Trash of the Count’s Family - Chapter 400

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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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Flavin Sinten swallowed hard as he regarded the masked man asking whether he wanted to live or die.

‘How did it come to this…!’

He quietly reflected on how he had ended up subjected to such coercion.

A few days ago—no, it hadn’t even been that long. It was roughly two days ago.
He had provided a spatial magic pouch containing mana stones to someone who appeared to be a subordinate of the man now standing before him, and from that subordinate, he had learned of a secret location to be used as an emergency contact point going forward.

And then, for some reason, he had found himself needing to use that emergency contact point almost immediately.

‘Was it a mistake to bring up the collusion between the Alchemy Tower and magical forces?’

From the Southern Alchemy Tower, which Flavin had connections to, came an urgent report that the Four Directional Alchemy Towers would soon unite their strength to strike the Capital, along with word that an unknown magical force would stand with them.
Furthermore, the Southern Alchemy Tower demanded supplies and mana stones from Flavin for use in this war.

After receiving the urgent report, Flavin had deliberated before providing this information to this man, who appeared closely connected to the Sun God Church.
And tonight. The man had returned to Flavin’s Secret Residence once more.

‘…Who are these people?’

The red-haired masked man from before was not here.
Instead, two masked men stood behind the masked man, positioned respectfully.

“Why are your eyes darting about so much?”

Flinch.
Flavin quickly averted his gaze from the two men, directing it downward instead.
Kale Heniatus let out a soft chuckle at the sight. His gaze turned toward those behind Flavin. Behind Flavin stood his loyal Assassins, positioned with deference.

-Human! I want to take off my invisibility too! I want to stand next to Grandfather Ron and Vicross, who gives out delicious food! I want to wear a mask too!

Kale Heniatus pretended not to hear Raon’s words. For some reason, the Black Dragon seemed excited.

Choi Han and Bud were not present at this location.
Instead, Vicross and Ron were with him.

‘Choi Han.’

I gave Choi Han different instructions instead of letting him follow me to the Empire.

‘You handle the Sirem matter quickly and come. Bring Rosalind with you.’

Choi Han, who had hesitated, shook his head at my words.

‘Why? Shouldn’t I come with you?’
‘No, Kale. The Sirem matter is something I can handle alone.’
‘I’ll be waiting.’
‘Yes, Kale.’

Unlike me, Choi Han headed toward the Roun Kingdom Capital.
Of course, I didn’t send him alone. Erhafen moved with Choi Han, and I came to the Empire with the rest of the group.

“Cough, cough!”

I turned my gaze toward Flavin Sinten at the sound of coughing.

“My apologies. I suddenly choked. Cough, ahem, hem.”

To Flavin, who continued coughing with his head turned away, I spoke as gently as I had when dealing with the guild leadership back when I was Kim Rok-soo.

“A choking fit, then. I thought you’d been poisoned.”

Flavin’s fingertips trembled. His eyes shifted to the crimson mist undulating in strange forms beyond the open terrace window.

“There’s no way that poison fog could enter this terrace. And if someone were exposed to that poison, they’d die without a sound. So I was momentarily concerned about your coughing. Flavin.”
“Ha, haha— Fortunately, it’s not poison. Haha—”

Damn it!
Flavin was laughing pleasantly on the surface, but inside, everything was churning.

‘Why is he doing this?’

He had revealed the plans of all four Alchemy Towers to the Sun God Church.
Given that, they should have either offered him compensation or treated him with respect, yet instead they were asking whether he wanted to live or die.

‘Did I reveal too much?’

As Flavin’s mind grew turbulent, a voice reached his ears.

“Why is the Sinten Merchant Guild gathering supplies? They look exactly like the materials used for soldiers during wartime.”

Flavin felt his heart drop in that instant.

He had been secretly gathering war supplies at the behest of the Southern Alchemy Tower, which he was connected to.
Of course, when providing information to that man from the Sun God Church, he had omitted this part and only shared their movements.
That way, he could hold both strings—the Southern Alchemy Tower and the Sun God Church.
And he had been confident this wouldn’t be discovered. He had gathered the supplies with such secrecy.

“…How did you…?”

But how could he have known that?
Flavin saw a gentle smile directed at me, paired with cold eyes.

“You’re so busy running around, pulling strings in every direction. People like you always die first.”

My breath caught in my throat.
Flavin’s gaze instinctively dropped to the ground before the eyes of someone who seemed to know everything.
Kale Heniatus regarded Flavin with an even more composed gaze.

“Our side discovered evidence that your merchant guild was gathering war supplies.”

