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

like you are

still just as skinny and pale, but

had a safe trip

that Cale returned safely from going to his birth mother, Drew Thames’s grave, and then realized something as soon as he looked into

a

of responding. Duke Deruth immediately

a go. Should I keep this fact

even your family members. Only the three of us here

should know. You will not have to worry about anything coming out of

Alberu. He was looking directly into Alberu’s

something at that

‘They’re similar.’

thought he could see Cale Henituse in Duke Deruth’s appearance. He thought that they didn’t look similar at all, but they

something

I do have one

“What is it?”

not

daggers. That was why Alberu immediately opened his

“It won’t be meaningless-”

“And.”

Duke Deruth cut

He then smiled.

want

And then…

do not like meaningful sacrifices

“Ha.”

having

He realized something.

is Kim Rok Soo

They’re similar.’

master Cale have many similar

were

He is

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

generation had passed on the following words

of the Henituse

be recorded in history. Live for peace and happiness

smile on his

‘Well, that isn’t happening.’

was certain that Cale’s story would be recorded

none of the people in the Henituse household had

to gain. That is why we

continued

I just said to heart… I will give

did not like meaningless

did not

will keep it

“Father.”

Deruth turned toward Cale.

of your health as you

will do

finally appeared

observed Cale and Deruth for a

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

bitter smile appeared on Alberu’s

has nothing to

when he was a child, however, the current king just started treating Alberu as a future king candidate at some point. He did not treat Alberu as his son

no

not like I

had his aunt, Dark Elf Tasha. He

people who are sad?

Alberu closed his eyes.

only one

They

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

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

* * *

prince Alberu! What do

– Chhhhh, chhhhhh.

a lot of static in the video communication device

a voice through the

monster… It looks like we will need to fight that Lion

to discuss it once

chhhhh, have no,

prince Alberu! Crown prince

The call suddenly ended.

Baaaaang!

“We need to hurry!”

southern area

in trees and grass.

her seat and immediately

“Is everybody gathered?”

my Queen. The warriors from the southernmost sections have yet to arrive. It is the farthest from here and they seem

gathered

the Queen of the Jungle. She recalled Alberu Crossman’s words during that static-filled

second team

Grrrrrr—!

its back and gave an order to

are heading for the Roan Kingdom

Oooooong– oooooong–

magic circle activated at the center of

seen in other kingdoms as

Paaaaat-!

* * *

and a person’s figure could

person to appear

His step was so strong that the

“Where is he?!”

person’s voice was extremely loud as

reinforcements from the Whipper Kingdom are the

Whipper 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 with

the person who

“Who are you?”

man in armor took

crest visible on each of his

have temporarily taken the

“…You…are Cale Henituse’s father……?”

that you will follow my

“Oh! Fwather!”

happy to see Deruth. However,

“First!”

the location of the teleportation magic circle,