Trash of the Count’s Family - Chapter 666

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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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When asked if he was willing to die, Choi Han simply stared at Alberu without a word. The brow of Alberu, who had made the proposal, gradually furrowed.

“Your eyes look similar to Kale Heniatus’s, don’t they?”

Choi Han gazed back with a decidedly irreverent expression. He shook his head with an unbothered face.

“That couldn’t possibly be the case, could it?”
“So you’re admitting that Kale Heniatus is irreverent.”

Choi Han did not answer.
Alberu let out a soft chuckle and made his way toward the City Hall Office Terrace.
A faint rustle—the drawn curtain was gently pulled back by Alberu’s fingers.

“I don’t see the White Star.”

Ancient Dragon Erhafen remained sprawled motionless beside Pursly Square.
Still feigning death, Rosalind, the Whale Tribe’s Witira, and Paseton stood guard beside him, blocking others from approaching.
The pretext was that the exceptionally skilled Mage Rosalind needed to concentrate on examining the dragon’s condition and treating it.

Pursly was currently in a lull.
The Lion Dragon, an unranked monster and Guardian, remained motionless in the Central Square, while Alberu had returned to City Hall to organize the current situation.

“That’s strange.”

Choi Han’s gaze turned toward the desk where Alberu had just been.

“I searched the surroundings, but found no trace whatsoever.”

I had conducted a covert search throughout Pursly.
And I found no sign of the White Star. I was not alone in this effort.

“Neither did I. Nor did Archie. Nor did Rak.”

Those currently in Pursly with the keenest senses and the most exceptional mobility had undertaken the search.

“And Clophe as well.”

Guardian Clophe Seka also used a wyvern to search for traces of the White Star and his subordinates from the air.
Of course, their movements had to remain concealed to avoid detection by the White Star’s side, so one could argue that detailed reconnaissance might have been difficult as a result.
But Choi Han and Alberu did not think so.

“Something is off.”

Alberu’s brow furrowed.

“The White Star doesn’t appear even when Ancient Dragon Erhafen and Kale Heniatus are out of commission?”

More than that.

“The White Star wasn’t even watching this battle?”

It made no sense.

The White Star intended to do something using the Sealed God.
For that, he first needed to meet the Sealed God, which meant going to the Temple where the Sealed God resided.
And to reach the Temple where the Sealed God dwelled, he had to kill the Lion Dragon—an unranked monster and guardian.

‘The White Star intended to make us do all of that, dealing heavy blows to both us and the Lion Dragon.’

But now.
The battle with the Lion Dragon in Pursulsi had been halted by Kale, who had deduced these facts.

‘In this situation, the White Star should naturally feel anxious.’

Alberu’s mind was organizing the current situation.
Why should the White Star feel anxious?

‘The White Star has little left.’

The unranked monster summoning ritual that had unfolded at Nexsan with the Cat Tribe and Lion Tribe in tow.
Not only had it failed, but Lion King Dorf’s lifeline was now in the hands of Dragon Rashil, hanging by a thread.

‘Most of the White Star’s subordinates in the Endable Kingdom have been destroyed.’

Of course, some remained, like Bear King Sayehr and the Black Knight, but they fell short compared to the forces the White Star once commanded.

‘That is precisely why the White Star would want to gain overwhelming and absolute power as quickly as possible.’

And the answer was likely the Sealed God.
But we haven’t found any trace of the White Star’s movements here at all?
Then there was only one answer.

“We simply ‘failed’ to grasp the White Star’s movements.”

Failing to grasp something and choosing not to grasp it were fundamentally different matters.

“What if the White Star obtained the power of the earth attribute? A power capable of deceiving our perception.”
“That probability is quite high.”

While we prepared and fought, the White Star had likely filled one of the five remaining Ancient Powers attributes.

“Choi Han. The other Dragons are waiting elsewhere, correct?”
“Yes. In case that Lion Dragon moves, they said they would go to the Heniatus Territory where Kale Heniatus is located.”

The Lion Dragon had not reacted to Dodori’s Mother Mila, but it had reacted to Erhafen. Keeping the aggressive Rashil and Dodori away from here would help avoid provoking the Lion Dragon.

“Was it that Mila is currently attaching the jar?”
“Yes.”
“Tsk.”

Alberu clicked his tongue lightly.

“We cannot maintain a standoff with the Lion Dragon indefinitely.”

Choi Han’s words were correct.
The Roan Kingdom Leadership and allied nation leadership had been informed of some details regarding the current situation.

