Trash of the Count’s Family - Chapter 563
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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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Night had fallen.
The sky was scattered with stars as if they were falling like snow.
Rustle.
“Alberu.”
Crown Prince Albert turned at the sound coming from behind.
“Aunt.”
Tasha approached him.
She was one of the few who knew Alberu in this form here.
“Why don’t you get some rest, even if just for a moment?”
Alberu shook his head at Tasha’s sympathetic gaze.
“I slept a little earlier.”
“You mean that one hour of sleep?”
Tasha clicked her tongue briefly and stood beside Alberu.
In Tasha’s eyes was reflected her nephew, his face hidden behind a mask, standing in the Dark Elf Quarter.
Though half his face was concealed by the mask, his exhaustion and the weight of pressure came through unfiltered.
She followed his gaze downward.
“I wonder when that black curtain will finally disappear.”
The black curtain covering the massive hole revealed itself even beneath the night sky.
It couldn’t be otherwise.
Around the black curtain, at a distance from it, countless personnel were stationed along its perimeter.
A Mercenary Guild without its Mercenary King.
The Dark Elf and Elf Allied Front.
A gathering of mages who followed Rosalind.
Members of the Molan Family.
Countless others had assembled around the black curtain, establishing an encampment that burned with light even in the dead of night.
Tasha opened her mouth as she observed the scene.
“The longer we delay, the more chaos will compound.”
Alberu’s brow furrowed ever so slightly.
Tasha noticed the expression and spoke again.
“Your Highness.”
But a voice from behind caused her to fall silent.
“I’ll take my leave now.”
Tasha vacated her position.
In her place, another stepped forward.
“Your Highness.”
He opened his mouth toward the silent Alberu.
“Bob.”
“Do you wish to die?”
A soft chuckle escaped.
Duke Fredo’s lips curved with an amused, deflating laugh.
He continued speaking toward Alberu, who was glaring at him.
“The Western Continent has been quieter than expected. The Eastern Continent as well.”
“What reason would there be for commotion?”
“…Ah… The absence of Kale Heniatus?”
Alberu’s gaze turned away from Fredo.
‘Damn it.’
He didn’t actually have the leisure to converse with Fredo, let alone his aunt.
Kale Heniatus’s absence.
The severing of the Oath of Death.
Choi Han and Alberu were not the only ones who knew this fact.
There were far too many.
The conference that had taken place at the Jungle Zone 1 Coastal Area.
As a result of that conference, the representatives of the Four Kingdoms One Race Alliance had sworn the Oath of Death together.
John, the next king of Breck Kingdom.
Ritana, the King of the Jungle.
Witira, the heir of the Whale Tribe.
Herrol Codian, the Staff Officer of Tunka of Wipper Kingdom.
And Alberu and Kale of the Roan Kingdom.
At that gathering, many had sworn the Oath of Death to maintain their unity and keep their secrets.
‘The Western Continent is quiet, just as Fredo said.’
On the surface, at least.
The moment Alberu returned to his tent, it would be filled with the notification sounds of video communications from Breck, Wipper, the Jungle, and the Whale Tribe.
He would have to explain different portions of the entire situation he had grasped to each of them.
After all, there were few he could trust with everything laid bare.
The reason the Western Continent remained quiet was that the leaders of each nation were handling House Heniatus’s disappearance—connected to the Demonic Realm—with utmost secrecy.
And it was because Alberu and the leadership of the Roan Kingdom had coordinated tirelessly with the leadership of each nation.
Alberu had temporarily escaped from the scene of that coordination.
A little exhausted.
A little worn down.
A little wanting to rest without worry.
‘…Damn it. Even that won’t work.’
I couldn’t even afford myself a moment to catch my breath and ease my mind.
It wasn’t because there was too much work.
‘My shoulders feel so heavy.’
Beneath that black curtain.
I couldn’t fathom what might emerge from the Endable Kingdom at this moment.
Raon had been communicating with Erhaben through video transmission and relaying some information about the situation inside, but Erhaben’s current circumstances made it difficult to provide me with a proper assessment of the Endable situation.
I always had to prepare for the worst.
That burden was heavy.
Yet Alberu thought that if it were only that burden, perhaps it would have been manageable.
‘…Kale Heniatus.’
That bastard.
And one more.
‘I’ve made a deal. I’ll be back.’
Choi Han.
Whenever Alberu thought of these two, his heart sank with a heavy weight.
“This is suffocating.”
“Pardon? Is something not to your satisfaction?”
Alberu ignored Fredo’s words and turned back toward his tent.
He prayed.
‘Destroy whatever trial comes your way and return. You bastards.’
