Trash of the Count’s Family - Chapter 195

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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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My footsteps came to a halt.
A long, circular table. The seat of honor there belonged to the Heniatus Count Family.

I stood at that position, but did not sit.
My gaze turned toward Eric’s father, the patriarch leading the Wheelsman Count Family, and I offered a slight nod of acknowledgment.

I had already concluded my business with the Wheelsman Count Family.

-Human.

I heard Raon’s voice in my mind. He had arrived here first.

-Those creatures cursed at you, human. How curious. Do they not wish to live?

A bloodthirsty six-year-old, if I ever saw one.
Unlike the muttering in my heart, my expression remained composed.

I looked down at them with perfect calm.

“Ahem, ahem.”

Several nobles cleared their throats. It was uncomfortable for them that a mere noble’s son—not even a Count—was looking down upon them in such a manner.

That was when it happened.
A Baron, known to secretly follow the Aylan Marquis Family that dominates the Southeast Region of Roan, opened his mouth.

“The Northern Indomitable Alliance will target the Roan Kingdom.”

He was a noble known to be quite intelligent and courteous. Without any hint of disregard toward me, he alternated his gaze between me and the Wheelsman patriarch.

“The Northwest Region has united under Marquis Sten. The Southwest Region has transferred the ducal title to Antonio Geyler, and they are pouring vast sums of money and manpower into border defense forces under his leadership.”

The Baron’s gaze shifted slightly toward the Lord of Ubar.
Ubar, the land where a naval base is being constructed, a place touched by the Crown Prince’s influence.

However, neither the Baron nor the other nobles were aware that this place bore the fingerprints of the Heniatus Count Family.

“Ahem, of course we have a naval base in the Ubar Territory on our side, but isn’t it still under preparation? And lastly, the Southeast Region operates under the leadership of the Aylan Marquis House.”

The nobles from the Capital cast sharp glances at the Baron from the Aylan Marquis House.

“The Aylan Marquis House is where the Knights’ power is most formidable in the Roan Kingdom.”

Aylan—currently the greatest martial force in the Roan Kingdom.
The corners of the Baron’s mouth rose subtly.

“Our Northeast Region needs a center to anchor us. Ideally, we should have knights capable of standing against the nation of knights. Gilbert, doesn’t the Heniatus Count Family share this sentiment?”

The Baron’s gaze turned toward Kale, who remained standing.
I had heard that the Heniatus Count Family had repaired the City Wall, but I had heard nothing of their other military capabilities.
Heniatus lacked justification.

It was then.

“War, you see.”

The eldest Baron opened his mouth. Over eighty years old this year, he was a man of the Capital’s central faction.

“In times like these, we must rely on the greater powers. To be frank, the Northeast Region needs something to lean upon. We cannot manage by our own strength alone.”

The Elderly Man’s stubborn gaze fixed upon Kale.

“Well, having the Shield Prince might inspire some confidence, but reality is different.”

The Elderly Man brought forth the weight of reality.

“The Center—in times like these, we must gather around the Orsena Duchy Family at the center to maintain a consistent chain of command.”

In the end, it was a call to align with the Center.

War was both a precious opportunity where heroes and powerholders were born simultaneously, and a desperate gamble where survival was paramount.
Being Barons, many desired to become heroes themselves more than anyone else.

“Above all, our chances of survival increase significantly if we position ourselves close to the center, near the Royal Family.”
“Knights and troops are in the Southeast Region, Your Grace.”
“Ah, well. This old man’s wisdom should be trusted at times like these, Baron.”

Of course, I desired to become a hero for my own faction, not for the kingdom itself.

-Human, are these fools? If the Roan Kingdom falls, there will be no nobility either, will there?

That was true.
I acknowledged Raon’s words.
So I observed.

In the Southeast Region or even positioned near the center, which noble truly grasped the current situation?

That was why I endured listening to such pointless theoretical discussions.
At that moment, my gaze collided with someone’s.

The mother of Amir, the Lord of Ubar. Her eyes were fixed upon me.
Meanwhile, the nobles’ voices grew louder.

“What could a thirty-year-old Baron possibly know? War is about experience. I would prefer to hear advice from those with experience.”
“Does the Roan Royal Family or the center possess real power? Rationally speaking, we must align ourselves with the strongest faction!”
“Precisely. Since we’re in the same eastern region, the Southeast Region would be ideal!”

The Lord of Ubar’s voice cut through the chaos of the table.

“Lord Kale.”

All eyes turned toward her.
A naval base. She was the lord who governed that land and sea.
She commanded the strongest military forces in the Northeast Region.
Moreover, the Northern Alliance would certainly arrive by ship. If so, the Ubar Territory became even more critical.

