Trash of the Count’s Family - Chapter 236

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

Chapter 51. I Will

“Raon.”

Kale called out to Raon. But instead of a response, all I heard was labored breathing. It was a far cry from the time he had been briefly ill with a cold.

Kale closed and opened his eyes as he watched Raon, who seemed to be slipping into sleep yet exhaled painfully, burning with fever.

First growth period.

No other word came to mind. Kale recalled what Erhafen had said.

‘That one’s quite intelligent. He learns in a month what takes three months to master.’
‘But he’s not growing.’
‘He’s not undergoing his first growth.’
‘It’s time. Why is he like this?’

A young dragon who had learned to his limits yet failed to grow. Kale recalled a voice he had heard in his sleep.

‘Human, if I become weak again like back then, will you save me?’

Damn it.
Kale let a rough curse slip from his lips.
It wasn’t because of what Raon had said.

Beep beep beep— beep beep—

Did an alarm meant to wake people need to be this loud and persistent?
Could the side that needed to observe the enemy’s eyes produce a sound this increasingly loud, loud enough to resound throughout the entire military camp?

A sudden thought struck Kale, and he bit his lip. He looked at Raon. The young dragon’s subspace contained Kale’s video communication device.

Guardian Knight Clophe. That man had contacted him only through that video communication device.
Kale had instructed Clophe to contact his video communication device whenever there were changes in the Indomitable Alliance or emergencies arose, for security reasons.
Of course, he had also provided one other video communication device address as a backup.

Beep beep beep— beep beep—

“Kale!”

From outside the tent, Choi Han’s voice rang out.
I wiped my eyes with my hands.

Three hours of sleep.

No—three hours since Raon fell ill. If Clophe had sent word during that time?
Then I would have missed it. Because Raon was sick.

Beep beep— Beep beep—

This wasn’t an alarm sound.
A warning signal.
The sound that meant something had gone wrong.

‘This is maddening.’

I forced my grimacing face into composure and approached the tent entrance.

Whoosh.
The flap swept open, and beyond it I could see soldiers moving urgently. Light continued to pour from the teleportation circle installed in the military camp.
Soldiers and knights from nearby cities had been transported here.

“Kale, enemies are approaching from beyond the cliff!”

At Choi Han’s words, I turned my gaze to the tent entrance. Choi Han, Hilsman, Merry, and Rak stood before me. And several members of the Royal Knight Order—no, all the key personnel of the Roan Kingdom’s forces were gathered there.

I opened my mouth.

“Choi Han, Rak. Come inside. Everyone else, stand by.”

When I commanded them to enter with a composed expression, Choi Han complied despite his confusion. Urgency flickered in his eyes.
The enemy wasn’t the real problem.

Had Clophe betrayed us?
That thought spurred Choi Han forward.
Then his eyes, which paid little heed to darkness, caught sight of the darkness within the tent, and he stopped in his tracks.

“…Kale.”

Rak, who had been following behind, also froze at the sight before him.
Choi Han and Rak both saw Raon lying on the bed with his eyes closed. Choi Han’s expression shifted. The confusion that had filled his face gave way to understanding.

“…I wondered if the Guardian Knight had betrayed us. So that’s why you haven’t said anything about the current situation.”

Choi Han immediately grasped that Kale had received no contact from Clophe and was facing this crisis unprepared. Despite the urgent circumstances, his heart ached at the sight of the suffering Raon.

“Kale.”

But seeing Kale’s composed face—the one who must be suffering the most—Choi Han continued as calmly as he could.

“We discovered ten minutes ago that enemy forces are conducting large-scale movements through teleportation circles. All troops are currently assembling as a result.”

The assembly method involved several large-scale teleportation circles installed by members of the Mage Battalion.

“Due to the movement occurring three hours earlier than anticipated, Breck Kingdom forces are now gathering at the Canyon of Death, where a total of five large teleportation circles have been installed.”

The Canyon of Death stretches from east to west, cutting across part of the Western Continent. At the central strategic point—the shortest route to major Breck Kingdom cities—five teleportation circles had been established.

The third of those five, the midpoint. That was where Kale stood.

