Choco
“Hehehe… Is this the brown guy?!”
The prostrate weasel gave a mean laugh, like a general reporting to his king after a victorious battle.
“Is it brown?! Is it a bit dark? Ahem! If I wipe it like this···.”
The sight of the weasel wiping Vermunt’s neck with its saliva-soaked palm made me cough in vain.
‘No matter how bad Vermunt’s condition was… he’s Vermunt.’
As I watched the guy’s mean laugh, the back of my head felt uneasy for no reason.
Anyway, since it was a promise, I gave him 20 silver.
“···Are you really giving it to me?”
The weasel looked back and forth between my face and my fist with a sheepish expression as he took the money.
“Okay. Put her up. With the kids.”
I gestured to the three idiots watching from a distance.
“Aaron! Which room?!”
Suddenly, Hana screamed.
“Just put it in the spare room. This is the chocolate that will be guarding here from now on.”
“···Choco? What does that mean?”
I waved my hand because I was too lazy to explain.
Hannah, with a suspicious look on her face, called the three Hogu men and carried the unconscious guy up.
The weasel looked at me with suspicious eyes and backed away.
The hall became quiet again and the washer carefully placed the meat bun in front of me.
“I like girls.”
The washing machine cub muttered with a serious face as he cast a washing spell on me.
“I like girls too.”
The guy’s face relaxed at my answer.
It really upset me, but I put up with it because it was a brand new washing machine.
The refrigerator, with its eyes half-closed, yawned deeply and sat down across from me, chilling my beer mug. The guy nodded his head and stood in front of me.
I couldn’t drink much and had to get up from my seat.
I grabbed the back of the overturned refrigerator, put it inside, and climbed up.
I lay down in bed but couldn’t sleep at all.
As I faced Vermunt, memories that I had suppressed kept coming back to me, making my mind dizzy.
As I continued my thoughts, suddenly I heard footsteps coming from the door.
He habitually grabbed the sword handle.
The door opened quietly and Hana’s face peeked out through it.
“···what?”
“You weren’t sleeping?! As the owner, I check on the guests’ safety!”
Hannah looked at me with sharp eyes and then closed the door, shouting, “Good night, Aaron!”
‘Why are you like that?’
I closed my eyes again.
However, my dizzy mind just wouldn’t calm down.
After that, the sound of footsteps continued to come and go in front of my room for a long time, as if they were guarding the room.
Judging from the small sound of footsteps, it was definitely Hannah.
***
dripping.
As soon as I opened my eyes, I looked for a sword.
I got up from my seat, relieved by the cool feel of the sword’s handle.
The abbot was standing in front of the door as usual. I bowed my head slightly to him, and then suddenly realized that I was taking him for granted, and I got goosebumps.
‘This meticulous priestly bastard.’
“It’s a good morning for prayer. It’s most refreshing to pray when the dew is falling…”
I passed the abbot who was still nagging and headed towards Vermunt’s room.
Knock knock!
I knocked on the door, but there was no answer.
‘Oh, he was sleeping a lot.’
So I opened the door and went in.
I saw a guy half-slept on the bed.
Judging from the fact that he was snoring, he seemed to be sleeping very comfortably.
I saw the sword on the guy’s right side, drew my sword, and tapped the guy’s temple with the tip of the sword.
Then the guy jumped up and swung his sword at me.
Because I had prepared in advance, I was able to stop it easily.
“It’s morning.”
“···The one who killed the stars.”
He looked like he was still half asleep and glared at me with the same sharp eyes he had on the battlefield.
Judging by the cold sweat covering his entire body and the way he was shaking violently, it seemed like the guy was far from having a good dream.
“Close your eyes. Choco.”
“···Choco? What does that mean?”
“Oh my.”
The guy who had been frowning for a moment let out a long breath and lowered his head slightly.
It was quite a sight, considering the agony I had endured from that guy in the desert. He had tormented me quite a bit in the desert under the pretext of training.
‘It helped, though.’
This time, it was my chance to repay that sorrow by helping the guy rehabilitate.
I was thinking of ordering ‘Chocoya, Son’ while I was at it, but I passed on that for the next pleasure.
