Rok Soo felt someone gently tapping his body. It was a warm hand.
"Young master, it is morning."
He heard a profound and somehow familiar voice. He felt chills throughout his body and his eyes subconsciously opened. As soon as he opened his eyes he was able to see the owner of that voice. It was an old man with a benign smile.
"It is surprising to see you wake up after a single attempt."
"Huh?"
"The master wishes to have breakfast with the Young master since it has been a while. It looks like it will be possible today."
Rok Soo could see a mirror past the old man shoulder. Inside there was a red-haired man with a confused look. Oddly the appearance didn't feel strange instead it felt natural, like he always had that face.
'That is me?'
"Young master Cale?"
Rok Soo turned to the owner of the worried voice, the old man looked like a servant and was staring at him. But what was more important to Rok Soo was the name that he used to call him.
Rok Soo was familiar to that name. He slowly blurted out the familiar name.
"Cale Henituse?"
"Ugh"
As soon he said the name a headache hitted him hard. Memories started to flow inside his head. The memories of Cale Henituse from his birth to the day he died at the age of forty and then regressed back. Those memories were his memories.
"Young master are you fine? It seems that you are still a bit drunk."
Rok Soo now Cale looked up to the old man. He knew him, it was Ron, his butler that was with him since he was young; and the one that will soon leave.
He felt strange at seeing him again.
"Ron bring me cold water."
He needed something to clear his head, even throught his headache didn't seem that would disappear soon.
He could see his apparence in the mirror.
'It seems that it is before I was beated up by that punk'
His body was fine. Other than the headache he didn't feel any pain. Even though he still felt odd in his body.
'Anyway the way I was described in the novel irritates me a bit'
The novel '-The Birth of a Hero-' that he bought before dying. In the novel he was described as an insignificant villain that was beated to almost death by the protagonist at the start of the story.
Atotaltrash.
'Well it was me that went around acting like trash'
He didn't know if he should laught or cry. He should be happy that he managed to fool everyone in being trash but he also felt a bit sad. But before he could continue to think about it he was interrupted by the old man.
"Young master, I presume you won't be bathing in cold water. Are you asking for drinking water?
He turned his gaze toward Ron. Ron was pretending to be a benign old man, but in reality he was a vicious assassin.
He responded to this dangerous old man.
"Yes, get me some drinking water."
He really needed it as the headache was getting stronger.
"I will prepare it right away."
"Great."
***
After Ron left the bedroom as there was only warm water in the room; the red-head was left alone, he got off the bed and headed to the bathroom. He knew that there was a full body mirror after all he was the one that requested it.
He undressed. He wanted to confirm if he had the scar on his side.
'The scar isn't there'
After confirming it he walked into the tub that was filled with warm water. He leaned against the tub and looked up at the ceiling. He continued his line of thoughts that was interrupted before.
'As I am really in the past my family is still alive but I should leave as soon as I can'
Even if his head was a mess and he hasn't absorbed fully all the memories, he knew. Even in this world he was a cursed existence. He could feel the pain of when he had seen Ron before. And the thought of seeing his family was suffocating him.
"I will escape and go to a place far away."
Yes, he was thinking of escaping from his family. But before, he needs to deal with his headache and organize his memories and review the contents of the novel. So he got out the tub, put on a bathrobe and exited the bathroom.
As soon as he opened the door he found Ron right in front of him. Startled he almost closed the door on his face. But he managed to stop in time as he remembered this old man identity. He didn't want to die as soon as he regressed and got his memories of Kim Rok Soo back.
'If I want to escape this old man needs to go with that punk'
It was impossible escape when an expert assassin is around.
"Young master, here you go."
Only after Ron said that did he notice the tray with a cup of water in his hands. He picked up the cup and walked past the old man as if nothing happened.
"Thanks."
Ron flinched for a second and his expression turned odd, but Cale didn't notice.
'There are many strong people in this territory, I need to be more careful'
He wasn't thinking only of his plan to escape but also about the future war that will happen. He needed to be stronger. Even if he'll stay away from people he'll help them without anyone discovering his identity.
'For now let's continue act like a trash'
Nobody will suspect a trash, especially if said trash was banished to an isolated place.
"Young master, we will start to dress you now."
"No."
Ron expression didn't change but the temperature in the bedroom turned cold. It was the first time that the puppy young master refused so firmly. And said puppy's back was covered in cold sweat as he knew what he had done, in fact he had mustered all his courage to just say that word.
"Young master, the master is waiting."
"Tell him I am sick. And I'll eat here."
He wasn't lying he will soon be sick as he will use his record ability to sort out all his memories. That was also the only way to make his headache go away.
Ron stared to his puppy young master as if confirming something and noticed that his puppy's hand was trembling and he was clenching it, most probably for stopping the trembling.
