Trash of the Count’s Family - Chapter 212

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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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Fear crept up from their ankles, slowly consuming the bodies of the nobles. The aristocrats of the Southeast Region and Central faction realized something had gone terribly wrong.

Then, Crown Prince Albert’s voice rang out.

“Looking at history, the common people who survive wars shed tears thinking of the days ahead, even though they have survived. But the powerful who survive seek new power and wage yet another battle, or so they say.”

The Crown Prince’s gaze turned toward the nobles of the Southeast Region and Central faction.

“People are remarkably good at deceiving themselves.”

He sat at the head seat, resting his chin in his hand as he stared directly at the Marquis and Duke.

“The war hasn’t ended yet, and they think they’ll survive. How pathetic and pitiful.”

Marquis Sand Ailan closed his eyes tightly, avoiding the Crown Prince’s gaze.
Deep wrinkles furrowed the swordmaster’s brow.

He had been played.
He thought he had dug a trap to suppress Kale Heniatus, but it was the opposite.
It had been a trap to strangle him.

Marquis Sand Ailan opened his eyes again and looked around the conference hall.

The Southwest Region and Northwest Region—why had they sided with the Royal Family?

‘Taylor Sten, I understand that much.’

The eldest son of House Sten. It was known that his legs had been healed thanks to the Crown Prince. It would have been easy enough for a deep bond to form between them.
But the Gyre Duchy had been at odds with the Crown Prince.

Marquis Ailan’s eyes met those of Duke Sonata Gyer.

A thin smile.
The old aristocrat drew a smile toward the Marquis. Then he quickly turned his gaze to look at Kale Heniatus.

‘…That old man!’

Sand Ailan Marquis bit his lip.
That old man had lent his hand not to the Royal Family, but to Kale Heniatus.
The Marquis exhaled deeply. Through that breath came the Crown Prince’s voice.

“You’ll have to do whatever it takes to survive.”

Crown Prince Albert sought agreement from Kale.

“Isn’t that so, Commander?”

Kale nodded readily.

“That’s correct.”

In a sense, it seemed as though only two people were conversing, yet few in the room had the liberty to speak.

“In that regard, I’ve completed my report, so I see no further reason to remain in this place.”

Sand Ailan Marquis hesitated and looked at Kale.

He’s leaving? Already? Without seeing the results?

The Marquis studied Kale’s expression, unable to comprehend why he would depart without witnessing the outcome regarding the Caro Kingdom matter, but the words that followed revealed the meaning behind his action.

“The subsequent decisions rest with the nobility, and as someone without a title, I possess no voting rights.”

A commander, yet still an heir who had not inherited his peerage.
His eyes, speaking so readily of lacking voting rights, still looked down upon the nobility.

“Hmm.”

The Marquis swallowed dryly.
This was both a warning and a threat.
A warning that he would observe what decisions the nobility would make. The Marquis felt a throbbing in his head.

“Then I shall take my leave.”

Meanwhile, Kale offered his farewell with ease.

“I will go to survive.”

The nobles said nothing, and the Crown Prince gave silent permission.
Kale Heniatus turned away from the nobles at a leisurely pace and headed toward the entrance.

‘Indeed, a commanding aura is quite useful when deceiving or intimidating.’

Having finished the tiresome matter faster than expected, my steps felt remarkably light as I walked. Of course, only I knew of that lightness.

-I’ll remember that Marquis and Duke’s faces.

I nearly faltered at Raon’s voice muttering inside my head, but I brushed it aside and stood before the entrance.
Then I cheerfully pushed the entrance door wide open.

Creak, bang!

The door opened with a loud sound.

‘Huh.’

I inhaled sharply without anyone noticing.
Choi Han and Merry stood right before the door.

Though I had told them to wait by the door, I hadn’t expected them to be standing so directly in front of it. For a moment, I was startled and had to calm my racing heart.

Then I moved quickly.

Pat. Pat.
My hands came to rest on Merry’s and Choi Han’s shoulders respectively.

