Trash of the Count’s Family - Chapter 668
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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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“Who gave you permission to clean this up?”
Crack.
With the sound of dry branches snapping, the figure in black armor revealed themselves.
“So you were alive after all.”
Another person in silver armor emerged from the shadows of the forest, following behind.
A peculiar smile played at the corners of my mouth as I slowly observed the two knights.
“I recognize one of you, but I’m not sure about the other.”
The knight in black armor.
“So you’re Count Hubesha’s instrument, are you?”
“Do not speak my lord’s name so carelessly.”
The Endable Kingdom, where the White Star reigns as king.
Among the nobility who hold positions in that realm, Count Hubesha, the knight in black armor, led black knights while riding an unusual black horse.
All of her knights wore helmets that concealed their faces, yet the knight before me wore none.
“I wondered where Count Hubesha had gone alone, but here you are.”
When I had acted as the Vampire Prince Nar, Count Hubesha was the one who pitied him as a child.
However, I had not encountered her during this recent clash with the White Star’s forces.
“Where is the Count?”
“Is that really important right now?”
My gaze shifted from the black knight to the silver-armored one. That loose, smug smile was irritatingly unpleasant.
My brow furrowed slightly, and the silver knight’s smile only widened further. Their eyes sparkled as if they found this entire situation unbearably amusing.
“I never expected to meet a famous figure from the Western Continent like this.”
“You came from the Eastern Continent?”
“That’s right.”
Currently, the forces of several Eastern Continent kingdoms allied with the White Star were invading various locations across the Western Continent.
The silver knight’s green hair swayed in the wind, strangely out of place in the desolate forest.
“Aren’t you curious who I am?”
I spoke my honest thoughts aloud.
“Not really.”
“…What? Seriously?”
The knight’s pupils trembled. Their expression screamed disbelief—how could this be possible?
I tilted my head to one side.
“Do I have to be curious?”
“…No…”
The knight’s lips curled upward in an expression of utter disbelief.
“I’m the Sword Master, you know?”
The corners of their mouth twisted upward in a grotesquely exaggerated grin.
“Aren’t you curious?”
A tongue protruded from between those raised lips, moistening them.
“I heard about the Sezes Kingdom. Hehe, they say you lot turned Nexsan into an absolute wasteland.”
Nexsan in the Sezes Kingdom—the place where I’d embraced a few statues, and where my companions had kidnapped and carried off that kingdom’s king.
The Mercenary King Bud and Gashan of the Tiger Tribe remained there to handle the aftermath.
‘We had planned to sever the Sezes Kingdom’s alliance with the White Star as our starting point.’
If I knew my companions, they would handle it well enough through negotiation, coercion, or whatever means necessary.
‘But looking back now, the White Star moved just a bit faster than we did.’
The White Star, learning through Lion King Dorf that the summoning at Nexsan had already failed, acted first. Because of his preemptive move, Bear King Sayehr conducted a statue summoning ceremony in the Endable Kingdom.
As a result, two unranked monsters were sent to Pursulsi, and simultaneously, the White Star’s forces and the Eastern Continent’s armies attacked various locations across the Western Continent, preventing firepower from concentrating solely on Pursulsi.
‘But now I’m uncertain how things will unfold.’
Based on the rumors the White Star had recently spread, it seemed he now desired the core forces of the Western Continent to gather in Pursulsi and eliminate the Temple’s Guardian in his stead.
And in the Eastern Continent, each kingdom would gradually feel the effects of movements to sever alliances, starting with the Sezes Kingdom, now that Bud and Gashan had taken the lead.
‘The Molden Kingdom where Sophies resides, and the Mercenary Guild will make their stance clear in opposition to the White Star.’
That influence would be substantial.
Likely, several Eastern Continent kingdoms would probably exhibit hesitant behavior.
Therefore, the remaining Eastern Continent forces that the Western Continent kingdoms couldn’t suppress would need to relocate elsewhere.
‘Could that elsewhere be where the World Tree is located?’
Thinking it over carefully, the White Star had caused many incidents related to the World Tree.
Whether attempting to create a Fake World Tree or trying to attack the location of the World Tree itself.
‘…Could it be that the White Star actually knows that the way to eliminate a Reincarnator is through an Immortal?’
No.
I shook my head.
“Hmm? Why are you silent? I heard Kale Heniatus was quite the talker. Were you surprised when I said I’m a Sword Master? And where’s that guy named Choi Han? I wanted to meet that fellow—the youngest Sword Master like me,”
“Quiet.”
“Huh?”
“Close your mouth.”
