Trash of the Count’s Family - Chapter 470

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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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Raon approached Kale’s side as he moved forward to meet the White Star.

“Human! But I have one concern!”
“What is it?”

Kale answered curtly, and the Dragon Hybrid glanced at Raon’s chubby cheeks as he expressed his worry.

“According to my brilliant thinking, we must fight to deal with the White Star!”

Kale paused before opening his mouth.

“…Skip the word ‘deal with,’ would you?”
“Understood! If we slit his throat—!”
“Not that.”
“Kill him!”
“Mm.”
“Anyway, finish him!”
“That’s better, at least.”

Kale found himself thinking he ought to seek advice from someone else regarding vocabulary befitting an average nine-year-old.

‘Ron? Erhafen? No, not them.’

Those two were best avoided.
One wrong move and they’d be shoving lemons in his face or calling some stranger they’d just met a “cheeky brat.” Kale decided he’d need to visit Countess Viollan when he returned to his territory next time.
In the meantime, Raon opened his mouth.

“Good! Anyway, human. To finish the White Star, we must fight in the Underground Cavern!”
“Right?”

Raon stared at Kale, who answered so calmly, as if something was strange. The Young Dragon was serious.

“Human, listen carefully.”
“Okay.”

Kale, who had found the journey to meet the White Star dull due to its quietness, readily nodded at Raon’s words.
Both Raon and the Dragon Hybrid stared at Kale’s composure in this urgent situation with expressions of bewilderment.

“Human! This Underground Cavern has extremely weak foundations! The ceiling is even weaker! So if we end up fighting the White Star here, this Underground Cavern will collapse!”

Even excluding Choi Han, who primarily wielded a sword, and Bud, Kale, Raon, and Merry all wielded considerable destructive power with broad areas of effect.
The White Star was no different, and when such forces clashed, they would inevitably impact this Underground Cavern.

“And if we fail to kill the White Star, the bombs that kind Tasha planted will detonate and bring down this Underground Cavern!”
“That’s our plan, isn’t it?”
“Exactly!”

Originally, if we couldn’t kill the White Star, we’d collapse the Underground Cavern with explosives.

“So that’s what bothers me!”

Raon couldn’t reconcile himself with this plan.

“Human, I understand collapsing the Underground Cavern with bombs well enough! But what if it collapses while we’re fighting?”

The moment the Underground Cavern collapses during battle.
The moment that seemingly solid yet fragile foundation crumbles, and the ceiling of the Underground Cavern comes crashing down.

“The dead mana smoke from the desert above will seep into the Underground Cavern in an instant! And then we might end up inhaling the dead mana!”

If we were using Tasha’s bombs, Raon could teleport everyone away while detonating them. Then the probability of the group being exposed to dead mana smoke would be nearly zero.
But if the Underground Cavern collapsed from the impact of an intense battle, the situation would become dire. The probability of inhaling dead mana would increase significantly.

The Dragon Hybrid, who had been silent, finally spoke.

“I heard that this time you witnessed the White Star properly wielding fire attribute Ancient Powers. And I also heard that one of the White Star’s arms is currently severed, leaving him in an abnormal state.”

Currently, the White Star had expended considerable Ancient Powers and his body was not in normal condition.

“However, you still haven’t seen him fight with true resolve.”
“That’s right, human! We haven’t even experienced the wood attribute Ancient Powers the White Star possesses!”

Raon tapped his plump front paw against his chest in frustration as he looked at the composed Kale. The reason was simple.

‘The human won’t let us get hurt!’

Kale couldn’t possibly have failed to consider everything Raon had just said. Moreover, Kale despised situations where his companions got injured. He would rather suggest retreating first and aiming for a surprise attack later. So Raon couldn’t understand Kale’s current actions.

A soft chuckle escaped Kale’s lips.
He opened his mouth as he observed Raon and the Dragon Hybrid, both staring at him with identical expressions of confusion.

“The White Star willingly sacrificed one of his arms to save the Bear King.”

Until now, the White Star had discarded countless subordinates. Yet I witnessed him moving to save one of his own.

