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.”

them to watch the preparation of the altar to

are stationed all around so please let us know if there is

their eyes on them and not to do

prepare chairs and refreshments. Isn’t this quite

smiled and then suddenly

"Ah, in addition.”

the

celebration starts. He wishes

floor of the central temple… The White Star was

was when the White Star would reveal himself to the people in front of the

‘Honorable my ass.’

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

Cale before

highness, crown prince Alberu

the

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

the White

“…Of course.”

come

pointed next to him

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

over or come to see

of them were not giving any signals through

‘He looks terrible.’

Alberu with a stoic expression

Alberu

“Oh no, your highness.”

as if he was sad

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

okay. Praying

magnificent. Your faith is very

while Alberu just continued looking forward without any

of

temper. However, his

Kingdom's crown prince Valentino. Oh, the prince from the Breck Kingdom please step forward

would have this secret meeting with

you must smile. It is rare to have an

standing next to him before

last person. Young master Cale

silent room became even more

Sayeru respectfully ordered Cale.

“Please come forward.”

started

at the center of the people who had fought against the White Star. The past did

going

just quietly

Tap. Tap.

to walk. He stopped in front of

master Cale, are you not going

as if he had not been smiling at all. There

person who was not looking at him in

“Cale Henituse.”

who had only been looking

“Priest Sayeru-nim.”

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

much

at Sayeru and

want me to do even

turned his

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

down this

of wrath, annoyance, and all sorts of other negative emotions. There were so many that Sayeru could see them without

was breathing out, with the scowl on

many things from me. This is

a step back, looked forward and avoided Sayeru's

“…Ha.”

came out of Sayeru's

nodding their heads. They

Henituse. He had come to Puzzle

where the sacrifices were being offered. He had not shown any resistance and had even shown

for some people to think that Cale Henituse had

realized

acting calm

at his limits

“Ha, haha-”

loud now. He could finally

isn't Cale Henituse if he

fact that he had done everything for the sacrifice delivery was

to go against the White Star's order and felt joy and

saying that you are

Sayeru patted Cale’s

is no

defeated fool who refused to make eye contact

be the 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

contact with anyone until that point. Many people

‘Phew, that was close.’

was relieved on

my condition might be revealed

just using this illusion as the basis, Cale had clashed with the

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

found

out of that situation and sat down on a

that was a

Henituse is

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

“…He’s done for.”

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 White Star.

bastard wearing the white half mask that covered above his nose was sitting on a

Woooooooooooooooo–

The residents of

who were forced to come observe were at the center of the cheering crowd

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

could only see

see the sacrifices as well

Cale looked around.

the crowd had

the fervor spreading out of the cheering

could see the White

At that moment…

‘Mm.

Star looked

a mistake but he was certain that the

not avoid the

“Pffft.”

laughed and turned his

a clear sign that he

was for that

‘Ah, that scared me.’

Cale was relieved.

‘He didn't find out.’