Trash of the Count’s Family - Chapter 279

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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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Yet despite his exasperation, Kale Heniatus detected something amiss in the atmosphere.
The man who seemed inseparable from Tunka was nowhere to be seen.

“Where is the Chief Advisor?”

Chief Advisor Herrol Codian. That unfortunate wretch born between the Tower Master and the Tribal Warriors—that madman was absent.
The one who despised Mages and yearned to erase magic from the world entirely, quietly consumed by his own insanity.

‘Even Clophe seems peaceful compared to that lunatic.’

Yet despite Kale and Choi Han’s arrival, that man had not appeared.

To evade the scrutiny of Wipper Kingdom citizens who harbored prejudice against magic, the teleportation circle had been constructed in secret beneath the Wippler Royal Palace.
It was a space reserved for select members of the Royal Family and the kingdom’s leadership, maintained under strict security.

Thus, only Tunka and his subordinates, along with the dispatched Mage from the Roan Kingdom, occupied this chamber.

And yet Herrol Codian, who commanded all military operations related to the war, was absent?

It made no sense.

‘Something has happened.’

Kale Heniatus realized that something had occurred in the Wipper Kingdom.
Perhaps Tunka noticed the shift in Kale’s gaze, for his expression twisted. With his already imposing frame and fierce visage, his scowl became positively menacing.

Kale observed that expression and reflected.

‘With that face in battle, the Imperial Knights would be terrified.’

Yet despite his fearsome countenance, Tunka exhaled something like a sigh as he glanced once at his subordinates.

“Follow me. We’re going to where the Chief Advisor is.”

Tunka turned his back to Kale and headed toward the entrance first. Behind his broad shoulders, Kale’s voice rang out.

“What is the problem?”

Tunka hesitated for a moment before opening his mouth.
This was something Herrol Codian should discuss with Kale, but there was no harm in mentioning it beforehand.

“Right after Crown Prince Adin’s speech, a secret letter arrived at Wippler Royal Palace from the Empire.”

What?
The Empire sent a letter to Wippler through the Crown Prince?
Kale, who had been busy meeting with the Dwarves and Bear Tribe after the Crown Prince’s speech and finishing other preparations, furrowed his brow at this unexpected news.

Why would those who declared war suddenly send a letter to Wipper Kingdom?

Creak.
The door opened. Stepping outside, Tunka looked straight ahead without seeing Kale or his subordinates, then continued his answer.

“The Empire made a proposal.”

Grand General Tunka was angry and frustrated right now.
He recalled the past when he would destroy everything and charge forward without looking back. Those were good times.
But now, damn it, he couldn’t be that Tunka anymore. Suppressing his irritation, Tunka informed Kale of the current situation.

“The Empire claims to love peace, and said that if we don’t want to see all the people of Wipper Kingdom die, we should return Maple Castle.”

Ha!
Kale was astounded.

The Empire—the Crown Prince—spoke of fighting fairly and righteously, instilling pride in the hearts of the Empire’s people. After playing such a gloriously noble Crown Prince, he was conducting negotiations and threats from behind the scenes.

Was that a bad thing?

‘Not at all. In fact, it’s clever.’

War spills blood.
Someone dies.

In such circumstances, whether through threats or inducements or anything else, the Empire’s demand for the return of Maple Castle through means other than warfare was a shrewd move.
One could even call it a wise action, leveraging the Empire’s position.

‘Especially since Tunka and Wipper Kingdom are known to be isolated.’

An isolated nation on the Western Continent.
The Wipper Kingdom, known as such, made it all the easier for the Empire to apply covert pressure.

This was precisely why Kale Heniatus had no choice but to remain vigilant toward Crown Prince Adin.

Crown Prince Alberu of Roan would never act as Adin did.

‘Alberu honors the promises he makes to his people.’

If Crown Prince Alberu declared to his people that he would fight fairly, then he would fight. That was the kind of man he was.
This was why I considered him both the most similar to myself and, paradoxically, the most different.
It was also the reason I could say that Crown Prince Adin, while similar to Crown Prince Alberu, was ultimately different.

