Chapter 14: 14. Such an odd behavior
A man who was accustomed to building structures and gardens in Arslan held high the paper Kai had given him.
It was a sheet printed with sketches of a chicken coop, a footpath, and a few other things Kai wanted to add around the pavilion.
Since all of this would be funded by the Duke of Arslan, Kaileon wouldn’t hold back. He didn’t need to worry about whether the Duchess would come and scold him. Just as Kaileon had experienced all this time, before Kaiden arrived.
Kai would make sure that everything Kaileon hoped for came true.
"Did you make this yourself, sir? But... it’s so neat. Is the ink you have very expensive?" asked the man, whose name was Pablo.
"No, I have a kind of magical device that can print anything I’ve thought of," Kai said casually, since he didn’t know how to explain the printer he’d bought from Earth.
It seemed Kai shouldn’t mess around with the printer, because trouble was bound to happen.
If he’d known they’d make such a fuss, Kai would have just learned to sketch with a pencil.
Luckily, since Kaileon was the Duke’s son, they believed Kai’s words right away.
"Oohh!" Pablo and his men cheered in unison; they were amazed by the sophistication possessed by the nobility.
"I’ve also prepared the materials you’ll need over there; just let me know if you need anything," Kai said.
They cheered in admiration again upon seeing all the materials Kai had bought.
Such as flat, round stones for the path, wood, rocks, nails, sand, and cement.
In terms of construction, the Arslan region was already quite modern. In fact, they were sometimes more advanced than people on Earth, since some of them built houses or other structures with the help of magic.
Basic magic like lifting objects, stirring, and other tasks that speed up their work.
In the Arslan region, which is full of forests, mountains, and rocks, many buildings there do indeed use wood or stone.
So, Kaileon could buy anything he needed from the supermarket system he owned. As long as the item was sold in a store, mall, or supermarket, it could be purchased easily. Whether it was from Earth or from Ardhez.
Once the men understood what they were to do, Kai could leave them in peace.
But due to customs on Earth, or in the country where Kaiden used to live—where nearly all the citizens were indeed friendly and respectful of others—Kai was now preparing snacks and fresh drinks to serve to Pablo and his men.
"What are you doing, young master? You should be learning about monsters from me right now. Didn’t you want to learn more about that yesterday?" asked Keith.
Kai turned to Keith, chuckling at Keith’s confusion over his young master’s behavior, who had already gone back to being busy in the kitchen.
"I’m going to make some snacks for those who’ve helped me. It won’t take long, Keith. Help me and bring them out so they can work well. You know, it’s really hot today; a glass of fresh, cold drink will make them feel better," said Kai.
Keith fell silent, finding Kaileon’s behavior truly odd. What noble would think of such things for the people working for them? Besides, the maids would bring food when it was time for lunch later. And they surely had their own drinks from home as well.
But, indeed, cold drinks on a scorching day were a luxury for commoners like them.
Keith just stayed quiet and helped Kai prepare snacks and cold drinks for the workers.
Of course, the workers were also very surprised, even though it was only Keith who delivered the snacks and cold drinks. The maids were still resting and freshening up, so only Keith was able to work.
"This young master is very strange."
"True, not like the rumors going around."
"I already knew those kinds of rumors were just lies. What young master would be crazy and lock himself away in a place as grand as this?"
"Some also say the young master can’t speak and is stupid, but from what we see, the young master is very handsome, speaks well, and he’s even very kind to us common folk."
Keith cleared his throat rather loudly so the workers would stop talking about Kaileon and get back to work.
After that, Keith returned to where Kai was, the study.
"Keith! Sit with me. After reading a few paragraphs, there are some questions you need to answer. Come here! I have a sweet cheesecake here, topped with blueberry jam—you’ll love it," said Kai, holding up the cheesecake on a beautiful white plate. It was so beautiful that Keith was taken aback by the sight.
"Is that... a cake?"
Kai chuckled, "What kind of question is that? Of course it’s a cake—a blueberry cheesecake. I also bought a strawberry-flavored ice cream cake. It’s a cold dessert; I think it’ll be perfect for a hot day like this, Keith."
Kai himself was very surprised; he had come to like sweet cakes again. Back on Earth, he used to eat sweet cakes only occasionally, and even then he chose ones that weren’t too sweet. If they were sweet, he usually paired them with bitter coffee.
It seemed his body, mind, and taste buds had returned to an age that matched his current physical form. No longer that pitiful adult man.
"Alright, but you know you shouldn’t eat too many sweets, right? Because your stomach might hurt," said Keith.
Kai chuckled, "Hahaha, I won’t eat it all by myself. What if we share it with Lily and Peoni too? They’ll definitely be happy."
Keith couldn’t help but chuckle along at his young master. On reflex, he patted Kaileon on the head, until he realized how rude that was.
"What’s wrong, Keith? You can’t help yourself when you’re with me. I already think of you as my own brother, so just relax."
Keith smiled; he remembered that he had younger siblings who were still very young when he left. Were they as adorable and smart as Kaileon?
Keith hadn’t returned home at all since he left. He only sent letters every month.
Ugh, suddenly Keith thought of his family after Kaileon called him a brother.
"I feel very honored that you feel that way about me, young master."
"Alright, Keith, first question..."
That afternoon, Kaileon learned a lot from Keith. They occasionally ate some delicious cake. The two maids also came over, and Kai shared his cake with them. Once again, the two maids were so moved they started crying.
"Why are you so moved that you’re crying like that?" Kai asked, confused.
"Sorry, young master, we’re just so grateful that you treat us so well. Since we’re not pretty and come from an orphanage, we were afraid we’d be treated badly. Because all this time, the nobles have always looked down on children from orphanages," said Lily, trying to wipe away her tears.
Kai, who was very curious about the two maids’ story, was about to ask more questions. But Keith, who understood Kaileon’s high level of curiosity, quickly stopped his young master.
Kai realized this and postponed his questions for another time.
But are the nobles here really that bad? Well, it was the same back on Earth, but he hoped things would be a little different in this new world—yet it turns out to be just the same.
