Trash of the Count’s Family - Chapter 41

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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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Concealing the chill and tremor within, I asked Ron with a casual toss of my words.

“And?”

Ron’s tone was as usual—blunt and utterly disrespectful, the manner of our insolent young master. I nearly let slip a benevolent smile without thinking, but I suppressed it and spoke instead.

“So I’m going out to kill people.”
“You’re leaving your son behind?”
“Yes.”
“Is a fox a person?”

I could discern what the assassin Ron’s smile looked like. The corners of his mouth twisted upward in an unsettling way. It was the kind of face that made you wish you weren’t looking at it. Ron answered in quite a pleasant tone.

“Indeed. I must go slaughter a pack of foxes.”

But his voice was low.

“Shred them to pieces.”

Either Ron’s own body would be shredded to pieces, or theirs would be. One or the other was certain.

I felt a chill run down my spine at the word “shred.” And I deliberated.

Ron could see me silent for a long while. Our insolent young master, sighing several times and rubbing his face, finally spoke.

“…Go and come back.”

The smile vanished from Ron’s lips. I lay down on the bed in the clothes I had prepared for sleep and continued.

“I’ll have Hans process your leave of absence, so report to me periodically. You can collect your pay from the Flynn Merchant Guild using your identification badge. And why are you asking Vicross, a reckless fool like me? You’re an adult—live your own life as you see fit.”

I decided to think of it simply. For now, Choi Han’s group doesn’t need Ron. Since Rak can now enter his berserk state, the martial prowess of Vicross or Ron was expendable.
But for Choi Han, and above all for the peaceful Northeast Rowan Kingdom, I would need Ron a year from now.

“However, your leave of absence is for one year.”

I rested my head against the pillow as I spoke.

“Safe travels.”

I have something for you to do in a year.

“Don’t come back injured.”

With the thought of a year of blissful sleep ahead, I stretched my legs comfortably and watched Ron. Then I flinched.
The old man was laughing silently, his shoulders trembling. At that sinister sight, my body shrank beneath the blankets.

‘What is this.’

My expression hardened.
Without acknowledging me, Ron let his laughter escape silently.

‘I thought that brat was a bastard, but here I am, Ron Molan, becoming the bastard.’

Like a dog—like a dog gazing upon his master. Ron answered while thinking of the dog-like situation.

“Young master, would reporting once a month suffice?”
“Yeah, do as you please.”

Ron opened the door without a sound, befitting an assassin, and stepped outside. Before closing the door again, he spoke to me.

“Then I shall take my leave.”

Ron closed the door without waiting for my response. Relieved by his departure, I drifted into an early evening sleep.

* * *

And dawn arrived. Six people stood before me—those I had summoned directly and those gathered through Choi Han.
I spoke while looking at Rosalind.

“Rosalind, the brown hair suits you well.”

Rosalind didn’t know the details of today’s task. She had simply agreed to help upon hearing the words “magic bomb” and understanding its gravity. I had also promised her compensation.

“Doesn’t it? It feels easier to rampage freely like this.”

Rosalind, her hair and eyes dyed brown, stood beside On and Hong.

“Rak, you can use a werewolf’s physical abilities without entering a berserk state, correct?”
“Yes, I can.”

Rak stood with visible tension, flanked by the Black Dragon and Choi Han. I divided them into two teams. Since I’d already had Choi Han bury the black orb in the Plaza, each team would handle two of the four bombs.

“Rosalind and Rak—one team. Choi Han, the Dragon, On, and Hong—the other.”

Rosalind, who had been listening quietly, voiced her question. Rak’s face mirrored the same confusion.

“What about you, Prince Kale?”

Choi Han, the Black Dragon, On, and Hong answered in turn.

“The Prince’s physical abilities are… somewhat.”
“Weak.”
“Not needed.”
“Useless.”

Rosalind let out a sigh, her gaze settling on me. Rak looked considerably taken aback. But I handed the items I’d borrowed from Bilos to Choi Han and spoke with confidence.

