Chapter Text
Deruth Henituse was nervously walking up and down the hall, right in front of a room. His wife, Jur Thames, is giving birth to their son right now.
Cale. That's the name they thought of together.
After a few more anxious waiting hours, he finally heard the crying sound of his son. He quickly opened the door, and rushed to see his Jur.
"You've done well, my dear. Thank you for your hard work." Deruth tugged the hair that was wet with sweat behind her ears.
"Yes, Deruth. But let me see our son first."
Jur smiled weakly. Looking toward the nanny who had returned with the newborn baby after cleaning him up.
"Here you go, Countess." The nanny, Martha, smiled happily as she passed the young master gently to his mother. "He seems to have the same beautiful red hair as you, Countess."
Deruth couldn't hide his joy as he played with the baby's hands. "Our Cale is so adorable."
But, he saw how his wife frowned as soon as she saw Cale. "What's wrong?"
"Ah, it's nothing." Jur kissed the cheek of her son. "I'm just tired, I guess. You can hold him, in case I lose strength in my arm, I don't want to drop him."
"Okay." Deruth decided to stop thinking about Jur's strange gaze a moment ago.
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Two years later
Deruth had noticed many strange accidents happened around his two-year-old son, Cale, lately.
Every time Cale showed any interest in one of the toys, it was somehow got destroyed in a day or two. At first he thought that maybe one of the maids was trying to harm his son.
However, Jur who was next to Cale almost all the time said that it was not like that. Even Hans the servant who got called to look after Cale from time to time reported that nothing of the sort had happened.
The mystery of Cale's destroyed toys was remained as mystery, as he got no clues to solve it at all, but Deruth had told his trusted butler to keep monitoring just in case.
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Cale is now five years old. He was smart and lively. For Deruth, if Jur was the star that guided him to the right path, Cale was the sun that brightened up his day.
Even though, he was busy with the territorial duties, he made sure to make times to eat lunch with his beautiful wife and his adorable son every day.
The family of three often chatted about Cale's daily activities and lessons. He found out how Ron's son, Vicross who had decided to help inside the kitchen, sometimes came to play with Cale when he was free from his duties.
Ron was someone Jur met while she was taking a walk around. Jur had taken a pity in the single dad who struggled to provide for his young son.
Since Jur trusted Ron, he had no choice but to follow. Jur is mysterious that way, she had a way with people. He trust his wife on this.
The joyous times was put to an end, when people around Cale started to get into accident one after the other. Just like with his toys a few years before.
Deruth was distressed, why couldn't his son live a peaceful life? Why does it feel like some gods playing a joke on him?
Before long, a rumor started to circulate among the servants of the estate. The rumor that the young master of Henituse County was cursed.
Deruth who had found out about it, immediately do everything to suppress the rumor, and severely punished the one who started the malicious rumor against his son.
Thankfully, it got under controlled, but the damage was already done. His shining sun had lost his brightness.
Cale was smart, Deruth was sure of that, every single one of his teacher could testify that.
Cale seemed to figure out something. He began to hide in his room and refused to spend time with him or even Jur.
Deruth and Jur had tried to coax him many times, tried to cheer their son, tried to get their lively son back. But Cale was stubborn, a trait every Henituse have.
In a period of time, Jur had somehow being able to enter Cale's self protection zone, but he wasn't given the same chance.
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Cale was now eight years old.
Deruth hadn't giving up yet. He used every opportunity where he got free from the Count's duties to spend it with Cale, despite the fact that he had to talk alone.
He could see how his son wanted to reply, but he always stubbornly keep his lips tightly close, even sometimes bit his own lips to the point of bleeding.
Deruth really hate to see him hurt himself, so he chose not to force his presence on his son anymore. He could only smiled bitterly.
How he wish he could stay with son every minute of the day. That day inside his study, Deruth was crying in defeat for the first time in three years.
Jur, who saw everything, could only apologize to Deruth silently, as she chose to stay with Cale after she decided to go with her plan which likely led to her death.
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The day after that, Deruth received the news that his wife, who had left to go somewhere in the middle of the night had returned with critical injuries.
Deruth rushed to see Jur, who was being healed by the doctor and priest. However, they both shook their head. Deruth dropped on his knees, kneeling there in front of everyone, with both hands holding his wife's hand as he cried sorrowfully.
The young Cale seemed to be stunned shock. He could only stare blankly at his mother's body. No tears could be seen on his young face. His young mind seemed to have not registered the fact yet.
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The day of the funeral
Cale stood silently with an emotionless face. Only Ron, who had sharp eyes, could see the slight tear stains on his cheek as well as the redden eyes from how he held back his tears.
Deruth was looking tired, as he was trying to stay strong for his son. But then, he felt the small hands reached out to give him a hug, he felt soft pats on his back.