I couldn’t afford to have this atmosphere ruined if Choi Han suddenly opened his mouth and delivered some strange performance, or if Merry spoke in that navigation-like voice of hers and said something virtuous.

I removed my hands from their shoulders and spoke.

“Let’s go.”

At my words, the two moved, and I walked forward without much thought as they seemed to follow. So I failed to see all of Choi Han’s and Merry’s movements.
So he couldn’t see all of Choi Han and Merry’s movements.

“Hmm.”

The Marquis unconsciously gripped the armrest of his seat.
Kale Heniatus. The two figures in black that appeared when the commander opened the door.

One was a man with black hair and black eyes, and the other was someone whose appearance was completely obscured by a black robe.
Those two must be the Sword Master and the Necromancer.

Seeing that both of them were dressed entirely in black, the Marquis felt a chill run down the back of his neck.
They moved slowly at the commander’s word to go.

The Marquis watched Kale Heniatus depart without hesitation.
At the same time, he could see the Sword Master and Necromancer surveying the interior of the Grand Conference Hall.

Choi Han and Merry—the two of them turned their backs as they followed Kale out of the Grand Conference Hall, their eyes still scanning the interior of the conference chamber.

Merry’s gaze, concealed by her black robe, revealed only a hint of caution and curiosity that went unnoticed by the nobles. After a single sweep of the room, she turned and followed in Kale’s footsteps.

But Choi Han’s gaze pierced through without any obstruction, fixed relentlessly upon the nobles.

Top-tier Expert Marquis Sand Aylan. I felt my breath catch at the intensity in the Sword Master’s eyes as he looked at me.
Choi Han stared only at those who had raised their swords against Kale.

“Aren’t you coming?”

Choi Han tore his gaze completely from the conference chamber at the sound of Kale’s voice turning back. He quickly approached Kale, his back still turned to the nobles.

“What are you doing?”
“Nothing, Kale.”

Kale resumed walking as Choi Han approached.

The doors of the Grand Conference Hall slowly closed, and Kale’s silhouette gradually disappeared from view.

Creeeeak—thud.
When the doors had fully closed, the commander was no longer visible. Crown Prince Alberu’s voice filled the silence.

“Let us proceed with the vote on the agenda.”

The proceedings that day were quieter than ever before.

An hour later, Kale Heniatus received word of the vote’s outcome through the Crown Prince.

It had passed.
The proposal to send military forces to the Caro Kingdom was approved unanimously, with only a few abstentions.

* * *

“Father, will we be able to see the Commander?”

The boy tapped his silver shield eagerly as he spoke, and his father smiled warmly.

“Of course. Why do you think I woke up so early and brought you to the front row?”

The boy giggled at his father’s words, unable to hide his joy and anticipation. His father gazed at him with a pleased expression.

A few months ago.
He had come out to cheer when the Crown Prince and Prince Kale Heniatus were heading toward the Mogur Empire. He still vividly remembered what his son had said to him when the boy was cheering for Prince Kale Heniatus back then.

“I want to become someone as cool as the Prince!”

When his son had shouted those words, the nobleman who was praised as a hero had said something unexpected.

“If you become like me, you won’t be cool at all.”
“Become like your father instead. There’s no one cooler than your parents who can lift you up like this.”

What kind of nobleman would say such a thing?
Whenever he recalled that moment, warmth filled his chest. The memory of his son’s sparkling eyes as he looked up at him after hearing Prince Kale Heniatus’s words was vivid and clear.

And today.
He had brought his son out to the roadside once more.

It was to bid farewell to Commander Kale Heniatus, who was departing for the Caro Kingdom today.

Tap. Tap.
The sound of his son tapping the shield rang out pleasantly. Then, voices of the kingdom’s people who had gathered to bid farewell reached his ears.

“But our war isn’t even over yet. Is it really okay to send the Commander to the Caro Kingdom?”
“Hmm.”
“And the Sword Master and the Necromancer are going together? Plus several Knights and the 1st Mage Battalion.”
“But the Navy isn’t going, and the Knights Order isn’t going either. The other Mage Battalions aren’t going.”
“That’s true, but…”

The citizen continued, as if to calm his anxious colleague.

