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.

White Star would eventually stop by the Caro Kingdom even if I didn't lead him

Caro

could not hide his bitterness. However, there was nothing he could do

Caro Kingdom’s feelings? If you think about it, we are the ones who are

was certain about

more important than the lives of the Caro Kingdom's citizens.

thanking Cale as Alberu

was why Cale

thank you for granting our

relaxed way with Cale thanking him as Cale

are truly a hero for what you are

a moment but Valentino continued

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

and Cale. At the same time, he felt bitter that his kingdom

was at

think this

Cale who was

believe it will be much better if the Caro Kingdom

“…Help you next time?”

is

Cale’s calm and confident gaze. That

not. It is not unreasonable at all. The Caro Kingdom will fight beside you

trust that to

hero, requested for

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

that our kingdom

the Indomitable Alliance now had a strong determination in his mind. He opened his shoulders up

will grant you everything you wished for, but we

“Of course. I understand.”

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

large window was

Clang.

Once the window opened…

is the top floor of the tallest

that the Land of Death in the distance? It’s good girl Mary's

covered in red sand

with the Caro Kingdom's Royal Knights Brigade and the

Young-en.

was a city slightly away from the Dubori territory that touched

subordinates damage the Dubori

Valentino raised his voice.

the mages and

Star bothered the citizens. Cale nodded his

completely

“Good.”

the room

naturally happened because they had just made a large decision.

cannot forget the powerful image of the Dark Elves cutting

thank him. Human! The Dark Elves are originally from the Land of Death! I feel bad for the crown

comments as

be

“Sure.”

who was getting up and recalled a conversation he had with him in the past. Cale had talked to Valentino about the Land of Death during

story of people running away into the Land of

had shared the truth

it is difficult to survive in the territory due to the high tax rates. They run away to this desert that nobody is said to return

And did you say

this. He seemed to

then returned to the Caro Kingdom after

Tasha

same as before. There are still people climbing the walls and escaping to the desert. They

a good person, but it also made him a bad crown prince at

politics. Apparently, he is one of crown prince Valentino's strongest supporters. That’s probably why it is

smiled as she

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

strongly emphasized that the Caro Kingdom could not find

away because they could not pay the taxes… They would be severely punished

punishments to people who ran away to not pay taxes. Those people would also need

I don't know. I can't be sure about that. I can't tell whether that crown prince is a

our Underground City is not something the Caro Kingdom created. It

Those people did not want their home to ever be revealed

“Young master Cale.”

“Yes, your highness.”

reached his hand

the youngest sword master next to you, and

not true! Mary’s hometown

‘I know, right?’

even managed to overcome 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 Brigade and mages to protect his citizens before starting

is nothing