Trash of the Count’s Family - Chapter 569

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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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The Giant Snake’s final scream pierced the air.

“Krraaaagh!”

At last, the colossal body began to topple backward in slow motion.
Boom—!
Black blood streamed from every inch of the fallen Giant Snake’s form, its massive frame riddled with punctures from every direction.
The architect of those wounds.

‘I did it…!’

Kim Min-ah’s lips curved upward as she gazed upon the fallen colossus.

“Huff, huff.”

Yet ragged breaths escaped her lips, and both her arms trembled violently.
The hand that had gripped the spear most of the battle convulsed noticeably.

“Min-ah, are you alright?”

Bae Pureun approached, concern evident in his voice as he assessed her condition.
Kim Min-ah let out a soft laugh upon seeing him.

“Bae Pureun, you look worse off than I do.”
“Is that so?”

Bae Pureun glanced down at his own body.
After charging at the giant repeatedly like a rocket, propelled by the whirlwind Kim Rok-soo had given him, he bore no serious injuries, yet his appearance was utterly disheveled.
Of course, he had minor bruises and cuts scattered across his frame, but to have defeated a Grade 1 monster with only this much damage was an exceptional bargain.

“Should I help support you?”

At Bae Pureun’s question, Kim Min-ah shook her head.
She steeled her legs and straightened her posture.

‘This is my first time.’

It was her first time.
Fighting while unleashing her power so freely.

‘…My body can’t keep up with my strength.’

Because of that, her entire body trembled.
It didn’t hurt.
As time passed and her body grew accustomed to the power, it would disappear soon enough.

She realized anew that this power she possessed truly deserved the description of ‘monstrous strength.’
That made it even more astonishing.

‘…Just who is Kim Rok-soo-‘

The very existence of the human named Kim Rok-soo.
The more she thought about it, the more amazed she became.

Her gaze shifted to the side.
Kale Heniatus and Kim Min-ah’s eyes met.
She heard his emotionless voice.

“Excellent.”

In her pupils reflected Kale Heniatus, casually wiping the blood trickling from the corner of his mouth as he spoke to her.

“Kim Min-ah, you fought quite well.”

It was strange.
Kim Min-ah found that Kale Heniatus’s emotionless praise somehow stirred her heart.
She couldn’t understand why.

“Bae Pureun, you did well too. You fought excellently.”

And it was the same for Bae Pureun.
The two of them, who appeared slightly older than Kale Heniatus, finally felt the reality of having defeated that giant through his praise.

Kim Min-ah unknowingly let out words.

“I want to go there too.”

Kale Heniatus’s gaze turned toward her, and Kim Min-ah spoke with conviction, not impulse.

“Busan Seomyeon. I want to go there.”

And she added,

“But you have to make me stronger in return.”

She could see a soft smile bloom across his otherwise expressionless face.
It was a smile that seemed to say he had known she would say exactly that.

“Alright.”

Kale answered calmly and turned around.

“You two, head back to the building now.”

Then he approached Park Jin-tae and Lee Chul-min, who stood before the main gate on the first floor of the building.
Bae Pureun watched Kale’s receding figure with a dazed expression before opening his mouth.

“…Man. That guy is seriously cool, isn’t he? Totally composed!”
“You were cool too.”
“…Huh?”

Bae Pureun’s eyes widened as he looked at Kim Min-ah.
Kim Min-ah looked at him as if asking what the problem was, and Bae Pureun carefully opened his mouth.

“Really? I was cool?”
“Yeah.”
“…Min-ah.”
“What?”
“Honestly, during the fight earlier, the mood wasn’t right so I didn’t say anything. Can I say it now?”
“Go ahead.”

At Kim Min-ah’s encouraging gaze, Bae Pureun smiled brightly and spoke.

“When you were swinging that window earlier, it was incredible. You’re the coolest person in the world to me. I couldn’t take my eyes off you.”

In Bae Pureun’s eyes, only Kim Min-ah sparkled and shone brilliantly.
Pfft. Kim Min-ah let out a deflating laugh and blurted out her words.

