Trash of the Count’s Family - Chapter 226

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

The day of Kale’s departure had arrived.
Of course, not all personnel from the Roan Kingdom were leaving. However, Kale along with some of the mages, knights, and dark elves would depart today.

And it was also a day when some from the Empire’s side would leave.

“…Commander.”

Snap.
Prince Valentino seized both of my hands again with that persistent gesture, and I managed to respond with a strained smile.

“Until we meet again.”
“Yes, yes.”

Valentino gazed at me with a tender expression, then suppressed his emotion and maintained only a warm smile as he turned his head to regard someone else.

“Duke Hooten, I’m truly grateful for everything.”
“Not at all, Your Highness. Mogur and the Caro Kingdom are renowned for their strong bonds, are they not?”

Strong bonds that would freeze to death.
I inwardly scoffed at Duke Hooten’s words, yet I couldn’t help but admire Valentino’s consistently composed expression.

‘He’s quite the actor.’

I recalled what Crown Prince Alberu had said to me yesterday during our video communication.

‘Valentino? He has a strong human side. To be honest, he’s quite a good person.’

Valentino knew how to be angry when anger was warranted, and how to grieve when sorrow was due. He cherished his people and his kingdom, yet he also understood fear and dread—he was fundamentally human.
That was Alberu’s assessment of Valentino.

‘But the Caro Kingdom is a land of gambling and auctions. And he’s the one who rose to the position of Crown Prince there.’

Yet emotion and reason were entirely separate matters.

‘His calculations are faster than anyone’s. So whether he believes our Roan’s words or not, he won’t release our hand until the war ends. And.’

Alberu had regarded me with an enigmatic expression.

‘The Roan Kingdom seems to have impressed him quite a bit.’
‘…Did you perhaps explain your emotions to His Highness with an innocent expression?’

Alberu and Kale looked at each other and opened their mouths.

‘…We don’t match.’
‘Neither do I.’

It had been a long time since the two of them uttered the same words.
Duke Hooten approached Kale, who was recalling their previous conversation.
The Crown Prince was personally thanking each dignitary from both the Empire and the Roan Kingdom, bidding them farewell one by one. In that moment, Duke Hooten stood directly in front of Kale.

“I hope we meet again next time.”
“I too sincerely hope to see you again, Duke.”

Sincerely. Kale truly wished to see him again.

“Indeed. In all my years, I have never encountered anyone wielding a shield’s power as formidable as Commander Kale. It is an honor to know one who possesses such strength.”
“I am honored to hear such words from a Sword Master like yourself, Duke.”

The two conversed in a warm atmosphere. Duke Hooten shook his head.

“No. Seeing you and the Roan Kingdom has made me reflect deeply.”

A solemn smile graced his face. Duke Hooten’s grave gaze swept across Kale’s surroundings.

“…To cultivate true strength, one must cultivate it this way.”

Quietly, and very powerfully.
Duke Hooten swallowed the rest of his words. His eyes turned back toward Kale.

‘That crimson lightning.’

He still had not discerned the nature of that power.
That strength capable of destroying the magical formation of ‘Dark’—whose power could it possibly be?

It was neither the Empire’s, nor Dark’s, nor the Indomitable Alliance’s strength.
Then it must surely be the power of the Roan Kingdom.

And the one who stood at the center of Roan Kingdom’s power.

“Haha, Duke. Once the war ends, it’s a power I won’t need anymore.”

Duke Hooten trembled with feigned playfulness as he looked at Kale Heniatus.

“Roan frightens me, you see.”
“What could possibly frighten you, Your Grace? Aren’t the Empire and Roan on the best of terms? And I have proof of that bond right here.”

Kale revealed a small medal attached inside his jacket.
A Mogur Empire medal.
He gazed at Duke Hooten with an expression of considerable pride.

Duke Hooten smiled.

Kale Heniatus.
He was the one who stood at the center of Roan Kingdom’s power, and simultaneously, he was the very thread that bound the Empire and Roan together.
The investigation into Roan could proceed slowly. All while handling this Kale Heniatus with care.

“Hahaha, indeed. Seeing the Mogur Empire medal on you brings me such joy. Now I really must take my leave. Until we meet again.”
“Yes, Your Grace. Let us meet again soon.”

When Kale uttered “soon,” his expression gleamed with genuine desire to visit the Empire again. Duke Hooten swallowed a mixture of relief and mockery within himself before departing first through the teleportation circle.
Kale watched him leave.

-Weak human, but when we go to our Empire, we’re going to destroy everything, right?

Kale dismissed Raon’s words lightly.
And I smoothed the corners of my mouth.

