Trash of the Count’s Family - Chapter 499

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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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“W-what is this—! Nonsense, how dare you speak such words!”

The oldest young prince among the Royal Family pointed an accusing finger at Kale, his expression twisted in indignation, words barely forming through his shock.
Meanwhile, Sophies simply smiled with elegant grace and nodded in acknowledgment.

Witnessing this, the young prince’s voice rose even higher as he shouted at Kale and Sophies.

“How outrageous! A traitor dares speak thus!”

That boy certainly has a loud voice.
Kale shook his head slowly.

“Sigh. Looks like I’ll be fighting while hauling baggage.”
“W-what?”

The young prince couldn’t hide his bewilderment at Kale’s casual remark calling him baggage.
Regardless, Kale spoke with deliberate indifference.

“You’re hostages. All of you.”

At those words, the expressions of the young prince and the other members of the Royal Family shifted.
Especially the older children—their eyes grew resolute, and they began to speak.

“We can never be hostages! Kill us instead! We cannot become a burden to His Majesty!”
“That’s right, kill us!”
“We gladly accept death for His Majesty!”

Do these kids even understand what death means?
Kale turned to look at Sophies in exasperation.

“The hallucinations were quite severe, weren’t they.”

Kale recalled his first meeting with Elysnis.
She had cast hallucinations upon the people of the Lord’s Castle. At that time, he remembered the badges attached to their collars.

‘The children don’t see badges or anything like that. She said she cast hallucinations on the Royal Palace people, but how did she manage it?’

Kale’s gaze shifted discreetly toward the Royal Family children and Elysnis’s subordinates.

He wondered if placing an illusion on the palace staff meant deploying illusion-related magic throughout the entire Royal Palace.
However, if that were the case, Kale and his companions should have fallen under the illusion when they arrived, yet they hadn’t—and more importantly, there was the Mercenary King’s intelligence report.

‘Do you know how many merchants and noble retainers pass through the Royal Palace? It would have been impossible to cast an illusion on all of them.’

Kale spoke to Sophies while meticulously observing the Royal Family children.

“How do we break them out of it?”

An elegant voice responded.

“…I once struck my father on the back of the head. He didn’t wake from the illusion, though.”

Hmm. That wasn’t the answer I was expecting.
As Kale fell momentarily silent, Zit approached and whispered behind him.

“They’ve arrived.”

A flicker of interest crossed Kale’s eyes.
In that instant.

“What?!”

Someone’s startled voice rang out, and Kale turned to look at the source.
A crimson gleam flickered in Elysnis’s eyes as she tilted her head, as if listening intently to something.

“Kale.”

Then Choi Han’s voice called out, and simultaneously Kale caught sight of a dagger shooting forward.
It was Choi Han’s dagger, received from Ron.

“Shing—!”

Immediately after, the squeak of a rat echoed through the air.
Kale smiled as he looked at Elysnis.

“Will your informant actually deliver proper information while injured?”
“…Did you do this?”
“Then who else would have?”

The Spectacled Middle-aged Man approached Elysnis.

“What is the matter, Your Majesty?”

Yet Elysnis merely clamped her mouth shut, her gaze fixed upon Kale.
At that moment, the Mirror Elder stepped forward and peered into his mirror.

“Let me see… Oh my. Rats have infiltrated the Royal Palace.”
“Rats?”
“Elves have invaded. Tsk.”

The expressions of her two other subordinates hardened, and Elysnis looked down at Kale as she spoke.

“It seems numerous Elves are advancing toward the Royal Palace, having crossed the Capital Walls.”

Sophies gazed at Kale. His words about having many allies on our side came to mind.
Elysnis regarded Kale with an expression of ridicule as she asked.

“Did you think we would be caught between attacks from both sides and flail about helplessly?”
“Who knows?”
“Hmph.”

Elysnis let out a scoff and raised her hand.
Three subordinates stepped forward.
The Mirror Elder spoke to Kale gently, as if consoling him.

“We anticipated the Elves would attack alongside them. There’s no point in adding needless deaths.”
“You mean the Elves will die?”

Zit stepped forward. His piercing gaze turned toward the enemies.

“That’s right. The moment the Elves cross the Main Gate of the Royal Palace, they will fall to the Dead Mana River.”

The instant the old man answered as if bestowing a favor, he caught sight of Zit’s rising smile.

