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.”

of the robe and Deruth smiled after seeing

you are

skinny and pale, but his eyes were full of

had a safe trip to

returned safely from going to his birth mother, Drew Thames’s grave, and

is a reason I must

of responding. Duke Deruth

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

You cannot tell anybody else, even your family members.

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

He was looking directly into Alberu’s

something at

‘They’re similar.’

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

something

I do have one

“What is it?”

do not

were daggers.

“It won’t be meaningless-”

“And.”

Deruth cut

He then smiled.

want any meaningless

And then…

meaningful

“Ha.”

scoffed, despite having been

He realized something.

it is Kim Rok Soo inside Cale

They’re similar.’

young master Cale

just their appearances that were similar; their

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

generation had passed on

mindset of the Henituse household and

recorded in history. Live for peace

smile on his

‘Well, that isn’t happening.’

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

none of the people in the Henituse household had given up on

and happiness are difficult to gain. That

continued

both you and Cale will take what I

not

not like meaningful

will keep it

“Father.”

Deruth turned toward Cale.

care of your health

I will do

smile finally appeared on Deruth’s

observed Cale and Deruth for

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

smile appeared on

has nothing to do with

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

had no idea

not like I

Elf Tasha.

I die… Will there be people who

Alberu closed his eyes.

years ago, he would have easily answered that Tasha would be the only one to be affected if

cry. They would be

others… There were many people who would be

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

* * *

Alberu! What do

– Chhhhh, chhhhhh.

in the video communication device so the

a

looks like we will

discuss it once

I, chhhhh,

Alberu! Crown

The call suddenly ended.

Baaaaang!

“We need to hurry!”

southern area

covered in trees and grass.

her seat and immediately headed out

“Is everybody gathered?”

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

the Jungle were gathered together under the

Crossman’s words during that

them as a second team once they

Grrrrrr—!

large black panther offered its back to Litana. She got in its back and gave

heading for the Roan

Oooooong– oooooong–

large magic circle activated at the

be seen in

Paaaaat-!

* * *

figure

to appear

was so

“Where is he?!”

voice was extremely loud as

the Whipper Kingdom are

personal troops as the first round of reinforcements and teleported over after sensing danger through

looking at the person

“Who are you?”

in armor

golden turtle crest visible on each of his

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

“…You…are Cale Henituse’s father……?”

is correct. I hope that you will follow my

“Oh! Fwather!”

extremely happy to see Deruth. However, Toonka shook his

“First!”

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