Trash of the Count’s Family - Chapter 164

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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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Countless gazes turned toward Kale, yet he paid them no mind.

-Human.

Only Raon’s words captured my attention.

-Magnificent. Proud. We have succeeded.

I deliberately ignored the Black Dragon, whose voice trembled with emotion. Instead, I fixed my gaze upon the Emperor, who stood one step above me.
The Emperor occupied a position where even meeting his eyes was permitted only under such sanctioned circumstances. Yet my feelings as I regarded him remained unmoved.

‘They said his body was frail.’

The Emperor’s constitution was so weak that his mere survival was considered miraculous. The previous Emperor had been much the same.

‘Crown Prince Adin is worth cherishing.’

A passage from “The Birth of a Hero” describing Crown Prince Adin surfaced in my mind.

【The Emperor projected his desires onto Adin, and Adin exploited this.】

The Crown Prince possessed a robust physique and excelled in swordsmanship. Adin, bearing what the Emperor desired, leveraged this to secure the Emperor’s support. Moreover, through two generations of weak Emperors’ aversion, Adin absorbed the relatively diminished power of the martial nobility.
Additionally, Adin absorbed the power of the military clans, which had become relatively weakened due to the avoidance of two successive weak Emperors.

“Kale Heniatus.”

The Emperor of the Western Continent’s sole Empire spoke my name.
I bowed respectfully, and the Emperor continued upon witnessing this.

“Your conduct during this Sun Palace explosion was valiant and admirable.”

His voice resonated across the Plaza through a magical amplifier.

“You, a foreigner, accomplished what even those of the Empire struggle to achieve, and through your actions, countless lives were saved and the Sun Palace remained standing.”

As the Emperor’s words of praise flowed forth, I observed his complexion. He appeared in considerably poor health.

‘It’s all the same in the end.’

The Emperor and Crown Prince Adin differed in physical health, yet their thoughts were identical.
Kale Heniatus soon became a young noble suppressing his emotion, gazing at the Emperor. The Emperor raised his voice.

“To you, I bestow the Mogor Medal, Third Class, and grant you the treasures that accompany it!”

A silver medal was affixed to Kale’s collar.

Roaaaar—
Cheers erupted.

The Emperor patted Kale’s shoulder.

“You’ve worked hard.”

His goodwill was evident. That’s why he had bestowed Third Class.
Among countless medals, the Mogor Medal, Third Class—named after the Empire itself—was an exceptionally high rank.

First Class went to the founding heroes of the dynasty.
Second Class went to the heroes of war.
And Third Class was reserved for those who had accomplished deeds of national importance.

Third Class was the highest rank a foreigner could receive, and Kale was the youngest among them.

‘Perhaps the Empire simply hasn’t had anything to celebrate lately.’

In recent times, the Empire appeared to others as a realm of failures alone.
Maple Castle had been seized, palace pillars had been shattered, and the Sub-Tower Master had survived an assassination attempt within the Imperial Palace.

Then Kale appeared—a welcome piece of good news.

—Human, I am so proud of you! You are weak, but your heart is pure!

Kale dismissed Raon’s words lightly.

“Say a few words of gratitude.”

The Emperor gestured toward the plaza behind Kale.

Before the treasure was bestowed, this too was part of the predetermined order.
Kale Heniatus bowed deeply to the Emperor, then slowly turned his body toward the plaza.

Countless people came into view.

-Human! Bilos is near the fountain at the three o’clock direction!

My gaze naturally turned toward where Raon had indicated. I was the one who had deliberately instructed Bilos to come to that location.

‘They’ve all arrived.’

Bilos, the Alchemist beside him, along with Choi Han and the cat in his arms. Though they were too far away to discern their expressions, I could make out their forms.

I swept my gaze across the entire plaza.

People cheering and filled with anticipation.
My lips parted.

“I am delighted.”

The young noble appeared genuinely joyful.
The Imperial citizens cheered at the sight of the young noble seeming pleased to receive the Empire’s medal. They felt inexplicably good, as though the young noble regarded it as a glory.

The Imperial citizens had heard of what that noble on the platform had accomplished.
That the Sun Palace pillars had been subjected to terrorism—the thought of the Sun God Church sent chills down their spines. Yet they were grateful that no one had been injured and the palace had not collapsed.

Of course, it was not directly related to themselves. Most of those saved had been nobility, after all.
So they cheered, but that was the extent of it.

I was aware of this as well.

“I am grateful to have been able to save people. And I am honored to have fulfilled my responsibility.”

At my following words, the expressions of the Imperial citizens shifted slightly.
It was not joy at receiving a medal.

