Trash of the Count’s Family - Chapter 467

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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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Albert Crossman fixed his gaze upon Kale Heniatus, piercing through his deliberate avoidance.

-Your Highness, are we about to spark another war on the Western Continent?

I listened to Raon’s question, spoken in that endearing voice of his, while attempting to organize the tangled thoughts swirling through my mind. Yet the words that escaped my lips were simple.

“I’m going to lose my mind.”
“Mm.”

Kale pretended not to hear the Crown Prince’s remark. But his mind was equally turbulent.

Crown Prince Albert had assumed that Kale would simply humiliate the White Star in the Land of Death and secure the Caro Kingdom’s consent beforehand—which was why he had offered the golden token.

Naturally, Kale had thought the same at first.

‘Did I expect things to unfold like this?’

Yet the world refused to bend to Kale’s expectations.

The moment his conversation with Prince Valentino concluded smoothly, a violent tremor shook the earth, and both Kale and Valentino witnessed flames erupting from the Dubori Territory.
From that point onward, Kale found himself forced into a direct confrontation with the White Star in the Dubori Territory, contrary to his original plan, while Valentino had to lead the Knights Order and his forces into the territory.

Moreover, Prince Valentino drew in the armies of neighboring fiefdoms, surrounding the Dubori Territory with a massive force.
And upon entering the Dubori Territory, Valentino faced the White Star and his followers as they attacked the territory and its people.

‘…I suppose it did look like a declaration of war to Prince Valentino and the Caro Kingdom.’

In fact, judging by the events alone, it was indeed a declaration of war.

Originally, the White Star had planned to manipulate the lord through the Illusionist Elisne, pinning all blame on Kale. But that plan had failed, and naturally, the White Star incurred the wrath of the Dubori Lord’s elderly relative—a powerful figure in the Caro Kingdom—as well as Valentino’s fury.
However, that plan failed, and naturally White Star incurred the wrath of the Lord of Dubori’s elderly relative and a powerful figure in the Caro Kingdom. Moreover, he also earned Valentino’s anger.

“Little brother, why aren’t you saying anything?”

Kale stood at an angle with his arms crossed, and I offered him a faint smile. Albert was about to let out a helpless laugh at the sight when—

“Your Majesty.”

Choi Han interjected into their conversation.
Alberu greeted Choi Han.

“Our teacher—it’s been a few days since we last met?”
“…Please speak comfortably.”
“I am speaking comfortably, teacher?”

Choi Han and Kale’s eyes met.
Both men realized that Alberu was currently irritated by the complicated situation. Choi Han cleared his throat and addressed Alberu again.

“It seems Prince Valentino’s documents, which he sent throughout the Western Continent, have revealed most of the White Star’s misdeeds?”
“That’s right. Whether he was in a great hurry, angry, or simply overflowing with a sense of justice—he wrote down essentially everything the White Star has done.”

Until now, except for those closely involved, rumors about the White Star had been spreading vaguely throughout the Western Continent.

The rumors about the White Star, described as quite an evil entity, were now officially confirmed when Valentino sent official documents to all the powers of the Western Continent.

Choi Han opened his mouth.

“Then it makes sense that chaos has erupted in other kingdoms as well.”
“It does. Wouldn’t you be frightened?”

The White Star’s actions, now clearly defined as fact rather than vague rumors, sparked fear, anger, and tension among the kingdoms.

The force behind the Indomitable Alliance in the Northern Western Continent. And the black magic that had thrown the Mogur Empire into chaos.
It was the origin of all the turmoil that had thrown the Western Continent, which had been peaceful without major wars for some time, into disorder.

“So it seems everyone is contacting Roan.”
“Since the Roan Kingdom was at the forefront when dealing with the Indomitable Alliance, they probably want to unite around our Roan again this time.”

Because of this, Alberu had to conduct meetings late into the night.

While these contacts meant that the Roan Kingdom had become a great power, if handled poorly, the kingdom could be swept up in the atmosphere and forced to take on a disadvantageous role.

“Anyway, what happened to the White Star?”

Alberu plopped down onto the empty space on the bench where Kale was sitting and asked Choi Han. Then he unfolded an object wrapped in a handkerchief from his bosom and placed it on his lap.

—Wow! Crown Prince, thank you!
Meow meow meow!
Meow!

I had grabbed whatever cookies I could find on the way to the garden.
The sound of nine-year-olds eating cookies echoed through the space, and after observing them for a moment, Choi Han spoke.

“The White Star is currently rampaging in the Land of Death.”
“Rampaging?”
“Yes. He is raging madly.”
“…Why?”

Choi Han looked at Kale Heniatus, and Alberu naturally found himself looking at Kale as well. Kale flashed a grin—an infuriatingly smug smile—and Alberu immediately nodded.

“So you stabbed him in the back, did you?”
“Back of the head, front of the head. I hit him in both places.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”

Alberu, witnessing Kale speak with such uncharacteristic excitement and cheerfulness, watched as he prepared to say more.
Kale spoke with unbridled enthusiasm.