“This time, he entered this Underground Cavern together with the Bear King he went to such lengths to preserve.”

Kale fell silent for a moment after speaking that far. Then he gazed quietly ahead.
The incomplete Underground City. Its desolate and hollow landscape came into view. After staring at it for some time, he turned his head to look at Raon and the Dragon Hybrid.
Their eyes still brimmed with questions.

“Curious about what I’m thinking?”

He posed the question with a laugh.

* * *

“Huh! There’s a place like this underground? My lord, isn’t it fascinating?”

Bear King Sayehr marveled at the sight of the vast Underground City.
As they descended through the enormous underground passage, a colossal city unfurled before the White Star’s entourage. Of course, it was no ordinary city.

First, the city existed underground.

“It’s desolate.”

The city was crumbling in places and utterly vacant. Buildings that could not be distinguished as either unfinished or collapsed occupied the urban landscape.
However, the roads were remarkably well-planned, broad and stretching straight ahead. Withered, gnarled trees were also visible in various locations.

“It’s like a city abandoned long, long ago.”

The desolate Underground City emanated no trace of human presence whatsoever.
He took a step forward and turned his head. The White Star came into view.

Currently, everyone except him and the White Star waited near the Entrance Passage. Only Sayehr had received permission from the White Star to move freely.
The others could not take a single step.

“…I don’t sense any human presence here. No traces either.”

Sayehr surveyed his surroundings with a calculating gaze. The abandoned city bore no signs of anyone passing through—no presence, no footprints, nothing.

‘Which only increases the likelihood that Kale Heniatus came here.’

In fact, the very absence of traces only deepened Sayehr’s conviction that Kale Heniatus had visited this place. Few possessed the skill to erase their presence so completely.
Sayehr extended his hand.

Crackle.
As his fingers brushed against the building’s wall, small fragments crumbled and cascaded downward.

“This place is incredibly ancient.”

The city’s overall state of decay was profound. It resembled ancient ruins that had stood for at least centuries—perhaps millennia.

‘A place where the White Star might find the Ancient Powers they seek at last.’

Anticipation surged through Sayehr’s chest, and his lips curved upward into a smile.

“No.”

That was when Sayehr turned his attention toward the White Star’s voice.

Crumble—
Stone dust scattered from the White Star’s hand, fragments of debris that had fallen from the building.
The moment Sayehr met the White Star’s gaze, his shoulders trembled involuntarily.

‘Dangerous.’

The White Star’s eyes blazed with barely contained fury. Yet his voice remained eerily calm.

“This space was created not long ago.”
“Here? That can’t possibly be—”

Sayehr began to protest but fell silent, his words trailing away.
He watched as the White Star touched a withered tree, and smoke coiled from his fingertips, wrapping around the dead wood.

“A tree that died less than a week ago.”

Sayehr exhaled a sigh at the White Star’s words. The White Star could not have been wrong, which meant the tree had truly died less than a week ago.

“…But there’s no water here?”

Trees required at minimum soil, sunlight, and water to grow.
Though this Underground City possessed a broken drainage system, there was no trace of water ever flowing through it.

‘But if the tree grew, that means water flowed. Yet all that water dried up in just a week?’

That was impossible.
Then there was only one answer.

“Did someone transplant a dead tree from somewhere else?”
“Yes.”

The White Star’s voice answering Sayehr’s question was calm. The White Star surveyed the surroundings.

“Based on the condition of these trees, this space was created within the last few years. Though it’s been made to look like a city abandoned thousands of years ago.”
“…By whom?”
“Why ask when you’ve already figured it out?”

At the White Star’s indifferent response, Sayehr fell silent. But he soon spoke again.

“…You’re saying this is a trap? A trap created by Kale Heniatus?”

This massive Underground City was a trap by Kale Heniatus?
To kill us?

Sayehr could not accept it.
The reason was simple.

“This is not a space that could be created in a short time! To construct an Underground City of this magnitude would require at minimum hundreds of workers, substantial capital, and at least several years!”

