Trash of the Count’s Family - Chapter 303

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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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But Kale Heniatus soon hesitated.
The moment he caught sight of Choi Han’s scarred hands, he spoke naturally.

“Never mind, forget it.”

He realized that if he provoked Choi Han right now, he might end up taking a one-way trip to the afterlife.
Kale, whose grip on life was strong, forced strength into his trembling legs as he stood up, munching on an apple pie.

“Are you certain you’re alright, Kale?”

Choi Han asked while biting his lip.

‘He’ll say he’s fine again, won’t he.’

Kale always answered that way.
Choi Han quietly supported Kale’s arm while avoiding his gaze. Just then, a blunt voice rang out.

“Will you be fine?”
“…Pardon?”

Was he saying he wouldn’t be fine?
Choi Han had never heard Kale question things this way before, and his expression grew even more grave. In that moment, Kale’s voice continued.

“I can’t even fathom what’s become of the Jungle Kingdom now. Will that be fine?”

Damn that bastard Adin. That worthless trash barely worth burning.
Whenever Kale thought of the Crown Prince, Honth, and the Jungle Kingdom, his rage refused to settle. It churned within him like molten lava.

“As expected of you, Kale—”

Kale ignored Choi Han, who was shaking his head at whatever he was thinking, and stretched his hand toward the sky.

Screeeech—

A skeletal bird descended to the ground. Crimson ash scattered in its wake.

“Please board, Commander.”

The Paern Knight dismounted from the skeletal bird. The Dwarf also handed over the reins to Kale. Their expressions were solemn, but Kale, irritated and oblivious to their reverence, moved swiftly.

“Hey, Choi Han.”
“Yes?”

Kale climbed onto the skeletal bird, grasped the reins, and pointed behind him.

“Get on.”
“Yes?”

Kale tossed the words out curtly at Choi Han, who stood there stupidly. Time was of the essence.

“Aren’t we going to fight?”

Ah.
Choi Han snapped to attention immediately. He turned his head and read genuine respect in the eyes of the Dwarf and the Paern Knight as they gazed at Kale.
And he looked at Kale.

According to Raon, Kale’s vessel was sound enough, but he was bleeding slightly and his legs trembled weakly beneath him.

Yet he insisted on going to fight.

“We will fight.”

Choi Han immediately climbed onto the skeletal bird.
At the same moment, the skeletal bird began flapping its wings at tremendous speed.

Not the largest of the birds, but a fairly massive skeletal bird of medium size rose swiftly into the air. It was the fastest of all the skeletal birds.

Of course it was.
Above the skeletal bird where Choi Han and Kale stood, a voice rang out that only they could hear.

“Human, I will fight too!”

Raon lifted the skeletal bird skyward.
As Raon and Choi Han rose into the air, the Imperial earthen wall came into clear view.

Boom! Boom!

The skeletal birds, the Knights of Paern, and the Dwarves clashed against the Imperial Army. They had only one target in their sights.

Crown Prince Adin.

We must head there as well.
Choi Han steeled his resolve.

“We depart.”

At Kale Heniatus’s words, Choi Han nodded. Then he froze in confusion.

“…Kale Heniatus?”
“Human?”

Choi Han and Raon stared in bewilderment at the rapidly moving skeletal bird and Kale Heniatus’s crimson hair streaming behind him.

“Human! Are you suddenly starving? Do you feel like you’re about to collapse? You cannot collapse! I will destroy everything!”

Raon cried out in alarm.

“Why? Human, why are you retreating!”

Kale Heniatus moved not toward the Empire but toward Wipper.
And he moved with remarkable speed. Choi Han and Raon were stunned, and Rosalind, Herrol Codian, and Tunka, who were meant to receive them, were thrown into confusion.

“Young Master! Are you in great pain?”

Rosalind rushed toward the railing of Spire Tower, calling out, but she stopped short. Kale Heniatus, riding the skeletal bird as he approached, shouted.

