Trash of the Count’s Family - Chapter 368

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 82. Night Has Come

Kale Heniatus found himself at a loss for words in that instant.
It wasn’t because he felt fear at the White Dragon’s eerie gaze.

In those eyes, he could see the silent weeping of one torn to shreds, bearing wounds that cut deep.

Crack.
Kale Heniatus lowered his head.
He could see Raon’s front paws trembling violently, gripping his collar tightly.

He saw Raon’s eyes blazing with fury.
It wasn’t only the White Dragon. In this moment, it wasn’t just the White Dragon alone who was releasing silent cries and screams.

Kale Heniatus held Raon in a tight embrace.
And he opened his mouth.

“Yes, I am alive.”

Yet Kale Heniatus’s voice trembled.
It wasn’t from fear or shock.

Rage.
Within Kale Heniatus’s body, a whirlpool of seething emotion churned and roiled.
That was when it happened.

“Damn bastard!”

A furious cry rang out. The gazes of the group shifted.

Thud! Thud!
The Mercenary King Burd Illis was stamping the ground repeatedly, unable to contain his outrage.

“How could a human deliberately do such a thing? If one is human, or rather, if one is simply alive, how could they possibly do that? How?”

Burd Illis simply could not comprehend the White Star.

If what the White Dragon said was true, then the White Star deliberately destroyed the interior of the castle and stole the egg to break the oath between the Dragon Slayer and the White Dragon, wasn’t that right?

He would know that as a result, his family and loved ones would die, and he would have to live under a terrible curse from now on.
Yet he laughed at the fact that he could be reborn and live again?
He anticipated that curse?

Burd Illis met Kale Heniatus’s eyes and cried out.

“I don’t understand! I simply cannot, no matter how I try!”

For what purpose would he go to such lengths?
Growing stronger? Was that truly so important?

Burd Illis felt his chest tighten, and simultaneously, anger surged within him.
In that moment, Burd Illis saw Kale Heniatus’s eyes fixed upon him—pupils bloodshot as if the capillaries had burst.
A cold voice flowed from Kale Heniatus’s lips.

“There is no need to understand.”

It was a response sharp as a blade. The White Dragon continued with a laugh.

“That’s right. There’s no need to waste such a precious emotion as understanding on that creature.”

There was no need to understand such a being.
Even if one could understand, would that erase what he had done?

Rather, what the White Dragon needed now was not understanding of that monster, but comprehension of the current situation.

“My sight is limited to within this castle. Could you provide me with the detailed account?”

The tone was almost clinical in its composure.
Yet no one doubted the White Dragon’s fury.

“I shall explain, my lord.”

Erhafen, who had been lost in thought, approached the White Dragon.
He stepped forward and gently stroked Raon’s back. Six years old—even for a dragon as intelligent as he, it was still such a tender age.

Anger was important, but one could not allow oneself to be swept away by it recklessly.

‘Knowing this… the Lord must be responding with such composure.’

Erhafen fully understood the White Dragon’s resolve to maintain composure at all costs.

Erhafen stood between the translucent phantom existence and Kale Heniatus, observing the White Dragon.
Things that had been obscured at first now came into sharp focus.

The phantom existence called ‘me’ was a being that grew in tandem with the children’s development.

The White Dragon’s words held truth.
The White Dragon’s power was precisely on par with Raon’s. The extent of attribute-based abilities remained unclear, but at least in magic, that was the case.
Since Raon’s magical prowess rivaled Erhafen’s own, the White Dragon’s magic was exactly equal to Raon’s.

I had been startled by that blizzard that transported us into the castle earlier, but thinking about it, Erhafen could accomplish the same within Rare.
For this White Dragon, this castle was likely equivalent to Rare.

“I am Erhafen.”

Erhafen introduced myself to the White Dragon.

“Allow me to explain everything that has transpired thus far.”

And I cast a spell.

-I shall convey this directly through magic.

Raon needed to calm his emotions.
And there was no benefit in On, Hong, and little Raon hearing this tale.
That was the moment.

Pfft.
Erhafen heard a deflating laugh.
The source of that laughter was the White Dragon.