The more Sayehr spoke, the more his face contorted.
At that moment, footsteps echoed. Footsteps that both Sayehr and the White Star had already noticed.

Thud. Thud.
The gait of the one approaching openly was leisurely.
Yet in Sayehr’s eyes fixed upon them burned a fury different from before.

“You bastard…!”
“Is your arm alright?”

I spoke with genuine warmth, offering a leisurely smile.
Walking along the main avenue from the heart of the Underground City rather than toward the entrance, I appeared perfectly at ease.

Sayehr surveyed my surroundings. None of my companions were visible. Yet he naturally assumed they were lying in ambush nearby.

“Why do you keep glancing about so nervously?”

At the sound of my voice, Sayehr’s gaze snapped back to me. Our eyes met. In that instant, his severed shoulder throbbed with pain.
It was not from the agony of his lost arm.

It stemmed from a single hypothesis now consuming his thoughts.

“…Did you create this space and drag us into it?”
“Yes.”

For the first time, perplexity crossed my face. I had overheard the entire conversation between the White Star and Sayehr from the opposite end of the avenue as I walked.
I was genuinely troubled.

‘I never expected him to see through it so quickly.’

I had never imagined the White Star would discern that this place had been artificially created.
Of course, it wasn’t merely my naive assumption that he would fail to perceive this place’s true nature while obsessing over finding the final Ancient Power—the power of earth.

‘Young Master, we crafted it using even spirits.’

This false Underground City was constructed so meticulously, just as Tasha had boasted, that anyone would mistake it for a city abandoned centuries ago, at minimum.
Yet the White Star had seen through the deception immediately.

‘…He figured it out from the trees, didn’t he?’

I recalled the moment when the White Star had penetrated this place’s secrets through the dead trees. Simultaneously, my head began to ache.

‘What do I do now?’

I had intended to deceive him into believing this was the location of the final power of earth.

-Human! What do we do? It seems White Star has figured out that this place doesn’t have the power of the earth! Does that mean he’s targeting the Roan Kingdom?

Exactly.
Just as Raon said, once White Star discovers that the Land of Death lacks the power of the earth, he will target the last remaining Roan Kingdom.
I had intended to prevent White Star from marching into the Roan Kingdom.

-Human! What if White Star just teleports directly to the Roan Kingdom and escapes? We need to destroy this place right now! Choi Han says to wait for your orders, human!

My thoughts aligned with Raon’s.
White Star, having realized this was a trap, must not be allowed to reach the last remaining Roan Kingdom.
As I listened to the Young Dragon’s urgent voice, I slowly opened my mouth.

There’s no choice.
Let’s be honest and reveal ourselves.

“Kale Heniatus, why do you not answer? Why did you lure us into this trap?”

When Sayehr posed his question again, I responded immediately.

“I’m curious myself. How did you figure out this place was fake? I didn’t expect you to catch on so quickly.”

In that instant, I saw Sayehr’s expression contort.

-Human! Tasha and Merry are asking what to do as well! And the Mercenary King is unleashing everything! The Mercenary King is so loud!

I let Raon’s words pass through one ear while observing Sayehr’s changing expression with an impassive face. Of course, I was merely feigning indifference.
That was when it happened.

“Remarkable. How extraordinary.”

White Star’s sigh echoed through the air.
I shifted my gaze, and White Star looked at me with a fierce glint in his eyes before speaking.

“Since when?”
“What are you talking about?”

At White Star’s abrupt question, I found myself asking in return without thinking.

“Ha! You’re playing dumb!”

However, Kale Heniatus had to face Sayehr’s response, brimming with fury.

‘Why is he like this?’

Haven’t we been backstabbing each other for days now?
Kale regarded Sayehr with a puzzled expression, wondering why he was so angry. Meanwhile, reports from his companions continued to flow through Raon’s voice.
In that moment, Sayehr, unable to contain his rage, spoke. He was genuinely furious.

“Since when have you been targeting us? Creating this underground city alone would take years just for the excavation work. This is a trap that took at least several years to construct! You think we wouldn’t notice?”

