Trash of the Count’s Family - Chapter 622

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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 moment Kale Heniatus realized there were ten minutes left, he immediately assessed who was in the room.

Choi Han and Lee Soo-hyuk.
Only the two of them.

“Alberu has returned.”

Kale Heniatus nodded at Choi Han’s words, then opened his mouth as he observed the mixture of anticipation and worry etched across Choi Han’s face.

“Ten minutes remain. Return before midnight.”

Ah.
A small sigh escaped Choi Han’s lips.

Ten minutes.
Once Kale Heniatus left, he would have to leave as well.
Ten minutes remained until he could return home.

The reason Kale Heniatus had mentioned the time was obvious.
Choi Jung-soo.
Choi Han immediately headed toward the door. Behind his departing figure, Kale Heniatus’s voice reached him.

“And bring the others as well.”
“Understood.”

The others.
Kale Heniatus hadn’t bothered to name them specifically.
He was referring to the comrades waiting for him to awaken, and Choi Han understood immediately.

“They’re in the adjacent room, so it won’t take long.”

The door swung open.
Choi Han’s movements seemed oddly hurried.
Kale Heniatus watched Choi Han leave, then turned his gaze toward Lee Soo-hyuk.

A gentle smile graced Lee Soo-hyuk’s lips.

“Rok-soo, the Yellow-Haired Monster is completely dead.”
“I know.”
“And its scales are in pretty good condition, so I’m thinking we could use them to craft weapons or something.”
“That’s a good idea.”
“Right? And a pearl-like orb came out of that creature’s body.”
“Really? So it truly was something like an ancient water serpent.”

Their conversation was mundane.

“You didn’t know about the orb?”
“No. There were no records of such a thing in my past.”
“Hmm. I see. Anyway, I’m thinking we should research it along with the scales. It’ll probably be useful for something.”
“That’s a good idea. When you research it, ask Lee Sung-won to document everything.”
“That’s what I was planning.”

Lee Soo-hyuk had heard the words that only ten minutes remained, and Kale knew it too.
Yet in this moment, the two of them simply acted as they always did.
Of course, in a situation that was slightly more peaceful and serene than usual.

“Rok-soo.”
“Yes.”
“Does it not hurt anymore?”

Kale’s gaze turned toward Lee Soo-hyuk.

“No. It doesn’t hurt.”
“That’s a relief.”

Lee Soo-hyuk nodded and opened his mouth again.

“Rok-soo.”
“Yes.”
“Should I say it’s fortunate that we didn’t leave right away?”

A smile. The corners of Lee Soo-hyuk’s mouth rose once more.

“I won’t tell long stories anymore.”
“Okay.”

Lee Soo-hyuk glanced at the clock.
Several minutes had already passed.

“He’s in the adjacent room, but Choi Han is running a bit late.”
“He’ll be here soon.”

The two of them savored the fleeting moment of peaceful silence they’d been granted.
Then Choi Han stepped into the adjacent room and, seeing the people gathered there, opened his mouth to speak.

“Kim Rok-soo hyung. He’s awake.”
“Really?”
“Ah! Thank goodness, thank goodness.”
“…Phew.”

Several people expressed their relief with varying reactions.

“He asked everyone to come in.”
“Is that so?”
“Bae Pureun, let’s go.”
“Sure. Min-ah.”

Choi Han carefully observed each person passing through the door I had opened.

Kim Min-ah and Bae Pureun went out first.
Lee Sung-won, Lee Jin-ju. And Grandmother Kim, Kang the Healer, Joo Ho-sik, and others.
Quite a number of people passed by Choi Han.

Of course, many were absent from this place.
Heo Sook-ja and Kim Woo, busy with stabilizing the Seokmyeon Shelter.
Several ability users from other regions who had hurried back, saying they needed to check on their own shelters.
And ability users from other regions who had stayed to help until the Seokmyeon Shelter was fully restored.
Finally, those who were too exhausted and resting.

Choi Han recalled the people who had been with him and Kale.
They would all be waiting for Kale to wake up.

He caught sight of someone passing by his side.
It was Park Jin-tae.

“…Do you have something to say?”

Choi Han asked Park Jin-tae, who had stopped beside me.
After the battle ended, Park Jin-tae had kept his mouth firmly shut and remained in the adjacent room next to Kale’s the entire time.

