Trash of the Count's Family

# Gathered (3)

Boom- boom- boom-

Early morning as the darkness slowly disappeared and the sun started to rise… The sound of drums echoed throughout Puzzle City.

Not a single one of the many birds were chirping. The sound of the drums was the only thing that was heard, as if it would cover up all of Puzzle City.

“Human! Wake up! The drums are sounding!”

“It’s today, nya!” “Today, today is that day, nya!”

Today was the 50th celebration, the day to offer the sacrifices.

“Ugh.”

Cale couldn't breathe for a moment. He barely let out a breath and quietly mumbled.

“T, take your feet off.”

‘These little punks.’

The children averaging ten-years-old. The three children who were chubbier than when they were children averaging nine-years-old were pushing down on Cale’s stomach.

“Huff, huff.”

‘I thought I was going to die.’

“Aigoo. Human, you're so weak!”

“It’s okay that you are weak, nya.”

“…It’s… a bit understandable.”

Raon, Hong, and On commented one after another and shook their heads. Cale had expected it from Raon and Hong but looked at On with a bit of a betrayed gaze as he had not expected this from her as well.

On raised her front paw and pointed to the clock.

“It’s almost time to head to the temple, nya.”

Boom- boom- boom-

Cale listened to the drums as he observed the clock.

The celebration was to start at noon.

However, the preparations had started early in the morning.

Knock knock knock.

Ron knocked on the door and entered the room.

“Young master-nim, it looks like you will need to get ready.”

A cold gaze slightly revealed itself through Ron’s fake benign smile as he looked at Cale whose hair was a mess and overall look was shabby.

“Mm.”

Cale grabbed the cup of lemonade and quickly got up from the bed. He started grumbling.

“They’re telling us to come and go for no reason from the morning.”

Cale and the rest of the people staying in this place…

They were people who came as the person in charge of the sacrifices delivery from the different nations and territories or famous people who received the threat veiled as an invitation from the central temple. They were all forced to watch the celebration.

All of them had meaningless tasks to fulfill from the early morning. Furthermore, they had to do it all together.

“They’re just trying to tame all of you.”

That was right. This schedule was a taming process by the central temple and the White Star as Ron mentioned.

Cale's glabellas scrunched as much as his temper.

"Tsk. How annoying.”

* * *

In the end, Cale ended up coming to the central temple to do those annoying things.

Of course, he was alone.

Ron, Raon… He could not bring anybody else with him here.

He was currently on the third floor of the central temple where he could see out clearly unlike the first and second floors that were surrounded by the rock wall.

He could see all of Puzzle City.

There was a simple reason as to why Cale and the rest of the forced celebration spectators were brought here.

‘It’s an altar.’

Outside the rock wall surrounding the central temple…

There was an altar on a wide area that used to be a plaza in the past.

‘That’s where the sacrifices will die.

Close to 2,000 lives will be lost there today.’

They had been called here early in the morning to watch that and get scared.

“Young master Cale Henituse of the Roan Kingdom's Henituse territory?”

Cale looked away from the altar after hearing a voice.

“Mm. You're here. Your identity has been verified.”

The priest smiled warmly before moving to the person in line behind Cale.

“Prince Pen of the Breck Kingdom?”

"What is it?”

“What else? You ended up coming in the end. Your identity has been verified.”

Cale listened to Rosalyn’s younger brother respond with a grumble as he looked around.

There were hundreds of people gathered here from all over the Western continent.

“Mm.”

“Ahem.”

The people who made eye contact with Cale quickly looked away.

There were people throughout the room peeking at Cale and unable to hide their shock.

‘That person is here?’

After the initial shock, their faces were filled with curiosity, scorn, disappointment, or grief.

“Sayeru-nim. We have confirmed everybody on the list.”

“Really?”

In front of the room… Bear King Sayeru, who had been standing facing the group of people, nodded his head at the priest’s report and addressed the crowd.

“The celebration starts at noon so please wait here until you all move together when the times comes.”

the preparation of the altar to

you are aware, priests are stationed all around so please let us know if there is anything you

that priests are keeping their eyes on

will prepare chairs and refreshments. Isn’t this quite

and then suddenly

"Ah, in addition.”

toward the sky with his

that he would like to see some people face to face before the celebration starts. He wishes to have tea

of the central

starts at noon… That was when the White Star would

‘Honorable my ass.’

completely different inner thoughts. His

at Cale before continuing to speak with

crown prince Alberu

to the front of the

the group, Alberu was in the front as he would be giving the congratulatory

the White

“…Of course.”

please come

pointed next to him and

first time Cale saw Alberu’s face in

over or come to

not giving any signals through their

‘He looks terrible.’

observed Alberu with a

look Cale had seen through the video communication device, seeing Alberu in person allowed Cale to see that Alberu had lost a lot

“Oh no, your highness.”

as if he was

be hard on you. You seem to be losing more weight by the day. Mm. How about asking the White Star-nim about it? Ask him to allow you to stop praying. Ask him to

okay. Praying

Your faith is

while Alberu just continued looking forward without

son of a

slowly losing his temper. However, his

Oh, the

would have this secret meeting

is rare to have an intimate conversation with

the people standing next to him

last person. Young master Cale

even more silent

Sayeru respectfully ordered Cale.

“Please come forward.”

people started

Henituse was the person at the center of the people who had fought against the White Star. The past did not disappear just because Cale had been

going to step

quietly

Tap. Tap.

front

you not going to

turned cold as if he had not been smiling at all. There was

King called out to the person who was not looking at him in a

“Cale Henituse.”

person who had only been looking forward

“Priest Sayeru-nim.”

through the silent room. His voice was not loud but

much as I

looked at

you want me

turned his body to

his face closer to Sayeru’s face. Sayeru

bowing down this

sorts of other negative

as if he was breathing out,

from me. This is

then took a step back,

“…Ha.”

came out of Sayeru's

were slightly nodding their heads.

had come to Puzzle City

He had not shown any resistance and

enough for some people to think that Cale

realized

he was acting calm

was at

“Ha, haha-”

He could finally understand Cale Henituse

Henituse if he

fact that he had done everything for the

dared to go against the White

one time since you are saying that you are at your limit. I will put in

Sayeru patted

there is

glared at Cale. He warned the defeated fool who refused to make eye

sacrifice? Nobody knows who it

turned away from Cale without any regrets, headed out of the third floor with the people who will enjoy refreshments with the White Star and

not make any eye contact with anyone until that point. Many

‘Phew, that was close.’

was relieved on

if we are far apart, but my condition might be

Cale had clashed with the White Star

better for him to be as far away from the White Star

bad if he found out before I flipped everything

he did a good job to slither out of that situation and sat down

that was a bit

Cale Henituse is pretty much

he wants to survive. What’s with

“…He’s done for.”

closed his eyes without saying

Time quickly passed by.

Boom- boom- boom-

It was now noon.

up at the person sitting down at the chair at the top of the altar as

The White Star.

above his nose was sitting on a

Woooooooooooooooo–

area a bit away from the altar… The residents of Puzzle

at the center of the cheering crowd looking up at the White

set like this on purpose with dividers to separate the cheering crowd with the forced spectators. Furthermore, Cale and the others

the chairs made it so that they could only see the people cheering

be able to see the sacrifices as well as they step

Cale looked around.

to cheer but the crowd had a lot of followers of the White Star and the God

of the cheering and raised

could see the

At that moment…

‘Mm.

Star

a mistake but he was certain

but did not

“Pffft.”

laughed and

sign that he was

was for

‘Ah, that scared me.’

Cale was relieved.

‘He didn't find out.’