Trash of the Count’s Family - Chapter 684

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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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Chapter 141. A Promise

A sudden chill swept through my entire body, as if I’d been drenched in ice water.
Ancient Dragon Erhafen turned away from the enemy before him, his gaze shifting elsewhere.
The darkness of night seemed to swallow sound itself.
Everyone froze as something overwhelming descended upon them all at once. Then they all looked toward one place.

“…What… what are you—”

Albert Crossman’s eyes fixed on the room where he had been lying on the bed just moments before.
The wall that had been destroyed by the explosion was now covered in something crimson.

‘Soil?’

The viscous mud was strangely red.
Not the red of ochre. It was as if another layer of blood had mixed with blood already congealing. That kind of red.

Something peculiar emanated from that crimson wall.
What could this be?
Albert found his answer quickly.

Terror.
Or perhaps dread.
No.
Majesty?

Not vast mana, not overwhelming aura, not the power contained in explosives. Yet these abstract sensations flowed from the crimson wall, stealing all of Albert’s senses and drawing them toward it. In this moment, even the Monster Lion Beast did not cross his mind.
A single bead of sweat trickled down his forehead. He was afraid of that place.
A scene materialized before his eyes like a phantom.
A scene flashed before my eyes like a mirage.

“…Mother.”

…When she was dying.
That moment when I had to confront an inescapable calamity returned to me.
That crimson soil, that wall made of blood, reminded me of death.
Mine. Or someone else’s.
Mine or someone else’s.

Rumble—rumble rumble—
Though the thunder that unmistakably belonged to the White Star continued to echo from the sky, the sound meant nothing to Alberu.

Then, a peculiar voice reached Alberu’s ears.

“…Abnormal… phenomenon occurring….”

Ah.
Only then did Alberu remember the existence of the Lion Dragon. That he was standing on a battlefield.
He tried to hastily turn his gaze toward the Lion Dragon. In that moment, strange words touched his ears.

“…Master… similar power….”

…What?
At the Lion Dragon’s words, Alberu found himself stopping again without realizing it.
The only being the monster called master was the Sealed God, the God of Despair. Yet the aura flowing from within was similar to that power?
Only then did something he had forgotten suddenly come to mind.

‘What has happened to Kale Heniatus?’

The Kale Heniatus he knew was neither one who exuded such an aura nor one who possessed such power.

The White Star or the Sealed God.
That power suited them.

‘No.’

The White Star. That madman could never emanate such an atmosphere.
A fear that was instinctive yet transcended mere malice or madness—a dimension higher. Simultaneously, an overwhelming pressure that demanded one bow their head.

A god.
Yes, that word fit better.

Albert Crossman gazed at the Lion Dragon. The monster stared at the crimson wall as if entranced, tilting its head repeatedly in what seemed like confusion.
Alberu looked toward the only comrade closest to the monster who, like him, had heard the Lion Dragon’s words.
The Ancient Dragon and the Crown Prince.
The two beings looked at each other, unable to open their mouths.
Yet they shared the same thought.

‘Kale Heniatus is in danger.’
‘Something is definitely happening in there.’

It was not an emotion felt by only two beings.

“…Hmm.”

In one of the many rooms within Pursecity Hall.
A man sitting quietly in a chair with his limbs bound—the mysterious figure wearing Hilsman’s appearance—opened his closed eyes and formed a peculiar expression.

“Quite a foul stench, isn’t there?”

He spoke to the three surrounding me.

“Shouldn’t you lot check on your guardian’s condition?”

A room filled with magical formations. The only place where mana distortion did not occur, where mana instead accumulated tautly.
On and Hong paid no heed to Fake Heylsman’s words, standing beside Raon whose forehead glistened with beads of sweat.
Rather, they were simply occupied with their assigned duties.
Yet there was one who had been so shocked that they could not perform their task.

Thump.
“Saint Jack!”

Jack’s legs gave way as though struck by a shock, and he collapsed to the ground.

“Such power—!”

The Saint nearly found himself offering prayers to the Sun God without realizing it, overwhelmed by the aura flowing from the crimson wall.

“What manner of enemy does the Young Master face, that he must contend with such a vile and terrifying force!”

His voice trembled with anguish and remorse.
In this moment, Saint Jack felt sorrow knowing that all he could offer Kale, standing alone in a space emanating such power, was prayer.

Meanwhile, there were those who had resolved to move toward where Kale was.

“This won’t do.”
“Yes. Let’s go.”

It was Erhafen and Alberu.
Setting aside my concerns about Kale, I felt I needed to understand the identity of that red wall, if only because of the monster’s strange reaction to it.

“It’s fine.”

