Trash of the Count’s Family - Chapter 190

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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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The second day of the VIP auction. Bilos wondered what exactly he was doing right now.

“Oh, are you taking the day off today?”
“Yeah. Slurp, ah. I dripped some.”

Kale Heniatus wiped away the sauce smeared around his mouth carelessly. Thinking that this man seemed to sample grilled chicken skewers from every region, he stopped in front of a toy shop.

Meow!

“Alright, alright. Let’s start with the toy shop.”

South Street in Begus City, where the commercial districts were most densely packed. Countless tourists passed through there every day.
Bilos glanced at Vice-Captain Hilsman, who stood waiting behind Kale Heniatus with an empty magical pouch in hand.

‘That man shouldn’t be like this.’

Vice-Captain Hilsman.
A man who had been eyeing the Captain’s position, quite rigid and authoritative in nature.

Yet here he was now, holding a magical pouch to collect gifts and souvenirs for the Cat-Human Race children.
It was absurd.

The gazes of Hilsman and Bilos collided. Hilsman offered a faint smile. Why did that smile carry the poignant helplessness of an employee serving an eccentric superior?

Unaware of his two subordinates’ silent resignation, Kale Heniatus grasped the door handle of the toy shop, the first store he would enter on South Street.

The second day of the VIP auction. There was nothing particularly to do. Yesterday, I had placed a note inside the magical pouch given to the Sinten Merchant Guild’s master, detailing how he should act, so I didn’t need to worry about that matter.

‘Merry and Tasha are moving behind the guild master as well.’

Still, I had no desire to watch a VIP auction themed around beast-humans.

If they weren’t living beast-humans, what aspect of them could one even judge?

‘Humans are the cruelest of all.’

There were weapons and items once used by famous demihumans, but most were traces of demihumans with beautiful or distinctive qualities.
In other words, things like ornaments made from the white fur of a white lion demihuman, or the beautiful blue hair of the Whale Tribe.

I couldn’t very well bring the Cat-Human Race children here, could I?

Kale Heniatus frowned slightly and reached for the door handle. That was when it happened.

Smack!

A cat’s paw struck the back of Kale’s hand.
It stung a little.

Meow!

It was On.

‘What’s gotten into her?’

It was the first time On had acted this way—not Hong, but On—so Kale looked at her in bewilderment. He noticed something strange in her eyes.

Pity and disappointment radiated from her gaze.
To receive such a look from a twelve-year-old unsettled him. He turned his attention to Hong instead. Hong, delighted, flicked her ears and browsed the toy shop with innocent joy.
Then Raon’s voice reached him.

-Human, what are you doing? If you’re going to buy something, hurry up and buy it!

Kale hesitated.

‘If you’re going to buy something’?

Something felt off about that phrasing.
Kale had intended to buy toys that an average nine-year-old would want, yet somehow Raon spoke as if Kale had come here because he wanted to buy something for himself.

His grip on the door handle loosened.

-Huh? Human, don’t you want to buy toys? Go in already! I’ll stay out here and watch people! Hurry and come back.

That’s strange.
Kale Heniatus looked at On.
On’s front paw pointed toward one location.

He followed the direction of that paw.

“As expected.”

Indeed, these things were brutal.

An alley lined with weapon shops and magical device stores came into view.

Kale reflected on his mistake.
He had thought incorrectly. At the same time, he recalled his companions.

His younger sister Lily, who had just turned nine this year, and everyone around him preferred greatswords to toys. Whether Tiger Tribe or Wolf Tribe.

‘Damn it.’

Truly, the fantasy world was magnificent.
Kale changed direction.

“Young Master?”

Bilos called out to Kale as he suddenly turned, but instead of answering, Kale headed toward the weapon alley. Hilsman followed behind with a more composed expression than before.

And as Bilos entered the weapon shop, his complexion gradually paled. His eyes tracked Kale’s pointing finger.

“This one. This one. That one.”

Kale roughly indicated swords by category. He selected only what Raon had mentioned.

“Yes, yes?”

