"Hi, everyone!" Adalie said with a wave as she randomly appeared with an orange smoke in her previous seat besides TCF! Cale. "Can we start chapter 2, now?"

"Sure." TCF! Cale agreed from his chair as everyone returned to their seats as a form of silent agreement.

"Then, let's begin!" with that statement from Adalie, the screen lit up and words started to appear.

Chapter 2: When they met (2)

Cale looked around at all of the dishes in front of him. He then moved his fork towards a salad made of fruits that he did not recognize. After filling his stomach with meat, soup, and bread, he wanted to try something new.
The fruit looked like an orange, but the color was closer to that of grapes. Cale put the fruit in his mouth and took a bite.

"Mm."

In that instant, sweet fruit juice filled his mouth. He really hated sour fruits, so this extremely sweet flavor in his mouth made him subconsciously start to drool.

At that moment, he made eye contact with his father Deruth, who was looking at him.

"Cale."

Deruth quietly called Cale's name before hesitating. He then started to frown and move his mouth. Cale did not like that awkward atmosphere and started to speak.

"It's delicious."

"Yes, it tastes like trash...huh? Did you say it is delicious?"

"Yes. Everything tastes wonderful."

"We really should teach this brother of ours on how to be trash, right?" Rok Soo asked TBOAH! Cale who nod in agreement.

"True, our reputation will change at this rate." TBOAH! Cale said with a frown. "All our hard work, down the drain because someone can't act like how he's supposed to."

"Brother?" Soo Hyuk asked in curiosity.

"Well, the three of us are basically one, just from different timelines so might as well act like a family, right?" Rok Soo shrugged, not noticing that everyone turned their attention to them.

"I didn't agree." TCF! Cale said when he saw Jung Soo about to complain on how TCF! Cale wouldn't call him brother.

"Denial will bring you nowhere, brother." TBOAH! Cale said mischievously as Jung Soo agreed wholeheartedly.

Cale picked up a different fruit this time and smiled after tasting the sweetness in his mouth once again. The trash, Cale Henituse, never cared for etiquette anyways.

"Well, that was the entire point of being a trash." TBOAH! Cale said with a sigh.

He probably shouldn't do this while speaking with his father, the head of the household, but whatever. He's just trash in the first place.

'It really is best to be the trash.'

The two Cales and Rok Soo agreed wholeheartedly which made everyone sweatdrop at their similarities.

"I wonder if the god of Death chose Kim Rok Soo to go to our world because of their similarities." TCF! Duke Fredo wondered out loud from the farthest back and darkest side of the room while everyone agreed. They were so similar it wouldn't be weird to call them twins.

Nobody really cared no matter what he did. As long as he can prevent himself from getting beaten up by the main character, it will be a good life.

"Exactly." TCF! Cale nod with a smile as TCF! Choi Han sighed in disbelief.

As Cale expected, nobody criticized his lack of manners. In fact, Deruth actually had a smile on his face as he started to nod his head.

"Yes, it really is delicious. It is nice to see you enjoying food so much."

Deruth really seemed like the only person who cared for Cale. He didn't even seem to care about Cale's lack of manners. Well, a truly caring father should probably try to fix this personality of Cale... but this Cale did not care as he was not the real Cale Henituse.

"Well... I-I thought that Cale wouldn't want to... be... corrected." TCF! Deruth defended himself when he saw everyone turn towards him, losing his voice at the end when he realized his answer was just a useless excuse. Noticing that TCF! Deruth was reflecting, they turned their attention back to the screen.

TBOAH! Deruth was doing the same thing as TCF! Deruth, frowning as he realized how much of a bad father he was to his first born son.

"Yes. Please make sure you eat a lot as well, father."

Basen let out another, 'Ho,' and Cale, who heard it this time, turned his gaze back to the dishes. The 15 year old Basen. The three years younger brother of the Cale that he possessed was difficult to handle.

Unlike the trash Cale, Basen was smart, sincere, and very responsible.

