Trash of the Count’s Family - Chapter 34

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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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A bright smile graced Rosalind’s lips.

“They say the Merchant Guild Master is notorious for being reckless, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.”

I observed her casual manner of speech and found it unsurprising. The ordinary staff of the mansion would have difficulty even knowing the appearance of the Breck Kingdom’s princess. But nobles were different.
Fallen nobles might struggle to gather information, but those of Count rank possessed basic knowledge of neighboring kingdoms’ royal families and great nobles. The position of nobility was far from comfortable.
I responded to Rosalind’s words.

“It is true that I am known for being reckless. But shouldn’t mages judge things through all five senses?”
“That’s right, Prince Kale. We mages only believe in what we ourselves have discerned.”

I found her manner of speech subtle. She spoke casually as a princess, yet switched to formal speech when asserting her identity as a mage—as “we.” Rosalind appeared to possess a strong sense of self as a mage.

“Then, Your Highness.”
“Rosalind.”

She clearly disliked being treated as a princess.

“Very well. Rosalind, are all your questions answered?”
“Yes, they are.”

She spoke with a knowing smile.

“Prince Kale, you seem rather reluctant to be associated with me, don’t you?”

Even knowing she was a princess, I had merely told her to stay comfortably. Of course, I harbored no resentment or displeasure toward her. Had she desired special treatment, she would have revealed her full name and identity. She desired no such thing. Moreover, she was my benefactor—the one who had informed me about Rak.

“Perhaps. I simply thought that was what you preferred.”

A lie. Rosalind recognized his words as merely a convenient excuse.
A human who walks with a dragon. Known as reckless, yet clearly not so in truth. Had he wished, he would have stepped forward when the Breck Kingdom’s princess appeared in this land.
She conveyed her gratitude to Kale, who smiled as though he knew nothing.

“You haven’t contacted the Roun Royal Family. Thank you for that.”
“Think nothing of it. Such matters should be handled according to one’s own wishes, should they not?”

I thought that if I had contacted them, the Crown Prince would surely descend upon this mansion as though he had discovered some delectable prey.

“Young Master Kale is right. I don’t wish for it. If the Royal Court brings this matter up later, please tell them I refused. I can send a letter myself if needed.”
“Understood.”
“I’m grateful for simply borrowing a place to stay. I’ll handle my own affairs. I won’t cause any trouble.”

No trouble at all. I gave Rosalind a light nod of acknowledgment—she had given me exactly the answer I wanted.

“Thank you.”
“Think nothing of it. It’s only natural.”

Rosalind replied lightly and returned to her meal. Between us, no further conversation was needed. Yet Rosalind kept glancing sideways at the Dragon.
Inevitably, as a mage, her eyes kept drifting toward the Dragon. The Dragon had paused mid-bite of the homemade sausage prepared for me and turned his gaze toward Rosalind. The Black Dragon, who had been watching her with indifference as she kept stealing glances, spoke.

“Eat yours. This is mine.”

The Black Dragon hugged the plate of homemade sausages to his chest. Over his plate, I leisurely piled more dishes. The Black Dragon was gradually becoming absorbed in the flavors of the raw meat, the different steaks, and the other foods.
Rosalind glanced at me, and I discreetly held up four fingers where the Black Dragon couldn’t see. Four years old. Understanding the meaning, Rosalind smiled softly and replied.

“Yes, Dragon. Of course.”

The Black Dragon resumed eating, and Rosalind and I continued our meal at leisure. It was a peaceful and tranquil moment.

After that time ended, I boarded a carriage to meet with the Northeast Noble Youth.
The Northeast noble families consisted of roughly fewer than ten noble houses.
Of course, if one included vassal barons, quasi-barons, and fallen nobles, there were more people, but the pillars could be said to be these ten families. Among them, the three I would meet today were from families that had maintained long-standing friendly relations with the Heniatus Count Family.

“I’m troubled.”

Thus I was troubled. Choi Han, who accompanied me as my escort, asked me carefully.

“What troubles you, sir? If your worries run deep, please share them with me. I wish to help in any way I can.”
“No. You don’t need to know.”

