Trash of the Count’s Family - Chapter 171

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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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Who are you?
I had once heard a similar question from the Crown Prince.
But this time was different from then.

-Kale, I cannot see your future. And I haven’t been able to see your past since two years ago.

Two years ago.
That was when Kim Rok-soo became Kale Heniatus.

-I am nothing special, but I have lived for a long time. Of course, I have died and been reborn countless times. Thanks to that, I gained eyes capable of perceiving the world to some degree.

The World Tree could perceive only a fraction of the countless currents that composed the world. Yet there had been times when it saw nothing at all.

And now, the World Tree was seeing less and less with each passing moment.

-In the distant past.

The World Tree recalled the time when it had no choice but to control the North while summoning blizzards.
It was the first time since memory existed that it had felt fear.

-There were humans like you whose futures and pasts were equally obscured. Like you, they could only faintly perceive the currents of the near future in fragments.

Kale focused on the revelation that there had been others similar to him.

‘Were they also transmigrators?’

If transmigrators existed, I was curious about their futures.
But the World Tree dashed my expectations. An entirely unexpected answer flowed forth.

-Humans who possessed ancient power were like you. They could not be seen.

Ancient power?

-The arsonist’s currents could not be seen, nor could the blockhead’s.

…For some reason, I think I know who the blockhead is.
Kale recalled the terrifying owner of Jjangdol.

At the same time, it was an era when those who possessed ancient power flourished.
I thought of that ancient age.

That era had ended, they said, when darkness descended upon the Continent. And with the darkness gone, peace had come.
Yet nowhere had anyone clearly explained what that darkness was.

“What is this darkness?”

At Kale’s sudden question, the Young Priestess and Raon, who had been watching him, showed their confusion. But the World Tree immediately understood what Kale meant and answered.

-I can only speak of what the world permits me to speak of.

An answer that meant I could not speak.
And there was one more thing.

-Furthermore, I cannot speak of what I cannot see. I could not foresee the true nature of the darkness. Yet I, who lived through that era, saw the darkness. And that is something I cannot speak of.

Kale furrowed his brow slightly at the convoluted answer.

-You mean the Dark? Those who target me?
“That is correct.”
-I have not seen the Dark. Moreover, with each passing day, I see less and less.

Kale sensed it instinctively.

‘…Things are about to get even messier.’

It was already a mess, but the approaching future would be an even greater one. That the World Tree did not know the identity of the Dark was a disappointing answer for me.

-Whenever I cannot see the flow, a crisis befalls me. Perhaps, since I am not merely an observer but part of the flow itself, nothing appears to me.

The World Tree concluded briefly.

-That is my problem. Now, let us return to you. Who are you?

Another question strung together. Kale Heniatus answered calmly.

“Just an ordinary human.”

Raon’s voice reached Kale’s ears as he kept his eyes closed.

“We humans are not ordinary! And we are weak!”

What nonsense.
Kale let Raon’s words go in one ear and out the other. However, I could not dismiss the World Tree’s words so easily.

-I’m thinking of discarding three of my branches today.

Branches? Tree branches?
The World Tree, which seemed to care so much about its own well-being, had said something that made unease creep over Kale. Though smaller than expected, it was still larger than me, and its branches looked quite thick and sturdy.

Why would it discard them?

Kale opened his mouth. But the World Tree spoke first.

-First.

The World Tree would speak without seeking permission from the world.
When darkness fell upon the world. At that time, countless living creatures fought one another, and instead of the word peace, only endless war unfolded.
The Age of Darkness was an age of war.
An era where those with different intentions from oneself were killed for personal gain.

The World Tree spoke of the first.

-The one who gathered the Ancient Powers possessed a total of three Ancient Powers.

Kale froze.

Three? That’s not me?
There’s someone gathering the Ancient Powers?
Why?

To people now, the Ancient Powers were known only as a secondary ability.
Because the Ancient Powers had limitations; without growth, one could not reach great heights with such a power.

Kale hurriedly opened his mouth.