“Rosalind, a sword!”

In that moment, Choi Han realized his hands held no blade.
And Kale Heniatus reached out his hand.

“Merry, let’s go!”

One figure stood upon the Spire Tower.
Merry, concealed beneath a black robe, approached the railing. She who had been forced to remain in the rear throughout this war, watching from afar.

On this battlefield right now, I needed her more than anyone else.
I spoke to Necromancer Mary, whose face remained hidden even as I lifted my head, concealed by the hood of my black robe.

“It’s dark magic. I believe you know it better than anyone here.”

Necromancer Mary extended her hand beyond the railing. The moment her hand—woven with black lines like a spider’s web—became visible to the world, I immediately grasped it.

And I was startled.
My hand was trembling violently.

“Raon!”
“Ugh, human, I got it!”

With a sigh, Raon pulled Necromancer Mary up onto the skeletal bird in my stead, since I lacked the strength to pull her up while trembling.

“Mary, I don’t know dark magic! But if you teach me, I can fight very well!”

The moment Raon whispered in Necromancer Mary’s ear, Rosalind climbed onto the railing as if about to leap out and extended her body forward.

“Choi Han!”

And she threw the sword.

Clang!
Choi Han caught the sword.

“You brought it right away, impressive.”

Choi Han smiled faintly and caressed the blade. It was his own sword.
The sword I had given him during the Battle of Heniatus Castle, telling him to create a legend. That sword had returned to Choi Han’s hands once more.

Screech.
Choi Han removed and discarded his black helmet.
Everything had returned to its rightful place.

Confirming this, I moved the reins again.
Now that preparations were complete, it was time to head to the battlefield.

“Young master!”

Kale Heniatus turned at Rosalind’s call. She grinned widely and shouted.

“I’ll inform the Jungle Kingdom, Rowan, and all our allies of the situation!”

She was as clever as always.
This was why I could move forward without worrying about what lay behind. Rosalind would explain this turned situation to each of our allies better than anyone else.

“I’ll take command!”
“Open the gates! Warriors, follow me!”

Chief Advisor Herrol Codian and Grand General Tunka also snapped to attention and began fulfilling their roles.
I turned without hesitation and gripped the reins tightly.

“Full speed.”

I had to clear this place quickly and move on.
I had to reach the Jungle Kingdom. Black despair must not spread through that verdant jungle.

“Everyone, keep your balance. Raon.”
“Got it!”

Screeeech—screeeech—
The skeletal bird shot rapidly toward the enemy commander.

I felt the cool wind brush past my cheek as the other skeletal birds in the sky drew closer. The battlefield came into view.

Boom! Booooom!

Magic spells poured endlessly from the Imperial forces.

“Second Battalion, target the Dwarves and Knights above the birds, not the birds themselves!”
“The birds! Third Mage Battalion, destroy the birds’ bones!”

Knights clustered densely around the Crown Prince.

“We must protect His Highness!”
“Raise your shields! Infantry, throw stones if you must!”
“If those talons grab you, it’s over! Protect His Highness at all costs!”

Honth and the Sub-Tower Master stood beside the Crown Prince, while the Alchemists gathered there as well, encircling him.

The Lion Tribe had already retreated, and the nobles were either fighting back with their private soldiers or scrambling to escape.

“Hold the line! Protect me first!”
“Aid His Highness! We can only win this war if His Highness endures!”

Shouts and screams erupted across the Imperial Army. Above them, shadows cast by wings fashioned from skeletal bird bones darkened the sky.

Screee—screee.

The sound of bone-crafted wings beating filled the air, striking terror into the Imperial forces. Among them, the commander of the skeletal birds could not conceal his laughter.
The commander-in-chief of the skeletal birds couldn’t hide his laughter.

“Kekeke, hehe!”

Clophe Seka. A chill ran down his spine.

