Trash of the Count’s Family - Chapter 27

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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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With a rattling lurch, the carriage departed.

Meow.

On and Hong sat across from Kaige and Taylor, stealing glances at them while huddling close to me.

“Do you know much about this event being held by the Royal Court?”

I turned to look at Taylor, the eldest son of the Marquis Household, as he spoke. Unlike the priestess stumbling through her hangover, Taylor was far more composed than I was. This seemingly frail nobleman had the strongest constitution for alcohol.
I opened my mouth to respond to Taylor’s gaze.

“It’s my first time visiting the Royal Court. Though I did attend a gathering of Northeast Region nobles a few years ago.”

Taylor had brought up this topic not simply to make conversation with me, but to offer information to someone he was grateful to.

“I see. This event held by the Royal Court is a celebration commemorating His Majesty’s fiftieth birthday.”
“A joyous festival for the kingdom’s people.”

The way I spoke, as though I were not included in that number, caused something to flicker in Taylor’s eyes as he observed me.

“It doesn’t seem like a festival for you, does it?”

A festival? My heart was racing because of the terror attack. I swallowed the rest of my words. I was likely the only one, aside from those in the Secret Organization, who knew about the terrorist incident that would unfold.
Knowledge brought with it heavy responsibility and needless worry. Of course, responsibility and worry were somewhat intertwined.

‘I can try to stop it. But if it looks like I’ll get hurt or suffer, I’ll back out.’

That was my stance toward the terrorist incident. Moderately, doing only what I could without taking losses myself—that was Kim Rok-soo, who understood the terror that death held too well to simply pretend ignorance.

“Isn’t it the same for you, Taylor?”

At my casual remark, not only Taylor but even Kaige, stumbling through her drunkenness, let out a laugh.

“I’m thinking of it as the final hurdle before the festival.”

Despite his frail appearance, Taylor was someone with considerable nerve. So it made sense that, with his upright nature, he would have surpassed Benion before becoming disabled in the Marquis Household.

“Prince Kaige.”
“Yes.”
“Be cautious of the Crown Prince.”

Taylor continued, his gaze fixed on Kaige.

“Though I am a discarded eldest son, I still have means to gather information within the Sten Marquis House. The fiftieth birthday celebration was originally a scheduled event, but I understand it was the Crown Prince’s suggestion to summon all the young nobles of the aristocratic families.”

Taylor knew about the Crown Prince.

“As for the Crown Prince, I’m not quite sure how to explain it.”

Watching Taylor hesitate as if uncertain how to proceed, Kaige blurted out bluntly.

“He possesses a well-oiled tongue.”
“Ah, yes! No, that’s not—”

Taylor had vigorously agreed as if struck by the perfect description, but immediately attempted to deny it with an embarrassed expression before ultimately conceding.

“Yes, that’s correct. You understood well.”
“It’s information one can discern if they wish to.”
“True. But I’ve never heard such an apt expression before, Prince Kaige.”

As I watched Taylor nod in agreement, I recalled the Crown Prince.

A well-oiled tongue.
The Crown Prince excelled at praising people. Moreover, he was skilled at elevating them.

And then he used them.
Of course, the other party remained oblivious to being exploited. One prime example was Choi Han, whom the Crown Prince had elevated as his close friend and hero.
Choi Han, a commoner, regarded the Crown Prince’s warm treatment as a close friend quite favorably. But to me, reading from books, to Kim Rok-soo, he was simply a man I could not approve of.

‘The problem is that his methods of exploitation are righteous.’

He did not exploit people for his own gain or power. He exploited them for the kingdom, its people, or even broader purposes.

‘In fact, calling it exploitation hardly seems appropriate.’

It was more of a request than a demand. Not the kind of utilization that came from a hierarchical relationship, but rather an equal-footed plea.
With a silver tongue that dispensed lavish praise and cited the sorrowful reasons why assistance was necessary, the request was made—and Choi Han found himself unable to refuse. Even Rosalind, cold-hearted yet as virtuous as Choi Han himself, ultimately acquiesced to that plea.

Of course, even one possessed of such a honeyed tongue had weaknesses.

“In any case, Prince Cale, the Crown Prince, is—well, as you know—that sort of person, so becoming entangled with him will prove quite exhausting.”
“There’s no need to worry. I intend to remain as inconspicuous as possible. I detest drawing attention.”

Cale answered Taylor’s words as smoothly as water flowing downstream. Yet he could sense the silence that had settled over the carriage in the wake of his statement. The cat On and Hong, Kaige struggling with her hangover, and even Taylor with his serene smile—all of them stared directly at Cale.

“…Why are you all looking at me like that?”
“Well, remaining inconspicuous is… not possible.”
“No, it isn’t.”

Kaige and Taylor withdrew their gazes with their denials. The cats shook their heads in disagreement. At that atmosphere, Cale furrowed his brow slightly and added:

“Even if I do become entangled with them, the prince and the priestess need not concern themselves with any trouble.”

In that instant, Taylor and Kaige witnessed Cale’s lips curl upward into a smile. That smile appeared quite sinister and mischievous. Cale spoke to the two of them with a grin.

“I too possess a rather well-oiled tongue.”

The Crown Prince would retreat and avoid those of his own kind. It was a form of self-loathing among the similar.
If one was the type to manipulate people with praise and flattery, then Cale himself could simply employ the same tactics.
As Kaige, her expression now more at ease as her hangover began to lift, stared directly at him, Cale met her gaze. She spoke.

“Prince Cale, this appearance suits you far better. You looked quite terrible before.”
“Better than appearing virtuous, at any rate.”