Deruth ended up crying at that gesture. He hugged his son tightly. "Oh Cale."
Deruth was exhausted both in his physical and mental. To think that he, who should be a pillar for his son, was getting consoled by his son in the end. He was really ashamed of himself.
That's how Deruth missed the whispers of comments toward Cale calling him a heartless monster for not shredding a single tears for his passing mother.
From that rumor, some also started the rumor of how Cale being a foolish trash who couldn't even study properly. The fact that Cale really abandoned all his lessons since the accident from the age of five, made the rumors got worse.
Even though the teachers knew that wasn't the case, that the young heir was smart to the point he finished almost everything before he stopped coming to lessons, they couldn't do anything to the growing rumors. They chose to stay silent to protect themselves.
By the time, Deruth knew about the rumors, it's already too late to get rid of it completely. He could only try his best to suppress it like before.
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By the time, Cale was ten, Deruth knew that it was his entire fault if Cale had decided to blame him. He had already fallen in love with another woman.
Deruth had known this woman, Violan one day when he went on his territory inspection. That was about a year ago. They had been somehow connected by their works and ended up seeing each other quite often.
However, even if he fell in love with her, to him, his son, Cale is more important. He'd rather regret missing this chance than to lose his son forever. His young son had suffered enough.
The relationship between him and his son had gotten better than before over the passed two years. They had started to eat breakfast together once in a while, even though Cale sat as far away from him as possible.
It was hurt, he admitted, but it was an improvement. That was the reason, he hesitated to get deeper into the relationship with Violan.
But Violan comforted him, asking him to at least allow her to meet with Cale. She told him that she knows how he felt, as to her, her son Basen is as important as Cale was to Deruth.
At the first meeting, Deruth bit his lips, feeling regret for his decision, when he saw how shocked his child was.
Violan was talking as gently as she could as she introduced Bassen to Cale. And although at lost, Cale introduced himself perfectly like what he was taught. Clearly he remembered every lesson he had learnt.
Deruth had decided to ask Cale later, he wanted to at least talk it out properly. He would apologize to Violan if his son decided that he couldn't accept it.
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By the time half a year had passed, Cale who had been observed Deruth and Violan, knew that they were really in love with each other, and he...he was the obstacle for them.
Even if Cale hated the fact that his mum got replaced, he didn't want to see his father's sad face because of him again.
So he gave his consent. Bitterly, he found out that everything was already prepared and they were just waiting for his consent.
He felt a little warmth that they respected his feelings, but the bitter feeling overwhelmed that warmth.
He started to blame himself and stayed away from his father's new family. He wouldn't want his 'cursed' to cause any unhappiness more than it had already done.
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After getting the consent from Cale, Deruth felt that maybe his son could open up to Violan or even little Bassen, he felt hope for the first time, that maybe he would get his son to be back like he used to but....
When the wedding day was decided, his son isolated himself even more so than before.
Shortly after the wedding, his son who had always been quiet and alone, had been in a fight with one of vassal noble's son, which ended up with injuries on both side.
His heart dropped at the sight of his injured son, he quickly called for the priest.
The vassal noble had been asking for punishment towards his son, for bad behavior, for starting the fight 'without reason'.
However, he knew his son well. Cale was smart and witty, he wouldn't do anything without a reason, it must be the vassal's son who provoked him somehow.
Unfortunately, Cale didn't trust him enough to share the reason and he couldn't openly protect his son, so he could only grounded him within his room, which is the lightest punishment he could think of without hurting Cale even more.
But every night when he visited to check on his son, he could only see the view of his lonely back that would slightly flinch if he was to approach closer.
"Cale, you have to tell me what you want to do next time, so I could at least be a father and protect you properly. You don't have to keep the burden alone. I am here for you. So can't we talk?"
Of course all he got was silence from his son. He could only smile bitterly and gave his son a pat on his head before turning to leave. "Good night, Cale. You have to get well soon."
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The estrangement from his son continued until he was 15, the time when Cale started to drink alcohol.
He had tried to reason with his son at the beginning, but his son who finally talked to him once in a while, begged him to leave him alone.
Of course, he wouldn't do that just because his son wanted him to. He was worried. But then Cale started to stay away from home whenever he tried to stop him from his 'drinking trip to the bar'.
In the end, he could only do what Cale wanted, and watched over him from afar, supporting him with whatever he wanted.
As long as Cale, his son could stayed within his reach, within his protection, it was enough for Deruth.
But, shortly after, every vassal started to file their complaints, asking Cale to be kicked down from the heir position and raised Bassen to be the heir, instead.
It wasn't that he didn't love Bassen because he wasn't his own blood, no, he loved Bassen just as he loved Cale. But he still rejected the idea on spot, regardless whatever complaints throw at him.
Until, Cale barged into his study one day, red in the face with a bottle of wine in his hand, requested to pass the heir position to Bassen.
