Trash of the Count's Family

Cale had Ron and Freesia, who had done a great job in preparing everything, get on the carriage before heading toward the Gyerre territory. The carriage was being driven by one of Freesia's subordinates.

“Explain it in detail.”

Freesia immediately started to respond.

“There is a baron's household that became a vassal of the Gyerre Duchy about 50 years ago.”

The name of that household was Chryshi.

“This was before the current Duchess became the ruler of the territory. The other candidates for the position of lord brought the vassal household in in order to expand their own influence.

Antonio's grandmother and the current Duchess, Sonata. This had happened when she was just one of the potential candidates for the Duchess position. The Gyerre territory had accepted multiple vassal households during that time.

The Chryshi household was one of those vassals.

Cale started to speak.

“Isn’t the Chryshi household a household that is famous for being a household of scholars?”

It was the household that had been the instructors of the crown two hundred years ago. That was why the Gyerre Duchy chose to accept such a household without any territories or wealth as a vassal.

“Young master-nim.”

Ron gently responded to Cale's question.

“The past does not necessarily continue to the present.”

“I guess that is true.”

Cale agreed.

Regardless of whether they were a household of scholars in the past, they were a terrible household now.

The fact that they would hire people to kidnap children showed that they were not right in the head.

“Young master-nim, it was two nights ago.”

Cale looked toward Ron. The fact that Ron had been seriously acting like a benign old man since earlier was making Cale feel iffy. Ron seemed to look healthier after receiving his fake yet strong arm.

“Maybe it is because I am getting older, but I could not fall asleep that night. That was why I decided to talk a light walk through the back alleys of the Gyerre territory.”

‘…Are the back alleys really a good spot to take a walk?’

Cale wanted to ask that question, but held himself back.

“I happened to see some children pulling a carriage and going toward the corner of the slums.”

“Children?”

Cale looked toward Ron with confusion after hearing that children were pulling the carriage. Ron clarified his comments.

“They were husky children who seemed to be about 30 years old.”

‘…When did buff gangsters turn into children?’

Ron continued to speak as Cale sat there in silence.

“Anyway, I found those children interesting and chose to follow them. Of course, I did it stealthily so that they wouldn’t notice me.”

Cale ignored Freesia, who was looking toward Ron with a gaze of respect.

“When I stealthily followed behind them, I noticed a couple of houses near the bridge that is at the edge of the slums. Many people were being held captive in the basements of those houses.”

Crack. Crack.

The fingers on his fake left arm cracked as Ron bent his fingers. He then gently continued to speak.

“They were doing terrible things that even assassins would not do.”

‘Mm.’

Cale turned his gaze away from the assassin Ron.

“And?”

However, Cale wanted Ron to get to the point. Ron got to the core of the issue.

“I noticed one of the Chryshi household's butlers going into one of those houses last night. Those buildings are regular houses for families in the slums during the day. However, once the sun goes down, those so-called families turn into employees.”

Freesia added on.

“After tailing the butler until early the next morning, we verified the butler meeting with a merchant.”

There was a high chance of that merchant being part of a merchant guild that was part of the slave trade.

She quickly continued to speak.

“One of my subordinates is currently tailing that merchant. We will soon receive a first report about the identity of that merchant guild. We will be able to have a good idea about their identity and know for certain after the second report.”

Tap. Tap.

Cale tapped on the armrest before looking back toward Ron. The old man realized that his young master had realized something.

Cale slowly started to speak.

“A merchant guild illegally purchasing people as slaves…”

Where would those slaves go?

Slaves were illegal in the Roan Kingdom.

Unless the Chryshi household was crazy, they would not sell slaves within the kingdom.

So, who would need slaves?

Furthermore, who would need to use a merchant guild in order to stealthily gather slaves?

Cale had a good idea about the answers to these questions.

bell to end the lives of

“Excuse me?”

at Cale's comments, but Cale waved her off

is probably from the

“… The Empire?”

Freesia's expression turned serious.

Roan Kingdom as slaves, but they even sold them off to a foreign nation? This was

not something that a baron would dare to

Cale had

household act on their

Our investigations indicate that the

licked her lips

that was brought in as a vassal without owning much of anything was placed in a state of uncertainty after Sonata Gyerre became the Duchess instead of the candidate they were

have needed

asked one more

Chryshi household seem to know where the merchant

I am not sure

speak to Cale, who seemed certain that the merchant guild was

we don't have information on the merchant guild yet. How about we wait for the information before

did not respond in any

Tap. Tap.

continued to pat Cale's thighs with their paws. It was their way of saying, ‘let’s beat those bastards to

was speaking into

I cannot

people who

something that the Black

first four years of his life in

“Ron.”

“Yes, young master-nim.”

territory gate and

“Change of plans.”

“Yes sir.”

Early the next morning.

this soft and comfortable bed while enjoying his sleep. However, there was a hand that was patting him on the

felt like a concerned parent's warm

“Mm!”

Cale’s eyes opened wide.

master-nim, you are

It was Ron.

so shocked that he curled

“Meeeeeow!”

“Meeow!”

kittens were laughing at

You can't sleep

this quartet of

not have lemon tea. The Gyerre Duchy does

Cale's lips was twitching as

Cale's group, other than Freesia and the information guild, were currently staying at the Gyerre

to spend a few nights at the Gyerre Estate

to let a passing noble spend a few days at their Estate. Furthermore, it was not just any noble, but

disappointing that they don't have lemon

that he said that he was disappointed as

“Ugh!”

couldn’t help

started

Gyerre territory seems to enjoy bitter tea

‘Damn it.’

started the day off with

of the room as soon as he

“Young master-nim!”

Captain Hilsman had been waiting outside the door before

very

a proper noble today. Although it was not fancy and was just

“Is that so? Good.”

flinched after seeing that

‘A pure smile?’

suit Cale at

that he was going

that Cale looked pure and innocent when Ron had told him about Cale’s

“Where is it?”

quickly responded to

time. He likes to

guess we can stop by the garden on our way to

immediately headed

well. Hilsman found it even weirder

Antonio

course, he pretended

Cale. Did you

to see you in the garden, young master

shook

dressed like a noble and did not have anything out of

Cale Henituse.

crown prince's close confidant, the person who prevented the incident in the capital, and the

in advance to ask whether he could spend a few nights

‘Can we chat?’

Chat.

crown prince’s close confidant, and Antonio, who was a close confidant of a different prince and maintained the kingdom's southwest territory, had obvious but important

bound to be a very greedy

greedy as the other nobles based on the way he asked

happen in

course we can do it. Have you

brought up peaceful topics of conversation. He could see Cale

“I have not.”

no, you are taking a walk without having breakfast?

okay. I plan to

conversation changed a bit after Cale’s

Cale gracefully added on.

famous bar, so I plan to eat

“···Excuse me?”

Antonio was shocked.

what he wanted to