Trash of the Count’s Family - Chapter 95

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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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“That’s right. I am magnificent.”

Raon spoke.

“Insane.”

Orca Arch still spat out the curse like an exclamation of admiration.

And naturally, the ship was destroyed.
Of course, it wasn’t completely destroyed.

“That swordmaster is incredible.”

Raon’s assessment was accurate. The swordmaster was incredible. In a brief moment, she unleashed another boomerang-shaped golden aura, and thanks to that, a considerable number of mana arrows were destroyed.

Still, it was enough to destroy the ship.

“Ugh, uuugh!”

Redica’s body trembled violently. Choi Han watched him silently, his arms now gone.

“He’s dying.”

Kale Heniatus confirmed Redica’s condition as his mana runaway reached its peak. He thought Choi Han would no longer act. After all, Redica would be dead soon.

“Aaaaagh!”

But it was a miscalculation.

Splurt!
Blood sprayed forth.
Choi Han swung his sword once more at Redica’s right eye. Kale turned his gaze away. He had no desire to witness such a sight. Then he saw the crumbling ship.

Crunch, crunch.
The ship slowly broke apart from the stern. But as Kale watched the sight, he clicked his tongue.

“As expected, there was one left.”

At the same time, I marveled at the revelation.

“A Spear Mage.”
“You didn’t know, human?”
“No. I didn’t.”
“I see.”

A Spear Mage—one who wielded both magic and the spear simultaneously. The Spear Master wasn’t quite at the level of a true Spear Master, but she was skilled in magic nonetheless. The Spear Master, employing magic she hadn’t used until now, soared through the air with flight magic and rescued only one person.

The Golden-haired Swordmaster. She alone ascended into the sky from the collapsing ship.

Aaahhhhh!
Save us too, please!

The crew members falling from the exploding ship or wounded by mana arrows cried out to the Spear Master, but she didn’t spare them a glance.
She only looked at Redica.

“Strong.”

I felt anew the strength of that organization.
At the same time, to cast flight magic on two people meant she was at least intermediate-advanced level. An intermediate-advanced Mage with spear skills approaching that of a Spear Master.

“Don’t worry. She’s still weaker than Choi Han.”
“I know. It’s just that she’s stronger than me.”

A brief silence fell. After a long moment, Raon spoke.

“There are, um, many who are stronger than you, um, it’s only natural, yes, quite natural. So don’t be too disheartened.”

I wanted to respond to Raon’s words. But I couldn’t.

Boom!

“…Terrifying.”

A golden aura shot through Redica’s body, and his form didn’t merely get sliced—it exploded. I could see Choi Han retreating with the whale, unleashing a black aura in response.
But it didn’t reach the Spear Master and Swordmaster in the air.

Choi Han’s stern expression hardened as he prepared to bring his blade down once more. And Rosalind slowly ascended into the air. Both of them glanced toward where Kale stood, but they could not call out to him as he remained hidden behind the whale.
A silent standoff ensued. No—the screams of the crew members still echoed, and the sounds from the burning ship created a cacophony of chaos.
Battle threatened to erupt once more.

That was when it happened.

Whoooosh—
The sound of the sea surface splitting reached our ears. Witira and several other members of the Whale Tribe were approaching from that direction.

“What a shame.”

The Swordmaster’s lips parted.

“I told you we should have just run away.”

The Spear Master replied with a voice dripping with exasperation, her gaze sweeping across the masked Choi Han, Rosalind, and the Wolf Tribe member.

“I have no idea who you are.”
“Want to fight to find out?”

Even at Rosalind’s words, the Spear Master shook her head as she observed the crimson mana swirling in the other woman’s grasp.

“At best, we’d call it a draw.”

Crack! Boom!
An enormous azure whip descended upon the sea. Simultaneously, Witira shot skyward from the recoil of that force. A magical scroll materialized in the Spear Master’s hand—a scroll emanating five-colored light, unmistakably infused with the finest grade mana stones ground to powder.

“No!”

Rosalind surged forward after Witira toward them. Choi Han’s aura shot toward them like a bullet. That was when it happened.

Rip. The magical scroll tore apart, and simultaneously the Spear Master and Swordmaster began to blur and fade. It was a maximum-distance teleportation. The golden-haired woman slightly furrowed her brow as she neutralized Choi Han’s aura with her own. A small explosion erupted, and through it, she waved toward Choi Han and Rosalind.

“Goodbye, strangers.”

And as she gazed at Witira, who surged upward with a ferocious expression, she smiled.

“Poor thing.”

Witira’s face contorted further.

Crackle.
The distinctive static of a magic scroll activating filled the air, and the two figures’ forms grew increasingly hazy, as if about to vanish entirely. Kale Heniatus found himself at a loss for words.

What a textbook villain’s exit scene this was.

But there was something everyone had overlooked.

“Ugh!”