“Let’s go for a walk, Choco.”
The guy followed me out without saying a word.
The abbot bowed his head to the boy and greeted him.
“It’s a good morning to pray.”
“Prayer… Do you also pray with blood and sweat?”
“···What are you talking about?”
“No, you are skinny, so if you pray with blood and sweat, you will be in trouble.”
“Prayer is not about blood and sweat, but about the heart… Oh, in a way, it is about blood and sweat. When you pray in the hot summer, you sweat….”
I ignored the conversation behind me and headed towards the backyard.
I did a quick warm-up run and Choco followed me. He seemed to be running hard, but Choco collapsed before he could even finish halfway.
“You’re trash.”
“···It’ll pay for itself in about a month.”
I nodded at the guy’s answer.
He was a man who kept his word.
Then I started swinging my sword. This time, the guy fell down first, so I swung my sword a little longer.
“I felt it yesterday too, but it has grown a lot since then.”
“A lot has happened.”
I wiggled my fingers.
The guy struggled to get up and faced me. His dull eyes became a little clearer.
“Choco!”
When we clapped our hands, Choco ran towards us as if he had seen a piece of gum.
His sword was dull, while mine was sharp from the daily sharpening. Soon the backyard was filled with the sound of metal clashing against metal and meat being slapped.
The back of my sword’s handle sank into Vermunt’s abdomen, causing him to fall backwards.
‘Good.’
Even though the guy’s body had become dull, his fighting skills were engraved on his body, so the movements he made at each moment were still sharp.
It felt a bit lacking, but it was usable enough.
“Ugh···.”
“Aaron, Honorary Monk. Is the training right? If it bothers this man….”
The abbot asked me with a serious face in front of Choco, who was foaming at the mouth and complaining of pain.
“First of all, please give me some treatment.”
“···Violence cannot be the answer.”
The abbot looked at me with a worried look and treated Choco. Choco came to his senses, wiped the foam from the corner of his mouth, and sat up abruptly.
“Oh no! I dozed off for a bit! Again!”
No matter how worn out he was, his nature did not change. He was a warrior born to fight, who drank blood instead of water.
The expression on the abbot’s face as he backed away while watching Choco rushing towards him was something to behold.
Choco pounced twice more and my morning workout was over.
“You’ve become much stronger since the last time we met!”
“Put your strength into your pronunciation.”
“Okay.”
As the abbot muttered a prayer much longer than usual and left, the refrigerator and washing machine approached.
The fridge gave me a beer mug and stared at the chocolate.
At that, Choco raised his eyebrows and made a strange expression.
“Did you have a daughter?”
“Nothing to say.”
“It looks like you. But if you look closely, you don’t.”
The refrigerator raised the corners of its lips and quickly took out a glass of beer.
“Oh, thank you, daughter of Aaron.”
“huh.”
Choco reached out to pat the refrigerator’s head and got bitten.
“Even their personalities are exactly the same.”
Choco muttered softly, caressing his swollen fingers.
Choco went to wash up and I sat at the table and ate the meat bread that Hannah had brought me.
“Aaron.”
“huh?”
“That’s not the expression. Open your eyes a little more and lower the corners of your mouth…”
Hannah narrowed her eyes and pointed out the expression.
I made a playful face at him and Hannah pouted.
“I’m going to stop doing lodging now. The rooms are full… Since I saw the potential of ice beer during this festival, I’m going to specialize in cooking and beer….”
I took a big bite of the meat bread. The meaty smell and the spices mixed in created an amazing synergy.
‘Cooking isn’t a good option.’
I seriously considered whether I should dry it.
“I’m going to learn cooking from Delmuto! Don’t look at me like that!”
“···Delmont?”
I scratched my cheek at the name I heard for the first time.
“Delmuto! That’s the name of the wizard that Aaron brought.”
“Ah, the washing machine.”
After that, Ha-na talked for a long time. I nodded vaguely and forced the meat bread into my mouth.
“Oh! It smells delicious!”
Choco approached, dripping with water.
It was fortunate that the bottom was covered. The guy sat down at the table next to me and shook his head to clear his hair.
