Trash of the Count’s Family - Chapter 114

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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A Dragon.
Not Raon, but another Dragon.
Kale Heniatus had no desire to meet another Dragon.
In fantasy novels, ancient Dragons typically appeared as allies or key figures holding crucial secrets. But in “The Birth of a Hero,” Dragons were nothing but characters with shattered personalities.

‘I was told the Dragons in this world are nothing but devastatingly selfish creatures.’

Raon was a unique exception. Kale Heniatus furrowed his brow slightly, sinking into contemplation.

-Of course, there’s no Dragon as magnificent as me in this world, but I’m curious! All my kind exist somewhere, yet I’m the only one without them.

I’m the only one without them.
At those words, Kale Heniatus hesitated for a moment.

-Of course, a weak human like you is also unique, so it’s fine. I’ll stay by your side!

Sigh.
A deep breath escaped Kale Heniatus’s lips. He dragged both hands across his face.

‘How did things end up like this?’

Everything was unfolding according to my goals and plans. So why did these unexpected entanglements keep arising? Was it because I had a Dragon and the protagonist Choi Han by my side?
Raon’s worried voice reached me.

-Human, are you hurting again?

Seriously.
Kale Heniatus asked the Elf Chieftain while covering his face with both hands.

“Can you determine that location?”
-Yes!

At Kale Heniatus’s words, the Tribal Chief’s face brightened with a smile. She looked like an excited fan trembling at the thought of watching her favorite celebrities meet each other.
As Kale Heniatus lowered his hands, the sight of that smile left an uncomfortable taste in his mouth.

“Is the Dragon of good temperament?”
“How could I presume to speak of the temperament of such noble beings? All of them are great and dignified, naturally.”

I shouldn’t have asked. These dragon enthusiasts weren’t the ones to ask.

“Is he a young dragon?”
“An ancient dragon, actually. And fortunately, he’s quite sociable.”

-An old dragon!

Raon chimed in at the Tribal Chief’s words. Meanwhile, Kale’s expression darkened.

‘A selfish dragon being sociable doesn’t change much.’

Still, Kale felt somewhat relieved. The Tribal Chief’s words at least suggested that the Gold Dragon would take a liking to Raon.

-I, Raon Mir, shall prove my greatness!

Kale, who had been reassured, swallowed a sigh at Raon’s response. Would such a simple-minded dragon truly hold his own before an ancient dragon? A worry began to creep in.
But that worry vanished as it peeked through.
The Elf Chieftain Canaria spoke with a clouded smile, her tone tinged with bitterness.

“However, since he is an ancient dragon, I worry that his stamina troubles him. I suspect that meeting another dragon might bring him joy and help him recover even a little strength.”

Thank goodness. His stamina was quite weak.
Kale’s worry lessened somewhat. Even if a battle between Raon and the Gold Dragon erupted, it seemed they could manage to escape somehow.

‘If worst comes to worst, we can always flee.’

With Choi Han in tow, Raon wouldn’t be at a disadvantage. Kale pondered how to bring along enough strength to dismiss an ancient dragon as merely ‘just an ancient dragon.’ Yet the Tribal Chief Canaria’s wrinkled eyes gleamed with a radiant smile.

“Should the two dragons meet, it would be a truly beautiful sight.”

Beautiful, perhaps. But Kale was worried blood would spill. However, a more troubling situation soon descended upon him. The Guardian Warrior gave the Tribal Chief a subtle glance.
At that gaze, Tribal Chief Canaria’s expression stiffened slightly as she met Kale’s eyes.

“Young Master, about that…”

It was a combination of words that felt ominous. Kale picked up his bread and resumed eating.

“Would you be willing to meet that swordsman once?”

These blasted elves. I swallowed my curses along with the bread, chewing methodically.
They offered nothing yet pestered me endlessly with requests. Even if I had agreed to help, wasn’t it shameless to come empty-handed and still make demands?

‘Just like during the Hero’s Birth. This Chieftain has been working Choi Han quite hard, hasn’t she?’

In my eyes, Chieftain Canaria resembled a raccoon—she lectured about material greed being human avarice while offering no compensation, yet made endless requests.
Naturally, I had no intention of being manipulated by such a Chieftain.

I deliberately fixed Canaria with a sullen expression.

“Why must we meet?”

Canaria spoke cautiously, her face as expressionless as my cold tone. She had never been this careful with a human before. But this was one protected by a Dragon. The great Dragon must surely be watching even now.

“No matter how much we interrogate that swordsman, he says nothing. You said you don’t know their identities, but since this is the third time, I thought perhaps you might extract some information from him that we couldn’t.”

Canaria could see me staring directly at her while chewing bread. After swallowing every last crumb, this nobleman who ate so elegantly smiled at her.
It was a smile much like hers.

“I’ll grant you this one request—for everyone’s sake.”