Both versions of Basen blushed in embarrassment after hearing how their brother viewed him but frowned when they saw how TCF! Cale viewed himself.

"You're not trash, hyung!" both Basens shouted before looking at each other in shock.

The people of the family were pushing for Basen to be the next head of household. Kim Rok Soo agreed with this sentiment even after turning into Cale.

"But why? It's your birthright!" TCF! Basen said with a frown.

'Rather than having a complicated life being in charge of this territory, I'd rather use my position as the Count's older brother to laze around and live peacefully in a section of the territory.'

"...That sounds like something Cale-nim would do." TCF! Choi Han hesitantly agreed, wondering why his actions and words contradict each other. After all, if TCF! Cale wanted to live peacefully, why was he solving all the problems they are seeing?

Cale did not try to argue with Basen. He could hear Basen's gasp of shock and knew that Basen was looking down on him, but what could he do about it?

"I wasn't!" TCF! Basen cried in frustration.

Once Basen becomes the head of the household, his personality was one that he would probably not kill Cale, but in order to not get hurt and quietly move to a small village, he needed to not get on Basen's nerves.

'If that's not possible, I'll just make some money beforehand and go somewhere that the war will not reach.'

"Hyunggg." TCF! Basen whined. "I won't do that at all!"

Cale pretended not to hear Basen's gasp and continued to eat. Once the meal was over, his father, Deruth, was the first to get up. He seemed to have been satisfied with breakfast, as his face was filled with a smile.

'It really was delicious.'

If breakfast was like this every day, Cale would probably give up some sleep to come eat breakfast all the time. Deruth looked around at the family members who got up after he did, before resting his gaze on his first-born son, Cale.

"Cale, is there anything you need?"

Cale was confused at Deruth's sudden gesture, but he decided to honestly answer.

"Please give me some money."

"I knew it." TCF! Alberu said while shaking his head.

"What do you mean, your highness?" TCF! Cale asked in confusion.

TCF! Alberu didn't bother giving TCF! Cale any answer and continued on with watching after letting out a sigh.

"Sure, I'll give you a lot."

Deruth answered without any hesitation.

This really was a well-off family.

As a territory that mined for marble and grew grapes for wine, they were overflowing with money right now.

"Great. Please give me as much as you can."

Cale could feel his two younger siblings looking at him, but there was no need for him to be embarrassed. Wasn't it better to ask for money instead of drinking and causing a ruckus?

Furthermore, he needed money to proceed with his plans. That fateful encounter to get himself a strong enough power to keep himself safe. He needed some money in order to cause that fateful encounter to happen.

"Fateful encounter?" the half dragon asked meekly, still wary towards the people with him and wondering why he decided to betray the White Star.

"Sure. I'll give you as much as I can."

Cale started to smile after being satisfied with his father's response. However, he was at a loss of words after returning to his chamber and receiving the cheque from the deputy butler, Hans.
The cheque that was issued through a partnership with the treasury department and the magic department made Cale's heart run wild.

'So much money?'

This family didn't seem to only have a bit of money. In fact, they seem to have a lot of money.

The novel did mention that Cale received a large allowance, but it did not mention the exact amount. However, he could realistically understand how large it was based on the amount listed on the cheque.

'10 million gallon.'

"What!" Amiru, Eric, Gilbert, Dotori, and the children of both sides exclaimed in shock. Even the others, although not verbalizing it, was shock.

"That is just his allowance?!" TCF! Alberu asked in shock before turning to TCF! Cale. "And you are still asking me for golden plaques?!"

"It's not bad to have a lot of money in my disposal, your highness." TCF! Cale answered with a smile.

It is about equivalent to 10 million Korean won. If it is like this, Cale could change his plans. Cale's brain started to quickly think about his options.

"I'll be heading out now, young master."

The deputy butler delivered the cheque and bid goodbye, but Cale did not respond. Deputy Butler Hans just treated this as normal and headed toward the door. However, he soon stopped moving.

