Trash of the Count’s Family - Chapter 664

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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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“Could it be that he’s actually going to use that skewer here?”

It was a wooden skewer—no more than the length and thickness of a chopstick—that the World Tree had handed over through Fendrick, the Healer Elf.
Kale’s expression shifted subtly.

‘Did the World Tree foresee this situation, this moment when I would eliminate the reincarnated White Star, and give me this sword for that purpose?’

His head tilted to one side.

‘That doesn’t seem right.’

The World Tree had said it couldn’t see the future of those who possessed Ancient Power very clearly.
I recalled the circumstances under which I had received the World Tree’s sword.

It was when I had stormed into the Molden Royal Palace alongside Princess Sophias.
Working in cooperation with the Elves to deal with the Fake World Tree problem, I had defeated Elysnet I, a subordinate of the White Star, and fought a considerable battle in the underground chamber of the Molden Royal Palace as part of the plan for Princess Sophias to take that position.
In the midst of that fierce battle, Fendrick—an Elf who could not use spirit magic but possessed the power of a Healer—had approached me discreetly.
He had handed me something wrapped in silk and spoken to me.

‘Young Master. This is a sword the World Tree has given you.’
‘…A sword? This?’
‘Isn’t this just a World Tree branch?’
‘No, sir. It is a sword.’

Fendrick relayed to me what the World Tree had told him in secret.

‘Young Master. The World Tree said to use it when you are in critical danger. If you pierce this into a living being’s heart and stain it with blood, it will become a great weapon—’
‘The World Tree said your blood is special, Young Master.’
‘It said your blood overflows with life force and vitality more than anyone else’s. Therefore, against beings weak to life force and vigor, your blood would be a direct hit, he said.’

My lips parted as I recalled the memory.

“It’s highly likely the World Tree didn’t know either.”

The World Tree had given me the sword to use against the Fake World Tree and those related to dead mana.
It didn’t seem as though it had considered the scenario of dealing with a reincarnated being.

‘Of course, I can’t know the exact details.’

Kale Heniatus had decided where to go next after leaving the Heniatus Territory.

“I need to meet the World Tree first.”
“Human, so we’re heading north and then to Pursulsi?”
“That’s right.”

Raon clenched his front paws tightly as he committed the next destination to memory in response to Kale’s answer.

‘I won’t be separated from the human!’

I would stay right by his side.
That way, if the human tried to overexert himself, I could stop him.
Raon made a firm resolve.

Unaware of this, Kale continued reading through the postscript contents he had left behind.

“There’s more in the postscript than I expected.”

Rustle, rustle.
Kale’s expression grew peculiar as he turned the pages.

The diary contained not only methods to eliminate Reincarnators, but also techniques for dealing with Single-lifespan beings, Possessed ones, and Immortals using ring-mark abilities.

【Returners are unknown to me, so unfortunately I have nothing to teach about them.】

But after reading that far, Kale made a decision.

‘…I’ll have to burn this section later.’

It contained information that was quite unfavorable for both himself and Choi Han.

‘I’m more of a person who was possessed rather than a Possessed one, so it won’t be a major problem for me. But this information is dangerous for Choi Han.’

The more I read about the characteristics of Single-lifespan beings, the more the description pointed to Choi Han.

【A single-lifer refers to someone who lives only one life on the Ground Level. It can be judged as unfavorable in that they cannot be reincarnated.】
【However, while our family has not grasped the exact details, we speculate that a single-lifer’s soul does not dissipate after living one life.】
【After a single-lifer dies, might their soul ascend to a higher realm? In truth, I am less than 10% certain, but that is my suspicion.】

One passage caught Kale Heniatus’s attention.

“…A higher realm?”

Could it be?

【A higher realm refers to the Heavenly Realm or the Demon Realm. Or perhaps something beyond.】

The Heavenly Realm and the Demon Realm. Above them was likely the Divine Realm.

“…This is…”

Could Choi Han become a god when he dies?

【To reiterate: this is merely speculation without concrete evidence, with less than a 10% probability of being true.】

For reasons he could not quite explain, a chill crept down the back of Kale Heniatus’s neck.
The more he read through Jur Temps’s diary, the more his spine tingled with an unsettling certainty.

“This diary is dangerous.”

The diary contained far too much perilous information.
The more he learned from it, the more he understood just how dangerous the research the Temps Family had been pursuing truly was.