The leaders of both the Southeast and Central factions had explicitly ordered her to be drawn to their side. Thus, all focused intently on her words.

“What are your thoughts on the current situation, Lord Kale?”

The Lord of Ubar addressed me with respectful language.
I did not answer immediately, remaining silent.

The eighty-year-old Baron burst into hearty laughter at the sight.

“The Lord of Ubar, Prince Kale, is still young. A single ancient power does not protect all of our Northeast Region. The ignorant common folk call him the Shield Prince, but what could a mere youth possibly understand?”

The Baron waved his hand dismissively toward Kale, as if to say there was no offense intended.

“Of course, Prince Kale is a talented young man with a bright future. I genuinely believe he is remarkable. However, this is a matter for those of us with far greater experience to handle.”
“Quite right.”

The nobles from the Southeast and Central factions nodded their heads with comfortable expressions.

At that moment, Kale let out a soft chuckle.

“…Did you just laugh?”

The expressions of the nobles who had been nodding stiffened slightly. Even if Kale belonged to the Count’s Household, they were backed by the Duke and Marquis.
Moreover, unlike Kale, they possessed noble titles themselves.

But there was something they did not know.

Kale was backed by the Royal Family.

He tossed the silver token from his breast onto the table. He treated it as if it were nothing of consequence—indeed, to Kale, such a token was utterly trivial.

Clang!

The silver token struck the table and rolled across its surface. It spun in the center before coming to rest upon the table.

Thud.

The silver token.
Silver bearing the symbol of the Roan Royal Family.
It was common knowledge among the nobility.

The silver token was related to military authority.

Why this?
Even the leaders of each faction had not yet received one, so why was it here?

The nobles’ expressions wavered.
It was when, amid the silence, all eyes converged upon the silver shield.

“If it came down to a clash between sword and shield, who do you think would win?”

The unexpected question spilled from Kale Heniatus’s lips. Yet his posture and gaze had transformed entirely. The courtesy that once defined him had vanished, replaced by a cold, penetrating stare that bore down upon the assembled nobility.
Kale Heniatus provided the answer to those who remained silent.

“Without question, the shield.”

It had to be that way, unconditionally.

“From this moment forward, the shield wins without fail.”

The Shield Prince.
Kale Heniatus resolved to exploit that embarrassing epithet with every ounce of its worth. Even in war, showmanship held its place.

A battle of momentum—a necessity for survival.

I had to forge that momentum.
I had to instill unwavering resolve into the hearts of the Roan Kingdom’s people.

I resolved to begin that momentum in the Northeast Region. And thus, I would forge heroes for the Roan Kingdom.

‘Everyone but me.’

After the war, in a Roan Kingdom filled with new heroes, the Shield Prince would become a forgotten figure.
And so.

“Without question. It must be this way.”

The shield had to win, unconditionally.
Then it happened.

Thump.
Kale Heniatus’s heart suddenly raced.

‘What is this?’

This is ancient power. One of the ancient powers has begun to move.

-That’s right. The shield will win.

The master of the unbreakable shield.
The Glutton Goddess’s voice reached me.
It had been a long time. No—it was the first time since obtaining this power.

She began speaking directly into Kale Heniatus’s mind.

-You lost back then, but you’ll win this time. It’s possible.

What is she talking about?
Caught off guard by the sudden situation, I concealed my bewilderment and closed my heart.
Yet the place where the shield was inscribed over my heart burned hot.

-But I’m starving.

The Glutton Goddess spoke with intensity.

-You must eat more. More.

Again?
Does she want bread again?
That was what I thought at the time.

-Devour the talents of others.

What did you say?

Thump. Thump.
I felt my heart pounding violently.
The unbreakable shield began to move. I could see nothing with my eyes, yet I felt it unmistakably.

-Human, why did you suddenly become stronger?

What is this?
I was confused. However, I did not reveal my confusion.

I didn’t spare a glance at those staring at me, instead fixing my gaze on the open doorway. I wielded my dominating aura without restraint.

“Vice-Captain.”

At my call, Hillsman Vice-Captain promptly entered with a Mage in tow.

“Wait, what is this—”

One noble opened his mouth, and the others finally contorted their faces. However, the Southwest and Northwest Region nobles stared at me with ashen complexions.

I cleanly ignored the noble who was about to speak.

“Activate the video communication.”
“Which location should I connect to?”

I answered the Vice-Captain’s question.

“The Royal Palace.”

The nobles faltered at those words.
Yet before the connection could even be established.

Beeeep—

The video communication device emitted a crimson light.
It was an emergency transmission from the Royal Palace.

A broadcast to all noble houses.

