Trash of the Count’s Family - Chapter 83

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Naturally, it was always the person with the most questions who initiated the conversation. Odeus spoke first.

“I never dreamed that the two of you were acquainted.”
“Are you very curious about that?”

Odeus answered Kale’s question as though it were obvious.

“No.”

Kale accepted that response without question. Someone of Odeus’s caliber would need to discern the reasons for such connections himself. What merchant would obtain information from their client?

“Odeus, when does Benion visit this place?”

Five years. During that time, Odeus had discovered that there existed a force hindering his expansion of power. Yet he could not trace its origins.
Only recently had he barely uncovered information that now flowed from Kale’s lips.

“The Underworld, then.”

The young noble before him already knew that Benion came to the Underworld.
Of course, Kale merely spoke the information he had gleaned from “The Birth of a Hero” regarding Odeus in his own manner.

The dark underbelly of Sten Territory was conventionally called the Underworld. Gambling, alcohol, loan sharking, black market dealings, illegal auctions, slavery, violence—all those sordid affairs transpired there as daily occurrences.
However, Odeus refrained from employing slavery and violence, and he had established safeguards ensuring that both parties in any transaction received protection. That was why Kale had sought him out.

Taylor Sten, the eldest son of the Sten Marquis House, likely shared the same perspective.
Though there were subtle differences, of course.

Taylor knew that Benion was the monster who had crippled his legs, but he had not grasped the extent of his power. Benion had moved with such discretion. That represented Taylor’s own inadequacy.

Yet through Kale’s contact, he had now learned the true nature of that power.
And that information was extraordinarily significant.

Those thoughts rippled through Kaige, the Priest, and emerged from her lips.

“Young Noble Taylor wishes to understand all aspects of the Sten Marquis House and the Northwest Region.”

Kaige and Odeus’s gazes met. Upon receiving Kale’s contact, Taylor and Kaige had immediately asked him to establish a connection between them and Odeus.

“Taylor Sten, as a nobleman and a member of a house that governs a fiefdom, dislikes the underworld.”
“That’s right. I dislike it as well.”

I stated my dislike plainly, and Odeus nodded in agreement.

“Indeed. A nobleman who cherishes his people and subjects should feel that way. After all, the Heniatus Territory has no underworld, does it?”

That was true. The Heniatus Territory had petty thugs and ruffians, but no organized underworld dealings. Count Derth was unremarkable and lacked distinguishing features, but he was a proper nobleman. At the very least, he understood responsibility, and with his wealth, he would never tolerate such things.
Besides, being a rural area, it wasn’t developed enough for such a market to form.

“Then it seems Young Master Taylor wishes to eliminate the underworld?”
“Yes.”

At Kaige’s resolute answer, Odeus smiled faintly. He turned his gaze from her to me.

“Young Master Taylor is a true nobleman.”

The added remark was important.

“You won’t abandon your principles.”

In “The Birth of a Hero,” the Sten Marquis House fell near the end of Volume 2 for various reasons. They clashed with Choi Han and were destroyed through satisfying developments, and there was also the Black Dragon’s rampage.

Additionally, Odeus played a role. To stop Benion Sten, who sought to dominate the Northwest Region’s underworld, Odeus exposed Benion’s true identity, which in turn destroyed the Sten Marquis House’s reputation.

The family once considered the most noble abandoned their honor and tormented their subjects.

Of course, to reveal this truth, Odeus himself had to step into the light. That put him in considerable danger. Choi Han knew of him through the Blue Werewolf Tribe Rak incident, but couldn’t bring himself to help.

But this time, there was no need for that.
I neatly summarized their conversation.

“We can fight and bicker later. First, we need to eliminate our common enemy, don’t we?”

Odeus found that confusing. Kaige felt the same way.
Why would Kale Heniatus have any reason to hate Benion? It was a question both of them shared.

“By the way, what did Benion do to you—?”

Odeus trailed off, his gaze settling on me. Unlike him, I remained resolute.

“Kill him.”
“That would be problematic—!”

The Mad Priestess Kaige interjected without thinking, her expression startled. But I continued.

“Wouldn’t it be something far worse than that?”
“…Pardon?”

She repeated my words slowly, her mind struggling to process them.
Kill him.
Something far worse than that?

A chill ran down her spine as she looked at me. I still appeared composed. Yet she knew well enough who I was—the man who had lent them money and granted them entry to the Capital, all while binding them with an oath of death to keep their silence.

I was a man of my word.

“Ha, haha—”

Odeus burst into laughter and nodded.

“Indeed, there are far more terrifying things than death.”
“Mm.”

Kaige swallowed hard and opened her mouth.

“Then how do you intend to proceed?”