“…What?”
That green-haired bastard’s incessant chatter was making it difficult to concentrate.
I resumed my thoughts.
‘The White Star still doesn’t know. That much is certain.’
An Immortal. A Reincarnator.
He definitely had no concept of such things.
‘If he had known, the first thing he would have done over a thousand years would have been to eliminate the World Tree.’
Leaving behind weaknesses while trying to become an absolute existence?
The White Star was not someone so careless or foolish.
‘Just like when I created the Fake World Tree, it would make more sense if I was trying to see all the flows that the World Tree sees.’
The World Tree knew everything except when it couldn’t see. It simply had constraints on what it could speak of.
It made more sense to interpret the White Star’s intentions that way.
“How arrogant.”
Hm?
At the sudden remark, I lifted my head. The Knight’s eyes had taken on a peculiar, darkened gleam.
“Since those around you treat you as a hero, you seem to think you control this entire world. You act however you please.”
The green-haired Knight stared at me with an intensity that could pierce through stone, his eyes betraying a jealousy that could not be hidden.
‘What is he talking about?’
Of course, this man was neither my ally nor someone I cared about, so his emotions were none of my concern.
My expression naturally turned blank, but to the Knight’s eyes, it appeared only as a gaze of indifference toward him.
“Kale Heniatus. The world is not everything you know. The world does not turn according to your will. No matter how much you are revered as a hero right now—”
“Why do you keep spouting such obvious things?”
The Knight faltered at my blunt tone.
Meanwhile, I, who had been listening to this nonsense, felt irritation beginning to bloom.
‘If I knew everything, would I live like this? Wouldn’t I just hide away somewhere quiet and live in peace?’
The more I thought about it, the more my anger surged.
‘If the world turned according to my will, would I be in this pathetic state right now? Huh? Would I be living while coughing up blood and losing consciousness?’
I deliberately swallowed down words that, if spoken aloud, would only make me feel the suffocation of this reality.
“Ha!”
Yet my opponent let out an exasperated sigh.
“Arrogant bastard.”
The knight with green hair drew his sword from its sheath, which matched his silver armor perfectly.
Shing. A blade of icy silver light revealed itself.
He stood quietly with his mouth closed, observing the Black Armored Knight. Similarly, the Black Knight, who served as Count Hubesa’s right hand, gazed back at him, and the silver-armored knight gave a slight nod before returning his gaze forward.
“I am Abodo Faisther II. The Sword of the Mysterious Land, Aman.”
Whoosh—
The forest leaves trembled.
It wasn’t the wind. Merely hundreds of soldiers moving caused the forest to shake.
Abodo Faisther. All traces of the lightness that had seemed to characterize him vanished, and he emanated a coolness as unbreakable as the icy silver blade he held—a blade that resembled eyes of frost.
“Today, Kale Heniatus. Your story will end here.”
Even the sound of rustling leaves ceased to be heard.
Only silence remained, creating a suffocating atmosphere.
Ron Mollan. His gaze, which had been standing quietly behind Kale, slowly turned toward the silent forest.
In the suffocating silence, he sensed the formidable aura of enemies hidden in the forest’s darkness.
‘Elite forces.’
Ron recalled the Aman Kingdom of the Eastern Continent. Compared to the Sezes Kingdom, a kingdom of knights, it wasn’t particularly famous for swords, but it was a kingdom that possessed a mystique befitting its name as the Mysterious Land.
‘Incomparably stronger than the White Star’s Dark or those other half-baked fools.’
Particularly the knight with the light green hair who had seemed so casual. Abodo Faisther II. Since drawing his sword, he had devoted all his concentration to Kale.
Unlike other enemies who had underestimated Kale somewhat, this was an extraordinary level of focus with not even the slightest carelessness visible.
Moreover, he appeared to have combat experience, and despite his youthful appearance, he displayed a familiarity with battle.
‘Wasn’t he called the youngest Sword Master of the Eastern Continent?’
He certainly had the makings for it.
‘But not yet.’
The corners of Ron’s mouth lifted.
‘Not as impressive as our young master.’
Kale Heniatus was someone who had crossed countless lines of death. In just the past few years, in this short span of time, there was no one who had experienced more battles, injuries, and diverse experiences than him.
Ron reached that conclusion, and the moment he looked at Kale’s back.
“Sigh.”
The owner of the back Ron had been staring at—Kale—exhaled a sigh.
“Troublesome. I don’t have time to deal with each one individually.”
He issued his command in an indifferent voice.
“Just break through.”
Though he spoke briefly, all his companions understood.
