Cale and Beacrox walked with hurried steps towards Choi Han's guest room, and also where Ron was now.
On the way Beacrox explains as briefly as possible what had happened to the obviously worried redhead.
"Everything was fine until 20 minutes ago, but then while he was explaining some things to Choi Han he fell unconscious, he didn't hit the ground because Choi Han caught him, but he was cold and pale looking weak."
Very weak, which made Beacrox very scared, he had only seen his father like this during the fall of the Molans and Cale's death.
In addition to the fact that they had just returned to the past, even though the God of death said that it would have no side effects on their bodies, Beacrox could not help but suspect, could the return in time have any harm to his father? If so, what would they do?
Beacrox exuded concern in a way that Cale had never seen even though he had known the man since he was born, it made the redhead break out in a cold sweat.
He knew there was something strange about that old man since yesterday, from the strange way the man acted to the man's distracted manner, sometimes seeming oblivious to reality, Ron was never distracted.
Cale told him to rest, the old man denied it, and the only thing on Cale's mind now is that he should have ordered the man some time off, made him accept it no matter what, and maybe something like this wasn't happening
"So we took him to Choi Han's room to lie down in a more comfortable place, and then I came to you."
Going to Cale was the best option for Choi Han and Beacrox, as Cale always knew how to deal with even the most difficult situations.
The redhead had no idea why they went after him instead of the count or the countess themselves, who were responsible women.
*Maybe Choi Han made Beacrox come to me because I'm his boss and Choi Han has already demonstrated that he doesn't want anything to do with my father, maybe he thinks I'm Ron and Beacrox's boss too, but.."
"Beacrox, have you called a doctor yet?"
If Ron was sick, Cale would pay whatever it took to cure him, if it was tiredness, Ron could take the time off he needed, no matter how long, if it was anything else Cale would deal with to make Ron better, but to find out what that the butler has they would need a doctor.
Another worry crossed Cale's mind.
*Is there a doctor on the property now?*
Cale had no idea, normally it is necessary to call doctors to the estate but some nobles had personal doctors.
Cale hoped that this was the case for his family.
"No, but we asked Hans to see if there is a doctor on the property and if not, to call one."
So Hans was there too, that's good, Hans is responsible for watching Cale wherever he goes, so he can go talk to the Count anytime if it's something 'important.', that was good, if Hans was smart, he could use this as an excuse to demand to see the earl.
Hans also had no idea that Cale knew they were watching him and that this helped Cale in a way.
"It's okay, it's going to be okay."
Cale's attempt to calm Beacrox who was visually worried seemed more like an attempt to calm himself.
And after that, silence reigned between the two young adults, each trapped in their own thoughts.
But the closer they got, the more Cale felt a sense of family.
So when they both arrived at Ron's room, and Beacrox opened the door, the feeling filled Cale, he knew it.
Death.
It was the feeling when Cale went to the church of death with his mother once, it was the feeling Cale felt every time he started getting too close to someone.
Guilt crept up Cale's spine.
*Was this my fault?*
Cale had relaxed more around Ron since Ron started to feel lighter around Cale, too, there was something wrong with that.
*Was it my fault? Whatever was wrong with me could have affected him*
But before Cale could begin to brood, a familiar hand on his shoulder brought him back to reality.
"Young master?"
Beacrox was still standing in front of Cale since he opened the door, not leaving Red's side.
Another voice was present in the room.
"I'm glad you're here Cale-Nim."
"Hello Choi Han, it seems like you've been dealing with problems soon after arriving here."
"Everything is fine."
He wasn't, Choi Han's voice sounded strange, nervous to be specific, so Cale remembered that Choi Han already knew Ron and that he must have been shaken too, but Cale didn't have the courage to look at his future knight, just staring at the butler unconscious on the bed since coming out of his own thoughts.
Ron actually looked sick lying there, his skin pale, his lips turning blue as if the man had jumped into a pool in the cold, and looking limp.
Very different from the scary old man who seemed to see everything as fun and entertainment that Cale had seen in the morning.
Cale walked a few more steps into the room, a shiver running up his spine at the damn uncomfortable sensation that not even Cale could correctly say what it was, even if it felt like death.
Now the redhead was next to the bed, looking at the unconscious man, he put his hand to Ron's forehead to see if there was any sign of a fever or even the flu, but no, the man was cold, not as cold as a corpse would be. ,but cold, the only proof that that man was alive is his constant breathing.