“First, I severed his right arm—the Bear Tribe King’s arm. And then I cut off the White Star’s left arm too. Heh, and I completely destroyed both of his secret bases, kekeke.”

Kale had clearly seen it.
The corners of this ill-tempered Crown Prince Alberu’s mouth twitching upward.
Each time he mentioned a detail of the backstabbing, the corners twitched once more, rising higher and higher.

At that moment, Choi Han quietly asked Alberu.

“What do you intend to do going forward?”
“I’m not sure.”

Alberu felt a headache coming on.

Until now, he had been spreading vague rumors about the White Star together with Clophe Seka of the Northern Paern Kingdom.
This was to gather as many allies as possible when the time came to fight the White Star.

But that was not about fighting immediately; he had hoped for a war to unfold once a certain level of preparation had been achieved.

“Because of the Caro Kingdom situation, all the other kingdoms are excited right now. And realistically, there isn’t a single place on the Western Continent that hasn’t been backstabbed or damaged by the White Star, is there?”

Just as he said, the Northern Kingdoms, the Jungle Kingdom, Wipper, Breck, Roan, Mogur, and Caro—all of them had been backstabbed or suffered damage.

Of course, there were city-states, free cities, and duchies scattered across the Western Continent that hadn’t suffered direct damage, but they too had incurred indirect losses from the war and were expressing strong agreement with the actions of the major kingdoms.

“Everyone’s so excited that they’re ready to fight right now? But if we fight immediately, the casualties will be enormous.”

This was the reason Alberu’s head was pounding.

The White Star’s power and his subordinates were not a force that could be easily defeated by ordinary military strength.
Alberu wanted to minimize casualties. That’s why, rather than acting on excitement, he wanted to prepare methodically based on cold calculation, then collapse the White Star’s forces all at once.

But with the Caro Kingdom already in that state, methodical preparation had become impossible.

Of course, the Roan Kingdom could step back and enter the battlefield fully prepared, but now Roan had established itself as a powerhouse or leader among the Western Continent kingdoms.
I couldn’t let that slip away.

My thoughts were inevitably becoming complicated from every angle.

“Your Highness.”

Then, I saw Kale Heniatus grinning quite cunningly.
For some reason, my mood worsened and my expression twisted again.

“Call me Your Highness, won’t you?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“…Why?”

I could see Kale Heniatus displaying a radiant smile at my question.

“You’re not afraid of losing to the White Star, but rather afraid of suffering great casualties, aren’t you?”
“…Yes.”

The White Star’s military strength that I heard from Kale Heniatus was formidable, but there were many powerful individuals on the Western Continent as well.
We could win if we fought.
The only fear is how we would win.

Why did the Ancient Age end after the final war?

Had the Ancient White Star and the mighty clashed, they would have left only mutual annihilation in their wake.
Should that have come to pass, the world would have needed to embrace a new era, if only for the sake of reconstruction.

“Your Highness, there is a solution.”

Alberu met the steady gaze of Kale Heniatus as he spoke of having an answer before him.

“What is it?”

Kale was not one to speak carelessly in moments like this.
Alberu waited with cautious hope for the solution he would reveal. Soon, Kale delivered his answer with measured calm.

“We expand the board.”

Hm?
Did I just hear nonsense?
Alberu thought he had misheard.

“We expand the board even further.”

But he had not.

“…What did you say?”
“We escalate matters. The Eastern Continent is in chaos right now.”
“…What chaos are you talking about?”

Why was the Eastern Continent suddenly being brought into this?

“Surely you don’t mean… expanding the board includes drawing in the Eastern Continent?”

Kale flashed a grin and gestured toward someone.
That person quickly stepped forward before Alberu and offered a refined bow.

“We met before, did we not? I am Burd Illis, Your Highness.”

The Mercenary King, who had been crouching alone in the corner, suddenly interjected. As Alberu opened his mouth to respond, the Mercenary King did not give him the chance and spoke first.

“We attacked the White Star’s secret base of Arm on the Eastern Continent today. Furthermore, Kale Heniatus has uncovered a crucial piece of information.”

Alberu paused momentarily at the mention of the attack on the Secret Base, then fixed his gaze upon Kale at the revelation of critical intelligence.
Kale’s lips parted to speak.

“Among the White Star’s subordinates, there is an Illusionist.”
“And?”
“That individual manipulated the Lord of Dubori by casting illusions upon him. The nobles and royalty of the Caro Kingdom will harbor immense fury toward this Illusionist.”

For nobles who prided themselves on dignity, the revelation that they had been manipulated would kindle a rage of extraordinary magnitude.

“However, this Illusionist hails from the Eastern Continent.”

A flicker of intrigue danced across Alberu’s eyes. Kale did not speak carelessly.
Then…

“…Which power on the Eastern Continent?”
“Elysnet I, the ruler of the Molden Kingdom, counted among the great powers of the Eastern Continent.”
“Ha!”

Alberu’s eyes gleamed with brilliant intensity.

“If we handle this correctly, we could expand the board to truly magnificent proportions.”

A subordinate—or perhaps an ally—of the White Star was the very head of a kingdom.
Alberu was astounded by this revelation. It was equivalent to the Mogur Empire itself.
Then Kale’s lips opened once more.