The weapon shop owner was momentarily stunned by Kale’s rapid orders.
From the finest daggers to greatswords inscribed with flame magic. He had uncannily selected only the finest items.

When the owner stood dazed, Kale furrowed his brow sharply and pointed at the displayed weapons with his finger.

“From there to here.”
“Pardon?”
“I’ll take everything.”

A breath escaped him.
The shopkeeper inhaled sharply.
The first customer to arrive this early morning was quite the distinguished guest.
The shopkeeper watched Kale Heniatus carefully, then quickly gestured for him to calculate the total, hastily pulling out the weapons and beginning the transaction.

Bilos simply observed the scene.
But it was only the beginning.

-Human, human! I want to go to the magic item shop!

Damn it.
For now, Kale Heniatus went to the magic item shop without any fuss. The weapon shop owner seemed to see a golden aura behind his back, but Kale’s mind was filled only with Raon’s chattering voice.

-Merry and Rosalind would like that magical device too. What a shame.

Cursed be.
I was painfully learning what nine-year-olds had been exposed to. Over the past two years, all these children had seen were expensive things.
I had tried to develop their sense of money through allowances.

I stood before the magical item Raon had pointed out.

-Hmm. Human, five gold coins is expensive. You don’t have to buy it. Get me something cheaper.

Sigh.
I furrowed my brow at Raon’s words. My finger pointed to the magical item he had mentioned.

“I’ll take that one.”

-Human, five gold coins could buy so much apple pie! I’m fine!

Raon spoke in a serious voice to stop me.

Meow.

On and Hong also patted my arm as if to tell me to stop. But I didn’t pause and added:

“Ah, I’ll take three of these.”

Raon cried out in surprise.

-Human, why are you buying three? Is it for Rosalind and Merry? You’re too kind for your own good. Your heart is too soft! This is why I have to keep watch over you.

The more I heard the six-year-old’s concerns, the more my eyes narrowed.
Bilos looked at me in surprise, but when Hilsman approached and whispered something to him, he broke into a satisfied smile.

“You look upset, don’t you?”
“Ah, yes.”
“That’s the exact expression you make when you’re taking care of others. Yet when you look like that, how meticulously you manage everything. Truly, you’re an open book.”

Bilos understood why Hilsman had volunteered as a porter without hesitation. The warmth in Bilos’s gaze as he looked at me deepened.
But Raon remained worried about me.

-Human, are you alright? What a waste! You don’t need to buy so many of these toys!

To Raon, magical devices were toys.
I let out a scoff at that fact and answered as if speaking to myself.

“It’s not much of a waste.”

It truly wasn’t wasteful.
Compared to the wealth I possessed.
By Raon’s accounting, it was like spending a fingernail’s worth of my fortune, so it was nothing.
I only felt a headache realizing how much luggage I would need to carry around as I looked at the quantity of items I was purchasing.

-….

Raon fell silent.
On and Hong, who had been tapping my arm, also quieted down. I thought they had become silent because I’d bought everything I wanted, and I was satisfied with the situation being free of distractions.

Now that nothing was hindering me, I began to move in earnest.

“Bilos, where is the main place that sells shoulder armor around here?”
“Shoulder armor, sir?”
“Yeah. Training robes too.”
“Training robes, sir?”
“Yeah.”

Wolf Tribe and Tiger Tribe merchants lined the streets.
Kale Heniatus swept through the shops with leisurely indulgence.

‘Spending money really does feel good.’

After so long without splurging, my mood had become refreshingly light. I purchased an apple pie as my final item and spoke to my companions.

“Let’s head back.”

I returned to the lodging at a leisurely pace with my companions following quietly behind me. They were all contemplating something deeply as they observed me.

I had not purchased anything for myself except for the chicken skewers.

That fact had etched itself deeply into my companions’ hearts.
Meanwhile, I made a resolution with my refreshed mind.

‘Since I’ve spent it, I’ll need to extract several times that amount back.’

* * *

My resolve remained unchanged even on the final day of the auction.