It looked like the man had just decided to take a nap.
"I tested everything that could indicate a fever or flu, but it wasn't one of those, young master."
The redhead sighed, he didn't know whether to be happy that the butler didn't have any of the things listed by Beacrox, or worried that they didn't have any hint of a diagnosis.
"Choi Han."
"Yes?"
"How was Ron before he passed out?"
Choi Han thought for a moment before responding.
"He seemed fine before, just a little strange a few seconds before he passed out."
"Strange how?"
It was Beacrox's turn to ask.
"Dizzy, he got a little dizzy before falling unconscious, I noticed it because he grabbed the handle of the chair next to him a little, I hadn't suspected it because I thought he had just been irritated by what I said, but apparently I was wrong."
Choi Han looked back at the unconscious killer, there was something strange about that situation, something familiar, Choi Han just couldn't remember what.
"Maybe his blood pressure has dropped, is he eating well?"
Cale's question was now directed at Beacrox.
"Yes, I make all my father's meals, and he eats in my kitchen too, I would know if he skipped a meal."
The redhead nodded in response to Beacrox and the room fell silent again.
Beacrox had his hand holding his father's hand while Cale removed the hand that was resting on the butler's forehead a few seconds ago.
Cale sat in the chair next to Ron's bed, a dark expression of concern growing on the redhead's face.
A few minutes later, the familiar voice of the orange butler arrived in the room.
Bowing as quickly as possible to Cale, Hans began to speak.
"I'm glad you're here young master, I've already requested a doctor and he'll be here in 20 minutes."
After the orange-redhead spoke, Beacrox seemed to become less tense and Choi Han let out an auditory sigh.
Cale didn't change his expression and continued to sit on the chair staring at the butler before speaking again.
"Choi Han, do me a favor, let my sister know that I won't be able to attend the rest of her training."
"No need, I'll go, Choi Han can stay here..."
Before Hans finished speaking, he was cut off by Cale's angry voice.
"I wasn't talking to you, keep quiet, the orders weren't for you."
"Oh, right."
Beacrox looked at Cale immediately, he remembered what the God of Death said, so Cale would still be arrogant in their eyes, even though the redhead was right, it had been a while since the men in the room had seen Cale acting like this, so left a discomfort in everyone's throat.
“Alright young master.”
"I'll go then, excuse me."
Choi Han left and Cale went back to talking to Hans.
"You will wait for the doctor, only come back when he is here."
Hans waved and left the room heading towards the entrance of the house.
Now only Beacrox, Cale and Ron remained, who was unconscious in the room.
"The doctor will be here soon, your father will be fine, and he won't be working for a while."
"Yes, it will be fine young master, do you want me to bring you something to eat or drink since you seem to want to stay here?"
"No, stay here with your father, if I want something I can call another servant"
"Right."
And silence fell again in the room, but now a little more comfortable than before.
∆∆∆
Alberu Pov***
The last thing I remember was falling onto my desk unconscious.
And now here I find myself, in a domain I already know and with people I already know too.
Ron, Cage and Eruhaben.
Besides myself, of course.
I go to the familiar butler who looked confused as he looked around.
"Ron."
“Ho, your highness is here too.”
My typical smile is already plastered on my face, and so is the man's scary smile.
"Yes, we are in the domain of the God of Death again, could it be that he forgot something?"
"I guess we'll just have to wait and see."
The golden dragon butts into the conversation.
"So Ron, how is Cale."
"He hasn't changed much, just back to his alcoholic ways and a little rougher, but fine."
"That's good, I have to find a way to get to him faster, I don't want to mess up the timeline too much, but I also don't want to wait."
"You guys woke up."
The already familiar deep voice of the God was present, without any warning, making me startle.
"what do we do here again?"
Cage asks without a hint of etiquette.
"Ehhh, I forgot to tell you a few things."
The God seemed embarrassed, making me curious.
Aren't gods supposed to be omnipotent and superior? especially the God of death.
"Okay, what would it be?"
The old butler was the one who asked this time.
"Just some information that could be important, Mary and Fredo will have flashbacks to their past life, but they won't remember it completely, if they ask you the decision is up to you."
"Fredo, isn't it the Duke who became King there of the White Star Kingdom, the one who had Cale as his "son"?"
The dragon asks being answered by the butler.