The skeletal birds had yet to destroy all the shields created by the Empire’s mages.
The bone birds still hadn’t managed to destroy all the shields created by the Empire’s Mages.

CRASH!

His woodpecker beak struck the shield.

“Cough!”

Hundreds of overlapping shields were layered in place.
Hundreds of shields were layered and positioned on top of each other.

Beneath that shield, Adin was surrounded by the Alchemist and the Royal Knight Order.

Adin’s lips curved upward in a faint smile.
Adin’s lips curved into a smirk.

“You?”

Adin gazed at Clophe leisurely, his face showing that he had now noticed everything.

‘Guardian Knight, Clophe Seka.’

You’re the guardian knight Clophe, right?
As Adin’s lips moved with those words, I could see the corners of the white-haired priest’s—the one I was certain was Clophe—mouth twitch upward.
The white-haired priest spoke.

“Fool.”

The priest had no choice but to react that way. The moment Sword Master Clophe sensed the approaching presence, he lifted his head.

“You’ve arrived?”

Kale Heniatus.
At his appearance, Clophe smiled. He quickly moved the skeletal bird to clear the way.

Whoosh—

A fierce and rapid wind swept past Clophe’s cheek.
The skeletal bird piloted by Kale Heniatus passed him at tremendous speed. That alone was enough for Clophe to understand.

It’s beginning.
He shouted.

“Full assault! Crash into them no matter what! Crash until bones shatter!”

Crash into the shield!
The moment he cried out, I looked only downward, fixing my gaze solely on the monster’s eyes.

“Merry.”
“Yes, I’ve been waiting.”

Black mana began to flow from Merry’s hands. And soon it descended upon the skeletal bird I rode.

The skeletal bird turned black.
No—it washed away the white paint that had been applied to conceal it.

The skeletal bird became a bone-black bird.
It revealed its true form. When anything revealed its genuine self, that was when it became strongest. The black bones of the bone-black bird gleamed in the darkness as Merry’s black mana clung to them and began to shine.

At that moment, Clophe issued a secondary command.

“Clear the path!”

Kale Heniatus lowered his body. He pushed his speed even higher. The black skeletal bird transformed into a living arrow of darkness.
In that instant, his gaze brushed past Crown Prince Adin.
Clophe’s voice thundered from behind.

“Destroy everything that blocks the Commander’s path!”

Clear the path.
Allow Kale to see nothing but the way forward—block every spell, every stone, every enemy attack!

Boom! Boom! Crash!

The skeletal birds collided with the spells using their own bodies.

“Expand the magical barrier!”
“Strengthen the shield! We cannot let it break through!”

Even as the Empire’s Mage Corps commander issued orders, he finally had to speak to the Crown Prince.

“…Shall we prepare a teleportation spell?”

Teleportation.
It was different from a simple retreat to the rear.
Teleportation was an act of fleeing the battlefield—an action that would tarnish the Empire’s prestige.
But without the golem, there were limits to how long they could withstand the skeletal bird’s relentless assault.

“That’s enough.”

Yet the Crown Prince refused to flee. The Mage Corps commander, thinking he was worthy of the Empire’s next emperor, raised his voice.

“Expand the shield!”

Now, even from atop the bird that had turned black, Kale’s face was visible.
They had drawn that close.

Now all the Mage Corps Commander could rely on was the shield.
He poured all his strength into it.

That was when it happened.
Kale Heniatus did not hesitate, advancing relentlessly toward the shield conjured by hundreds of Imperial mages.

Crash! Bang!

The skeletal birds beside him cleared a path for him.
Kale Heniatus tightened his grip on the reins.

My body had no strength left.
Exhaustion had reached its absolute limit.
I had no capacity left to wield the ancient powers.
If I used them now, I would surely lose consciousness—or worse.

Yet I could not stop.
I knew what I had to do.

The Imperial shield was now within arm’s reach.
Everyone believed the skeletal birds would collide with it here.
But Kale Heniatus’s choice was different.

