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.”

robe and Deruth smiled

like you

and pale,

you had a safe

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

guess there is a reason I must

of responding. Duke

a go. Should I keep

family members. Only the three of us here should

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

Alberu. He was looking directly

realized something at that

‘They’re similar.’

Duke Deruth’s appearance. He thought that they didn’t look similar at all, but they did share

something at that

I do have

“What is it?”

do not like meaningless

were daggers. That

“It won’t be meaningless-”

“And.”

Duke Deruth cut

He then smiled.

did not want

And then…

like meaningful sacrifices that

“Ha.”

despite having been

He realized something.

is Kim Rok Soo

They’re similar.’

you and young master Cale have

were similar; their core was similar as

son. He

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

was the mindset of the Henituse household and their

reason to be recorded in

had a bitter smile on his face as

‘Well, that isn’t happening.’

that Cale’s story would be

people in the Henituse household had given up on peace and happiness

That is why we

Deruth continued

and Cale will take what I

did not

not like

will keep it in

“Father.”

Deruth turned toward Cale.

take care of your health

I will

finally

observed Cale and

adjusted to this world so easily must be because someone like Duke Deruth, no, because the Henituse household

appeared

nothing to do with

he was a child, however, the current king just started treating Alberu as a future king candidate at some point.

had no

like I needed that

Elf Tasha. He also had his

Will there be people who are sad? Would

Alberu closed his eyes.

he would have easily answered that Tasha would be the only one to be

cry. They would be

young black Dragon, Cale, Choi Han, Rosalyn, and the others… There

he had such certainty about this while also feeling that he really could not die a meaningless

* * *

Alberu! What do you

– Chhhhh, chhhhhh.

a lot of static in the video communication device

hear a voice through the

monster… It looks like we will need to fight that

it

chhhhh, have

Alberu!

The call suddenly ended.

Baaaaang!

“We need to hurry!”

area of the Western

and grass.

her seat and immediately headed out of

“Is everybody gathered?”

It is the farthest

the Jungle were gathered together under

the Queen of the Jungle. She recalled Alberu Crossman’s words

second team once they

Grrrrrr—!

black panther offered its back to Litana. She got in its back and gave an order to the mages who were now members of the

are heading for the Roan Kingdom

Oooooong– oooooong–

circle activated at the

could be seen in

Paaaaat-!

* * *

a bright light and a person’s figure could

person to

step was so

“Where is he?!”

voice was extremely loud as

Toonka. The reinforcements from the Whipper

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

person who appeared in front

“Who are you?”

man in armor took one

a golden turtle crest

taken the Commander position

“…You…are Cale Henituse’s father……?”

correct. I hope that you will

“Oh! Fwather!”

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

“First!”

get out of the location of the teleportation magic circle, an open area behind the City Hall