It was because Cale had gotten up from his seat and said something to Ron.

"Ron, let's go to the study."

Hans then became anxious at Cale's words. Ron was the same.

"...Did you say the study?"

Cale found this odd. This sly old man's voice was shaking a bit. Was there a reason he could not go to the study?

"Yes."

"Cale, answer me this." Rok Soo said seriously while forcing the younger one to face him. "Why the fuck were you shock at their reaction. You know I was trash. Do you think I had any reason to go to the study when I skip my classes?"

"Ah...that..." TCF! Cale couldn't answer, just realizing why the two acted like that.

"I almost had a heart attack when young master Cale asked Mr. Ron to go there." TCF! Hans said with a smile while ignoring TCF! Cale who glared at him.

He needed to go to the study to form his plan. There were no desks or even any paper in his chamber. There were a lot of expensive looking alcohol bottles though.

"Excuse me, young master."

"What is it?"

Cale looked toward the anxious looking deputy butler.

"This, we have not been able to do our morning cleaning of the study just yet."

"Is that so? It's fine if it goes a day without cleaning."

"No sir. We cannot let that happen."

The deputy butler was extremely pushy about this for some reason. He then smiled brightly and put up a single finger.

"Please just wait one hour! I will put my name on the line to make sure that the study is completely clean, not like a study that has not been used in ten years, but one that was used just yesterday!"

"How... responsible." Rasheel said with shock, not understanding how someone can be so responsible.

"Well, he has always been that way." TBOAH! Choi Han said with a soft smile, remembering how the butler helped him with Harris village.

"Sure, whatever."

He didn't mind waiting an hour.

"Great. Then I will go report this to the master."

"No need to do that, but go ahead if you want to do so."

"Yes, young master. I will be off now."

"Okay. Sure."

Like a well-trained deputy butler, Hans closed the door without making any noise and disappeared. He seemed to be in a rush. Cale knew that there were three deputy butlers vying to become the official butler. Maybe that was why Hans was so passionate about it.

"That's not the only reason, young master." TCF! Hans said with a smile. "I wanted the Duke to know that you were entering the study and, from my perspective, seemed eager to learn."

"Ron."

"Young master?"

"Why are you blanking out like that?"

"My apologies, young master."

"No need to apologize."

Ron had another odd expression on his face, but Cale put the precious cheque in his inner pocket as he asked.

"I was also shocked at your words, young master." TCF! Ron said with a smile while TCF! Cale just shivered.

There was so much going on that he did not even have any time to ask about today's date.

"What is today's date?"

This question would seem odd coming from anybody else, but the servant Ron answered in a gentle voice.

"It is the 29th day of the 3rd month in the 781st year of the Felix Calendar."

"Mm, that is a problem."

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing."

Cale tightly clenched on the 10 million gallon in his pocket once more. The only thing he could trust was money.

Yesterday, the 28th day of the 3rd month in the 781st year of the Felix Calendar. That was the day that the villagers of Harris Village, the village that the main character Choi Han went to after escaping from the Forest of Darkness, the place that Choi Han felt human affection for the first time in this world, made friends, and created a second family, were all murdered by an unknown group of assassins.

No one said anything, the good people bowing their heads as a sign of respect for those who died. Fortunately, the enemies stayed silent although not bowing their heads.

Even Cale, who had read until the fifth volume, did not know the true identity of this secret organization that murdered the villagers.

Everyone was shock again, hearing the confirmation that TCF! Cale did do everything he did without knowing too much and just connected the dots.

Some readers may be saying something like this while reading about this situation.

'I thought he was really strong. What was Choi Han doing while they were murdered?'

"I...I was searching for some herbs." TBOAH! Choi Han murmured in sadness while TCF! Choi Han stayed silent.

It is only natural to think like that.

However, there is a reason this novel is called, [The Birth of a Hero], and not, [The Strength of the Hero], or, [The War of the Heroes].

Birth.