“…You.”

Park Jin-tae’s lips slowly parted.
His gaze was fixed upon Choi Han’s figure.

“…Kim Rok-soo has already woken up. Shouldn’t you take care of yourself too?”

Choi Han’s eyes widened slightly.
Park Jin-tae avoided his gaze and walked past him.

“…The one who struggled the second time should at least take care of his own body.”

Choi Han watched Park Jin-tae’s retreating figure as he muttered awkwardly, then let out a soft chuckle.
But that smile soon faded.

The last person to leave this room.
Even though I saw that person’s footsteps heading toward the door, I closed it.

Creak—, click.
Choi Han opened his mouth as he looked at the person who remained with me.

“Shall we talk?”

The remaining person, Choi Jung-soo, slowly nodded.
Choi Han glanced at the clock.

53 minutes.
Only 7 minutes remained now.

The same was true for Kale.
Thus, as I watched those entering my room, I slowly rose to my feet.
Bae Pureun, who hurried over, helped me up.

“Kim Rok-soo, are you alright?”
“Yes, Grandmother.”

Grandmother Kim smiled at Kale’s response.
His complexion and the strength in his voice had certainly returned to normal.

The Commander. No, Kim Rok-soo had collapsed. How shocked everyone had been.
Only then did people notice how that imposing back suddenly seemed so frail.

They realized anew that the back had always been small and fragile.
They understood that the fallen Commander was merely someone who had just reached adulthood, yet had carried the lives of countless others upon those shoulders.

“You’re truly alright, aren’t you?”

At Kim Min-ah’s worried question, Kale nodded.
Then he examined each person who had entered the room.

Those who had been alive before I became Kale.
And those who had died.
People with whom I had never shared a deep connection originally.

Seeing such people gathered together, Kale’s lips curled upward without his realizing it.
Tick. Tick.
The sound of the second hand echoed.
He smiled and spoke bluntly.

“I have lost most of my power.”

Gasp.
Bae Pureun inhaled sharply without thinking.

“…What are you saying?”

Park Jin-tae’s voice emerged low and strained.
His eyes were trembling violently.

Abilities disappearing?
Was such a thing even possible?
He hadn’t witnessed such a case in nearly a year.

But I couldn’t easily refute it.
Over the past year, so much had happened, and more would unfold ahead. Among all those possibilities, losing my abilities was certainly something that could occur.

Park Jin-tae’s gaze met Kim Rok-soo’s eyes as he looked at me.
Kim Rok-soo remained composed.

“I’m simply stating the truth.”

And somehow.
Somehow, he appeared at peace.
When the others sensed this, Kale Heniatus spoke.

“I’ve lost most of my power. But.”

His gaze turned toward the window.
Night had fallen.
The night was quiet and beautiful, as if no battle had ever taken place.

“But I survived.”

His voice was certainly calm and measured, yet within it lay a faint glimmer of joy.
And I could feel a solid strength beneath those words.
Kale Heniatus looked at Lee Soo-hyuk and asked.

“Are there any casualties?”
“None.”

Zero deaths.
This was nothing short of a miracle.
No—it was a miracle.
A miracle we created.

Kale Heniatus slowly closed his eyes.

“…How peaceful.”

The end of a fierce war.
This moment of peace we finally grasped.

He opened his eyes.

“Good. Very good.”

The eyes of those watching him widened.

“…I didn’t know he could smile like that.”

Joo Ho-sik muttered softly without realizing it.

Brightly.
Their commander was smiling with a peaceful expression, brightly.

Because of that, Joo Ho-sik and the others couldn’t bring themselves to say anything to him, who had lost most of his strength just moments before.
Then, Kale Heniatus opened his mouth.

“I’m tired.”

At those words, the room became chaotic again.
No matter how much his complexion had improved or his voice had become calm, he was someone who had just regained consciousness after fainting moments ago.
And what had he been like before fainting?
Imagining that scene, people couldn’t help but become anxious.

Kale Heniatus observed them quietly before opening his mouth.

“I need to rest a bit. Let’s finish the rest of this conversation after I’ve had some sleep.”

Kale Heniatus lay back down on the bed, and everyone quickly agreed to his words.

