Trash of the Count’s Family - Chapter 529

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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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Why is this Vampire here?
Kale was utterly bewildered.
When had he invited them, and how did they even know he was here to find him so easily?

Flutterflutter.
The black bird took flight without regard for Kale’s shock, heading in a different direction.
Tap.
The bird landed on Albert Crossman’s bed.

Swoosh!
The black bird spread its lustrous, beautiful dark wings wide with an elegant flourish.

“Your Highness Albert Crossman. It is an honor to meet you.”

The bird bowed.

“I am Duke Fredo Von Izelern of the Endable Kingdom. I currently lead the Vampires across two continents.”

Ah.
Alberu let out a small exclamation of admiration and leaned forward slightly toward the black bird.

“I am pleased to make your acquaintance.”

Alberu extended the basic courtesy due to a foreign duke, raising his tone accordingly. At this, the black bird’s eyes widened slightly.

“I have long wished to meet Your Highness, and I apologize for arriving so abruptly.”
“Not at all. Such things happen.”
“Your Highness is indeed as wise and keen as I have heard.”
“Haha! Duke Fredo appears to be quite intelligent himself.”

What on earth?
Kale stared at the black bird and Alberu, who were conversing so amicably, with an expression of utter disbelief.
Alberu, noticing Kale’s pointed gaze, opened his mouth.

“Brother, have you no interest in learning such refined etiquette as Duke Fredo displays?”

What nonsense is this?
I spoke without thinking.

“Since I’m destined to remain unmarried, learning etiquette seems pointless when I’ll have no use for it.”
“Ah.”

Alberu let out a sigh.
In that moment, I found myself bewildered by the gaze in Alberu’s eyes—he was looking at me with considerable pity.

‘…Why is he looking at me like that?’

Though I couldn’t fathom the reason, that look unsettled me deeply, so I furrowed my brow slightly while studying Alberu’s expression.
He shook his head and then turned his attention to Duke Fredo, opening his mouth to speak.

“I hear Duke Fredo has been unconscious. Are you feeling well?”

A thin smile spread across Alberu’s face.
Gone was any warmth from moments before—his gaze had turned sharp and piercing as he regarded Duke Fredo.
The black bird, meeting that scrutinizing stare head-on, let out a soft exclamation of admiration.
The black bird, meeting that searching gaze head-on, let out a soft exclamation of admiration.

“Oh, so you know about me.”

The black bird’s head turned toward me.
His eyes gleamed as he regarded me.
The black bird’s gaze fixed on him flashed with intensity.

“I’m quite curious how you came to know about that. I’ve kept my physical condition rather secret.”

Kale Heniatus shrugged at the black bird staring at him and closed his mouth.

“There’s no need to specifically mention that I found out thanks to the Wind Spirit, right?”

Sensing this, Duke Fredo didn’t press further.
Seeming to notice this, Duke Fredo didn’t ask any further questions.

He spread his wings and soared into the air.
He flapped his wings and soared into the air.

“Your Highness, if it’s not too much trouble, might I have a lengthy conversation with Lord Kale Heniatus before I depart?”
“By all means. Do as you wish.”
“Thank you, Your Highness. I shall pay my respects before I leave.”
“Very well.”

I watched the bird and the Crown Prince interact with a wry expression, contemplating the scene.

‘They’re perfectly in sync.’

I chuckled softly and rose from my seat.

After all, I was the one who most wanted to converse with Duke Fredo here.
There was no reason to refuse such a conversation.
Moreover, it was all the better that I wouldn’t have to go searching for him.

“Let us retire to my bedroom and speak there.”

To hold such a conversation in the Reception Room or Office would be inappropriate—this was Sten Lordship Castle, after all.

“Splendid.”

Duke Fredo readily followed me.

…perched gracefully upon Choi Han’s shoulders.

‘What in the world is he doing?’

I stared at Duke Fredo, who had elegantly settled upon Choi Han’s shoulders, my expression bewildered.
Paying no mind to my reaction, Duke Fredo tapped Choi Han’s shoulder with his feet and spoke in a thoroughly satisfied tone.

“Mm. Indeed, these shoulders are the sturdiest and most comfortable. Quite adequate.”

I could clearly see Choi Han’s eyes wavering considerably in his astonishment.
Utterly oblivious to this, Duke Fredo tapped Choi Han’s shoulder with his feet once more.

“Choi Han. You shall serve as my mount.”

In that moment, I witnessed it.

‘What the hell is this bastard?’

I could see the curse forming in Choi Han’s silent eyes.
Without realizing it, I took a step back from Choi Han and quickly headed toward the bedroom door.

-Human!

Raon had already turned invisible and was following behind me.

-But is it really okay for that fearless vampire to be wandering around like this after we made him out to be unconscious?

Right, seriously.
I gave a rough bow to Alberu, who was waving his hand languidly, and grasped the door handle.

-And human! You absolutely must not become friendly with the God of Death! The God of Death looks sinister! Don’t worry! Even if they’re a god, I won’t let them off easy!

Right, that’s right.
The God of Death was here.
I had forgotten about the God of Death problem due to Duke Fredo’s sudden appearance.

Click.
I turned the door handle and stepped outside.
Outside, there were several Royal Palace knights standing guard near Alberu’s bedroom. After exchanging greetings with them, I made my way to my own room.

“Young master!”

At that moment, I turned my gaze toward the voice calling from behind.
Kaige emerged from behind Choi Han, who was walking with a black bird perched on his shoulder, and approached me.

She stood beside me and whispered softly near my ear.

“Young master. I should assume you’re definitely refusing, correct?”

I answered firmly without a moment’s hesitation.

“Yes.”

Once you’ve been hit once, you’ve been hit—I had no intention of moving according to the God of Death’s wishes.
At my answer, Kaige blinked her eyes slowly several times, then began to mutter to herself.