"Yes Eruhaben-Nim."
"And Mary is the Necromancer created by my aunt."
"One more thing, there's a high chance of this happening to Cale too, maybe it's already happening, but it's very difficult for him to notice or even understand, but if he asks, the decision to tell is yours again."
"We will not."
I raise my eyebrows in doubt.
"Why Eruhaben-Nim? Wouldn't it be good for Cale to also know about the future."
A frown formed on the dragon's face as he looked obviously displeased.
"Do you really think that if Cale knew that we abandoned his effort to defeat White Star to go back to the past, he would be happy? Or even if he knew that stabbing himself in the heart was a way to save people he wouldn't do it without thinking twice times at the first opportunity?"
The people in the domain are silent after the golden dragon speaks.
What Eruhaben was saying is not a lie, Cale would deny it, but if he knew that he needed to sacrifice himself for the good of those he loves he wouldn't think twice before doing it.
Throwing any remnants of our efforts to save him out the window.
“Yes, it’s better not to say anything to the young master”
The butler said with his expression now neutral, different from the one I usually see when the man is next to Cale.
"I'm going to send you back, just a warning, some of you are not used to my dominance, your body may be exhausted on the way back."
I heard Cage laugh in a very auditory way after the God's speech.
"Yes yes, I know that very well."
The woman's expression was one of nostalgia, I could only feel sorry.
Having to deal with this so many times until you get used to it must be fucking annoying
"And don't forget, White Star is alive again, Goodbye."
Everything went dark again and then I opened my eyes in my office.
I could hear my aunt's worried voice as my body was being rocked.
"Alberu, alberu, shit."
"Hi Aunt."
My voice was weak, I could understand what the God of death meant by exhaustion.
My body felt heavy and so did my eyes.
"Did you work harder than you can again? Or will I need to call a doctor?"
"The first option, I think I'll go to my room for a bit."
"Of course, get some sleep, I'll accompany you."
"Right."
Tasha took me to my room while I only had a single thought in my head.
Cale is going to have a heart attack with that butler passing out from exhaustion, he's going to be out of work for a while.
Good luck to him.
∆∆∆
Storyteller.
Exactly 20 minutes later the doctor appeared in the room accompanied by Hans.
The man greeted Cale and went straight to the unconscious man on the bed.
"Do you need anything doctor?"
"I don't need to, young master, just tell me how this man was before he passed out, please."
"Clear."
The redhead began to explain to the doctor everything that Choi Han had said previously and in the meantime the doctor just nodded his head.
Beacrox was standing silently in the corner of the room in thought, he had no way of telling the two men in the room about going back in time.
So he decided to create a similar story.
"Yesterday was the anniversary of the death of one of our relatives, it shook my father a little, do you think there could be something wrong?"
Cale looked at Beacrox with an expression that the cook couldn't recognize and then lowered his head, looking thoughtful.
The atmosphere in the room became a little tense but not enough to become suffocating.
And then the doctor spoke again.
"It could be that emotional damage could end up affecting physical health, but from what I'm seeing, that's not entirely true."
Cale raised his head and looked directly at the doctor, using a demanding tone of voice he asked.
"So what is it?"
"It looks like fatigue to me, exhaustion to be exact."
The doctor shivered when he felt the atmosphere in the room getting colder and the redhead looking displeased right next to him.
*Damn you, isn't this man just a damn butler?"
"Only that?"
The cook leaning against the wall asked, looking as displeased as the nobleman next to the doctor.
"Yes, but there is something strange."
"Say it all at once man."
"Well, when I got here the fatigue wasn't very noticeable, so I considered doing other tests, but the more I did it seemed like the man became more exhausted, as if he got worse while he was unconscious, and this unconscious time was supposed to it improves a little."
"Are you saying Ron's been getting worse since he fell unconscious? How?"
"I don't know that, young master."
The redhead swallowed hard and looked back at the unconscious butler.
*What the fuck do you have in Ron.*
Noticing the redhead's heavy silence, Beacrox spoke to the doctor again.
"Anything we can do?"
"Well, letting this man rest for at least a week would be good, plus while he's unconscious a cool place like this room is fine.
If his condition worsens, call me immediately."
"Do you know when he will wake up doctor?"
About 20 to 40 minutes."
"Okay, thank you very much doctor."
Cale was still staring at the unconscious butler when he asked the doctor.