Of course, the conditions of Kale Heniatus and Erhafen had been kept hidden even from our allies.
We could not know where the White Star’s gaze might be directed.

“The residents of the fiefdoms near Pursulsi have likely already learned of the battle situation here and the existence of the Lion Dragon.”
“That’s correct. The battle between the Lion Dragon and Erhafen would have been visible from a distance.”

The news spreading to the nearby fiefdom residents would soon propagate throughout the entire kingdom.
The existence of the Lion Dragon would instill fear and anxiety in the kingdom’s people.

The longer the standoff with the Lion Dragon continued, the more disadvantageous it became for the White Star—but that didn’t mean my side was gaining ground either.

“I need to create a situation where the White Star has no choice but to emerge.”
“So you’re saying we should play dead?”

Alberu’s lips twisted into a wry smile.

“Exactly. If I, along with our teacher, fall into a state of combat incapacity, the White Star will have no choice but to appear to eliminate the Lion Dragon.”

The picture that Kale Heniatus and Alberu envisioned.

“In the end, I’ll have to eliminate the Guardian with my own hands and open the Temple’s door.”

That would deal a fatal blow to both the White Star and the Lion Dragon.
Choi Han closed his eyes briefly before opening them and speaking.

“Understood. Let’s try it once,”

Knock, knock, knock.

“What is it?”

At the urgent knocking, Choi Han stopped mid-sentence and opened the door.

“Your Highness…!”
“Information Director, what brings you here…?”
“Strange rumors—very strange rumors are spreading at an alarming rate!”

The one who rushed through the door was the head of the department responsible for gathering intelligence throughout and beyond the kingdom.
Clutching a memory storage device and several documents in both hands, he hurried toward Alberu, who stood on the terrace.

“Rumors…?”

Alberu’s face immediately crumpled. A bad premonition took hold.

“Yes!”

The Information Director handed the documents to Alberu and continued speaking.

“There are rumors that a Guardian of the Sealed God has appeared in Pursulsi, the capital of the Roan Kingdom, attempting to unseal the God of Despair!”

What?
Choi Han’s eyes widened.
It was a rumor that resembled the truth yet was fundamentally different.

A Guardian was a being that protected the temple of a Sealed God, and opening the temple’s doors required slaying the Guardian. In reality, it was the White Star who sought to unseal the God of Despair—or to manipulate this Sealed God for some purpose.

“If the Sealed God’s seal is broken, the world will be consumed by despair and the Western Continent will fall into ruin!”
This part, at least, was true.

“Therefore, the only way to protect this Western Continent without breaking the seal is to eliminate that Guardian…!”

The Information Director poured out his words before pausing briefly. Yet he continued nonetheless.

“So the Roan Kingdom is mobilizing forces from across the Western Continent to concentrate them here in Pursulsi, and those who believe in the Sealed God are attacking various locations throughout the Western Continent, attempting to obstruct the Western Continent Allied Forces centered on the Roan Kingdom… or so the rumors claim.”

His voice soon grew measured. Or rather, it was a voice tinged with tense trembling rather than true composure.

“Furthermore… the hero Kale Heniatus has even drawn a Dragon into this battle, and though Kale Heniatus currently remains hidden, this is said to be for the sake of fighting that Sealed God’s Guardian.”

The director continued, casting furtive glances at the Crown Prince’s sharp gaze as he read through the documents he had provided.

“Kale Heniatus is the one with the highest probability—perhaps the only one—capable of eliminating that Guardian. So let us pray for our hero who will fight the Guardian.”
“What kind of—”

Choi Han’s face contorted.

“The rumors also claim that Sir Kale Heniatus will willingly fight the Guardian for the sake of the Western Continent’s peace. That he is the only one to trust right now. Such content continues to spread through the rumors.”
“Ha!”

Choi Han let out an exasperated sigh.

“This rumor—isn’t it essentially forcing Sir Kale to fight? Pressuring him?”

The Information Director responded to Choi Han’s words with silence, confirming his suspicion.

Guardian Lion Dragon and Sealed God.
The contents regarding this were factually different. While that was a problem, what Choi Han saw as an even greater issue was the content pressuring and forcing only Kale Heniatus to fight, as if he were the sole one capable.
The Information Director broke the silence and opened his mouth.

“The rumors are currently spreading extremely rapidly across the entire Western Continent.”