Those words were all.
When a subtle sense of incompleteness lingered at such a brief statement, I looked toward the Emperor.

“…Now it’s time for the treasure.”

The Emperor gestured, and the head servant approached with a long box. The Emperor sensed something odd in Kale Heniatus’s gaze as he looked at the velvet-wrapped box.

Hesitation was evident.
The expression of joy he had worn moments before had stiffened slightly.

And he was watching the Emperor’s reaction.
It was a sight the Emperor had witnessed countless times—a young nobleman with something to say, yet hesitating to speak because the Emperor seemed unapproachable.

“Do you have something to say?”

The Emperor suppressed a cough threatening to escape in the cold air as he asked.

“…No, Your Majesty.”
“I’ll ask once more. Speak freely.”

He was asking a second time.
At those words, Kale Heniatus’s hesitant expression transformed into one of resolve, and he opened his mouth.

“I do not know what this treasure is, Your Majesty.”
“Indeed.”

The Emperor saw the courageous expression that often appeared on young nobles’ faces.

“Your Majesty, might I exchange this treasure for something else?”

Ah.
The Emperor immediately grasped what this situation was about.
His gaze turned toward Crown Prince Adin, who stood directly below the platform.

‘Father, he is regarded as a righteous young nobleman.’
‘Regarded as?’
‘By others’ judgment, that is.’

The Emperor knew well what emerged when righteousness and youth combined.

“What would you exchange it for?”

The Emperor saw Kale Heniatus’s expression brighten at his gentle question. Kale drew a radiant smile.

-Human, that smile is unsettling!

Ignoring Raon’s words, I spoke. Our conversation was carrying across the Plaza.

“My friend said so.”

A friend?
At the sudden word, question marks appeared in people’s eyes.
The Emperor was no different. Then my mouth opened.

“Light illuminates the darkness.”

People’s expressions changed.
A single sentence came to mind for most of them.

The sun finds even darkness and illuminates it.

A famous Sun God Cult doctrine that formed the foundation of the Sun God Church.
It was certainly different words, yet that phrase came to mind.

“Furthermore, my friend also said this.”

The friend only I knew of, whom I was speaking of.
Naturally, it was Saint Jack.

“Light does not diminish when shared.”

The sun is vast enough to shine its light upon all living things.
The doctrine subtly came to mind. Though not the same words, for the Sun God Church’s faithful who constantly reflected upon the teachings, those words naturally surfaced.

No matter how many transgressions the Sun God Church had committed, there were still very many in the Empire who believed in the Sun God.
The Church’s leadership had acted contrary to the doctrine. And now, one unrelated to the Sun God Church was causing the doctrine to be remembered.

My voice resonated across the Plaza.

“That is why I wish to share.”

His voice was bright and filled with joy.

“Yet the light remains unchanged.”

To the followers of the Sun God Cult, these words carried a different meaning.

The sun remains unchanged.

An Imperial citizen gazing up at the platform murmured as if in admiration.

“It’s been so long.”

For the first time in ages, the doctrine had stirred not in their minds, but in their hearts.

Yet there were those who contemplated this doctrine with their minds alone.
The Emperor.
His eyes sharpened for a fleeting moment before returning to their usual state.

The young noble who spoke with courage and awaited his reaction appeared to be an immature aristocrat caught in the common delusion that one could benefit the world.

‘It doesn’t seem intentional.’

The doctrine of the Sun God didn’t appear to have been invoked deliberately.

‘Whether intentional or not, that hardly matters.’

The Emperor seized the moment to elevate his own standing. His lips parted.

“You wish to share this treasure with others rather than keep it for yourself?”
“If it is possible, I would wish for that.”

The Emperor smiled with evident pleasure and raised his voice so all the Imperial citizens could hear.

“I accept Kale Heniatus’s request! I shall open the grain stores and distribute provisions to the struggling citizens of the Empire—provisions worth far more than this treasure!”

The expressions of the Imperial citizens brightened. Before they could cry out in jubilation, the Emperor addressed Kale.

“And to Kale Heniatus, who has shown such admirable virtue, I grant the treasure as well!”

The Emperor played the role of a magnanimous ruler, and the Empire’s citizens cheered in response.

Waaaaaah—

An even more passionate roar vibrated through the Plaza.
The Empire’s citizens applauded the Emperor and the young foreign noble without reservation. Bright energy flooded the Plaza, which had been quiet since the Religious Order’s collapse and the military defeat.

An Empire citizen clapped and opened their mouth.