Fear became visible across Flavin’s face.
As if understanding his plight, a gentle voice descended upon his bowed head.

“I understand. You don’t want to let go of us, and you don’t want to let go of the Alchemy Tower either. You couldn’t know who would win.”

But Flavin had no choice but to lift his head urgently at the words that followed.

“But why are you trying to rescue slaves? Wasn’t it because you needed dead mana?”

All expression vanished from Flavin’s face.
The expression that had been filled with fear and tension became blank instead, while his eyes trembled so violently they seemed unable to find their bearings.

‘…He saw even that?’

The Alchemy Tower did not merely demand supplies and funds from Flavin.
Slaves.
It urgently requested that he procure individuals capable of generating dead mana once more.

However, this was tantamount to completely severing ties with the Sun God Church. No matter how corrupt the Sun God Church had become, its fundamental nature would not disappear.
Moreover, the very pretext by which the Sun God Church had reasserted its grip over Mogur was the eradication of black magic.

“This looks like nothing more than death-seeking madness.”

Yes. From the Sun God Church’s perspective, this was indeed death-seeking madness.
Had it remained hidden, perhaps it would have been different—but now that it was exposed, it was finished.

Damn it all.
Flavin could not fathom how circumstances had spiraled to this point.
How in the world had they discovered the war supplies and the preparations he had been making in secret?

Of course, I possessed all the means to know.
The beings who greeted me upon my arrival at the Crown Prince Palace in Mogur Capital. Those who had spoken to me as I held the spinning top.

‘Hey, Kale, didn’t people from that merchant guild you visited last time just get dragged away? To be made into slaves!’
‘Yeah! They said they needed dead mana!’

It was beyond overpowered—it was practically a cheat code.
I pondered as I listened to the Wind Spirit’s words.
If I simply remained still, the Wind Spirits would gather information for me of their own accord.

Of course, it was not omniscient.
The Wind Spirit could not cast teleportation magic.
Certainly, their movement was freer and faster than most other beings, but there were limits nonetheless—so I, who was in the Roan Kingdom, could not hear the words of the Wind Spirit within Mogur Capital.
Of course, that simply meant that the moment I arrived in Mogur Capital, the familiar Wind Spirits stationed there would bring me information.

“Flavin Sinten, Merchant Lord.”

The fear and tension that had vanished from Flavin’s face left it utterly blank. Yet his eyes alone burned with confusion and despair.

“However, we have decided to protect you.”

Flavin’s eyes widened.
His gaze turned toward the masked man—toward me, Kale.

“We have merely been observing what the Four-Directional Alchemy Towers are capable of all this time.”

Ah.
An exclamation escaped from Flavin’s lips.
Observing. Just observing, he said.
I found myself at a loss for words.

“But now it seems we must bring down those towers.”

And at those words that followed, I swallowed even the exclamation that was about to burst forth.

“Will you go to the Southern Alchemy Tower?”

Flavin hesitated for a moment. The man’s sudden question caught him off guard, leaving him momentarily uncertain.
Though it was a different topic from what they had been discussing, Flavin answered cautiously.

“…Normally, I would have to go. At least once.”
“I’m going too.”
“Pardon?”

This time, Flavin was genuinely startled, his gaze fixed upon the masked man before him.
He’s going there?
Does that mean war? But that doesn’t seem to be it?
To the bewildered Flavin, the man spoke with composure and ease. The corners of his mouth, curved in a faint smile, were radiant yet warm.

“The New Light wishes to see you.”

At those composed words, Flavin had to press his lips shut once more.
But it was somewhat different from before.

“The two weeks I mentioned last time. Now it’s about twelve days. At that time.”

The New Light. The Sun God Pope.
He wishes to see me.
In two weeks, as originally planned.

“Let’s settle everything by then and meet comfortably.”

Cleanup.
Flavin, understanding the weight of that word, parted his lips while concealing his racing heartbeat.

“…Is it possible?”

Is it possible to eliminate all the Alchemy Tower factions that will soon march upon the Capital within two weeks?
Flavin asked, and his counterpart answered immediately.

“Flavin, we know our enemy. But does the enemy know us well? They don’t even know of my existence.”

Flavin felt as though struck on the back of his head by an enormous hammer.

He was right.
Just as the masked man said, I seem to know the Alchemy Tower’s plans and roughly understand their strength.
But the Alchemy Tower doesn’t even know of this masked man’s existence standing right before me.

One who knows the enemy’s plans speaks of handling them effortlessly and lightly.
Was that arrogance?

‘No. He is not that sort of person.’