“Why are you sitting over there?”
“Huh? Oh, we don’t sleep with other people’s wives.”
At Choco’s answer, Hannah’s eyes grew wide and her face suddenly turned red.
“Ah… It’s not that bad yet….”
Hannah muttered softly, jumped up from her seat, and went into the back.
Hannah came out again carrying a lot of meat bread.
Choco, who was from the sand, ate Hannah’s meat bread with relish.
I saw a refrigerator standing on a table with a trio of idiots in the corner, carrying a load on its back and saying something.
‘There are more people than I thought.’
He looked around the hall for a moment and muttered quietly.
Then, for no reason, he felt a tickle in his throat, so he rubbed it with his hand and then got up from his seat.
I took Choco to work.
“···Two leaders?”
When they arrived at headquarters, Brick shouted in surprise.
“Hello! Are you Aaron’s subordinate? I am Aaron’s slave Vermunt!”
Brick’s eyes grew even wider as Choco continued his explanation.
“Chief. The Empire strictly prohibits slaves… Since we haven’t yet reached the Castle of Cassidy, we should first go up step by step….”
Brick continued his long, serious talk.
“Just an old friend.”
“Hahahaha! Old friend. That’s right!”
Choco laughed out loud at my words.
I went in to report to the captain, and Choco followed me in secretly.
“Oh- Brown Aaron?”
“···He is an old friend.”
“Oh! I thought it would be nice if all the captains were Aaron! Who knew there would be Aarons of different colors!”
The excited captain jumped up and circled around Choco. Choco frowned, but when I told him to ‘wait,’ he just wrinkled his nose.
“Oh, the position of Group 5 leader is vacant. What do you think?”
I hesitated for a moment at the captain’s suggestion.
It wasn’t a bad suggestion. Group 5’s work schedule was the exact opposite of my work schedule in Group 4, so there was no overlap in our work schedules.
It was a waste to keep that guy in a crowded inn in the first place.
‘You have to earn enough to pay for your own meals.’
I nodded to him.
“Then I’ll put your name on the list for the 5th Group Leader selection tomorrow. What’s your name?”
“I am the brilliant fifth star.”
“That’s a long name. Yes, it’s called Chandabyeol. It’s pretty and cute, so I like it.”
“It’s okay.”
I was afraid that if I left it alone, he would be called by a refreshing name that didn’t suit him, so I hurriedly intervened.
“This guy’s name is Vermunt. But what is the preliminary round?”
“Ah, Vermunt. What a uselessly cool name. The preliminary round? There were a lot of people applying for the position of Group 5 leader this time. It was annoying, so we decided to give the position to the winner.”
I nodded my head as I watched the trembling cheeks of the captain who confidently said that it was annoying. As expected, he was the best type of person to have as a superior.
“Hahaha! This is the preliminary round! I am the brilliant fifth star, Vermunt! I will tear out the head of my opponent and drink his blood! Don’t worry!”
However, it seemed like the guy misunderstood the meaning of the preliminary round.
I gave a small condolence to the person I was going to face.
***
Nova scratched her head nervously, looking at the pile of papers in front of her.
‘Why is this okay? Why is it clean? Why?!’
Nova stayed up all night checking on Aaron after making some more convenient improvements to what he had left behind.
Looking down at the stack of papers, Nova felt impatient.
‘Great! Clean! Why?’
Aaron shouldn’t be doing this. Aaron shouldn’t be smart. This is invading territory… Nova continued to mutter and pace the room.
That was when.
dripping.
“Nova-sama. Someone came out of the Bolt Castle.”
‘Oh, it was today.’
Then Nova quickly fixed her hair and adjusted her clothes.
“Come in.”
The door opened and a short man came in.
It was the ‘Purran’, a branch office of the Bolt Castle.
He was the guy who always came with a worried expression on his face.
‘···Irritating from the morning.’
Contrary to her true feelings, Nova smiled gently.
“Ah, Nova looks so fresh this early in the morning.”
Puran started talking about something unrelated to work, and Nova chimed in, thinking of something else.
