Trash of the Count’s Family - Chapter 391

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

Chapter 87. The One with Taste, the Gentle One, the One Who Laughs

Unlike the startled Raon, Flavin Sinten, the Singten Merchant Lord, felt no surprise whatsoever—only that the moment had finally arrived.
After all, the white-masked man had just mentioned “sincerity.”

‘Then shall we see what your sincerity truly looks like?’

The meaning behind those words was unmistakable.
For Flavin Sinten, who had spent over a decade displaying and receiving “sincerity” in countless dealings across the realm, a direct request for sincerity felt far more comfortable than empty pleasantries.

When you acknowledge someone, they acknowledge you in return—wasn’t that how it worked?

Flavin spoke warmly to the white-masked man.

“Please, have a seat—”

The Merchant Lord could not finish his sentence. He found himself unable to invite the white-masked man to sit.

The dining table, where the evening meal had been interrupted.
And one chair scattered with the corpse of a subordinate, hastily abandoned when the sudden alarm had startled them into action.

Awkwardness settled across Flavin’s face.

“The circumstances are hardly conducive to conversation at the moment.”

That was when it happened.

“What does that matter?”

The white-masked man walked past Flavin, moving forward without hesitation.
The assassin subordinates standing behind Flavin faltered, but the white-masked man paid them no mind whatsoever.
Flavin turned his body to follow the white-masked man’s movements.

“This chair is quite nice. Must be expensive?”

Flavin watched as the white-masked man settled into the very chair he had just vacated, regarding him with an air of leisure.
The white-masked man’s relaxed tapping of the armrest and easy smile were the spitting image of every arrogant power broker Flavin had been forced to grovel before all these years.

“Yes, it is expensive. Does it suit your taste?”

Flavin approached the white-masked man immediately.
As he gestured, his subordinate hurriedly brought him a chair, having cleared away the corpse of the Loyal Subordinate.

Flavin sat in that chair.
The warmth of the freshly deceased still lingered, but it was not as scorching as Flavin’s own heat, so he felt nothing at all.
Instead, his eyes began to fill with an otherworldly fervor.

“This is the contract, and this is the promissory note for receiving the remaining balance.”

The white-masked man withdrew documents related to the ‘Fire Crystal’ transaction from his spatial magic pouch.

“Since there is a contract and I will remember my own voice, there is no need to prove who I am or whether this contract is genuine, is there?”

Flavin nodded readily.

“No, proof is unnecessary. I saw you in the Caro Kingdom, and that is confirmation enough.”

He answered warmly while licking his lips.
There was one thing. He had to confirm something with this man.

How had he discovered this Secret Residence and infiltrated it?
But that was not the question he would ask.

Thump. Thump. Flavin felt his heart pounding as he opened his mouth.

“Perhaps.”

Flavin’s eyes met those of the white-masked man.

“Perhaps, might I know how far your reach extends?”

Flavin needed to ascertain how deeply this man’s influence penetrated the Sun God Church. Only then could he decide how far and in what manner he himself should proceed.
In that moment, Flavin saw a smile forming at the corners of the white-masked man’s mouth.

“How far my reach extends, you ask.”

Kale Heniatus brought a chair close to me, and I couldn’t help but smile at the gleam in Flavin’s eyes as he stared at it.
His loyal subordinate had just died, yet here he sat in that chair, hungering for new power.

-Human! This bastard is very strange!

Yes, Raon was right—he was strange and wicked.
At the very least, he should have treated his own people well.

But whether Flavin Merchant Lord cherished his subordinate or not mattered little to me now.
I simply intended to squeeze this merchant lord before me dry.

Three billion?
Why stop there?
What of the human trafficking he orchestrated in the Gyre Territory of the Roan Kingdom?
There was no need to show mercy to one whose sins ran so deep.

I decided to tell this man, who gazed at me as though I were a lifeline, exactly what he desired to hear.

“My position is such that—”

Flavin’s mouth went dry.

“I know the location of the treasure the Former Pope hid away.”

Exactly as expected!
Flavin was thoroughly satisfied with that answer.

It could be no other way.
Flavin Merchant Lord knew well how greedy and hypocritical the Former Pope—who had died in the magical bomb attack—truly was.
Would such a man hide the bribes he had accepted where everyone could see them?
He would have concealed them in the most secret of places, somewhere only a select few could ever discover.

‘This white-masked man must hold a position high enough to access the Pope’s secret chambers and extract treasures with ease.’

For this reason, Flavin spoke to this man with utmost respect and courtesy.

‘But my suspicions were correct.’

Meanwhile, a small sense of disappointment also stirred within Flavin’s heart.
While the White-Masked Man certainly held a position of considerable influence, it fell short of fulfilling Flavin’s ambition—to target both the Southern Alchemy Tower and the Sun God Church simultaneously, or to walk the tightrope between them.
Did the White-Masked Man before him perceive this disappointment?