“Yes. That sounds good.”
“Yes! Get plenty of rest, hyung.”
“See you later. Tell me when you’re feeling better. I’ll come right away.”

Despite having just arrived and now leaving again, they all headed out without much complaint.
Behind their departing figures, Kale Heniatus’s voice rang out.

“By the way, has everyone eaten?”

Those standing in the corridor outside the room glanced back, turning around to see their commander’s expressionless face.

“You must eat properly.”

The commander spoke to them with an unusually grave expression.

“One must eat to work. And all of you look far worse than I do. Go rest. Eat well, sleep well, and rest well. Those three things are absolutely vital. Especially eating. Do you understand?”

A soft laugh escaped.
Joo Ho-sik let out a deflating chuckle.

“Commander, you’re the one who skips meals. We’re managing just fine.”
“That’s right. We’re doing well.”

Kim Min-ah agreed with Joo Ho-sik’s words, laughing playfully.
Park Jin-tae, the last to step outside, spoke bluntly.

“Take care of yourself first.”

Then he closed the door as he spoke.

“Rest.”

Click.
The door closed once more.

“Rok-soo, remember what Jin-tae said.”

At Lee Soo-hyuk’s words—the only one who remained—Kale Heniatus nodded.

“I will eat properly.”

Kale Heniatus suddenly thought of apple pie.
Specifically, the moment when tear-soaked apple pie was shoved into his mouth.
And the lemon tea that had been offered so casually.

‘I’m thinking of lemon tea.’

Kale Heniatus wondered for a moment why he was like this, but as Ron’s face came to mind, he closed his eyes briefly, then opened them.

“Two minutes left.”
“Got it.”

Creak.
The door swung open.

“You came?”

Kale could see Choi Han entering with an impassive expression, while Choi Jung-soo stood frozen at the threshold, unable to step inside.

Choi Jung-soo’s expression was far from pleasant.
Rather, he looked confused.

Yet there was a sense of peace about him.
As if he had found reassurance in something.

Kale did not ask Choi Han and Choi Jung-soo about their conversation.
Despite his calm demeanor, Choi Han’s eyes were bloodshot—not from tears, it seemed, but a torrent of emotions swirled within those crimson irises.

“Choi Jung-soo. Either come in or don’t.”

Choi Jung-soo hesitated before stepping into the room, and Lee Soo-hyuk closed the door behind him.

“Choi Jung-soo.”
“…Yeah.”
“Make sure you eat well and get proper rest.”
“You, you-”

Choi Jung-soo couldn’t find his words.
He looked at Choi Han’s face, then turned to Kale and spoke.

“Right. You take care of yourself too—eat well and get some real rest.”

Then he worked his lips silently for a long moment.

“And, and-”

Kale looked toward Choi Han. Choi Jung-soo’s voice came through.

“And… see you again.”

Ha.
Kale watched quietly as something that could have been either a sigh or a laugh escaped from Choi Han’s lips, then closed his eyes.

‘It seems Choi Han has said almost everything.’

Perhaps seeing me reveal quite a few facts to Lee Soo-hyuk, Choi Han had also come to some kind of resolution.
That was when it happened.

“Rok-soo.”

Lee Soo-hyuk’s voice reached me.

“There’s something I want to say to you.”

After a brief moment of hesitation, Lee Soo-hyuk continued.

“…You’ve worked hard.”

In that instant, I squeezed my eyes shut.
I never expected to hear such words from Lee Soo-hyuk.
And then his voice reached me again.

“And let’s see each other again.”

I opened my eyes and looked at Lee Soo-hyuk.
I wanted to tell him that would be difficult. That he shouldn’t harbor such vain hopes. But Lee Soo-hyuk was faster.
But Lee Soo-hyuk was a bit faster.

“Just as you did. Someday, either I or someone among us might go to help you.”

Lee Soo-hyuk smiled.

“Let’s meet again someday.”

In the end, I let out a laugh as well.
But I did not answer his words.

“Choi Han.”

Instead, I called out to Choi Han.
Less than a minute remained now.

“How do I return?”

How would Choi Han return?
Unlike Kale, Choi Han had entered this trial through the God of Death to reach Kale.

“All you need to do is say one thing, hyung.”