“Say more.”
“Huh?”
“Praise me more.”
“Got it! You’re the best!”
“How cute.”

Kim Min-ah gazed at Bae Pureun as if he were adorable, and at that look, the corners of Bae Pureun’s mouth rose uncontrollably upward.
Then the two of them turned their gazes away.
Kale Heniatus, who had been walking toward the building, stopped in his tracks and stared intently at Bae Pureun and Kim Min-ah.

“Ahem.”
“Hmm!”

Kim Min-ah and Bae Pureun quietly averted their gazes from Kale Heniatus.
Then they quickly headed toward the building.
The two soon passed Kale Heniatus, and his voice reached them.

“You two suit each other well.”

At those words, Bae Pureun and Kim Min-ah, who had paused, answered in turn.

“Th-thank you!”
“I know. We do suit each other.”

With answers that each displayed their own personality, Bae Pureun and Kim Min-ah entered the building, and instead, two other people approached Kale Heniatus.

“Kim Rok-soo.”

One of them was Park Jin-tae.
He had already drawn his gun, his fingers itching, as he approached.

“What is it?”

But when Kale Heniatus simply gazed at him, Park Jin-tae quietly turned his gaze away.
He recalled the conversation with Choi Han from moments before.

Before walking toward Kim Rok-soo’s side, realizing it was Lee Chul-min’s and his turn.

‘What?’

His eyes had met Choi Han’s.
On one side, Lee Sung-won, Kim Min-jun, and Lee Jin-ju were huddled together doing something, and Choi Han had been conversing with Lee Sung-won just moments before.

But suddenly, Choi Han separated himself and approached me.
And he looked at me with a fierce gaze.

‘I’d like to have a word.’

Choi Han said so while looking at Lee Chul-min, and when Park Jin-tae nodded, Lee Chul-min moved away from Park Jin-tae.
Park Jin-tae watched as Lee Chul-min distanced himself, then looked at Choi Han.
That’s when Choi Han’s mouth opened.

‘You got a problem with me?’
‘…What?’

Taken aback by the sudden casual tone, Park Jin-tae genuinely stared at him, but Choi Han remained composed.
No—he was angry.

He had just heard everything about Kim Rok-soo’s situation from Lee Sung-won.
Choi Han’s hand came to rest on Park Jin-tae’s shoulder.
He was someone who had learned much from Kale Heniatus.
Tap. Tap. The way Choi Han patted Park Jin-tae’s shoulder resembled Kale Heniatus.

‘…You hit my hyung Kim Rok-soo?’

In that instant, Park Jin-tae’s entire body trembled as a suffocating killing intent focused solely on him.
Even so, Choi Han’s voice continued.

‘Why? Why did you do it? Ah, no wait. From what I hear, there wasn’t even a real reason?’

Choi Han recalled what Lee Sung-won had said.

‘Only hyung was hit. Only Kim Rok-soo hyung. You made up a reason to hit him.’
‘Is that what you’re saying now?’
‘Ah, no. That’s not it. This was the first time I actually hit him, but I’ve always been disliked.’

Choi Han spoke softly to Park Jin-tae.

‘Kim Rok-soo hyung probably leaves you alone because you’re useful to him right now. Lee Chul-min is left alone for the same reason.’

Choi Han’s cold gaze settled on Lee Chul-min, who stood quite a distance away from Park Jin-tae.

‘Remember that I’m watching.’

Park Jin-tae could still feel those words echoing in his ears.

“Sigh.”

The one heaving heavy sighs was Lee Chul-min, Park Jin-tae’s loyal subordinate and an offensive ability user.
He was casting a pitiful gaze toward Kale Heniatus.

‘Do I really have to fight too?’

That was the look in his eyes.
Kale Heniatus stared directly at that gaze, and Lee Chul-min eventually averted his eyes, furrowing his brow when Park Jin-tae wasn’t looking.

Kale Heniatus swallowed a scoff at Lee Chul-min’s behavior.

‘Lee Chul-min, you won’t be able to escape this time.’

