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.”

took off the hood of the robe and Deruth smiled

you are not

still just as skinny and pale, but his eyes were

had a safe trip to

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

guess there is a reason I must do

of responding. Duke Deruth immediately turned back

highness. I will give it a go. Should

is correct. You cannot tell anybody else, even your family members. Only the three of us here should

that only I should know. You will

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

something at

‘They’re similar.’

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

said something at

do

“What is it?”

not like meaningless

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

“It won’t be meaningless-”

“And.”

Duke Deruth cut Alberu

He then smiled.

want any meaningless

And then…

not like meaningful

“Ha.”

having been

He realized something.

Kim Rok Soo inside Cale Henituse’s body

They’re similar.’

young master Cale have

not just their appearances that were

He is my son. He is a

been 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 to

generation had passed on

the mindset of the Henituse household and their

be recorded in history. Live for peace and

bitter smile on his face as he

‘Well, that isn’t happening.’

be recorded quite a bit in

none of the people in the Henituse household had given up on peace and happiness

difficult to gain. That is

continued to

you and Cale will take what I just said to heart… I will give this

did not like

not like meaningful

will keep it in

“Father.”

Deruth turned toward Cale.

care of your health

I will do

finally

Cale and Deruth for

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

smile appeared on

has nothing to

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

no idea why,

like I needed

Tasha. He also

people who are sad? Would anybody cry if I

Alberu closed his eyes.

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

They

Dragon, Cale, Choi Han, Rosalyn, and the others… There were many people who would be

while also feeling that he really could not die

* * *

prince Alberu! What do you mean by

– Chhhhh, chhhhhh.

the video communication device so

could hear a voice

we will

we agree to discuss it once

chhhhh,

Alberu!

The call suddenly ended.

Baaaaang!

“We need to hurry!”

the southern area

and grass. Inside the palace at

jumped up from her seat and immediately headed out

“Is everybody gathered?”

from the southernmost sections have yet to arrive. It is the farthest from here and they seem to be delayed because

warriors of the Jungle were gathered together under

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

second team once they

Grrrrrr—!

back and gave an order to the mages who were now members

heading for the

Oooooong– oooooong–

magic circle activated at the center

seen in other kingdoms

Paaaaat-!

* * *

a person’s figure could be

person to

His step was so strong that

“Where is he?!”

voice was extremely loud

from the

Whipper Kingdom’s Commander Toonka. He gathered just his personal troops as the first round of reinforcements and teleported

after looking at the person who appeared

“Who are you?”

armor took one

was a golden turtle crest visible

am Duke Deruth Henituse. I have temporarily taken the Commander position while

“…You…are Cale Henituse’s father……?”

is correct. I hope that you

“Oh! Fwather!”

seemed extremely happy to see Deruth. However,

“First!”

out of the location of the teleportation magic circle, an open area