“…Why are you smiling?”
“We will not cross the Royal Palace walls.”
“What?”

At Zit’s words, the Spectacled Middle-aged Man hesitated, but Kale opened his mouth immediately.

“Choi Han, Tasha!”
“Yes!”

Choi Han’s body surged toward where the Royal Family children were clustered together.
Sophies quickly joined him and followed in his wake.

“Where do you think you’re going!”

The Feather Elder’s hand stretched forward, and in the same instant, he tore open a spatial pocket pouch.

“Go!”

Rip—
As the pouch tore, dozens of white feathers erupted into the air from within. They stood rigid and shot forward like arrows.

The Royal Family children gazed at the elderly man straining to save them and Elysnis who guided him, their eyes glistening with emotion.

“Your Majesty! Please do not concern yourselves with us!”
“That’s right!”

The children expressed their hearts and fixed even more resolute expressions upon Choi Han and Sophies.

Whoooosh—
At that moment, aura bloomed from Choi Han’s blade.

“…The Sword Master!”

The Royal Family members, recognizing his identity, froze in shock.

“Your Majesty…!”

And without thinking, they looked toward Elysnis.
Elysnis wore a benevolent smile. At that, the young prince’s heart eased.

Surely the feathers of that flying sorcerer would block that aura.

“Yes, it’s fine, ugh!”

The Young Prince’s mouth fell open without his realizing it.
A groan escaped his lips, and he clutched at his forearm.

“…Why?”

The Young Prince stared down at his arm in disbelief.
The feathers had grazed his arm, leaving a wound in their wake.

“…How?”

The feathers were pouring down upon the children like hail.
That’s when he saw someone standing before him.

“Get behind me!”

It was Sophies.
At the same moment, a swordsman wreathed in black aura swung his blade.
It wasn’t just him.
The Dark Elves and Elves rushed in belatedly, batting away the feathers.
But unlike Sophies and Choi Han, who had already reached the children’s side, the Elves arrived too late and had to deflect the cascading feathers from outside their radius to push inward.

Clang! Clang! Clang!
Each time, the feathers bounced off the attacks, their trajectory shifting away from the children.
Crash, crash!
The floor and walls where the feathers struck cracked and shattered, yet the feathers remained pristine.

Drip. Drip. The Young Prince stared blankly between the crimson blood flowing down his arm and Sophies’s back.

“Cough!”

Then his body collapsed.
Sophies spun around urgently and caught him.

“You crazy woman!”

Her face contorted as curses spilled toward Elysne.

The wound on the young prince’s arm where the feather had grazed him was turning black.
At the same moment, Choi Han shouted.

“Dead mana clings to the feather tips—everyone, be careful!”

In an instant, the Elves retreated backward while the Dark Elves charged into the feathers.
Sophies lifted her head.

“How could you—to your own cousin, to him!”

Fire blazed in her eyes as she cradled the young prince in her arms.
Elysne gazed down at her with a benevolent expression.

“…Your Majesty…Sister—”

The young prince in Sophies’ embrace stared at Elysne.

Why? How could this be?
His eyes, brimming with countless questions, posed many inquiries to her, and she answered with a smile.

“You are my hostages.”

What?
The young prince and the children’s eyes wavered.

“And potential enemies of the future who might threaten my royal authority. If you must die, shouldn’t it be by my hand?”

The children’s expressions crumbled, but Elysne paid them no mind and turned her gaze toward Kale.

“Do you hear the knights approaching? There should be roughly three hundred of them.”
“…Are you saying they’re hostages too?”
“Correct. I could kill them all right now.”

She smiled wickedly at Kale’s words, confirming his guess. That smile resembled Sophies’.

“You know of the second entrance leading here?”
“Yes. I heard the Dead Mana River flows through it.”

Another entrance where the Elves had attempted infiltration and failed.
Kale asked matter-of-factly.

“That’s your palace, isn’t it?”
“That’s right. It’s my palace. Black liquid flows through it like a river.”

Her gaze turned toward Sophies.

“The third hostage is there. Sophies, can you hear me? Right now, there are members of the Royal Family there who will jump into that river the moment I give the command. Should I make the servants and attendants jump in as well?”

Then her gaze shifted to Kale, and her smile vanished.

“The moment the Elves enter the Royal Palace, I’ll have the youngest servants killed first.”