What did he mean?
I furrowed my brow slightly as I watched Choi Han, who wouldn’t explain what that one thing was and merely smiled mysteriously.
But I soon opened my mouth.
The words I had to say to Choi Han now.
There was only one thing.

“Let’s go home.”

Return.
To where those waiting for us are.
There was nothing else to say.

That was the moment.

“…Ah.”

A sigh escaped from Choi Jung-soo’s lips.

Crackle, crackle—
Choi Han’s body gradually crumbled into dust and scattered away.

“I’ll go on ahead.”

With those words, Choi Han gave Choi Jung-soo one final nod of farewell before closing his eyes.
His body vanished from this world at rapid speed.

-Less than thirty seconds left.

And Kale exchanged final words with Kim Rok-soo.

-Thanks to you, cleanup will be easier.
‘Is he talking about me losing my power?’
-Right. I can’t use Ancient Powers myself, after all.

Kim Rok-soo’s voice was indifferent, yet tinged with regret.
The other Kim Rok-soo, Kale, understood this well.

-Don’t worry. Even if you can’t use Ancient Powers, I’ll soon awaken the other abilities you wielded.
‘Don’t worry. You’ll do well.’

Kim Rok-soo couldn’t respond to Kale’s words, but finally spoke one last phrase.

-Take care.
‘Yeah.’

5 seconds. 4 seconds.

“Rok-soo, go safely.”

3 seconds.
Kale opened his eyes and looked at the two remaining people.
Those who had died in his stead.

“Live well.”

2 seconds.
Kale calmly closed his eyes.
When he opened them next, it would be in that other world.

1 second.
Now I go.

“Cough!”

Blood spilled from Kale’s lips.

“Kim Rok-soo!”
“Hey!”

The flustered faces of Lee Soo-hyuk and Choi Jung-soo entered Kale’s field of vision.
But Kale clutched the bedsheet, continuously coughing up blood in violent spasms.

“Hack, cough!”
-What’s happening?

Kim Rok-soo’s panicked voice echoed in his mind.
At that moment, Jjangdol muttered awkwardly.

-It seems the soul is in pain as the connection binding it to the body severs and it attempts to return.

Kale’s face contorted.

“This, this is, hack.”
“Kim Rok-soo, Kim Rok-soo!”
“Hey, why, why are you suffering like this when your uncle didn’t?”

My thoughts exactly!
According to Choi Jung-soo, Kale was exasperated that only he was in pain.

Couldn’t I at least depart with a bit of dignity?

“Ugh, cough, this, this damned god bastard!”

Jjangdol and Kim Rok-soo murmured sympathetically.

-…Hang in there. Kale. I’ll wait for you ahead.
-You’ve suffered too.

That Sealed God truly was someone incapable of gratitude.

‘To depart like this!’

Couldn’t I have said goodbye with more grace?
The world gradually darkened before his eyes.
Kale watched the world fade completely to black, engulfed in searing agony that consumed his entire being.

“Cough!”

With a brief gasp, I literally lost consciousness.
Then came darkness.
Kale’s eyes closed involuntarily in the shadows.
That was the moment.

-You’ve finally overcome the Sealed God’s trial.

The God of Death’s voice reached me faintly.
That voice was strangely warm.

-Human, do not think this is the end.

The voice grew quieter.

-For fate knows not how it shall reconnect.
-Destiny is an unknown existence that even the laws of this world cannot comprehend.

As I listened to the God of Death’s words, I pondered.

‘What nonsense is this now?’

And that thought escaped my lips.

“…What nonsense is that?”

That was when it happened.

“Human!”

I froze at the familiar voice.
Had they returned?
I hesitated slightly, unsure whether to open my eyes.

In that moment, a welcome voice reached me again.

“Our human just spoke! He asked what nonsense that was! He said it just like always, so bluntly!”

Flap, flap.
The sound of wings beating filled the air.

“Everyone, come here!”

Bright voices mingled with joy and tears.

“Our human is here!”
“He’s awake!”
“He’s up!”

Kale brushed aside his momentary hesitation and opened his eyes.
His vision brightened.
Among the kaleidoscope of colors, Raon, On, and Hong stood before him, beaming with radiant smiles and crying with joy.

I had come home.

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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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