Trash of the Count’s Family - Chapter 176

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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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Kale Heniatus clapped leisurely.

Clap, clap, clap.

As the High Priest sprinkled water from the Altar, the people applauded and cheered.

“All the sorrows of this year shall vanish the moment this water seeps into the earth!”
“All the sorrows of this year shall vanish the moment this water seeps into the earth!”

As the High Priest cried out, the people echoed his words and rejoiced.
They stomped their feet around the massive Altar erected north of the Lake, where the legend of the god’s tears lingered, creating a cacophony of sound.

I had expected the ceremony to be solemn, yet it was bright and festive.

Kale Heniatus took advantage of the noise to ask Hong, nestled in his arms.

“They’re staying there, correct?”

Meow.

Hong, still in the form of a young kitten at eight years old in human age, meowed in affirmation. Kale Heniatus organized his thoughts based on that response.

Those members of Dark had been confirmed to remain at the Seca Estate rather than departing immediately after handing over the item.

‘Perhaps they’ll meet at the Mansion?’

Kale Heniatus thought he might encounter new Secret Organization operatives at the Mansion, and he leisurely distanced himself from the noisy crowd.

To be safe, he had left behind Rosalind, who was weaker than Clophe, and the two strikingly beautiful Whale Tribe members, bringing only Choi Han and the children. Being discovered by Clophe or remembered by the people would both be problematic.

“Our god must surely rejoice at our bright hope!”

Cheers erupted.

Kale Heniatus accepted the skewered rice cake that Choi Han offered him as he watched the people cheer at the Priest’s words.

‘How fascinating.’

Kale Heniatus found it peculiar how the citizens of the Paern Kingdom, a realm without a state religion that acknowledged diverse faiths, were now cheering for a single deity.

Perhaps for them, the god from the legend of “God’s Tears” was not merely a deity, but a fantastical vision from legend—a being that granted them the joy of celebration.

‘Not my concern, anyway.’

Kale Heniatus munched on his rice cake while observing the altar above.
As expected, the Guardian Knight Clophe Seka was nowhere to be seen. Instead, his father—the current Duke of the Seka Family—stood in his place.

‘And the people still believe that Duke is the Guardian Knight.’

That was the official story both within the kingdom and abroad.
Only a select few knew the truth—that Clophe was the real Guardian Knight.

Those few fell into two categories.
Those who conspired with Clophe to wage war across the Continent, and those on my side.

“Sigh.”

Kale Heniatus felt a wave of irritation wash over him. He casually scooped up Hong with one arm and finished his rice cake skewer.
That was when it happened.

A sinister voice echoed in his mind.

-…You, human.

It was Raon.

-I have piggy bank… lots of money. Buy me rice cake skewer too.

Kale Heniatus lowered his head. Hong was swallowing saliva repeatedly. Naturally, On’s eyes—those belonging to Choi Han’s group—remained fixed on Kale Heniatus’s hand without wavering.
He opened his mouth, feeling the gazes of the three children upon him.

“I’ll buy you all some later.”

And he added one more thing.

“With my own money.”

On and Hong perked up their ears as Raon’s voice resonated within my mind.

-Our human is truly kind after all!

Well then, well then.
Kale Heniatus nodded at Raon’s words. For the next several days, he intended to feed and entertain the group generously.

On the final night, he would forgo sleep and labor ceaselessly.

“Choi Han, shall we visit that restaurant?”
“Do we not need to see the rest of it?”

Waaaa—
Choi Han pointed toward the lakeside, still brimming with cheers. Yet Kale Heniatus found little else of interest to observe.

“Yeah. No need. Let’s go before the crowds pour in. That way we can eat comfortably at the restaurant, right?”

As Kale Heniatus finished speaking, the voices of the Priests echoed forth.

“Though the lake lies parched, the traces of the divine remain!”
“Paern Kingdom is the sole place where the god directly created a natural wonder for humanity!”
“When the waters of this lake fill once more, glory shall descend upon Paern!”

Choi Han’s expression grew peculiar the more he listened.
He questioned Kale Heniatus, who was casually slipping away from the lakeside as if utterly uninterested.

“What god are they speaking of, exactly?”

Choi Han was genuinely curious about the identity of this deity that commanded such fervent acclaim.

“I don’t know.”

But Kale Heniatus could not discern it either.
No text he had ever encountered spoke of this god’s true nature.

“However, the people of this kingdom call it the god of Paern Kingdom.”

The kingdom’s people praised him as a god for the land of Paern.
Kale Heniatus dismissed the matter as a field requiring no further attention and swiftly made his way to the restaurant he had already located.
Choi Han glanced between the altar and the crowd before quickly following after him.

“Ah.”

Upon arriving at the restaurant, Kale Heniatus swept back his dyed brown hair and let out a murmur of appreciation.
The aroma of delicious food tickled the tip of his nose.

-Human, human, you must absolutely slip food under the tablecloth! I will eat no matter what!

