Trash of the Count’s Family - Chapter 507

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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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-Understood, human! I’ll relay this to Choi Han right away!

Even as I listened to Raon’s response, I surveyed the battlefield.
I drew out my spinning top.

“Elf, tell the spirits contracted with the Dark Elves.”
‘Chaos, destruction, love. Just say the words.’

I conveyed my instructions to the Wind Spirit, who spoke with such confidence as if mere words would suffice. The message was brief, so the transmission ended quickly, and I immediately grasped a branch.

“Open. Let me out.”

I spoke to the Fake World Tree.

-Sniffle. Whimper.

But it was crying.
This creature was actually crying.
I paused, hesitating for a moment.

‘Why is it crying?’

Did this thing have any reason to cry?
Then, the Fake World Tree’s whimper reached my ears.

-Sniffle. In the end, I’m being abandoned, whimper. I want to run away too, but whimper!

The Fake World Tree was truly sorrowful.
And deeply wronged.

‘No, did I choose to become this Black Tree?’

I never wanted to become a tree with black branches like this. And I despised even more being a creature that committed such terrible deeds.

-Sob. I didn’t choose to be controlled by Elisne either. Whimper. I prefer the World Tree, I don’t want to cause harm. Whimper. Everyone hates me. Sob. Cough.

The sound of sniffling echoed through the air.
Did World Trees even have mucus?
Kale Heniatus found himself pondering this absurd question once more, but the Fake World Tree remained deadly serious.

-I’m only being used. Sniff, sniff.

While under Elisne’s control, the Fake World Tree couldn’t even move its branches as it wished.
Moreover, there was no one beside it to converse with, and it had been forced to exist in solitary confinement at the center of this lightless Maze Center.

Then, finally, an opportunity presented itself.
It was none other than Kale Heniatus standing right before it.
The Fake World Tree recognized him. He existed within its memories.
So it had spoken to him, and though its body burned slightly from the effort, it had gained thirty minutes of freedom.

And it had devoted that freedom to protecting Kale.
There was a glimmer of hope that perhaps he might save it in return.
The Fake World Tree murmured softly, its voice stripped of all strength.

-I just want to escape too. I really do.

That was when it happened.

“Who left you behind?”
-…What?

The branches of the Fake World Tree trembled violently.
Kale Heniatus paid them no mind whatsoever, his gaze fixed elsewhere.

“Now, clear away these branches.”
-No, I, I-
“Now.”
-Ah, y-yes, yes!

The Black Tree answered in a trembling voice, sweeping its branches aside.
The branches unfurled like a blooming lotus, and Kale Heniatus walked through with unhurried grace.

-Human! Truly, can you save this Black Tree? It’s being controlled! How pitiful!
-Um, but, how will you move me? Is that even possible?

Raon and the Fake World Tree’s voices came in succession.

“Heh.”

Kale Heniatus laughed.
Why, you ask?

“…Kale Heniatus-”

Because my eyes met Elisne’s.

-Human… the most… deceptive smile….
-…I… I’m sorry. If I did something wrong….

I ignored Raon and the Fake World Tree’s voices.
Instead, I pointed my index finger at Elisne, who was grinding her teeth while glaring at me.

“What?”

When Elisne’s face contorted at that gesture, my lips curved upward.

‘Not you. Your side.’

…My side?
Elisne turned her head.
In that instant, a gleaming black aura surged like rough waves, crashing down upon someone.

“Krraaaagh!”

The white feathered serpent melted away into the black aura. And gripping the ankle of the wind horse floating above that serpent was someone.

“…Choi Han!”

Grin.
When Choi Han’s eyes met Elisne’s, he smiled. Simultaneously, his sword pierced one location.

Squelch.
The black aura penetrated through the ankle of the Elderly Man riding the wind horse.

“Aaaaaahhh!”

As the aura dissipated, blood gushed forth without restraint. Choi Han seized the pierced ankle.

“You bastard!”