Lee Chul-min.
When the Central Shelter lost its function and monsters poured in, he was the one who pretended to follow Park Jin-tae’s orders to “let those without fighting ability run first!” while slipping away alone.

And one more thing.

‘He’s the one who becomes the head of the Guild.’

Lee Chul-min and Park Jin-tae.
Kale Heniatus needed these two for the coming battles, but he had no intention of showing them the same consideration he gave to Bae Pureun and Kim Min-ah.

‘Rather, I’ll use them properly—to the point where they’ll want to run.’

But they wouldn’t be able to escape.
Kale Heniatus was determined to bring these two to Busan Seomyeon no matter what.
Because he had grueling work for them to do.

‘And Team Leader Lee Su-hyuk won’t just let this slide.’

Once Team Leader Lee Su-hyuk heard about the Central Shelter after I left, he would turn everything upside down.
I planned to take Grandmother Kim and the Lee Siblings with me anyway. They would surely tell Lee Su-hyuk everything.

‘It’s going to be brutal.’

The scene that would unfold would be terrifying, far beyond merely brutal.
For a moment, the back of my neck prickled with unease, but I shook my head to dispel the sensation and opened my mouth.

“Three Grade-1 monsters remain.”

Park Jin-tae and Lee Chul-min’s gazes turned toward the south.

Boom—!
A colossal bear, reaching five meters tall and requiring one to crane their neck to see, took a step forward.
A bear covered in violet tiger stripes.
My mouth fell open.

“That monster’s name is Poison Bear.”

Poison.
At that word, Park Jin-tae’s grip tightened. It became abundantly clear—this was his turn.
Then, a strange sound echoed.

“Hisssss—hisssss—”

Lee Chul-min’s face contorted.

“…Disgusting bastard.”

At the same moment, I continued.

“As you can see from its appearance, that’s a Human-faced Spider—a spider wearing a human face like a mask.”

As the three-meter spider wearing a crying child’s face like a mask approached, Lee Chul-min stumbled backward hesitantly.
In that instant, Lee Chul-min saw it.

A sly grin spread across his face.
Kale Heniatus whispered with amusement.

“Let me make a prediction.”
“…What?”
“You would have run away otherwise.”

Lee Chul-min’s pupils trembled as he nervously glanced at Park Jin-tae. Park Jin-tae’s gaze drifted away from both of them, his expression utterly indifferent.
At that sight, Lee Chul-min’s heart sank, and he hastily opened his mouth.

“No! I was planning to fight until the very end!”
“Is that so?”

Tap. Tap. Kale Heniatus patted Lee Chul-min’s shoulder.

“Then fight with all your might.”

Damn it! I’ve been caught!
Lee Chul-min’s face contorted at Kale Heniatus’s composed smile. Now he truly had no choice but to fight with everything he had.
Then, Lee Chul-min heard Park Jin-tae’s voice.
His tone was indifferent.

“That’s right, Chul-min. You should fight with your full strength for once.”

Lee Chul-min’s pupils trembled with a different meaning than before.

“…Commander?”
“You’ve been holding back all this time, always concealing your power. Do you think I wouldn’t notice?”
“…Ah.”

Lee Chul-min saw Park Jin-tae smiling at him. Park Jin-tae raised his gun.

“Fight properly. Unless you want to take my bullets.”

Damn it!
Lee Chul-min managed only a wry smile.

“Commander! Don’t worry!”

However, neither Kale Heniatus nor Park Jin-tae spared a glance at Lee Chul-min. Lee Chul-min felt a surge of irritation at their indifference, but he suppressed it.
The reason was simple.

‘This place is safe.’

Kim Rok-soo was irritating and Park Jin-tae was terrifying, but.
Standing beside these two men was currently the safest place to be.
If that was the case, I had to fight with all my strength.

“So the final leader has arrived.”

At Park Jin-tae’s voice, Lee Chul-min watched as a monster stepped forward elegantly, one pace at a time, from behind the bear and the spider.

It possessed a mane like a lion, yet its appearance and body form were those of a tiger.
The stripes interwoven with black, gray, and white were beautiful rather than grotesque, and its black mane was luxuriant and gleamed with luster.