Raon spoke with grave urgency.

-Without fail!

Kale Heniatus let those words pass through one ear and entered the restaurant, where patrons were still sparse. He had deliberately chosen a spot with a long tablecloth so that Raon could hide and eat as well.

He headed toward the most secluded corner.
Then he sensed something amiss.

“What are you doing?”

Choi Han stood motionless, staring intently at Kale Heniatus.

What’s wrong with him?

Tap, tap. Just then, Hong urgently tapped Kale Heniatus’s arm. With the posture of pressing down insistently, Kale Heniatus looked down at Hong. The way Hong opened and closed his mouth suggested he had something to say.

Kale Heniatus glanced around, and when the Young Clerk approached, he simply acted as he normally would.

“Welcome! Shall I show you to a table?”
“I would prefer the most secluded seat, if possible.”
“Of course! Please have a seat over there!”

The server kindly guided him to the most remote corner. He placed a menu on the table and departed, instructing Kale Heniatus to call when ready to order.
Only then did Kale Heniatus lower his head. Hong rose up on his front paws, pressing against Kale Heniatus’s shoulder, and whispered into his ear.

Raon also spoke within his mind.

“There were people I saw last night.”
-Human, are there really lifeforms here as strong as Rosalind?

…What?
The successive revelations left Kale Heniatus momentarily stunned, his mind going blank.

The people he’d seen last night.
Obviously, they belonged to the Dark Secret Organization.

Screech.
Kale Heniatus lifted his head at the sound of a chair being dragged. Choi Han settled into the seat across from him and spoke in a low murmur.

“Nine o’clock direction.”

Kale Heniatus casually surveyed the restaurant. And there, in the nine o’clock direction, he spotted two figures with striking golden hair. They appeared to be siblings.

Kale Heniatus recalled Raon’s words once more.

‘Human, are there really lifeforms here as strong as Rosalind?’

Lifeforms.
That word had lodged itself oddly in his mind. It couldn’t be helped—those two golden-haired figures reminded him of someone.

Above-average height, massive yet agile frames.
They evoked the image of the Tiger Tribe member currently rolling through the snowfields.

Kale Heniatus could clearly see the golden hair spreading like a mane across their heads.

Could it be?

Kale Heniatus glanced at Choi Han. Then he tapped his index finger against the table.

Tap tap.

At that gesture, Choi Han looked down at the table, and Kale Heniatus moved his finger across its surface.

His finger traced letters.

【Lions?】

Choi Han shook his head as if uncertain. Kale Heniatus looked down at On and Hong. Hong and On both shrugged their shoulders.
Just because they were beastfolk didn’t mean they could instantly recognize each other’s true nature. For the strong, it was even more difficult.

Then Raon’s voice reached them.

-Oh! Those are Lions! I had a feeling their scent was similar to the Wolf Tribe yet different!

Truly, a versatile Dragon.
Kale Heniatus wiped his face with both hands.

“Sigh.”

Tiger Tribe, Bear Tribe, Whale Tribe, Lion Tribe.
The beastfolk known to be strong, with the Wolf Tribe being the next strongest below them. In any case, among those top four tribes, the Bear Tribe and Lion Tribe had larger populations than the other races.

‘I never expected the Lion Tribe to be in the Secret Organization.’

Kale Heniatus had naturally assumed the Secret Organization consisted only of humans.

Based on how they’d treated the Whales, Wolves, and Tigers, it seemed as though they believed only ‘humans’ should be the sole powerful ones.
But seeing this now, the story changed.

Kale Heniatus examined the two Lion Tribe members as if window shopping.

‘…They look strong.’

The two Lion Tribe members eating with elegance appeared quite formidable. Their very aura suggested they were far from ordinary tribe members.

‘If they’re important enough to stay at the Seca Estate, they can’t possibly hold low ranks.’

Hong whispered again.

“All those other organization members wore masks except those two. They didn’t.”

They were definitely high-ranking.
So they’d be about as strong as Rosalind.

Kale Heniatus felt irritated.

‘I just wanted to have a peaceful meal.’

Suddenly, unnecessary things came into view.
But he soon calmed himself and opened the menu. Choi Han carefully spoke up as he watched Kale Heniatus stare intently at the menu.

“I’m here, so it’s fine. If you’re worried, should I follow along later?”
“Have you chosen from the menu?”
“…Pardon?”

Kale Heniatus spoke with a serious expression.

“Everything looks so delicious that I can’t decide.”

Kale Heniatus was earnestly selecting from the menu, setting aside everything else for now. He winked at the Cats regardless of whether Choi Han was staring blankly, and the Cats quietly pointed to pictures of food they wanted to eat.

-Human, I’m choosing five! Five items! Since it’s free, I can eat everything!

Indeed, the Dragon was remarkable.
Kale Heniatus marveled at Raon’s words and finished selecting the entire menu before ordering. Choi Han also placed his order and then stared at Kale Heniatus. Kale Heniatus answered his gaze with ease.