“I’m weak, so I’d only be a burden. Besides, once the sun rises, I need to prepare for the ceremony, so it will be difficult for me to join you.”

They would slip into the bomb locations during the narrow window between night and dawn, right before the Capital Guard’s night patrol shifted to the Royal Knight Order. After that, until the black orb activated and mana disruption occurred, they would wait at their designated positions and monitor both the Secret Organization’s movements and the situation in the Plaza.

The birthday celebration speech would begin at nine in the morning.
I checked my watch and addressed the six of them.

“Now, go to work.”

And I added:

“Bring back the disarmed magical bombs.”

At those words, Rosalind chuckled and spoke to me.

“You remember you’re giving me one, right?”
“Of course.”
“That should cover my wages.”

They had done enough. Kale pushed open the terrace window of his room—now serving less as a terrace and more as an exit to the outside. Cool night air flooded the chamber, and in that same moment, six figures swiftly departed through the terrace window into the darkness.

Some rendered invisible, others moving at breathtaking speed. Watching them vanish, Kale closed the terrace window and felt anew just how formidable they truly were.
The room, now empty and silent.

Whoooosh—

I slowly caressed the enormous shield and silver wings that materialized before me. Even if variables arose, with this I would never face death.

“…I’ll have to use it sparingly.”

I tapped the shield—now even more sacred with a heart engraved upon it—and resolved that should the need arise, I would use it as discreetly as possible, hidden from others’ eyes.
I settled onto the sofa and practiced using the shield at reduced power, when suddenly I caught sight of my own reflection in the mirror.

‘This should be fine.’

A mage obsessed with blood. He was mad for the color red, they said. So after the Blue Werewolf Tribe incident, upon seeing Rosalind, he had spoken of wanting to cut her hair and keep it—those brilliant red locks and crimson eyes.
I brushed back my own hair, far more vivid in its crimson hue than Rosalind’s, and pondered.

‘Will I ever face him up close?’

Even if I did, I could simply have Choi Han kill him. With that reassuring thought, I waited for Ron to come wake me, and when he arrived at the appointed time, I told him:

“Today will be your last time attending to me.”
“Then I shall serve you again after a year, sir.”

What a dreadful thing to say. In a year, I would simply send him off to Choi Han. Either way, I spoke with a light heart, pleased at the thought of disposing of two burdensome individuals today.

“Let’s prepare.”

With all preparations complete, I headed toward the Royal Palace. The young nobles participating were all scheduled to depart together. And the Black Dragon would be coming to the Royal Palace to deliver an interim report.
Once everything was ready, I boarded a carriage at the front gate of the mansion. Today it was not the Heniatus Count Family’s carriage. I would be riding with someone else’s.

“Why did you suggest we travel together?”

As I climbed into the carriage, Amir greeted my question with her characteristic serene smile. It was Amir who had first contacted me about traveling together today.
The moment she boarded, she dispensed with pleasantries and went straight to business, matching my directness with her own.

“Young master, what would you think of establishing a naval base in our territory?”

Kale’s lips curved upward.

‘You’ve endured quite a lot as well. It hasn’t gone smoothly.’

He had already received a letter from Eric stating that the tourism investment project had not yielded favorable results. He’d heard that both Gilbert and Amir were quite disappointed by this, yet Amir didn’t seem as disappointed as he’d expected. Rather, she appeared to have made a significant decision.
He spoke to Amir.

“Haven’t you already reached your conclusion, Miss Amir?”

Amir nodded slightly.

“Yes, I felt I couldn’t decide alone, so I contacted my mother, the family head. I also wish to discuss this matter with Prince Gilbert today.”

The establishment of a new military base was no simple matter. More often than not, the difficulties stemmed not from cost but from the conflicting interests between regions. Especially in times of peace.
That was likely why the Royal Court had set its sights on the Northeast Region. It was the only area to the east with access to the sea, and more importantly, the balance of power there was relatively equal. It would be awkward for noble families from other regions to exert influence there.

“Then your concern, Miss Amir, is that the Royal Court’s power might grow too strong within your territory?”
“Yes.”

Amir answered decisively and spoke to Kale.