It was a natural smile.
Indeed, when one speaks with sincere intent, even one’s expression becomes natural.

I will definitely go to the Mogur Empire.

-Human! What are you thinking? Are you thinking of destroying things?

Kale ignored this remark from Raon as well, and soon stepped onto the teleportation circle.

Choi Han, Merry, Tasha, and Hilsman—their faces appeared before me. As I watched them wearing expressions I couldn’t quite describe, I closed my eyes against the vibrating movements of the magic circle.

* * *

And when I opened my eyes, my body had arrived in the Roan Kingdom.

“Brother.”
“Older brother!”

In the Northeast Region of the Roan Kingdom, at the very frontlines. Heniatus.
It was there that I opened my eyes.

I had returned alone.
Those who greeted me were my family.

“I’m home.”

—Human! I’ve arrived too! I’m at our house Number One!

Of course, Raon had come with me.
As I descended from the teleportation circle, Count Derth approached me. He examined my face and body carefully, then patted my shoulder.

“Welcome home.”

He said only that and nothing more. Countess Viollan was the same. When I bowed my head slightly, she nodded and turned away.

“I’ve prepared food with all the things you like, so come eat quickly.”

With that, she headed toward the restaurant. Count Derth walked alongside her.
I felt a sense of comfort as I followed them. My second brother Basen and youngest sister Lily approached my side.

“…Brother.”
“I didn’t buy any souvenirs.”

I answered curtly and gestured for them to hurry. At my gesture, Basen hesitated before speaking.

“…I heard that a grand celebration parade is being held in the Capital for the people of the Roan Kingdom who achieved a great victory over the Caro Kingdom. Why have you come here alone?”

The people of the Roan Kingdom, except for me, were scheduled to move from the Caro Kingdom to the Capital of Roan. The Roan Kingdom side had prepared a welcoming parade for them.

Basen believed that no one suited that position more than his older brother. However, he had heard that his brother had rejected the position and returned here alone first.

Their parents did not ask for any particular reason regarding his brother’s actions. But Basen and Lily were curious. They wanted to know why Kale avoided a position of such glory. Because to both of them, Kale was their pride.

Basen could see Kale frowning as if asking what nonsense that was.

“I’m not suited for such things. Winning is enough—nothing more is necessary.”

Besides, if he attended such a parade, he would have to witness that dreadful sight of people waving shields.
Kale felt fortunate that he could slip away on his own.

If he withdrew, wouldn’t the attention shift to Choi Han, Merry, and the Dark Elf Tasha instead?
He had that much sense.
And he had no concerns about the parade procession without him.

‘Hilsman and Tasha, along with His Highness the Crown Prince, will handle it well.’

Vice-Captain Hilsman, the Dark Elf Tasha who was well-versed in the kingdom’s affairs, and Crown Prince Alberu who was competent at his work. With those three, he didn’t need to worry about Choi Han, who couldn’t act, or Merry, who was only kind-hearted.

‘And Choi Han and Merry both agreed.’

Choi Han and Merry, whom he had expected to resist, were surprisingly calm about it. Especially Choi Han seemed to understand properly whenever Kale gave him instructions and advice.

‘Ah, Choi Han. Just pretend not to hear even if nobles try to talk to you. Of course, His Highness the Crown Prince will handle everything anyway.’
‘Understood. Do not worry.’

Kale let it pass upon seeing Choi Han’s gentle smile. Then he heard Raon’s voice.

‘Choi Han, why are you smiling like that?’

Hmm?
Why was Raon saying that to Choi Han?
Kale turned his head after Raon spat out the words he usually uttered whenever Kale was about to cheat. He could still see Choi Han smiling gently. Beside him stood Merry in a black robe, calmly with both fists clenched.

‘Hahaha! Young master, do not worry. Choi Han and our Merry will handle it well. Those two are stronger than you think.’
‘…I’m well aware they’re strong, though?’
‘Hahahaha!

Kale furrowed his brow, unable to understand what was so funny as he watched Tasha laugh heartily. Then, turning to Hilsman, the last remaining troublemaker, he patted his shoulder and offered one final piece of advice.

‘…Don’t say that shield prince nonsense again.’
‘Hahaha! Understood, Young Master!’

Kale recalled Hilsman’s hearty yet somehow unsettling laughter as he continued walking. He muttered to himself.

“…There’s no place like home.”

Once you leave home, life becomes hell.
Kale reaffirmed this universal truth, and upon hearing his words, his younger siblings exchanged glances and pressed their lips firmly together. The broad back they had always thought of as their older brother’s suddenly seemed unusually small to them both today.