Indeed. Kaige nodded to herself, comprehending something, though Cale paid it no mind. Instead, he drew back the carriage curtain slightly and peered outside.

The Capital’s City Gate was now within sight. The gate toward which Cale’s carriage traveled differed from the entrance used by common commoners from its very threshold. It was heading toward the entrance primarily used by nobility—one that allowed for swift passage.

“The Capital is certainly different.”

It was a word that naturally escaped Kale’s lips at the sight barely visible through the window. Taylor nodded as if he understood the reaction.

“The Roan Kingdom is a country of ‘stone.'”

A massive city wall encircled the Capital, adorned with various statues standing upon it.
The Roan Kingdom was a rather peculiar nation. As the Western Continent’s greatest marble producer and possessing abundant granite throughout its northwestern and western regions, it earned the epithet “the Stone Kingdom.”
The further north one ventured within the kingdom, the higher peaks were composed almost entirely of stone. It was truly a realm of rocky mountains.

Taylor suddenly recalled something and continued speaking.

“If one examines ancient accounts, this land harbored numerous tales concerning ‘stone’ long before the Roan Kingdom itself existed. Among them, it is said that this land once had a guardian deity intimately connected with ‘stone.'”

The Roan Kingdom lay in the Northeast Region of the Western Continent.

“A guardian deity capable of protecting all things against any assault. When darkness descended upon the continent, this being stood foremost in its defense.”

This world possessed mythology that demarcated the ancient era from all that followed. Yet this mythology took many forms, manifesting differently across various lands.
Some accounts spoke of darkness descending at the ancient age’s end and being vanquished; others attributed the transition to conflicts and jealousies among ancient power-wielders coveting one another’s strength. Still others claimed the era ended through divine wrath.
The mythology flowing from Taylor’s lips represented merely one branch among the many mythological traditions of the Roan Kingdom.

“Taylor, you seem quite fond of that myth.”

At Kaige’s question, he nodded in affirmation.

“Yes, I do.”

Kaige turned her gaze from the window to regard Taylor. Even before his leg injury, Taylor had possessed a slender build. He gently massaged his knee as he continued.

“The guardian deity, it is said, stood as firm as stone even when shattered entirely. Thus, this Northeast Region, surrounded by stone, was protected—and its people were safeguarded.”

Myths concerning the darkness that descended upon the continent possessed boundless variations.
When darkness originated from the continent’s heart, other mythologies recounted tales of battling that darkness. Yet the figure in the mythology Taylor described uniquely centered upon protection rather than conquest. Or so it was said.
Taylor believed such a being embodied true heroism.

“Because such a being cannot exist in reality. That is why I cherish this myth.”
“You don’t believe in it, then?”

At Kaige’s question, Taylor nodded.

“Those who protect something while their own bodies crumble and fracture are exceedingly rare.”
“Indeed.”

Kaige nodded in agreement with Taylor’s words. Protecting oneself was one matter, but to protect others—to safeguard this entire Northeast Region? As Kaige, she found such a myth utterly incomprehensible.

“But I’ve never heard of that myth before.”

Since content related to ancient power appeared in “The Birth of a Hero,” I had encountered quite a diverse array of legends and myths while reading through the first five volumes. However, this story about the Rock Guardian of the Roan Kingdom was entirely new to me.

“Yes, it’s probably not well-known. I learned about it while researching ancient texts and ancient power. I had mentioned it to Kaige as well.”

I nodded at his words and drew the curtain closed again. Then I pulled a round pendant from my pocket and tossed it.

“Prepare yourselves.”

Taylor and Kaige nodded and grasped the pendant together. The magical device began to activate. I exhaled a sigh and picked up a bottle of liquor from the corner of the carriage.

Shortly after, the carriage came to a stop at the entrance to the noble-exclusive City Gate, and from outside came the voice of the Vice-Captain along with another voice.

Knock, knock, knock.

“Young master, the Capital Defense Knight says he needs to conduct an inspection.”

Bang. I kicked the carriage door roughly. The composed face of the Vice-Captain and the flustered expression of the Royal Knight came into view. I held a bottle of liquor in one hand and a glass filled with alcohol in the other as I stared at the Royal Knight.

“Inspect away.”

The interior of the carriage reeked of alcohol. My face was flushed crimson, and I appeared thoroughly soaked in drink—the kind of person who had been drinking since last night.

Though there was still time remaining, quite a few young nobles had passed through this entrance in preparation for an event happening a week from now. Each time, two Royal Knights had visually inspected the interior of the carriage. It was a formality that had to be observed.
But for this Royal Knight, such a sight was unprecedented. To him, the Vice-Captain spoke with a neat smile.

“Our young master cures hangovers with more alcohol, you see. He has reached the absolute pinnacle of expertise in the art of hangover recovery.”

Watching the flustered Royal Knight’s expression and the Vice-Captain’s desperate attempt to praise my appearance, I thought to myself.

‘Ah, I’m exhausted.’

So I said.

“Can we wrap this up quickly?”

The Royal Knight called over his colleague, and together they visually confirmed the interior of the carriage where liquor bottles lay scattered about. Then he promptly granted passage.

“You may pass.”

At those words, the Vice-Captain slowly closed the gate, and between the closing doors, the Royal Knight offered a salute.

“Welcome to the Capital.”

Creeeeak. Thud. The gate shut completely, and moments later, the carriage rolled through the City Gate.
Kaige extended her brimming cup forward and spoke.

“They welcomed us to the Capital?”

Taylor, dispelling his invisibility magic, smiled as he handed the device to Kaige, then accepted a cup in his empty hand.

“A warm welcome is rare these days.”

Kaige’s party had arrived at the Capital.

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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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