It was a rumor that had spread at breakneck speed during the gap when each kingdom was preoccupied—dealing with those who had invaded various parts of the Western Continent and organizing troops to send to Pursulsi.

“…What is this memory storage?”

At Alberu’s subdued voice, the Information Director activated the memory storage device in his hand. He was also a specialist mage in communications.

“It is a recording spreading alongside the rumors. Apparently, these memory storage devices are circulating throughout the Western Continent.”

The memory storage contained fragmented, discontinuous footage of the Gold Dragon fighting the Lion Dragon, and ultimately the Dragon being defeated and plummeting from the sky.
Choi Han’s mouth fell open.

“…It appears someone filmed this from hiding somewhere in Pursulsi.”

That someone would surely be the White Star.
Flames began to slowly rise in Choi Han’s eyes.
The Information Director, unaware of this, only watched Alberu’s expression.

“…Even dragons lose such battles. In the end, only the hero who has overcome calamities that were deemed impossible—only Kale Heniatus and his companions can fight properly.”

Among those who heard the rumors, some would have seen the footage and become convinced the rumors were true, and the rumors would have spread like wildfire even further.

“And the kingdoms of the Western Continent will gather their greatest powerhouses and pour everything into eliminating that Guardian. There will be no kingdoms or strong individuals hiding in the background in such circumstances. That is what they are saying.”

Choi Han, without realizing it, opened his mouth, frustrated.

“Should we not clarify that the rumors are false, that they are mistaken? If things proceed according to these rumors, we will have to fight the Lion Dragon, will we not? And we would have to pour out all the forces that could be called the strongest of the Western Continent! If that happens, if we make a mistake—”
“We die.”

Choi Han, unable to continue his words, looked toward the one who had finished the sentence for him.

“Those who have no need to fight will fight, and the White Star will gain everything from it.”

Alberu’s eyes were coldly sunken. His gaze turned toward the Information Director, and the Director, receiving that gaze, opened his mouth.

“It seems correcting and clarifying these rumors will require considerable time and effort. After all, the video content is factual, and some of the rumors are true as well.”

Alberu’s lips gradually curved upward, and he finally burst into laughter.

“Ha, hahaha—”

However, the Information Director could not laugh along. His laughter was filled with rage.
Alberu gradually ceased laughing and opened his mouth with an expressionless face. His voice came out flat and measured.

“That White Star bastard… he’s using his head.”

While we were thinking of drawing in the White Star to eliminate the Lion Dragon in our stead, he was doing the same—drawing in us and the powers scattered across the Western Continent to fight in his place.

“He’s become quite clever.”

In the Endable Kingdom, Kale Heniatus destroyed two statues, his entire body covered in wounds and bleeding profusely. Then he lost consciousness, falling into a state of combat incapacity.
The Bear King Sayehr witnessed this. He would certainly have reported it to the White Star.

“…I don’t believe it.”

Yet the White Star was currently convinced that Kale Heniatus was definitely alive somewhere.
That was why he was spreading rumors.

Come out now, he was saying.
It’s your turn, he was saying.
Can’t you see the desperate wishes of the people of the Western Continent? he was saying.

That is what he was saying.
No—that is what he was creating.

But for Alberu, none of this was the most critical issue.
He pointed to the bottom of the document.

“What is written at the very bottom?”

What is written at the very bottom?
Choi Han approached out of curiosity and read what Alberu was pointing to.

“…Should the Guardian fail to stop the Sealed God, then at that moment, one shall appear who stands against that Sealed God. That person shall become a god, the sole hero to save the East-West Continent, and simultaneously the god of this land…!”

Choi Han did not look back.
His gaze shifted urgently toward Alberu. Their eyes met.
Alberu’s lips curved upward once more.

“The White Star’s scheme.”

Choi Han’s expression gradually grew composed.

“The White Star intends to have us exhaust our strength by killing the Guardian. Then, they plan to gain power or profit by using the Sealed God.”

Choi Han could already envision the situation that would unfold.

“If that happens, the White Star will prove themselves to be the sole hero and the one destined to become a god of this land, just as the rumors claim. The rumors will become truth—or prophecy.”

Despite all the White Star had done, they would ultimately become the savior of the Western Continent.

“Yes. The rumors. That’s why I created this game.”

Alberu had grasped what the White Star truly desired.

“A god-to-be would certainly need fervent worship.”

Alberu’s finger traced across the letters on the document.

“The one destined to become a god of this land.”

His gaze turned toward Choi Han.