Unaware of this, Kale savored the dishes on the dining table to his heart’s content. Of course, he occasionally had to answer questions from Countess Viollan.

“Kale, do they feed you properly in the Caro Kingdom?”
“Yes, they do.”
“Kale, are you sleeping well?”
“Well, I sleep reasonably well.”
“I see. Kale, has anyone disrespected you for lacking a title?”
“It wasn’t disrespect based on title, but rather from the High Priest of the Sun God Cult.”
“…I see.”

Kale answered the questions honestly, and after so long, he smiled while eating a juicy sausage prepared by the Heniatus house chef.
Count Derth watched the cold glint in Countess Viollan’s eyes, then observed his son smiling happily over that mere sausage, set down his fork, and had to fill his aching heart with cold water.

* * *

“Our home! It’s been so long!”

Raon excitedly rushed past Kale and flew ahead into the underground cavern where the Jjangdol Mansion came into view.

“Tsk tsk, the little one’s just getting stronger.”

The Jjangdol Mansion located in the underground of the Dark Forest. Having returned there after so long, Kale caught sight of Raon conversing with the Saint Siblings and the Crazy Priestess in the distance, and he glanced sideways at Erhafen beside him.
In the Underground Dark Forest, at the Jjangdol Mansion, Kale Heniatus, who had returned after a long time, caught sight of Raon conversing with the Saint Siblings and the Mad Priestess from afar, and quietly glanced at Erhafen beside him.

Why?

When the ancient dragon felt the gaze and asked back, Kale Heniatus opened his mouth.

“The Dragon Hybrid from Am that I met last time mistook me for a Dragon Hybrid.”

There was a limit to how much one could be mistaken, yet a Dragon Hybrid? Kale found himself both exasperated and oddly unsettled by the extraordinary leap in logic from the man who had asked if he was a dragon.
So he had told Erhafen about this fact, and he could see Erhafen’s reaction.

“You?”

It was an expression of someone finding something quite amusing but holding it back. When Kale saw the ancient dragon’s lips twitching as he struggled not to laugh, he felt considerably displeased.
Then, Erhafen moved ahead of Kale and spoke as if tossing the words aside.

“You carry that in your possession, yet you speak of being a Dragon Hybrid.”

In your possession.
At those words, Kale faltered.
Within the subspace pocket inside his inner coat pocket lay a crown—that crown which supposedly favored dragon blood.
A deflating laugh escaped from Erhafen.

“Your misfortune knows no bounds. You only pick up useless things.”

Kale had nothing to say.
At the same time, he marveled.
Indeed, an ancient dragon was an ancient dragon for good reason.

He found himself newly impressed by Erhafen, who had sensed the crown’s aura—something even Raon had failed to notice.

Thus, when standing before the trembling stone pillar, Kale felt reassured. The Crazy Priestess Kage, whom he hadn’t seen in a long time, spoke in a composed voice.

“About two-fifths of the chains have been destroyed.”
“However, the power of the Death God through you, Kage, is binding it in their place.”
“Well, this much is something a god should do.”

Kale turned his gaze away from Kage, who answered so casually, and looked at the stone pillar.
The passage that Jjangdol had sealed. It was said to last for a hundred thousand years.

‘The power seemed somewhat off, so it’s not trustworthy.’

A hundred thousand years? It looked as though it could crumble at any moment.

Screech, screech.
Even now, the chains clattered against each other, and the stone pillar seemed ready to topple at any instant. Each time the pillar trembled, glimpses of the passage beneath became visible.
It was an eerie violet hue.

The corridor had a distinctly unwelcoming color to it. Kale turned his head to regard Erhafen, and when their eyes met, Erhafen opened his mouth.

“It seems the other side destroyed this. It’s backlash.”
“The other side? The Eastern Continent?”
“Yes. Someone from the Eastern Continent has been tampering with it.”

Kale’s expression darkened slightly.
Who could be touching this stone pillar?

If they possessed any real power, they wouldn’t dare lay a hand on it after seeing the seals on this pillar.
Could it be the work of Dark?

Kale posed his question while gazing at the great ancient dragon who had even noticed the crown in his possession.

“Erhafen, what should we do about this?”

Erhafen opened his mouth without hesitation, as if there was nothing to deliberate.

“Don’t worry about it.”

The face saying not to worry appeared remarkably trustworthy. The weight of ages seemed to shine through. Kale felt a newfound sense of reassurance and waited for what he would say next, and Erhafen grinned widely before speaking with resolve.

“We’ll just destroy it first.”
“Oh, golden dragon! Let’s destroy it!”

Kale’s sense of reassurance shattered.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————