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 to

stationed all around

priests are keeping their eyes on them and not to

prepare chairs and refreshments. Isn’t this quite great

and then suddenly clapped his

"Ah, in addition.”

pointed toward the sky with his

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

fifth floor of the central temple… The

starts at noon… That was when the White Star would reveal himself to the people in front of

‘Honorable my ass.’

completely different inner thoughts. His face just looked cold

peeked at Cale before continuing to

crown prince

the

to the rear of the middle of the group,

refreshments with the White

“…Of course.”

please come this

to him and Alberu

was the first time Cale saw Alberu’s face

or come

giving any signals through their eyes or

‘He looks terrible.’

with a stoic

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

“Oh no, your highness.”

down as if he was

the White Star-nim about it? Ask him to allow you to stop praying. Ask him to

Praying is

Your faith is very

laughed while Alberu just continued looking

of

losing his temper. However, his face still remained

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

continued choosing the people who would have this secret meeting with

is rare to have an intimate conversation with the

comment to the people standing next to him

person. Young master

room became even more

Sayeru respectfully ordered Cale.

“Please come forward.”

people started

was the person at the center of the people who had fought against

you not going

just quietly looked

Tap. Tap.

front of Cale and asked

are you not going to

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

King called out to the person who was not looking at

“Cale Henituse.”

of the person who had only been looking forward slowly

“Priest Sayeru-nim.”

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

much as

looked at Sayeru and

me to

then turned his body to face

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

down

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

was

many things from me. This

a step back, looked forward and avoided

“…Ha.”

short chuckle came out of

were slightly nodding their heads. They understood

He had come to Puzzle City to deliver

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

for some people to think that Cale Henituse

realized

acting calm on the

person was at

“Ha, haha-”

out loud now. He could finally understand

he isn't Cale Henituse if he doesn't

he had done everything

who dared to go against the

this one time since you are saying that you

Sayeru patted

is no

He warned the defeated fool who refused to

sacrifice? Nobody knows who

of the third floor with the people who will enjoy

that point. Many people were looking at him with different emotions,

‘Phew, that was close.’

relieved on the

are far apart, but my condition

using this illusion as the basis, Cale had clashed with the White Star

was better for 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 everything

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

the room that was a

Cale Henituse is pretty much dead

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

“…He’s done for.”

closed his eyes without

Time quickly passed by.

Boom- boom- boom-

It was now noon.

the person sitting down at the chair at the top of the altar as

The White Star.

white half mask that covered above his nose was sitting on

Woooooooooooooooo–

from the altar… The residents of Puzzle City and people from all over

observe were at the center

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

could only see the people cheering

sacrifices as well as they

Cale looked around.

the crowd had a lot of followers of the White Star

of the cheering and raised

could see

At that moment…

‘Mm.

White Star

a mistake but he was certain that the

did not avoid

“Pffft.”

Star laughed and turned his

clear sign that

was for

‘Ah, that scared me.’

Cale was relieved.

‘He didn't find out.’