Moreover, this transmission was currently being displayed through image magic in the Capital Square of the Roan Kingdom.
One wall of the Grand Conference Hall was occupied by the video communication screen.

There stood the King of the Roan Kingdom.
Jed Crossman—he was present. His voice made an announcement.

-I, Jed Crossman, entrust all matters of the kingdom to Crown Prince Albert Crossman and shall pass the throne to him next year.

“What?”
“Impossible!”

Several nobles gasped in shock and rose from their seats at the sudden announcement. What in the world was happening?
Only then did the nobles’ gazes turn toward the quiet Southwest and Northwest factions.
They appeared pale and silent.

That was when it happened.

Albert Crossman appeared on the video communication screen.

The Crown Prince, whose bright face and pleasant demeanor remained unchanged, opened his mouth.

-Play the footage.

Footage?
In that instant, a projection spell unfolded behind Albert.

-Kwaaaah!
-Grrrrr-

The roars of beasts and monsters filled the Grand Conference Hall.
The nobles’ eyes beheld monsters soaring through the sky.

As if captured by a hidden intelligence mage, a dozen monsters flying through the heavens were visible even within the trembling footage.

Wyverns.

And upon those wyverns, knights could be seen.

“…Surely not.”

One noble’s lips trembled. He did not even realize his own voice was shaking.

-Kiiieee!

With a piercing cry, a wyvern dove toward the informant. Several nobles drew sharp breaths.
In that moment, the projection spell ended.

The Wyvern Knights.
A legendary existence.
The nobles realized that this existence had become reality.

The Northern 3 Nations must have realized at this very moment that their secret weapon had been exposed. Thanks to the Roan Kingdom, everyone across the Western Continent would now be aware of the Wyvern Knights.

It was the Crown Prince who had deployed the projection magic throughout the Capital for this very purpose.
Crown Prince Albert spoke while gazing at the communication crystal. Kale Heniatus on the other side of this crystal would surely be listening as well.

He had agonized over this matter for days before making his decision based on a single remark from Kale.

‘Your Highness, the entire nation becomes a hero.’

In that moment, Albert—the Roan Kingdom—made their choice.

Just as the Paern Kingdom pretended to be a nation of knights with such righteousness, we would do the same.

Albert recalled Kale’s words.

‘Your Highness, are we doing anything wrong? We’re simply pretending to be a slightly more honorable nation.’

An amusing fellow.
The Roan Kingdom had decided.

To suppress through strength, and do so with honor.

Albert opened his mouth.
His voice resonated through the communication crystal into the Grand Conference Hall where Kale stood.

-The Roan Kingdom possesses the longest history of any land here.

Unremarkable perhaps, yet bearing the most ancient legacy.
The kingdom that remained silent until the very end after the Indomitable Alliance’s announcement.

The Roan Kingdom now issued their final declaration of war.

-We shall demonstrate the power of those who have endured.

The Crown Prince spoke with unwavering confidence toward the Western Continent. The Grand Conference Hall fell into silence—no, into shock.
They had only now grasped the reality before them.

This is critical.
I had reassured myself that even with dwarves among the Bear Tribe, they would need to come by ship.
But Wyvern Knights—that changes everything.

Now it was a matter of life or death.

Then, a single voice cut through the silence.

“The Wyvern Knights—”

It was Kale Heniatus.
He looked down upon the nobles who had been staring at me.

“The Wyvern Knights cannot cross Heniatus Count Family lands.”

His voice was resolute.

“Absolutely not.”

Kale walked toward the center of the round table and grasped the silver token once more in his hand.

“From this moment forward, military command of the Northeast Region belongs to me, Kale Heniatus.”

He remained courteous throughout. Yet there was no room for compromise.

“You will all follow my orders from now on.”

Kale methodically surveyed the nobles of the Southwest and Northwest factions who averted their gaze, and the other faction nobles drowning in confusion.

“If clinging to the strong is the nature of nobility—”

Then those who coveted power on the eve of war had no right to be called heroes.
Today, Kale distinguished between those who would become heroes, however arrogant it might appear, and those who would cling to survival. He needed to know the difference to use them properly.

Kale smiled at the assembled nobles.

“Soon, the moment will come when you must choose whom to cling to in order to survive.”

Kale turned around.
Without hesitation, he headed toward the exit.

Screech. Screech.
The sound of chairs scraping against the floor echoed through the room.
The Lord of Ubar, Acting Lord Gilbert, Wheelsman Count.
The masters of the Northeast Coastal Area and the Northeast entrance territories.
They rose from their seats simultaneously.

And they followed in Kale’s wake.

Screech— Slam!

Only after the door closed did those left behind realize they had been abandoned.
And they grasped one more truth.

The Wyvern Knights were coming.

That moment arrived soon enough.

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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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