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

you are aware, priests are stationed all around so please let us know

keeping their eyes on them and not to do anything

prepare chairs and refreshments. Isn’t

and then suddenly clapped his

"Ah, in addition.”

pointed toward the sky with his

Star-nim has said that he would like to see some people face to face before the celebration starts. He wishes to have tea

floor of the central temple… The

when the White Star

‘Honorable my ass.’

his completely different inner thoughts. His face just looked cold

before

highness, crown prince

gaze headed to the front

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

of refreshments with the White Star-nim. You’re

“…Of course.”

please come this

next to him and Alberu

time Cale saw Alberu’s

Crossman had not called over or come to see Cale

through their eyes or greeting each other right now

‘He looks terrible.’

a stoic

communication device, seeing Alberu in person allowed Cale to

“Oh no, your highness.”

eyes curled down as if he was sad as he continued

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

okay. Praying is

magnificent. Your faith

just continued looking forward

of

losing his temper. However,

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

people who would have this secret meeting

you must smile. It is rare to have an

people standing next to him before

person. Young

silent room became even more silent

Sayeru respectfully ordered Cale.

“Please come forward.”

started peeking

the people who had fought against the White Star. The past did not disappear just because Cale had

going to

just quietly

Tap. Tap.

in front of Cale and

master Cale, are you not going

if he had not been smiling at all.

called out to the person who was not

“Cale Henituse.”

eyes of the person who had only been looking

“Priest Sayeru-nim.”

silent room. His voice was not loud but

as much as I

looked at Sayeru and

you want me to

his body

a step forward and shoved his face closer to Sayeru’s

bowing down

of other negative emotions. There were so many that

spoke, as if he was breathing out, with the scowl on

expect too many things from me. This is my

then took a step back, looked forward and

“…Ha.”

chuckle came out of

slightly nodding their heads. They understood where Cale was

come to Puzzle

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

was enough for some people to think that Cale

they realized

was acting calm on the

at his

“Ha, haha-”

loud now. He could

Henituse if

everything for the

against

you are saying that you are at your limit. I will put

Sayeru patted Cale’s

there is no next

who refused to make eye contact with him as well

sacrifice? Nobody knows who

any regrets, headed out of the third floor with the people who will enjoy refreshments with the White Star and headed for the

until that point. Many people were looking

‘Phew, that was close.’

relieved on

condition might be revealed if I am close to the

as the basis, Cale had clashed with the White Star

to be as far away from the White Star as possible in order to not

he found out before I flipped everything

good job to slither out of that situation and sat down

some things in the room that

Cale Henituse is pretty much dead

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

“…He’s done for.”

closed his eyes without saying

Time quickly passed by.

Boom- boom- boom-

It was now noon.

the person sitting down at the chair at

The White Star.

mask that covered above his nose was

Woooooooooooooooo–

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

come observe were at the center of the cheering

to separate the cheering crowd with the forced spectators. Furthermore, Cale and the others got chairs as a

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

sacrifices as well as

Cale looked around.

no choice but to cheer but the crowd had a lot of followers of the White Star

out of the cheering and

see the White

At that moment…

‘Mm.

White Star

mistake but he was certain that the White Star was observing

frowned but did not avoid the

“Pffft.”

White Star laughed and turned his

a clear sign that

for that

‘Ah, that scared me.’

Cale was relieved.

‘He didn't find out.’