Such a massive space could not have been created in a short time.
Of course, arranging the cityscape superficially could be done quickly, but creating such an underground cavern required slow, meticulous work over a long period.

‘Is that all?’

From site selection for the underground cavern to surveying. This place must have been created through thorough planning over a long time.

“Kale Heniatus, in the Land of Death. What possible purpose would you have to build such an underground city in this useless desert? And to leave it in such a desolate state! You couldn’t have done this unless you were insane!”

This was clearly either a trap or an underground shelter.
Sayehr felt a chill run down his spine as the realization dawned.

‘Kale Heniatus was known as a reckless fool just two years ago. So how did such a person create this underground city?’

Everything Kale had done in the meantime flashed through his mind.

Just as the White Star was about to act through ‘Arm’ and ‘black magic’, Kale Heniatus appeared, perfectly timed as if he had been waiting.
Furthermore, he was known to have acquired multiple Ancient Powers by mere coincidence.
And the powerful individuals gathered around him—it was almost unbelievable how many there were.

Could this all be mere coincidence?
Was this the result of what a fool from two years ago had accomplished in just two years?

Upon seeing this underground city, Sayehr began to suspect that perhaps Kale Heniatus had been concealing his strength from a very long time ago.

‘No, even if it wasn’t about strength. This bastard didn’t achieve this in just two years!’

He must have been preparing for a very long time.
Preparing to stop the White Star.

No, why?
Why did Kale Heniatus make such preparations?
What does he know?
How?

Sayehr felt strange emotions beginning to stir within him.

‘Now that I think about it, something was off.’

Kale Heniatus, who had been thwarting White Star’s plans one by one. At first, he’d thought it was merely coincidence that they’d become entangled. But if this wasn’t simple chance, if it was a plan Kale Heniatus had prepared long ago, then White Star’s recent failures became far easier to comprehend.

‘How can such a man even exist?’

A faint trace of fear crept into Sayehr’s eyes as he gazed at Kale.
So he buried that emotion beneath anger, concealing it. Sayehr raised his voice.

“Since when have you been targeting us? Two years! Your name has only been circulating for a mere two years. So when did you start targeting us?”

Kale blinked his eyes.

Something’s off?
Something’s going strangely?

In that moment, White Star’s voice reached his ears.

“No matter how much I’ve thought about it, something felt wrong. You’re useful to me, but I couldn’t understand how you suddenly appeared and kept blocking my path at every turn.”

His face showed that he finally understood.

‘…Well… yes. I did appear suddenly, didn’t I?’

Kale had suddenly been transmigrated into the world of the Hero’s Birth and had somehow managed to avoid getting beaten by Choi Han, arriving at this point through sheer desperation.
He’d never had any intention of blocking White Star’s path from the beginning.
It was simply that White Star had interfered with his own path toward the Count, and since what White Star was doing annoyed him, he’d somehow ended up blocking him repeatedly—that was all.
But Kale listened silently to White Star’s words.

‘This situation seems favorable for me?’

It seemed like things were flowing in an unexpectedly good direction.

The White Star regarded Kale Heniatus with eyes that had shifted from their previous expression. A worthy adversary. Or perhaps a cautious gaze directed at one whose true identity remained obscured.

“Kale Heniatus, whose time has been twisted. You didn’t appear suddenly. This was planned long ago. When did you start targeting me?”

Kale found this situation rather amusing.
It was strange how the White Star’s realization that the Underground City had been created was being interpreted in such a manner.

-Human! What nonsense are those two spouting right now? You are the very definition of unplanned planning!

Precisely.
Kale observed the White Star’s rigid expression, and soon heard Sayehr’s voice trembling faintly beneath a veneer of anger.

“…How long have you known of our existence and prepared for this?”

Excellent.
Kale gazed at the two who had drawn their own conclusions and offered a satisfied smile.

“I, I…!”

Sayehr found himself at a loss for words before Kale’s twisted smile, offered instead of an answer. Simultaneously, though unspoken, the gleam in Kale’s eyes—suggesting he had been targeting them since time immemorial—sent alarm bells ringing through his mind.

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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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