“And if Rowan is ever in danger, the Commander will teleport back immediately—he told the Crown Prince so himself. Most importantly, our Rowan comes first.”

As he spoke, his emotions lifted, and his voice grew louder.

“Didn’t you hear about the conversation between the Commander and the Crown Prince?”
“I’ve heard the rumors.”

Rumors that had spread rapidly since yesterday, centered on the Roan Kingdom Capital.
They said it was a conversation between the Crown Prince and Kale Heniatus. Whether it was true or not was unclear, but it seemed truthful because those two would certainly have said such things.

“Do you remember what the Commander said in that conversation?”
“…That the Roan Kingdom is strong?”
“Yes. Everyone thought we were nothing special, but the Roan Kingdom ultimately won overwhelmingly and showed our strength. Now that we are strong, we should trust ourselves and help those who are suffering more, he said. To show the world once again the strength of Rowan.”

At the citizen’s words, spoken with rising passion, the father who had been stroking his son’s head nodded.

Coming from someone who protected Rowan, those words were worth believing.

“And we have the Sword Master and the Necromancer, our heroes. So let’s trust them.”

That’s right.
Two very powerful heroes existed.

“…The Necromancer is hardly what I’d call a hero.”

At the citizen’s words, the man holding his son’s hand frowned. His mouth opened. But the voice of the one conversing with that very person came faster.

“Why not the Necromancer? He’s a thousand times, a hundred times better than those other Northeast nobles who just sat around doing nothing! Didn’t you see the video? A dragon, a dragon! How magnificent did that dragon bone look? Was that creepy?”
“No, I just… there are stories passed down through generations.”
“Does such a story matter? What matters is that we survived.”

Well, he certainly speaks his mind clearly.
The man smiled warmly and lifted his son into his arms.
That was when it happened.

Boooooo—

The sound of a horn trumpet echoed through the air.

“Father!”

He adjusted his son in his arms at the excited call and turned his head toward where the boy’s gaze was directed.

Swords thrust skyward.

And mana orbs of vibrant, varied colors rose into the heavens.
And mana spheres of various brilliant colors rose up into the sky.

“Wow!”

The Boy nestled in his Father’s arms, watching the procession of Knights and Mages approaching from afar. The Boy cried out to his Father.

“It looks like that person is the Sword Master!”

His face was both virtuous and resolute. He possessed features more than capable of capturing people’s attention.
A face that was both kind and resolute. He had an appearance more than capable of capturing people’s attention.

The Mage Battalion, the Knights, the Sword Master. He saw them all.
I saw them all—the Mage Battalion, the Knights, and the Sword Masters.

But the person the Boy was desperately searching for was nowhere to be seen.

He was not visible.
Instead, only the carriage positioned behind the Sword Master came into view.
Only the carriage behind the Sword Master was visible instead.

Is the commander inside there?

And as if sensing the child’s heart, the carriage window slowly began to lower.
As if understanding the boy’s heart, the carriage window slowly lowered.

“Wow!”

A Necromancer.
The Necromancer in the black robe came into view, and the boy cheered at the sight of this hero he’d never seen before.

“…Huh?”

But soon confusion crossed his face.

I couldn’t see him.
It seemed like there was one more person inside the carriage—it had to be Commander Kale Heniatus—but the Commander wasn’t showing himself.

Of course, Kale Heniatus simply didn’t want to be seen, so he wasn’t.

“Young Master, everyone’s calling for you!”
“Merry, you’re calling too.”

Cheers mixed with calls for Merry echoed from all around. It was certainly less than what Choi Han received, but there wasn’t a single curse to be heard anywhere.

‘The Crown Prince must have arranged something.’

It seemed the Crown Prince had done something to make this happen.
He’d told Kale Heniatus not to worry, that he’d only receive cheers during this procession, and that he’d already arranged everything. Kale Heniatus hadn’t bothered to ask what that arrangement was.