The Mirror Sorcerer holding the mirror hurled wind arrows at Choi Han for daring to touch his ally.
Dozens of wind arrows would rush toward Choi Han, and he would swing his sword to evade them.
The Mirror Sorcerer intended to rescue the Feather Sorcerer in that moment.

“Your Majesty. I am here.”

And simultaneously, the Mirror Sorcerer positioned himself before Elisne, seeking to block Choi Han’s attack.
Whoosh—
The arrows streaked toward Choi Han.

“Kekeke.”

At the contemptible laughter, Choi Han lifted his gaze. The owner of the ankle he gripped was laughing through agony.

“Kekeke. Fool! Did you truly believe capturing merely my ankle would resolve everything?”

How could he possibly defend against dozens of wind arrows?
Moreover, it was not only the wind arrows that targeted Choi Han.
The sorcerer abandoned his ankle and scattered feathers in all directions simultaneously.

“Die!”

Feathers rained down upon Choi Han alongside the wind arrows. From every direction, relentless sharp attacks descended upon him with no escape.
The Feather Sorcerer burst into laughter, clinging to the wind horse’s leg and his own ankle as he screamed at the suspended Choi Han.

“You’ll become a skewer soon!”

In that instant, Choi Han’s mouth opened.

“So be it.”
“What?”

The Feather Sorcerer momentarily questioned whether he had heard correctly.

‘Did he just say he doesn’t care whether he becomes a skewer or not?’

The sorcerer unconsciously replayed the meaning of what Choi Han had just said.
That was when it happened.
He realized something was wrong.

“…Huh?”

Neither wind arrows nor feathers rained down on Choi Han. It was silent.
The sorcerer tore his gaze from Choi Han and looked around.

“…This, this—”

Words wouldn’t come.
Dozens of feathers and wind arrows. Dozens of thin black threads grasping them.
The sorcerer’s gaze shifted, and soon he saw a black robe draped over the shoulder of a black skeletal monster.

“That Necromancer…!”
“Is now the time to look away?”

The sorcerer flinched. A voice came from right beside him.
Now that he thought about it, he no longer felt the force gripping his ankle. The Feather Sorcerer slowly turned his head.

“Dodge!”

The Mirror Sorcerer shouted, but the Feather Sorcerer could already see the blade piercing through his shoulder.

“Gahhk… Ugh!”
“Two.”

With Choi Han’s word, the Feather Sorcerer fell from the wind steed toward the ground.

“…You bastard!”

The Mirror Sorcerer immediately erased the wind steed where Choi Han stood. But black threads had already drawn near, catching Choi Han so he wouldn’t fall.
Elisne, watching Choi Han like this, opened her mouth.

“What confidence made you take to the air? Do you want to fall under an illusion again?”

Choi Han had already reached the same position as Elisne.
While the others dared not climb up, terrified of the illusions, Choi Han showed no hesitation. Elisne sneered at his composure and began weaving hand seals.

“This illusion is on a completely different level from before! You’re overconfident just because you escaped once-”

In that instant, her body trembled.

Uuuuuung-
She felt power gathering and the air vibrating.
Elisne’s head slowly turned.

“…What is this-”

Mana was converging above the Black Tree.
Gathering at tremendous speed, the mana took on a black hue and rippled as though it could explode at any moment.

“…Ha. So you intend to destroy the Black World Tree after all.”

With those words, Elisne raised her injured arm, despite the pain. The bleeding had slowed enough for her to move.
Her eyes gazed down at the man below the tree where mana was gathering—Kale Heniatus.

“There’s no helping it.”

Woof!
In that moment, Boosuli barked. The Deposed Princess Sophies unconsciously broke free from the skeletal monster’s escort and approached Boosuli’s side.
Boosuli was barking at the ceiling. The other dogs also barked and drew near.
Sophies’ face contorted.

“…Light.”

The Maze’s ceiling, which had been nothing but dark and distant, now began to gather white lights.
It was the same as what had struck down upon Kale.

