Trash of the Count's Family

“We will now end the awards ceremony.”

The band started to play after Alberu Crossman motioned to the administrator. The crown prince looked toward the video communication device and the nobles as he continued to speak.

“Today is a joyous day, I hope that the people in the plaza and the people in this hall all truly enjoy this moment.”

The nobles who had their heads bowed avoided Alberu’s gaze as if they were at a loss for words.

‘Enjoy? Truly enjoy? Do you think that is possible?’

‘…This is bad.’

A joyous and upbeat song was playing, but the atmosphere inside the hall was oddly calm.

“I'm sure none of you will be able to fully enjoy yourselves if I am here, so I will make my leave.”

The crown prince told the nobles to relax as he headed toward the hall's entrance. Everyone tried to focus on him and walk him out but Alberu rejected all these offers.

However, the nobles could not relax. There was one person who stuck behind Alberu as he left. The person who moved like a shadow as if it was natural started to walk next to the crown prince after seeing Alberu motion him forward.

If the crown prince would allow him to walk next to him, then that meant that the two of them were very close and that the crown prince respected him.

“…Choi Han is that person.”

One noble started to frown after looking toward the crown prince and Choi Han next to him.

The crown prince was standing close to and chatting with Choi Han, who would henceforth be known as his instructor. However, the nobles could not hear their conversation as the music continued even after the crown prince left.

Marquis Ailan, the leader of the Roan Kingdom's southeast region's nobles faction. He was also looking at the crown prince and Choi Han. One of the Counts in his faction walked over and asked in a serious tone.

“…Those two sirs look very close.”

Choi Han had now reached a status where the nobles were addressing him as, 'sir.’ Marquis Ailan could see Alberu’s relaxed smile and Choi Han’s calm yet faint smile.

They truly seemed close.

“Marquis-nim, is it really okay to let things be like this?”

The Marquis slowly blinked after hearing the Count’s question. It was not okay. How could it be okay when Marquis Ailan had not received anything from the results of this war?

‘…But I do not have the justification to oppose it.’

The southeast region’s Marquis Ailan and the central region's Duke Orsena were going to do everything in their powers to prevent the Henituse household from rising from a Count’s household to a Duke's household.

‘…Marquis Stan and Duke Gyerre were already on Count Henituse's side.’

It was not a fight between the crown prince and the Dukes and Marquis; it was realistically a 3 on 2 battle.

‘No. It could even be called a conflict between the Henituse household and the Ailan and Orsena households.’

And they had lost. Marquis Ailan peeked toward Duke Orsena who could not hide his disappointment as he recalled what crown prince Alberu had stealthily told him.

‘Marquis Ailan. Do you want to miss out on something larger because you wanted to protect your power in this puny Roan Kingdom?’

The person who would become the next king had called power inside the Roan Kingdom to be puny.

‘You are aware of the news spreading through the Indomitable Alliance, the Mogoru Empire, Caro Kingdom, Breck Kingdom, and the Eastern continent, right? Are you not?’

Marquis Ailan had heard about the stories spreading through the Western continent.

There was a hidden puppet master behind everything that had happened this year on the Western continent, and that person was trying to throw the Western continent into chaos while Cale Henituse was moving around to stop him.

‘Do you have your eyes closed, your ears shut, and live without any thoughts?’

Marquis Ailan recalled the cold gaze that had looked down on him. Those eyes had told him something. Think straight.

‘Cale Henituse is not alone. He already has his own faction that neither you nor I can have.

Come to grips with reality. Does the Henituse household, no, does Cale Henituse look like just the young master of a Count’s household?

If you want to put everything on the line to protect this puny power, then stay quiet. Aren’t you a smart person?’

Marquis Ailan whom the crown prince had called smart realized that Cale Henituse was now someone whom he could not do anything about with his powers. Of course, it would be possible if all nobles worked together to suppress Cale Henituse.

But that might make Cale Henituse go elsewhere.

“…We can’t lose him.”

They couldn't let that happen.

“Marquis-nim?”

“It’s nothing.”

He shook his head while saying that it’s nothing to the Count while looking at Choi Han and Alberu’s friendly conversation.

people looking at them.

they get

times he looked. Human! Choi Han does

‘Exactly.’

out and turned away. Choi Han and Alberu were quietly chatting at that

you enjoy

least

smile was

“Mm, instructor?”

“Yes, your highness.”

my instructor-nim was a

seems to be the

in silence before

thinking about taking me

“…Please take this.”

out of his

“What the…?”

in confusion as Choi Han erased the faint smile from his face and responded

at teaching sword

Alberu’s face and was replaced with disbelief. He nonchalantly looked through the pile of papers. There were images of the basics for multiple simple sword arts.

really going

he really planning on being his sword

never had an instructor in his life. The closest he

heard a stiff voice by his

you at least know

Alberu was thoroughly observing Choi Han to see

observed for a while before starting

actually pretty good with

good as me, your

are asking me

a long life without

focused even more on

like similar people move

papers into the inner pocket of

instructor-nim, stay back and enjoy

Choi Han slightly bowed.

message you asked me to deliver. I

me some sword

eye contact. Alberu had a bright

“For real.”

“Of course, student-nim.”

and Alberu said, ‘you're surprisingly like us,’ before heading out of the banquet

them leave before turning around. He could see the

Is

if they were staring at a new treasure. He greeted Mary, Tasha, and the Mage Brigade Captain

walking through with plates

I can eat all of

‘Yes, yes.’

a terrace at the

“…Umm-”

head after hearing a voice. The noble who was reaching his hand toward Cale shut

he

giving off an aura that made it difficult to approach

looked like a slacker

him made the noble feel like he deserved the titles

can I

“…Ah, never mind.”

back and stepped back after hearing Cale's cold voice that

way.

walk while listening to Raon’s comment and having the

finally managing to let out a relaxed breath. One of his friends came over and consoled him while patting his

really different up

right? Such presence… It was

Like a ruler.

let him say such words. The other noble pointed elsewhere as if to lift

worry about things out of our control and choose the sides we can

was pointing toward Count Henituse, no, Duke Henituse and his family, as well as the northeast

saying that we should pursue other avenues rather than trying to win the hero-nim over and facing his wrath. What do you

"Sounds good.”

toward the northeast region's nobles

that none of them noticed Mary and Tasha slowly exiting out of the hall. Only the people watching the feed

them were disappointed that Mary and Tasha were leaving so

eat and play

crown prince gave us all this food

is a great day! Who knew such a day would

However, there were some people stealthily leaving the plaza that was the center of this

their faces with hoods pushed through the crowd and