“Still.”

Pretending not to notice Merry’s hesitation, Kale Heniatus leaned back against the plush seat of the carriage.

“The Shield Young Master!”
“The Silver Commander!”

A sigh.
It escaped unbidden.
Could they please stop calling me those embarrassing nicknames?

That was when it happened.

“Um, Young Master.”
“I’m not looking.”

He gave Merry a perfunctory response, but she hesitated before speaking anyway. The invisible Raon opened his mouth as well.

“Young master, there’s a child calling out for you so desperately?”
-Weak human! That’s the kid who waved a shield at you before! I thought he’d grow well, but he’s grown even more in just a few months!

Damn it.
Kale Heniatus scrunched his face and moved toward Merry. Then he glanced out the window.

Oh no.
A child waving a shield decorated even more ornately than before came into view.
It was a child from my memories.

‘It’s not cool at all if you resemble me.’
‘Resemble your father instead. Only your parents are wonderful enough to hold you up like this.’

That was the child who had made me blurt out words in my confusion.
When our eyes met, I saw the father and child waving the shield even more enthusiastically, then I pulled myself away from the window and moved to the corner of the carriage.

Then I wiped my eyes with my hand.

The shields had multiplied.
Silver shields and black-painted swords, people of the kingdom in black robes cheering—the sight was so vivid.
Among them, shields were the most prevalent.

‘Damn it.’

What if shields became even more fashionable?
My expression turned serious. When I shifted my gaze, I saw Merry. Choi Han was surely marching quite magnificently at the very front.

‘I need to make those two truly stand out this time.’

Moreover, if I turn all the Dark Elves into heroes as well.
If I achieve an overwhelming victory.
Then surely I will be forgotten.

Having heard rough information about the forces heading toward the Caro Kingdom from the Guardian Knight Clophe, I resolved solemnly, again and again.

This time, I’ll stay back. I’ll use less of my power. I’ll avoid using the shield if at all possible.

* * *

With that resolve, the moment he teleported to the Caro Kingdom, he had to face someone.

“Oh, I knew you’d come now. It’s been a while.”

Kale Heniatus was dumbfounded.

The Caro Kingdom, along with the Roan Kingdom as one of the closest nations, had requested aid from the Mogur Empire.
Naturally, both kingdoms had answered that request.

Kale Heniatus considered what forces the Empire would send.
After all, the Empire and the Indomitable Alliance were on the same side, so he was quite curious about what forces the Empire would dispatch and how they would act.

However, this person was not part of those considerations.

“…I trust you have been well, Your Highness.”

Crown Prince Adin of the Mogur Empire smiled at Kale Heniatus standing on the teleportation circle.

Why was this bastard here?
What about the Empire? Doesn’t he need to protect it?

Kale Heniatus was astounded.
The Crown Prince opened his mouth with a smile.

“I’ve been well. Congratulations on the Roan Kingdom’s victory.”

Kale Heniatus suppressed a hollow laugh.

Well, indeed.
The Crown Prince was surely furious over the Roan Kingdom’s victory and hadn’t slept a wink.
It was obvious how much rage this two-faced bastard was seething with beneath the surface.

Yet Kale Heniatus smiled at the Crown Prince. Meeting him here in the Caro Kingdom was unexpected.

“And how have you been, Crown Prince?”

Kale Heniatus answered the Crown Prince with the brightest, most cheerful tone he could muster.

“Yes. Thanks to our victory, I’ve been sleeping soundly these days with my legs stretched out.”

Kale Heniatus noticed the corners of the good-natured Crown Prince’s mouth twitch slightly.

It was satisfying.

Sensing that there would be many more satisfying moments ahead, Kale Heniatus felt his smile deepen naturally.

-Weak human, it’s been a while since you smiled like that! Are you scheming something?

Scheming? I’m just smiling.
Kale Heniatus let Raon’s words go in one ear and out the other with ease.

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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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