At that moment, Choi Han, who had been standing at a distance, approached alongside Mila, whose expression was uncertain.

“That power belongs to Lord Kale.”
“…What?”
“It’s an ancient power he obtained when he visited Marquis Sten Territory in the past. Another land’s power that the White Star had been searching for.”

Choi Han remembered that power—the one Kale had acquired after clashing with the massive Red Snake.
However, it felt somewhat different from his recollection.

“…He possesses such a power?”

He understood perfectly the astonishment Erhafen could not conceal.

“It was a power that invoked fear and dread. But it was never this formidable.”

The terror mingled with overwhelming pressure was far more visceral.
Perhaps this was the power’s true form.
That would explain how the Ancient White Star had been able to dominate the Western Continent.

“…I believe its true nature has been revealed as Lord Kale has come to wield it properly.”

A brief silence descended.

If the power was Kale’s doing, then at least it wasn’t the work of the White Star or the Sealed God. And if such a fear-inducing power was at play, it would aid in Kale’s victory.

Yet concern gnawed at me.

‘Can Kale, that unlucky bastard, truly handle such a power?’

Mila felt the same emotion that Erhafen did.
Having lived so long, having spent a life where death felt near rather than distant, they could not help but harbor such thoughts.

“It’s fine.”

Choi Han’s serene voice spread across the night sky.
His gaze turned toward the window of the only room where mana orbit disturbances were not occurring.
The curtains were drawn so he couldn’t see inside, but he had heard the magical voice sent from within moments ago.

“That’s what Raon said.”

When Kale Heniatus discovered the identity of the White Star masquerading as Derth Heniatus and rushed alone to where he was, he had apparently made a promise to Raon.

“He promised Raon that he would catch the White Star without getting hurt. Since Kale made that promise to Raon, you don’t need to worry.”

The moment those words ended, Alberu aimed his gun at the monster.

Boom—!
The monster suddenly moved.
Bang!
Bullets fired from the gun simultaneously.

“The monster is trying to head toward where our younger brother is.”

Alberu calmly spoke to his companions while hearing Tae-rang’s voice echoing in his mind.

—Surrounding environment in unstable state. However, through contact with the owner, the environmental influence is rapidly decreasing. Mana form conversion confirmed as possible accordingly. There are no issues with firing bullets.
—Accumulating new data based on Anroman’s information. Monster Lion Dragon Ray Raid. Will you apply version 1.2?

“Well then, let’s first take care of that monster lightly.”

Instead of answering, Alberu spun the gun he held in his hand once.

—Understood as acceptance.

Click. Click.
The weapon transformed.
A white spear taller than Alberu’s height displayed its graceful form.
Before that, Choi Han had already drawn the Black Dragon and swung his sword toward the shield of the Lion Dragon that could not be broken by anything.

Crash—!
A thunderous sound rang out, and the hunt for the Lion Dragon began.
Choi Han stepped onto the shield of the Lion Dragon and muttered under his breath.

“I can no longer feel it.”

That dreadful oppressive aura that had emanated from the crimson wall.
That presence was no longer perceptible.
Those sensitive to such energies noticed it, and with that realization came understanding.

That space.
That space enclosed by the wall had been severed from this one.
So it seemed.

And there was one who understood this fact better than anyone else.
The one trapped within that very space.

“What is this?”

The White Star slowly surveyed his surroundings. His composure appeared considerable, yet sweat trickled down beneath his mask across his brow.

It was dark.

A bed that once held soft bedding.
An elegant chair shattered by combat.
A beautifully shaped candle, its flame extinguished.
All of it had been swallowed in an instant by crimson mud.

Thud.
The White Star stomped his foot.
The surface felt as hard as stone. The mud that had appeared soft had solidified into something utterly rigid.
He had not stomped unknowingly.
Even knowing, he could not help but do so.
For the thick, filthy aura of death relentlessly provoked the White Star.

“Hah.”

There was no reason to suffocate, yet he felt as though he were choking.

Whoosh—
But a blade of fire ignited once more in his hand.

“Kale Heniatus.”

Only Kale Heniatus remained clearly visible in this oppressive darkness.
The White Star’s lips curled upward.
This power he had sought to claim—the strength to dominate through fear, to subjugate people beneath terror.
It was a shame to lose it.
But.

“There’s something you’ve misunderstood.”

Death.

“No being in this world remembers their own death more than I do.”

Such terror was something the White Star had grown accustomed to.
Of course, he could still feel fear—he was not immune to it.
It was instinct, after all.
But he had conquered that instinct.
The White Star saw this as a step toward his grand purpose, though others called it madness.

“Such trivial aura—mere illusion—cannot stop me.”
“I know.”

Kale acknowledged those words calmly.
In his mind, he heard the voice of Scary Rock reciting something.