Lang Terrace 4.
Bilos cautiously asked me as I sat on the sofa of the curtained terrace.

“Young Master, do you truly believe the Bishop will appear at Terrace 1?”

Over the past two days, a Sun God Church Layman had been confirmed guarding Terrace 1. And today, Bilos had heard that the person who entered Terrace 1 was a Layman.

But the person I needed to meet today was not a Layman—it was the Bishop.
Unlike his concerns, Bilos could see my composure. I took a sip of wine before speaking.

“The Golden Tree is the largest donor to the Sun God Church in Begus City. The bond between these two must be far stronger than we think.”

Kale Heniatus thought nothing of the Bishop slipping into Terrace 1 in secret.
Bilos seemed to have connections with the Golden Tree staff as well, but the information employees possessed had its limits.

“By the way, Young Master. Do you truly possess the Night’s Rejoicing?”
“Why? Don’t you believe me?”

At Kale’s playful gaze, Bilos nodded awkwardly.

Night’s Rejoicing.
That gem held considerable significance for the Caro Kingdom and the Sun God Church.

The Land of Death.
Or as it was called, the Desert of Death—one of the Five Great Mysteries.

It was the place where the Last Necromancer once waged a final battle, commanding countless corpses.
By day, it formed towering dunes of crimson sand that mimicked blood; by night, mountains of pitch-black sand that resembled darkness itself rose anew each cycle.

The gem that had been embedded in the heart of the Last Necromancer.
That black jewel was the Night’s Rejoicing.

For the Caro Kingdom, it was a source of immense joy and glory; for the Sun God Church, it stood as one of their proudest achievements.

Naturally, when Kale arrived at the Caro Kingdom, I had presented this gem to Merry.

‘Do you sense anything?’
‘Should I sense something? I sense nothing.’

The gem contained nothing of use to a necromancer.
Then it should be sold. What good was carrying around a mere ornament?

I withdrew the black gem from my possession.

“Hmm.”

Bilos swallowed hard.
Ever since the Night’s Rejoicing was mentioned, he had investigated it. It was currently kept in the Sun God Temple of the Caro Kingdom and displayed for a week once a year, or so he had learned.

Had those exhibitions all been conducted with a fake gem?

“I’ll be taking my leave now.”

-Human, I’m coming with you!

My body gradually became transparent.
Bilos bowed slightly.

“Have a pleasant visit, sir.”

Whoosh.
The curtain drew back, and I made my way toward Terrace 1, whose curtain had similarly parted.
At that moment, accompanied by applause, the Auctioneer began speaking about the final day’s auction.

“As expected, we have something truly fascinating for our grand finale! It was extraordinarily difficult to procure! I dare say it’s the rarest item in this entire beast-human themed auction!”

The Auctioneer brimmed with confidence as never before.

“Allow me to offer a hint. The Wolf King.”

Hm?
My body, ascending toward Terrace 1 via flight magic, came to an abrupt halt.
My gaze shifted toward the Auctioneer. The ornately masked Auctioneer spoke in hushed, secretive tones.
Yet through amplification magic, his words reached every ear in the hall with crystalline clarity.

“A relic of the last Wolf King.”

Oh. Now that’s intriguing.
An exclamation escaped my lips.
I smiled and entered Terrace 1.

There stood a Layman.

Whoosh.
I drew the curtain closed.
Dispelling my transparency, I approached the Servant attending the Layman. The Layman, upon seeing me, swallowed hard in apparent shock, his trembling hands disappearing into his sleeves.
Yet I paid him no mind whatsoever.

I recalled what Saint Jack had told me.
Before departing for the Paern Kingdom, I had asked Saint Jack about the Bishop.

‘The Bishop has a small vessel. Yet his greed is quite remarkable.’

I had also heard about the Bishop’s appearance.

A Servant in tattered clothes glared at Kale Heniatus’s mask.
Kale Heniatus received that gaze and bowed with courtesy.

“Delighted to meet you, Bishop.”

Seeing the man I’d paid and could manipulate, I felt genuinely pleased.

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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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