I answered vaguely and fell back into contemplation. Choi Han, watching me like this, sank into troubled thought himself. This was the first time he had seen me so deeply preoccupied.

I was troubled.
How should I cause a ruckus to appear like a reckless fool?
Having gained Choi Han and the Black Dragon as baggage, I had come to a profound realization. I pondered the life of a reckless fool.

The Northeast noble youths had surely witnessed my reckless behavior in the past, and they had likely received many reports of my reckless incidents and accidents from the fiefdom. So I had to be more careful. No—I had to act recklessly.

“Hmm.”

I looked down at my hands. Act like a dog? Among all the reckless fools, wasn’t the worst kind just a complete buffoon? While I was deeply contemplating what it meant to be a complete buffoon, the carriage came to a stop in front of a mansion.
The Northeast noble families certainly clustered near the Capital, so the distance was short.

“Welcome, Young Master Kale Heniatus.”

I observed the elderly butler greeting me at the main gate, and casually scanned the mansion beyond his shoulders.

This was the Wheelsman Count Family’s mansion. The Wheelsman Count Family—a household with territory located at the entrance of the Northeast Region, neither particularly wealthy nor exceptionally powerful, just an ordinary noble house. Because of this, they had managed to build a strong friendship with the Heniatus Count Family, another Count house, in the Northeast Noble Youth Gathering where there was no Marquis. From the Heniatus Count Family’s perspective, maintaining friendly relations with the Wheelsman Count Family, which was closest to the Capital unlike us tucked away in a corner, was advantageous in many ways.
That’s why in the Northeast Region gathering without a Duke or Marquis, he was able to build a thick friendship with the Heniatus Count Family, being a fellow Count. From the Heniatus Count Family’s perspective, building a friendly relationship with the Wheelsman Count Family, which was closest to the Capital unlike themselves stuck in a corner, was beneficial in many ways.
I recalled the heir of the Wheelsman Count Family.

‘Eric Wheelsman.’

Before coming to this mansion, the vice-butler Hans had spoken to me carefully.

‘Young Master, it’s fine to be comfortable with Young Master Eric, but there are other nobles present as well, so perhaps it would be better not to appear too relaxed. I say this with caution.’

From those words, I understood that the original owner of this body and Eric were quite close. However, according to the noble youth report, Eric was described as more solid and somewhat meticulous rather than a reckless fool.

“Young Master, shall I show you inside?”
“Yes, let’s go.”

I followed the elderly butler’s guidance and entered the Wheelsman mansion.
Eric Wheelsman, and besides him, there were other young nobles—Gilbert Chetter and Amir Ubar. When I met them, what kind of behavior should I display? I walked forward while pondering this.

But in the end, I didn’t need to worry about such things.

“Kale, you still heard what your hyung said, right? Huh?”

I made a peculiar expression. Eric Wheelsman pushed up the glasses he was wearing.

I was clearly seated at a formal dining table, but I was surrounded by three nobles as if being interrogated.

‘This is strange.’

But the atmosphere was more like coaxing than interrogation. Eric Wheelsman spoke.

“Why would it bother you?”

Amir Ubar from the Baron’s household and Gilbert Chetter from the Marquis house voiced their agreement.

“That’s right, Crown Prince. I’ve heard you dislike tedious formalities.”
“Crown Prince, finding things bothersome is not a fault.”

Watching the three of them coddle him like a child, I offered my response.

“Well, yes, it does bother me.”
“Exactly! So—”

Tap. Eric tapped the table lightly. It was less an angry gesture than an unconscious action that escaped mid-speech.
He spoke quietly to his younger brother Kale—handsome in face, but a reckless troublemaker as he’d grown older, charming only in his youth.

“Don’t say anything, don’t smile. Just stay still! Absolutely still, and we’ll handle everything for you. You hate the bother of formalities anyway.”

I answered with an odd expression.

“Staying still is something I’m good at.”
“Huh? You? Oh, right. That’s true. You are good at it.”

Eric. He was meticulous and straightforward by nature, yet burdened with one peculiarity—he worried excessively. Though not timid, this contradiction defined him.
Since yesterday, I had become his greatest source of anxiety. The other two nobles watched him with encouraging eyes.