Alberu steeled himself, forcing strength into his weary face.
Click.
The moment I stepped inside the tent, I closed the entrance behind me and surveyed the interior.
Beep, beep, beep—
Beep, beep—
Beep, beep, beep—beep, beep—
Alberu removed his mask as video communication signals blared from all directions.
Returning to his true form as Crown Prince Albert Crossman with golden hair and blue eyes, he smoothed the corner of his mouth with one hand.
-Your Highness!
“Yes. What is it?”
Crown Prince Albert Crossman faced the people before him again, his expression composed with an ease that concealed his fatigue and the weight pressing down upon him.
He longed for time to pass quickly.
Because waiting meant they would surely return.
* * *
“Damn it, how many hours has it been?”
Park Jin-tae wiped the blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
“I don’t know, sir!”
“You? What do you even know, huh?”
“…That is—”
Lee Chul-min’s face bore the sting of injustice, but Park Jin-tae didn’t spare him a glance.
His gaze remained fixed forward, his hands moving with practiced efficiency.
Aim.
Fire.
Bang!
Another bullet tore through the air.
Boom!
Flames erupted as the explosion detonated around the bullet’s impact, leaving another charred corpse of a monster on the ground.
On both the east and west sides of the building, the bodies of monsters killed in this manner continued to accumulate.
A strained groan escaped.
Park Jin-tae clamped his lips shut, yet blood still seeped through the cracks.
Lee Chul-min’s face contorted.
‘I’ve never seen a commander use his abilities this extensively!’
One of the attack team members stepped forward.
“Commander. Shouldn’t we also step up and fight-”
“No!”
Park Jin-tae shook his head firmly.
“Did you forget we agreed to follow Kim Rok-soo’s orders? You’re just providing support for now!”
At that moment, fireballs were hurled through the air toward the monsters once more.
Park Jin-tae’s gaze turned toward the building’s window.
Several people caught his eye and shook their heads in response.
‘Damn it!’
It was a signal that they were running out of materials to create flaming arrows and fireballs.
He stared at the approaching monsters with a weary expression.
“Why do these damn Grade 3 monsters keep coming endlessly!”
“Commander, how can you smile while saying that?”
Park Jin-tae’s lips curved upward at his subordinate’s words from behind.
“Hey! Everything’s going according to that bastard Kim Rok-soo’s plan, so of course I’m smiling, right?”
His gaze shifted toward Jang Man-su’s shield.
Crash! Boom! Crash!
The monsters still hurled themselves at the shield, trying to shatter it.
Jang Man-su was drenched in sweat, yet he held firm against the assault, causing the monsters to surge more heavily toward the west and east sides in their attempt to breach the now-disabled Central Shelter.
But that shield’s effective duration was two hours.
Park Jin-tae gazed at the one figure on this battlefield who seemed wrapped in an eerie silence.
Crash! Boom!
Kim Rok-soo stared intently at the shield, which was on the verge of shattering under the relentless assault.
The moment Park Jin-tae caught sight of him.
Kim Rok-soo—Kale—lowered his head.
And he raised his wrist.
Park Jin-tae’s heart began to race.
‘When I shout, you run.’
Kim Rok-soo’s words echoed in his mind.
In that instant, Kale opened his mouth.
“Run!”
With those words, Kale bolted into the building.
Crack! Crackle—!
Park Jin-tae could see fissures spreading across Jang Man-su’s shield.
“Hurry!”
He urged on his subordinates, who were already fleeing at Rok-soo’s command.
Then, Park Jin-tae spotted a dark figure rushing toward them at tremendous speed.
It was Choi Han.
The attack team members who had been on the east side were already heading toward the main gate, and Choi Han had hoisted Jang Man-su onto his back.
“Huff. Gasp.”
As Jang Man-su, his trembling arms spread wide with effort, was carried on Choi Han’s back.
Park Jin-tae pulled something from his pocket and inserted it into his ear.
Then he retreated backward.
“Roaaarrr!”
“Screeeee—”
Monsters surged forward like a tidal wave from the East and West sides, where the attack team members had retreated.
Park Jin-tae tightened his grip on the gun in his hand.
That was when it happened.
Bang!
Kale Heniatus burst open the rooftop door.
“Huff, gasp.”
“Rok-soo!”
Breathing heavily, he locked eyes with Grandmother Kim standing on the rooftop, then immediately headed toward the railing.
Lee Jin-ju was standing there.
Kale Heniatus’s gaze turned downward.
“We’ve… we’ve reached our limit.”
Jang Man-su’s arms lost their strength and dropped to the ground.