That was why Kale found Adin so troubling.
The fact that Adin resembled the Crown Prince meant he also resembled Kale to some degree.

So Kale opened his mouth as he gazed at Tunka’s back.

“And?”

The return of Maple Castle.
That was not the end.
It could not possibly be the end of merely that.

The Empire’s pride and ambition could not end with just Maple Castle.
Would that wretch Tunka speak so hesitantly if it were only that much?

Tunka let out a hollow laugh and answered Kale’s question.

“They want eighty years from one hundred thousand Wipper Kingdom citizens.”
“…What?”

What did they want?
This time, even Kale struggled to comprehend immediately. Something came to mind, but he could not be certain it was the answer.

“Herrol Codian will explain. Follow me.”

Tunka stepped toward the door.
Kale followed behind him, an ominous feeling settling over him.

The Empire demands eighty years of the Wipper Kingdom’s hundred thousand people.

Why did those words sound like “the Empire wants the authority to use a hundred thousand Wipper Kingdom citizens as slaves for eighty years”?

He followed Tunka out of the Underground Chamber and spoke with resolve.

“Let’s go to Herrol quickly.”

Above all else, he needed to meet Herrol Codian, that Staff Officer, right now.

* * *

Kale Heniatus followed Tunka through the Central Palace of the Wippler Royal Palace, observing his surroundings.

‘It’s more ornate than Rowan’s Royal Palace.’

The gleaming Central Palace radiated an atmosphere that contradicted its magnificent exterior.

‘It’s desolate.’

Few people were visible, and those who passed by wore grim expressions.

In his current guise as a Priest, Kale observed his surroundings and grasped the atmosphere of the Wipper Kingdom’s heart—the Royal Palace.

‘They’ve already lost before the battle even begins.’

Why was that the case?
The soldiers and warriors were absent from the Central Palace, so he couldn’t gauge their morale, but the expressions of the administrators, Knights, and guards within the Royal Palace already reeked of defeat.

-Human, it looks like we’ve already lost! Why do they all look like that?

My thoughts exactly.
Kale felt unsettled. He glanced sideways at Choi Han beside him. Like Kale, Choi Han, concealed beneath his robes, was also observing his surroundings.

Surely this atmosphere was new to him as well.
Everything was sunken and drooping with despair.

Kale committed that atmosphere to memory and asked Tunka ahead of him.

“How many people know of that letter?”
“Besides our side, only two or three.”

Our side.
That phrase referred to those from the Non-Mage Alliance, including Tunka and Herrol Codian—in other words, Tunka’s inner circle.

‘Ah!’

Only then did I grasp the true nature of this atmosphere.

‘These people passing by listlessly are not on Tunka’s side.’

I opened my mouth.

“It seems our faction doesn’t have much presence in the Central Palace.”

Tunka paused before answering.

“…That’s right. You truly are sharp.”

Sharp? It was only natural.
Now I could see the people passing by, watching Tunka’s expression. Their eyes held a mixture of discontent, fear, and dread.
Tunka’s voice continued.

“The Central Palace is where the Royal Family resides.”

The Wipper Kingdom still maintained its royal lineage.

The Non-Mage Alliance, including Tunka, had toppled the Magic Tower and risen to become the true power of the kingdom.
Yet the Royal Family remained intact, and nobles and officials loyal to the crown still existed within the kingdom.

I had arrived deep within the Central Palace.
No more people were passing through this area.

And familiar-looking warriors were stationed throughout.
I could keenly sense that this place was ‘Tunka’s domain’.

“This is the War Room.”

Tunka stood before the War Room door. However, he noticed Tribal Warriors stationed on either side, watching his every move.
Tunka asked the warriors.

“What’s going on?”
“Grand General, well, you see…”

One of the Tribal Warriors glanced toward Kale Heniatus and fumbled for words. At this hesitation, Tunka furrowed his brow and simply pushed the door open.

Click.

Tunka remained as impatient and straightforward as ever. Thanks to this, Kale Heniatus could hear voices through the open doorway.

“Chief Advisor, why do you refuse the Empire’s proposal?”

