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.”

was telling them to watch the preparation of the

priests are stationed all around so please let us

priests are keeping their eyes on them and not to do

prepare chairs and refreshments. Isn’t this quite great of

and then

"Ah, in addition.”

toward the

White Star-nim has said that he would like to see some people face to face before the celebration starts. He wishes to have tea with those people. I'm

the central temple… The White Star was

the celebration starts at noon… That was when the White Star would reveal himself to the people in front of

‘Honorable my ass.’

different inner thoughts.

Cale before

highness, crown prince

the front

group, Alberu was in the front as

White Star-nim. You’re happy,

“…Of course.”

please come

to him and Alberu walked

first time Cale saw Alberu’s face in person in this

or come to see Cale at their resting

any signals through their eyes

‘He looks terrible.’

Alberu with a stoic expression on his

seeing Alberu in person

“Oh no, your highness.”

as if he was sad

day. Mm. How about asking the White Star-nim about it? Ask him to

okay. Praying is

Your faith is

continued looking forward without

son of

was slowly losing his temper. However, his

crown prince Valentino. Oh, the prince from the Breck

who would have this secret meeting with the White

to have an intimate conversation with

people standing

last person. Young

room became even more

Sayeru respectfully ordered Cale.

“Please come forward.”

people started

the people who had fought against

you not going

just quietly

Tap. Tap.

He stopped in front of Cale and asked the still emotionless

are you not going to come

as if he had not been smiling at all. There was an unexplainable sense

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

“Cale Henituse.”

the person who had only been

“Priest Sayeru-nim.”

silent room. His voice was not loud but everybody heard it

done as much as

looked at

want me to do

turned his

step. He took a step forward and shoved his face closer to Sayeru’s face. Sayeru

down this much

other negative emotions. There were so many that Sayeru could see them without even

defeated person slowly spoke, as if he was breathing out, with the

too many things from

a step back,

“…Ha.”

short chuckle came out of

were slightly nodding their heads. They understood

had come to Puzzle

were being offered. He had not shown any resistance and had

some people to think that Cale Henituse

they realized it

acting calm on the outside and

defeated person was at

“Ha, haha-”

was laughing out loud now. He could finally

Cale Henituse if he

that he had done everything for the sacrifice delivery

Cale Henituse who dared to go against the White Star's order and felt

some understanding this one time since you are saying that you

Sayeru patted

is

fool who

next sacrifice? Nobody

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

make any eye contact with anyone until that point. Many people were looking at him with different

‘Phew, that was close.’

relieved on

are far apart, but my condition might be revealed

the basis, Cale had clashed with

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

found out

of that situation and sat down on a chair a priest brought

that was a bit more

Henituse is pretty much dead

wants to survive. What’s with this half-assed

“…He’s done for.”

his eyes

Time quickly passed by.

Boom- boom- boom-

It was now noon.

at the person sitting down at the chair at the top

The White Star.

wearing the white half mask that covered above his

Woooooooooooooooo–

a bit away from the altar… The residents

were at the center of the cheering crowd

with dividers to separate the cheering crowd with the forced spectators. Furthermore, Cale and the others got

the chairs made it so that they could only see

to see the sacrifices

Cale looked around.

but to cheer but the crowd had a lot of followers of the

the fervor spreading out of the cheering and

could see the

At that moment…

‘Mm.

Star

mistake but he was certain that

not avoid the White

“Pffft.”

White Star laughed and turned his

clear sign

for that

‘Ah, that scared me.’

Cale was relieved.

‘He didn't find out.’