Trash of the Count's Family

“This is quite a cozy and quiet location.”

Cale looked around as he said that.

They had teleported to a small reception room. The room was decorated with the Caro Kingdom's unique exotic and vintage decorations, but it was too small to be one of the crown prince’s rooms.

“Isn't a stealthy place best to have such secret conversations?”

Crown prince Valentino responded in a friendly manner before taking a teacup from the guard knight. Only Cale’s group and Valentino's close confidants were in this small reception room.

"Alright, let’s sit down and chat. We made it so we cannot hear anything from the outside either.”

The door was closed shut and the large window on the west side of the reception room was closed as well. Valentino sat on the couch as he started to speak to Cale.

“Do you know how quietly I came to this city from the palace to see you?”

Cale recalled when he had a meal alone with crown prince Valentino. The Mogoru Empire. The crown prince who said that he would only feel refreshed after seeing the fall of Imperial Prince Adin who betrayed him seemed to have matured a bit.

“I didn’t know you thought so highly of me. I am touched.”

Cale responded as he sat across from Valentino.

“It is nothing compared to what our Caro Kingdom has received from you and the Roan Kingdom.”

Tap.

Valentino heard a dull noise at that moment. His gaze headed toward the table.

“…It’s a golden plaque.”

It was crown prince Alberu’s special golden plaque. The smile disappeared from Valentino's face.

“I heard the gist of what is going on. The person responsible for everything, this White Star, is coming to the Caro Kingdom?”

The smile disappeared and was slowly replaced with quiet anger.

“How shocking. Do you know how shocked I was after hearing about everything from crown prince Alberu? We thought that only the Empire was involved with the Indomitable Alliance that threw our Caro Kingdom into chaos.”

Crown prince Valentino's fingers were slightly shaking as he held the teacup. In some ways, Cale thought Valentino was the most human of all future kings.

“But there is someone worse than the two of them? This person is the White Star?”

He had heard the rumors that had spread across the Western continent about Cale and the White Star. He had then heard the detailed explanation from Alberu.

The night Valentino heard about the White Star and everything he had been involved with from Alberu… There was a secret meeting in the Caro Kingdom’s central palace. Most citizens, nobles, and administrators had no idea that this secret meeting happened. It was because Valentino listened to Alberu’s warning.

‘I wish to keep the information that the White Star is heading to the Caro Kingdom as quiet as possible. This is someone who had installed his people inside the Mogoru Empire. That is why I am keeping everything about this person under wraps in the Roan Kingdom as well.’

Valentino started to share the results of that meeting.

“The Caro Kingdom with me, Valentino, as its representative has chosen to accept crown prince Alberu Crossman and our savior, young master Cale's request.”

The thing that Alberu and Cale had asked for.

“We will overlook your battle against the White Star in the Land of Death. Also-”

He hesitated for a moment before continuing to speak.

"We will not involve ourselves in it either. We will not enter the battlefield on our own accord.”

This was a battle that was happening in the Caro Kingdom's territory. In addition, the White Star was their bitter enemy. That was why Alberu and Cale's request for the Caro Kingdom to not get involved in the battle in any way was hurtful to their pride and a big embarrassment.

This was because telling them not to get involved was saying…

‘…It means our kingdom's forces are not helpful at all in their fight against this White Star.’

Valentino felt bitter that the Caro Kingdom's strength was this useless.

“Furthermore, we will approve of the Dark Elves and the Roan Kingdom’s forces coming and going through the Caro Kingdom for this battle.”

The position of a ruler who had to allow foreign forces to come and go for a battle happening in his own territory… Valentino could not smile at all.

“Your highness.”

He forced himself to smile after hearing Cale calling out to him and quickly added on.

“Thank you. I heard that this White Star is very strong. I heard about the black mages who follow him as well, so I want to thank you on behalf of our entire kingdom for stepping up to fight against them.”

Cale quietly listened to Valentino's words and observed his expression. Mm, human! Isn’t the truth that we called the White Star to the Land of Death?

He heard Raon's voice in his mind.

As Raon mentioned, Cale was the one who led the White Star to the Land of Death. He naturally hid that fact from the Caro Kingdom.

Otherwise, the Caro Kingdom would not cooperate with Cale and the Roan Kingdom and would instead point their blades toward them.

eventually stop by the Caro Kingdom even

the Caro

hide his bitterness. However, there was

the ones who are suffering. Well, you guys, not me. You guys, my aunt, and the Dark

was certain

crown might be upset. However, their pride is not more important than the lives of the Caro Kingdom's citizens. I'm sure he'll

thanking Cale as Alberu

was why

highness, thank you for

smiled in a slightly more relaxed way with Cale thanking him as Cale

a hero for what you are

moment but Valentino

fame do you have to gain by fighting in the Caro Kingdom? It’s just trouble

the same time, he

at that

you think this

toward Cale

help us next time. I believe it will be much better if the Caro Kingdom fights

“…Help you next time?”

your highness, is it

to smile while looking into Cale’s

at all. The Caro Kingdom will fight beside you

will trust that

a person who was becoming a hero, requested for them to fight by his side next

enough for Valentino to draw out the Caro Kingdom's future. It was because Cale’s voice and gaze were full of confidence

that our kingdom will become

since the battle against the Indomitable Alliance now had a strong determination in his mind. He opened his shoulders up slightly wider than earlier as he continued to

will grant you everything you wished for, but we cannot sit around and do

“Of course. I understand.”

raised his hand once Cale accepted. One of the knights walked over to the only window

large window

Clang.

Once the window opened…

the top floor of the tallest building

that the Land of Death in

covered in red sand in

plan on staying here in Young-en with the Caro Kingdom's Royal

Young-en.

was a city slightly away from the Dubori territory that touched the Land of Death, and the most developed city

White Star and his subordinates damage the Dubori

Valentino raised his voice.

and the mages and immediately start to fight against the White

fight if the White Star bothered the citizens. Cale nodded his head

completely understandable, your

“Good.”

the room

had just made a large decision. Valentino soon

getting injured. I cannot forget the powerful image of the Dark Elves cutting through the

Human! The Dark Elves are originally from the Land of Death! I feel bad for the crown prince who knows

Raon’s comments as he started

highness, I must be on my

“Sure.”

with him in the past. Cale had talked to Valentino about the Land of Death

know the story of people running away into the Land

truth with the

choose to head into the desert because it is difficult to survive in the territory due to the high tax rates. They

And did you say the citizens are running away because of high

this. He seemed to have

the

Tasha told him

to the desert. They said the taxes keep going up.

a good person, but it

Valentino's strongest supporters. That’s probably why it is

smiled as she said

Caro Kingdom finds out about the Underground City? The fact that they would

Elves strongly emphasized that the Caro Kingdom could not find out

If the Caro Kingdom's people found the citizens who ran away because they could not pay the taxes… They would be severely punished following the laws of

not pay taxes. Those people would also

leave the people who ran away alone, but I don't know. I can't be sure about that. I can't tell

the Caro Kingdom

harmony. Those people did not want their home to ever be revealed

“Young master Cale.”

“Yes, your highness.”

his hand

necromancer, the youngest sword master next to

That's not true! Mary’s

‘I know, right?’

death. Cale thought about the numerous people like Mary who ran across the desert without being able to look back as well as this crown prince who brought the Knights

sir, there is nothing for us to