Canaria’s expression became peculiar. But I showed no reaction to it, instead turning to address the others.

“Fendrick, wouldn’t you agree? We must help one another so everyone can prosper. Within the limits of our capabilities.”
“Yes, young master.”
“Exactly. It’s a truly wonderful thing to share our hearts rather than material goods. Don’t you think so as well, Guardian Warrior?”

The Guardian Warrior flinched at my sudden question but quickly straightened and answered earnestly.

“Ahem, indeed. A human who understands the value of the heart—ahem—you are the first, young master. You are truly worthy of the Dragon’s protection.”
“Quite right. As you say, Guardian Warrior, the heart must be repaid with the heart.”

Despite my gentle tone, my word choice carried an undertone of compulsion. Yet the two elves, charmed by my kind smile, responded with smiles of their own. Fendrick answered enthusiastically.

“Absolutely! There are things that material goods can never fill—things that dwell in the heart!”

Fendrick gave me exactly the response I wanted to hear.

‘Good, good. So next time, you must help me with all your hearts.’

Rather than voice his true thoughts, Kale offered the Tribal Chief a smile even warmer than hers.
From this Elf Village with nothing but grass, what Kale could extract was merely their labor—and spirits as a bonus. He had strengthened these elves in a manner different from the Dark Elves; having already helped them, why not put them to use?
Moreover, the Elf Village’s location was advantageous, nestled between the Roan Kingdom and the Breck Kingdom.

-Human, why do you smile when meeting the Crown Prince? Did they do something wrong?

Ignoring Raon’s question, Kale rose from his seat.

“Shall we depart at once?”

Kale’s gaze locked with the Tribal Chief’s.

“If there is work to be done, shouldn’t we assist with utmost haste?”

The Tribal Chief’s expression grew peculiar. The noble human before her seemed to be exerting subtle pressure, compelling her obedience. And she could sense the nature of that pressure.

‘An unusual ancient power.’

An incomprehensible ancient force pressed upon Tribal Chief Canaria. She found Kale increasingly fascinating.
Blessed by extraordinary fortune, wielding this strange ancient power, and moreover—

‘His rhetoric is quite cunning.’

Canaria rose from her seat to follow Kale. She could read admiration in the eyes of Fendrick and the Guardian Warrior as they watched him. Soon, the other elves would likely regard him the same way.

An intriguing human indeed. She wondered what he intended to accomplish by winning the elves’ favor. Her curiosity burned, yet she could not remain at his side.

“I must attend to the restoration site, so Fendrick will guide you.”
“I see.”

Kale’s eyes met Fendrick’s.

“Shall we go?”
“Yes.”

Fendrick took the lead and opened the door, with Kale and his waiting companions following in his wake. But Kale’s footsteps soon halted.

“Ah.”
“Is something the matter?”

Kale rummaged through his magical pouch as he addressed the bewildered group.

“Everyone put on your masks.”

The masks they had removed while eating emerged from the magical pouch. The group sighed and donned them. After that, Kale issued them several instructions.
Fendrick stared blankly at the scene, hesitating at the instructions, but soon moved at Kale’s words.

“Let’s go again.”
“Yes, yes.”

I followed Fendrick, who had resumed guiding us, toward the back of the Clan Leader’s House. Having emerged from the Clan Leader’s House situated between the Elf Village and the Flower Field where I had awakened, I moved in the opposite direction from the Elf Village.
Soon a massive boulder appeared, and as I entered the basement beneath it, my expression grew subtle.

A place never mentioned even in the book ‘The Birth of a Hero’.
When I first heard about the interrogation, I had simply assumed the elves were imprisoning Secret Organization inspectors somewhere and conducting basic questioning.

‘So the wealthy truly do things on a grander scale.’

Before me unfolded a desolate basement stained with blood—a place better described as an underground prison.
I had not known the elves were capable of torture. I reminded myself once more that preconceptions were useless, then gestured to Fendrick with my chin.

“How are we supposed to have a conversation like this?”
“Well—”

Fendrick smacked his lips and exchanged an awkward smile with the elves waiting before the underground prison.
In the basement, a figure so drenched in blood as to be barely recognizable sat hunched in a grotesquely twisted leg position.
It was the middle-aged swordsman.

‘So Choi Han severed his lower body?’

I glanced at the elf holding torture implements in hand, then crouched down and muttered.

“Elves and humans are no different.”

Fendrick flinched at those words. A person without greed, one who moves only to save everyone—the cold words from such a person carried an inexplicable sharpness.

“Fendrick, could you send the other elves out? You stay. I’d prefer to have this conversation in a more comfortable atmosphere.”
“Yes, I understand.”

At Fendrick’s signal, the elves inside the underground prison filed out through the door. Even as they left, Kale kept his head bowed low, observing the blood-soaked man before him.
The one who had been with the Tamer and the Spear Master. A middle-aged swordsman—quite skilled, by the look of it.

