Trash of the Count’s Family - Chapter 8

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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 siblings I’d encountered yesterday were waiting for me at the top of the Slums, carrying a sack of bread twice the size of what I’d brought the day before.

The children stared at me with their mouths firmly shut. I chuckled softly and pulled out two small pouches, dangling them before the children with a slight shake.

“Take them.”

At my gesture, the Girl slowly approached. My brow furrowed at the sight of the child with her dull, grayish hair. She limped toward me, one hand pressed against her side.

“Hey.”

I extended the two pouches toward the boy instead.

“Come and take them yourself.”

The boy scurried over and snatched the pouches into his arms before quickly retreating. His dull reddish hair swayed with his movements—a stark contrast to my own bright, vivid crimson locks.
Without hesitation, I turned and approached the Man-Eating Tree.

“Wow.”
“It’s not bread. It’s meat and cake.”

I heard the siblings’ voices, but I paid them no mind. Soon I reached the domain of the Man-Eating Tree.

Whoooosh—

“…This is rather unsettling.”

The pitch-black tree, stripped of all leaves, seemed to greet me as its branches stirred. Unease crept over me, and with a grimace, I thrust the bread sack toward the base of the tree. The bread vanished without a trace.
That was when it happened.
That very moment.

—More, give me more.

‘…This is maddening.’

The response I’d read about in books manifested. A frail girl’s voice. A priestess who had starved to death—not like the saints or clergy of modern temples and sects, but an ancient shaman. Ancient shamans were essentially those with supernatural abilities or those who inherited the forces of nature itself.
I quickly gathered the sack and moved.

‘Kale, come to my study tonight.’

It was what my father Derth had told me when I went to receive my allowance. Because of that, I had to leave this place before evening at the latest.

‘Half.’

I had come intending to accomplish half of today’s work. I descended from the top again to fetch bread. I saw a brother and sister with cake smeared around their mouths, staring blankly.

“Tsk.”

I wrinkled my expression sharply and clicked my tongue as I passed the siblings.

Kale entered Baker Street, where the bread shops were densely packed. Since I had already cleaned out the places I’d visited yesterday, it would take time to prepare again, so I needed to scout different locations. That was when it happened.

“Y-young master.”

At some woman’s voice, I turned my gaze. A middle-aged woman smiled awkwardly and pointed to her shop with both hands. Her fingertips trembled and fear filled her expression, yet she carried herself with confidence.

“Plenty of bread.”

A smile formed at my lips. This woman knew how to conduct business. The market people were glancing over to watch the scene.
I tossed a gold coin, and the woman caught it nimbly and pocketed it.

“Give me everything you have. Pack it quickly.”

In that moment, the middle-aged woman’s smile deepened. She immediately went into the shop and returned with a large sack already prepared for packing.

“Here you are.”

Wow, she really knows how to work. She was someone who understood how to secure a profit.

“I could prepare more.”

I liked this woman even more. That was when it happened.

“Young master! We can do much more!”

An elderly man from across the block suddenly raised his hand and approached. He was dressed in a baker’s outfit. Moved by his earnest appearance, I tossed a gold coin to the old man and spoke.

“Next time, we’ll do it at your shop. Have a sack prepared.”
“Thank you so much!”

Kale Heniatus was remarkable. When he needed to avoid trouble, he’d disappear without a trace, but when money was to be made, he approached without hesitation. Perhaps it was because he knew Kale didn’t strike anyone except ruffians, but I was beginning to understand why the Heniatus Territory was so prosperous.

Yesterday, when Kale Heniatus had bought a sack of bread and tossed a gold coin as payment before leaving, the news had spread throughout Baker Street. One million gelons. An amount matching an entire week’s sales—people were astounded, their eyes gleaming at Kale Heniatus’s peculiar behavior.

‘Tomorrow, I should just rotate through three places and collect a sack from each.’

Since he’d given one gold coin each, tomorrow he could receive one sack from each. Kale Heniatus felt pleased—his plans were flowing smoothly without obstruction.
But there was someone watching him.

“Hmm.”

It was Vicross, the head chef. Like his father, he had a bandage wrapped around his neck as he observed Kale Heniatus from a corner. He watched intently as Kale Heniatus purchased a sack of bread along with several medicinal herbs and headed toward the Slums.

“…Is he insane?”

Ever since yesterday, Kale Heniatus seemed to be losing his mind.
When his father had called him an interesting fellow, he hadn’t paid much attention, but the more he observed, the more interesting he seemed. There was something captivating about watching him—as much as watching the black-haired one. A peculiar light flickered in Vicross’s eyes.

