Whatever it takes... (TCF/LCF fanfic)

Chapter 9: Unable to forget

The next day, Cale was up when Hans came in.

''Ah, young master-nim. You're already awake? 

''Got a problem with that? You didn't even knock.'' Cale, who was by the window with only a bath robe on with the kittens on his arms, turned his head to glare at the one who came in uninvited.

''Ah, I didn't want to wake you by knocking. I know you'll get angry, if someone messes with your sleep.'' Hans was sweating profusely, trying to save his skin, after seeing that the frown on his young master's forehead continue to grow.

''Are you saying that you didn't came to wake me up?'' Cale asks raising an eyebrow.

''Yes, sir. I just came to bring you morning lemon tea. If you were asleep, I would just have played with the kittens until you woke up on your own.'' Hans said as he placed the lemon tea on the nightstand.

'That damned lemon tea'

Cale sighs as he walks toward the bed.

''I see that you already took a bath. Did you have troubles with your sleep?

Cale picks up the cup as he looks up at Hans. 'Despite that coward acting, he is quite sharp'

''Well, I guess you could say that.'' Cale sips the tea as he tries to bury the past memories who resurfaced in the form of nightmares.

The reason why Cale woke up early in the morning and took a cold bath was due to a nightmare where he relived his family being murdered in front of his eyes and he couldn't do anything to stop or prevent it. It was agonizing. He was feeling on edge with the desire to punish himself for being that useless and powerless. But the kittens caught on that something was wrong with him and tried to help him calm down.

He realized that 'Record'  was something more than what the God of Death had told him.

'I knew that he was a shrewd bastard of a god'

What Cale figured out it was that the ability itself isn't meant to only record what he hears and sees, but the emotions and sensations can be recorded as well. It's an ability that keeps track of the memories and feelings of the owner. When the mind is strong it can bury those horrifying memories known as traumas, but it can also resurface it. During sleep, his mind is the most vulnerable.

Meeting again with Choi Han sure triggered some of this traumas.

Cale placed the cup down after finishing, and gets up to prepare for the day.

"I heard that Choi Han-nim will be going with you as one of your guards for the beginning part of your journey to the capital. Is that true?" Hans asked while assisting him dress up.

''Hm... Yeah, it turned out that way.''

Hans was thinking about Choi Han, who had defeated all of the Count's Knight Brigade members yesterday. He was more skilled than expected, making it easy for him to be Cale's guard as Cale wanted.

Of course, neither Hans nor the knights knew that Choi Han had hidden his true power.

"Mr. Ron, Choi Han-nim, and even Beacrox seem to be excited about serving you."

He could see an instantaneous change in Cale's face as he said that. Why would Cale suddenly look like he lost his appetite? Hans could not figure it out.

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Both individuals headed outside the main gates of the estate. As he got on the carriage, Cale asked Hans who was watching him leave.