“That is why I requested this meeting today.”

She had something to say. Kale leaned back against his chair, settling into a posture as comfortable as if he were in his own carriage, and asked Amir.

“I’m curious what you have to say, Miss Amir, but there is one thing I must tell you.”

He thought he understood why she had come.

“The Heniatus Count Family’s finances are decided solely through my father, the Count. I, a mere scoundrel, have no decision-making authority whatsoever.”

The Royal Court would grant permission for the naval base construction and invest enormous sums of money. Once that happened, control over the naval base would naturally shift to the Royal Court.
When the Royal Court and nobility jointly cultivated military forces in a territory not directly controlled by the Crown, numerous detailed contracts were exchanged regarding authority and practical control.
The difference in manpower and resources required was vastly greater than the simple tourism investment project involving coastal cliffs and the sea.

Frankly speaking, Amir and Gilbert’s territories were merely average fiefdoms, lacking both the resources and manpower to prevent such a disparity.
Amir would want to prevent this. If that were the case, there was only one method.

Borrow money from someone wealthy.

“Is that truly the case?”

Amir’s smile carried an intellectual edge. After Kale departed, she had entered the Crown Prince’s chambers with Eric and Gilbert following the wine reception.
At that moment, she had discerned that while the Crown Prince showed reluctance toward sightseeing, he harbored genuine interest in the Northeast Coastal Area. Upon returning to her mansion that day, Amir had contemplated Kale’s words and grasped their significance.

“His Highness the Crown Prince was wary of the Wipper Kingdom and the northern kingdoms. I sensed it sufficiently in our conversation. So I commissioned the Information Guild to investigate.”

As expected. Kale understood from Amir’s words that the Crown Prince and the Royal Court had detected the stirrings of the impending civil war within the Wipper Kingdom, and that the northern knights were amassing their forces.

‘Unexpected.’

Moreover, Amir’s initiative proved surprisingly competent. Given that her fiefdom currently relied heavily upon Eric’s Wheelsman Family, her territory’s circumstances were far from prosperous. Obtaining intelligence on foreign nations from the Information Guild would demand considerable expense, yet her decisiveness in investing such funds for a single conviction was quite admirable.

Amir continued speaking as she observed Kale listening in silence.

“I hear the Heniatus Count Family is currently reinforcing their City Wall. Since it is a territory that has always permitted no intrusions from any threat, I believe they would have considerable interest in military strength.”

Kale nodded at her words and replied.

“I shall speak with my father about this.”
“We shall also send official correspondence separately from our side.”

Kale and Amir exchanged smiles.
Should this naval base be established, dominion over the Northeast Region would fall to the four families—Kale, Eric, and their allies. And if the Heniatus Count Family provided the funds to construct the military base, thereby establishing realistic control, the Heniatus Count Family would gain not merely military might, but also political and economic advantages related to maritime affairs.

Amir hesitated briefly before continuing.

“Truth be told, I harbor some concern due to the whirlpool, but there are established sea routes formed over long years, and should foreign powers attempt invasion, it would become an advantage. So I intend to proceed.”

Whirlpool. At those words, Kale suppressed the smile forming at the corners of his mouth.
That whirlpool would soon move freely within my grasp.

‘Perhaps it would not be amiss to build a house on the coastal cliffs and enjoy my twilight years.’

Once I transfer my fiefdom to Basen, remaining within it would prove difficult. During wartime, I could hide away in some corner, and after the war ends, I could go to Amir’s or Gilbert’s fiefdom, construct a mansion, and live gazing upon the sea. The location would be conveniently close to the Heniatus Count Family as well.

“Young Master Kale, I rely upon you.”
“Haha, entrusting a reckless fool with such matters? I possess no power whatsoever. I merely convey words.”

Kale waved his hand dismissively with a smile. Amir no longer believed a word of it.

‘Amir, if you lack power, you must be cautious. But if you wish to gain power, you must be bold.’

My mother, the head of the household, had spoken those words while approving the naval base. I resembled her in that regard. That was why I strived to be both cautious and bold. It was how I conducted myself with others.

