Trash of the Count’s Family - Chapter 270

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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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Ribensi, a free city for adventurers and mercenaries.
But when the sun set, it became a city of indulgence and lawlessness.

In particular, Eastern Libensi was where the Underworld Organizations distributed themselves at measured distances from one another.

Choi Han stood atop a building’s rooftop, lost in thought.

‘The sunset is fading.’

The sky had already turned a deep crimson.

Suddenly, memories from decades past surfaced. Back then, I was far from strong, and the Dark Forest harbored apex predators that posed genuine threats to me.
So the moment I glimpsed the sky turning red through the dense canopy, I would head toward what I called home.
Caves and underground tunnels that changed location every two or three days—that was my dwelling.

‘Though calling it a home isn’t quite right. It was never a place I truly stayed.’

It was in that instant, as I gazed at the sunset and recalled the bleakness of those days, that—

“So basically, we just need to take down Mostyu first, right?”

Kale Heniatus’s crude words snapped me back to reality.

“Precisely! Six months ago, the power balance was five to five, but now it’s shifted to six and a half to three and a half. Of course, the three and a half represents the Mostyu Faction!”

The Former Libsen Guild Master answered with remarkable enthusiasm.

Currently, the Underworld of the free city Riben was locked in fierce competition between the Mostyu Faction and the Dark.

“The Mostyu Faction has held out quite well.”
“That’s because the Mercenary Guild is protecting the Mostyu Faction.”

Ribensi had long been dominated by the power of merchants and mercenaries.
Consequently, the position of Market Master alternated between representatives from merchant and mercenary factions. They naturally maintained close ties with the Underworld, and corruption ran rampant.

Even if Dark was the largest underworld force on the Eastern Continent, it could not afford to make enemies of the Mercenary Guild, which was spread across the entire continent.
So, carefully avoiding touching the Ribensi mercenaries, I gradually took control of Mostyu’s organization.
You could say I was moving leisurely and unhurriedly.

Kale Heniatus threw his words at the Chae Ju who had finished his explanation.

“Go down.”
“Yes! I’ll see you again in a moment!”

The Former Bandit Leader bowed deeply and quickly descended the ladder below the rooftop. Seeing this, Choi Han approached Kale Heniatus.

“Are you leaving now?”

Kale Heniatus looked at Choi Han, whose questions had grown more frequent, and opened his mouth.

“Choi Han.”
“Yes.”

Choi Han watched as Kale Heniatus stroked On and Hong while speaking. The two seemed to enjoy the touch, rubbing their heads against his palm.
As Choi Han observed this peaceful scene, Kale Heniatus’s voice reached him.

“First, starting with Ribensi, I will destroy Dark on the Eastern Continent. And then I plan to overthrow the current Empire and Alchemy Tower.”

Choi Han looked at Kale Heniatus with a peculiar expression. Kale Heniatus shrugged and continued.

“In the process of destroying Dark, I believe minimal bloodshed should occur. First, I’ll establish a foundation in Ribensi, and then I’ll destroy the core simultaneously with the Dragon Hybrid. After all, Dark must be eliminated.”

Not only Choi Han but also On gazed at Kale Heniatus with strange expressions as he spoke of various things, unlike usual. Kale Heniatus pretended not to notice their stares. The conversation I had shared with Choi Han and the children averaging nine years old this morning came to mind, and my lips moved of their own accord.
Then, Choi Han opened his mouth.

“That is correct. It must be done that way.”

Kale Heniatus posed a question to Choi Han.

“Why must it be that way?”

Choi Han gazed at the sunset beyond Kale Heniatus’s back. Decades had passed, countless unmeasurable years, before obtaining this small peace.
Now I no longer had to flee when watching the sunset.

“It’s difficult, but that’s how we can all find happiness.”

Kale Heniatus gazed at the sunset as well.

Given that Choi Han had lost the people of Harris Village to Dark.
Given that Ron had lost his family and wife to Dark.
Given that Raon had been imprisoned.
Given that Rak and the children’s parents and neighbors had died.
And given that I now knew innocent people had died in the mana bomb experiments conducted by the Empire and the Alchemy Tower.

Someone had to act.

True peace isn’t achieved simply by having a comfortable body in the present moment.
The mind must be at ease.

The greatest unemployed person is one with a peaceful mind and plenty of money.
For the mind to be at peace, those around me must be happy too. Isn’t that only natural?

The problem is that my circle has grown quite wide now.

What can I do about it?
If it’s worth trying, then I should try.

“I should have just taken the beating back then.”
“Pardon?”
“Never mind.”

Choi Han saw Kale Heniatus’s usual indifferent expression.

“Your thoughts are similar to mine.”

Tap.
Kale Heniatus lowered his head. On pressed firmly on the back of his hand as she spoke.