-Primordial humans lacked the strength to hunt with bare hands alone.
-So they began to wield weapons.
-The first was stone.

Thud.
With that brief sound, rocks erupted from all directions, shedding their coating of crimson earth.

-Strike with stone, throw stone, pierce with stone.

Each stone bore a different shape.
Whirrrr—the badge in his grip resonated.
The blood-soaked stone spoke no words as before. Yet Kale simply gripped the badge tighter.
Scary Rock spoke.

-Do not intoxicate yourself with that terror. Do not become drunk on the delusion of domination.

A sticky, viscous emotion seemed to envelop Kale Heniatus’s entire body.
A blood-soaked stone.
The moment I wielded this power, I naturally understood what it meant to wield fear.
That’s why I could naturally pressure the White Star.
If I wasn’t careful, I might become intoxicated by this vile power.

-The stone does not exist to kill.

However, I easily shook off this sticky sensation.
The deaths I had witnessed and endured were far too brutal and sorrowful to become intoxicated by such power.

A sinister smile spread across my face.
The corners of my mouth twisted upward crookedly.

“But I wonder if you know that.”

The flaming sword in the White Star’s hand blazed ever brighter, illuminating everything around us.
I pointed toward the White Star.

“You’re sweating right now.”

I spread my arms slightly apart.

“White Star. The ruler you desired. Yes. Perhaps one who possesses the aura of a being beyond human. That’s not you—it’s me, isn’t it?”

My eyes crinkled with amusement at how entertaining life could be.

“Come on, attack me. Who knows? If you kill me, maybe you’ll gain this power?”

With those words, I stomped my foot.
Boom—!
The stone fragments suspended in the air and surrounding everything suddenly surged toward the White Star.

“Mere rocks—!”

The flaming sword swung wildly, melting the stones in its path. Yet through the gaps, the White Star could see me approaching with a grin.
Whoooosh—
With a whirlwind bound to my feet, I rushed toward the White Star at tremendous speed. The stones pelted around him like hail, careful not to obstruct my advance.
The White Star did not yield.

“If I just destroy this space—!”

His robes billowed as power surged violently through him.
Wind, fire, water—multiple forces intertwined and coalesced into something colossal, a tremendous power that threatened to obliterate the very space itself.
Yet Kale Heniatus continued to smile.

“Go ahead. Try everything you’ve got.”

In this moment, I recalled the one who had taught me so much.

“I’m a magnanimous person, so I can embrace anything.”

Lee Soo-hyuk had spoken of embrace.

‘Actually, you know? I named it embrace, but—hey, I’m only telling you this—that power is less about embrace and more about… restraint? No, that’s not quite right either. Hmm, what’s the better word? Ah yes, dominion!’
‘That power is dominion itself. It dominates the target, binds it, and places it firmly within my grasp.’

Long after I—as Kim Rok-soo—had learned from Lee Soo-hyuk at a company gathering how to use embrace, there came a day when curiosity struck.
Kim Rok-soo had posed a sudden question to Lee Soo-hyuk.

‘Team Leader, if embrace can contain anything—whether tangible objects or intangible forces—and store them in specific locations, doesn’t that make it nearly omnipotent?’
‘Rok-soo, Kim Rok-soo. I spoke grandly of dominion and restraint, but where in this world does omnipotence exist?’

Lee Soo-hyuk shook his head firmly.

‘It confines things. It doesn’t make them disappear.’

From that point onward, Lee Soo-hyuk had explained several weaknesses and limitations inherent to the power of embrace.

‘Especially when used on people, there’s much to consider.’

Recalling all of this, I advanced without hesitation toward the White Star—toward him who clung so desperately to that colossal power with his sword, toward him who seemed ready at any moment to unleash it and shatter this crimson and black space.
My voice, low yet composed, reflected the clarity of my resolve.

“That’s right. Someone like you—I can embrace without limit.”

Kale’s gaze shifted toward the White Star’s arm.
Seize him.
That bastard.
And in the Temple where only he and I would exist.

‘End it.’

I couldn’t bear to show my dear ones the sight of myself driving the Root Dagger into my own heart, nor the image of myself bleeding afterward.
Now that I had resolved to live properly as Kale Heniatus, I no longer wished for such an end.

So not now, when all eyes were fixed upon me. After capturing the Lion Dragon and dealing with the Temple.
I resolved to handle it quietly, alone.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out whatever my hand grasped first. Upon catching a glimpse of the object, I let out a soft laugh.
I couldn’t help but wonder what I’d even pulled out.
The golden badge gleamed in my hand.

“Our Crown Prince would faint if he knew I was using it like this.”

I smiled brightly.

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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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