yes.
The young man's name was Cain.
Cain always seemed awkward whenever someone treated him kindly, but little by little, he began to open up. Over time, the quiet young man became part of the household. Though Cale never admitted it aloud, he had gradually come to think of Cain as another one of his cabbages.
He thought life could continue peacefully like this.
Then, everything changed.
One day, a group of assassins targeted Cale. Before he could even react, Cain threw himself between Cale and the attackers, sacrificing his own life to protect him.
Warm blood splashed across Cale's face as the young man collapsed into his arms.
"...Heh... Look, Erlina... I'm the one who finally got to hug Lord Cale... Ugh... cough... hehe..."
Cain muttered between painful groans. Unconsciously, he tightened his arms around Cale, pressing himself against his lord's chest. His ragged breaths fell against Cale's shoulder. Looking up, he saw the shock frozen on Cale's face and the unmistakable terror in his eyes.
Cain slowly reached up with a trembling hand and gently wiped the blood from Cale's face. Looking at him so pitifully, he spoke in a soft, apologetic voice.
"...I'm sorry, my lord... for dirtying your face with my blood..."
"Shut... up..."
Cale finally snapped out of his daze and frowned. Looking down at the dying young man in his arms, there was nothing he could do except bite the inside of his cheek hard enough to taste blood. His breathing quickened as he pulled Cain closer, quietly whispering words of comfort while staying by his side until his final breath. No one could tell whether the droplets that slid from Cale's face onto Cain's were rain... or tears.
That was his child.
The child he had saved.
The child whose empty, lifeless eyes had slowly regained their light after months of living beneath his roof.
How could someone kill him...
Right in front of him?
After gently laying Cain's body on the ground, Cale made the sign of the Goddess over his chest and offered a quiet prayer.
"May the Goddess grant your soul a peaceful dream."
For the first time in decades, Cale completely lost control.
Consumed by overwhelming rage, he went berserk.
He barely remembered what happened afterward. By the time he regained his senses, the murderer was already dead, killed by Cale's own hands through a coincidence he couldn't begin to explain.
Standing amidst the bloodshed, his gaze fell upon a strange object his adopted son had left behind.
He recognized it immediately.
Although he wasn't a Beyonder himself, he had learned enough about mysticism to identify it.
A crimson sphere floated silently in the air.
A Beyonder characteristic.
Without a word, Cale picked it up before turning toward his butler, who had just arrived.
He silently handed the Beyonder characteristic to Erlina.
She seemed to understand his intentions immediately. Taking it from him, she carefully sealed it inside a small box before respectfully returning it to Cale, who accepted it without a word.
His clothes were soaked in blood from head to toe.
It wasn't the first time he had been drenched in blood.
Even so...
It was still disgusting.
"Clean this place up," he said calmly, though his voice carried a chilling coldness. "Do whatever you have to do. I don't want any Church Beyonders involved."
His butler bowed without hesitation.
"It will be done, my lord."
Only after everything had been taken care of did Cale learn the truth.
His adopted son had been a Beyonder of the Hunter Pathway.
Sequence 7, Arsonist.
He also finally learned about Erlina's Pathway.
She belonged to the Assassin Pathway.
Sequence 7, Witch.
As for his valet...
He belonged to the Arbiter Pathway.
Sequence 6, Judge.
After learning that, Cale simply stared at Felix for more than thirty minutes.
He couldn't help but wonder how someone who was practically a walking powerhouse had somehow ended up working as his valet.
Fortunately, neither of them was a Demigod. Otherwise, Cale would have started questioning every life decision he had ever made.
Seriously.
A mere Baron had one Low Sequence Beyonder and another Mid Sequence Beyonder serving under him?
Who would believe something like that?
Most Barons were fortunate enough to have an ordinary bodyguard, and even the strongest among them would usually be no higher than Sequence 9.
The Hall Family really was absurdly rich. (ᴗ_ ᴗ。)
That revelation marked the end of the peaceful life Cale had worked so hard to preserve.
He would undoubtedly regret becoming involved with the Beyonder world someday.
That was a problem for his future self.
For now, all he wanted was to preserve the final legacy his adopted son had left behind.
Whenever he looked at the crimson Beyonder characteristic resting in his hands, he remembered the young man's dull eyes slowly lighting up whenever food was placed before him.
The sight reminded Cale far too much of the person he used to be.
In the end, he decided to have it forged into a Sealed Artifact.
The Beyonder characteristic eventually became a ring capable of manifesting a flaming whip. However, it also carried a side effect. Anyone who used it would become emotionally unstable for the next twenty minutes.
"...Was Cain secretly mentally ill or something?"
Cale muttered in disbelief as he looked at the ring resting inside its velvet box before placing it among his personal collection.
Hidden within the shadows, Erlina couldn't help but curl her lips into a faint smile.
Her master was certainly... an interesting person.
Over the following months, Cale also developed the habit of taking in stray cats and dogs. Before long, his estate became home to countless animals that had nowhere else to go.
His butler, meanwhile, remained as quiet and mysterious as ever.
Cale had long suspected that Erlina knew far more than she ever let on, but until now, he had never cared enough to ask.
This time was different.
After a long silence, Cale finally looked toward his butler.
"Do you know where I can find a Beyonder gathering?"
Erlina studied him quietly before answering.
"My lord... I don't believe that is a wise decision."
"I know."
"Once you step into that world, there will be no turning back."
"I know."
Silence filled the room once again.
At last, Erlina let out a quiet sigh and lowered her head. Her long purple hair fell forward, partially concealing her beautiful blue eyes.
"...Very well."
"I'll take you there."
And so, with that single decision, Baron Cale Hall unknowingly stepped onto the path he had spent more than twenty years trying to avoid, a path that would draw him deeper and deeper into the hidden world of Beyonders.
It was, in a way, a perfectly reasonable development.
A man who wished to avenge his adopted son would never remain a mere bystander forever.
Far away, standing in the shadow of a nearby building, a man dressed in a priest's robes slowly closed his eyes.
A gentle breeze stirred his shoulder-length blond hair, while a serene smile rested upon his face.
A silver cross hung quietly against his chest.