It was the story of a person who overcame all sorts of obstacles and carried the pains of his past as he became a hero. Love and friendship comes up along the way as he meets enemies and friends.

Something that cannot be missing from a story is the, 'awakening.' He may have explosive talents and have lived for tens of years in the Forest of Darkness, but, through all of that, Choi Han was still an innocent and gentle person who could not kill another human being. He had no issues killing monsters, but Choi Han had never hurt another person.

In order to turn someone like him into a hero, the novel had created a situation for Choi Han. In order to heal the lady who treated him like her own son, Choi Han had gone into the Forest of Darkness to find some precious medicinal herbs.

He had to travel deep into the forest to find it, and, when he finally managed to find the herb and headed back towards the village, he found the corpses of the murdered villagers, the burning houses, and the assassins who were about to leave.

Choi Han went berserk after seeing this and killed someone for the first time. Of course, the people he killed are the members of this secret organization, and this secret organization clashes against Choi Han every so often throughout the novel.

Choi Han only returns to normal after killing all of the assassins from the secret organization, before falling into a state of despair as he is unable to gather any information from the dead bodies. He then buries the bodies of the villagers before making a promise to himself.

'I will kill them all. I will kill all of the people that made this happen.'

Choi Han realized what the sadness of death was at this moment, but his first kill starts to twist his mind. Of course, he starts to feel again and starts to become more human-like after meeting his party members later in the novel, and grows to become a true hero.

"What the fuck?" TCF! Adin whispered in shock as he stared at TCF! Choi Han in pity. They might be enemies and he really didn't care much about the lives around him but it was still too cruel to consider that everyone close to him died as a stepping stone to become a hero. Even both White Stars had a frown on their faces.

Both versions of Choi Han, on the other hand, were staring at the screen, their minds going blank at what they just read.

"...Ron."

"Yes, young master."

"A cup of cold water please."

"... I understand."

After Ron left and he was alone in the room, Cale covered his face with both of his hands.

The problem was that the city that this twisted Choi Han arrives at after leaving Harris Village is the city called Western, located in the center of the Henituse territory.

Cale who happens to run into Choi Han annoys Choi Han and ends up getting beaten up. That is when Choi Han gets his first subject/party member, the reliable chef Beacrox.

"Oh?" TCF! Beacrox raised an eyebrow in amusement. "I wonder what happened for that to happen."

'... I was going to head there in advance and help him out.'

"Cale-nim." TCF! Choi Han said in gratefulness. TCF! Cale might not have made it but it wasn't in his control when he would be summoned. Besides, the thought was all that matters since the past is in the past.

TBOAH! Choi Han observed TCF! Cale and his other self, wondering if he would have become like that if TCF! Cale came to his world instead but shook his head.

'No, it's no use to think about what ifs.' he thought with clenched fists.

The best scenario to not get beaten up is no longer available. I did care more about potentially saving the people of the village, but there is nothing I can do about it at this point.

"And he says he's trash." TCF! Archie shook his head in disbelief.

Now, all that is left is to make sure I act in a way to avoid getting beaten up by the angry Choi Han, who is moving at a crazy speed to arrive at Western City by tomorrow.

'Avoiding the main character is not a good idea.'

"Why, though?" Maes asked in wonder.

"Because life is a bit- bad thing and will just probably make me meet Choi Han in another way." TCF! Cale said while avoiding the curse, not wanting the child to grow up cursing.

He needed to run into Choi Han so that Ron and Beacrox run into him as well. That was the only way for the three of them to leave this place together to start their official journey. Then that left just one course of action.

'Have them run into each other and then get out of their way.'

With the best possible first impression, if possible.

"Didn't work." TCF! Choi Han, TCF! Ron, and TCF! Beacrox said in unison.

"Young master."

"Ah, thanks, Ron."

Cale took a sip from the cup that Ron brought over. He then started to frown.

"It's not cold water?"

"It is lemonade."

Kim Rok Soo and TBOAH! Cale looked at TCF! Cale in pity.

