Trash of the Count's Family

However, aside from feeling flabbergasted, Cale felt a strange vibe.

He couldn’t see the person who could be considered a set with Toonka.

“Where is Chief Harol?”

Chief Harol Kodiang. Cale didn’t see the crazy bastard born from the unfortunate fate between the master of the Magic Tower and the citizen.

He was the calm yet insane bastard who hated mages and wanted to rid the world of magic.

‘Clopeh is a peaceful bastard in comparison to this guy.’

However, he couldn’t be seen even though Cale and Choi Han had arrived.

In order to avoid the eyes of the Whipper Kingdom’s people who were hostile against magic, a teleportation magic circle was secretly created in the basement of the royal palace.

It was a place that was under close supervision since it was a space used by a part of the royal family and the kingdom’s leaders.

That was why Toonka and his subordinates, as well as the mages dispatched by the Roan Kingdom, were the only ones there.

But Harol Kodiang, the one commanding the military operation and everything related to the war, wasn’t there with them?

It didn’t make sense

‘Looks like something happened.’

Cale realized that something must have happened in the Whipper Kingdom.

Did Toonka notice the look in Cale’s eyes? Toonka started to frown. The combination of Toonka’s big build and fierce looks made his grimacing face look scarier.

Cale observed Toonka’s expression and started to think.

‘If he fought with that face, all the Empire’s knights would be frightened.’

However, despite his vicious-looking face, Toonka looked at his subordinates and spoke with a sigh.

“Follow me. We will head over to where the Chief is.”

Toonka turned around and headed towards the entrance first. He could hear Cale’s voice coming from behind him.

“What’s the problem?”

Toonka hesitated for a moment before opening his mouth.

It was something that Chief Harol was supposed to talk about with Cale, but it wouldn’t make a difference even if he was told ahead of time.

“After the Imperial Prince made his speech, the Empire sent the Whipper Kingdom a secret correspondence.”

‘What?

The Empire’s Imperial Prince sent the Whipper Kingdom a secret correspondence?’

Cale, who had been busy meeting the Dwarves and Bears and completing other preparations after the Imperial Prince’s speech, frowned at this news he heard for the first time.

‘Why did the bastards who declared war on the Whipper Kingdom suddenly send them a secret correspondence?’

Creak.

The door opened. Toonka could not see Cale nor his subordinates and looked straight forward as he stepped out and responded.

“The Empire offered a proposal.”

Commander Toonka currently felt angry and frustrated.

Cale recalled the Toonka from the past who would smash everything to pieces and never looked back as he ran off. He liked that kind of Toonka.

Unfortunately, Toonka couldn’t act as he used to in the past due to his current circumstances. Suppressing his frustration, Toonka informed Cale about the current situation.

“The Empire stated that they loved peace and that we should surrender Maple Castle if we didn't want to see everyone in the Whipper Kingdom die.”

‘Ha!’

Cale could not believe it.

The Imperial Prince of the Empire had instilled a sense of pride in the hearts of his people as by stating that they would fight a fair and just war. While playing the part of the proud Imperial Prince up front, he was splaying out negotiations and threats behind the scenes.

But was that bad?

‘Not at all. In fact, he is doing very well.’

Blood is shed during war.

People die.

Under such circumstances, it was clever of the Empire to demand the return of Maple Castle through threats or conciliation or whatever, as opposed to war.

Perhaps it was a wise move to use the position of the Empire.

‘Furthermore, Toonka and the Whipper Kingdom are known as loners.’

The loners of the Western continent.

It made it easier for the Empire to covertly pressure the Whipper Kingdom who was known to be the loner.

As such, Cale couldn’t help but be wary of Imperial Prince Adin.

If it was crown prince Alberu of the Roan Kingdom, he wouldn’t act as Adin had done.

‘Alberu keeps his promises to his people.’

If the people were told that they would be fighting fairly, that is what he would have done.

This was the reason Cale thought Alberu was the most similar yet different from him.

It was also the reason why Imperial Prince Adin was similar to crown prince Alberu, but ultimately different as well.

This made Cale feel uncomfortable with Adin.

Adin’s resemblance to crown prince Alberu meant that Adin was somewhat similar to Cale as well.

So, Cale started to speak as he stared at Toonka’s back.

“And?”

Return Maple Castle.

It didn’t end with just that.

It wouldn’t end with just that.

The Empire’s pride and ambition wouldn’t let them just stop with Maple Castle.

If that was the case, why would Toonka be worrying and talking so wearily?

Toonka scoffed and answered Cale’s question.

“They want 100,000 people of the Whipper Kingdom for 80 years.”

“…What?”

‘They wanted what?’

This time, even Cale struggled to understand immediately. There was something that came to mind, but it was difficult to confirm that as the answer.

“Harol will explain it to you. Follow me.”

Toonka walked out the door.

Cale followed suit with a sense of foreboding.

The Empire wanted 100,000 people from the Whipper Kingdom for 80 years.

