Trash of the Count’s Family - Chapter 12

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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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Yet beneath my satisfaction, an inexplicable chill crept down the back of my neck. Ron had drunk the lemon tea far too readily, without a word of complaint.

Clink.
Why did the sound of the teacup settling onto the table seem so unnaturally loud? It appeared my unease wasn’t mere imagination—Choi Han’s brow furrowed as he quietly savored his tea.

“If you’re going to drink, do so quietly, would you?”

Ron suppressed a bitter laugh at the sight of Choi Han glancing toward me before addressing him with formal speech. Today, he had procured a suitable sword for Choi Han—a blade forged at the same smithy where Vicross’s kitchen knives were made.

‘Want to spar?’
‘I can’t face someone wielding a sword meant for cooking to cut down people.’

Vicross had persistently demanded a match with Choi Han, who now held the blade. From their brief exchange, he’d gauged something of Choi Han’s skill and wished to learn more. But Choi Han refused.

‘Ha, what a ridiculous fellow. Why must I carry a blood-stained sword like you?’

Choi Han closed his eyes, then opened them, answering his father’s words with quiet resolve.

‘I will become someone who protects. You said I could do it too.’
‘What are you talking about?’

Ron observed the endearing bickering between father and son before following Choi Han to me. There, he overheard something precious.

‘I can’t keep living as a ruffian, can I?’

Ron savored those words instead of the lemon tea. Choi Han regarded him with displeasure.
I watched the scene with quiet contentment.
This was how Ron and Choi Han were in ‘The Birth of a Hero’—companions who sharpened their edges against each other yet always walked together. Bound by contract, yet respecting each other’s boundaries.

I’d thought the story had diverged greatly because of my actions to avoid being struck, yet the fundamental human connections seemed to flow along similar lines.

‘It’s unfortunate that some things have changed, but my life comes first. I can’t live my life strictly by the book.’

As long as I and those within my sphere were comfortable, that should be enough.

“Sweet tea truly is the best.”

Ron paused at Kale’s cheerfully spoken words.
The leisurely tea time shared by the three of them came to an end beneath the torrential downpour.

“When we meet next, I shall be in the Capital.”

After tea concluded, Kale descended from the third floor and shook his head at Bilos, who had offered a farewell greeting.

“I’ll be coming here daily for a while.”
“Is that so? Will you be coming to read books?”
“That’s my prerogative.”
“Please visit whenever you wish. This tea shop shall always remain open to you, Young Master.”

Bilos watched with intrigue as Kale passed by, feigning not to have heard his words. And Ron gazed quietly at the sight before him.

A bastard of the Flynn Merchant Guild. Though illegitimate, his exceptional talent had instead made him a target of suspicion among his legitimate relatives, and so he had been forced to come to the remote Heniatus Territory—a place that yielded profit but little prestige. Bilos had not even been granted the Flynn surname.
He bore no family name at all.

When Ron observed that the greedy Bilos and Kale appeared to be growing close, he clicked his tongue in disapproval. Why should he concern himself with whether that foolish young master was friendly with Bilos or not?

“Tsk, affection born from spite.”
“I never want to develop such feelings toward that man.”

At Choi Han’s tactless remark, Ron let out a sigh.

“Not you, you fool.”

Ron’s gaze was fixed upon Kale.

It seemed I would have to go to the Capital after all. Something felt deeply wrong. Ever since the day Choi Han had returned reeking of the Dark Forest’s stench, this unease had gnawed at me.

The reason I had been confined to this territory. The reason I had been forced to flee from the Eastern Continent.
I needed to learn more about those who were the root cause of it all.

Until then, ensuring our foolish young master reached the Capital safely and could depart without incident seemed a fitting final duty for a loyal servant.
I had jested that I would always remain at his side because his fearful expression was amusing, but surely no truth could ever escape an assassin’s lips.

‘I should instruct Vicross to prepare foods our young master enjoys during the journey.’

He had cared for Ron far more than he had for his own son, Vicross. Ron knew all too well how much mischief Kale caused and how rotten his character had become. But Ron also knew something else.
He remembered the young Kale who had comforted his father when his mother died. He remembered Kale hating his stepmother and her family, yet never raising a hand against them even when drunk.

‘A rogue is a rogue, after all.’

Thirteen years. An inconveniently long span of time to have watched over him.

* * *

The moment Kale stepped into his bedroom upon returning to the mansion, he was greeted by two kittens pressed snugly against him, their round eyes gazing up at him with innocent curiosity.

“Ah, so you two were here.”