Puran sat down even though Nova didn’t ask her to. Nova tried to suppress her rising irritation and sat down across from her.
“Oh- what are these? These are paintings I’ve never seen before.”
Puran, who had been mumbling for a moment, soon frowned and focused as if he understood what the picture meant.
Nova cracked open a walnut placed next to him and put it in his mouth. Ododo- Nova stuck out his tongue slightly at the unique bitter taste and chewed it again.
‘But is it really effective? I ate quite a lot of it.’
After eating about five walnuts, Puran raised his head.
“I didn’t know there was such a way to organize things···.”
The admiration in the guy’s eyes made Nova strangely uncomfortable.
Puran explained, spitting out words, how groundbreaking and genius this organizing method was.
The ones that were originally uploaded were the least efficient ones among the ones Aaron had doodled. Still, Puran looked at him and admired him.
‘Aaron is a genius? Why?’
Ododok-.
Nova now put two walnuts in her mouth.
After that, it was a repetition of the stories we had told before.
How will Jangja and Yeongae’s marriage proceed?
Stories like that.
Nova listened to him, thoughts running through her head.
Things have changed dramatically. There are many knights and knights of the Cassadic Castle, which is rapidly expanding in size, but the Bolt Castle is in decline.
Ododok-.
I continued my thoughts while savoring the unique bitter taste of walnuts.
‘The level of the black magician who recently targeted Vivian is…’
Skeletons that would cause nightmares in anyone who encountered them, countless skeletons, and even demons that would be difficult to deal with with just one knight. Even Nova, an outsider, could tell that the level was extraordinary.
‘The high level of those aiming for it means that Vivian is worth it.’
I don’t know why, but they’re after Vivian.
If I send Vivian to Fener, will they be able to protect her?
Nova shook her head slightly.
The situation at Bolt Castle was so bad that there were rumors that the knights of House Fener were fighting each other.
‘And Vivian didn’t like the other person very much either.’
Although it was beyond his authority, he could make a light remark. After that, it was Baron Pulpouts’s problem to think about.
‘Either we find a new place or we increase the power of Castle Cassidy.’
It was one of two things.
But I was at a loss as to what to do with him.
“Now that Young-ae’s first year as an adult is almost over, we should get married when the weather gets cooler···.”
Nova’s eyes widened slightly at Puran’s muttering.
Yeong-ae’s birthday is just around the corner.
“Haha- I heard that Nova has been an adult for over two years···, and now it’s about time···.”
As the guy said, ‘It’s about time-‘ It was a crisis. When my hands were itching to pull out that hair right away, the guy got up.
“Oh, there’s still so much to discuss, and yet so much time has passed already. I don’t know much about the restaurant at Cassady Castle, but maybe…”
“Because I’m fasting.”
Nova responded to the obvious with an unadorned smile.
“It’s already beautiful enough, how much more···.”
The barking continued again, and Nova’s lips just twitched.
“I’ll see you again soon. It’s hot these days, but I think I’ll meet Nova, so the distance will be short…”
The guy grabbed the doorknob and opened his mouth.
At that moment, the door opened first.
Puran, who had crashed into the forcefully opened door, rolled backwards.
“Hmm…, you said pull.”
Aaron scratched the ball.
Nova smiled faintly at him.
***
After finishing my duties as ‘Honorary Secretary’ in Nova’s room, I rejoined Brick and Choco to finish my patrol.
There was nothing particularly different.
Except for the guys who shout ‘Two Aarons?!’ wherever they go.
The patrol ended without any special events, and Brick left, saying he had to meet Charlotte.
“What a nice last name.”
I nodded to Choco’s muttering.
Perhaps because it was a remote area, it was a castle full of innocent people. Even the most stubborn people could be corrected by beating them up a few times and they would become gentle again.
“I won’t ask why. You’re Aaron.”
Suddenly, chocolate set the mood.
‘It’s okay to ask.’
But it wasn’t something to babble about, so I nodded.
“You are a man who keeps your promises as if they were his life. I believe there was a good reason for that.”
I turned my head away because I felt uncomfortable with the guy who was rambling on and on about embarrassing things. However, I could still feel his cold gaze.