Boom!
The shield shattered.
The barriers to the North and South collapsed.
The monsters surged through with explosive ferocity, their eyes gleaming with madness.
“Go!”
Park Jin-tae shouted to Choi Han, and Choi Han quickly rushed toward the building’s main gate.
Park Jin-tae stood behind him, covering his retreat as he shouted.
“Kim Rok-soo, what the hell are you doing?!”
The monsters reached the front of the building in an instant.
“You have a plan! Why aren’t you executing it?!”
The moment he shouted.
{The promised time has arrived.}
Lee Jin-ju’s voice rang out.
Park Jin-tae covered his ears.
It was the promised time they had arranged beforehand.
Her voice would reach everywhere within its range.
Kale Heniatus raised his hand.
Lee Jin-ju nodded, and Kale lowered his hand.
{Aaaaaaahhhhh!}
An extraordinarily piercing, deafening scream shook the surroundings.
For a moment, the world itself seemed to vibrate.
“Kraaagh!”
“Guhk!”
“Kiiieeeee!”
The charging monsters clutched at their ears.
Blood streamed from their ears. Even the weaker Grade 3 monsters staggered and collapsed.
The momentum of the charging monsters halted instantly.
That was when it happened.
Hands began appearing from the rooftop.
From their fingertips emanated faint telekinetic force, or gentle wind.
Those with only the weakest of abilities.
And those with no abilities but sound bodies.
All those who could not contribute significantly to the hunt gathered at the rooftop railing, wearing earplugs.
Silent commands dwelt in their gazes.
Kale’s hand moved downward once more.
“Drop them all!”
At Kale Heniatus’s signal, the people pushed with all their might, channeling every ounce of strength into their hands.
The ability users unleashed their powers to their maximum capacity.
Thud.
The objects that had been moved to the rooftop since last night began to fall.
Crash!
A massive building fragment plummeted to the ground.
“Screeeech!”
“Gahhh!”
Three monsters were struck by the enormous debris and collapsed.
That was the beginning.
Building fragments and all manner of debris began raining down upon the Grade 3 monsters that followed in their wake.
“Grraaahhh!”
“Kyaaahhh!”
The anguished cries of the monsters echoed in succession.
“Screeeech!”
Park Jin-tae watched as the monster before him was struck by a sharp concrete shard, its head splitting open as it fell.
“Hahahaha!”
At the sight, Park Jin-tae burst into laughter.
In that instant, he turned his head back as a force seized and pulled at him.
“What are you doing?”
Choi Han dragged him back, and those inside the building quickly pushed the door shut.
Creak— Slam!
The main gate closed.
Heavy objects were swiftly stacked in front of the sealed door.
The first-floor windows were soon barricaded with wooden planks and other materials.
Park Jin-tae ignored it and immediately rushed to the rooftop.
‘This bastard Kim Rok-soo really…’
In an instant, he reached the rooftop and opened his mouth as he gazed down at the building below.
This guy, Kim Rok-soo really—
“Quick thinking indeed!”
Grandmother Kim also looked down below.
Then she approached Kale Heniatus beside Lee Jin-ju and grasped his hand.
“Rok-soo, just as you said, a wall has been created.”
Monsters piled up like mountains along the rectangular building.
Together with the building debris.
Another wall to protect the Central Shelter.
Park Jin-tae approached Kale Heniatus.
“With this, other monsters won’t be able to approach easily.”
Grandmother Kim nodded at those words.
“Right. It will take time for them to attack over those monsters and debris. Well done.”
But the smile had already vanished from Park Jin-tae’s face as he approached.
“Everything is exactly as you said, Kim Rok-soo.”
Kale Heniatus’s gaze shifted from below the rooftop to somewhere else.
Park Jin-tae continued speaking as he observed him.
“According to your prediction, a few Grade 1 monsters will soon descend upon this place, right?”
In Park Jin-tae’s eyes, beyond the tide of Grade 3 monsters, Grade 2 monsters were gradually appearing.
“Grade 1 monsters will appear at the moment when Grade 3 and Grade 2 monsters switch.”
Kale closed his eyes, then opened them.
The past.
During the transition between Grade 3 and Grade 2 monsters.
A small number of Grade 1 monsters had briefly appeared.
As if to give a preview of the true assault from Grade 1 monsters that would arrive soon.
‘That time.’
Kale’s gaze met Park Jin-tae’s as he looked at me.
“Will it work?”
Watching Park Jin-tae ask me, Kale thought.
‘You died that time.’
Those who had tried to protect this building, to buy time for escape, all perished against these few Grade 1 monsters.
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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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