“Raon.”

I spoke to the invisible presence that was always beside me.

“Break through it.”

No answer was needed.

“Wh-what?”
“The shield—!”
“It’s not possible!”

The Imperial shield began to dissolve.
At first, it was merely a small point.
A tiny hole appeared in the shield created by hundreds of mages, including high-ranking ones, and the breach grew larger and larger.

“No! It’s breached!”

With the Mage Corps Commander’s scream, I rode the black skeletal bird through the gap where the shield had melted away.
Now, beyond the shield, Crown Prince Adin was within arm’s reach.

“Attack! Attack the black skeletal bird!”

The Mages whose shields had been dispelled desperately hurled magical attacks at me.
It was then that I locked eyes with Crown Prince Adin.

Adin, protected by the Imperial Army, offered a leisurely smile.

I couldn’t fathom what made that bastard smile. Yet I smiled back as well.
And I spoke.

“Choi Han.”

That was all it took.
I saw a human figure leap past me, launching forward as he kicked off the black skeletal bird’s head.

Choi Han.
Black aura erupted from his blade. The swordsman, now free of all restraints, surged directly toward the Crown Prince.

“So you’re the one targeting me.”

Crown Prince Adin spread both arms wide to meet Choi Han. And he sneered.
Choi Han, facing that sneer with an impassive expression, brought his sword down in a devastating arc.

“Dodge! Dodge!”
“Your Highness, evade!”

The black aura left the blade and crashed down upon the earth.

Boom!

The earthen wall was torn asunder.
But this was an attack I had already witnessed. The Crown Prince, surrounded by Knights and several Alchemists, had already evaded. His smile never wavered.

‘This is my position.’

A position where one could be protected while having the opportunity to kill others.
How could one not be thrilled?

However, the Crown Prince’s expression changed.

“These bastards!”

At the same moment, Choi Han muttered toward the Crown Prince.

“Where are you looking?”

He was smiling. And with his aura, he rushed toward the Crown Prince.
However, Adin did not see Choi Han. Rather, he could not see him.

The black skeletal bird that Choi Han had left did not stop.
From the beginning, I had moved toward only one objective.

Choi Han’s aura forced the Crown Prince to move to one side to evade it.
Surrounded by knights, he was forced to distance himself from one person due to the subtle aura attack.

The Crown Prince cried out.

“Honth!”

Honth, the Tower Master’s disciple.

“Protect Honth at once!”

For the first time, Adin shouted urgently.

Crack.
But already the black skeletal bird’s beak had opened wide toward Honth.

Within it, Necromancer Mary’s black mana lay in wait for the enemy.
The sole and only Necromancer on this continent spoke.

“Young Master, preparations are complete.”

I thought to myself,

The Crown Prince would not be able to stop the Jungle’s golems. They were creations of dark magic and the Alchemy Tower, after all.
Then shouldn’t one capture their leader instead?

The monster of the earth.
It was Honth.

Kale Heniatus gazed down at the only spark of life in Honth’s vacant eyes—eyes that met his gaze with an eerie calm. Honth spoke softly, as if welcoming him.

“How amusing.”

Black energy began to swirl around Honth.
The Alchemist leaders surrounded him, shielding him.

Unlike the knights and lesser alchemists who had moved to protect the Crown Prince, the Alchemist leaders defended Honth when Choi Han’s aura descended upon them.

A smile bloomed across Kale Heniatus’s face.
He tightened his grip on the reins and accelerated, speaking as he did.

“Necromancer Mary, Raon.”

In that instant, a deep blue light wove through Mary’s black mana.

-Human, I help Mary! We can do this together!

The power of the Necromancer and the Dragon merged into a small, razor-sharp blade.
Kale Heniatus watched Honth summon his black mana and issued his command.

“Fire.”

From the white skeletal bird’s beak, a deep blue arrow the length of a human arm shot forth.

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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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