He knew right then and there, why Cale, his always sensible child, chose to act as an alcoholic Trash which is famous throughout the territory. He wanted Bassen to find his place as an heir of the County.
His son had been doing it for four years, still he wanted to mouth his own complaints, but one look at his son's clear begging eyes, he could only swallow the words down.
"Cale, can't we find another solution?" He could only softly asked, looking down at his clenched fists. He was really a useless father. He couldn't do anything for his son.
"No, father. Please let me do what I want." That was the answer he got before Cale left his study in staggered steps.
He raised from his seat wanting to support him, but his son avoided his hands, afraid to be touched.
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From that day, Bassen was named as the heir just as Cale wanted, despite the complaint from Bassen, saying he didn't want to steal the position from his Hyung.
Bassen finally begrudgingly accepted it after Deruth stated that this was Cale's request. Bassen was to start the Heir lesson which Cale abandoned.
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One day, during the year when Cale, who was now 18 years old, started to change.
It felt like a miracle for Deruth.
Cale, his son, had come to have breakfast with the family. What surprise Deruth was the fact that Cale enjoyed his meal, it had been too long since he saw his son enjoy his meal with a smile on his face.
And then Cale asked him for money. His son, who from the time he was 15 never come to him to ask for anything since that fateful day, finally requested him for something. Even if it was just money like usual, he was happy Cale personally asked him.
"Of course, I'll give you as much as I can."
Deruth answered without a pause and smile happily.
"And..." Cale paused a little "I'd like to see the thing that my mom has left with you"
But then his son dropped a bomb. He could only smiled softly. This is better than his son isolated himself, doing everything to get a self-destruction.
Deruth sighed in admiration for Jur, his first wife. His Jur, his star, she had guide their son back to him.
Whatever the reason for him to suddenly asked for what his mother left behind for him, he was grateful that she was the reason Cale changed for the better.
When he gave the enchanted box to Cale, he was hesitating. But when he finally gave his son the pat on his head, one simple action that he couldn't do before, what he received in return was a treasure he wanted to keep forever, his son's smile.
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A few days after the change in Cale, he received reports of his son's strange behavior as well as the fact that he didn't visit to his regular bar anymore.
Deruth only briefly skimmed the reports to see if there was anything dangerous that might happen to his son. He didn't care about what Cale chose to do, as long as it wasn't putting his life in danger, he would support his son silently from behind.
However, suddenly Cale brought home an unidentified young man. The young man even reported such an unbelievable accident.
Cale also brought along two stray cats while he himself got sick from shielding the cats from the rain. He had visited his son while he fell asleep under the care of his personal servant, Ron.
And so, he decided to try his luck again, asking Cale to go to the capital as the family's representative.
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Deruth was given a huge shocked when he received the news that his precious son was coughing blood from overused of Ancient Power in order to protect the people from the terrorist's bomb.
"C-Coughing blood? L-Let me headed to the capital immediately!"
Violan who was by his side, calmed him down slowly. And suggested for him to use the communication device instead.
After the chat with Cale, finding out that he's fine now, that Deruth finally had his rationality returned.
He immediately ordered for the information about the terrorists this time. He would spend however much it cost, as long as he could find the people who made his beloved son coughed blood.
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Tsuki: I have this extra for Deruth to explain his actions, since someone might had missed the fact that he's different from the novel... hehe… Hope you Enjoyed this.
P.S.: as mentioned in Jur's diary, Jur found out about Cale when she saw and touch Cale for the first time. She tried her best to stay next to Cale all the time, even though she had to go away sometimes for her preparations, like trying to make a deal with the gods.
The young Cale had figured out his cursed condition that's why he keeps the distance from his beloved father as soon as he knew. He had just known that, if he stayed close, Deruth might get into accident like the people close to him, and later he might died like his mother.
Being a sensible and emotional child, Cale just like his father, despite being hurt, he could do anything for his father, just like how his father would do anything for him.
After seeing simple joys appeared inside Deruth's eyes every time he was together with Violan, as well as the joy he showed when little lily was born, Cale took it to himself to stay away from the new family, determined to not let his curse effect his family at all.
Additional information: During the four years that Cale was acting like a Trash, started from the time Cale was grounded for fighting with the vassal's son to the day Bassen was appointed as heir, Bassen was given lessons about everything Cale had to study, except for the lesson meant for the heir.
Although Cale still a loner and abandoned his lesson since young, he had already perfected his etiquette with his mother. So during those time, Cale would occasionally need to go to the party with his parents. That's when they meet Eric, Gilbert and Amir.
And when he was 15, abandoned all etiquette he had learnt, he acted like trash even at the gathering of northeastern nobles, in order to promote Bassen who was just appointed as heir. Which was why Bassen had to replace him to go to those parties.