“I feel the same way.”
“What is it? I’m not sure what you mean, but I feel the same too! We all feel the same!”
-That’s right! We’re all the same! We’ll do the same thing!

Hong and Raon’s voices soon followed.
However, Choi Han shook his head at Kale’s words.

“I must respectfully disagree.”
“Huh?”
“My thoughts differ somewhat from yours, Kale.”
“How so?”

Choi Han had continued to follow Kale closely throughout this ordeal, and because of that, I could see it clearly.

‘Something far too grave is unfolding.’

Yet Kale seemed intent on shouldering and resolving everything alone.
Perhaps Kale believed that was the right approach, but Choi Han disagreed. He recalled a conversation he’d had with Ron not long ago, when Kale had been writhing in anguish.

Ron had spoken quietly to Choi Han and the others, urging them to grow stronger. Simultaneously, he had added something else.
He had looked at Choi Han through the video communication device and spoken.

‘Young master is still young. No matter how mature he appears, he hasn’t lived as long as this old man. Follow him. Follow him unconditionally. Then you’ll see something too.’

Choi Han had lived longer than Ron, yet Ron possessed far greater experience of the world.
Therefore, he naturally accepted Ron’s words.

‘And if we fill in what he lacks, then the young master and we will suffer fewer injuries.’

Recalling Ron’s words, Choi Han opened his mouth.

“I believe we must all share the burden together.”

Kale suddenly remembered his subordinates from when he was Kim Rok-soo.
Looking at Choi Han, On, Hong, and Raon—who was likely cloaked in invisibility—Kale spoke.

“I’ll think about what you said.”

A smile played at Choi Han’s lips. Kale’s expression appeared quite sincere. Usually, when Kale answered with such an indifferent face, he meant it. And Choi Han’s intuition proved correct.

“But there is one thing I’m curious about.”
“What is it?”

Given the situation, Choi Han increased his questions.

“It seems like you’ll be drawing many Imperial citizens into the Empire’s affairs. Won’t that result in innocent people getting hurt?”

Until now, Choi Han had never seen Kale Heniatus use such an extreme and dangerous word as “revolution.” Moreover, the way he was trying to involve Imperial citizens this time didn’t seem like a trivial matter.

“This doesn’t seem like your usual approach, Kale.”

Though Kale had orchestrated many major events, it was extremely rare for uninvolved people to get hurt in the process. If anything, from Choi Han’s perspective, Kale seemed reluctant to harm those unrelated to him, even if he was willing to use them.
He would cough up blood himself rather than allow others to be injured or killed.

Despite constantly muttering curses, the expression on Kale’s face when he raised his shield to protect others was genuine. Choi Han was certain of that.
And this time, Kale remained true to form.

He looked at Choi Han with a rather bewildered expression.

“Why would innocent Imperial citizens get hurt? They won’t.”

Choi Han suppressed the smile threatening to emerge and posed another question.

“However, such rapid change will inevitably bring chaos.”

Choi Han was originally quite an intelligent person. That’s why he had understood what Kale was trying to accomplish without him having to spell it out. He continued.

“When the Empire’s and the Alchemy Tower’s atrocities are revealed, angry Imperial citizens will emerge.”

The problems that would arise from exposing such atrocities were numerous.

“And the Empire and Alchemy Tower surely didn’t enslave only Roan Kingdom citizens. They must have captured citizens from other kingdoms as well. Will those other kingdoms simply stand by and watch?”

It was strange that the Roan Kingdom had covered up the kidnapping and enslavement of its own citizens.

“Moreover, though they’re currently allies, setting aside Breck, both Caro Kingdom and Wipper Kingdom will covet the Empire’s territory once the Empire and Alchemy Tower collapse.”

The Caro Kingdom and Wipper Kingdom, which had either suffered at the Empire’s hands or fought it before, would certainly eye the weakened Empire. No matter how much they claimed to be acting for the peace of the Western Continent now, when that time came, they would naturally covet the masterless Empire.

Choi Han thought that Kale couldn’t possibly be unaware of the problem he himself had just identified.
Kale regarded Choi Han with an enigmatic gaze.

‘Wasn’t this guy the protagonist?’

And quite a cunning one at that. I’d somehow forgotten.
But Kale Heniatus thought, what does it matter if I forget, and opened his mouth. Choi Han was simply Choi Han now.

“That’s why we’re moving from the bottom up.”

Eliminating Dark and the Indomitable Alliance was a different matter from toppling the Empire.

“We need to effectively unite the people’s anger within the Empire. And we’re moving this way to prevent other kingdoms from creating a larger war that would devastate the Empire.”

There could be no riots within the Empire.
So I chose to craft a ‘narrative’ instead.

Other kingdoms couldn’t be allowed to covet the Empire and create another war.
I needed the power to control that, and for that, I needed justification.

“To move forward constructively, to create the strength of a new Mogur Empire, and moreover, to provide spiritual solace to those who will grieve upon learning they’ve lost family—I’m gathering everything for that purpose.”