Blood dripped from the Spear Master’s mouth. An arrow protruded from his abdomen. A small mana arrow that had flown from behind pierced through his belly, spinning as it went. The wound continued to expand.

“Brother! These—these things!”

Fury ignited in the eyes of the composed golden-haired woman.
Crackle crackle crackle—
But the magic scroll activated immediately, and they vanished.
The scroll’s static could no longer be heard.

“Ah.”

Rosalind let out a sigh, and Witira’s whip lashed through the space where they had disappeared. Choi Han stared at the spot where Redica lay, now nothing but a corpse, his lips pressed firmly together.

At that moment, beyond Kale, who was barely peeking out from behind Orca Arch, a voice rang out.

“I did it.”

Raon spoke calmly.

“Even if they heal him, my mana signature will remain in that Spear Master’s body. Only a Dragon can detect it. If they come near again, they’ll die by my hand.”

Everyone had underestimated Raon.
Orca Arch’s back trembled. Kale began to applaud.

“Raon truly is remarkable!”

If detection was possible when they drew near, we would have a means to prepare even if the Secret Organization approached. Of course, since they didn’t know our identities, there was little chance of further entanglement.
The more ways to know in advance, the better.

“That’s right. I am magnificent.”

Raon puffed out his chest with pride. And there was a reason I had left traces of mana behind. Just looking at these two alone, the organization they belonged to must be teeming with formidable warriors. Dragons relished overwhelming battles.

“…I’ll wait until I grow a bit larger.”
“Hm? What did you say?”
“Nothing, human.”

Kale Heniatus hadn’t caught it properly, but Orca Arch, who lacked the full context, had heard it clearly. An inexplicable dread washed over Arch. Though the black dragon before his eyes was still young, tales of ancient dragons who knew how to breathe came to mind.
A famous story passed down through generations of the Whale Tribe spoke of how continental history would shift if an ancient dragon ever became angry enough to lose its mind.

Kale Heniatus walked slowly toward the coastline.
Splash, splash. When the seawater receded to his ankles, Witira approached Kale. Of course, her two subordinates followed in her wake.

“I apologize, Young Master. We were so focused on dealing with the Mermaid Tribe that we failed to attend to them.”
“It’s fine. It wasn’t something we couldn’t have stopped anyway.”
“We’ll handle the rest of the cleanup.”
“Very well.”

Kale Heniatus nodded while taking another step toward the coastline. Witira felt a wave of apology wash over her as she noticed Kale’s expression wasn’t quite right. It seemed she had dragged him into an unnecessary situation.
So she had her subordinates quickly hand over what he had requested.

“Young Master, we’ve brought it.”
“Ah, yes. Good.”

It was a mermaid corpse. And it was remarkably pristine, as if still alive.
I had asked Witira to bring one of the stronger mermaids among those who had consumed the dead mana.

“Who is it?”
“Royalty from the Royal Family.”

I hadn’t expected her to bring a Royal Family mermaid. And as a corpse at that.

“Good. I can begin the detoxification right away.”

Any mermaid’s blood could neutralize the poison, but blood with stronger mermaid characteristics would not only dispel the toxin but also aid in subsequent treatment.
Ron had carried the poison for quite some time without it progressing further. I wanted to remove it as cleanly as possible without leaving any scars. So rather than moving about while hiding our identities, I had asked Witira to handle it.

‘My arm is hopeless anyway.’

Even if an arm were severed, treatment would be possible if the limb remained intact. But the arm was gone, and even if I searched for it, too much time had passed—it would be rotted beyond use.

‘…There is one method, though.’

A genuine arm was impossible, but a reasonable facsimile could work.
Necromancers. Those who manipulate corpses. They are both meticulous anatomists and skilled craftsmen. Since they assemble bodies for use, anything less than mastery would be absurd.

The Necromancers, rumored to have vanished, still existed somewhere on the Western Continent.

‘The problem is I don’t know where.’

At this moment, I couldn’t determine the Necromancers’ location. So I shelved that matter for now.

“Orca Arch and the whales will take him to Hice Island 1.”
“Good. You’re continuing the pursuit?”

The Mermaid Tribe, now without their allies. The Whale Tribe had no intention of missing this opportunity. That’s why Whale King Siceller wasn’t here—he was actively pursuing the Mermaid Tribe.

“Yes, they fled eastward. We must pursue them. To the very end.”

To the very end. Those words carried a chilling weight. I asked without much thought.

“Will you exterminate the entire Mermaid Tribe?”
“No. Ironically, if they all disappeared, the ecosystem would collapse. We must keep them alive and under control.”
“…The Whale Tribe is truly a fearsome race.”

