Trash of the Count's Family

Click.

There was silence after the sound of the door closing.

“…Cale.”

Deruth Henituse was the first to speak. Deruth, Cale’s father… couldn’t stop his eyes from shaking as he headed over to the robe-clad Cale.

“Duke.”

However, someone got in the way of this emotional father-son reunion.

“Your highness?”

Alberu Crossman quickly walked over to the Duke. Deruth, who was still in his armor, looked more tired than earlier.

“Duke. There is something I need you to do for me. That is why I urgently and stealthily came to find you.”

Urgently. Stealthily.

Deruth, who realized the seriousness of those two words, stiffened up while Alberu heard Raon’s voice in his head.

– I cast the noise blocking spell.

Alberu immediately continued speaking.

“I am going to die soon.”

“…Excuse me?”

Deruth wondered what he had just heard.

“Excuse me?”

That was why he asked once more, and Alberu, looked at the empty area past Deruth’s shoulder as he recalled what had just happened.

‘Dongsaeng. You returned earlier than I expected.’

‘Your highness.’

‘…Your expression doesn’t look good.’

Cale and Raon had barged into the Puzzle City City Hall office.

Clopeh had just burst out of the room after saying that he would set the rumors straight and tell people the truth, while Choi Han said he had a bad feeling about what Clopeh would do and chased after him.

Alberu, who was left alone, had been organizing his thoughts about what else needed to be done. That was when Cale and Raon had arrived.

He could not feel happy after seeing the expression on Cale’s face.

His expression gave Alberu a bad feeling.

‘Why are you smiling as if you’re going to scam someone?’

Cale Henituse. This bastard was smiling. He was smiling as if he was about to cause a big incident.

‘Hyung-nim.’

Cale had that mischievous smile on his face as he walked over to Alberu and put his arm on Alberu’s shoulder.

‘…What the hell are you doing?’

‘Hyung-nim. Please die.’

‘Hmm?’

As Alberu turned toward Cale…

‘Wouldn’t the only people left to lead the Roan Kingdom’s forces in Puzzle City be the Knight Captain and my father if you were to die, your highness?’

Alberu felt extremely iffy about this, but still responded properly.

‘Yes, as long as nobody else comes from the royal family.’

As long as the current king, Zed Crossman, and the second prince did not come to Puzzle City…

‘Taking into consideration magic, troops, mercenaries, and other nobles, it is highly likely that Duke Deruth would be the Commander.’

The Knight Captain would only lead the knights and soldiers.

‘If I consider the reinforcements coming from the other kingdoms as well, Duke Deruth, your father, would have the proper title to be Commander. Furthermore, Puzzle City is in the Roan Kingdom’s northeast region, so the leader of the northeast region would know about this place best.’

Smile.

The corners of Cale’s lips curled up.

‘That sounds great.’

Pat pat.

Cale patted Alberu’s shoulder with an extremely disrespectful expression. Alberu wondered if this bastard was drunk despite not getting easily drunk, but Cale whispered as Alberu stared with a grumbling expression.

‘Now then, please die so that my father can be the big boss.’

Alberu could see Cale’s face that looked really cold without even an ounce of a smile.

‘I need to catch a damn rat.’

‘A rat?’

‘Yes sir. The White Star is currently under my father’s command.’

Cale then gave a short explanation as to what had happened during his meeting with the World Tree and Count Hubesha. Of course, he did not mention the dagger the World Tree gave him. That was something that only Cale and the World Tree knew about right now.

Alberu snapped out of his thoughts and returned to the present.

“Duke. I will not really be dying. There’s just a need for me to pretend to die.”

Deruth’s face stiffened up even more at Alberu’s somewhat firm demeanor.

“…Does that mean that you have your reasons but are unable to explain it to me, your highness?”

“That is correct.”

Duke Deruth’s reaction would be most natural if he knew as little as possible.

“Duke Deruth, I hope that you can take care of Puzzle City once I die.”

“I heard that reinforcements from other kingdoms would soon be arriving.”

“That is correct. Please take care of them as well.”

Duke Deruth still had a stiff expression on his face as he walked past Alberu.

“Let me see your face.”

Cale took off the hood of the robe and Deruth smiled

like you are

and pale, but his eyes were

you had a safe

going to his birth mother, Drew Thames’s grave, and then realized something as soon as he looked

guess there is a reason

responding. Duke Deruth

it a go. Should I keep this fact to

anybody else, even your family

something that only I should know. You will not have to

Alberu. He was looking directly

something at that

‘They’re similar.’

Duke Deruth’s appearance. He thought that they didn’t look similar

said something at

do

“What is it?”

not like meaningless

if they were daggers. That was why Alberu immediately opened his

“It won’t be meaningless-”

“And.”

Deruth cut

He then smiled.

did not want any

And then…

not like meaningful sacrifices

“Ha.”

having been cut

He realized something.

Rok Soo inside Cale Henituse’s body

They’re similar.’

and young master Cale have

was not just their appearances that were

course. He is my son. He is

protecting and slowly increasing their wealth for generations. It was a household that lived in the corner of the Roan Kingdom’s

patriarch of each generation had passed on

of the Henituse household

to be recorded in history. Live for

bitter smile on his face as he

‘Well, that isn’t happening.’

was certain that Cale’s story would be recorded quite a bit in this generation’s

Henituse household had given up on

That is why we set it

continued

you and Cale will take what I

not

not

keep it

“Father.”

Deruth turned toward Cale.

care of your health

will

finally

quietly observed Cale and Deruth for

that Kim Rok Soo adjusted to this world so easily must be because someone like Duke

appeared on

nothing to

current king, Zed Crossman… The king had cherished Alberu a lot when he was a child, however, the current king

no idea why,

I needed

Elf Tasha. He also had his sworn

there be people who are sad? Would anybody

Alberu closed his eyes.

few years ago, he would have easily answered that Tasha would be the only one to be affected if he died. But he was sure that it was

cry. They would

Choi Han, Rosalyn, and the others… There were

such certainty about this while also feeling that he really could not

* * *

do you

– Chhhhh, chhhhhh.

of static in the video communication device so the visuals were not

a voice

will need to fight that Lion Dragon

agree to discuss it once all of the

chhhhh,

prince Alberu!

The call suddenly ended.

Baaaaang!

“We need to hurry!”

southern area of

green covered in trees and grass. Inside the palace at the central region

her seat and immediately headed out of her

“Is everybody gathered?”

to arrive. It is the farthest from here and they seem to

elite warriors of the Jungle were gathered

Jungle. She recalled Alberu Crossman’s words during that static-filled call and

them as a second

Grrrrrr—!

back and gave an order to the mages who were

heading for the Roan

Oooooong– oooooong–

circle activated at the center of

magic circles could be seen in other kingdoms

Paaaaat-!

* * *

bright light and a person’s figure could be seen appearing above

person to appear almost stomped

so strong that the

“Where is he?!”

person’s voice was extremely loud as

The reinforcements from the

Kingdom’s Commander Toonka. He gathered just his personal troops as the first round of reinforcements and teleported over after sensing danger through his call

after looking at the person who appeared in front

“Who are you?”

armor took

a golden turtle crest visible on each of his

am Duke Deruth Henituse. I have temporarily taken the Commander position while his highness went out to

“…You…are Cale Henituse’s father……?”

hope that you

“Oh! Fwather!”

extremely happy to see Deruth. However, Toonka shook his head and quickly

“First!”

of the teleportation magic circle,