“Why would they try to gather those-”

But that question could not continue.

Boom!

A massive sound pierced my ears painfully. Simultaneously, I felt a tremor through the soles of my feet touching the ground.

Something had fallen.

I tried to open my eyes.

-Do not open them.

The World Tree told me not to open them.
At the same time, the voice of the Young Priestess Adite reached my ears.

“W-World Tree! Oh my goodness!”

Adite cried out to the World Tree as if screaming. Raon’s voice followed shortly after.

“What is this? World Tree, one of your large branches rotted and fell! World Tree, are you hurt? Are you in pain?”
“Lord Raon, you must not approach!”

The Young Priestess grabbed Raon as he tried to step forward. She stomped her feet helplessly, unsure what to do. She spoke weakly to Raon, who looked at her as if asking why she was holding him back.

“The World Tree… the World Tree is telling us not to come closer.”
“I see. Understood.”

Raon returned to his spot without further protest. Yet worry flickered in the Black Dragon’s eyes. His gaze was fixed on the spot right beside where the World Tree’s blackened branch had fallen—on me.

Meanwhile, my mind grew even more complicated.

-The second.

The World Tree spoke weakly, yet urgently.

-Find the traces left behind by the Black Dragon’s parents.

Raon’s parents?
It was something I had been thinking I should eventually act upon.

Thud.

Another massive branch fell.

“What do I do? What do I do?”

The panicked voice of the Elf reached my ears. Yet my mind remained turbulent and complex.
Still, I refused to let my guard slip.

-The last one.

Hana still remained.

-The Judge who fled to the Eastern Continent. Find her.

…What in the world is this supposed to mean?
My brow furrowed deeply.
That was when it happened.

Crack.
I heard the sound of something snapping above my head. Simultaneously, my body was sent flying.

“…Ugh!”

A hard, round stone-like object slammed into me. At the same moment, small round front paws braced against my back.

Thump!

I opened my eyes.

Where I had been standing—a massive branch, now blackened and dripping crimson liquid, lay there.

“Human, are you alright?”

I looked at the Black Dragon who had knocked me away and then caught me. Raon poked his head out from behind my back. I spoke calmly.

“Magic would have sufficed to bring it down.”

Had that been the case, Kale would not have felt the impact of colliding with Raon’s head, hard as a stone.
Raon’s pupils trembled before settling back into focus, and he cried out.

“I still dodged it!”
“Yes, yes.”

Kale offered a perfunctory word of praise before approaching the World Tree again.

Thud. Crack.
With my eyes open, I heard the small sounds I had missed while concentrating solely on the World Tree’s words. Three large branches lay broken.
From the fractured points, a crimson liquid—like human blood—dripped downward.

‘I thought it was ordinary, but it’s not.’

I had never seen a tree that bled such a red liquid. I slowly placed my hand against the World Tree’s trunk.

-Sigh.

A weary sigh echoed forth.

-I cannot bear fruit until summer passes. This is the limit of what I can teach you.

The World Tree’s voice grew quieter.

-You have no desire to grow stronger, do you?

That was true.
I had little desire to become any stronger.

The World Tree had sensed this about me by observing the flow of events bit by bit. Because the World Tree itself felt the same way.

The World Tree did not pursue strength. It harbored no desire for power or glory.
It simply wished to live in peace.

Yet when it sensed that such peace would become difficult, it moved.
Just as it had once summoned a blizzard that overturned the entire Northern Region of the Continent, this time it sacrificed three branches and offered counsel to the invisible ones.

The invisible ones had protected it in the past.
It wished to believe they would do so again this time.

-…I suppose I need to rest now.

I could no longer hear the World Tree’s voice. I withdrew my hand and looked toward Priestess Adite. The young priestess spoke through tears streaming down her face.

“The World Tree says it must sleep for a while. It asks that we continue our conversation later, together with the fruit.”

The fruit.
It was something I needed to obtain from the World Tree. I still didn’t know what properties the World Tree’s fruit possessed. I could only assume it was something valuable, judging by the fact that Erhaben intended to give it to Raon.

