Trash of the Count’s Family - Chapter 161

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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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Those rushing out from the entrance’s front came to an unconscious halt.
When those behind them pushed forward, only then did they resume their steps.

Yet their gazes remained fixed on one point, unable to tear away. A diplomat from the Roan Kingdom’s mouth fell open.

“Prince Kale—”

The diplomat’s gaze remained locked on Kale Heniatus.

Following the silver threads that began from Kale’s two hands, the official’s eyes moved slowly upward. His heart began to race faster. He had seen that silver light before.

During the Capital terror incident. He had witnessed it then.
Though the diplomat came from a minor noble family, he had been present at the Royal Palace as an official working there.

The shield that had draped over the kingdom’s people and the enormous wings.

The official’s gaze lifted upward.

“…Ah.”

A faint silver glow appeared above his head. The edge of the enormous wings extended to the vicinity where he stood.

A pillar so massive that several adults standing around it could barely estimate its circumference.
A single shield was supporting that broken pillar.

It was not merely supporting the pillar.
It was supporting the roof above the pillar, and beneath that roof, it was protecting the people at the entrance.

Survival.

Those three letters surfaced in the Roan Kingdom diplomat’s mind.
In that moment, one person’s voice emerged.

“…I cannot… hold it much longer.”

It was the voice of Kale Heniatus.

Crown Prince Alberu’s mind snapped into focus at those words.

A massive shield propping up a pillar.
Wings extending from the shield concealing the fractures spreading from the column, unfurled wide above those desperately trying to escape.
Distracted by all of it, he had forgotten that this was the work of a single person.

Alberu’s gaze shifted.

Crown Prince Adin.
There he was.

The Crown Prince was staring at Kale Heniatus with piercing intensity. Then, as his eyes met Alberu’s, his expression changed.

Alberu caught that fleeting transformation.

It was amusement.

With the Imperial Palace crumbling and Imperial nobility alongside foreign diplomats facing potential death, the Crown Prince’s eyes gleamed with fascination beneath his twisted visage.
While others might have missed it behind that distorted expression, Crown Prince Alberu saw it clearly.

Alberu’s eyes darkened. Yet his gaze remained locked with the Crown Prince’s. Maintaining his urgent demeanor, Alberu spoke.

“We have no time.”
“Understood. Duke Hooten!”
“Yes!”

Duke Hooten rushed toward the palace entrance as the Crown Prince issued his command.

“Send the Mages and Alchemists as quickly as possible! Now!”
“Yes, we obey!”

The Knights moved faster than before.

Crown Prince Alberu also issued orders to those around him.

“Go and help the remaining diplomats evacuate quickly. Assist the other—no, the Empire’s citizens in their escape as well.”

In truth, the palace housed not only nobility but also servants, handmaidens, musicians, and cooks who hadn’t yet escaped. Recalling the Crown Prince’s gaze, Alberu deliberately mentioned the Empire’s citizens rather than just the nobility.

And he issued orders to several of the Knights.

“Go and stand guard beside Young Master Kale Heniatus!”
“Yes, understood!”

At Alberu’s command, several Knights quickly approached Kale Heniatus. The Crown Prince discreetly instructed Ben and Kora among the Dark Elves disguised as secretaries.

“Ben, focus on what happens to the Servant who jumped into the pillar, and keep your attention on the Crown Prince’s side.”
“Yes, understood.”
“Kora, go to Young Master Kale Heniatus’s palace and inform them of what’s happening right now.”

Kale Heniatus’s escort Knight was nowhere to be seen. He must have sent them on some task.
The Crown Prince recalled Choi Han, the Sword Master. He was concerned about Crown Prince Adin’s gaze.
For that reason, he gave Kora an order.

“Should I bring Choi Han?”
“No. Just inform him.”
“Understood.”

Two of the secretaries moved into action.
The Crown Prince approached Kale Heniatus’s side. Daltaro, the manager in charge of the Diplomatic Delegation, carefully opened his mouth at the sight.

“Your Highness, perhaps we should evade—”
“Never mind.”
“Understood.”

Daltaro also issued orders to his subordinates and took his position behind the Crown Prince.
Crown Prince Alberu kept his gaze on Kale Heniatus.

A pallid, sickly complexion was visible.

‘What a foolish man.’

Alberu spoke to the man who seemed cunning yet foolish.

“Hold on just a bit longer. The Imperial Palace Mages will arrive soon. Everyone is evacuating quickly.”

Whoosh.
My lips parted, and a deep breath flowed out from within.
The Roan Kingdom knights escorting me faltered at that single breath of unknowable depth.

My face grew increasingly pale, my fingertips turning ashen, and my expression darkening by the moment.

They recalled the sight from when I had blocked the magical bomb before. One of the knights gripped his sword tightly.

‘He coughed up blood. He collapsed.’