Witira simply smiled without further response. That smile unsettled me. Not that I had any right to judge—I’d helped the Whale Tribe destroy the island—but the Whale Tribe clearly harbored a strong tendency to view themselves as the superior species. From the Mermaid Tribe’s perspective, the Whale Tribe, who had dominated the sea under the guise of maintaining peace, must have been despicable.
The Mermaid Tribe must have resented the Whale Tribe, who had long dominated the sea claiming it was for peace.
As I always felt, everything looked different depending on the angle from which you viewed it.

‘Not my concern.’

I was someone who moved according to my own interests. This wasn’t something I needed to worry about.

“Then I’ll take my leave. Time is pressing.”

Now that I’d found the materials, I needed to treat Ron immediately.

Upon arriving at Hice Island 1, I immediately swept aside the tent flap and stepped inside.

“Ron.”
“Young master.”

Vicross rose instead of Ron, his gaze fixed on Kale Heniatus. He caught sight of the mermaid corpse that Choi Han and Hilsman carried behind Kale, and his mouth, which had opened, snapped shut.
Ron was asleep. The assassin hadn’t sensed his presence.

A deep sigh escaped from Kale Heniatus’s lips. Beside Ron’s bedside, premium potions were stacked like a mountain.

“Vicross, pull back the blanket.”
“Yes.”
“I’d like to borrow a pair of gloves.”

Vicross, who had pulled back the blanket and exposed the poisoned areas, hesitated. He opened his mouth without looking at Kale Heniatus.

“…Will you do it yourself?”

Vicross gazed quietly at his father Ron’s face. His father’s words echoed in his ears—how powerful the Dark organization was. Every time Ron awoke, he told Vicross about it.
Then Kale Heniatus’s calm answer reached his ears.

“Yes. I have to.”

Vicross pulled out white gloves from his pocket and handed them to Kale Heniatus. Kale Heniatus put on the gloves and examined Ron’s poisoned areas. The condition had progressed slightly, perhaps because premium potions had been poured over it.

Kale Heniatus gestured to Choi Han, who brought the corpse closer. The shadow of the corpse fell over Ron’s body. Kale Heniatus drew a dagger and made a scratch on the Royal Family mermaid corpse.

Plink. Thud.
A drop or two of mermaid blood emerged before pouring out. Kale Heniatus carefully adjusted the position of the corpse that Choi Han held, allowing the blood to touch Ron’s flank and thigh. He then made wounds in other areas and applied the mermaid blood near Ron’s poisoned regions.

“Vicross, pour the premium potion as well.”
“Yes.”

Sizzzzle.
The potion, mermaid blood, and mermaid poison mixed together, producing a burning sound. But the visible spectacle was the mermaid blood mixed with the gleaming premium potion evaporating the mermaid poison.

“Ugh, ughh.”

Ron groaned. His eyelids trembled faintly.
The viscous mermaid poison that had clung to him was disappearing.
Ron’s eyelids slowly opened, revealing his eyes.

“…Young Master.”
“Don’t speak. I’m busy.”

Ron persisted despite Kale Heniatus’s dismissal.

“Are you detoxifying him?”
“Yes.”

After confirming that the sticky Mermaid Tribe poison clinging to Ron’s body had vanished, I turned my gaze toward him.

“The detoxification is complete. Now we can proceed with treatment.”
“I see.”

I removed the white gloves stained with Mermaid Tribe blood and tossed them into the brazier.

“Ron.”
“Yes, Young Master.”

Ron looked at me. Not only Ron, but his son Vicross also fixed his gaze upon me.

“There’s no one left there who knows your face. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

I turned from the brazier and spoke to Ron.

“It means we’re going home now.”

The detoxification was complete.
There was no one left in this world who had done this to his arm.
So it was time to return to the Heniatus Family.
Home. At that word, Ron slowly closed his eyes.

“Yes, Young Master.”

At his response, I nodded and patted Vicross on the shoulder. Since earlier, Vicross had been holding his father Ron’s hand.

“We’ll begin Ron’s treatment immediately upon arrival.”

With those words, I left the tent. The vast expanse of the sea’s sky came into view. After enduring a full day of torment, night had fallen. The night sky over the sea possessed a power that opened one’s heart wide.

“Finally, I can get some rest.”

A smile bloomed at the corners of my lips.
I would need to focus on Ron’s treatment and rehabilitation going forward, but he had survived.

For now, I could enjoy a life of leisure in my fiefdom.

* * *

“Young Master, you’ve returned!”
“It’s been a while, Hans.”

Hans greeted me with a delighted expression as I arrived back at the fiefdom.

“Um, Young Master. What about Ron?”
“I’ve detoxified him.”
“Oh my goodness. Thank you so much!”
“Why are you thanking me? Nothing happened in the fiefdom while I was away, right?”
“No, Young Master. Everything has been peaceful in the fiefdom.”

Seeing Hans’s carefree expression, I believed that my leisurely life had finally begun—even if it would last at most a year.

Yes, that’s what I thought.

—————
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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