“Never mind. You need not involve yourself.”

The White Dragon looked at Erhafen and asked.

“Can’t you see it?”
“Pardon?”

Erhaben couldn’t understand what the White Dragon was asking him to see. Yet the White Dragon didn’t offer him any further explanation and approached Kale instead.

Choi Han hesitated at that action.

Thump.
The White Dragon’s front paw rested upon Kale’s head.
The Dragon spoke in a measured tone.

“You.”

At the words that followed, Kale’s shoulders flinched slightly.

“You possess extraordinary eyes.”

Though Erhaben had lived for countless ages, the White Dragon had lived those ages as a Lord. And this White Dragon, even as merely a sealed phantom, had existed for nearly ten thousand years.

“You also possess half the power of the Dragon Slayer, quite impressively so.”

The White Dragon, regarding Kale with curiosity, asked matter-of-factly.

“Will you witness my memories?”

As a Lord, and as this phantom—all of my memories.
From the twilight of the Ancient Era to now. Memories spanning the immense expanse of ten thousand years.

The White Dragon wished to convey this.
And I knew it was possible.

“You will be able to record them.”

Those dark brown eyes were recording the White Dragon even now.

“Recorder. I shall impart to you the truth of all that came after the Ancient Era.”

The village established by the Dragon Slayer.
The White Dragon had witnessed it all.

“And you shall tell me of the present.”

Kale Heniatus slowly closed his eyes, then opened them again.

The memories of the Last Dragon Lord.
Kale Heniatus’s lips parted.

“Very well.”

These were undoubtedly precious memories.
In the battle against the White Star, to learn truths I had not known—each and every one of these memories held profound importance.

I would remember every last detail without omission.

Kale Heniatus spoke with measured composure.

“I will commit them to memory and relay them to Raon.”

At those words, the White Dragon’s expression brightened into a genuine smile. The White Dragon gazed into Raon’s clear, candid eyes—eyes that made his emotions difficult to discern—and opened his mouth to speak.

“Yes, if you would do that, I would be even more grate-”

But the words cut off abruptly.
The White Dragon’s gaze snapped sharply in another direction.

“Humans!”
“What?!”

Erhafen and Raon raised their voices in alarm, and Choi Han drew his sword.
And simultaneous with that flurry of action came a voice that cut through the tension.

“I knew something was off!”

It was On.
Her fur bristling across her entire body, On cried out in rare agitation.

Kale Heniatus witnessed it all and turned his head.
His gaze directed itself toward the passage leading beyond the castle walls.

His eyes pierced through the passage and beyond.
Beyond the passage, past the massive open City Gate—there, he perceived presences that did not belong.

“…What is that?”

Beyond the open City Gate.
Upon the ground blanketed in white granules, figures shrouded in mist became visible.

There were three in total.
Concealed by the mist, their forms could not be discerned clearly.
In that moment, Kale Heniatus heard Ron’s voice.

“…I didn’t notice.”

Ron’s face grew urgent as he drew a dagger from his breast. He had no choice but to be vigilant.

‘I failed to detect them.’

Sweat beaded on the hand gripping the dagger.
An assassin of Ron’s caliber possessed keen senses, perceiving the approach of others with remarkable accuracy.

Yet these beings had deceived his senses and reached the City Gate.
Had it not been for Raon, Erhafen, Choi Han, and On, he would never have noticed them.
These three, veiled in mist, clearly possessed stealth techniques that surpassed even Ron’s mastery.

“Ha. To allow them to approach this close without detection.”

The Ancient Dragon Erhafen let out a dry chuckle. Simultaneously, his body shot forward.

Boom!

The earth trembled.
Having burst beyond the castle walls, he landed between the City Wall and the Castle at the very spot where the White Dragon had first greeted Kale Heniatus and his companions, raising a fierce wind in his wake.
He gazed upon the three figures beyond the City Wall—humanoid in shape yet obscured by mist, their true forms invisible—and spoke.

“Cat-Human Race.”

Kale Heniatus, who had been following in his wake by summoning the Voice of Wind, paused at the words Cat-Human Race and halted his steps.
Ron took his place at his side.