The Elf continued speaking, tenderly caressing the darkened branches with sorrowful eyes.

“And though it’s regrettable that it cannot speak with Raon, the World Tree asks that conversation be postponed as well.”
“I’m disappointed too, but it’s fine! World Tree, is there anything I can help with?”

Raon approached the World Tree with a worried expression. The young priestess shook her head.

“The World Tree will handle its own recovery. You need only wait.”

Whisper, whisper—
I listened once more to the rustling of leaves and pondered.

Someone who has gathered three ancient powers and seeks to gather more.
The traces left behind by Raon’s parents.
The Judge who fled to the Eastern Continent.

I dragged both hands across my face.

When would I ever be able to rest?
A sadness crept over me.

* * *

But that feeling began to improve a few days later.

Tap. Tap. Beneath the lake where the Elf Village lay—warm despite the bitter cold above the water’s surface—I plucked red berries one by one and ate them.

“…Should I settle down here?”

Raon reacted to my softly muttered words.

“No way! Our home is the best!”

That much was true.
I acknowledged Raon’s words while feeling more comfortable than ever before. Paseton simply stared at this scene in a daze.

Only Paseton and Raon were beside me.
We were situated beneath a cherry tree with a conveniently sloped trunk for leaning against, surrounded by fruits and beverages, and the cushion I sat upon appeared remarkably plush.

In the Elf Village, I received treatment befitting a distinguished guest.
How could this be? Paseton found it nothing short of miraculous.

Yet soon he had to rise at my leisurely command.

“Gather everyone.”
“Yes.”

I stood as I watched Paseton depart to retrieve the group.

Rosalind had completed the repairs to the defensive magic circles with Raon yesterday, and today she was verifying their proper function alongside Choi Han.
On and Hong were gleefully rolling about in the blizzard with Archie.

“Human, are we leaving now?”

Instead of answering Raon’s question, I stroked his head.

I had spent several days contemplating the problems the World Tree had posed.
And I had reached a conclusion.

I saw the priestess Adite rushing toward me from afar. The young Elf hurried over, bothered by the cumbersome folds of her priestly robes.
She came to a halt before me, breathing heavily.

“Huff, puff, Kale!”
“Yes.”
“The World Tree has just left behind a message before falling asleep again!”

A message?
I fixed the priestess with an expectant gaze, and she hesitated before squeezing her eyes shut and crying out.

“All those with ancient power were lunatics anyway. Do as you please.”

It was the first time the World Tree had used such crude language, so the priestess Adite felt uneasy even after speaking.

“How did you know?”
“Pardon?”

Adite opened her eyes and looked at Kale Heniatus.
Kale Heniatus was smiling brightly.

“Don’t worry. I’m going to do things my way.”

He had no intention of living by others’ words just because he had heard them. Raon approached and asked.

“Human, are we going to steal the fire now?”

The priestess flinched. At that moment, Rosalind and Choi Han approached with Paseton. They also looked at Kale Heniatus at Raon’s question.

Meanwhile, Kale Heniatus recalled a certain existence.

God’s Tears.

An existence whose very presence was uncertain.
A mysterious water that no one had ever possessed, masterless and untouched.
A miraculous existence said to cure any ailment.

‘Kale, do you believe in that legend?’

Erhafen had laughed at Kale Heniatus’s words, calling them absurd.

“Human, why won’t you answer? Something other than the fire?”
“Yeah. While we’re at it, we’ll steal that too.”

The Elf priestess listening to the word “steal” was taken aback.
Raon opened his mouth.

“Again?”

The Elf priestess flinched even more noticeably than before.
Regardless, Kale Heniatus pointed to himself and spoke to the tilting Raon.

“Yes. Because The Thief is inside me.”

The party’s expressions turned bewildered, but Kale Heniatus paid them no mind and laughed.

If the God’s Tear truly belonged to a ‘God’.
It would roll toward him of its own accord.

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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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