This post is messy but I think my idea is fun so I decided to share c:
Warning!!!! there are a lot of spoilers ahead if you haven't finished part 1 of the novel
My wonderfull brain made up and au where Cale is in his og body and a butler to Alberu
I've name it Butler of the Royal family and have already written the first two chapters but it takes me ages to write so I will just share my ideas for now . Haven't poster the chapters to ao3 yet
This is inspired by that one part of the God of Despair tests . Where Cale is in the body of some random guy and acts as a butler for small Alberu who is in a bad position as a teen. You know - the one where he turns the palace on its head so he can give Alberu a decent meal and wreaks havoc as usual. Calls him "Your Royal highness" , changes the furniture to better ones in the palace and then almost gets killed by the king . I love it a lot it's super cute and makes me soooft
This but it's the reality
So basically Kim Rock Soo is punted into the Forest of death Choi family style and is a transmigrator not a reincarnator (idk if that's what they're called) so he's not in Cales body and the deal with GoD hasn't happened
The thing is - he's away too early than the setting of The birth of a Hero . Alberu and Cale are only teens and Harris village is still standing
Here's where I take many liberations with the accurate ages and such - mainly I ignore them and just change them so they can fit my silly scenarios
When Rock Soo realises he's earlier than the events in The Birth of a Hero he decides to go make a deal with that glib crown prince . He's trying to scam him to get money for slacker life or smth . But then he sees the sorry state that is Alberus palace and how they mistreat him. And basically hires himself as the head butler to fix things because of course he would. The rationalisation in his mind is that he needs the crown prince in power to ensure that Roan will be ready for the future wars and he can live his slacker life without worrying about that
In the end he takes the reins as commander in the war and is a hero like in canon as is expected of our clown mc
I'm mostly thinking about how different Alberu will grow up with Rock Soo as his butler . He has someone he can actually depend on now!!
Kim Rock Soo relationship with everyone will be different which is the fun part for me
He's a dad of one crown prince (even if he won't admit it) and baby Raon .
Raon!! He's still an egg in this but don't worry Rock Soo won't ever forget his dragon son so he goes to steal- I mean rescue Raon and a few other valuable things he finds in that cave. So Raon hatches from his egg into Rock Soos warm hands and is coddled and loved as he should be. Only the best thing for the dragon baby
And!! Rock Soo is about the same age as Ron in this cuz I said so - around 36 I think. And so! They're best friends. Of course Rock Soo is terrified but still
Ron finds him funny and decides to keep him around just cuz
Haven't thought everything out but yeah
I will share the many memes I've made for this and hopefully they flesh out my concept more and how the interactions change between the characters and sometimes doesn't really
How Kim Rock Soo became Butler!Rock Soo:
Rock Soo going to meet the Crown Prince: Gonna strike a deal to help him with the future wars and secure slacker life. Planning only of course I don't wanna fight
(He's delusional your Honour.)
teen!Alberu in an unkept office, clearly malnourished: And may I ask for what reason you seek my help? ಠ‿ಠ
Butler!Rock Soo: ... for the butler position.
(Butler!Rock Soo was won over by teen!Alberu spectacular sad boy energy. If no one was going to take care of Roan future king then goddamn Rock Soo will do so himself. No child should starve especially the kingdoms future ruler. Besides he's securing his comfy slacker life. The crowns prince head butlers salary is sure to get him enough funds for a long cushy retirement. And if he gotta give the lil prince power to give him that salary himself well you gotta do what you gotta do for slacker life / this is how Rock Soo convinced himself to come out of his retirement and become a butler)
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Butler!Roksu doing the parent™ thing and casually dropping the most fucked up backstory in the middle of a conversation: I don't really have food preferences since I was so used to starving as a kid and teen. As long as it's made by the royal kitchen it's tasty.
teen!Alberu who asked what his favourite food was: (@_@)
teen!Alberu: *complaining about some annoying noble:
Butler!Roksu: I suggest scamming
teen!Alberu: You always suggest scamming
Butler!Roksu: Hasn't failed us so far
teen!Alberu: *in the middle of a hormonal angst*
Butler!Roksu: I don't remember being like this when I was younger (he was worse)
/Not the isolated lonely teen roksu angst what will we dooooo
teen!Alberu: I know your secret identity don't even try to deny it
Butler!Roksu - a transmigrator: "shit how to explain this"
teen!Alberu: You're a noble in hiding!! Probably from a foreign country
Butler!Roksu: Your royal highness your brilliance is unmeasurable and intellect beyond our understanding. The future of our Roan is in capable hands
Butler!Roksu: "I mean I needed an alibi so might as well accept this"
(Slacker life waves at Roksu goodbye as they fade into nothingness)
teen!Alberu and teen!Cale - proud members of the neglected by their father after the traumatic death of their mother and raised by their sketchy (vicious) butler club
(It do be like that sometimes)
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teen!Alberu: Roksu is saying to get to know Cale... Probably so he can be my future ally . He seems rude and a drinks a lot idk how he will be of any help but if Roksu thinks he's useful there must be something
Butler!Roksu setting up play dates with Ron: My kid needs more friends. All he does is brood and study.