Even by my own assessment, I was working myself to exhaustion.

‘That’s why unemployment is only possible in your late twenties.’

At least seven more years remained until then.
I looked at On and Hong. They didn’t understand what I was saying, but they were listening intently. Raon was probably the same.
I stood up from my seat and set On and Hong down on the ground. Then, stretching, I spoke casually.

“Roan will become a steadfast supporter of the Empire as it rises anew. To others’ eyes, the Roan Kingdom will appear foolish and slow.”

The Roan Kingdom was planning to make a proposal to the newly born Mogur Empire. I wanted an elegant war through politics and diplomacy, not one through brute force.
Crown Prince Alberu didn’t want to expand the kingdom’s territory with the blood of its people.
I wasn’t a good person, but I still didn’t want to create bigger problems.
So I chose a new approach.

‘I’ll need to have a conversation with Sir Rex soon.’

Power and strength know neither eternal enemies nor eternal allies.

But I didn’t care about power and strength. I decided to speak my honest heart.

“Crown Prince Adin wants to make the Mogur Empire the control tower of the Western Continent.”

Whoooosh—
The ancient power Wind’s Sound swirled around Kale Heniatus’s feet.

“But I, well, to be honest.”

Kale paused for a moment, then dropped beneath the rooftop, his words flowing away like wind.

“I just want to make the Western Continent a zone of peace.”

Meowww.
Meow!

On and Hong leaped down after Kale, descending from the rooftop.
Choi Han reflected on Kale’s words, then followed in his wake.

Kale’s voice drifted through the wind once more.

“That way, my heart will be at ease.”

Choi Han nodded.
He felt the same way.
Because only then would his future be peaceful. He had no doubt that Kale, like himself, was thinking of the future he would live ahead.

This place is my home, the land where I will live from now on.

Kale shared that same thought.

* * *

Eastern Libensi, the free city.
The Action Commander, who was the leader of the outermost branch among the several branches owned by the Mostyu Faction and ranked fifth in the organization’s hierarchy, clutched his head.

“Damn it!”

Dark was slowly seizing Mostyu’s territory.
No matter how much the Action Commander analyzed the current balance of power, excluding the location where the boss Mostyu was, his faction was the weakest among the remaining branches.

‘Next, it’ll be my turn, damn it. I wish a dragon would come and tear all these Dark bastards to shreds!’

Rage surged within me. Had there ever been an organization that seized control of the Eastern Continent’s underworld so ruthlessly? The Dark, with its endless combat forces, was beginning to terrify me.

That was when it happened.

Bang!

The door burst open with a thunderous crash.

“What the—?! You scared me!”

The Action Commander shot to his feet, glaring at his subordinate. It was the Staff Officer who served beneath him.

“C-Commander!”

But the Staff Officer’s face had gone deathly pale, oblivious to the Action Commander’s fury. Something about his expression sent an icy chill down the commander’s spine.
The Staff Officer stammered out his words.

“A s-strange Dark faction has invaded us.”

Dark.
At that word, the Action Commander’s vision went white, and he immediately bolted toward the building’s exit.

“Immediately contact other branches and bring in a combat team! And contact the leader as well!”

He couldn’t even see the disorganized appearance of his staff, and when he saw the word ‘cancer’, he took his armor and ax and went out.
Without properly registering the Staff Officer’s hesitant expression, the Action Commander’s eyes blazed with panic at the mention of Dark. He grabbed his armor and axe, rushing outside.

Beyond that front door.
Beyond that gate.

“…what?”

Cancer is cancer, but there was something strange about his clothes. It was different from the cancer they knew.

‘Why are you so sloppy? ‘Did you make it after drinking?’

He looked at his staff. The staff member who followed spoke again.

“A strange ‘cancer’ has invaded.”

The action leader suddenly shouted as he saw the guys hurriedly approaching the front door.

“What are they doing?”

At that time, one of the approaching guys confidently stepped forward.
At that moment, one of the approaching figures stepped forward with confidence.

“Woo. Lee is really. Am. This.”

Cale closed his eyes, looking at Choi Han, who was still there.
Kale Heniatus closed his eyes as he watched Choi Han remain unmoved.

“W-what! Why does that kid talk like that?”

Cale’s voice was heard shouting in bewilderment at the leader’s actions.

I know. My words.
Right. My thoughts exactly.

At that moment, the sound of the action leader gasping for breath was heard. Cale opened his eyes at the sound.

“Gasp! This, this, crazy!”

Choi Han, with his black aura open, was staring at Cale.

“What should I do?”

Cale thought once again as he saw her actually asking the question, not just acting.

It’s bloody.
This is serious.

So I gave short instructions.

“straight.”

From now on, ‘real cancer’ was only going to go straight.
From this moment on, the Real Arm intended to move forward and forward alone.

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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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