The Place Where I Belong

Chapter 56

Previously...
Cale hopped in the carriage where the blue haired siblings were waiting for him. Both of them stare at him until one of them talks.

"I apologize for tagging along. We will do our best to pay you in return." The blue haired man said.

Cale just waved it off and said, "No need. I'm just doing what papa asked me to do."

-

They arrived at the village with a group of people welcoming them. Cale was shocked to see the village chief is also waiting for them and has her son supporting her from standing.

"I feel bad letting you step out and greet me, Chief." Cale sincerely said as he held the hands of the old chief village.

"Don't worry about me, young master Cale. I can still greet thousands of people."

"It would make me even more worried if you do." Cale smiles brightly as he returns the bright greetings of the chief village.

"Haha. Kids nowadays think of us as weak elders."

But his smile soon twitched as he heard that from the chief.
"I wouldn't dare, the elders I know would kick my ass whenever they get a chance for it."

"Haha! Let's go inside, young master, I'm sure you and your companions are starving."

Soon that day, they spent their first day resting, they didn't notice the disappearance of the young master and his companion.

"Paseton, Witira, we are here." Cale's eyes remained in the black swamp that he once saw when he strolled around the forest of darkness. "Be careful, it's poison to us."

The two whales pay attention to his warning but then a single movement makes them jump and alert even more. Cale didn't even know what they were doing as he was still looking at the swamp. The two wait for the creature to show itself, expecting a big monster but see a red cat instead.

The whales still have their guard up not until the cat talks.
"Cale-hyung?"
The cat is from the beast tribe.

Cale turned and saw Hong in his cat form and knelt down when Hong came running to him.
"Hong? What are you doing here?"

"Hehe. I came to eat."

Witira is dumbfounded while Paseton has his head tilted as he thinks of what he meant.

"Alone?"

"No. I'm with my grand-uncle."

They heard another movement in the place Hong came out.
"You kid! I told you to slow down, didn't I?"

It's Rasheel.

"Ah, you're here?" Rasheel mumbled with annoyance but still walked towards Cale.

Cale briefly introduced them to the two whales before they started focusing on what was ahead.

"There is the scent of dragon mana in the swamp." Rasheel said, breaking the silence.

Cale urgently looked toward the black swamp. This extremely vast swamp was massive, but Cale was thinking about the size of an adult or ancient dragon.

"Of course, there is no sign of life in the mana. It is just a very weak trace."

These words were the final blow. The unbelievable thought in Cale's head quickly became the reality. He then also felt like he knew how the mermaids got stronger.

There was a dragon corpse inside the swamp.

'A pool of dead mana is dangerous.'

The mermaids were probably able to absorb the dead mana because they were dark creatures. However, it was just a dangerous poison to natural creatures like the Whales or humans.

There was no reason to keep something around that was helpful to the enemy while dangerous to himself.

There was also a new benefit in front of his eyes.

"How are you not shocked, grand uncle?"

"Your father already mentioned this before."

Even if it was a mummified corpse, the dragon's bones were still present. Furthermore, there was also the ancient power that he was sure his father already got.

"Yes. We will make another deal."

"What does that have to do with dealing with this situation?"

Witira subconsciously caressed her whip again. An unexpected sense of anticipation filled her heart, and Cale fulfilled that anticipation completely.

"I will take care of it for you."

He answered nonchalantly as he always did. However, he looked extremely serious. Witira opened and closed her mouth a few times before asking.

"How?"

Witira could see the excitement in Cale's eyes. She had never seen such a look in Cale's eyes before.

Cale pointed to the swamp and gave a short answer.
"I'll just destroy it."

"...What?" Witira looked at the black swamp. The very large black swamp. What did he say he was going to do to this? She was staring blankly at the swamp when Cale started to speak again.

"No need to overthink it."

She looked back at Cale. He still had a smile on his face and seemed to be very excited.

"I will get rid of it for you, so make a deal with me."

Cale was thinking about what he was about to do. This was the Forest of Darkness, somewhere where nothing would seem weird. It was a place where he could claim anything that happened to be an accident and feign ignorance. Moreover, making it an additional deal would be a good news to report to his foster father.

"Young master Cale."

It was a deal that Witira could not reject.

"Let's make a deal."

Cale and Witira decided to make a second deal.

"But there isn't anything I need right now."

"Please let me know whenever a condition you like shows up. I will accept it as long as it is something reasonable for both parties. This is a promise I, Witira, make with my name on the line, so you do not need to worry."

Cale casually nodded his head at her words. It was fine if she did not do anything for him. The Dragon's bones and the dead mana were enough of a reason to give it a try.

"By the way, anything coming out of the swamp belongs to me."

"...Sure."

Time passes while they are still in the forest of darkness, Rasheel approaches Cale who is busy hiding the bottles of dead mana.

"What's that for? It's no use for you."

"It's not for me. I'm thinking of who I should sell this for."

"Who do you think?" Rasheel looks at him weirdly, under the presumption of using it for killing but that thought was erased as Cale answered his question.

"The dark elves. I'll look for them."

Rasheel didn't even notice that he was holding his breath and only calmed down when he was answered.

"Give me that, I'll sell it to them."

"You know where they are?"

"Of course." Rasheel examines the dead mana before he looks at Cale. "I'm expecting 50% share."

Cale smiled at that. "Thank you, grand uncle." He then gives Rasheel a warm hug. "Sorry to say but you will only have 5% share."

"You and your inherit mindset...!"

Cale left him while laughing hard.

-
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