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.”

telling them to watch the preparation of

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

was saying that priests are keeping their

refreshments. Isn’t this

smiled and then suddenly clapped his

"Ah, in addition.”

pointed toward the sky with his

like to see some people face to face before the celebration starts.

fifth floor of the central temple… The White Star

White Star would reveal himself

‘Honorable my ass.’

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

Cale before continuing

highness, crown prince Alberu

the front of the

Cale, who was to the rear of the middle of the group, Alberu

White Star-nim.

“…Of course.”

come this

him and Alberu walked

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

or come to see Cale

through their eyes

‘He looks terrible.’

Alberu with a stoic expression on

communication device, seeing Alberu in

“Oh no, your highness.”

curled down as if he was sad as he

White Star-nim about it? Ask him to

Praying

magnificent. Your faith is very

just continued looking forward

of

slowly losing his temper. However, his face still

the prince from

the people who would have this secret meeting with

have an intimate conversation with

comment to the people standing next to

person. Young

became even

Sayeru respectfully ordered Cale.

“Please come forward.”

people started

fought against the White Star. The past did

you not going

just quietly looked

Tap. Tap.

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

are you not

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

the person who was not looking at him in

“Cale Henituse.”

eyes of the person who had

“Priest Sayeru-nim.”

voice was not loud but everybody

as much as I

looked at Sayeru and

you want me to

his body to face

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

bowing down this much

eyes were full of wrath, annoyance, and all sorts of other negative

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

many things from

a step back, looked forward and avoided Sayeru's

“…Ha.”

came out of Sayeru's

were slightly nodding their heads. They understood

Henituse. He had come to Puzzle City

being offered. He had not shown any

enough for some people to think that

they realized

was acting calm on the outside

person was at his limits holding

“Ha, haha-”

loud now. He could finally understand

if he doesn't act

that he had done everything for

against the White Star's order

time since you are saying that you are at your limit. I

patted

there is

Cale. He warned the defeated fool who refused to make

will be the next sacrifice? Nobody knows who it

the third floor with the people who will enjoy refreshments with the White Star and headed

until that

‘Phew, that was close.’

relieved on

but my condition might be revealed if I

Cale had clashed with the White

as far away from the

be bad if he found out before

did a good job to slither out of that situation and sat down on a chair a priest

hear some things in the room that

Henituse is pretty

just fully submit if he wants to survive. What’s

“…He’s done for.”

closed his eyes without

Time quickly passed by.

Boom- boom- boom-

It was now noon.

the chair at the top of the

The White Star.

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

Woooooooooooooooo–

an area a bit away from the altar… The residents

were at the center of the cheering crowd looking

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

see

be able to see the sacrifices as well as they step

Cale looked around.

cheer but the crowd had a lot of followers

of the cheering and

could see the White

At that moment…

‘Mm.

Star looked

mistake but he was certain that the

did not avoid the White

“Pffft.”

White Star laughed and turned his

sign

was for

‘Ah, that scared me.’

Cale was relieved.

‘He didn't find out.’