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 its

all around so please let

priests are keeping their eyes on them

and refreshments. Isn’t this quite great of a

smiled and then suddenly clapped

"Ah, in addition.”

toward the

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 sure it will be an extremely honorable

floor of the central temple…

when the White Star would reveal

‘Honorable my ass.’

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

at Cale before continuing to speak with

highness, crown

the front of the

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

of refreshments with the White Star-nim.

“…Of course.”

come

pointed next to him and

first time Cale saw Alberu’s

come to see Cale at

them were not giving any signals through their eyes or

‘He looks terrible.’

observed Alberu with a stoic expression

video communication device, seeing Alberu in person

“Oh no, your highness.”

curled down as if he

losing more weight by the day. Mm. How about asking the White Star-nim about it? Ask him to allow you to stop praying. Ask him to let

okay. Praying is

faith is

continued looking

son of a

losing his temper. However,

Oh, the prince from the

the people who would have this secret meeting with the White

you must smile. It is rare to have

the people standing next

person. Young master

became even more silent at

Sayeru respectfully ordered Cale.

“Please come forward.”

people started peeking

who had fought against

you not going

quietly looked

Tap. Tap.

He stopped in front of Cale and asked the still emotionless

master Cale, are you not

not been smiling at all. There was an unexplainable sense

person who was not looking at him in a low

“Cale Henituse.”

eyes of the person who had only

“Priest Sayeru-nim.”

His voice was not

as much

at Sayeru

me

turned his

shoved his face closer to Sayeru’s

down this much

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

he was breathing

things from

took a step back,

“…Ha.”

came out of Sayeru's

were slightly nodding their heads. They understood where Cale

Henituse. He had come to Puzzle City

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

people to think that Cale

realized it

was acting calm on

at his limits

“Ha, haha-”

laughing out loud now. He could finally understand

isn't Cale Henituse if

had done everything

at Cale Henituse who dared to go against

one time since you are saying that you are at your limit. I will put in a

patted

there is no

the defeated fool who refused to make eye

be the next sacrifice? Nobody knows who it may

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

eye contact with anyone until that point. Many

‘Phew, that was close.’

was relieved

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

this illusion as the basis, Cale had clashed with the

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

be bad if he found out before

job to slither out of that situation

could hear some things in the room that was a bit more

Cale Henituse is pretty

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.

looked up at the person sitting down at the chair at the top of the altar

The White Star.

bastard wearing the white half mask that covered above his nose

Woooooooooooooooo–

an area a bit away from the altar… The residents of Puzzle City and people from

the center of the cheering crowd looking up

the cheering crowd with the

the chairs made it so that they could only see the people cheering and the White Star on top of the

see the sacrifices as well as they step

Cale looked around.

were some people who had no choice but to cheer but the crowd

of the

could see

At that moment…

‘Mm.

Star

but he was certain that the

did not

“Pffft.”

laughed and turned his

was a clear sign that he

was for that

‘Ah, that scared me.’

Cale was relieved.

‘He didn't find out.’