The doctor bowed and said goodbye to Cale then left through the door, being accompanied again by Hans.
As soon as the man left the room, the redhead let out an auditory sigh and sat down on the chair next to the bed again.
"I told him to take some time off, this man doesn't listen."
Beacrox looked at Cale with understanding, he knew how stubborn his father could be, ignoring his own health at times, just like Cale.
*I think Cale got it from my dad, feel sorry for me.*
"Don't worry, young master, my father will be fine.
"I know."
After that, none of the young adults spoke again, remaining in a comfortable silence with each other's company.
Both waiting for the butler to wake up.
∆∆∆
The God of Death was right, Ron woke up feeling exhausted.
The first thing the butler noticed was that he was lying on a very comfortable bed and obviously from a guest room, the second was his son sleeping on a chair in the corner of the room and the third was his young master sleeping next to him in a chair on the opposite side to Beacrox.
*It seems like I really worried them.*
The butler tried to get up from the bed, making a noise as he became a little dizzy, not being used to going to the domain of the God of death so many times while being a living soul was really complicated.
Cale shifted in the chair he was sleeping in and frowned at the discomfort of sleeping on a wooden chair.
The Young Master pressed his eyes shut before opening them a little.
"Good afternoon young master."
"Ron… you're awake."
"Yes I'm sorry for causing concern."
Cale's face quickly turned into a frown after the butler's speech.
"I told you to take some time off, then you'd rather pass out, make me call a doctor so he can come here and say that you passed out from exhaustion!."
Ron put his signature smile on his face making Cale's frown worse.
"I'm sorry Young Master, I didn't know this would happen."
Cale grumbled and crossed his arm, throwing himself back in the chair with a more sloppy posture than usual, relaxing a little after the man sitting on the bed acted in his usual manner.
"Of course you didn't know, do you happen to have something called self care old man?"
Ron wanted to laugh after hearing this from Cale, the least caring person the butler knows.
"Yes, I do, young master, it really was something that appeared by surprise."
"Humm,anyway you're off from today, for a week you're banned from working."
The butler's face darkened but Cale didn't let that faze him.
"I don't think that's necessary young master."
"I don't care, you won't work for a week, doctor's recommendations, and don't argue I can increase it to a month any minute."
Ron felt like a child being grounded, which obviously didn't please him, but he didn't say anything else.
But soon they both heard a grumble and Beacrox's voice came from the other side of the room.
“I agree with young master father, it would be good for you to take some time off.”
Cale's face lit up at Beacrox and Ron felt betrayed by the children he himself raised.
"Okay, I guess I'm off you from now on."
With a wave Cale got up from the chair he was sitting in, stretched and called Beacrox.
"Go make your father something to eat."
Beacrox bowed to Cale and left the room to do as he was asked.
"Young master."
Before Cale could leave the room with Beacrox, Ron called him again.
"Say Ron."
"Can I spend my day off at the property?"
"Do as you wish, but if I see you doing any work while you are off work you will leave the property and take another month off."
Cale knew that Ron didn't want to stay away from the property even though the redhead didn't know why, so he used it as a threat to the butler who had previously passed out from exhaustion.
Cale was also forcing his mind to forget the uncomfortable familiar feeling he felt when he arrived at the room and also the strange case of Ron becoming more exhausted while unconscious.
Cale was afraid of discovering things he didn't want to discover if he actually discovered something.
“Thank you very much Young master.”
After the butler's speech Cale left the room towards the kitchen, the redhead really needed a drink at that moment.
∆∆∆
Cale doesn't like this.
"Yesterday was the anniversary of the death of one of our relatives, it shook my father a little, do you think there might be something to it."
Yesterday, the day he was woken up with a tight hug, yesterday when he was woken up with a distressing look of longing.
Yesterday the day he was woken up by a man looking at him and seeing possibly someone else.
The redhead's mind left that room in anguish, thinking about yesterday's morning events and Ron's slip-up today. Cale didn't want to be close to the butler for a while.
After all, Cale only knows one deceased person who would shake the butler like that.
The butler's deceased wife.
He only heard Ron talk about that woman a few times.
What Cale knew was that she was a strong, confident, and more lively woman than Ron.
And a few other things, but few, Ron barely spoke about his late wife, to the point that Cale didn't even know the woman's name.
But Cale was once described in a similar way by Ron.