Instead of answering, she followed the direction of my gaze. Odeus stood there. From the intensity in my eyes, he understood exactly what needed to be done.

“I shall attend to the young master with pleasure. You need not worry.”

Odeus had willingly—eagerly—agreed to serve me. He had no choice.

“Then while Odeus attends to me, I shall handle the rest myself.”

After all, I had volunteered to deal with Benion directly.

‘Of course, it’s not me doing it, but Raon.’

From my perspective, I was merely setting the stage. The real orchestration of events fell to Raon’s shoulders.

“Ah, it’s been so long since I’ve had to move about busily.”

Despite his groaning, Odeus’s expression was radiant. He looked so delighted he seemed ready to throw a sixtieth birthday celebration on the spot.

“Then move quickly. I’ll be staying here.”
“Very well.”

Odeus, caught between middle age and elderhood, rose lightly from the sofa. He headed straight for the door.
My voice reached him as he moved.

“Odeus, find me a house.”
“A house, sir?”

Odeus turned back to look at me.

“That’s right. And you’ll need to attend to my needs properly. I only deal with the finest.”

Odeus accepted my casual—almost absurdly carefree—request for personal service without hesitation.

“In sixty years of living, I’ve never received such a request, but I’m honored to accept.”
“Good. You have sufficient compensation, don’t you? It’s simply removing obstacles.”
“More than sufficient.”

Odeus opened the door. Choi Han offered a gentle nod. Odeus understood why Choi Han had been standing guard at the entrance. A matter of this magnitude warranted his surveillance.

“Choi Han, we’ll speak again later.”
“Yes, Guild Master.”

After Odeus departed, Choi Han closed the door once more. Now only I and the Mad Priestess Kaige remained in the room. With just the two of us, I asked her something I’d been curious about.

“Kaige.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
“Why can’t we kill the successor?”

As if she’d anticipated the question, she answered immediately.

“Taylor will make a declaration to his other siblings within the next couple of days.”

I had a feeling I knew what that declaration would be.

“Not to kill anyone?”
“…You’re as perceptive as always.”

She composed herself, suppressing her admiration, and continued speaking.

“It might seem like a violation of the Sten Marquis House’s laws, but the heir only needs to prevent other bloodlines from coveting the heir’s position—it doesn’t constitute a complete violation of the law.”

Others might have asked how one could be certain that other siblings wouldn’t covet the heir’s position if they were left alive. She was about to address that very question, but I had already grasped the answer.

“The Oath of Death would suffice.”
“…That’s right. You require no explanation, Young Master.”
“It seems the Death God has not abandoned you after all, Kaige.”

Though the Death God Temple had excommunicated her, the Death God himself had not abandoned her. Kaige smiled faintly and did not refute my words.

“I wish he would abandon me, honestly.”

Once Odeus left, Kaige’s tone became noticeably lighter, and she spoke with the same boldness as before. It was the kind of remark that would shock other priests if they heard it.

“Does everything in this world go according to one’s wishes?”

But I was equally unimpressed, dismissing such remarks without concern as I responded.

“Then let’s continue this conversation another time. I’m exhausted today.”

I signaled the end of our conversation. After confirming that Kaige had completely left the Inn, I spoke to Choi Han and Raon, who was still cloaked in invisibility.

“Let’s wait patiently.”

But we wouldn’t have to wait long.

* * *

I climbed onto the building rooftop and leisurely surveyed my surroundings.

“The weather is perfect.”

Mist blanketed everything, casting a dreary pall over the landscape. Combined with the oppressive heat, the air hung thick and clammy against the skin.

“The timing is ideal.”

It was the dim twilight before dawn, when the morning sun had yet to break the horizon. Beside me, Hong’s head bobbed drowsily, his eyes fluttering as he fought desperately to stay awake.

“And hardly anyone is around.”

The fog, the humid weather, the early hour—all conspired to create ideal conditions precisely because people were scarce. This was the Backstreet, after all, where the revelers had only recently surrendered to sleep.

I gazed down from beneath the building.

‘There are multiple routes, I’ve heard. Today, there’s a 70% or higher probability he’ll take this one.’

Recalling Odeus’s report, I glanced to my side. The Black Dragon Raon sat calmly on the railing, peering down at the street below.

I reached over and gently patted the Black Dragon’s head.

“Don’t do that, human!”

Despite his words, Raon remained still. But his gaze toward me turned sharp.

“Today, you weak human should stay put.”
“Fine, fine. I’ll just watch.”
“Watch carefully!”
“I will.”

Satisfied with my response, Raon unfurled his wings. The black wings beat, and he rose slowly into the air. At that signal, Choi Han, On, and Hong moved into position.

“On, I’m counting on you.”
“This is the environment where I shine the most!”

