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.”

the preparation of the altar to its

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

priests are keeping their eyes on them and not to do

prepare chairs and refreshments. Isn’t this

smiled and then suddenly clapped his

"Ah, in addition.”

toward the sky with his

celebration starts. He wishes

the central temple…

was when the White Star would

‘Honorable my ass.’

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

Cale before

highness, crown

gaze headed to the front of

was to the rear of the middle of the group, Alberu was in the front as he

of refreshments with the White

“…Of course.”

please come this

him

first time Cale saw Alberu’s

over or come to see Cale at their

signals through their eyes or greeting

‘He looks terrible.’

Alberu with a stoic

communication device, seeing Alberu in person

“Oh no, your highness.”

down as if he was sad

the day. Mm. How about asking the White Star-nim about it?

Praying is

Your faith is very

while Alberu just continued looking forward without

of a

temper. However, his face still remained

Kingdom's crown prince Valentino. Oh, the prince from the

the people who would have this secret

smile. It is rare to have an intimate conversation with

comment to the people standing next

Young master Cale

became even more silent at that

Sayeru respectfully ordered Cale.

“Please come forward.”

people started

had fought against the White Star. The

not going to step

just quietly looked

Tap. Tap.

front of

you

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

person who was not

“Cale Henituse.”

had only

“Priest Sayeru-nim.”

was not loud but everybody heard

done as much as

at

you want me to do

then turned his

closer to Sayeru’s face. Sayeru could see the scowl in

bowing down

wrath, annoyance, and all sorts of other negative emotions. There were so many that Sayeru could see

slowly spoke, as if he was breathing out,

things from me. This

then took a step back,

“…Ha.”

chuckle came out of Sayeru's

slightly nodding their heads.

come to Puzzle City to

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

people to think that Cale Henituse had

realized

was acting calm on the

person was at his limits holding

“Ha, haha-”

was laughing out loud now. He could finally

Henituse if

fact that he had done everything for the

dared to go against

some understanding this one time since you are saying that you are

Sayeru patted

is no next

He warned the defeated fool who refused to make eye contact with him as well as everybody

sacrifice? Nobody knows

who turned away from Cale without any regrets, headed out of the third floor with the people who

any eye contact with anyone until that point. Many people were looking

‘Phew, that was close.’

relieved

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

the basis, Cale had clashed with the White Star

it was better for him to be as far away from the

he found out before

good job to slither out of that situation and sat down

the room that was a bit more rowdy

is pretty

fully submit if he wants

“…He’s done for.”

closed his eyes

Time quickly passed by.

Boom- boom- boom-

It was now noon.

looked up at the person sitting down at the chair at

The White Star.

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

Woooooooooooooooo–

area a bit away from the altar… The residents of Puzzle City and people from all over were

at the center

to separate the cheering crowd with the forced spectators.

it so that they could only see the people cheering and the White

see the sacrifices as well as they step onto the

Cale looked around.

cheer but the crowd had a lot of followers of the White Star

the fervor spreading out of the cheering

could see the

At that moment…

‘Mm.

White Star looked toward

he was certain that the White Star was

frowned but did not

“Pffft.”

laughed and turned his

was a clear sign that he was ignoring

was for that

‘Ah, that scared me.’

Cale was relieved.

‘He didn't find out.’