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.”

watch the preparation of the altar

that you are aware, priests are stationed all around so please

he was saying that priests are keeping their eyes on them and not to do anything

Isn’t this

then suddenly clapped

"Ah, in addition.”

the

to see some people face to face before the celebration starts. He wishes to

of the central temple…

at noon… That was when the White Star would reveal himself to

‘Honorable my ass.’

thoughts. His face just looked

Cale before continuing to speak

highness, crown prince Alberu

the front

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

White Star-nim. You’re happy,

“…Of course.”

come

pointed next to him and

Cale saw Alberu’s

or come to see Cale at

signals through their

‘He looks terrible.’

a stoic expression on his

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

“Oh no, your highness.”

curled down as if he

asking the White Star-nim about it? Ask him to allow you to

Praying is

faith is

while Alberu just continued looking forward without any changes to

son of

slowly losing his temper.

is the Caro Kingdom's crown prince Valentino. Oh, the prince

continued choosing the people who would have this secret meeting with the White

must smile. It is rare to have an intimate

standing next to him before looking

Young

silent room became even more silent

Sayeru respectfully ordered Cale.

“Please come forward.”

started peeking

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

not going to step

just quietly

Tap. Tap.

to walk. He stopped in front of Cale and asked the still emotionless

you not going to come

as if he had not been smiling at all.

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

“Cale Henituse.”

the person who had only been looking

“Priest Sayeru-nim.”

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

done as much

looked at

you want me

his body to face

forward and shoved his face closer to Sayeru’s face. Sayeru could see

down this much

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

as if he was breathing

from me. This

then took a step back,

“…Ha.”

short chuckle came out of Sayeru's

their heads. They understood where Cale was coming

Henituse. He had come to

the sacrifices were being offered. He had not shown any

was enough for some people to think

they realized

acting calm on the outside

at his

“Ha, haha-”

He could finally

Cale Henituse if he

that he had done everything for

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

I will show some understanding this one time since you are saying that you are at your limit. I will put in a good word

patted

there is no

defeated fool who refused to make eye

will be the next sacrifice? Nobody knows

with

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

‘Phew, that was close.’

was relieved on the

condition might be revealed if I am close

Cale had clashed with the White

him to be as far away from the White Star as possible in order to not have his shield found

if he found out before I flipped

job to slither out of that situation and sat down

in the room that was a

Cale Henituse is pretty much

should just fully submit if he wants

“…He’s done for.”

closed his eyes without

Time quickly passed by.

Boom- boom- boom-

It was now noon.

the chair at the top

The White Star.

that covered above his nose was sitting on

Woooooooooooooooo–

a bit away from the altar… The residents of

observe were at the center of the cheering crowd looking up at the

was set like this on purpose with dividers to separate the cheering crowd with the forced spectators. Furthermore, Cale and the others got chairs as a form

could only see the people cheering and the White Star on top

probably be able to see the sacrifices as well as they step

Cale looked around.

the crowd had a lot of followers of the White Star and the God

felt the fervor spreading out of the cheering and raised his

see the White

At that moment…

‘Mm.

White Star looked toward

been a mistake but he was certain that the White Star was observing

did not avoid the White Star's

“Pffft.”

laughed

a clear sign

was for that

‘Ah, that scared me.’

Cale was relieved.

‘He didn't find out.’