“If you know your enemy and know yourself—”

An aphorism from Earth surfaced in Choi Han’s mind.
If you know your enemy and know yourself, you will never be defeated in a hundred battles.

‘Is Kale Heniatus trying to say that?’

But that expectation was wrong.
Kale Heniatus continued.

If you know your enemy and know yourself.

“You can turn things into an even bigger mess.”

Kale Heniatus continued with a somewhat delighted tone.

“And you can also sneak away.”

And we can prepare for what’s to come.
Kale Heniatus swallowed the rest of his words. He noticed Choi Han’s expression of disappointment but paid it no mind whatsoever, finishing his meal with elegant grace before glancing at the Lion Tribe Male who rose to his feet.

And then his eyes met with a Lion Tribe Male.
Kale Heniatus froze.

Pfft.
The Lion Tribe Male let out a soft chuckle.
His gaze seemed to say, ‘Of course, I understand why you’d stare at someone so handsome and magnificent.’
That assumption proved accurate.

“As expected, I stand out wherever I go.”

With those words, the Lion Tribe Male left the restaurant alongside a woman, both of them chuckling softly at the other patrons inside.

Kale Heniatus pondered.

‘What is that lunatic?’

A peculiar sort of madman, indeed.
Yet Kale Heniatus gleaned quite a bit from observing the two of them.

The Lion Tribe Male appeared to possess strength comparable to Rosalind’s, as Raon had mentioned, and seemed oblivious to the power wielded by Choi Han and Raon. He regarded On and Hong as nothing more than Cats.

‘Not particularly strong after all.’

Kale Heniatus observed the Lion Tribe Male’s massive frame and reflected.

‘Lions thrive in pack hunting.’

Unlike Tigers, Lions were accustomed to living in groups. Therefore, the Lion Tribe grew more formidable when fighting as a pack. If the Tiger Tribe were to clash with the Lion Tribe in group-versus-group combat, the odds favored the Lion Tribe.

Yet in this moment, Kale Heniatus recalled a different race.

The Blue Werewolf Tribe.
Wolves were weaker than Lions.
But there were times when they inspired fear.

‘I must cultivate Rak properly.’

Rak, the Wolf Tribe boy who had overcome some of his timidity but still lacked the bearing of a true Wolf King.
Kale Heniatus had observed as Choi Han trained him using human methods all this while.

But now that he had become aware of the Lion Tribe’s existence, he realized it was time to accelerate Rak’s growth.

‘And not just Rak.’

The Wolf Tribe Children needed to be raised as true wolves.

‘If we mix in the Tiger Tribe’s guerrilla tactics on top of that.’

In solitary hunts, there existed no one who could overcome the cunning and strength of the Tiger Tribe.
But if we blended the Tiger Tribe with the Wolf Tribe pack formation like this.

‘It’s worth attempting.’

More than worth it, in fact.
The Bear Tribe gave me slight pause, but that was a concern for later.

After watching the two Lion Tribe members depart leisurely, Kale Heniatus opened his mouth.

“Let’s eat first.”

Meow meow!
Meow!

-Me, me! Lower that salmon steak under the table for me!

Kale Heniatus began his meal, discreetly sliding the salmon steak beneath the table away from prying eyes. He savored each bite as he observed the restaurant gradually filling with more patrons.
And he thought.

‘I need to properly provoke them.’

Kale Heniatus had not forgotten the Lion Tribe’s scornful laugh directed at him.

* * *

Early dawn. Kale Heniatus furrowed his brow.

Thump. Thump. Thump.
Six tiny paws pressed down rhythmically against his torso.

Really, these creatures.
Kale Heniatus opened his eyes in annoyance, and through the window he glimpsed a navy-blue sky where the night was beginning to recede. Yet winter lingered, and dawn remained distant.

Red fur entered Kale’s field of vision.

“It’s today.”

Hong spoke with solemn determination.

“That’s right. Tonight’s the night.”
“Fireworks!”

Caught between On’s composed tone and Raon’s unbridled excitement, Kale felt his chest tighten. He rose from his recumbent position just as a knock sounded at the door.

Knock knock knock.

“Come in.”

At Kale’s command, the door slowly creaked open moments later.

Creak—
As the door swung wide, Choi Han and Orca Arch came into view. Arch stood behind Choi Han with an inscrutable expression, while Choi Han appeared refreshed.
Kale asked.

“Did your dawn training go well?”
“Yes, Kale. I feel invigorated.”

Choi Han answered with a benevolent smile, brushing dried earth from his hands outside the door. At this, Arch quietly shook his head.
Choi Han had just buried the liquid that would create pillars of flame in the parched lake.

“Exercise truly is the finest thing.”

Kale, who considered breathing his favorite form of exercise, echoed Choi Han’s sentiment and welcomed the fresh morning of the festival’s final day.

The last day of the festival. Dawn broke on the morning when fireworks were scheduled.

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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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