On the other hand, he felt fortunate.
It was highly likely that only Kale knew of this information.
Raon had glimpsed some of it, but since Raon was with Kale, there was no cause for concern.

‘If someone unhinged had possessed this knowledge, the consequences would be…’

The mere thought was horrifying.
The White Star would seem trivial in comparison to the catastrophe that would unfold.
At that point, the Heavenly Realm and the Demon Realm might become entangled in the chaos.

‘How fortunate that this dangerous seed fell into my hands first.’

He felt relief wash over him as he gazed at the diary in his hands.

【Single-lifespan beings with such characteristics experience dramatically extended lifespans when they transition to other dimensions.】

It was Choi Han’s account.
What followed were methods for confronting single-lifespan beings using growth rings, and beyond that, a cascade of dangerous information that should never be revealed to anyone. As Kale committed every word to memory, he felt heat rising in his head and undid a single button on his shirt.

“Only the final part remains now.”

At the end of the postscript lay information about a portion of the Ancient Power left behind by Jur Temps.

【The Ancient Power I possess is called the ‘Life’s Growth Ring’.】
【Half of that power—its very essence—resides in Harris Village, while I have left the remaining half here.】
【The power left here primarily consists of what I wielded in my youth. This power too can perceive growth rings, though its focus is centered on ‘the present and one’s innate destiny’.】

A faint doubt crept into Kale’s mind.

‘Can it not see the future?’

After reading that far, he noticed a single character where the ink lay particularly thick, brimming with hesitation.

【Hmm.】

A single character laden with the weight of deliberation.

【Ancient Powers are often influenced by the memories of the soul, which determines how one obtains such power.】
【Since this power is divided in half, with its essence and core residing in Harris Village, I cannot predict how one would acquire this portion left here. Given how frequently I wielded it in my youth, it seems a trial heavily influenced by those memories will unfold.】

Three characters caught his eye.

【Do your best.】

Strangely, those words left Kale with an unsettling feeling.

“Mm.”

He exhaled softly, gripped by an inexplicable unease, and tore his gaze from the final words of the diary.
Kale surveyed the still-silent graveyard around him before slowly closing the diary.

“So how does the Ancient Power test work?”

Snap.
The diary closed in that very instant.

“Uh, uh—!”
“Y-you human!”

Kale Heniatus and Raon both raised their voices without thinking.

Kuuuuuung—!

The earth began to tremble.
More precisely, the hill where the graves stood resonated with a deep, resonant cry that echoed outward.
The sound was loud enough to be heard throughout the entire Heniatus Territory.

“Brother!”

Basen was so startled by the sound that despite being told to wait below, he had no choice but to rush back to where Kale Heniatus was.
And Lily followed in his wake.

“Big brother!”

Lily, who had been throwing a tantrum at Duchess Viollan just to catch a glimpse of Kale Heniatus’s face, was already running ahead, having passed Basen.

And there were those who had just teleported to the base of this hill.

“What if he gets hurt!”
“We need to hurry!”

On and Hong, startled, followed after Basen and Lily, who were visible in the distance ahead. The companions who had teleported from Nexus Mountain in the Sez Kingdom on the Eastern Continent heard the thunderous roar erupting from the hill where their mother’s grave lay the moment they arrived.
And they also knew that Kale Heniatus was on that hill.
And she also knew that Kale Heniatus was on that Hill.

“I’m going! We said we’d be last!”
I’m going! This is our last time!

The pink-curled Dragon Dodori pointed at On and Hong, who were already running ahead, followed by Ron and Vicross rushing after them, and chased after them. Meanwhile, Rashil, the half-shaved Dragon who had been sighing, turned his gaze to the side.

“Gack… hack.”

With his collar seized in that iron grip, Dorf gasped out labored, pained breaths, his form utterly battered.

“Sigh. For this magnificent being to have to visit a mere human.”

Rashil shook his head in mock complaint, yet grinned wickedly as he dragged Dorf along at a sprint.
Dorf’s groans deepened, but Rashil paid them no mind whatsoever.

‘Kale Heniatus will surely shower me with praise. Hehehehe.’

Anticipating Kale’s commendation for his thorough subjugation of Dorf, Rashil hastened forward.

“Hey! Is it here?”

His companions came into view, standing motionless ahead.