(Roksu is a concerned parent for his shut in kid)
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Ron about og!Cale: I do have a fatherly role in his life but I must still maintain my distance as his survent
Roksu about Alberu: That's my prince son. I love him very much but will never admit it.
(Ron tries to maintain his distance and keep their relationship somewhat servant/master. He's failing but that's another question.
Roksu tho? He saw a lost teen with trust issues, asked "Is anyone gonna adopt that?" and didn't wait for an answer.)
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Choi Han who hasn't seen other Koreans or even heard the language in literal decades vs Kim Rock Soo casualty strolling into the village asking how he's doing in korean (the only language he knows)
Choi Han loses. He doesn't know what's going on. He's very happy tho.
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Kim Rock Soo: Choi Han probably thinks it's very annoying having to translate back and forth between me and the villagers. Better learn this roan language soon so as not to bother him
Meanwhile Choi Han who follows him like the lost puppy he is just so so happy to hear his mother language and to help his huyng
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Rock Soo spawning from the Forest of Darkness: (◉_◉)
Harris village folks: oh my god there's another one
Rock Soo: tries to communicate with them and is respectable
Harris village folks: AND this one is not feral!!!
(Thus began the rumor that strong people with black eyes and hair come out from the Forest of Darkness like some kind of mythical creatures)
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Harris village hearing banging on the door separating them from the Forest of Darkness: No monster has tried to come here in thousand of year we ARE DEATH AAAA
Choi Han taking out his sword: Don't worry I will kill it before it makes a single sound (•‿•)
Rock Soo outside the doors: My legs are tired :-\ . I hope they come soon
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Buff scarred 36 years old Kim Rock Soo in a maid dress
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Raon to his fellow dragons and honestly every human and non-human he gets to talk to: This is my human (dad) and he's very weak !! You have to be careful with him ಠᴥಠ
Teen!Alberu introducing his new butler to his fellow nobles: This is my frail butler. He's very old and ready for retirement so please be mindful with him (•‿•)
Enter Butler!Rock Soo - a shredded middle aged man with scar tissue more than clear skin: I will be in your care
(Teen!Alberu knows exactly what he's doing with this. Rock Soo and Raon are 100% genuine xd. // Rock Soo is delusional in every form)
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Butler!Rock Soo realising Ron is the same age as him: Fuck you what do you mean "an old man assassin"?!? Do I look old man age to you. If you think 30s is old age then this was written by a toddler smh
Choi Jung Gun feeling offended: This is all your fault
GoD: you're so mean to me (。•́︿•̀。)
(Rock Soo seeing Ron for the first time and thinking he's being called old/ teen!Alberu will later confirm that claim)
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Rock Soo and Ron should be besties change my mind
Butler!Rock Soo: scared shitless of Ron most times. Shares relatable™ moments with him cuz they're both raising- I mean working for kids
Ron: Rock Soo amuses him and he likes actually having friends that have seen some shit and he can talk semi-normally to
Lots of taunting in their interactions courtesy of Ron who is entertained to no end at the taller and buffer man flinching at him sharpening knifes and alluding to murder
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Ohmygod. Ron finds a new hobbie - he picks up woodworking - he makes lil wooden figures specifically cuz it dullens the knife he's using. He holds onto the knives and wait until Rock Soo is around to sharpen them so he can watch him freak out in minimal twitches and constipated faces
He enjoys it more than he should but c'mon
Ron pulling out a knife to sharpen for the first time in front of Rock Soo:
Rock Soo's bear fighting looking ass: *does a lil twitch
Rock Soo: *actually shivers
C'mon who wouldn't wanna do that again. Rock Soo on his clown behaviour smh
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Butler!Rock Soo and og!Cale still understand eachother the best !
Butler!Rock Soo: I'm gonna retire and live a slacker life in peace
Og!Cale: Okay that sounds nice hope you get it soon...wanna hear about how I lost my mom
Butler!Rock Soo: sure kid lay it on me
Like Rock Soo still takes the time to sit and listen to Cale tell him about what he's going through even though he finds this annoying. And Cale truly believes and hopes Rock Soo achieves his dream