The Maze was already mostly destroyed, reduced to flat ground. The entire ceiling covering that space flickered and rippled with white light.

“Kale Heniatus. The moment you destroy that World Tree, a significant number of your companions will fall under the illusion and die.”

Elisne raised her injured arm toward the ceiling.

A deep hum resonated through the air—
White light gathered toward the outstretched hand reaching toward the ceiling.
Like the black mana sphere atop the Black Tree, the white light coalesced and formed a sphere. The light colliding across its surface caused the temperature around it to rise steadily.
She issued a warning to Kale Heniatus.

“Tell your dragon to stop right now.”

That black mana was undoubtedly created by Kale Heniatus’s dragon, after all.

“Sigh.”

A heavy sigh escaped from Kale Heniatus’s lips.
He looked around with an expression of exasperation, finally turning his gaze toward Elisne. And toward the massive sphere of white light gathering in her hands as well.

The others had ceased their fighting, their attention fixed on the confrontation between Kale Heniatus and Elisne.
The black mana sphere and the white sphere.
Both were enormous in size, and within each, a tremendous force churned violently. It seemed the collision of these two lights would gradually reveal the outcome of this battle.

“…I never imagined Elisne’s power was this formidable.”

Sophies’s face contorted.
Even if she wanted to join the fray, her sorcery skills were too weak to be anything but a hindrance.

‘If I had trained properly—’

If she had developed her sorcerous power properly, just as Elisne had grown properly as an Illusionist.
Would I be the one facing off against Elisne?
No, it should have been me.
Sophies’s fists clenched with force.
Yet her eyes turned toward Kale Heniatus with desperate longing.
Because they were her allies who would stand against Elisne in battle.

“What? Are you afraid of destroying the World Tree now that you see this much power?”

Elisne’s lips curved upward in a smile.
Because Kale Heniatus’s expression was weary. And his brow was furrowed deeply as if he were lost in profound contemplation.

“Stop overthinking—”
“Wait.”

Kale’s mouth opened.
He ran his fingers through his hair and spoke curtly, as if exasperated.

“Why do you keep asking me if I’m going to destroy the World Tree? Huh? Do you really think I would?”

Kale had no intention whatsoever of destroying or leaving behind the Fake World Tree.

“…What?”

As Elisne momentarily faltered in confusion, Kale’s right hand was already moving toward his collar.
Riiip—!
The badge torn from his collar.
The commander’s insignia affixed beside the turtle that symbolized House Heniatus.

A subtle smile crossed his face.
Kale turned around, grinning.

“This one.”

His hand extended, and immediately touched the trunk of the Black Tree. Kale’s eyes gleamed with brilliance.
The Black Tree spoke brightly.

-I’m ready! I trust only you, Commander!

Kale’s smile deepened.

“I’m taking this with me. Heh.”
-Anywhere but here is fine! Only you, Commander! I trust you! I trust you! I do!

Kale ignored the Fake World Tree’s fervent voice while feeling gratitude toward Elisne.

‘Thanks to her, I remembered what I had forgotten.’

The illusion that reminded me of my time as Kim Rok-soo had made me recall what I had momentarily forgotten.

“Heh.”

Laughter kept bubbling up from within.

The black branches trembled.
The Fake World Tree thought Kale Heniatus seemed like a good person, but his smile resembled the sinister grin of vampires discovering prey far too closely.

-What? What?

But the Black Tree could no longer dwell on Kale Heniatus’s laughter.
The tree felt a power enveloping me.
It seemed both like a gentle embrace and a stern force issuing commands.
Yet the Fake World Tree realized something.

‘…I can escape!’

I can leave this place!
Such certainty filled me.
Then, a sharp voice pierced through.

“You! Surely not! What are you doing!”

It was Elisne’s voice.
Kale Heniatus gently drew forth the power radiating from his heart. That much was sufficient. Without needing to guide it further, the power naturally flowed toward the tree touching Kale Heniatus’s hand.