“The Eastern Continent is rife with great powers locked in bitter rivalry with one another. The Dark has long been a thorn in their sides. But if there exists a king who stands alongside the Dark and belongs to an organization wielding black magic, how do you suppose the other Eastern Continent kingdoms and factions will respond?”

He gestured toward Bud once more for Alberu’s benefit.

“And the faction that poured the most military force into attacking that Dark Secret Base was the Mercenary King.”

Albert Crossman, the future king of the Roan Kingdom on the Western Continent, and Mercenary King Burd Illis, the master of the colossal Mercenary Guild on the Eastern Continent.
The two extended their hands toward one another and clasped them firmly.
Bud’s lips curved into speech.

“Until now, only the Mercenary Guild on the Eastern Continent has known of the White Star’s very existence behind the Dark. But from this moment forward, we shall make it known.”
“Excellent.”
“We shall expand the board to truly magnificent proportions.”

Alberu’s mind raced with calculations.

The Eastern Continent, the Western Continent.
If they moved simultaneously to drive out the White Star’s forces from both locations, even someone as powerful as the White Star would not be able to withstand it.

Kale Heniatus grinned and spoke.

“Your Highness. The White Star—we’ll just overwhelm him with sheer numbers.”

A radiant smile began to bloom at the corners of Alberu’s lips.

“Call me brother.”
“Yes, brother.”

Though the days ahead would be busy, Alberu felt his heart lighten now that a way to minimize casualties had emerged. With this relief, he asked Kale with a benevolent expression.

“But why has my youngest brother, who should be in the Land of Death, come here? Do you need something? Should I give you a golden badge?”

Kale answered with a composed smile.

“I came to inform you of one matter, just in case of unforeseen circumstances.”
“What is it? Speak freely.”
“Yes.”

Kale nodded and spoke without reservation.

“The White Star might come to the Roan Kingdom later. Through the Northeast Region.”
“…What did you just say?”
“You said the White Star is searching for a certain power, didn’t you? I’ve obtained it this time. According to my plan, the White Star shouldn’t have any reason to come to Roan at all, but after what happened in the Caro Kingdom last time, I realized things don’t always go exactly as I envision them.”

Kale spoke with genuine ease of mind.
It was a scenario with almost no possibility of occurring, but he was mentioning it just in case.

“So I came to tell you to prepare your defenses just in case. But don’t worry. If it seems like the White Star might come to Roan, my companions and I will chase after him immediately and drive him out.”
“…You’re insane.”
“Yes?”
“…I understand. Just go, go.”
“Yes. I’ll leave now.”

Alberu regarded Kale with an expression of inner turmoil. Yet as he watched him step onto Raon’s teleportation circle, he sighed and spoke.

“Kale Heniatus.”
“Yes.”

Alberu stared intently at Kale, whose appearance was disheveled, before opening his mouth.

“Do not overexert yourself. The Roan Kingdom is likely the most prepared nation on the Western Continent to face the White Star.”

Since learning of the White Star’s existence, Alberu had been consumed with worry that the people of the Roan Kingdom would suffer harm if the White Star invaded. Thus, he had maintained constant vigilance and made preparations—though victory might be impossible, he had at least secured the minimum time needed to endure without casualties.
Alberu offered Kale, who was gazing at him, a reassuring smile.

“Try not to get hurt. You are my brother.”

And Kale was also a citizen of the Roan Kingdom.
Not only Kale, but most of the companions before him were citizens of the Roan Kingdom.

“Since you are all citizens of the Roan Kingdom, come to the kingdom if things become difficult.”

Alberu was a man who bore the duty to protect these people of his kingdom.

“Do not take any reckless actions that would cost you your life.”

With those words, Alberu watched as a brilliant light enveloped the group and they vanished in a teleportation.

-Do not worry, Crown Prince! We will return safely!

He turned his body, recalling the cheerful voices of his companions who had been smiling just before the teleportation and Raon’s spirited tone.
Soon his footsteps led him unhesitatingly toward the conference chamber. There was much work to be done.

* * *

Kale slowly opened his eyes in a new place as the teleportation light faded.
Raon’s voice echoed in his mind.

-Human! Let’s prevent the White Star from reaching Roan! We can’t let our home and the Crown Prince’s residence be destroyed!

Of course.
Kale had only gone to warn the Crown Prince and deliver his message—he had never entertained the slightest thought of allowing the White Star to set foot in Roan.

“Tasha, Merry.”
“Young Master!”
“You’ve arrived?”

And so Kale Heniatus returned to the Land of Death.
He lifted his gaze upward, taking in the vast emptiness of the underground city’s ceiling.

“Young Master, one hour remains!”

Just as the Dark Elf Tasha had declared upon seeing him, one hour was all that remained.

The Land of Death.
A black desert where dead mana smoke rose for several days only a handful of times each year.

One hour remained until the dead mana smoke would rise from that desolate expanse.

Kale Heniatus clutched the badge bearing the golden turtle in his hand.
Uuuuung.
The badge trembled silently in response to the resonance of the sealed, blood-soaked stone.

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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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