He really is an insidious man. He knows that, just like Kim Rok Soo, the original Cale hates sour things. But he still chose to bring lemonade, which would take more work to prepare than cold water. Cale wanted to be angry at the sour taste, but he could not do so because he was afraid of that assasin old man. He could only drink the lemonade.

"Why did you do that?" Hong asked.

"No reason." TCF! Ron said with a smile while the others who heard stared in disbelief at TCF! Ron's obvious lie.

'It was obviously done on purpose for his own amusement!'

"Thanks, it was wonderful."

"No problem. Young master. We should be able to head to the study soon."

"Great."

Ron's benign and gentle smile caused Cale to have the chills. He once again clenched onto the 10 million gallon cheque for support.

Money really was the only thing you could trust.

"Exactly." TCF! Cale said as some laughed at his words.

"Um, everyone, since the next chapters will show these people, I will send them here to react with you all." Adalie said with a smile before snapping her fingers, a bright light appearing on the front and ten figures emerged.

"Please introduce yourselves starting from the present!" Adalie asked as a woman stepped forward with a smile. "Oh, don't worry, they know what is happening right now."

"Hello~ I'm one of the wood powers of TCF! Cale, the indestructible shield." the woman in a priestess uniform smiled.

"Ancient powers can talk?!" both Buds asked in shock while TCF! Cale just nod. "Then why can't mine do that?!"

"Not sure." TCF! Cale just shrugged, not noticing that many looked at him with worry. After all, if even he didn't know the answer, then who would? Besides, it was worrisome that TCF! Cale's ancient power can talk when no one in history ever experienced that. But no one said anything as they knew no one could answer them.

"H-hello." a man said with a shy wave. "I'm TCF! Cale's healing power, the vitality of the heart."

"Hello, I'm the sound of the wind." a woman with a blindfold said with a small nod.

"I'm the dominating aura." a man introduced himself.

"Kakaka, I'm the fire of destruction!" a man laughed with a crazy smile. Eruhaben rose his eyebrow, thinking of the question the world tree wouldn't answer before smirking in disbelief.

'So it was true.' he thought.

"I guess I'm the last one. Hello, I am super rock, please take care of me." a calm man spoke.

"I guess it's our turn. Nice to fucking meet you all." a woman said with a grin. "I'm the sky eating water."

"Blood drenched rock." a man murmured before looking away.

"Um, well, it's nice to meet you all~" a woman said with a smile. "I'm a part of the soul of the Jour Thames although, since I'm only a part, I don't have all the memories of Jour. I am one of the future wood ancient powers of TCF! Cale."

"...Jour?" TCF! Deruth whispered as TCF! Violan looked on calmly. She knows it isn't the right to be jealous of the late countess and, although TCF! Deruth's actions hurt her, she knows he wouldn't abandon her. He was just shocked to see his late wife. Still though, it hurts as her lips formed a sad smile. TCF! Deruth, who felt the change, snapped out of his thoughts and held TCF! Violan's left hand where her marriage ring was to assure her as he smiled at her, interlocking their hands together.

TBOAH! Deruth only watched in shock, gripping TBOAH! Violan's right hand tighter before smiling at her who smiled back.

"Hii!" an excited man spoke while eyeing the dragon half blood who shivered unconsciously. "I'm not an ancient power but an artifact called white crown!"

Everyone stared at the new group in shock until TCF! Cale spoke out.

"What the fuck?" he cursed. "How the fuck do I have nine ancient powers?"

"Well, originally, you planned on stopping when you got the sky eating water to balance your plate but then things happened and you had to get them." Adalie vaguely explained, knowing that the truth will be hard to explain completely. "Oh, and TCF! White Star, don't try anything funny or glare at TCF! Cale for getting the ancient powers you want first. There's a reason it's called first come first serve."

TCF! White Star frowned and just nod, knowing that he can't do anything about it.

"Anyway, please enjoy your break. Ancient powers, you can choose any seat prepared in the middle." Adalie said with a smile as she vanished.