An ability to contain anything—tangible objects or intangible forces alike—and store them in a specific location.
Lee Soo-hyuk’s power, now inherited by Kale Heniatus.

Embrace.

“No—!”

The black tree faded and vanished.
Elisne shrieked at the sight and hurled a white sphere toward Kale Heniatus.

“Did you think I’d allow it!”

Whoooosh—
The white sphere flew with perfect precision toward where Kale Heniatus stood.
She had to prevent the World Tree from disappearing.

That was when it happened.
The instant the white sphere left Elisne’s hand.

“I’ve been waiting for this!”

A child’s voice echoed through the empty air. Elisne turned her gaze.

Whoooosh—
In that instant, the black sphere atop the fading tree unfurled. The mana sphere was not an offensive construct.
It was defensive.
The black sphere transformed into a shield-like barrier, enveloping Kale Heniatus.

“Young Master, leave it to us.”
“We will assist as well. If we combine our strength, we can block this.”
“That’s right. We’ve absorbed so much dead mana that our power overflows.”

Hearing the Wind Spirit’s words, the spirits led forth the Dark Elves and Elves, including Tasha and Zit. The Elves and Dark Elves simultaneously created defensive barriers using their respective spirits, wrapping around the black shield to protect Kale Heniatus within.

But Elisne had no time to witness such a sight.
The voice of a delighted child echoed from somewhere.
It came from the empty ceiling where Elisne had gathered all her power, leaving no white light in existence.

“Ah.”

Elisne let out a sigh.
As the white light vanished and the illusory realm disappeared, the ordinary ceiling of the Maze that appeared was no longer a terrifying space.

And there was one who had been waiting for this ceiling to appear.

The Young Dragon flapped his small wings and flew swiftly.
And he launched what he held in his front claws.

It did not require the vast mana needed to create the black shield protecting Kale Heniatus.
It only needed mana compressed very tightly, again and again.

The mana compressed like an arrow left Raon’s claws.
And it struck one location.

“Damn it—!”

Elisne’s face contorted.

Crack.
A soft sound of shattering echoed from the ceiling where the mana arrow had struck.
Sometimes small cracks could spawn vast fissures. And this was no mere mana—it carried the Dragon’s power and precision.

Crrrunch—
The crack began to widen.
Holes were forming across the ceiling bit by bit.
Sunlight from outside seeped into the Maze.

The Maze’s ceiling—the illusory sky—crumbled, and true natural light poured through.
As Elisne faced that light, her head suddenly spun.
That was when it happened.

“I’ve been waiting for this too.”

A whisper reached her ears.

“Gasp!”

The Mirror Sorcerer cried out and plummeted to the ground.
With him fell the wind horses he had conjured, scattering into the air. The steed carrying Elisne vanished as well.
She had no Maze wall to land upon.
There was only the ground below, rushing toward her.

“Ugh!”

But in that instant, as the wind horse disappeared and her body tilted, a hand seized her throat.
Because of this, she did not fall.
A man in black robes bound with black threads.
Ron Mollan smiled down at Elisne.

“Showing fear before our young master? That won’t do.”
“Gasp.”

Elisne’s breath caught in her throat.

‘When did he—?’

When did she get this close?
I didn’t even sense her presence.
She gazed at Ron’s smiling eyes, her own pupils trembling.
But Ron turned his gaze away from her, tossing his words casually toward the other figure suspended in the air by Merry’s black threads.

“I’ve already dealt with the other two.”
“…How disappointing.”

Choi Han turned his head with a sullen expression.
He’d been robbed of the third and fourth by Ron.
Ron’s movements were indeed stealthy.

“This is all thanks to you. You drew their attention so well.”

Ron laughed kindly, and Choi Han’s expression grew increasingly disgruntled.
But soon both their gazes turned downward.
The white sphere began colliding with its target.

Boom—

Kale Heniatus could see the white sphere exploding as it engulfed the black shield and the spirit’s protective barrier.
In that instant, his vision turned white, but he smiled and spoke.

“Escaping the maze.”

His voice was calm.

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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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