I had staggered and fallen, coughing up blood.
And afterward, I had recuperated for quite a long time.

The expressions of those around me hardened.

In that moment, my mind was deafening.

-Human, are you okay? Does it hurt? You’re not coughing up blood.
-Human, but my heart is burning hot! We’re saving someone again! Human, you’re weak but truly magnificent!

Quite noisy.
I furrowed my brow at Raon’s clamorous behavior, overwhelmed by the thought that I was saving someone once more.

-Human, if it’s difficult, stop using your strength! Don’t overexert yourself! I’ll handle it all!

If you handle everything, what would the other humans think?
Without a shield or wings, if there were a force sustaining the roof and pillars, the Sword Master and the Crown Prince would immediately grow suspicious of the situation.

‘Even now, the Sword Master would have sensed that my ancient power is extraordinarily vast.’

Formless mana rather than magic, and the ancient power I possessed. Since both derived from nature, Duke Hooten, the Sword Master, would be uncertain about what this was.

‘It would be problematic if Duke Hooten overestimated my ancient power.’

I was concerned that Duke Hooten might overestimate my ancient power.
So I poured more effort into wielding the power of the “Unbreakable Shield.” Thanks to that, the silver light shone more vividly than ever.

That’s why it was so exhausting.

Unlike before, I was using the ‘Endurance’ ability for the first time.
It was different from when I had briefly blocked an explosion and summoned lightning once—the method of channeling my power was entirely different.

“…Young Master.”

Diplomat Daltaro could see the sweat beading on my forehead. The perseverance of the young noble enduring for several minutes was palpable to all who watched.
Then a murmur rippled through the crowd. Daltaro immediately grasped the situation.

“The Mage and Alchemist have arrived!”

He reported to the Crown Prince, who then looked toward the palace entrance and caught the signals being sent by the Diplomatic Delegation’s Knight and Duke Hooten.

Half of the Mages cast their spells on the ground near the pillars.

Uuuoong—

The Alchemists poured an unidentifiable liquid onto the ground. In that instant, the Imperial Palace Mages in the sky cast their shields.

Chiiing—

A shield formed by twenty Mages materialized above my barrier. Simultaneously, the earth near the pillars surged upward.
It was an earthen pillar created jointly by the Alchemists and Mages.

With thunderous booms, the ground erupted upward. The earthen pillar supported my shield.

The Chief Alchemist shouted.

“Initiating additional reinforcement!”

The Alchemists wrapped strange black lines around the earthen pillar. As the fragile earthen structure became covered in black lines, it gradually hardened and strengthened.

As I watched this spectacle, the shouts of the Mage and Duke Hooten reached my ears in succession.

“Entering the holding phase!”
“Young Master Kale Heniatus, we’re stable now!”

The Duke’s shout was loud enough that everyone’s ears caught the name. All eyes turned in one direction.

Fwisssssh—

The silver radiance that had outshone the Sun Palace vanished.

Boom!
With a tremendous crash, pillars and sections of the ceiling collided with the shields and the earthen columns beneath them.

“Ugh.”
“Ngh.”

The Empire’s mages who had cast the spell each let out groans of pain. Only those of the upper-tier rank managed to suppress their cries to barely audible whimpers.
In that moment, everyone’s thoughts turned to Kale Heniatus.
That one person who had stood upright without a single groan. Their gazes naturally shifted toward him.

“Cough!”

Kale Heniatus pressed his palms together as he coughed—such a violent cough that his body doubled forward.

“Young Master!”

Diplomat Daltaro called out in alarm.
It was a cough tinged with blood.

Yet Kale Heniatus’s body did not touch the ground.

“Kale, are you alright?”

Crown Prince Alberu caught him as he nearly collapsed forward, his gaze fixed intently on Kale Heniatus’s bowed head.

With his head still lowered, I considered the situation.

‘That felt refreshing.’

Perhaps because I had exerted the power for longer and more intensely than before, my palms stung more than usual, yet my body felt completely revitalized after that single cough.

‘Indeed, the heart’s vitality is supreme.’

Among all the powers I had acquired, the heart’s vitality seemed to be the greatest. Then a voice echoed in my mind.

-Why do you not sacrifice yourself?

I flinched at the sharp voice. Then Kale Heniatus hesitated once more.

—…I just want to destroy the Empire.

It was the Black Dragon Raon.

—But you look better than after that lightning strike last time, so I’m holding back for now.

…I need to convince Raon that I’m fine as soon as we get to the palace.
Kale thought that by now, Raon would have realized he could cough up blood and be perfectly alright. Yet every time he was injured, the dragon reacted so sharply. It was rather surprising.

‘Does he do this because he knows, but still sees the blood?’

Kale could not fathom the thoughts of a five-year-old dragon. The Crown Prince’s voice reached his ears.

“Are you hurt somewhere?”