“Is Kale Heniatus here-”

Rashil’s words caught in his throat the moment he stopped and beheld the sight before him.

Kuuuuung–
A tremendous roar. The hillside trembled, and the result of that upheaval spread before Basen, Lily, On, Hong, and the others who had come seeking the mother’s graveyard.

Crack, crack.
Where Kale’s biological mother, Jur Temps, had been buried—there was no graveyard anymore.

“…A… a tree…?”

In the place where the graveyard had stood, an enormous tree was growing.
Its trunk was so massive that several grown men would be needed to encircle it, and even the roots barely protruding from the earth were imposing and robust.
The bark gleamed with a deep bronze luster, and the sprawling branches surged with the raw power of a mountain river in flood.

“…Huh.”
“…What?”

Where the graveyard had been.
An enormous tree was growing.

“The leaves—”

And the leaves sprouting from those branches were crimson.
Despite the winter chill, countless leaves burst forth as if mocking the cold, luxuriantly adorning the branches.

Their hue resembled the glow of sunset—a deep, burning red.
Much like Kale Heniatus’s hair color.

Hong murmured in a daze.

“…They’re shimmering.”

The crimson leaves gleamed brilliantly.
As if cradling the morning sunlight, they radiated with luminous beauty.

Everyone’s gaze converged toward the center of the tree, now blanketed in leaves.
The place where the crimson foliage shone most beautifully.

“Young master…?”

At that center lay Kale Heniatus, enveloped and cradled by the leaves.
Given the wrinkled state of his clothing scattered about, Ron sensed this had been an abrupt occurrence.
And his intuition proved accurate.

“…Uh… mm.”

Kale Heniatus looked around with a bewildered expression.
The graveyard had suddenly split open, and an enormous tree began to sprout and surge upward.
The tree enveloped me, and together we shot skyward, leaving me suspended amid a canopy of crimson leaves.

“Mm-mm!”

Raon glanced back and forth between the approaching figures and me, hesitating for a moment before reaching a conclusion in a bright, cheerful voice.

“Human! This is beautiful!”

On and Hong nodded in agreement.

“That’s amazing!”
“Red suits you so well!”

Kale Heniatus’s face crumpled.

“What are you talking about?”

Having been suddenly pushed by the leaves, I found this situation utterly absurd.
I had never imagined a graveyard splitting open like this.

‘How am I supposed to obtain an Ancient Power like this?’

Then, a voice reached my ears.
It was a young woman’s voice, sounding like someone in their late teens.

-Hmm? Who are you?

I recalled a passage from the diary as I heard the question directed at me.

‘The power left here is primarily the power I used when I was young.’
‘Ancient Powers are influenced by the memories of the soul, so the method of obtaining such power is often predetermined.’

I pondered based on that passage.

‘Since this is the power Jur Temps used when she was young, both the power and the trial would likely be influenced by her youth, wouldn’t they?’

I recalled the owner of that voice, who did not recognize my face—Kale Heniatus—and concluded my assumption was correct.

‘When the power split in half, did the remaining soul also split in two?’

I was grateful that the White Star and Bud could not hear the Ancient Power Owner’s voice, and I slowly opened my mouth.
But the voice of what appeared to be a young Jur Temps reached my mind first.

-Who are you to look so adorably cute like me?
“Pardon?”

An utterly bewildered voice escaped me.

‘What did I just hear?’

He instinctively touched his ear.

-You there, yes you. How adorably cute you look.

Kale blinked blankly, his eyes unfocused.
Regardless, the voice continued cheerfully.

-There’s something oddly endearing about you! It’s strange—you look somewhat like that scatterbrained Derth, but you’re also handsome like our eldest brother!

What?
Kale’s pupils trembled.
Given that the voice’s owner mentioned Derth, it seemed to be Jur Temps after all. It appeared to be Jur Temps in her younger years, just as he’d suspected.
But she was so different from the image of Jur Temps he’d formed through the diary and the real Kale Heniatus.
I had expected her to be somewhat more composed and serious.

-Who do you take after to be so handsome and adorable?
“Pardon?”

There was only one response Kale could manage.

-Funny enough, that confused “pardon?” looks exactly like Derth’s stupid face! Ah, how cute!
“Pardon?”
-Anyway, you pass!
“Pardon?”

Bewildered, Kale wore the same vacant expression as Derth.
Pass?
Pass what?

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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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