Break through to where the World Tree is.
The moment that meaning was etched into his companions’ minds.
Whoooosh—
A gust of wind swept past Kale.
Kale watched the back of the one who had passed him at such speed as to stir the wind, and soon his lips curved upward.
“Seems they were feeling restless.”
Kale extended his hand.
Whoooosh.
The ancient power Voice of Wind. Kale’s whirlwind circled around the feet of the one who had surged ahead, and the moment it hindered their advance, Abodo Faisther II’s brow furrowed.
“This…!”
Before another word could leave his lips, a colossal greatsword rose skyward.
Crash—!
The enormous greatsword and Abodo’s silver blade collided, sending a thunderous boom across the area.
The greatsword possessed the momentum to cleave even a mountain, but its power was merely that of considerable strength. Sword Master Abodo fixed his gaze on the owner of the greatsword.
“The weakest one…!”
A man with a cold expression that seemed to permit not even a single warmth, like the winter of the Northern Region. Vicross spoke toward Abodo Faisther II, who was glaring at me.
“I’d be weak alone.”
In that moment, someone passed by Vicross and Abodo Faisther II.
“Not bad.”
Ron left those calm words with his son before passing him. In both his hands were sharp daggers, each gripped firmly. His body gradually dissolved into the shadows of the forest and vanished.
“Stop him!”
With Abodo Faisther II’s cry, the sound of rustling leaves spread, and people revealed themselves from all corners of the forest. All wore silver and black armor respectively.
That was the moment.
“Hong.”
“Understood, sister!”
On and Hong burst forward in front of me. A crimson mist was rising from the two cats.
Clang!
“Avoid the mist. If it doesn’t touch you, you won’t be poisoned.”
Abodo Faisther II lightly deflected Vicross’s greatsword and issued another command. He seemed composed, as if he’d anticipated this.
However, there was still something he hadn’t seen.
“Little brother Raon!”
“Raon.”
Hong and On called out to one being in turn.
The plump-cheeked owner of small wings, dispelling his invisibility and fluttering them.
“I agree with the human! No time! Let’s just break through!”
Around Raon, mana rose like black mist. That moment was infinitesimal.
“Prepare for magic!”
As Abodo issued another command and kicked off the ground to charge toward Raon and Kale Heniatus,
A deafening boom erupted!
“Ugh.”
With a brief grunt, Vicross stepped forward to block, and the moment his greatsword clashed with the blade once more,
black mist and crimson mist collided.
On, Hong, and Raon’s lips curved upward simultaneously—a smile that seemed carved from Kale Heniatus himself.
Raon cried out with unbridled excitement.
“It’s been a while!”
A thunderous roar tore through the air—
With those words, a deafening crash erupted, and every eye fixed on a single point.
Abodo Faisther II couldn’t help but gasp in shock.
“Impossible…!”
Like a tornado, a massive vortex of wind spiraled upward. The whirlwind, infused with crimson energy, radiated ominous dread merely by its appearance.
The ferocious wind, fierce enough to pierce the heavens themselves, sent every strand of hair whipping wildly.
‘I knew the Black Dragon’s magic was formidable…!’
The two Cat-Human Race members felt the same. Yet Abodo was witnessing the combined might of all three for the first time, and the sight—akin to a miniature natural disaster—made his body tense involuntarily.
‘…This power is optimized for multi-target combat.’
Now Abodo Faisther II finally understood why Kale Heniatus had come to this place without hesitation with such a small force.
Individually, the Cat-Human Race and the Mollan father and son were weak. But when their strength combined with Raon’s, the synergy was formidable.
A piercing whistle cut through the air—
A whirlwind that seemed ready to sweep the entire forest away.
Abodo could no longer hide his emotions.
“What in the—!”
Red Cat Hong answered his bewilderment with courtesy.
“Sleep toxin mixed with paralysis toxin!”
A sleep poison that would keep him unconscious for at least an hour. And a paralysis poison that would render him immobile for two to three hours.
Since it wasn’t a fatal toxin, it would naturally break down over time with no particular side effects. In a way, it was a poison with enough power to temporarily halt an opponent without spilling a single drop of blood.
It was the weakest poison Hong possessed within his body, but precisely because it was weak, it was the poison he could expel in the greatest quantity.
“All they need to do is sleep and rest!”
On, listening to Hong’s words, offered a gentle smile. Raon nodded repeatedly, clearly pleased with what Hong had said.
The fastest and most convenient way for the average nine-year-old to carve a path forward wasn’t to fight while bleeding drop by drop, but to temporarily halt enemies with a toxic fog storm. And then to reach the World Tree Lake.