Cat-Human Race.
Ron knew quite well of the Cat-Human Race. Had he not immediately recognized On and Hong?

While the Cat-Human Race was an unfamiliar presence on the Western Continent, they were a relatively well-known beastkin species on the Eastern Continent.
Their concealment techniques and covert attacks were regarded as terrifying and fear-inducing powers, comparable to those of the Tiger Tribe or Bear Tribe.

‘But that doesn’t mean I’m incapable of detecting the Cat-Human Race’s concealment techniques.’

Ron was also a skilled individual. Whether they were Cat-Human or not, ordinary concealment techniques and related powers could not escape Ron’s perception.

‘If they possess this level of skill, though.’

They could be counted among the elite of the Cat-Human Race. That made them far from easy opponents.
There was only one reason why the Cat-Human Race was terrifying.

They did not target the strong.
The weakest.
They selected those who were weakest yet could deliver a psychological blow to the enemy group, then attacked them covertly.

One might call it cowardly, but that was their way of combat.

‘And—’

Ron had more thoughts, but first he carefully observed Vicross, Kale Heniatus, and the children.

Kale Heniatus watched as his companions gathered one by one, then turned his gaze forward.

‘The Cat-Human Race.’

Having read up to Volume 5 of The Birth of a Hero, the Cat-Human Race was one of the beastkin species he had not encountered. He had come to know of them only after arriving in this place.

In that moment, a voice echoed through the fog.

“The door has opened.”
“Indeed. Surprising.”

Indistinguishable voices flowed from the three figures shrouded in fog.
One of those voices rang out.

“I never expected to see Kale Heniatus here.”

Two other voices mingled in response.

“That’s why. It’s fascinating!”
“I never would have imagined this situation.”

Their voices were oddly carefree. Yet Kale Heniatus and his companions’ alertness only sharpened further.

Clang!
Choi Han’s blade pointed toward the three figures.
There was no choice.
I opened my mouth toward those three beings.

“How do you know me?”

How could the Cat-Human Race of the Eastern Continent know my name?

“Who knows.”

The opponent drew out their words mockingly.
I posed another question to them.

“Were you watching us from behind?”
“No way!”

The voice from within the fog spoke confidently, as if denying such a notion.

“This is one of our tribe’s surveillance zones. So we, being on duty today, were keeping watch. And when intruders suddenly appeared here, we naturally followed cautiously to see what was happening.”

The opponent spoke to me as if addressing a child.

“Was that what you wanted to know? Kale Heniatus?”

My lips slowly parted to answer their question. But before I could respond—

Screech!

My eyes widened as my gaze dropped downward.

A sharp cry erupted from On’s mouth. Unleashing a ferocious snarl, she bared her fangs fully and extended her claws to lethal sharpness.

Grrrrowwwl—

Kale saw mist pouring out from the small Silver Cat’s body.
And soon that mist shot toward the three figures shrouded in fog.
But Kale had no time to pay attention to that mist.

Sniffle.
A whimpering sound echoed.
Hong trembled violently and hid behind On.
The red baby cat curled up as tightly as possible.

Boom!

At that moment, the mist On unleashed collided with the mist of the three figures, releasing a deafening roar.
Who would have thought that mist colliding with mist could produce such a sound?

But a sound that caught Kale’s attention even more than that roar came from those three figures.

“…A mutant.”

The mist covering the three figures dissipated.
And where the mist cleared, the figure standing at the center opened his mouth, and a middle-aged voice flowed out.

“So the trash were here.”

Screech!
As if responding to him, On puffed up her body as much as possible and let out a cry.

Kale, watching this, recalled the tribe of On and Hong.
The Fog Tribe.
It was the name of the tribe from which On and Hong had fled. And they were beings of the Eastern Continent.

At that moment, the Mercenary King’s voice filled with astonishment reached Kale’s ears.

“…Are those bastards also part of ‘Dark’?”

Where the mist had cleared.
Three black-masked figures appeared.

And the emblem carved into their chests.
One white star and five red stars.
It was the emblem of Dark.

The Cat-Human on the left among the three shrugged his shoulders and answered Burd’s question.