“You seem disappointed.”
“What? No, that’s not it.”
“Surely it is.”

Flavin grew anxious, wondering if he had offended the White-Masked Man, who smiled with such ease.

“But here’s the thing. I haven’t finished speaking yet.”

Yet the White-Masked Man was already surpassing Flavin’s expectations.

“If I make my move, you could meet the Sun God’s representative.”

What?
For a moment, Flavin the Merchant Lord wondered if he had heard correctly. Astonishment welled up within him, but he suppressed it as much as possible.

The Sun God’s representative.
At present, there was only one person who could be called by that title.
He found himself compelled to ask once more.

“…You mean the representative, sir?”

And the White-Masked Man granted him certainty.

“Well, perhaps it’s better to call him Mogur’s new light?”

Mogur’s new light and the Sun God’s representative—there was only one person these titles referred to.

Saint Jack.
The man who was virtually assured to become the new Pope of the Sun God Church.
In other words, the future center of power within the Sun God Church.

‘I could meet Saint Jack? Me? If this man makes his move?’

Flavin felt laughter threatening to burst forth from within.
Why, you ask?

The rope he had grasped was made of gold, after all.

“Should I simply demonstrate an unwavering heart?”

And he had gained the certainty that the new Sun God Church resembled the Sun God Church under the Former Pope—corruption, once rooted, could not be easily shed.
A corrupted organization could rarely transform into a genuinely new form.

“Yes, Flavin Merchant Lord. All you need to do is show sincerity.”

Kale Heniatus intended to dangle many carrots before the merchant, whose eyes gleamed with greed.

‘I haven’t lied, have I?’

Kale Heniatus would truly bring the Merchant Lord before Saint Jack.
Wasn’t he deserving of punishment?

Perhaps the moment Flavin stood before Saint Jack would be when everything he possessed crumbled to dust.

“What sort of sincerity should I demonstrate?”

The contract and promissory note Kale Heniatus had shown Flavin were no longer what mattered. Not that sum—what truly mattered was the sincerity he would display from this moment forward.

“You see, I…”

As expected!
Flavin watched the white-masked figure’s lips part and immediately understood—there was a bribe he desired.
Handling such a corrupt individual was child’s play for Flavin.

‘The Sun God Church hasn’t even fully revealed its new face yet, and the new Pope hasn’t even been inaugurated, and already he’s demanding bribes.’

Flavin inwardly scoffed at the white-masked figure while maintaining a respectful demeanor, waiting for him to speak. And the white-masked figure said:

“I need fifteen billion Counds worth of mana stones right now.”

Flavin’s body stiffened.
Fifteen billion Counds worth of mana stones.
That alone was shocking, but there was something even more astonishing.

“Right now, you say?”

In the middle of the night, it was impossible to procure that quantity of mana stones. Even with teleportation magic, gathering mana stones from across the Empire and the Capital would require at least a day.

“Why? Impossible? Can you extend the timeline?”

At Kale Heniatus’s casual remark, Flavin Sinten responded immediately.

“If you would allow it, then I—”
“Then prepare 20 billion Counds worth of mana stones by tomorrow.”

But at the follow-up demand, Flavin Sinten had to close his mouth.
One additional day came with a price of 5 billion Counds.
He met the gaze of Kale Heniatus’s eyes behind the white mask. In that instant, a suffocating pressure seized his entire body.
The aura of Ancient Powers—a dominating force—descended upon Flavin Sinten.
The Merchant Lord saw only the white mask, utterly composed and at ease.

“If tomorrow proves difficult as well, then by the day after, it will be 30 billion Counds worth of mana stones.”

Each additional day added another 10 billion to the sum.

“What do you think?”

Flavin Sinten’s breath caught at the white mask’s arithmetic. He understood.

‘…This is no mere fool seeking bribes!’

Upon realizing this truth, Flavin Sinten’s greed for this golden thread only intensified.
In that moment, Kale Heniatus spoke to Flavin Sinten with gentleness.

“But I rather like you. Because you know how to walk the path of survival.”

A path where one would freeze to death.
Stripped bare, thorns would bloom in its wake.
Kale Heniatus treated the man he would bleed dry with courtesy.

“Prepare 15 billion Counds worth of mana stones by tomorrow.”
“Y-yes, thank you.”

Gratitude spilled from Flavin Sinten’s lips unbidden. The atmosphere carried such oppressive weight that refusal was impossible. Moreover, a surge of trust welled up within him.

“Yes, my subordinate will come to collect it tomorrow, so just hand it over.”

Snap!
The moment Kale Heniatus’s fingers clicked together, a man with a black mask and crimson hair appeared beyond the terrace window.
It was Choi Han, disguised by magic.

-Human! I told Choi Han not to act and just stand still! I’m smart enough to know he shouldn’t be acting!

Indeed, the Dragon was clever.
Kale watched Flavin swallow hard as he stared at Choi Han.

