Paralyzed (Tboah!AlbeCale)

7) How to Annoy a lout: starring Neo Tolz

A/n: Some of this is copy paste from the novel, but it's edited and important for story flow. Credit to Yoo Ryeo Han for those parts.

"COUGH! COUGH!~"

"...Basen is sick?"

"Yes, Cale."

Cale internally groaned. This was just perfect.

Standing next to him was the count, and laying down on his lavish bed beside Cale was his brother, Basen.

'Fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck!'

Cale's poker face twitched in agony. Basen was scheduled to attend the kingdom's grand noble meeting which was hosted by the crown prince. Not only that, but the invitation explicitly stated that only the representative of the family should attend.

Basen was unanimously known as the heir. But he was out of commission.

Now that Basen had come down with an extreme cold, with a temperature 4° above what's considered average for a fever, Someone would have to go in his place.

Lily was too young, and would get trampled over and manipulated too easily. They also couldn't ignore a royal invitation for obvious reasons.

That left him, Cale Henituse. The one person in the entire community of nobles to ever feel the extreme desire of avoiding any good natured attention. He really, truly, did not want to eat lunch with a hundred snotty nobles looking down their noses at him.

Plus, rumors would spread that Cale showed up instead of Basen the one time an invitation asked for the heir. Even if he explained that Basen was unable to attend due to health reasons, it wouldn't help with the rumors at all.

In short, he was screwed.

Not only was he barely able to walk thanks to that bastard, but he also would be put in a dangerous situation among the extended family who favored him as the heir. Basen needed to attend. Basen had to attend.

"CoUGH~COUGH~COUgh! Huuu...ugh."

But Basen couldn't attend. Cale wasn't about to force his sick brother whom he was not close with at all, to go to a royal gathering for his own benefit.

He was a trash, not a bastard.

"Haaa, Alright. You can't get the crown prince sick anyway. Ron!—"

'Ah, right, he isn't here anymore...'

"Nevermind, I'll just pack my own bags."

"Hyung?—COUgh— What do you mean...?"

"I'm going to the fucking meet and greet, so you better be grateful."

Deruth and Basen both stared at him with widened eyes. Cale had never volunteered to go to a noble meeting before, and they were positive he never would. That was why this situation was a strange one.

Cale turned around, satisfied that he had reached the best possible conclusion despite the fact that he would be going in his brother's stead.

He walked straight out the double doors of the medic room, completely unaware of what would happen in the near future.

...

"Cale. You at least still listened to this hyung. Right?"

Cale had a confused look on his face. Eric Wheelsman pushed up his glasses after seeing Cale's expression. Right now, Cale was seated at the table with the three nobles surrounding him like he was in an interview.

'This is odd.'

But the atmosphere was more of them consoling him rather than interviewing him. Eric Wheelsman started to speak.