Clang—!
The Mirror Elder tapped the mirror and descended from the wall.
The Spectacled Middle-aged Man followed suit. Simultaneously, the Feather Elder’s mouth opened.

“Bind them!”

Feathers that had been embedded in the wall began gathering toward the children.

“Oh no!”

Tasha’s face twisted in dismay.

“A snake!”

One of the children finally burst into tears.
The feathers transformed one by one into scales, eventually forming a massive white serpent.

“Go!”

And it rushed swiftly toward the children. The serpent seemed desperate to reach the young members of the Royal Family and bind them as quickly as possible.

“…Ah.”

Young Bell, without realizing it, gripped whatever her trembling hand could reach in her terror. The moment she realized it was Sophies’s hand and felt her warmth, tears streamed down the child’s face.

“You’ve awakened.”

Sophies squeezed Bell’s hand firmly as she spoke. Bell’s eyes began to clear progressively.

Crunch, crunch, crunch— Bang!
Yet the serpent thrashed about in all directions, rapidly approaching the children.
Not a single scratch marred the Dark Elves’ weapons.

Kale, observing this, turned his gaze toward Elysnis. Her cold eyes were issuing him a warning.

I had so many hostages now—I needed to be careful.

Kale’s lips parted.

“The serpent is a bit disappointing.”
“What?”

I paid no mind to Elysnis’s retort.

“Zit. Bind it!”

At my command, the Elf Zit raised his hand.
In that instant, the Elves positioned in the rear swiftly drew something from their garments and hurled it toward the Royal Family members.

Crunch, crunch, crunch—
The white serpent broke through the stone floor as it advanced.
And something the Elves had thrown shot forth like arrows.

“Hmm. About that distance.”

The Spectacled Middle-aged Man swept his hand through the air.
Whoosh—
Dozens of fireballs materialized in midair in an instant, immediately rushing toward what the Elves had thrown.

“What are you trying to do with twigs!”

What the Elves had thrown were branches.

-What are you trying to do with mere fireballs!

Kale heard Raon’s cry.
At the same time, water droplets materialized in the air and surged toward the crater.
That was when it happened.

“Woof!”

Once again, Kale saw a white streak shooting forward.
It was Boosuli.
Boosuli kicked off the ground and clamped a branch between his jaws. Kale shouted, spinning top in hand.

“Move it!”
-Chaos, destruction, despair! I’ll transport it! Kehehehe!

Boosuli, riding the wind, descended like a bolt of lightning and drove the branch clenched in his mouth directly into the ground where the Royal Family children stood.

“Zit, now!”
“Yes!”

Several Elves placed their hands on the ground.
Crack, crack.
The branch began to split.

“Tch!”

The old man’s face twisted in frustration.
Through the cracks in the splitting branch, new vines began to sprout like tendrils.
It was the power of the tree spirits, and the power of the Elves bound by contract to them.

In an instant, the branches grew and enveloped the children.

“Raon!”
-Understood, human!

Whoooosh—
Black light spread across the wooden vines.
And a shield descended upon that spot, completely protecting the children from the outside.

“Ha!”

Laughter echoed through the chamber.

“What a tasteless ploy.”

It was Elysnis.
She twisted her lips into a cruel smile.

“How adorable. The effort to protect them.”
“That’s not it.”

At my response, she turned her gaze toward me rather than the Royal Family children wrapped in shields. My lips curled upward at the weight of her stare.
A sense of foreboding crept through Elysnis.

‘That man is cunning.’

The moment the White Star’s assessment surfaced in her mind.

“What do you mean it’s not?”

Elysnis found herself asking, and I answered.

“This time, I’m not trying to protect them. I’m going to destroy it.”
“What?”
“Destroy it. Should I repeat myself?”

Elysnis’s pupils dilated, and Choi Han, mid-swing toward the white serpent, paused to glance at me.

That man again…?
Though Choi Han’s expression conveyed as much, I dismissed it as a misunderstanding.

-No need to waste time.

Right. That’s correct.
I answered the voice resonating in my mind and called upon the one who had spoken.

Kuuuuuu—
From far below the ground.
From the depths of the underground, I felt the presence of my power answering the call.

There are three categories of hostages.
The Knights stationed in the Underground Chamber.
The Royal Family members and handmaidens, servants waiting at the entrance.
And finally, my gaze turned toward the Royal Family children.

“What are you—?”