The Sun God Church had collapsed in the Empire.
Yet rather than pouring everything into rebuilding the Sun God Church, he was the one who had secretly made contact with me in the Caro Kingdom and conducted transactions.

He was not one to act carelessly.

“A clever man would understand.”
“…Once everything is finished, will I truly be able to meet the one who will become the New Light?”

Flavin saw a small token that the masked man extended toward him.

“This is!”

Flavin recognized this token.
It was a token that promised a meeting when the Former Pope had given him a ‘task’ to offer a bribe. This mark could only come from the Sun God Church, and it was said to be impossible to counterfeit.
Having seen it once before, he could feel all the more that this was genuine.
Flavin’s hand naturally reached toward the token.

“Not yet.”

However, the masked man quickly tucked the token back into his pocket.

“…Once everything is over, will that belong to me?”
“To whom else would it belong? You’ve shown the proof, haven’t you?”

I could see Flavin’s eyes burning with desire, as if I had never known fear.
He would never realize he was falling into the Fire Pit of his own accord.

This token was something Saint Jack had given me at my request. Of course, Saint Jack had added one more thing.

‘Young Master Kale, if it’s to be used in catching such wicked people, I can make as many tokens as you need.’

When everything was over, Flavin Sinten would be locked away in prison.

“Flavin Sinten, does the other side know that your loyal subordinates are assassins?”

The other side was naturally the Southern Alchemy Tower.

“Yes, they do. To enter that place, I must reveal all my personnel.”

Security at the Alchemy Tower was more critical than ever.
They thoroughly separated those on my side from those who were not, and meticulously investigated anyone even slightly suspicious.

“In fact, if I hide my subordinates and move them, they will grow suspicious. They’ll think I’m hiding something.”
“Then I’ll simply become your subordinate. Won’t that work?”

Flavin forced a natural smile and nodded.

“Yes, that’s right. I’ll do my best.”
“By the way, you seem to be someone who knows well how to survive.”

Flavin could not bring himself to answer.

This man was saying he would go to the Southern Alchemy Tower pretending to be his subordinate.

Flavin clenched his fists tightly.
From the moment he went to the Southern Alchemy Tower with this man, he would be inextricably bound to him. Because no matter what the reason, the Alchemy Tower would never let a traitor who brought a Sun God Church member live.

I, still wearing the mask, smiled toward the assassin subordinates standing behind Flavin. They avoided my gaze, and I turned back to Flavin and spoke.

“Oh, and the two behind me will be coming along as well.”
“I’ll have everything prepared.”

With those words, the conversation between Flavin and me came to an end.

* * *

The next day, I opened my eyes.
My vision, which had been tangled in the teleportation magic, gradually began to clear.

Whoosh!
As the brilliant light faded, what now filled my vision was the Blue Forest.

“Merchant Lord, it’s been a while since we last met.”
“Indeed. Good to see you.”

Flavin Sinten, who stood before me, descended from the teleportation circle, and I gave a brief reply to the courteous greeting of the one dressed in an alchemist’s robes.

“And the ones behind you?”
“My loyal subordinates. You know that, don’t you?”

Three figures in black masks and assassin’s garb stood behind Flavin.

“Yes, I do. Though it seems their physiques have changed somewhat.”

The alchemist’s eyes gleamed sharply beneath his obsequious smile.
Watching this, I couldn’t help but admire the alchemist’s meticulous attention to detail—even noting the changes in my subordinates’ builds. However, the Singten Merchant Lord was quite clever and an excellent actor.
Flavin Sinten spoke casually.

“Those who know too many secrets need to be replaced from time to time. Wouldn’t you agree?”

At that moment, the alchemist’s smile became genuine.

“As expected. That’s precisely why the Singten Merchant Lord commands such respect.”
“What can I say? That’s simply how I conduct my affairs.”
“Then allow me to guide you.”

The alchemist pointed toward one direction.
Beyond the forest, I could see a structure rising into view.

That was the Southern Alchemy Tower.

-Human! I’ve arrived too!

Raon, Ron, and Vicross stood beside him.

‘Bud.’

Before coming here, Kale Heniatus had instructed Bud, who was serving as the contact, while everyone was busy.

‘This battle consists of two kinds of warfare.’
‘What two kinds?’

To fight with overwhelming force.

‘Money and magic.’

He recalled the instructions he had given Bud.

‘When I give the signal, strike immediately.’
‘We attack first.’

Kale Heniatus heard the Alchemist’s voice.

“Follow me.”
“Very well.”

Flavin took the lead, and Kale Heniatus followed behind him as if escorting him.
The Southern Alchemy Tower.
We headed toward the first place to thoroughly dismantle.

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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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