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 after seeing

like you are not

skinny and pale, but his eyes were full

had a safe trip

Deruth was relieved that Cale returned safely from going to his birth mother, Drew Thames’s grave, and then realized

a reason I must

instead of responding. Duke Deruth immediately turned back toward

your highness. I will give it a go. Should I keep

anybody else, even your family members. Only the three of us here should

only I should know. You will not

looked toward Alberu. He was looking directly into Alberu’s eyes unlike

something at

‘They’re similar.’

appearance. He thought that they didn’t look similar at all, but they did share the same blood and

something at that

do have one

“What is it?”

not like meaningless

into Alberu’s ears as if they were daggers. That

“It won’t be meaningless-”

“And.”

Deruth cut

He then smiled.

want

And then…

like meaningful sacrifices that much

“Ha.”

scoffed, despite having

He realized something.

it is Kim Rok Soo inside

They’re similar.’

and young master Cale have many similar

appearances that were

He is

protecting and slowly increasing their wealth for generations. It was a household that lived in the corner of the Roan Kingdom’s northeast region with the Forest of Darkness right next

each generation had passed on the following words to their

the mindset of the Henituse

no reason to be recorded in history. Live for peace and

on his face as he recalled those

‘Well, that isn’t happening.’

be recorded quite a bit

household had given up on

to gain. That is why we set

continued to

Cale will take what I just said to

did not

also did not like meaningful

will keep

“Father.”

Deruth turned toward Cale.

your health as you

I will

finally appeared on Deruth’s

quietly observed Cale and Deruth for

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

smile appeared on

has nothing to do with

Crossman… The king had cherished Alberu a lot when he was a child, however, the current king just started treating Alberu as a future

had no idea why,

not like I needed that

Dark Elf Tasha.

Will there be people who are sad? Would anybody cry if

Alberu closed his eyes.

he would have easily answered that Tasha would be the only one to be affected if he died.

cry. They

Han, Rosalyn, and the others… There were many

that he had such certainty about this while also feeling

* * *

What do you mean by

– Chhhhh, chhhhhh.

the video communication device so

hear a voice through the

monster… It looks like we will need to fight that

to discuss it once

I, chhhhh,

Alberu! Crown

The call suddenly ended.

Baaaaang!

“We need to hurry!”

southern area of the Western

of green covered in trees and grass.

from her seat and immediately

“Is everybody gathered?”

the southernmost sections have yet to arrive. It is the farthest

Jungle were gathered

the Jungle. She recalled Alberu Crossman’s

them as a second team once they

Grrrrrr—!

panther offered its back to Litana. She got in its back and gave an order to the mages who

are heading for

Oooooong– oooooong–

at the

be seen in

Paaaaat-!

* * *

figure could be seen appearing above the teleportation

to appear almost

was so strong that

“Where is he?!”

was extremely loud

the

Kingdom’s Commander Toonka. He gathered just his personal troops as the first

after looking at the person who

“Who are you?”

in armor took one step

turtle crest visible on each of

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

“…You…are Cale Henituse’s father……?”

correct. I hope that you will

“Oh! Fwather!”

see Deruth. However, Toonka

“First!”

of the teleportation magic circle, an open area behind