Of course, that storm possessed such immense power that it would blanket the entire forest region surrounding the Lake of Despair, visible even from beyond the forest’s edge.
“Indeed, quite clever.”
“It’s better not to spill unnecessary blood.”
“…Hmm.”
Kale, Ron, and Vicross. The three of them couldn’t hide their satisfied smiles as the corners of their mouths twitched upward.
“…So you all had a plan.”
Abodo Faisther II. The green-haired knight muttered softly and poured more strength into his blade as it clashed against Vicross’s greatsword.
“Ugh!”
The satisfied smile vanished from Vicross’s lips.
Abodo Faisther II, with a lean frame just barely exceeding 170 centimeters. His blade, despite not radiating aura, contained a strength that could be called superhuman.
Abodo, staring at the crimson whirlwind, spoke calmly.
“There is nothing in this world that cannot be cut. Even the wind itself—I will simply cut it down.”
Such was the power of House Faisther, rooted in the mystical lands.
He saw Kale Heniatus’s eyes widen in surprise at his words.
“…What?!”
And his enemies—Raon, On, and Hong—stared at him with expressions that could only be described as dumbfounded.
“…What…!”
At Vicross’s bewildered voice, Abodo shifted his gaze toward him. As the silver blade of the greatsword lost its momentum and was pushed backward, Vicross had no choice but to step back. Yet Vicross, facing Abodo, couldn’t bring himself to shake off the silver blade.
His enemies were flustered. The corners of Abodo’s mouth rose.
“I wonder if you’re curious what I mean—”
That was when it happened.
Rustle.
Abodo Faisther II jerked his greatsword aside and spun around at the sound coming from behind him.
‘An enemy!’
Someone had come up behind me.
‘Is it Ron Mollan?’
Aside from the Black Armored Knight, who was an ally, there had been no one near Abodo’s back.
The instant his body reacted at incredible speed toward where the sound had come from.
“Ah. It’s you.”
The black armor came into view, and Abodo felt the tension drain from his rapidly responding body without realizing it.
Thwack—!
“Ugh!”
And then he had to take the back of his head struck by the black scabbard.
Thump.
The moment his tension had spiked suddenly, then evaporated the instant he recognized an ally—the Black Armored Knight’s strike, aimed with precision at the back of his head and neck, sent Abodo Faisther II’s body crashing pathetically to the ground.
Raon opened his mouth with a dumbfounded expression.
“…What is this?”
Vicross let his greatsword hang limply, his face showing rare bewilderment. And Kale scratched his cheek as he spoke.
“What?”
The exact same words spilled from Raon’s lips.
The Black Armored Knight, whose gaze met Kale’s, casually wiped her scabbard clean.
Just moments before, she had approached Abodo, and the instant he turned around in relief, she had brought down that scabbard without hesitation.
“Ugh!”
“Hack!”
“W-why–!”
“…Betrayal…!”
Throughout the forest, knights clad in silver armor were being ambushed by Black Armored Knights, losing consciousness or being bound.
“Huh.”
As Ron Mollan stared at the spectacle in disbelief, the one Black Armored Knight who had removed his helmet to reveal his face—the very one who had knocked Abodo unconscious moments before—secured Abodo in restraints and fixed his gaze upon Kale.
“My lord summons you.”
“My lord? The White Star?”
For an instant, the Black Knight’s previously expressionless face contorted ever so slightly.
“The White Star is not my lord.”
“…Count Hubesha.”
“The Count alone is our sole lord.”
It was Count Hubesha who called for Kale.
The Endable Kingdom. Beneath the White Star who sat as king were four nobles of power.
One of them was Duke Fredo, the vampire patriarch. Count Hubesha led the Black Armored Knights and stood as one of the central pillars of the Endable Kingdom’s authority.
The Black Armored Knight conveyed his lord’s will to Kale with an indifferent expression.
“He said, ‘I will reveal the White Star’s location.'”
The whereabouts of the White Star, which Choi Han and Alberu had yet to discover.
“Will you speak with him?”
The Black Armored Knights stepped aside, and a path appeared through the forest.
It was the path leading to the Lake of Despair where the World Tree stood.
Simultaneously, it was the path leading to where their lord, Count Hubesha, awaited.
I gazed quietly at the Black Knight and that path.
Raon, who had carefully flown to my side, let out a small murmur as if asking a question.
“H-hey, human. Should we pull in that wind?”
Raon’s front paw timidly pointed toward the crimson whirlpool.
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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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