'He doesn't seem to be lying this time'
"As you want, young master."
Luckily Ron didn't question further or a certain redhead wouldn't know how to respond.
"Don't let anyone enter my room until I go out. Also tell Hans that I want my study cleaned for when I got out."
"The study?"
Ron looked at him with a strange expression and even forgot to talk formally. The red head could tell that he was surprised. But continued to say what he had to say.
"Yes the study, I need to go there later."
"Yes, young master."
Ron bowed and exited the room. He decided to do as his puppy young master asked.
As soon as Ron left; the red head sighed in relief. He got in bed and closed his eyes and started using his ability.
***
Ron returned with breakfast for his puppy. But he didn't expect to find the redhead lying on bed covered in sweat.
Ron got near the bed and put a hand on the redhead forehead. He was heating up.
"Young master."
Ron called for the redhead as he was a bit worried. Cale responded to the call opening his eyes. But as Ron looked in his puppy's eyes, he became more worried, Cale's eyes were empty and cold.
Right now the red head was seeing his memories of when he was young, before his mother death. Those were precious memories and he didn't want to stop seeing them even if he was about to fall in despair soon. So he just sat up and closed his eyes again. He decided that he will finish to see this and then eat as it wouldn't take much time.
But Ron was seeing it differently. He thought that the red head had used up all his energy after sitting up and didn't have the strength to eat. So he took the fork and started feeding the redhead.
"Here young master, open your mouth."
The red head subconsciously opened his mouth and started eating while Ron fed him.
'There's something wrong with the Young master'
Ron could tell that the redhead was doing it subconsciously. It was as if he was somewhere far away and responded by instinct. To think that he will follow what Ron telled him to do it was like he really become a real puppy. But Ron didn't like this.
'What is he seeing?'
Ron could tell that the pupils of his young master where motionless even with his eyes closed. As if he was staring at something. He was familiar with that look, he had seen it in people with their head stuck in the past. No responsive to the world around them.
He could do nothing as he was afraid that waking him up would injure him. So he helplessly put down the fork and exited the room with all the empty plates.
The red head with his stomach full layed down again without thinking.
***
When the red head opened his eyes again it was alredy in the middle of the afternoon. His eyes were still cold but the emptiness was gone and was replaced with tiredness. That's because he decided to go through all his memories instead of resting to eat as he had originally planned.
After opening his eyes he inspected his body. He felt something cold in his forehead and his body was covered in sweat; he still had a bit of headache but it will go away when he rests.
He felt uncomfortable.
As he finished checking his body he heard the door opening. He quickly hided his emotions and returned to his cold and emotionless face.
As soon as Ron entered the bedroom he could see his young master awake. He approached the bed and proceeded to change the towel in the redhead forehead.
"Young master how are you feeling?"
The redhead was surprised to discover that Ron had taken care of him while he was using his ability.
'Is this why I don't feel that much burden in my body?'
He was puzzled and he had another question at which he didn't have an answer so he didn't respond to Ron question and asked.
"Ron where is my food?"
The redhead asked this because he wasn't hungry at all, instead he felt full. So he really has praying that his hypothesis was false.
'Yes, it must not be true. I'm hallucinating'
"Young master I fed you breakfast and lunch."
And there all the hopes the redhead had vanished. He was shocked and stared dumbly at Ron that was standing in front of him.
Ron could see the redhead shocked expression, he was relieved that his puppy young master had returned to normal and started smiling benignly.
Seeing that smile the redhead snapped out of his shock. He avoided eye contact with Ron and said.
"Ron prepare a bath."
"Yes young master."
Ron moved to prepare a bath.
Meanwhile the red head was staring at the wall immersed in his thoughts. He felt that something was wrong with his body but he couldn't pinpoint what; as if it was playing tag with him. He felt strange as he continued to circle around the answer.
"Young master the bath is ready."
He got out of his loop, got out of the bed and looked at Ron.
"Great. Thanks Ron."
Ron expression turned odd again but returned at his usual face quickly.
The redhead not noticing the inner conflict of his butler, entered the bathroom, walked to the tub and like in the morning looked up at the ceiling while leaning on the tub immersed in his thoughts again.
'Not only my body but also my memories are a bit strange. Even if I regressed why would I wake up with only Kim Rok Soo memories? and then triggered Cale memories and had to relive all his life as Cale? But didn't have to do the same with Kim Rok Soo memories? Is it because I didn't have my ability as Cale? But why did I remembered my life as Kim Rok Soo only now? What changed after regressing? Am I still Cale Henituse or am I now Kim Rok Soo?'
The red head had many questions and no answers; but he was sure of something.
"I am me."
He was he and that didn't change. He'll live this life like he wanted. He will win the war and go for his slacker life. So he started adjusting his mindset to live again in this world.
'I am Cale Henituse' ...again....
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