‘Why does this sound like the Empire wants the power to use 100,000 Whipper Kingdom people as slaves for 80 years?’

out of the basement and sternly started

get to Harol

Harol

Toonka out and looked around the Whipper

more extravagant

the sparkling exterior, the interior had a

‘It’s pretty empty.’

many people around. Furthermore, those who came and went did not have happy

priest, looked around the royal palace, which was the center of the Whipper Kingdom,

sense of defeat all around even

was it like

of atmosphere surrounded the soldiers and warriors because they weren’t in the central palace, he noticed that the government officials,

‘That’s what I’m saying.’

He glanced at Choi Han who was beside him. Choi Han, whose appearance was hidden with

atmosphere is probably a first

mood that made everything seem like

Toonka, who was in front of

people know

3 people other

Our side.

were the initial members of the non-mage faction with Toonka and Harol, which were

‘Ha!’

realized what

with an air of helplessness

Cale started to speak.

those that are on our side at the central

for a moment

expected,

More like

Toonka while passing by. There was

Toonka’s continued to speak.

where the royal

was still a

Magic

royal family remained the same, as well as the royal

innermost part of the

more passersby around

addition, there were familiar-looking

place could be clearly felt as

the operations

citizen warriors

the warriors a

“What is it?”

“Commander, it’s just that…”

at Cale and hesitated, unable to answer. Toonka, who saw this, knitted his

Click.

the hot-tempered, unhesitating Toonka. Thanks to him, Cale could hear the voices

Harol, why are you rejecting the

was not a familiar

stopped in front of the open door. Cale could see Chief Harol as well as his advisors through the gap, confronting someone who

the crown and speaking, the one who

recalled the Whipper

in the Magic Tower and the kingdom’s people were heavily taxed and treated as slaves, the Whipper Kingdom’s royal palace quietly spectated from the sidelines as they

became rich from the magic items created from the only Magic Tower on

the Whipper Kingdom who suffered from poverty, the Whipper Kingdom’s royal family lived a more

who ruled the royal palace and the kingdom, flinched when he saw Toonka. However,

“Chief Harol! Say something!”

from the sidelines, they also did not suppress the Anti-mage faction when

kept the royal family intact after taking down

in

when he heard of the Empire’s invasion.

finished if the Empire attacks

We’re finished.

bit his lips at the statement. It was to prevent himself from bursting into

‘we’ that the king spoke of was the royal family and the powerful elites at his

Kingdom were not included in

than anyone else. That was why he kept his eyes on the king even though he was aware of Toonka and

the Empire does

said that they

that the Empire made in

at Cale and continued to speak. He recited the offer proposed by the

Whipper Kingdom’s land surrounding that area must be included. In addition, the Whipper Kingdom must provide free manpower to develop the recently devastated Maple Castle

Cale gulped.

was not

solely made up of the Whipper Kingdom’s citizens, numbering 100,000 people, and the kingdom must fulfill this quota yearly for 80 years to

Cale closed his eyes.

saying the Whipper Kingdom’s citizens will do all the work while they get all the

‘Exactly.’

100,000 of its able-bodied people yearly to work free of charge for 80

was heard

majesty, don’t you understand

flinched before speaking with a calm expression. He had steeled himself before coming to look for Toonka and

would not kill the

support the

then continued with a

accept the

Harol started to frown.

should have killed him

have killed him when he tore down the Magic Tower. He had kept him alive because he didn’t want to cause

king so carelessly. If he revolted against the king and killed him in the face of war, the people of the Whipper Kingdom, who should come together and fight against the Empire, would

swallowed his

demanding a hundred thousand people to labor as

exclaimed

Isn’t the Empire simply requesting for a temporary labor force? If we just accept that offer, we can

‘Ha.’

Harol was stunned.

years was temporary? And that didn’t make them

king, who knew the Empire’s intentions yet feigned ignorance,

mage faction and the non-mage faction were fighting, the king feigned ignorance and fully immersed himself

Harol, couldn’t help but

you find those

to send to the Empire to become

immediately as

“It’s not much!”

It’s not much?

face contorted with

the king spoke

like the non-mage faction, the natives, or the nobles are going. Aren’t there many proud Whipper citizens outside of the royal palace who could work

Cale swallowed a sigh.

the issue was if it was just the citizens outside

The king was confident.

die. Isn’t that quite peaceful? If the Empire truly

king was probably just afraid that he would

Cale frowned.

invaded the Empire, the king had

he watched from the sidelines because he

it was the Empire who

willing to abandon 100,000 of his people for 80 years in order

Toonka was silent.

fury could be

was at that

voice was

people followed us, the non-mage

Harol’s eyes were cold.

get rid of all mages, so he led the people of the non-mage faction. However, he

was hard to make ends meet.

raised his

oppressed your citizens? Do you know how

glanced at the silent Toonka and started to speak

be able to live? If war breaks out, we may all die! You can’t think of the Empire as the same one from