“Hmm. I’m not sure if I should just swallow this whole. Such a persistent deity. But someone so utterly unreasonable, with no give on either side… there’s simply no reasoning with them.”

Kale Heniatus’s body stiffened.
At that moment, Kaige’s gaze—which had been murmuring to herself—slowly turned toward Kale’s face, studying him carefully.
A thin smile spread across her lips.

“Let me see what I can do about this.”
-Human! Kaige is smiling like when the Crown Prince and you two pull off a con! No, she’s smiling even more terrifyingly!

But that smile soon transformed into her characteristic hearty grin, and she gave Kale a respectful bow.

“Then I’ll see you later.”
“…Very well.”

As Kale Heniatus watched Kaige head in the opposite direction, an inexplicable unease caused his expression to harden involuntarily.
He turned his back on her and walked briskly toward his own bedroom.

‘Even the God of Death has become a nuisance.’

His expression twisted and hardened further as he contemplated his circumstances, frustration mounting with each step.
The invisible Raon and Choi Han, along with Duke Fredo perched on Choi Han’s shoulder, followed silently in his wake.

Soon, Kale Heniatus and his group vanished from sight near Alberu’s bedroom.
And many had witnessed the entire exchange from beginning to end.

“…His expression was far too fierce.”

A single knight standing in the corridor muttered the words aloud, filling the space.
Glance. Glance.
The knights guarding the Crown Prince’s bedroom momentarily dropped their solemn and dignified facades, exchanging cautious glances with one another.

‘Something’s off.’
‘His expression… was extremely serious.’

In any case, the battle had ended.
Yet Kale Heniatus, the one who could be credited with ending that battle, had entered the Crown Prince’s bedroom with a weary expression, and now departed with an intensely grave countenance, heading somewhere with purpose.
His stride was unfaltering and carried an air of grim resolve.

An uneasy atmosphere naturally settled among the knights.
They were not only tasked with protecting the Crown Prince, but also bore responsibility for safeguarding the kingdom itself.
Thus, the knights harbored concerns about another war or major catastrophe unfolding.

Since the Knight Commander had stepped away momentarily, one knight cautiously opened his mouth.

“I wonder what could be troubling Lord Kale Heniatus?”

A senior knight cleared his throat and added his thoughts.

“Indeed. Never resting, always so busy… working tirelessly for Rowan.”

One knight, the quietest and most composed among them, finally spoke.

“Perhaps not just for Rowan, but for this entire world. Didn’t you see what happened just moments ago?”

As the most taciturn knight spoke, the others’ gazes naturally turned toward him.
His silence reflected a depth of thought.

“What did you see?”
“Lord Kale Heniatus conversing with another person.”

They recalled the figure who had been whispering with Kale Heniatus moments before.

“…You mean the one dressed as a Priest?”
“Yes.”
“Isn’t that person a close friend of the Sten Lord?”

Confident in that person’s identity, the knights had taken no further action.

“That’s not all.”
“What do you mean?”
“I believe I can explain that, sir.”
“Hmm?”

The knight who had been conversing with the taciturn one turned his gaze toward the junior knight who had first spoken.

Glance, glance.
The junior knight looked around the corridor, confirming that only fellow knights were present, then carefully opened his mouth.
This was Sten Lordship Castle, not the Royal Palace, so he had to be even more cautious.

“That woman earlier is not only a close friend of Lord Sten.”

Gulp.
He swallowed and continued speaking.

“…She is an excommunicated Priest of the Death God Sect.”

At his words, even the other knights who had been listening quietly reacted.

“Excommunicated?”
“Death God Sect?”

It was truly difficult and extremely rare for a Priest to be excommunicated.

“Yes. She was excommunicated from the Death God Sect. But here’s the thing.”

This was where it became important.
The junior knight brought up what he had heard through a fellow knight staying at Sten Lordship Castle.

“Despite her excommunication, the Death God Sect cannot lay a hand on her carelessly, or so I’ve heard.”

He voiced his thoughts.

“And from what I understand, even though she was excommunicated, that Priest can still use the Oath of Death—the power the Death God grants to his Priests.”
“…How is that even possible?”
“Exactly.”

Peek, peek.
The knight glanced around once more before continuing.

“The reason the sect cannot touch that Priest is probably because the God still regards her as his child. And such a person urgently sought out Young Master Kale Heniatus and had an earnest conversation with him.”

Then, the one known for his taciturn nature spoke again.

“And this all happened right after that vicious White Star mentioned something about Young Master Kale Heniatus.”

Excommunicated, yet still remaining as a child of God—the Priest.
That Priest had urgently sought me out, and we had been in close conversation until just moments ago.
After that conversation, my expression had hardened.

But before that, the White Star had said that I was the one who inherited God’s will.
Of course, the White Star had not revealed who that God was. He simply truly believed that I was God’s representative.

I was denying this, saying it wasn’t true.

The Knights had a single hypothesis flash through their minds in that instant.
Without realizing it, they exchanged glances with one another.

“…Could it be?”

One Knight looked at the taciturn Knight. Receiving their gazes, he straightened his posture and opened his mouth.

“I merely shared my speculation.”

Then he closed his mouth again.
They all fell silent.
It felt as though they had grasped some tremendous truth they were never meant to know.

Silence descended upon the corridor.

* * *

I closed my bedroom door and shifted my gaze to the center of the room.

“So. What is your reason for seeking me out?”

Flap, flap.
The black bird, which had begun to flutter its wings gracefully from Choi Han’s shoulder, approached me.
Then, at a distance of roughly one step, it met my gaze.
The bird’s beak opened.

“Friend, it seems I must travel with you to the Endable Kingdom.”

…Since when have you been my friend?
I was utterly speechless.

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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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