It was a Grade 1 monster that truly deserved the word “elegant.”

“…Dark Tiger.”

Park Jin-tae murmured the name he had heard from Kim Rok-soo.
But there was no time to admire the monster’s appearance any longer.

The Dark Tiger’s mouth opened.

“You possess considerable skill.”
“…!”

Park Jin-tae and Lee Chul-min’s eyes widened.

It was Korean.
The monster had spoken in human language.

Then, as if it were the most natural thing, Kale Heniatus opened his mouth.

“You have decent skill, don’t you? Would you care to make a deal with me?”
“…A deal?”

The Dark Tiger’s black eyes scrutinized Kale Heniatus carefully.

‘A monster capable of communication.’

The moment Kale Heniatus learned of this existence, he was able to formulate this plan.
In particular, he had expressed a certain hypothesis about this Grade 1 monster in a document later on.

【This monster capable of communication was merely a taste, yet it commanded Grade 1 monsters. Then, could it be that other Grade 1 monsters or those of lower ranks would also heed this peculiar monster’s orders?】

If this hypothesis were true.
It would be possible to paint a revolutionary picture.

The Dark Tiger possessed considerable and formidable power in itself, but beyond that, it held many things that Kale needed.

“Yes, a deal.”
“What kind of deal?”
“As you can see, Dark Tiger, you will ultimately die by our attacks. So wouldn’t it be better to stand with us rather than die?”

Lee Chul-min and Park Jin-tae stared at Kale Heniatus in shock.

‘What is he saying right now?’

Lee Chul-min in particular had his mouth agape in astonishment.
Wasn’t Kim Rok-soo essentially proposing they side with the monster?
Did that even make sense?

‘It doesn’t!’

It was absurd.
Yet at the Dark Tiger’s following words, Lee Chul-min had to draw in a sharp breath in surprise.

“An intriguing proposal. However, I cannot accept it.”
“Why?”
“Because I have orders I must carry out.”
“…Is that so?”

Orders. At that word, a glimmer of interest flickered across Kale Heniatus’s eyes.

A monster capable of communication.
Kale Heniatus absolutely had to speak with this being.

It wasn’t solely to bring them into his camp.

‘The mastermind.’

The sudden cataclysm that had befallen Earth.
I was curious about who orchestrated it.
Monsters that appeared out of nowhere. And the abilities granted to humans, along with these bizarre phenomena.
There had to be a reason.

‘The Demon Realm and the sealed god. They must be connected somehow.’

Kale Heniatus wanted to hear more detailed information.
To do so, this monster capable of communication was a precious source of intelligence.

“What a shame. Dark Tiger, it would have been wonderful if you stood with me.”

In that moment, Kale Heniatus noticed the Dark Tiger’s eyes shift.

“Grrr.”

The tiger let out a low rumble and shook its head side to side.
Its mane swayed with the motion.
Then it lowered its head and gazed quietly at its own body. The Dark Tiger’s pupils dilated as it raised its front paw.

Lee Chul-min flinched at the sight, but the Dark Tiger merely tapped the ground lightly with its raised paw several times.

“…Ha!”

The Dark Tiger laughed as if exasperated by its own thoughts. Then it wore an expression full of contemplation.

Kale Heniatus recalled a record upon witnessing this.
It had been documented later.

【Curiously, these monsters capable of communication deliberately spoke to humans. They attempted to have conversations.】
【Of course, these monsters attempted dialogue before ultimately killing humans with the words ‘there’s no value in conversing with you.’】
【But the important question was: why did these monsters attempt to communicate with humans in the first place?】
【If their only goal was to slaughter all humans and destroy the initial Central Shelter, there would be no reason to engage in dialogue, would there?】
【Surely these monsters capable of communication had a purpose behind speaking to humans.】

The purpose of this Dark Tiger.
Kale Heniatus recalled that purpose and opened his mouth.
It was to mention a single word.

“Then what if I grant you the ‘freedom’ to ignore my commands?”

He cast out a single phrase first, seeking to understand its purpose.

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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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