“I wish that noble were from our Empire.”
“Right? But our Emperor is just as generous with his spending!”
“True. Anyway, that noble is quite impressive!”

Voices praising Kale Heniatus could be heard here and there.

“What’s that noble’s name again?”
“Kale Heniatus.”
“Ah, I see. Is he from the Sun God Church?”
“…I’m not sure about that. But he seems like a good person. Courageous. You don’t see many nobles like that, do you?”
“You’re right!”

The Drunken Alchemist Ray Stecker surveyed the excited Plaza. And he gazed at Kale Heniatus with bewildered eyes.

Ray had heard that Kale Heniatus was the white-haired Priest. He had also heard the story about Knight Lex.
The Cat-Human Lex also looked up at Kale Heniatus on the platform. Complex emotions flowed through his gaze.

Then, Bilos’s voice reached both Ray and Lex.

“The Young Master was the same way in the Roan Kingdom. He remains unchanged.”
“The Roan Kingdom?”

At the Alchemist Ray’s question, Bilos nodded and deliberately raised his voice.

“During the Roan Kingdom’s magic bomb terror attack. Even then, when he alone stopped everything, he was delighted to save others and desired no honor for himself. He only worried about those in difficulty.”

The Empire’s citizens around them paused upon hearing that voice. Their expressions as they looked at Kale Heniatus changed.
At the same time, Bilos’s subordinates scattered throughout the Plaza were spreading stories about Kale Heniatus.

A noble who had thrown himself into danger to save people during the magical bomb terrorist attack.
Moreover, someone who had come to participate in this investigation into the truth.

These stories spread gradually throughout the Plaza.

After hearing all of Bilos’s account, Ray the Alchemist let out an exclamation of admiration.

“…You are quite an impressive person.”

At that moment, Choi Han, who had been standing impassively, opened his mouth.

“Kale Heniatus has always been that kind of person.”

In Choi Han’s face as he spoke of how Kale had always been this way, unmistakable pride was evident. Moreover, trust shone through, and both Ray and Lex could only regard Kale on the platform with peculiar expressions.

Kale descended from the platform.
The Emperor’s brief speech was beginning.

Below the platform stood Crown Prince Adin.
His face wore a smile, but it was not a particularly pleasant expression. It was because of Kale’s unannounced actions. The Crown Prince moved toward Kale as if to speak to him about the matter, but then stopped in his tracks.

It was because of Crown Prince Albert.

“Why didn’t you mention it to me beforehand?”
“A sudden surge of emotion came over me, and I felt compelled to act. I apologize.”

At the Crown Prince’s reproachful tone, Kale Heniatus bowed his head to both Albert and the Crown Prince.

At that gesture, the Crown Prince smiled and patted Kale’s shoulder.

“There’s no need to apologize. I’m grateful for your concern for the Empire’s people.”
“Thank you for understanding it that way.”

As the Crown Prince observed Kale, who smiled with relief, he could hear Crown Prince Albert’s voice.

“You were the same during the last terrorist attack on the Capital. You always prioritize the people first, and it causes you trouble.”

At the mention that he had been this way before, the Crown Prince’s gaze grew slightly duller.
Kale smiled back at Crown Prince Albert, who grinned at him, and quietly returned to his place.

I hadn’t mentioned today’s events to the Emperor or Crown Prince Adin, but I had informed Crown Prince Albert beforehand.
Diplomat Daltaro patted my shoulder as I returned to the delegation’s position.

“You did well. That was truly impressive.”

Daltaro gazed at me with satisfaction and affection.

“Get plenty of rest until we depart tomorrow.”

As Daltaro said, the delegation would depart tomorrow. Due to the unexpected schedule change, we would be leaving Antonio’s Gyre Territory shortly after stopping there only for teleportation.

I ignored Daltaro’s excessively pleased expression and examined the treasure chest.

Raon’s voice echoed in my mind.

-…I sense a strange aura from the chest! Let’s ask the Golden Dragon grandfather! No, let’s ask Merry!

The terrifying stone spoke.

-Are you planning to sacrifice yourself?

As expected.
The treasure Crown Prince Adin gave me was nothing good.
The treasure I’d cracked open slightly was a lightweight short sword inlaid with jewels, meant for self-defense.

-…I’m not satisfied with this.

Because Crown Prince Adin had promised a treasure but given me something useless, I made my decision.
And I uttered this resolve at Bilos’s hideout, which I had visited secretly the night before departure.

“I will absolutely demolish the Alchemy Tower.”

Bilos flinched.

“…Demolish it?”
“Yes. When we demolish it and rebuild, you’ll become the primary contractor and earn a fortune, won’t you?”
“I support the demolition.”

