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

aware, priests are stationed all around so please let us know

are keeping their eyes on

refreshments. Isn’t this quite great of

then suddenly clapped

"Ah, in addition.”

pointed toward the sky with

he would like to see some people face to face before the celebration starts. He

floor of the central temple… The White Star was

White Star

‘Honorable my ass.’

despite his completely different inner thoughts. His face just looked cold to the

before

crown prince

the front of the

to the rear of the middle of the group, Alberu was in the front as he

refreshments with the White

“…Of course.”

come this

to him and Alberu

time Cale saw Alberu’s face in person

not called over or come to see Cale

giving any signals through their eyes or greeting each other right now

‘He looks terrible.’

a stoic

through the video communication device, seeing Alberu in person allowed Cale to see that Alberu

“Oh no, your highness.”

as if he was sad as he

the day. Mm. How about asking the White Star-nim about

okay. Praying is

Your faith is

Alberu just continued looking forward without any changes

son of

temper.

prince Valentino. Oh, the

choosing the people who would have this secret

smile, you must smile. It is rare to have an intimate conversation

to the people standing next to him

person. Young master Cale

became even more silent

Sayeru respectfully ordered Cale.

“Please come forward.”

people started

center of the people who had fought against the White Star. The past did not disappear just because

you not going to

quietly

Tap. Tap.

stopped in front of

Cale, are you not going

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

who was not looking at him in a low

“Cale Henituse.”

had only

“Priest Sayeru-nim.”

calm voice cut through the silent room. His voice was not loud

much

looked at Sayeru

me to do

then turned his body to face

step. He took a step forward and shoved his face closer to Sayeru’s face. Sayeru could see the scowl in Cale's

bowing down this

and all sorts of other negative emotions. There were so many that Sayeru could see

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

things from me. This is my

a step back, looked forward and

“…Ha.”

short chuckle came out

their heads. They understood where Cale

to Puzzle City

he was watching the celebration where the sacrifices were being offered. He had not shown any resistance and had even shown a lot

was enough for some people to think

realized

acting calm on

at his limits

“Ha, haha-”

He could

Henituse if

fact that he had done everything for the sacrifice delivery

against the

understanding this one time since you are saying that you are at

Sayeru patted Cale’s

is no

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

be the next sacrifice? Nobody knows who

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

contact with anyone until that point.

‘Phew, that was close.’

was relieved on the

one thing if we are far apart, but my condition might be revealed if

basis, Cale had clashed with the

far away from the White Star as possible in order to not

found out before I flipped

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

hear some things in the room that was a bit more

Cale Henituse is pretty

if he wants to survive. What’s with

“…He’s done for.”

eyes without saying

Time quickly passed by.

Boom- boom- boom-

It was now noon.

sitting down at the chair

The White Star.

mask that covered above his nose was sitting on a white marble

Woooooooooooooooo–

from the altar… The residents of

were forced to come observe were at the

crowd with the forced

only see the people cheering

probably 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

out of the cheering

see the

At that moment…

‘Mm.

Star looked toward

a mistake but he was certain that the

but did not avoid the

“Pffft.”

Star laughed and

clear sign that he was ignoring

was for

‘Ah, that scared me.’

Cale was relieved.

‘He didn't find out.’