It was an unfamiliar voice.
Tunka stopped before the open door. Through the gap, Kale Heniatus caught a glimpse of Chief Advisor Herrol Codian and his staff facing off against a crowned figure surrounded by knights.

The person wearing the crown and speaking—he was the King of Wipper Kingdom.

Kale Heniatus recalled Wipper Kingdom.
While the Magic Tower used Tribal Warriors as test subjects, imposed excessive taxes on the kingdom’s people, and treated them as slaves through tyranny, the Wippler Royal Palace quietly reaped the benefits granted by the Mage Alliance without interference.

Wipper Kingdom, enriched by magical artifacts created from the continent’s only Magic Tower.
While the kingdom’s people suffered in poverty, the Wippler Royal Palace lived in unprecedented abundance.

The king who ruled such a palace and kingdom hesitated upon seeing Tunka. But soon he turned away from him and fixed his gaze on Chief Advisor Herrol Codian.

“Chief Advisor! Say something!”

The Wippler Royal Family had not interfered with the Mage Alliance, but neither had they oppressed the Non-Mage Alliance when it emerged.
Thus, after the Non-Mage Alliance toppled the Magic Tower, they allowed the dynasty to remain intact.

The King of Wipper had always kept himself at arm’s length from kingdom affairs.
Now, hearing that the Empire was advancing, he raised his voice. He cried out to Herrol Codian with a desperate expression.

“If the Empire attacks, we’re finished!”

We’re finished.
Chief Advisor Herrol Codian bit his lip at those words. To suppress a bitter laugh.

When the King spoke of “us,” he was referring to the Royal Family and the powerful figures on his side.
There were no Wipper Kingdom citizens among them.

Herrol Codian could be more certain of this than anyone else. That was why, even though he could see Tunka and Kale Heniatus’s group, he never took his eyes off the King.

“Your Majesty, the Empire did not seek only Maple Castle.”

The King and the Royal Family faction had agreed to accept the Empire’s proposal.

“Your Majesty, are there not other conditions the Empire has put forth?”

Chief Advisor Herrol Codian glanced at Kale Heniatus before opening his mouth. From his lips flowed the proposal the Empire had presented.

“Maple Castle shall be returned, along with a portion of the surrounding Wipper Kingdom territory. Furthermore, the Wipper Kingdom shall provide free labor to develop both the desolate Imperial territories around Maple Castle from the previous war and the newly included lands.”

Kale Heniatus swallowed hard.
Yet Herrol Codian’s words were far from finished.

“This labor force shall consist exclusively of Wipper Kingdom citizens—one hundred thousand in number. For eighty years, the Kingdom shall provide an equivalent number of able-bodied workers annually to develop these lands.”

Kale Heniatus closed his eyes.
In his mind, Raon’s words echoed.

-Human! Isn’t that just saying the people of Wipper Kingdom do all the work, while they keep the rights to Maple Castle and the surrounding lands for themselves?

Exactly.
To provide one hundred thousand able-bodied workers free of charge every year for eighty years meant summoning one hundred thousand Wipper Kingdom citizens to Imperial territory and working them like slaves for eight decades.

Herrol Codian’s voice sounded again.

“Your Majesty, do you not understand the meaning of these words?”

The King hesitated for a moment, but soon opened his mouth with a composed expression. He had made considerable effort to seek out Tunka and Herrol Codian.
Of course, the thought that he was the King and would not lose his life in this situation had also driven his actions.
He spoke with calm dignity.

“I support the Non-Mage Alliance.”

And with a subtle smile, he continued.

“Accept the Empire’s proposal.”

Herrol Codian’s face twisted in anguish.

‘I should have killed him long ago!’

I should have done it when I swept through the Magic Tower. I had spared him to avoid causing even greater chaos.

Now, with time having passed, I couldn’t simply execute the king. If I committed treason by killing him on the eve of war, the hearts of the Wipper Kingdom’s people—who needed to unite against the Empire—would waver.

Herrol Codian suppressed his fury and spoke.