On’s tail swished as she vanished into the mist. Hong looked toward me.

“Should I spread the poison?”
“Yes.”

Hong nodded at the response and approached Raon’s side, while the Black Dragon descended slightly. Hong patted its body with a grin before vanishing into the mist.

“I’ll be going.”

Choi Han moved silently to another building rooftop.
Raon flew to my side and hovered in the air.

“Raon.”
“What is it?”
“Do as much as you wish.”

The Black Dragon’s eyes widened. The dragon laughed and replied.

“Don’t ask the obvious.”

Raon vanished into the mist. I gazed down from the building rooftop with my arms crossed leisurely. And the seventy percent probability held true.

Three figures concealed in robes were entering the backstreet. Benion would be among them. I leaned against the railing and watched them below.

Unaware of my gaze from above, Benion Sten quickened his pace.

‘Insane bastard.’

He cursed inwardly with language far too crude for nobility. Yesterday, Taylor Sten—that crippled older brother of his—had spouted madness.

‘I will not kill my bloodline. I merely intend to dominate them.’

Taylor’s words had caused tremendous upheaval, and because of them, the Marquis Household had been in chaos since yesterday. Thanks to that, Benion could only arrive here at dawn today.
Taylor’s power was growing far too rapidly, and he felt the necessity to suppress it. Under normal circumstances, he would not have ventured out himself, but according to his subordinates planted in the underworld, the most influential black merchant in the Northwest Region’s underworld had been clashing with them frequently of late, making it difficult to move freely.

‘Troublesome fools keep interfering.’

Benion clicked his tongue and pushed through the mist swiftly. He was grateful for the thick morning fog today. It reduced the probability of others seeing him.

‘The weather aids me.’

As the mist grew thicker, Benion was satisfied. His two subordinates followed behind him.
There was one thing Benion and his subordinates failed to notice as they moved forward. It was something they missed because their hoods were pulled too deep.

The mist hovering above their heads was gradually staining itself black.

Meow.

“Tsk.”

Benion clicked his tongue at the cat’s cry, even at dawn. This backstreet was indeed infested with useless humans and stray cats alike. Such creatures ought to be disciplined or eliminated without exception.

Meow.

The eerie cat’s cry echoed once more. At that sound, a particular entity came to mind—the root cause of all these troubles.

‘I should have killed it.’

Benion’s expression twisted.

The Black Dragon. I should have slain it. Had I done so, none of this would have happened. Everything went wrong when I insisted on keeping it alive instead.
Irritation surged within me. Just then, the cat’s cry sounded once more.

Meow—

“How bothersome.”

The moment Benion muttered under his breath, unable to contain his annoyance.

A sharp intake of breath.

Someone’s breathing sounded from behind Benion. Thud. Then something struck the ground.

“Young master—”

His subordinate’s voice followed. Benion spun around in panic.

“What—!”

One of his men lay collapsed, both hands clutching at his throat. The subordinate who had called out to Benion staggered and slowly fell.

“I… I can’t… breathe!”

His subordinate’s face turned ashen as he collapsed forward, his hood brushing against Benion’s shoe. The sudden turn of events caused Benion’s brow to furrow deeply, confusion flickering across his eyes.
It was a situation he had never anticipated.

Meow.

Then came the sound of a cat again. In that moment, Benion realized something new.

The cat’s cry was growing steadily closer.

Meow.

Above!
The sound was coming from above!

Benion lifted his gaze. Only then did he see it.

“Huh?”

Unlike the white mist surrounding him, when he looked up, he saw mist stained in black and crimson. That mist looked ominous. Without thinking, Benion stepped backward. That was when it happened.

Thud. Something touched Benion’s back.
Benion froze for a moment, then quickly spun around, his hand grasping the hilt of his sword at his waist.

But all he saw was transparent mist.

“What, what is this?”

He spoke without thinking. Behind him, his subordinates let out cries of agony.

“Ugh—”
“Gasp, ugh!”

Between those sounds came a faint whisper of wind.
Whoosh—
At that sound, Benion instinctively began to turn his head backward when—

“Hello?”

A voice spoke. Benion turned to face forward again. There was nothing.

No.
It had simply been invisible.
Before Benion’s eyes, a dark presence began to reveal itself, gradually taking shape.
The entity before him showed itself bit by bit, ever so gradually.

“Wh—wh—”

Benion found himself stumbling backward without thinking. Thud. But his retreat was blocked by one of his fallen subordinates. And then, finally, the dark presence fully revealed itself.

Eyes that gazed directly at Benion.
A being he hadn’t seen in a long time.

“We meet again?”

The Black Dragon appeared before him.
The dragon—Raon—was smiling.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————