At that same moment, Bilos, who operated the Tea Shop on the highest floor of the territory, sipped his tea while listening to his subordinate’s report.

“Young Master Kale Heniatus has been frequenting the Slums, you say?”
“Yes, Bilos.”
“I see.”
“And there’s been contact from the Capital.”
“Is that so?”

Though buried in flesh, his round eyes gleamed sharply. His subordinate hesitated briefly but continued the report.

“Yes, the Royal Court will soon be gathering people. They’re instructing you to return promptly and assume your duties.”

Click. He set his teacup down on the saucer and gestured to his subordinate with his chin.

“You may go.”

The subordinate melted silently into the shadows and vanished from the room. Bilos stared at the spot where his subordinate had been, then twisted one corner of his mouth upward.

“Am I really going to play the role of a house-guarding dog again?”

His gaze drifted toward the window, fixed on something distant—as if it could reach all the way to the Capital itself.

* * *

“This, this isn’t bread. It isn’t.”
“So?”

The Girl continued muttering “it isn’t” while clutching the medicinal herbs, and Kale Heniatus let out a scoff before heading toward the Man-Eating Tree. But a boy blocked his path.

“You can’t die.”

This time his younger sibling had stepped forward. Kale Heniatus simply passed the boy without even furrowing his brow.

Kale Heniatus—no, Kim Rok-soo.
An orphan with nothing remarkable about him. That’s why so many pitied this wretched creature.

Does one need a reason to pity the unfortunate?
It was something I’d heard when I was very young. A street urchin. A pitiful orphan. Pity requires no reason. There was a time I’d taken it bitterly, but as I grew older, I came to understand the true meaning of those words.
Matters of the heart have no rational justification. They need none.

“This is irritating.”

I absolutely despised seeing children suffer. Not that I had any intention of nursing them or comforting them. I frowned at the Girl limping toward me hesitantly and the boy following beside her.

“You won’t die.”

At those words, the siblings finally stopped following. I felt terrible knowing I’d just done the very thing I hated most—meddling in others’ affairs. I despised such interference, yet today I’d done exactly that.

Whoooosh—

—More, give me more.

“Fine. Eat your fill.”

I dumped bread into the Man-Eating Tree with rough hands. I felt no fear. The bread vanished into the darkness in an instant. Now it was hardly accurate to call it darkness anymore. A grayish space entered my vision—a color only my eyes could perceive.

‘It’s worth the money I spent.’

Kale dumped out another batch of bread before heading toward the Count’s Mansion. From the third trip onward, the siblings were nowhere to be seen, but honestly, he found that more convenient.
However, the moment he spotted two mewling cats on the path leading to the Count’s Mansion, he flinched.

‘Those are yesterday’s cats. Surely they wouldn’t remember me?’

Silver eyes gleaming gold, crimson eyes gleaming gold. The two cats made no sound, simply staring at Kale intently. Wanting to avoid any unnecessary trouble, Kale averted his gaze from the cats and hurried toward the Count’s Mansion.

And there, he had to hear a shocking revelation from his father, Derth.

“…Please, could you repeat that once more?”
“Of course, Kale.”

Basen stood beside Kale. A story of the Heniatus Count Family—one never mentioned in the book—unfolded before him.

“I want you to represent our family and attend the Royal Court.”

A sharp pain suddenly shot through my head.

“Originally, Basen was to go, but aren’t you the firstborn of our family?”

Watching Count Derth smile gently, Kale opened his mouth to speak, then closed it, repeating this cycle several times.
The Royal Court at this time? Kale frantically recalled the contents of “The Birth of a Hero.” Meanwhile, Derth continued.

“The Royal Court is hosting a grand event this time, and as part of it, they’ve invited young nobles from families overseeing various territories for one day. It’s your first time at the Royal Court, but Basen has attended similar gatherings since two years ago. However, this time, I’d like you to go.”

A grand event at the Royal Court. At those words, Kale recalled one particular incident.

The Plaza Terrorist Attack.
A gathering of countless citizens of the Capital. There, a Secret Organization carries out a terrorist attack. It is at this moment—the fourth time the Secret Organization becomes entangled with our hero Choi Han—that he manages to prevent roughly half of it. Choi Han saves countless citizens gathered in the plaza as a result, becomes connected with the Royal Court, meets the Crown Prince, and forms a friendship with him.

The story unfolds centered around Choi Han, so the gathering of young nobles was never mentioned in the book. Only that allies gather around Choi Han before and after that incident, and that he gains a powerful backing through the Royal Court.