“Rosalind is currently at the Breck Kingdom canyon boundary, preparing to defend against enemy attacks.”

Kale said nothing in response to Choi Han’s words, his gaze fixed on the bed above.

Among those who understood Kale’s group’s circumstances and could communicate via video, only Rosalind remained besides Raon. But she had to face the enemy immediately.

‘Erhaben won’t work.’

Contacting the Ancient Dragon now was impossible.
Multiple thoughts raced through Kale’s mind. Simultaneously, I recalled words I had heard when I first properly began work as Kim Rok-soo.

‘You need to stay calm. Someone who handles information must always remain composed. Do you understand, rookie?’

Words from my former team leader. The voice of the man who had recognized and cultivated Kim Rok-soo’s talents was always composed.
My eyes, cool despite the turmoil within, turned toward Choi Han. But my lips called out to someone else.

“Rak.”
“Yes.”
“You stay right by my side. No matter what. Do you understand?”

Rak clenched his fists as he answered.

“Yes, yes.”

Rak’s heart was churning as well.
Beep beep— beep beep—
The shrill warning alarms only made his mind grow more tangled.

The moment Rak answered, I turned toward the bed. I wrapped the small Raon, already curled up in a blanket, and covered him completely—from head to tail. His tiny frame, barely four feet long, was quickly swallowed by the large blanket.
I lifted him into my arms.

I couldn’t leave him behind.
But I couldn’t stay here either.

So what choice did I have?

I’d have to take him with me.

“Choi Han.”

The moment I called, Choi Han spoke.

“I will stay by the three of you today. As my priority.”

Me, Rak, and Raon.
Choi Han had made it clear where he needed to be today. The war was a concern, and he wanted to protect Rosalind’s kingdom, but he was someone for whom family came first.

“What are you talking about?”

But Choi Han could see my twisted expression. It was the same grumbling look as always.

“Choi Han, destroy it before you come.”

Destroy it before the enemies arrive.
Choi Han’s expression became strange.

At the same time, Kale approached Rak and held out Raon, swaddled snugly in a blanket. Kale’s arms trembled slightly as he cradled the young dragon. Though small in stature, Raon’s plump frame was surprisingly heavy.

“Here.”
“Huh? Yes.”

Rak carefully took Raon into his arms, feeling the substantial weight settle against him. When he lowered his gaze, he could see through the small gap in the blanket—Raon breathing heavily, his breaths coming in labored gasps that others couldn’t perceive.
An indescribable emotion welled up in Rak, and his arms instinctively tightened around Raon. The being he had vaguely assumed to be invincibly strong simply because it was a dragon proved lighter than expected, and now it was suffering.

Raon was family too.

“Aren’t you coming?”
“Oh, yes!”

Rak quickly positioned himself directly behind Kale.

“Today, stay right behind me without falling back even a step. Understood?”
“Yes!”

Rak understood Kale’s heart. His desire to protect both Rak and Raon. Though his expression remained composed, how much worry must be churning beneath that facade? Rak suddenly grasped with perfect clarity what his role in this war should be.
His purpose crystallized in that moment.

To hold the ailing Raon.
And to follow Kale’s lead faithfully.

It seemed trivial, yet the simple fact of having a purpose in the chaos of war filled Rak’s body with newfound strength. Wolves grew stronger when they had someone to protect. The line between loneliness and belonging was thinner than paper—a truth neither Rak nor Kale fully understood yet.
Wolves grow stronger the more they have to protect. Loneliness and belonging are separated by the thinnest of lines. Neither Rak nor Kale understood that fact yet.

Choi Han watched as Kale took Rak and went outside the tent.

Kale now stood before the core forces of the Roan Kingdom army who watched him intently. Merry, Hilsman, the Mage Battalion, the Royal 1st Knight Order.
The tent was lifted again, and Kale stood before the core of the Roan Kingdom’s forces looking down at me—Merry, Hilsman, the Mage Battalion, and the Royal 1st Knight Order.

Beep beep- beep beep-

Kale stepped before them, and Choi Han emerged from the tent, moving to stand at his side.
Then Kale’s voice rang out.
Then Kale Heniatus’s voice was heard.

