STABLE BOY ; Trash of the Count's Family

48. EAT WELL

"See? The weak human looks about as strong as my front paw now," the black dragon claimed confidently.

Cale nodded, like he was right.

South wondered what that guy had been through to be so frustratingly humble. Sure he's weak, but he's just indulging the child... right? He does have so many Ancient Powers. There's no way in any common definition he's considered weak.

He also picked up something odd in the forest that made South's body shiver with apprehension each time Cale looked at him long enough.

South didn't like that feeling, and Cale seemed to notice that. It's not as if Cale made a habit of staring at people for long times, anyways, so he just didn't do it anymore.

"I just wanted to ask," Cale brought up casually over his meal with the kids. South stood by the tableside, only leaning down when the kids offered him a grape. "Will you come to the Whipper Kingdom with us?"

South blinked at that.

This was where his knowledge of the story ended.

He'd probably be there just to take care of horses as usual, and if anything happened, Cale could handle it without him.

South was just being invited along, that's all.

Either way,

"If you have use for me, Young Master," South told him, "then I will go where you command, when you ask."

Even if it's to the sea, where his body will ache deeply. He was just a stable boy, after all— he wasn't in any position to defy the Young Master's will.

Cale looked up at South and sighed, as if he understood.

Cale and South were Master and Servant. That was their position. He wasn't the kittens, or the wolf children that he felt obligated to take care of, or even Choi Han or Rosalyn, who feel indebted to him. South worked under him, and that was all they could be.

There would never be any equal power dynamic between them, and it was a situation he could ever try to change. They were not friends.

South was just one of Cale's people.

"Alright," Cale understood. "Then, come with us to take care of the horses. I will ask Hans to prepare potions for the journey."

South grimaced, "yes, Young Master."

"At least don't make that face right at me," Cale was offended.

South continued making it anyway, because he didn't quite care about how rude he was being when no one else was in the room and he truly wanted Cale to know how discontented he felt, "it costs a whole year's paycheck..."

Cale huffed, "then you must work for the Henituse until you pay it back, simple."

South sighed fondly. "Yes Young Master, I suppose I have to."

He was always planning on that, so he didn't dislike that at all.

-

Choi Han, Rosalyn, and Lock came back very quickly. Cale's very sure they destroyed a kingdom on their way like some kind of godzilla crossing the road, but South decided he will just not think of any possibilities and his sleep will be undisturbed.

"The Young Master said you fell sick? Why are you already back to work?"

South sighed deeply. "It's been weeks, Choi Han-ssi. And I wasn't sick, I just have phantom pains. Kind of like how old people's bones are sore when it's raining."

Choi Han tries to decipher that.

Then, "I don't really get it, but that means you have to rest, right?"

South stared into those innocently confused eyes and abruptly realized, right. Choi Han cannot comprehend this. He's a hundred-year-old overpowered main character.

To him, having muscle pains must seem like a skill issue.

"Don't come near me," South threatened, shovel in hand, "I will throw horse dung at you. Let me finish my work today."

He already slept halfway into today multiple times. He's going to go through a whole day of working today dammit, let him accomplish something.

"He's just as bad as the Young Master," Rosalyn observed quietly from the sides.

"Right?" Choi Han murmured, with an exasperated sigh. "No wonder neither of them knows how to get each other to rest while always trying to."

"What?" Lock didn't even comprehend that sentence, "South-hyung, how are you standing in there? It stinks."

"Good, stay far far away."

"Ah, I see," Rosalyn said, "no wonder no one's forced him to rest yet. He's using horse poop as a defensive shield. Vicross-ssi wouldn't step in there if he's working the kitchen and the kids have sensitive noses."

Choi Han turned to South with a baffled judgemental grimace, like he couldn't believe South was such an underhanded person.

South was very offended. "Leave me alone to work! Geez! I will sleep when I want to, let me work when I want to!"

"Yeah no," Rosalyn said. "Absolutely not."

"Get out of there already!" Lock yelled, somehow very far away now.

Choi Han sighed, stepping forward to abduct the horse boy out of the stables, "it's dinnertime, and Cale-nim ordered everyone to eat well tonight in the banquet hall."

South balked, "whuh?!?"