“Your Majesty, one hundred thousand people—isn’t that clearly slavery, no matter how you look at it?”

The king cried out in astonishment.

“Slavery? It’s just borrowing their labor for a time, isn’t it? If we simply accept that, we can survive.”

Ha.
Herrol Codian was utterly astounded.
Eighty years is “a time”? And that’s not slavery?
I found the king contemptible—he understood the Empire’s true intentions yet feigned ignorance to protect himself.

Even when the Mage Alliance and the Non-Mage Alliance clashed, the king had pretended not to notice, focused solely on preserving his own skin.

Chief Advisor Herrol Codian finally raised his voice in response.

“Your Majesty, where will you find these one hundred thousand people!”

Who—exactly who would be sent as slaves to the Empire!
As Herrol Codian cried out, the king answered immediately.

“Isn’t there plenty!”

Plenty?
Herrol Codian’s face contorted.
Yet the king spoke with confidence.

“The Non-Mage Alliance and the Tribal Warriors—it’s not as if people from our Royal Palace are going. Outside the Royal Palace, aren’t there plenty of proud Wipper Kingdom citizens willing to go work for the Empire!”

Kale Heniatus swallowed a sigh.

In the end, the King was arguing that it wasn’t the Royal Family faction or the Non-Mage Alliance being enslaved—just the common people outside the Royal Palace, so what was the problem?

The King spoke with confidence.

“No one dies, no fighting. How peaceful is that? If the Empire truly marches on us, we’re finished anyway!”

…The King was simply afraid of dying himself.
Kale furrowed his brow.

When Tunka had invaded the Empire before, the King had an excuse.
He could tell the Empire he had merely watched because he feared Tunka’s power.
But this time was different—the Empire was the one invading.

Kale stared at his King, a man willing to abandon one hundred thousand of his own subjects for eighty years to save his own life. Then his gaze caught Tunka’s trembling fists.

Tunka remained silent.
Yet his fury was palpable.

That was when it happened.
Chief Advisor Herrol Codian’s voice cut through the air.

“Do you not understand why the people followed our Non-Mage Alliance during the war with the Mage Alliance?”

Herrol Codian’s eyes were cold.
He had led the people from the Non-Mage Alliance to eliminate the Mages, but he understood the hearts of those who had followed me back then.

“Because they struggled to survive. That is why they followed us.”

His voice grew louder.

“Do you not know how much the Mages’ oppression tormented the people? Do you not know how many died after being dragged to the Magic Tower for experimentation?”

The King hesitated, but glanced at the silent Tunka before speaking again.

“Still, if we accept the Empire’s proposal, everyone can live, can’t they? If war breaks out, we might all die anyway! I cannot bear to think of the Empire at Maple Castle last time! A sincere Empire terrifies me!”

Herrol Codian, that Staff Officer who had feigned kindness, cried out.

“If you’re going to live, you should live properly!”

People survived even when the Magic Tower held dominion over them.
But that wasn’t truly living.

Why had Wipper Kingdom, or rather Tunka and Herrol Codian, joined the 4-Kingdom 1-Race Alliance to eliminate the Alchemy Tower?
It wasn’t merely because of the war against the Empire.

The Magic Tower and the Alchemy Tower.
They were similar in nature.
Herrol Codian’s voice rang out.

“What kind of life is it to live as a slave? Your Majesty, that isn’t living at all!”

The Chief Advisor glared at the king.
The king’s anger flared at that gaze. No matter how devoid of actual power he was, he possessed noble blood fundamentally different from the Chief Advisor.

“Chief Advisor, are you drawing your blade against me now? I said I would exclude the Tribal Warriors and the Non-Mage Alliance members for your sake! Isn’t that enough? We remain unharmed, Wipper Kingdom enjoys peace, and everyone benefits—what more could you ask?”

How exasperating.
Kale Heniatus swallowed his frustration and positioned himself directly behind Tunka.
He could see the trembling in Tunka’s hands.

Yet Tunka did not lose his temper.
He was restraining himself.

From that sight, Kale Heniatus grasped something.

Why had Tunka welcomed Kale Heniatus, who had come to help?
Merely because the time for battle was approaching?