Bilos quickly signaled his agreement with Kale’s words.
Ray the Alchemist and Lex, the cat-human, regarded Kale with tense expressions. Beside Kale, Choi Han also glanced sideways at him.

Ray the Alchemist’s mouth opened.

“…So you’re nobility.”
“Is that a problem?”

At Kale’s question, Ray quickly shook his head.
He simply found it remarkable that Kale, despite being nobility and able to ignore such matters and live comfortably, chose instead to stand against the massive forces of the Alchemy Tower and the Imperial Palace to reveal the truth to the impoverished and the empire’s citizens.

“I leave tomorrow. I came to convey a few things before I go.”

At Kale’s words, Ray refocused on him.
Lex, the cat-human, remained still in his feline form, gazing quietly at Kale.

Kale immediately got to the point before their scrutinizing gazes.

With heightened vigilance now, it would be difficult to move Lex and the organization’s members. There was the groundwork he’d assigned to Ray the Alchemist, and gathering the reclusive alchemists on top of that. These things took time.

So Kale had resolved to remain silent as a dormouse until the Northern 3 Nations invaded, and then move when the Empire felt most at ease.
That way, wouldn’t he deliver a truly devastating blow?
To accomplish this, he needed to give them a focal point.

“The Saint and Saint Maiden are alive.”

Ah.
An exclamation escaped Ray the Alchemist’s lips.
Both of them understood the meaning behind what Kale had said.

They are alive.
Moreover, he knows where they are.
That was the true implication.

Both men had already heard in detail from Choi Han how the Religious Order had attempted to uncover the Alchemy Tower’s secrets and suffered a bombing attack, and how the Empire had falsely accused the Saint and Saint Maiden of being the perpetrators and sought to execute them.

Kale spoke to the gazes fixed upon him.

“I will return before the year’s end.”

He gave instructions to the two of them.

“Hold on until then.”

And he stated the price.

“If you just endure, I will bring you whatever you desire.”

Whatever you desire.
Ray the Alchemist and Lex’s expressions changed instantly.

The drunken alchemist from the slums and the failed assassin knight now hunted.
This man before them would obtain what these two wanted but thought impossible to possess.

After all, for them now there was only death or seclusion.

“I will endure.”

Ray the Alchemist answered with resolve. He saw the smile playing at the corners of Kale Heniatus’s mouth as he looked at him.

“It’s nice not to smell alcohol.”

Ray smiled as well.
Dressed in humble yet clean clothes, his beard shaved and his hair groomed, Ray now bore the keen, scholarly gaze he had possessed before.

“I will endure as well.”

Lex answered in turn. And he met Kale Heniatus’s gaze.
After all, he now faced only a lifetime of flight or death. It was better to endure and have at least one more chance to try.

Kale Heniatus rose from his seat.
Lex hesitated as Kale Heniatus approached him, but soon faced him directly.

“Sir Lex.”

Lex tensed at the quiet voice.
Then, Kale Heniatus withdrew something from his magic pouch and stacked it before Lex.

Thump. Thump. Thump.
Quite heavy objects stacked up before Lex’s eyes.

“Read all of them.”

Lex’s eyes widened.
Books.
Considerably thick books piled up in front of Lex.
The titles of the books became visible.

…Imperial Studies? Political Science? Military Strategy?

“…Why would I need to read these?”

The bewildered cat-human Lex looked up at me. But I didn’t answer his question.

“Read if I tell you to. Even better if you study.”

Lex slowly nodded his head at my gaze.
Only then did I lift the corners of my mouth in satisfaction.

Who should fill the Crown Prince’s vacant position?

It was just my own thought for now, but I stroked the cat’s crimson fur with a pleased expression. Lex hesitated but remained still.
Raon’s voice resonated in my mind.

-Human, why are you smiling like that again? Isn’t everything finished?

Everything is finished, yes.
Now the starting line has been set.

The day I return with the Saint, the Saint Maiden, and the divine being.
That day was the beginning.

* * *

“Human, I’m six years old now! I’ve grown taller!”
“Yes, yes.”

Raon pointed at me with his short front paw.

“Human, you’re twenty years old too!”
“Yes, yes.”

I nodded absently and spoke toward the coachman’s seat.

“Choi Han, are we almost there?”
“Yes, we’ll be at Harris Village soon.”

A new year had begun.
After returning from the Empire, I had been lounging around in my lord’s castle before finally venturing out on this long journey.

It was quite an extensive excursion—passing through Tiger Village, then Whale Village, and even visiting North Paern Kingdom.

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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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