Flavin felt a chill run down his spine as he gazed at the black mask that had suddenly appeared on the terrace. It wasn’t surprising that he hadn’t sensed the presence—but his own assassins, his loyal subordinates, hadn’t detected the masked figure’s existence either.

As Flavin realized the white mask’s tremendous power, fear and desire ignited within him like wildfire. To such a man, Kale offered the greatest incentive.

“And in two weeks, I’ll arrange for you to meet Mogur’s new light.”

Flames kindled in Flavin’s eyes.

“Is that… truly possible?”
“Yes.”

He could meet Saint Jack in two weeks!
If so, Flavin himself might become the lord of the greatest merchant guild.

“But as a merchant, you understand, don’t you?”

He knew the answer to the white mask’s question.
There was no such thing as a free lunch in this world.

“I will prepare an appropriate offering.”
“Good. I look forward to it.”

With those words, Kale turned toward the terrace window once more. Flavin moved to see him off but had to stop when Kale gestured for him to remain.

Click.
The terrace window locked shut.
Kale and Choi Han in the black mask immediately stepped onto the terrace railing and leaped down into the darkness below.

Flavin Sinten stared at the sight for a long while.

“Lord Merchant.”

At the Assassin’s call, he slowly opened his mouth.

“Check outside the terrace.”

His loyal subordinate assassins immediately checked beyond the terrace and reported that no one was there. Flavin Sinten placed a hand over his chest as he observed them.

Thump. Thump.
His heart raced.

The corners of Flavin Sinten’s mouth rose endlessly upward.
He finally raised his voice and issued orders to his subordinates.

“Gather every magic stone we have right now! We need to scrape together 15 billion Counds by tomorrow, no matter what! No, even search foreign lands if we must within two weeks!”

After a brief moment of contemplation, he continued.

“And regarding the Southern Alchemy Tower—maintain the current distance and avoid getting any closer.”

Because he now possessed a new rising power: the Sun God Church.

Flavin Sinten burst into loud laughter.
Neither the cold remnants of the evening meal nor the corpse of his subordinate held any place in his vision anymore.

* * *

“Impressive, really.”

Back at the Crown Prince Palace, Kale Heniatus shrugged at the words of the Mercenary King Bud.
Bud, who had gone to observe Flavin Sinten the Merchant Lord alongside Kale Heniatus, continued to marvel while drinking.

“Flavin Sinten doesn’t even realize he’ll be dragged to his death in two weeks, yet he’s eagerly gathering and offering up every coin he has while following along. Truly, remarkable.”

Raon beside Bud flapped his wings and struck a confident pose.

“Mercenary King! Do you finally understand how great we are? I am the magnificent Raon Mir!”
“Yes, indeed! Raon Mir is truly magnificent! Kahahaha!”
“Hihihi!”

Regardless of what the drunkard and the Young Dragon were saying, Kale Heniatus spoke to Choi Han with an odd expression, his fingers combing through his still-enchanted crimson hair.

“Tomorrow at this time, go with Bud and retrieve the mana stones.”
“Understood, Kale Heniatus.”

Kale Heniatus nodded at Choi Han’s response and gestured toward Raon.

Click.
Simultaneously, the bedroom door swung open as Merry and Rosalind entered. Rosalind carried several documents in her hands.
Raon poured mana toward the image communication device resting on the table.

“Human! Connecting now!”

Whoooosh.
Light erupted from the communication device, and a screen materialized above it, revealing the figure of a single person.

‘…Finally.’

Bud gazed at the sight with eager eyes.
A white-haired man appeared on the communication device’s screen.

‘Clophe Seka. At last I see the Northern Guardian Knight.’

Bud had crossed to the Western Continent following Kale Heniatus and met renowned figures, and now he beheld another famous person once more.

Clophe Seka.
Unlike those from the Roan Kingdom who had risen to prominence only recently, the Northern Guardian Knight had been renowned for far longer.
The moment Bud saw him seated in a wheelchair after his defeat at Kale Heniatus’s hands, anticipation surged within him for what might unfold.

And the instant Clophe Seka’s and Kale Heniatus’s gazes met.

-Oh, Kale Heniatus.

Bud’s mouth began to open slowly.

Clophe Seka, the white-haired man with an air of nobility, clasped his hands together and continued speaking to Kale Heniatus with a radiant smile.

-Kale Heniatus, I have heard tales of the glorious legends you have accomplished across the East-West Continent.

What is this?
Bud was bewildered.
Clophe Seka. It certainly seemed to be him, yet something appeared off.

In that moment, Bud saw Kale Heniatus’s mouth open.

“Sigh.”

Kale Heniatus exhaled a weary breath.

“As expected! Still completely unhinged!”

Raon exclaimed with absolute confidence.
Bud remained utterly bewildered.
And Clophe Seka was laughing with delight.

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