I should have brought Choi Han, who cherishes small animals. Choi Han had retreated to his room, insisting that he needed a stronger heart to protect them. When I joked about asking whom he intended to protect, his reply—that he would tell me once he grew stronger—sent shivers down my spine. I couldn’t fathom why someone already so formidable would strive to become even stronger.
When someone jokingly asked who he would protect, Cale couldn’t help but shudder at Choi Han’s response that he would tell them once he became stronger. Cale simply couldn’t understand what this strong man intended to do by becoming even stronger.

“Master Confucius.”

Hans approached Kale, who was staring intently at the cats.

“Master Confucius, what do you think? Hasn’t she become even more adorable, lovely, and touching? She’s so aloof that she won’t even let me pet her. Ha ha!”

He crouched beside the cats with a proud expression, looking up at Kale. His face was so full of emotion that Kale and Ron simply turned away. That expression had nothing to do with the cats’ cuteness.

“Pardon? Isn’t that right?”

The strong butler candidate seemed to strongly like cats.

“Oh, well, I guess so.”

Yet the two kittens haughtily ignored Hans’s gaze. Wasn’t that simply the nature of the relationship between a butler and a cat?
But the two cats stubbornly averted their gaze from Hans. Wasn’t that simply the nature of the relationship between a servant and cats?

“Go on, then.”
“Go quickly.”

It was then.
That was when it happened.

“Hmm.”

Ron dismissed Hans and approached the cats. The bedroom held only Ron and the two kittens.

“Children of the feline race.”

A sharp gleam began to dance in the cats’ golden eyes. Yet Ron paid no attention to their piercing gaze, checking the closed bathroom door before settling himself before the kittens.

“Convenient.”

A twisted smile played at the corners of Ron’s mouth.

The feline race was renowned for their acute sensitivity to presence and their swift perception of those around them. Unlike the Eastern Continent where they were widely known, they remained obscure among the races of the Western Continent—yet as an assassin, Ron could not afford ignorance. Unlike other beastkin who grew violent when berserk, the feline race became only more secretive and sharp. Thus, while they could not match wolves, tigers, or lions in raw power, they were a fearsome race nonetheless.

Observing these two young felines, Ron entertained a single thought. It was a sudden notion, and though they were still children.

‘I could train them.’

Ron checked the bathroom door where Cale had entered once more.

The feline race treasured bonds. Once they trusted, they never betrayed. Though cautious by nature, they valued bonds as deeply as the wolf race did.
These feline children had come to Cale of their own accord. Perhaps it would not be amiss to give our young master puppy a parting gift.

He drew closer to the feline children and extended his hand to stroke the head of the larger silver cat.
Smack. The silver cat deftly swatted his hand away and retreated to a corner with the red cat.

“Hmm.”

Interest seeped into Ron’s eyes. These feline children had already discerned his nature. Indeed, one must recognize those who walk close to death to survive long. Did they not say a cat possessed nine lives?
The feline race was renowned for their tenacious grip on life, and their nocturnal footsteps were more silent than any other’s. A smile formed at his lips.

“One is mist, and one is poison.”

Silver was mist. Red was blood or venom. Though not assassins themselves, they possessed excellent potential to become shadows.
Observing Ron, the silver cat turned its head sharply while the red cat snorted derisively. These siblings had no intention of becoming assassins reeking of death, nor of drawing near to such a one.

Though the two cats seemed to mock Ron’s inner thoughts, they soon clung to each other perfectly and gazed up at Cale emerging from the bathroom with watery eyes.

“Eyes down.”

And at Cale’s words, I immediately averted my gaze.

“Ron, go to Vicross and bring me some food.”
“Yes, sir.”

After Ron left, I settled onto the sofa and fixed my attention on the cats. I addressed the two felines sitting at a distance from me, their eyes downcast as they whimpered softly.

“You two are of the cat tribe, aren’t you?”

With their eyes still lowered, both cats nodded.

“Will you follow me around?”

To my question, neither offered a response.
Instead, the red cat slowly approached and rubbed its cheek against mine. The silver cat then padded over and gently tapped my foot with its paw.
I had already formed my own thoughts about these two siblings. I nodded and made my decision regarding their future.

“Then earn your keep.”

The cats answered immediately.

Meow meow.
Meow!

“Answer me in human speech.”

On, the silver cat and the older sibling, spoke with gleaming golden eyes.

“I want meat. I’m still hungry.”

Hong, the red cat and the younger sibling, tapped my leg insistently.

“I want cake.”

I replied.

“I’ll give you plenty, understood?”

“Food money!”
“Food money!”

The cats answered immediately, and thus the young heir and his sister, who had been cast out from the Mist Tribe, gradually became part of the Heniatus Count Family.

Four days later, Cale attended the family breakfast for the first time in a while. Count Derth smiled as he observed his son dressed in simpler attire than usual.

“So you’re leaving today.”

Cale was departing the territory today to head toward the Capital.

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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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