“Well, we’re not exactly affiliated with Dark, more like… cooperating, you could say? Why? Are you scared because we’re Dark? Huh? Is that it?”

In that moment, the Cat-Human could say nothing more.

“Hey, you trash.”

Burd flinched.
He turned his head to the side. He saw Kale Heniatus with a considerably cold expression.
But the voice that had just called the three Cat-Humans “you trash” was unmistakably Kale’s.

And as if to confirm it, Kale’s mouth opened.
It was a matter-of-fact question.

“Did you report to the White Star?”
“Of course.”

The three Cat-Humans answered Kale’s words cheerfully and spoke excitedly.

“How could we not report such a major incident? We contacted him directly right away!”
“That’s right. We contacted him faster than ever before. We reported before we even chased after you! We actually saw Kale Heniatus! And on top of that, the White Castle opened!”

The Cat-Human in the center spoke calmly.

“He’ll probably arrive soon.”

Damn it!
Erhafen’s face hardened.
These Cat-Humans hadn’t even properly sensed their presence until they came within a certain radius, but of course, dealing with them would be easy.

But if the White Star comes…

And would that White Star come alone?
Surely he would bring other Cat-Human Race members or something else with him.
This wasn’t just any ordinary city—it was the Castle of Light, the White Star’s homeland.

The White Star would never stand idly by while Kale Heniatus and his group pursued the truth.

‘Damn it!’

Erhafen’s eyes swept rapidly across their surroundings.
Rosalind and Merry weren’t here right now. There were few who could launch ranged attacks.

Raon was currently in an emotional turmoil, and Choi Han, Ron, and Vicross—who primarily fought in close combat—were in a poor position to face the White Star, especially with the Cat-Human Race present.

‘…The White Dragon is currently at Raon’s level.’

The White Dragon was present, but even that White Dragon’s power was only at Raon’s level.

‘Can we defeat the White Star and his forces?’

Of course, whether they would win or lose couldn’t be known before the battle.
But Erhafen was certain of one thing.

They would be wounded.
The group would suffer grave injuries.
And if Erhafen used his full power here, his lifespan would shorten again. That was also a problem.

It would be difficult to settle this in today’s battle. They would need to make all their preparations later and face the White Star in a final confrontation.

In the end, Erhafen chose the most appropriate course of action for this situation.

“Kale!”

His eyes met Kale Heniatus’s gaze.

We need to escape.
For now, we should retreat.

They had found Raon’s roots, but something more precious than that was ensuring Raon and the group didn’t get hurt.

“For now—”

But his words could not reach their end.

“Haha—”

Laughter echoed through the air.
Erhafen turned his head.
The faint laughter grew steadily louder.
He looked behind him.

From deep within the castle’s chambers, a figure emerged gradually into view.

“Hahahaha!”

It was the White Dragon.
The White Dragon laughed with such intensity that the surrounding space itself seemed to resonate.
With shoulders heaving and tears gathering at the corners of her eyes, the White Dragon chuckled breathlessly and gazed at Kale Heniatus with a question.

“So right now—”

Kale Heniatus’s eyes widened.

“That Dragon Slayer is coming right now?”

Whoooosh—
A wind carrying white particles enveloped the White Dragon.
Crunch.
Raon grasped Kale Heniatus’s collar, his eyes wide and round as he stared at the white wind.

Whiiiiiiii—
A tremendous gust swept past the White Dragon and surged toward the sky.
And in the wake of that wind’s passage—

“Tell that one to come quickly.”

A translucent woman wreathed in white mana smiled brilliantly.
The woman, beautiful yet brimming with mischief, held an enormous shield in her left hand. Her freckled face possessed an innocent, impish charm.

That was the moment.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Every door of the White Castle, except for the shield-shaped gate that surrounded the castle walls, began to slam shut.
And finally.

Crash!

The enormous shield held in the woman’s hand struck the ground.
Raon could see the woman’s back and the massive shield before him. The woman’s voice reached his ears.

Tell that one to come quickly.

“I, Lord Sherit, shall face him alone.”

The White Castle began to tremble.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————