“Then we become the ones who eliminate that god-to-be?”
“Of course. That is exactly what we will become.”

Alberu nodded at Choi Han’s unhesitating answer and began to speak.

Beep—
A sharp, brief signal suddenly pierced the air.
Everyone’s attention shifted to the new communication device on the office desk. Alberu’s hand moved toward it.
A short message appeared on the screen.

【Crown Prince! We went to see the World Tree and we’re coming back!】

The Information Director’s pupils trembled at the sight. Who in their right mind would speak to the Crown Prince in such a manner? Yet he kept his thoughts locked behind his teeth.

A soft chuckle escaped.
A gentle smile had bloomed at Alberu’s lips. And Choi Han’s expression brightened considerably.
The Information Director glanced between them repeatedly, then pressed his lips firmly shut.
At that moment, the Crown Prince opened his mouth wearing a smile that had transcended gentleness into something radiant—the kind of smile that would make Kale Heniatus and Raon question what mischief he was plotting.

“We have one person among us who is mad in a different way from the White Star.”
“…Pardon?”

Unlike the bewildered Information Director, Choi Han let out an exclamation.

“Ah!”

Simultaneously, a smile formed at Choi Han’s lips. It was the kind of gentle smile that Kale would have called innocent, yet the kind that would make Raon wonder why he was increasingly wearing the same smile as the Crown Prince.

“Clophe Seka…?”

The moment a name left Choi Han’s lips.

“Yes. Have Sir Clophe Seka brought here.”

Alberu’s mouth twisted into a crooked grin.

“During the battle earlier, I noticed he seemed to be recording something on his own. Bring him to me.”

Whatever scheme the White Star had in mind, whatever game he was playing.

“There’s nothing quite like a madman for destroying a carefully laid plan.”

Alberu had no intention of playing along meekly.
Rather, he would overturn the entire board.

* * *

The village nearest to the Lake of Despair, situated closest to the lake where the World Tree dwelt. Winter had arrived at the northern reaches, and the villagers were bundled tightly against the cold. Yet their faces burned with an inexplicable fervor.
No—it was anxiety.
No, it was anxiety.

“…Destruction will befall this world!”
“The Dragon! They say the Dragon has fallen!”
“…A god? The god of despair?”
“They say the Roan Kingdom harbors the god of despair and that god’s Guardian!”

The transparent Raon fluttered his wings.

-Human, what is all this talk?

The people did not stop speaking. It was their way of overcoming fear and dread.

“…And they say the Hero is also unreachable right now.”
“Damn it…! If the Hero’s Shield were—”

The transparent Raon tilted his head in confusion.

-Human, a Hero? That’s strange! And a Shield at that!

Raon examined the people before noticing another peculiarity and shifted his gaze. Silence. There was no reaction whatsoever from Kale Heniatus, who stood behind him.
It was quiet.
No response came from Kale Heniatus, who stood at his back.

The village they had entered immediately after teleporting to the forest near its outskirts. Kale Heniatus and his companions wore robes or had altered their hair color with dye magic.

-Human, what are you doing?

Turning his gaze toward the silent Kale Heniatus, Raon could see him holding open his diary with a furrowed brow.
Kale Heniatus was reading the words inscribed in the diary—the words left by Jur Temps.

【How cute.】
【…I’m glad you’re a soul possessed by a Possessor rather than a Single-Lived Being.】
【If you were a Single-Lived Being, you would have been hunted the moment you were discovered.】

【Strong Single-Lived Beings are too frightening to touch, but there are vile hunters who seek to kill weak and young Single-Lived Beings, to hunt their souls. Well, it’s a complicated story.】
【…And it’s a story I’d rather not tell.】
【Our cute one is weak and young, but you’re not a Single-Lived Being, and there are no weak and young Single-Lived Beings around you either, so just ignore this story. It’s merely a tale of the past—a disaster that nearly came to pass.】

“And besides, it’s already been resolved on our end, so there’s no need to worry!”
“Those hunters are unlikely to show up again.”
“I feel bad for making our little one worry for nothing!”

Kale Heniatus’s mouth opened.

“…There is.”

For some reason, a chill ran down the back of my neck.
The two characters spelling ‘calamity’ stood out unnaturally large.
I muttered timidly.

“…Around me… Choi Han is here….”

He wasn’t weak or young, but there was one gentle soul nearby.
Suddenly, Kale Heniatus felt melancholic.

Once I catch the White Star, I’ll be able to rest, right?
Right?

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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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