“But Aesong… no, the first star is different from me. He won’t forgive you. Whatever the reason. He’ll chew you up, make clothes out of the skin of those around you, and dance in them.”
Choco’s voice was so serious that I couldn’t ignore it.
“The first star… no, Ethan went under the Duke of Descartes.”
What the guy said next was unexpected to me.
“Below Descartes?”
“Yes, the second person who destroyed our kingdom, Duke Descartes. He went down there.”
A cracking sound came from Choco’s closed mouth.
‘This is a bit of a different story.’
My throat was itchy, so I just brushed it away with my hand.
Vermunt moved his eyes as if observing my reaction, then soon closed them.
“···He’s not the stubborn kid he used to be. Be careful. Children who lose their parents tend to grow up quickly.”
I nodded at the guy’s warning.
After a moment of silence, I asked what I had been wondering.
“But if Descartes is the second… who is the first?”
The guy’s eyes widened at my question.
“I’m kidding.”
The corners of Choco’s eyes twitched.
***
Flowers of the East.
Vivian Youngae took out the handkerchiefs in her arms and compared them.
A total of four handkerchiefs.
It was the same even when I looked at it again.
Vivian, who usually dreams a lot, thought that was also a dream.
What an embarrassing dream.
But the handkerchief in front of him was denying him.
‘···I think I’m crazy.’
Vivian, who had been dreaming for a moment, woke up with a start.
Anyway, it was no use suffering alone here.
I have no choice but to talk to the person involved!
Vivian took out her private temple hood and wrapped it around her.
‘Perfect!’
Vivian looked in the mirror and the corners of her mouth turned up.
And after releasing my ankle, I headed to the window.
Although it was a very high position, Vivian didn’t hesitate and put out her pure white foot.
I slowly slowed down by lightly stepping on the protruding parts of the wall, and reached the ground easily.
It was a miracle that it was possible because from one day on, my body movements became very light.
Vivian figured it was possible because she ate half as much and her body felt lighter.
I left the castle while keeping a close eye on my surroundings. I was stuck when I went through the castle door, so I climbed up the castle wall and got past him.
It was a movement worthy of a knight, but Vivian still thought it was possible because she was slim, so she just passed it over.
Eventually, they passed the inner castle and entered the lively outer castle. Vivian often left the inner castle alone and wandered around, so she found her way around familiarly.
‘You said you were the chief of the external security team.’
I thought back to when I first encountered him and tried to guess where he might be.
But before that-.
‘Wow! It smells delicious.’
Vivian walked through the crowd as if possessed.
As she was wandering around following the scent, a bald man suddenly blocked Youngae’s path.
Swallows of the White Tower whose bracelet was stolen by Aaron.
He, who was particularly sensitive to mana, squinted his eyes as he looked at the brilliantly glowing mass of mana.
‘The one who receives Mana’s love. That was true.’
The appearance of the eastern flower in the splendid mass of mana did not catch the eyes of Swallows.
‘With this much mana, you should be able to get over the wall.’
The fools might make a fuss about eating his heart, but he would certainly bring about a regression in the history of magic.
The heart shines brightest when it is in its original state.
It is not her heart that receives Mana’s love-.
‘This woman herself.’
Swallows gulped as he looked into the eyes that seemed to have been carved from the world’s jewels.
Despite the pressure of the White Tower, he had never once thought of having a disciple in his life of over fifty years.
His heart was broken when faced with a seed that was sure to become a legend.
The moment he reveals who he is and asks the child if he wants to learn magic-.
A fist without a single callus came closer.
The Swallows were unable to react because they did not understand the situation.
Sigh!!
For a moment, my vision flashed.
Even when he passed out, Swallows couldn’t understand the current situation.
match!
“Hey, wake up. What are you going to do if you sleep on the floor like this?”
When I opened my eyes, I couldn’t understand that the guy who took the bracelet was right in front of me.
***
Phew··· Phew···.
The weasel raised his sword and glared ahead.
The once-in-a-lifetime opportunity has finally arrived.
“Group 5 leader. I have to eat it. I save everything.”
The corners of the weasel’s mouth rose sharply.