No trace of elegance remained in the startled Sophies. Only her desperation was visible as she held a child suffering from Dead Mana addiction, writhing in agony.
This was no place for treatment.

My eyes met Choi Han’s. He followed my gaze to the children before meeting my stare.
Those moments were mere instants.
Not even a few seconds elapsed. Yet it was enough for us to align our intentions.

“We need to move fast.”
“…Yes, sir.”

I had to hurry.
Rather than engage the enemies in conversation and wait for an opening.
Rather than defend and block them one by one.
Right now.

“Smashing through will end this faster.”

Only then could I protect them and provide treatment.
I let out a dry laugh.
After all this fighting, how could these fools still not understand me?

Kuuuuuuuu—
The ground trembled.
The tremor drew steadily closer.

“You bastard! What have you done?”

The moment the Feather Elder’s cry reached my ears, I opened my mouth to face him.

“What else? I’ve summoned something that eats snakes.”
“What?”

The Elderly Man’s face contorted, and Elysnis spread both hands forward, weaving a hand seal.

“Stop Kale Heniatus!”

At the same moment her command fell, the Mirror Elder and the Spectacled Middle-aged Man began channeling their respective mediums.
But the power that answered my call was faster.

Kwaaaaaang—
The floor of the Maze began to shatter with a tremendous roar.
Crack. Crack!
The flat stones that formed the ground fractured, and their debris scattered in all directions.
And through the gaps, something surged upward.

“Ugh!”
“Huff. The ground is shaking! Hold on!”

The children inside the shield grabbed onto each other in shock.
But they could not hide their astonishment at what appeared before their eyes. Their mouths fell open involuntarily.

“…A snake…a snake—”

A colossal form rose, shattering several walls of the Maze.

It was made of jagged stone boulders.
Countless sharp rocks, stone spears stacked tightly together, formed a massive body.

It felt like both a weapon and a living giant creature.

And towering beyond the Maze walls, standing four or five times my height, it resembled a serpent—yet its form was distinctly different from any true snake.
Choi Han gazed at me with a faint smile.
Only the two of us knew the name of this being.

‘An Imoogi.’

I had summoned something that would devour serpents and simply obliterate everything else.
Our eyes met—mine and Elysnis’s.
Standing atop the wall, she could look down at the Imoogi that had risen even higher than her position, then lower her gaze to meet mine.
In that moment, my lips parted.

“Heh.”

I could see myself laughing like a madman, absolutely delighted.

‘Could it be?’

Elysnis’s eyes wavered.
Kale took a step forward, and the stone serpent lowered its body.

It offered its head to Kale, and he climbed atop it as he spoke.

“Rise.”

Soon flames began to bloom around him.
The golden-red fire infused with purification burned small but intensely in the surrounding space without consuming Kale or the serpent.

“So it comes to this, after all.”

Choi Han climbed onto the serpent as well.
Kale then looked at him with an expression asking what difference it made, before shouting.

“Straight ahead!”

The masters of the powers I had called answered.

-Good. This is the fastest way. Sometimes reckless actions protect everyone.
-Kuhahahaha! You brute! They say the most terrifying are the mindless madmen, kuhahahaha!

I ignored Jjandol’s calm voice and Jjangdol’s wild laughter.

Boom!

The serpent began charging straight ahead.
Against its massive form, the maze passages seemed impossibly small and insignificant.
I issued orders to my companions.

“Keep pace! I’ll break through everything!”

Kale felt his frustration beginning to ease.
Yes, only when I destroyed everything myself could I find peace.

“Y-you ignorant brute!”

An elderly man under Elysnis’s command shouted, but I ignored him just as I would Jjandol.

Boom! Boom! Crash! Crash!
Kale, screaming only “straight ahead,” and the stone dragon carrying him began demolishing the maze.

Notably, the dragon made of stone had no eyes and could see nothing,
and unfortunately, Kale too was blind in his own way, so the maze crumbled and a straight path was carved through it.

Engulfed in flames, I turned back to look at Elysnis and the enemies, then opened my mouth.

I should have made threats.
Threatening with people’s lives?
Don’t you have anything else?

“If I just keep going straight ahead like this, I’ll burn down your entire World Tree, won’t I?”

At Kale’s threat, the enemies’ faces crumpled in an instant, and Kale let out a hollow laugh.

-A sea of fire! Kuhahaha! I’ll burn down this fake World Tree!

Jjandol’s delighted voice rang out.

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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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