No.

His expression had been genuinely moved—he had come to help Wipper Kingdom itself.

‘This man has begun to think of Wipper Kingdom.’

Still crude and ignorant as he was.
The man who once knew only how to charge forward and fight was beginning to understand the weight of governing a nation.

‘Damn it.’

Kale Heniatus swallowed back a bitter laugh.

Under normal circumstances, he should have been the type to charge forward without looking back.
That’s why a future where he would wage endless war, leading the Wipper Kingdom, the Non-Mage Alliance, and even Tunka himself to ruin had somehow twisted into something different.

Because of that twist, Tunka had remained in the kingdom and witnessed how people lived their lives.
He had seen me pose as a Priest, healing soldiers, and watched their gratitude unfold.

As a man of power, Tunka had witnessed the many forms of life that existed beyond war and strength. And he had come to understand the hearts of those who followed him.

Kale Heniatus stood behind Tunka and whispered softly.

“Tunka.”

Kale watched him flinch at his call and thought that Tunka was still Tunka after all.
The man from when he had introduced himself as ‘Bob’ remained unchanged.
His voice was quiet enough for only Tunka and Choi Han, who stood nearby, to hear.

“Act according to your true nature.”

Tunka hesitated. From behind his back came Kale’s voice.

“We have your back.”

Pfft.
Laughter escaped from Tunka unbidden.
And his eyes changed. The fierce, wrathful gaze that had been suppressed transformed, and he raised his fist.

Boom!

The door shattered with a thunderous crash.
Tunka’s fist had destroyed the door.

“…G-Grand General-”

The King swallowed involuntarily, his gaze fixed on Tunka.
Tunka looked at the King, surrounded by members of the Royal Family and Knights, and spoke.

“Shut your mouth.”

Ah, Tunka truly was headstrong and unyielding.
Kale Heniatus marveled at the sight.
Tunka was likely the only one who would speak so rudely and disrespectfully to the king himself.

The king’s brow furrowed at this display, and the knights placed their hands upon their sword hilts. The king recalled Grand General Tunka, who had grown quieter in recent times, and cried out.

“W-what is this attitude! Grand General, how dare you speak to me like—”
“War is my responsibility.”

Yet Tunka ignored the king’s voice and strode toward him with purposeful steps.
Kale watched Tunka’s broad back as he advanced.

He had never liked Tunka.
Their temperaments and actions had never aligned.

But now, it seemed, Tunka understood the weight of human lives.
Yes, Tunka had grown.
Just as time had passed for Kale, so too had it passed for Tunka, transforming him in subtle ways.

Tunka spoke as he approached the King of Wippler.

“We shall achieve victory, so cease your scheming for a diminished survival.”

For the first time today, Kale genuinely approved of Tunka’s actions.

The world did not require only men like Crown Prince Adin and Alberu.
The Non-Mage Alliance—filled with madness, composed of those who were once the weak—had achieved victory because leaders like Tunka existed.

A tyrant wielded true power when he acted as a tyrant should.
And if that tyrant cared for his people…

‘Not bad at all.’

Clang—!
The knights drew their blades. The sword edges pointed toward Tunka’s throat. Overwhelmed by his authority, the knights could not engage him directly and could only thrust their blades forward.
Yet Tunka showed no fear of the blades and continued toward the king. His neck grazed slightly against a sword edge, drawing blood. Still, he pressed forward without hesitation.

“Grand General!”

The king called out urgently to Tunka, but Tunka, surrounded by blades, glared back at him with fierce intensity.

“I have never lost a single war in all my years.”

Not against the Mage Alliance, not against the Empire—I had never tasted defeat.
Tunka had no intention of accepting the Empire’s proposal. I thought of Kale Heniatus and Choi Han standing behind me.

For the first time, Tunka—who had always fought with eyes fixed forward—felt a reassuring presence at my back.

And so, burning with fury, I glared at the king and spoke with reckless conviction.

“So get out of here, coward.”

Let the cowardly king disappear.
Kale Heniatus gazed at Tunka and smiled.

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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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