“Simply conveying that message is enough.”

As Amir extended her hand, Kale grasped it in a handshake. She released it lightly and added,

“Do visit the Ubar Territory sometime. There’s actually quite a lot to see.”
“If the opportunity arises, I shall.”

The sound of wind.
A power that would become Kale’s swift feet, and simultaneously serve as a whirlwind both defensive and offensive in nature. Kale envisioned the waters before the Ubar Territory where such power would prove invaluable.

“I do hope that opportunity comes soon.”

With those words, the carriage arrived before the Royal Palace. Kale descended from the carriage and surveyed his surroundings.
Current time: 8 o’clock.

At the Plaza of Glory in the Capital, personnel for this celebration event would have been gathering for the past hour. From 8:30, the Royal Knight Order would control access, and the plaza would fill with crowds.
A time when no one could easily slip away, nor easily enter. The celebration would commence thirty minutes after that hour. From 8:30, when the knights sealed off entry, Kale would begin his search for hidden objects.

Necklaces, bags, pendants.
Magical bombs concealed in various forms. The people carrying those bombs. Kale’s group would find them. Well, even if they didn’t, it hardly mattered. The truth would reveal itself regardless.

“Oh, you’re here?”

Kale received greetings from Eric and Gilbert, standing beside them alongside Amir.

“You all arrived early.”
“Right. We move starting at 8:05.”

Eric spoke thus, his eyes conveying a message to Kale.
Quietly, stay quiet today as well.
Seeing that gaze, Kale nodded. And he reminded himself internally,
I know nothing.

The moment he reflected on this, Crown Prince Albert appeared before Kale’s eyes. Today, the young nobles would follow in the Crown Prince’s wake.
And seeing the figure who appeared beside the Crown Prince, Kale covered his mouth slightly with his hand. His lips had curved upward.

“My goodness.”
“How is such a thing possible?”

Eric’s exclamation and the gasps of young nobles erupting from all corners reached his ears. Yet Kale paid no mind to their words, his gaze fixed forward as he lowered his hand. With his expression returning to one of leisure, Kale’s eyes met those of the person beside the Crown Prince.

The abandoned eldest son, Taylor Sten.
He stood on two feet beside Crown Prince Albert. Taylor gave Kale a subtle wink as their eyes met.

And simultaneously, Kale heard the Black Dragon’s voice in his mind. The Black Dragon had come to the Royal Palace to deliver a progress report.
The Black Dragon would report and leave immediately.

-I’m here.

As Kale gave a slight nod, the voice continued.

-All the magical bombs hidden in the venue are being disarmed. I’ll have them all deactivated by 8:55.

Everything seemed to be proceeding smoothly.

-Then I’m off since I’m busy, weak human. If you’re in pain, use the shield.

After that, the Black Dragon’s voice fell silent. It seemed to have hurried away once more. The Black Dragon was the sort to diligently handle assigned tasks, making one want to keep employing it.

‘A shield? There won’t be any need for it.’

Kale believed that if things proceeded as they were, there would be no occasion to use the shield.

“All preparations for departure are complete.”

As a knight called out, the Crown Prince boarded the ceremonial carriage and addressed the young nobles boarding the Royal Court’s unmarked carriage.

“Let us depart.”

Kale also boarded the Royal Court’s carriage. The carriage soon set off, and Kale crossed his arms with a disgruntled expression.

“It is a pleasure to see you all again after the banquet last time.”

Amir Ubar, no longer in his wheelchair, greeted them with practiced courtesy.

“A pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Amir Ubar.”
“…The pleasure is mine.”

Amir Ubar’s daughter and Benion’s subordinate, Neo Tolls, found themselves sharing the same carriage. Was this peculiar arrangement also the Crown Prince’s doing?
Kale’s turn for pleasantries had arrived, yet he clamped his mouth shut and turned his gaze toward the window instead. A scoundrel of my caliber was permitted such discourtesies. I fixed my attention on the approaching Plaza of Glory, arms folded across my chest.

Chaos was not far away.

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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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