Chills ran down my spine.

Since the narrative centered on Choi Han at that time, the story of young nobles gathering was never mentioned in the book. Only what happened around Choi Han before and after that incident was described.

I had to go to that terrorist attack scene.
Of course, I didn’t know whether young nobles would be gathered in that plaza or not. Kale recalled the contents that appeared in “The Birth of a Hero.”

The Plaza was crowded with countless people. The seats of honor stood empty—reserved for the royalty who would soon arrive. Among the gathered masses, several figures of considerable standing caught Choi Han’s eye. Yet far more numerous were the kingdom’s citizens, men and women, young and old alike, filling every available space. My heart quickened with urgency.
I never wanted to witness innocent people dying en masse again.

Would a noble heir be among those prominent figures?
Kale Heniatus turned his gaze toward Basen even as his father spoke. Basen, his expression impassive, kept his eyes fixed solely on their father, sparing his older brother not a single glance.

‘Since he originally said this wretch attends such events, should I tell him to go?’

Kale’s mouth opened and closed repeatedly. He despised the thought of venturing into danger. Yet Basen’s name would not cross his lips.

Neither good nor bad—that was the precise nature of the relationship between Kale and Basen. Basen found Kale difficult to approach, but that was all.

My thoughts grew tangled. Would the original Kale have attended? Surely they wouldn’t send a reckless fool to the Capital. Why were they trying to send me at all? Had I done something wrong to deserve this?

“You can depart five days from now.”

Five days hence. From Derth’s words, I could now be certain that regardless of how the original narrative unfolded, the original Kale had never made it to the Capital.
Precisely four days from now, Kale would be beaten by Choi Han and carried back to the Heniatus Count Estate. There was no way he could travel to the Capital in such a state.

“Kale, before Basen took over, you attended all such events. So recall those times and go at your ease.”
“Father.”

Derth turned to regard his son at the sound of his voice. Basen also glanced sideways, his gaze settling on his older brother.

“This came so suddenly that I’m bewildered. I haven’t attended since the year before last, and I don’t even understand why I should go now. Allow me time to consider it.”

Derth acknowledged his response and told both of them they were free to leave. The brothers departed the Study.
My thoughts scattered and reformed repeatedly as I considered the possibilities. If Kale made a fuss and refused, they would send Basen instead. Yet something about that felt wrong.
That was when it happened.

“Brother.”

Basen’s voice reached Kale’s ears. Kale turned his head. There was Basen’s impassive face, still looking straight ahead, never once glancing at him. The fifteen-year-old boy spoke as he always did, eyes fixed forward.

“There is no reason for you not to go.”

A sigh escaped Kale’s lips.
Basen paid him no attention whatsoever and turned from the Study entrance toward his own quarters. Kale watched his retreating figure for a long while.

“…This won’t do.”

I’d been stripped of my position as the family heir. Even after my younger brother Basen began acting as the legitimate successor two years ago, I couldn’t abandon my reckless ways. I was a laughingstock.
There were countless reasons why I couldn’t represent the family before the Royal Court. Yet Basen said there weren’t.

He claimed I had sufficient reason to step forward as the family’s representative.

‘This is genuinely troublesome.’

My brow furrowed. I found this situation deeply disagreeable.
But there was another problem.

‘It’s worth attempting.’

The events that would unfold ahead were also worth attempting.
There were countless possibilities for me to return safely without dying or being injured.

‘And if Basen dies without ascending to the lord’s position, I’ll be in trouble.’

For my comfortable life, Basen had a clear reason to survive. My youngest sister Lily existed as well, but she was still too young. Besides, after obtaining the ancient power in Western City, I would need to venture beyond my territory to acquire other ancient powers.
My resolve tipped the scales.

I gazed intently at the vice-butler Hans as he approached me. His expression was grave but not dark. There was a bitterness to it, yet his eyes remained clear.

“Young master, regarding the matter your guest requested today—”
“Hans.”

I cut off his words and spoke differently.

“Bring that guest here.”
“Sir?”

But I wouldn’t be a fool about this. If I had to move, I’d move in a way most convenient for myself. And I had to act in a way that guaranteed my own benefit.

“Ah, if he won’t come, tell him this.”

From Hans’s expression, I was certain that Choi Han’s matter had been resolved to a reasonable degree. Even though Count Derth saw in his records that Choi Han had struck me, he still held a funeral for Harris Village as its lord and handled the aftermath. It would be the same now.

“Payment for the meal.”
“Pardon?”
“Tell him I have work that needs doing—work worth a meal’s price.”

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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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