The Crown Prince could not hide his concern as he watched Kale’s shoulders trembling. He found it difficult to accept the sight of the fearless Kale Heniatus shaking.

Of course, Kale had only been flinching at Raon’s and the dragon’s voices, but to others, it appeared as though he was trembling from the aftermath of exertion.

Crown Prince Alberu frowned when the one who usually answered back to everything he said remained silent. Then, Kale’s voice came, rough and subdued.

“Your Highness, *cough*.”

He spoke after a heavy cough, his throat slightly strained. But he soon continued smoothly.

“Is the Diplomatic Delegation alright?”

Kale slowly lifted his head.
To Kale, who was quite healthy aside from being slightly hungry, the Crown Prince’s distorted expression was visible. At that expression, Kale’s face hardened.

“…Are you injured?”

At Kale’s question, the Crown Prince’s mouth opened.

“You… bastard.”

What’s this?
Kale sensed that the Crown Prince had almost let slip the words “this madman” before barely catching himself at the sight of those around them.
The Crown Prince carefully seated Kale on the ground and pressed a handkerchief into his hand.

“Wipe the blood from your mouth first.”
“Ah.”

Kale had forgotten about it entirely since it didn’t hurt, and quickly wiped away the blood around his mouth. At the sight, the Crown Prince’s expression twisted further as he spoke.

“Some have minor cuts and bruises, but everyone is safe.”
“That’s a relief.”

The Crown Prince wiped his eyes with one hand as Kale calmly answered while cleaning the blood from his mouth. Regardless, Kale glanced around. Present were only the Crown Prince’s own knights, his secretary, and Daltaro.
Kale looked around the area. Only the Crown Prince’s direct knights, his secretary, and Daltaro were present.

Kale opened his mouth.

“Your Highness, wouldn’t it be wise to visit the neutral nobles and minor nobles now?”

If the Crown Prince now showed himself comforting and protecting the minor nobles and neutral nobles from the other princes’ factions, their hearts would surely turn toward him.
Especially the minor nobles from the other princes’ factions would likely view the Crown Prince as an even greater umbrella of protection.

The Crown Prince was momentarily at a loss for words at Kale’s suggestion. He opened his mouth without thinking.

“You, knowing your current state, say such things! You fool—!”

This time he seemed about to call him an idiot.
Kale sat down on the dirt ground and vigorously wiped the blood from his mouth while looking up at the Crown Prince. Between the two of them, Diplomat Daltaro interjected.
His demeanor was grave, almost solemn.

“Your Highness, Lord Kale’s words are correct. Please entrust Lord Kale to me. You must now comfort everyone. I shall do my utmost to ensure Lord Kale reaches the palace safely.”

Kale found several aspects of Daltaro’s words grating, but seeing the Crown Prince nod with a deep sigh, he decided to remain silent.

“…Very well. Let it be so.”

Crown Prince Alberu moved to head toward the Diplomatic Delegation, but instead he extended his hand to Kale.

“Can you stand?”

Kale Heniatus rose to his feet instead of answering. The knights gripped their swords tightly at his resolute stance. Only after standing did Kale take the Crown Prince’s hand.
In that moment, Kale stepped toward the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince naturally embraced him in response.

It was a scene that recalled the moment when Kale and the Crown Prince had embraced during the terror attack on the Roan Kingdom Capital in the past. The knights and Daltaro stepped back, struggling to suppress the surge of emotion welling up inside them.
They had never expected to feel that same emotion again here in a foreign land—the Empire. A sense of relief at having survived safely washed over them.

In that moment, Kale spoke softly, his words meant only for the Crown Prince’s ears.

“Your Highness, we’ll be extracting compensation from the Empire, won’t we? Let’s take everything we can. And I’m grateful we’re all safe.”
“Ha, haha—”

The Crown Prince let out a laugh.

‘Nothing has changed.’

I’m grateful we’re all safe.
When I spoke those words, my emotions were genuine.
This was precisely why the Crown Prince had no choice but to trust me.

He replied softly, his words audible only to Kale, and released the embrace.

“Don’t ask about what’s obvious.”

Kale let out a slight smile. It was because of the emotion carried in the Crown Prince’s voice—the certainty that he would claim everything that was rightfully theirs.
His voice contained both relief at the Diplomatic Delegation’s safety and fury at what they had been forced to endure.

This was exactly why I had no choice but to support the Crown Prince as the next king of Roan.

And the scene of the Roan Kingdom’s Crown Prince and a noble’s son surviving a grave ordeal, embracing each other and smiling with relief, was a poignant moment that captured the attention of many onlookers.

“Lord Kale, are you unharmed?”

Yet the eyes of Kale and Alberu as they regarded the approaching Crown Prince Adin were sharp and piercing.
Kale had already completed all his preparations to righteously feign injury.

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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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