“Some of the other Northeast nobles might try to provoke you. Those connected to Marquis Sten’s house or other ducal families will be insufferable right now. But if you stay still, we’ll handle it all. What do you say?”

This was Eric’s greatest concern. Among the ten major families of the Northeast, only these four houses remained unaligned with any greater power. Those connected to other noble houses would want to present this Northeast gathering to their superiors.
Caution was paramount. These four families had to maintain the center. Therefore, the Heniatus Family—strong and neutral within the Northeast, wealthy and influential—could not afford to cause trouble.
Eric and the other two watched my reaction intently.

“That sounds good.”

A soft smile crossed my lips along with my affirmative answer. Eric thought that without alcohol, I still showed glimpses of my childhood kindness, and continued.

“We’re planning to greet the Crown Prince together as well. You’d find that bothersome too, and you’d want to drink immediately, I’m sure. But that won’t be possible. After that greeting, the rest—absolutely everything—we’ll take care of it.”

Interesting. My lips curved upward. The atmosphere grew subtle. I reached for the wine glass before me. I noticed Gilbert’s shoulders twitch slightly.
I found this reaction curious. Though a troublemaker, I was on their side, so their proposed solution was ultimately protective. I moistened my mouth with wine before speaking.

“That sounds good, doesn’t it?”
“Doesn’t it?”

Eric broke into a bright smile, and his glasses glinted as they caught the light from the chandelier.

I decided to do nothing and simply let the three young nobles protect me. I was quite pleased with that arrangement.

“Just go sit quietly and that should be enough.”
“Yes, that works well for me.”

It was an excellent request—the ideal situation I’d been hoping for. I enjoyed my meal and thought I’d made the right decision coming here today. However, Eric, Gilbert, and Amir remained cautious. After all, they’d thrown a wine bottle at the Northeast Noble Youth Gathering before. Especially since they needed to secure investment in the Northeast Coastal Area—Gilbert and Amir’s fiefdom—if I were to meet the Crown Prince, they observed me carefully.
Especially since he had to secure investment in the Northeast Coastal Area, the fiefdom of Gilbert and Amir, if he met the Crown Prince this time, they carefully observed Kale.

“Wine from the Heniatus Territory is indeed the best.”

Of course, Kale Heniatus had a rough understanding of the Northeast Coastal Area investment being pursued by those two families through the report Hans had given him. It was information shared among the four families. However, he knew that investment was impossible.

“War will break out soon in the Western Continent South, so why invest? Unless it’s the navy.”

It was a reasonably satisfying time for everyone.
It was a reasonably satisfying time for everyone.

* * *

After returning to the Mansion, Kale rested for a while and made various preparations, then called for Choi Han when he heard that Choi Han had returned to the Mansion.

“How was the inn?”
“I went and returned safely. Fortunately, the children were quite lively.”
“I’m back. Fortunately, the children were quite lively.”

As Kale Heniatus thought of the ten energetic werewolf children, his expression became gloomy. Meanwhile, Choi Han appeared much more at ease and cheerful.

“Yes, that’s correct, but…?”
Yes, that’s right, but?

I walked toward the bed and spoke.
Kale Heniatus walked toward the bed and spoke.

“I’ll be lying in bed, so tell Hans to stop standing in front of the door and go to sleep. Then that guy will leave without even looking back.”

Choi Han’s gaze lingered briefly on the open terrace window beyond. Outside, night had fallen. He asked me a question.

“Are we going outside?”
“Yes.”

I smiled faintly as I spoke.

“I’ve left the terrace window open like last time. Come to my room through it.”
“Understood.”

Choi Han’s eyes shifted with renewed intensity. He remembered what I had told him—that I would show him how to find that blood-drinking mage.

“Will it be just the two of us, you and I, without On and Hong?”

Choi Han asked me with a grave expression, but the answer came from elsewhere.

“I’m coming too.”

The Black Dragon stepped through the terrace window, dispelling the invisibility magic that had concealed him. Choi Han’s gaze shifted to the Black Dragon before turning back to me. I answered with uncharacteristic ease.

“The three of us will go.”

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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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