Today our goal is simple.

Kale had made his objective clear.

“Choose defense over annihilation.”

The silver shield. The source of that power everyone knew came from Raon. My shield had been possible because of Raon’s protection. Today, that was not an option.

Yet I could not reveal my own weakness. I could only issue different orders instead.

“Do not venture far. And do not be alone. Always move in groups of three or more.”

I had come to aid the Breck Kingdom, but ultimately my life and the lives within my domain came first. Those close to me surviving.

That was why I commanded the people of the Roan Kingdom to choose defense.
Except for one person.

Choi Han’s grip tightened on his sword hilt. He lowered his head in response to my gaze fixed upon him.

Advance before defense. Destroy the enemy before they arrive. Choi Han alone had received such an order. He understood its true meaning perfectly.

Raon was not here.
Then only Choi Han remained.
The moment a smile spread across Choi Han’s lips, my voice rang out.

“Everyone, to your positions!”

Mage robes and knights’ armor began moving in different directions throughout the camp with various sounds.
I moved to one location as well. Merry, Hilsman, Choi Han, and Rak followed at my side.

“Has something happened to Lord Raon?”

The mechanical voice trembled, unlike usual. I looked at the black robes and the worried Hilsman beside them and spoke.

“Something has happened.”

I saw both their bodies flinch.
But I did not offer reassuring words. The harder things become, the more directly one must face them. Only then can one grasp the situation accurately and discover a breakthrough.
I made this truth clear to them both.

“So do not make things worse by getting injured. Keep your wits sharp.”

Merry and Hilsman pressed their lips firmly shut at those words.
Don’t get hurt. Keep your wits about you.
Merry’s trembling lips and Hilsman’s expression, clouded with bewilderment, returned to their usual composure.

Kale turned away from the two silent figures and headed toward someone else.

Rosalind.
He had to go to her.
She was the one who understood the current situation most accurately, and there was something he needed to ask of her.

* * *

I could see Rosalind’s back.

Whiiiii— whiiiiii—

The wind blew. It was still the dark hours of early dawn.
The Canyon of Death, where deep, endless cliffs stretched for hundreds of kilometers in winding succession.
The deepest cliff of this Canyon of Death, which served as the border between the Breck Kingdom and the Ascoson Kingdom.

With that cliff between them, Rosalind gazed toward the Ascoson military camp on the opposite side.
And beside her, a massive teleportation circle existed alongside the Mage Battalion.

Paaaat, paat.
The massive teleportation circle ceaselessly spewed forth light, and through it, Knights and Soldiers moved back and forth.

But I could not see any of it.

“…Good heavens, what—”

I heard Hillsman Vice-Captain’s voice, but I could not pay it any attention whatsoever.

Beyond the cliff.
Enemy territory.

Countless lights surged upward from that land.
A light also surged upward from my camp. It was light rising through one massive teleportation circle.

Dozens of those lights were now erupting from beyond the cliff.

“…The final force.”

Beyond the cliff.
Along the long, winding canyon cliffs, an innumerable host of soldiers gazed down upon us.
Enemy forces beyond all counting.

Fluttering.
Banners marking the Indomitable Alliance and each of its constituent forces rippled across the cliff’s edge, dancing with the canyon’s fierce winds.

Knights and infantry stood arrayed in perfect formation—a force incomparably greater than the naval contingents that had invaded the Caro Kingdom and the Roan Kingdom.

The northern lands, including the Paern Kingdom, were the realm of knights.

Knights were formidable on land. And where knights thrived, infantry inevitably flourished.

A space of nothing but earth—save for the long, endless cliff dividing Breck and Ascoson—devoid of any sea or lake.

“…I anticipated this, but seeing it with my own eyes is another matter.”
“No, there are more than that madman said.”
“What?”

More than Clophe had reported.
Far too many infantry.

“Rosalind.”
“…Yes, sir!”

Kale’s hand settled upon Rosalind’s shoulder. A single question gnawed at me.
He leaned close to her ear and whispered.

“How did such numbers manage to cross over here?”

Such vast numbers.
How could they have crossed into this place?

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