“What’s his name?”
“Well, he hasn’t said anything.”

Fendrick answered hesitantly. I found it strange that Fendrick, a healer, stood so calmly in the underground prison, but I turned my attention back to the middle-aged swordsman.
That was when it happened.

“Kekeke.”

A laugh escaped from the swordsman who had been silent. It was a raspy, phlegm-laden chuckle. Watching him, I spoke without emotion.

“Good—at least you’re not pretending to be unconscious.”

That was when Vicross opened his mouth.

“His name is Belbert.”

The middle-aged swordsman Belbert’s laughter cut short abruptly.
I turned my gaze toward Vicross and flinched. Somewhere along the way, he had pulled on pristine white gloves and now held a thin, sharp dagger. At the sight of it, I looked at him in bewilderment, but Vicross interpreted that gaze differently and answered.

“During the battle, the Spear Master called him that. He seems to have served as the Tamer’s escort—a subordinate with a name similar to the Tamer’s, treated like a disposable part who could die at any moment.”
“Kekeke, heh!”

The swordsman laughed as if amused the moment Vicross finished speaking. Yet he only laughed, keeping his mouth otherwise shut. My voice descended upon Belbert, who stared at the ground.

“Will you say nothing?”

But contrary to my expectation, Belbert spoke.

“Just who…”

Slowly, Belbert raised his head. He had no need to care about elves. But these people—he was curious about them. The crude clothing and masks they wore still grated on him, as if they were mocking him.

“Just who are you bastards? What gives you the right to—!”

Belbert’s teeth clenched.
He had never encountered swordsmen of such caliber. That made his defeat all the more infuriating—he wanted to know their identities even if it meant death. But as he lifted his head, he could see laughing eyes through the gaps in their masks.
The one who had unleashed that crimson lightning and collapsed. Presumably the leader of this group.
That person uttered a single word softly.

“Dark.”

Belbert’s pupils dilated slightly. He tried to lower his head to avert his gaze downward.
But a hand gripped his hair.
It was not Kale, of course. Blood from Belbert’s hair smeared across Vicross’s white gloves. With his hair trapped in Vicross’s grip, Belbert’s eyes had no choice but to focus on Kale.
Before Belbert could even close his eyes, Kale asked quietly.

“The Eastern Continent wasn’t enough?”

Kale could see the shock written across Belbert’s face.

“W-what are you talking about…!”
“The Sun God Cult.”

But Kale continued with his questions. He had decided to ask everything he was curious about while he had the chance.

“Roan, the Wolf Tribe, mermaids, the Empire. The mermaids must be for maritime routes. But why target Roan and the Empire?”

Kale locked eyes with Belbert, who had reacted severely ever since the mention of the Eastern Continent.
Belbert’s eyes narrowed slightly at that gaze. He couldn’t figure out who this person was—someone who knew about Dark, the Eastern Continent, and everything else.
He bit his lip slightly. Resignation flickered across his eyes, and simultaneously, the corners of his mouth lifted.

“Heh, do I look like the type to talk?”

Belbert’s tongue moved. A bitter taste lingering deep in his mouth. The moment he crushed it, his heart would stop. In the end, he would die as a mere cog. Belbert felt laughter bubbling up involuntarily.
His eyes blazed with defiance as he provoked Kale. And he prepared to bite down on the small bead in his mouth.

“I will never sp—ugh!”

A scream erupted from the middle-aged swordsman Belbert’s mouth. He could see eyes crinkling pleasantly through the gaps in the mask.

“If I’d known this method would work, I wouldn’t have underestimated you so much.”

Meow.
The red cat slowly emerged from concealment and appeared before the gathered crowd.

Among Kale’s companions were naturally On and Hong. Beneath Belbert, whose hair was firmly gripped by Vicross so he couldn’t see the ground, a mist coiled ominously.

Paralytic poison.

“Cough. Hack!”

A white gloved hand entered the trembling Belbert’s mouth and withdrew a small orb. Raon’s voice reached my ears.

-That’s a magical device! Let me analyze it!

I watched as Vicross brushed off the white glove and stored the small orb, then turned my head. I offered a smile to Belbert, who was losing consciousness to the paralytic poison.

“I don’t fall for such common patterns.”

A tragic tale of a protagonist who captures an enemy only to have them suddenly die from poison or a device hidden in their mouth, yielding no information whatsoever.
Fortunately, I was no protagonist, and I had no desire to experience such misfortune.

I watched as Belbert, whose eyes had been glaring at me in defiance, finally lost consciousness, then rose to my feet. I spoke gently to Fendrick, who was watching me.

“All lives are precious, after all. It’s fortunate we saved him before it was too late, wouldn’t you say?”

Fendrick was momentarily at a loss for words.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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