Adding only the stubborn and interesting (Cale didn't know why Ron found him interesting, he wasn't.)
Putting the pieces together, putting them to the way Ron looked at him all day, or how Beacrox himself was acting.
Cale only came up with one answer.
He was being a cruel reminder of someone dead again.
Cale didn't want this, he didn't want to go through this again, to be nothing more than a memory of someone dead, to bring the anguish of remembering someone dead.
Cale didn't want to be seen like this, not again (not by someone like Ron) He couldn't take it.
The man taking a week off, spending that break with his son could change his point of view, taking Cale out of his sight would perhaps alleviate this for both of them.
The redhead's heart sank in his chest (Ron didn't hug him out of affection, and it affected him, no matter how much the redhead denied it)
He wanted a drink, he couldn't get drunk, but it could lighten his mood at least a little.
He walked to the nearest kitchen, when he got there the kitchen door was closed, rare for a kitchen as the cooks preferred to leave it open so the place didn't get too hot.
Cale had gone to the nearest kitchen, he didn't know whose kitchen it was until a familiar voice reached his ear.
"How is your father?"
"Not very well, but he's not that bad."
"Did that affect him?"
"That's what I'm going to ask him, but possibly yes,"
Choi Han and Beacrox.
Both were talking calmly.
Cale stopped a little near the door, prepared to turn around and go to another kitchen to get wine when the place that was brightened by a calm conversation between the two inside became completely silent.
The door opened and Cale was startled by the sudden way it was opened.
"Cale-Nim,I'm glad you're here."
Choi Han opened the door, a smile from ear to ear taking over his face again, such sincere joy at seeing Cale that it left Cale himself scared.
Cale could only sigh in response to Choi Han's joy.
"I came to get some wine, Beacrox."
“do you want me to get it for you or would you prefer to come in Young master?”
"I came to look for it myself, what do you think?"
"Please come in!"
Cale entered the kitchen and went towards the cupboards where he remembered well where the alcohol was kept, or rather, the wine.
Taking a bottle Cale quickly put a good amount in the glass and leaned it against the kitchen counter, looking back Cale caught Beacrox and Choi Han staring at him.
"Beacrox, your father hasn't been working for a week, but he insisted on staying here, if he tries to return to work early I demand that you let me know, his time off will be increased."
Beacrox nods, doesn't respond orally and then shares a quick look with Choi Han, who seems to understand something that Cale missed.
Is weird.
"My condolences to your deceased relative Beacrox."
Surprise quickly passes through the brown-haired man's eyes, quickly being replaced by a melancholy disguised by the cook's cold gaze, but it doesn't go unnoticed by the red-haired man.
Choi Han next to the cook shrinks an aura similar to the one Cale felt in their first meeting surrounds the man
*So he knows the deceased too*
The redhead is curious about how long those two have known each other, but doesn't ask, the only thing Cale knows is that the two understand each other well and seem to enjoy sharing glances.
"And you Choi Han, get ready, I'm going to talk to my father today, you're supposed to take your test this week."
The aura around Choi Han disappears and is quickly replaced by a happy one.
Cale couldn't help but think again.
*Bipolar bastard*
Beacrox looks at the swordsman with furrowed eyebrows, he and the redhead sharing the same thought.
"Thanks Cale-Nim, I'm looking forward to it."
The kitchen falls silent again, Beacrox leaving to take Ron the food and dragging Choi Han along.
Cale is alone there, in the kitchen he hasn't been in for years.
He sits where Choi Han was previously, a melancholy nostalgia possessing his being.
Cale hadn't noticed that something as familiar from his childhood as Beacrox's kitchen was left behind when Cale had his childhood ripped away from him.
Cale barely noticed when Beacrox became a stranger to him, and they didn't speak properly for years.
He spent hours here, having only Beacrox for company during his childhood.
They were sweet moments.
"When did I lose this?"
Cale takes the glass to his mouth again, the sweet taste of the wine being unable to distract him from the melancholy that had taken over him at that moment (it took over him years ago)
In the end Cale knew the answer to his question.
It was when he had abandoned everything, when everything had abandoned him.
Cale sat there alone for longer than he intended, even when the wine was gone.
∆∆∆
I think it's the second shortest chapter but I hope you like it.
It was a really filler chapter.
I'll try to improve it too.
Please vote and comment.
꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖♡
Chapter not revised.
Let me know any errors.